Dan-the-Man Estate Sale Pickin’

Like so many others I have become a fan of that TV show “American Pickers.” You’ll might have seen the show where a couple of good ole boys drive around the country looking for people with lots of junk to sell and look for treasures. They find some cool stuff like old gas station signs and carnival rides. Those boys are a trip to watch not to mention just a little bit inspirational so when my wife said there was an estate sale she was interested in going to I thought I might try a little pickin’ myself. Besides, it is too darned cold to get out on the river or climb a tree so off to town we went. I even cleared out the van so we could have room for the bargains.

Having a estate sale in the middle of the week and during a cold snap turned out good for us. There wasn’t as many people as if the weather was good but there was still quite a few. Lots of out buildings at this sale and stuff in the house so the little woman went inside and I checked out the outside.

What a sight! My shop just isn’t big enough for all the stuff I wanted. The old boy was a wood worker because he had every kind of wood working tool imaginable. The lumber was incredible. Cedar, oak, pecky cypress, just to name a few kinds, piled up and heading out. Big lathes, drills, hammers and mallets of every size, and tool boxes every where. The old boy was a fisherman, too, who kept his old fishing lures in a special place in one of the out buildings. There was old wooden ones in excellent condition. What caught my eye was an aerator. Not the kind for the fish tank, the kind you pull behind a tractor to aerate the soil, hence the name (had to explain it to my wife. She thought I was buying another fish tank). Also found some things I need for welding.

Then the wife came out to the out buildings. “Baby, what’d you find?” she asked and before I could tell her she started snooping through the buildings herself. Found a couple of bird house gourds,

 

old jars of nails (I think she just wanted the jars)

 

  fishing lures, and a beer mug made from a Schaeffer beer can. Looks like an advertising thing.

The funny thing is she doesn’t drink!

Then she spied an old lamp with the coolest base. The base is cast iron, no rust just sawdust. 

“The old organizer would be great for a jeweler’s tools” she said when she piled it in my arms.

She piled me full of stuff, then she went back to the house to get her treasures. Dolls, sewing patterns, antique bottles, and a raccoon cookie jar were just a few things she found.

In all, I think I did pretty good. Might not be the caliber of those boys on American Pickers but then I new at this. Give me a little time and I’ll give them a run for their money. I might even arm wrestle once or twice.

 

Post by Dan Patterson of MetalWoodsnWater

Raiding the Tackle Box: Making Fishmas Tree Ornaments

Talking about old fishing lures and making key chains got my wife thinking and looking through my garage. I hate when she ventures into the man cave. Not that I mind her company but she cleans, moves stuff around, and appropriates things, this time, fishing lures. Seems she had a little Christmas tree stashed in a closet that she wanted to make into a Fishmas tree. After a trip to Walmart for bobbers, curling ribbon, and a bag of split rings she got to work.

First, she went through my tackle box. She picked out a few that were old and worn out, you know, shabby looking. 

Then she gently scrubbed them up. Used a soft toothbrush so she wouldn’t loose the paint on the lures.

Next, she removed the hooks. If you’re going to do this, be careful not to get stuck.

 

Here’s where the ribbon and the split rings come in. Cut 2  6 inch lengths of ribbon for each lure. Then, thread the ribbon through the split ring and tie it in the middle.

Attach the split ring to the end eyelet on the lure and make the ribbon curly using something flat. Easy to do with curling ribbon. All the lure needs is a hook to hang it from the tree.

 

The bobbers were even easier and a lot safer. No cutting off old hooks. Use round bobbers. The wife used 1 1/4 inch bobbers. They come 6 to a pack and cost about $1.50.

Push up the shaft and the hook will come up on the other side. Place a length of ribbon there, about 6 inches works good. Tie the ribbon to the tree. That’s it. Merry Fishmas!

 

   Came out kind of cute. Got a fisherman or woman on your list but don’t have old lures? I found some at Wally World a pack of 5 for $10. Brand new so you can skip the scrubbing part. Have fun and HO, Ho, Ho, Merry Fishmas!

Dan the Man and Fishing Lures

Welcome to my blog where I jot down ideas and tell stories about my life in the North Florida woods. I live here with my wife, 3 dogs (poodles I've trained to hunt), one cat (the other got snake bit), and a lovebird I bought for my wife. We live far back enough from the road that not too many people can see the house. Good. That's the way I want it. The folks who matter know where I am and come to visit often. We have a big house, a bigger garage, and about 20 or so boats. We'll talk boats later.

Hunting and fishing in the part of north Florida I live in is a way of life for many and definitely is for me. I live for it. I plan next year's hunt the day after hunting season is over. I know the moon cycles and the way it affects the deer and fish. My favorite TV channel is the Weather Channel. My favorite clothes are camo.

Yesterday my wife found some old, excuse me, vintage fishing lures while yard saling and decided to make key chains out of them. Cool idea. She showed me them before she started and I swiped one before she could "upcycle" it (her words). Great little trout getter. The keychains are cool, too. She did them up and posted them in my Etsy shop, MetalWoodsnWater. Now she wants to decorate the Christmas tree in old fishing lures and bobbers. I do believe she's redder than me.