FREE STUFF...we ask, we offer, and sometimes we get...

[Greenheart]

A damned generous chap on the forum read that I needed a part which he had, unused in his shed. A new one would have cost me...lots more than I had...

...but he sent it, and now I have that vital bit, FREE. So, I'm very happy, and massively grateful.

SO...what do I have, which I can give away, to pay it forward? Well, scratching around, I do have two 25mm ball bearings which I needed for one job, but which now sit here unused, gathering dust. And, a small inspection-hatch which I paid for, but which doesn't fit. Not much else, but I'll have a look...


But it really would be a fine thing if, in the spirit of trust and mateyness, there was a sort-of forum parts-bin, where stuff that's genuinely surplus to its owners' needs, could be adopted by genuine other forumites. Not good for chandleries, of course...or tight-fisted boat-jumble types...

...but let me know if you'd like a couple of one-inch steel balls. Postage paid, no questions asked. Good afternoon.

 

[Tony Cross]

What a lovely offer, people are always telling me I should get some balls, would yours suit do you think?

 

[Greenheart]

They're yours, if they won't weigh you down painfully! Rather small but very dense.

 

[David2452]

A damned generous chap on the forum read that I needed a part which he had, unused in his shed. A new one would have cost me...lots more than I had...

...but he sent it, and now I have that vital bit, FREE. So, I'm very happy, and massively grateful.

SO...what do I have, which I can give away, to pay it forward? Well, scratching around, I do have two 25mm ball bearings which I needed for one job, but which now sit here unused, gathering dust. And, a small inspection-hatch which I paid for, but which doesn't fit. Not much else, but I'll have a look...


But it really would be a fine thing if, in the spirit of trust and mateyness, there was a sort-of forum parts-bin, where stuff that's genuinely surplus to its owners' needs, could be adopted by genuine other forumites. Not good for chandleries, of course...or tight-fisted boat-jumble types...

...but let me know if you'd like a couple of one-inch steel balls. Postage paid, no questions asked. Good afternoon.

What an extraordinarily and altruistically good idea, if IPC were to include something appropriate in these fora I would be happy to distribute some stuff that would otherwise get binned, especially for older heaters which I no longer support but have either N.O.S. or used bits for, ditto for older electronics. Not hard to set up in the for sale/wanted area I would have thought. For small bits, easy to post it is not an issue but for me going to the PO with a parcel can wind up costing me money. There must be other businesses with similar stuff on the shelf. As for the 1" steel balls, sometimes I wish I had them.

 

[Lakesailor]

Sorry to rain on your parade but it is without doubt that some ebayer would start collecting all the freebies and flogging them. Human nature.

 

[doug748]

There has to be a mechanism for weeding the scrongers out. Maybe you can only collect if you have a credit for supplying a freebe yourself.

We shouldn't forget Searush, is he still running his Marina Skip?

 

[TQA]

It is kind of like a barter system.

There is software around and I am pretty sure some town Glasgow? had a pretty well established barter network.

 

[penfold]

There has to be a mechanism for weeding the scrongers out. Maybe you can only collect if you have a credit for supplying a freebe yourself.

We shouldn't forget Searush, is he still running his Marina Skip?

Indeed, and very good it is too; no need to reinvent the wheel.

 

[PabloPicasso]

In Ireland/Dublin the council run freetrade.ie so people can get rid of unwanted stuff. I've got a swing set, a Wendy house, a junglegym/climbing frame for the kids, and a 9ft grp rowing boat and several teak doors for the boatingness.

I'm sure an IT type could set-up a freeboatpartstrade.co.uk along similar boaty lines

 

[Twister_Ken]

Check out Freecycle which is pretty effective in many places.

 

[Lakesailor]

Many ebayers use Freecycle as their wholesaler.

 

[lw395]

TBH I can't see what's wrong with ebaying the bits and buying other bits with the proceeds.
The only problem is that people are willing to bid too much for used stuff in relation to new stuff IMHO.

Maybe what's needed is a sort of reverse ebay, which is initiated by someone needing something, then people offer what they have at a fair price?
I've got stuff that I wouldn't give away unless a good friend needed it, but I don't get around to ebaying it, or I'm not sure I get enough for it compared to its 'come in handy' potential'?

For instance I have a fair load of electronics components. If somebody comes to me wanting a 12ohm resistor, I may well be able to help them, but they are low value and not worth ebaying.
Likewise I might use it myself at some point.

Also, all the stuff I've bought a pack of 100 of when I wanted about 6. There must be a means to swap a few 50mm screws for 40mm ones, but it's easer to buy more or cut the end off.

Maybe some sort of database of what's rotting in everyone's shed?

 

[Greenheart]

I hadn't heard of SR's Marina Skip. Is that what's written in the footnotes under each of his posts? For some reason I always bleep right over things people have as 'watermarks'.

How does it work? How does it escape abuse by cynical money-grubbers?

 

[bikerbill]

A few weeks ago I offered Landrover Discovery wheels in good condition with good tyres on Gumtree. This guy took them from me on the Saturday, did not even offer me something, not that I was looking for money. However, I just happened to be at a car boot sale the next day and guess what? The same guy had them for sale at £200. I told him I wanted them back, because he told me he wanted them for his Landrover. I caused a bit of a commotion when my friend and myself took them from him.

 

[Quidi Vidi]

A kind of Freegle for forumites, splendid idea or perhaps an exchange/swap forum. We all need things and I'm sure we all have things we no longer need, I know I have. As someone has already mentioned some people would take advantage for personal gain!

 

[Poignard]

I'll take the steel balls.

Please send them to:

Lt Cdr Philip Francis Queeg, USN
USS Caine.

 

[Greenheart]

View attachment 35456
"Shomebody shtole those shtrawberries!"

 

[penfold]

Many ebayers use Freecycle as their wholesaler.

George Osborne will be very disappointed with your attitude; better whatever was sitting in your drawer/cupboard/shed gathering dust is sold and contributing to the economic recovery. It's your patriotic duty Lakey!

 

[sailorman]

I have sent free items @ my expense for a rnli donation, with no acknowledgement that it has arrived safely either.

 

[Greenheart]

George Osborne will be very disappointed with your attitude...

Strangely enough, that thought had crossed my mind too...I realised the other day that almost everything I take an interest in, I find a way into without paying retail and without benefiting the new market (which I nevertheless feel free to criticise heartily).

On the one hand I think it's great that a person without a bulging wallet can get into sailing in a modest way, and I'm sincere about giving away boaty stuff that someone in my position would genuinely benefit from in a practical way, not by selling it on...though I sometimes see people at the sailing club with their new kit and branded fluorescent outfits, and reflect that I don't represent any part of the thriving or dying sailing economy.

I'm one of those little fish that swim along behind the big predators, to grab a freebie when it's available. I have ambitions, though.