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Old 17th Feb 2019, 12:49 am   #21
Wendymott
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Default Re: Sad Times

Being in a similar situation.. being single.. having various interests..I decided to "down size" ..My philosophy is.. if I have not looked at it or played it or used it in the last 5 years, its on its way..either ebay or gifted. My CD collection had been transferred to PC as has my photo collection,,lots of my railway books will be gifted to the local charity shop. The problem is my electronic test equipment..all quite new.. my nephew will dispose of that.. its all the boxes of components we acquire...fortunately most of my stock is sorted and boxed...... not the typical OXO tins full of bits of wire etc..the local radio society will aquire this lot for a junk sale...this is when I have departed of course.. hopefully not before.
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 1:11 am   #22
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I'm reconciled to most of my stuff ending up in a skip whem my time comes. It's regrettable, but I don't own anything hugely rare or valuable so it's no great loss in the wider scheme of things. I certainly don't expect the people clearing up after me to put lots of effort into rehoming bags of BC337s or nondescript Ekco U245s.
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 1:33 am   #23
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Sorry if I wasn't clear there Tanuki or Mr Bungle. The phrase extracted in isolation from my post, was about the fact that little matters in the end except information. I'm in a better position to understand that than most. I have lots of car boot stuff that I know nothing about plus family history. Based on that, I try to ID my photos and key items etc. That is not so difficult to extract from the rest [if there is any real interest, awareness or concern].

Of course you need to be pragmatic when faced with an overwhelming responsibility but I've been in situations, personally and professionally where family photos and documents are being rained on out in the open and could have been easily kept for the future without taking up much room at all. Unfortunately the relatives were usually not concerned with that persons life, only the money! Births, Deaths and Marriages always bring out the best and worst in people. Charles Dickens knew that!

Professionally, I would have faced prosecution if I took anything to preserve it and I saw the result of that for one very dedicated helper very early on. I did keep one item [an Ultra Panther radio] rescued from an outside toilet in a yard full of the house contents. It looked like a soggy cardboard box. One of my colleagues brought it in as he knew I had an interest in Radio. I thought that the chance of a successful prosecution would have been slim but I would have enjoyed seeing the relatives cross examined

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Old 17th Feb 2019, 2:17 am   #24
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Ive thinned out almost all of my stuff, and am now thinning out books . No one in my family has any interest in any of it - so now I have only 5 radios instead of 90, and 1/2 my tools have gone. Im not going to using a torque wrench , or axle stands any more etc so theyve all gone . The metalman in his van who drives round had them. No one wants any of it and Ebays not much cop for 3 quid or something then hanging around all day for someone knocking. My aim now is to junk something each week and this year is to have the sheds flattened as they are both empty now. I still have interest, but like the modern little gadgets now as some of it is very good & handy !
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 2:18 am   #25
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I'd agree with the idea that the bereaved are often glad to see stuff go to a good home, or in fact, are grateful for any assistance in clearing out (which in itself is stressful, and may have to be done quickly to sell the property or what have you).

A few months back a friend of a friend offered me a load of consumer electronics from the family home after his mother passed away. Whilst there wasn't anything earth shattering there (Sony hi fi, a 386 PC, small LCD TV from 1980s, tapes, etc were the highlights), I filled the car with everything they'd piled up for me - even if I did dump a few things later, like old inkjet printers, there was no way I was going to go cherry picking there and then, out of respect. They were just glad to get shut of a load of stuff fairly quickly and it was no bother to me to spend a couple of hours doing it. I'd hope that someone would do the same when it's my turn!

I also think that it would be an idea if members, faced with the sad task and with time of the essence, posted a heads-up on here. Maybe in the requests or offered section. There may be another member locally willing to come along and lend a hand or take stuff away. There's no point in struggling single-handedly when willing help may not be far away, and if nothing else, could save stuff being skipped.
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 11:53 am   #26
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Actually, prior to this sad situation, I had already begun a downsizing agenda, over 2 year ago. First to go was stuff that I had taken to a local regular ARS junk sale, several times, but couldn't even give it away. Skipped !
VMARS have a disposal authority form scheme, which I've signed, but not sure if it'll work this far north. And in fact, the only other VMARS chap I've met up here is a local vintage radio chum, and he's further past 3 score years & ten than me.
Thankfully, a couple of younger Forum/BVWS chums from down south have made the effort to visit bonny Scotland & have returned home with a car boot full of decent collectable items.
Another recipient up here has been the local Heritage Museum. They took a lovely old Murphy U128 which I had renovated, & once belonged to Bill Smith(of Bill Smith Chronicles - Radio Bygones & Radiophile Magazines). A local TV/Radio Shop engineer, and vintage radio article writer, now deceased.
Sadly, some folk, such as the old boy which this thread relates to, have been hoarders, and unable or unwilling in their last declining years(due to ill-health), to do much clearing-out or look after their tools & equipment.
The Container Saga(re Baginton) which VMARS were(still are ?) involved with in recent years should be a wake-up call for all of us old uns.

