flea markets & hamfests

[Mike Maginnis]

On 12/22/05, McFadden, Mike, A <mamcfadden at cmh.edu> wrote:
> Actually I have found some of the best stuff when I volunteer at the
> local computer recycling events in Kansas City.  I actually live 25
> miles from Kansas City but I go to town occasionally to see the "big
> city".
>
> I acquired an HP86B that was dumped at the drop off 3 years ago and a
> Victor 1400 calculator with dust cover that was dropped off this year.
> We received and loaded 60000 pounds of computers, CRT's, printers and
> TV's between 8 AM and 2 PM one Saturday.
>
> Recently I found an Olivetti Programma 101 at the local computer
> recycling charity.  There is a not-for-profit in Kansas City called the
> Surplus Exchange that collects computers from all of the local
> businesses and recycles them.  $20 and it was mine.  That's where I
> found the Cromemco Z-2 and dual 8" floppies I have.
>
> The really old stuff normally is sent directly to the recycler since
> they can only reuse some of the recent PC stuff.  I am kind of the non
> PC guy that sorts some stuff.
>
> It's like looking for diamonds "lots of crud to sort through to find a
> few jewels."
>
> Mike McFadden
>
>

Hmm.  Have you been to the Surplus Exchange recently?  When I was at
KansasFest this past July, some of us piled into the car and headed
down there - they had just moved into their new location on Santa Fe. 
(Finding the new place, I recall, became quite the adventure). All
they had were Pentiums, the odd Mac, and associated peripherals; we
were told that the "eclectic" stuff was gone and wouldn't be coming
back...

- Mike