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Post your special OPE dump/curb finds here!

17884 Views 450 Replies 26 Participants Last post by  rwh963
I have posted about dump picks a number of times in the general section, usually embedded in an ongoing thread. I thought I would start a thread dedicated to those free finds that may or may not have been worth dragging home.

My most recent pick was this weekend when I spotted a straight shaft grass trimmer on the metal scrap pile. I don't have a straight shaft, so took a look. Turned to to be an Echo SRM-210! Missing a fuel cap. Took it home, checked it out. Plug was in good shape (probably original NGK). Air filter clean. Cleaned it up a little, put in a new fuel filter, a used Echo cap I happened too have, fresh fuel, and after several pulls it fired up. Idled pretty well. Noticed the fuel tank lines tank grommet was damaged and leaking fuel. I have a spare, so sometime later will deal with that. The shaft spun well, turning the head. I believe the shaft end should receive an injection of lithium grease.

I think it's around a 2008. Looking forward to using it next summer. Here is a pic of it next to an earlier dump find, an Echo GT-200R curved shaft trimmer.

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you will be very happy with it. i picked one up at the curb about 5+ years ago and it is my favorite go to machine for when you are running it all day. i definitely like it more than my toro multi tool but if it was multi tool compatible i would likely get rid of the toro. i had to replace the grommet/fuel lines and carb a year or 2 ago. they definitely don't last forever.
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rwh963 you are definitely the King of dump/curb picks, with all the treasures you have brought home in the past year.

Some of my curb finds:

Found this 2 stroke Toro Power Shovel at the curb about 15 -20 years ago. Drained the old fuel (pre ethanol) and flushed the tank. Filled with new fuel and it fired right up. It runs great and have not had to do anything to it since.

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Found this Stihl 031 AV saw at the curb about 15 -20 years ago. Drained the old fuel (pre ethanol), filled with fresh fuel and it fired right up. It still works great and have not had to do anything to it since, other than chain sharpening.

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Found this rough electric start only Lawn Boy at the curb a few months ago. Gas tank is bone dry, haven't checked condition of carb yet. I grabbed it for a winter project and have done nothing with it yet, but it will definitely take more work to get running than the above finds.

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Totally unrelated, but grabbed this nice pic driving back from coastal NH recently.

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As picked up at the roadside... Honda Model: HRM215 K3 SDA
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After cleanup... Starts on one pull. Self-propelled, included mulching blades and mulching plug
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nice to keep them in service after others have given up on the
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a couple saws that i picked up off he curb. both needed a carb cleaning and new chain but they both run pretty good. still need at least 1 part for the stihl but it is still usable as is.
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here is a snowblower i picked up off the curb. needed a drive cable which i had sitting around. otherwise everything worked including the heated handle bars and overall condition is decent.
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On the left, a curbside find: An AYP-built Craftsman 21" mower with a Honda GCV160 engine and a blade clutch
On the right, a dump find: A similar AYP-built Craftsman with a Tecumseh engine

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The Honda engine needs a recoil starter and a carburetor spacer. The one on the right runs and drives, but the transmission is weak on one side.

I do like mowers with blade clutches, so I will make one good mower out of these two.
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This was free on the FB market place not too far from where I live. Think I actually offered him $20 to hold it for me. Got it home and mowed with it half the summer and fall. Got another free one sitting at my parents house 300 miles away, exact.y the same but with self propelled.

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When I told the wife I needed a recent picture of her for the dump/curb find thread, she didn't take to it very kindly. Women...
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I got some trimmers and attachments that would have likely ended up as scrap if I didn't take them. Slowly finding what issues there are with them. May end up red neck repairing a couple things since cost wise it is not worth fixing properly. Got 2 hedge trimmer attachments, 1 trimmer attachment with the metal blade and a trimmer that is missing parts and needs a new head. I have already started modding the 1 trimmer to be for hedge trimming. Just have to install the long blades on it and I think it should be nearly ready to use. I have given the engine and carb a once over and I believe it should run. Worse case scenario I do got other engines that will work.

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Neighbor had this out for free a few months ago. I remember them struggling with it for years- all it did was surge like crazy. I know they tried to get it fixed (shop repair tag was still on it), but it never ran right for them.
Took it home (actually pushed it home). Started up, still surged, so I dropped the bowl and cleaned out the clogged (non-adjustable) jet. Runs OK now, but still need to change fuel line and petcock.
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Great score!
Looks to be in great condition and had very little use over the years.
A machine in that condition would never be left at the curb in my area, even if it had a blown engine.
A woman gave me this a couple weeks ago. The right wheel axle bushing needed replacement and the bushing carrier needed some restoration with 2-part epoxy. While I was inside the tractor drive, I found another worn bronze bushing on a chain-drive sprocket. The bushings came from Aubuchon hardware; both totals <$15. I used the machine in a 22" snow storm last weekend and it kicked ass!
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Last Summer, this Commercial Snapper was at the curb on the ride into school. It subsequently followed me home behind the Trail 90. I love those Teledyne Wisconsin Robin engines and think they're better than a Honda GX engine.
After some TLC on its disc drive transmission, it was mowing great. I don't care for bagger mowers and rigged up a side deflector shield. Ultimately, there was no room in the garage and I sold it to a nice fellow for a fair price.


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Dad had a Snapper at one point and loved it. He said it had the best suction of any mower he had. Unfortunately mom found it difficult to maneuver so he sold it and bought a self-propelled.

Edit: I like the tow vehicle. 👍
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Lawnboy with mulcher/bagger and battery start. Some people...

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Been awhile. Have picked so many items, but not in this category. Grabbed this today. Gave it a cleaning, fresh fluids and plug, gave it a go, and fired up and idled nicely!! Looks like 1976-1982.

also snagged these two items, plus a really nice plastic pallet.

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I got a homelite just like that but it has been customized. I bought it at a auction.. been pretty lucky and all I had to do was ad fuel and it ran. I wanted to replace fuel lines but they can be a pain to open up

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Some nice finds there.
That saw is in nice shape, great score.
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