Following another successful trip to one of my local Recycle / Re-use stores today, I urge anyone looking for the hard to find items or keen on a bargain to get out to their local Op Shops and recycle centres .
These stores are now more commonly frequented by those not only seeking to bag a bargain , but by those looking for antiquities and like myself today , just happen across some K parts , plus other bike gear worth adding to my K.
Found a pair of reasonable condition panniers under some automotive items , I almost walked straight past them. They had a price of $80 textered on them , I got to the counter and the store owner ( A Harley Rider) didn't see the price and said " I'll give them to you for $60, without me uttering a word, without her taking another breath , she then said , Oh look , $50 will do you.
she near knocked me over. obviously she had no idea of their real worth. 
I scrounged around for a few more items , including 2 new RAM mounts still in their packaging , with the original retailers price tag of $39.95 ea on them , they had a whole box full of them . I have already found that they fit the same thread as my camera, so this may become my new camera mount.
also picked up a camp stretcher and 2 camp stools . 
All up , I paid $60. no arguments from me.
as it then happened, a storm had followed me there , and was still bucketing down when I was ready to leave.
Bugger , I had left my rain jacket at home , so I asked if they had any cheap raincoats for under $5, right on closing time.
I found a reasonably good heavy duty one , and was then told  it would be no charge , all in the deal.
so do yourselves a favour and take the time to pop into your local op shops and Recycle centres , they are a haven for bargains , and it is great to Recycle and reuse.

Well done Ed, you must have a better grade of Op shop than we have, I've never found K bike parts at the Op shops here.

Smithy , it's amazing what people will throw away .
the Recycle centre gathers most of it's stock from roadside collection points and local waste depots.
90% of goods retrieved are in good usable condition and do not reach the landfill site.
our waste depots are fairly clean and organised, each user must place their waste in segregated waste dumpsters. so as not to contaminate the landfill area.
Our local councils are also strongly encouraging the use of recycle centres , as they have proven to reduce the level of landfill and impact on the environment.

this is not the first time I have found useful bike gear at the centre and op shops. generally they have riding gear, boots , gloves, lights, panniers , bars etc.
they do have helmets , but that is one item I definitely will not touch , regardless of condition.

you generally find the person who dis[posed of the item was not the actual owner, and has no sense of value or use for the object.
apart from householders disposing of unwanted goods , there are businesses out there who act on behalf of property owners , and they will clean a property out in readiness for a new tenant or to sell a property of a deceased estate.again it is simply a case of unwanted usable goods going to the waste depot.

It blew me away when I spotted the panniers , mine currently need attention .
And as it so happened , mine have miss matched latches ,so whilst I loaded the new ones up , I noticed that they also have the same issue but in reverse.
Which means without any change I can match the panniers .

What a find, thats awesome,

Im down the road from Reverse Garbage in Marrickville which is great place to find stuff. Find K bits is hard to imagine though, thats a great score.

Hmmm I'll have to pay more attention to Op shops, Kay always goes to the Op shops, but seems to only come home with frames for her artwork, though she has found some good old furniture in the past.

is that Kay's work in your Avatar , I was going to ask where you were getting them from . nice work.
Most wives find it difficult to get their hubbies to go shopping with them , this might change things possibly.

theres no harm in looking Floyd , bargains to be had for the taking.
just glad I saved a set of panniers from possible slaughter.

If Kay wants frames for her artwork then I have heaps of them. My dad thought of himself as an artist and used to collect them from the op shops and I got quite a lot when we cleaned his unit out.
Next time I come through I will bring a pile.

That would be great Rick, Kay will really appreciate that.
Yes Ed that's some of Kay's work, she has an exhibition coming up in September and is busy with her art at the moment.

I quite enjoyed your last avatar with the Aussie theme , boots , dog and Akhubra. well done Kay.

Hey Ed , here's a few of Kay's recent Aussie themed works, getting a bit side tracked on this thread.
   

a good way to get side tracked , thoroughly enjoy them .
what do you think she would be like at a painting of a K?

groverK wrote:a good way to get side tracked , thoroughly enjoy them .
what do you think she would be like at a painting of a K?

I'm sure she could paint a K , just as long as it's not me who asks!

Painting of a K? Here's one prepared earlier:


We had it done by Peter Browne.  All thats left now is the photo.  It features me, Marie, Chilli the terrier and Matilda the tabbie.

Al

groverK wrote:a good way to get side tracked , thoroughly enjoy them .
what do you think she would be like at a painting of a K?

I painted one pink a few years ago 

Rick was that more of a "blush" pink to match the riders looks when out and about?

Al , nice painting , depicting a very Australiana K. it's worth keeping.

Smithy , I think we might just stick with the skones for the moment. hoping to try your recipe next weekend at Waz's.

groverK wrote:Rick was that more of a "blush" pink to match the riders looks when out and about?

Al , nice painting , depicting a very Australiana K. it's worth keeping.

Smithy , I think we might just stick with the skones for the moment. hoping to try your recipe next weekend at Waz's.

Unfortunately all I have is the digital image of it.  The original is now ash.

Al