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Old 17th Feb 2019, 1:00 pm   #27
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Yes,the VMARS are still having the auctions at Baginton.
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 1:11 pm   #28
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The idea of exporting unwanted tools to poorer countries sounds like a very efficient form of aid- i'm aware of isolated incidents of food and medicine being misappropriated (ie stolen) at border checkpoints by whichever militia happens to be wielding the biggest stick, but scabby looking tools are more likely to escape. One hopes that after refurbishment the donated tools retain a used appearance. It seems like a reasonable precaution!

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Old 17th Feb 2019, 3:31 pm   #29
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Default Re: Sad Times

My Grandad moved a few times in his later years & managed to downsize each time.

Most of his tools & such were shared between my Dad & Uncle, who were fortunately at an age when they could make good use of them.

My Gran only moved once during her later years so it was quite a task for my parents & aunts & uncles to clear her house out.

Quite a lot went to charity that no-one wanted.

It's a shame I wasn't into vintage electronics at the time as I could have had the Pye set identical to the one I recently picked up, assuming she hadn't disposed of it earlier.
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 6:58 pm   #30
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These clearing out times are sad - have participated in a few. On a slightly brighter note my wife is positively salivating at the cash she can turn my stuff into once I'm gone so not everybody left behind is upset at the eventual demise and effects sale. Fortunately I've learned how to cook very well and that's my insurance against being helped on my way prematurely (she hated cooking) - LOL.
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 7:11 pm   #31
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My younger son is anticipating, when I'm gone, in making mega-bucks ebay-ing my AVO VCM MK3, and a bespoke adapted AVO MK3 MM which once belonged to Prof. RV Jones. The rest, I suspect, might well head off to the local skip site.

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Old 17th Feb 2019, 7:25 pm   #32
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I'm mostly worried about Mrs Bungle finding out how much everything cost me. She'd dig me up and do unholy things just so she could kill me again
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 7:33 pm   #33
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Someone will no doubt be happy, though, if she sells it all for what you told her you paid for it!
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 7:55 pm   #34
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Or when asked "where did that come from?" standard reply oh yes I have had it ages!
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 9:33 pm   #35
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Default Re: Sad Times

At the age of 76, with no offspring, and with no-one I know sharing my interest in Radio & Electronics, my problem is similar to others now past their three score and ten, compounded by the above, plus the fact that i don't drive. What I'll have to do is begin to dispose of items, including components I'll never use ASAP!
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Old 17th Feb 2019, 11:59 pm   #36
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For me, i consider that the important in life are:

-The family (including the animals with we share the life) and real friends, to have been a good person with them,


-To be proud of your life and to left something important (if it is possible) to last as a book, advances in technology, medicine...

-To be the best version of us.


The rest are only material things, i use to donate from time to time different things and books to museums, libraries, etc. And before i pass away i will donate what i consider to be important for the history, the rest is only money for the inheritors when the sell them.
 
Old 18th Feb 2019, 12:55 am   #37
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Well said, the only two things of sentimental attachment are my late Grandfather's barometer, he retired from the board of education in 1986, the barometer was a leaving present, it means more to me personally as it's my birth year.
The other, with more meaning to it, is my late Mother's wedding ring, she died before getting her bus pass!
Everything else becomes worthless junk, it would be nice if people would stop being attached to inert objects, of which can be replaced, humans have no monetary value, if that were the case, I'd still have a Mother now.
In plain simple English, "s**t happens, get over it!".
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Old 18th Feb 2019, 1:01 am   #38
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I had quite a big clearout a few years ago but I found that I was much more likely to keep things that had come from people who were no longer with us. I guess it is a feeling that I've been entrusted to look after it and it would be disrespectful to sell it to a stranger.
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Old 18th Feb 2019, 11:04 am   #39
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This is turning into a useful thread. I didn't realise that there were so many hoarders like me.

If you have any books then pass them onto anybook.biz in Lincoln. They will collect, and then try to sell the books on with a donation from each book going to a library you nominate. I must have bought hundreds of books from them, two book cases solid with electromagnetism books. No one I know will want them, or much of any thing else I have, no children, few nephews or nieces. No one does or makes anything now.

I would say that using a small local auction place is worth it. They will eyeball the van full and say if it is worth selling it very quickly. My local one charges £5 per item sold plus 15% of the hammer price so really needs to be at least £20 to be worth it. But the item does get to live another day which is important.
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Old 18th Feb 2019, 11:17 am   #40
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Just mentioned this thread to the skip organiser in chief.

She made the important point that forget about the throwing away, the person had years of pleasure from the ownership and use of all this stuff. I have acquired piles and piles, and when it is sunny and warm going through the boxes of toot is really pleasurable. "What the hell is in this box" sort of thing. I finf it astonishing that I can look at a strange looking screw or piece of metal and know what it came from. Arthur Sallis has a lot to answer for!

If you, or no one else, cares, they did. It was part of their life for decades, they were the age at which nothing was thrown away.
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