Abandoned places full of old electronics and stuff

[lordvader88]

I've been watching some videos of people exploring old business's, factories, houses, etc. And what a pile of old electronics I'd like to scrap for parts or intact things I want. 1 school had bench power supplies just rusting away. Too much cool stuff going to waste to think about.

Here where I live is so boring. Even tho its the provincial capital, about the only electronics u can ever find to scrap are TVs people are trying to get rid of. There's not that many garage sales of old stuff, but I will start going to alot more after winter. There's no flea markets really. I see video's in some parts of the US and there's cool stuff everywhere at flea markets and electronics meetups. I think most people here threw out anything with a vacuum tube in the 80s.

There's next to no abandoned factories, or anywhere I can think of that might have cool junk in it. Trespassing and stealing aside, I'd go to the owners and say here $20, can I please have _________, its only going to rot away, or be smashed by some idiot.


And whats with graffiti. Who the world over decided that there's only 1 basic style, and 99.999% always just mindless idiot ghetto culture. I'd be drawing beautiful and profound EQUATIONS for a start. I can't be the only 1 that wants to do that, but I will start after winter.

Also there is very very few places to dumpster dive since there is so few places that deal or repair electronics. And how often does the average little factory or business throw out random electronics, probably hardly ever.

And the city dump recycles as much as they can and no one is allowed inside to look for stuff let alone take stuff.

[T3sl4co1l]

But it's missing a "plus a constant, motherfucker".

Tim

[ataradov]

Owners will not give you permission to enter, since they will be at fault if roof collapses and you die in the process.

And yes, taking things from "abandoned" places is still a crime.

[bitseeker]

I see video's in some parts of the US and there's cool stuff everywhere at flea markets and electronics meetups.

Sounds like some vacation plans in the making.

[Brutte]

But it's missing a "plus a constant, motherfucker".

I'd also take care of that minus, just in case that Bitch passes by.

[TheSteve]

You can always check out ham swap meets - sometimes they suck, sometimes you might find something cool.

[Rerouter]

companies do throw out interesting stuff all the time,

but generally it helps if you know someone in that company who is aware of when the good stuff is being thrown,

My own dad, most of his test gear has been simple repairs from stuff he dragged out of the company dumpster, (even blown fuses on extremely expensive things)
waits until its in the dumpster, then goes and digs it out.

[CatalinaWOW]

You have to be creative, watchful, patient and bold.   Supermarket dumpsters have turned up UPS, computers and networking gear.  Does anyone in your area do car stereo installations, video conferencing, auto repair just to name a few businesses that could very easily have interesting "trash".  All of these things can be approached front door or back door.  A well written plea on Craiglist or whatever similar venue is popular in your area can be productive.

[joseph nicholas]

The is a municipal parking area here with a place designated for people and businesses to put only old electronic items, televisions mostly but sometimes you find discarded laptop computers in working conditon.  The are also microwave ovens, computer keyboards, bicycle frames, discarded printers, etc.

There is a security guard (local police) who objects when I try to remove things from a dumpster.  Why? 

[Vtile]

The is a municipal parking area here with a place designated for people and businesses to put only old electronic items, televisions mostly but sometimes you find discarded laptop computers in working conditon.  The are also microwave ovens, computer keyboards, bicycle frames, discarded printers, etc.

There is a security guard (local police) who objects when I try to remove things from a dumpster.  Why?

Just run faster!! 

I know this is annoying, the same have happened here also. No access to anything nomore, even municipal eTrash collection places are nogo for getting that 10k measuring equipment top of the pile when some old HAM or something have past away and relatives just walks whole laboratory to "recycling". Usually it is just trash, but at times there is really good things like top quality electromechanics (ie. uA meter movements) or bakelite era test equipment.

[nctnico]

The is a municipal parking area here with a place designated for people and businesses to put only old electronic items, televisions mostly but sometimes you find discarded laptop computers in working conditon.  The are also microwave ovens, computer keyboards, bicycle frames, discarded printers, etc.

There is a security guard (local police) who objects when I try to remove things from a dumpster.  Why?

They probably don't want people to spread the junk again or hurt themselves while going through the piles of trash. It is also possible the e-waste gets hauled away by a recycling company and they don't want other people to remove the good stuff (think about gold scrap, aluminium, copper, etc) before they get their hands on it.

But as a (recovering) hoarder I feel your frustration.

[Seekonk]

On Nantucket and many other places there is is a Take It Or Leave It space.   They tried to get rid of it for insurance purposes, but the residents strongly objected.  It was always my first stop when visiting the island. At my town dump the battery recycling always get old UPS when the batteries die.  Sure you need to be quick.  A bottle of Ripple will probably get them to look the other way.

[vodka]

The is a municipal parking area here with a place designated for people and businesses to put only old electronic items, televisions mostly but sometimes you find discarded laptop computers in working conditon.  The are also microwave ovens, computer keyboards, bicycle frames, discarded printers, etc.

There is a security guard (local police) who objects when I try to remove things from a dumpster.  Why?

They probably don't want people to spread the junk again or hurt themselves while going through the piles of trash. It is also possible the e-waste gets hauled away by a recycling company and they don't want other people to remove the good stuff (think about gold scrap, aluminium, copper, etc) before they get their hands on it.

But as a (recovering) hoarder I feel your frustration.

I doubt that on Mexico that the authorities worry by security and health of ragpickers. I think that they put the guards for avoiding that the people empty the dump.

Here , on  my town had  containers ships where you could give the breaking and old home appliances. The best hadn't guards and you could enter and got the old computers.
Until that the romain gipsies pest arrived , they performed like commandos. They put one or two persons for watching the container for avoiding(threatening and coercing ) that anybody got the stuffs of inside and they had a van traveling for all the town for picking the stuffs.