# Have you visited your local ReStore lately? Here's my latest find.



## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Last year I found that our community had a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. If you haven't heard of it before they are amazing. Well… if you are like me and love that kind of stuff it is. 

Last weekend they had their annual warehouse sale. It's when they open up their warehouse to the public. This warehouse is where they store all their donations until there is room in the store. Last year it was where I found my plunge router and skil saw. Plus lots more. This year… I was disappointed. We just opened our newly build hospital this year. They donated LOTS and LOTS of stuff from the old one so it ended up being mostly things from the hospital. Lots of cabinets, bookcases and desks that you'd find in a hospital office and lots of seating. This did not really appeal to me. No tools.  No misc items I could pick up to build something with.

I did however find a long countertop that I liked. It was $5 and made from plywood/wood instead of particle board. So I figured I couldn't go wrong at that price. I know i'm about to build a miter station and I thought maybe it could come in handy for that. But other than that… I found a small framed cork board for .50.

So I went into the actual store and found something else. A set of kitchen drawers. They wanted $7 for the pair. This was only because there was no price tag on them and so they asked a volunteer that was in there to price them and that was the price he gave them. I jumped on it. I thought maybe I'd put a top on them and some wheels and make some mobile carts out of them. Maybe put my sander or my band saw on them. Also thought about attaching them together and making a stand for my router table.

Anyhow… they've been in my way since I got them. And after getting the hutch I fixed for my friend out of the garage I found the perfect place to "store" these until I figured out what to do. Here is what I ended up doing….










Ok… so I'm a 'trash to treasure' kinda girl… So I'm loving how this is actually working out for me. This turned out to be a great "desk" area for me. I have some things stored on it but I can use the drawers and it's a good place to assemble things and look over plans. I have my cord board hanging up above it for now with projects I'm currently working on. What do you think? For $12 I dont think it's too bad.


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

That is a gloat worthy find!


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

I'm diggin' that PINK tool box!


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Angie…I used to go to 2 Habitat stores in Columbus/Delaware,Ohio that really had some good stuff and very reasonable prices. I'm around Tampa now and there are 3 stores in the area that I know of. Unfortunately whoever does their pricing must think they are on a retail level. I poke around at least once a month and have yet to find any real bargains.
Congrats on your finds and I really miss the ones in Columbus.
Have a great day.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

your lucky our restore has hiked their prices so high that most things are close to new. It used to be a great place to find deals, but not any more. I hope thats just around here. Good score.


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## fredj (Jun 4, 2013)

Great find !


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

To be serious, I think the laminate top would make a good sharpening station to place a granite tile for your sandpaper "scary sharp" platform and such… The laminate will repel the WD40/PB-Blaster, etc. and clean up well.

Laminate for real abuse,... not so much. Just an opinion…


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Awesome find. More people need to look into those places.


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## Dwain (Nov 1, 2007)

I agree with a few of the above comments. The store here in the Mesa/Phoenix area must be trying to compete with Home Depot. There are no bargains to be found. I would be there much more frequently if there were! I'm glad you had a successful visit.


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

great find angie.i like going to the local store and getting old hinges.most of the time they sale them 10 for a buck,can't go wrong there.


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## Alongiron (Jan 10, 2011)

You are the man….well ya'know what I mean…That is awesome! Like me dad told me along time ago…"If you don't leave the house….You will never now what Movie is showing downtown!" Good find!


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Angie, you are a smart shopper. Our Restore used to be good for prices and now they are getting fancy and upping the prices. I have not bought anything in there for 3 trips now- better to buy new at Menards.
Cheers, Jim


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Good find Angie. I wish we had a store like that around here. I need a decent counter top too.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I bought a big solid core door for $8.25 including tax! So heavy I can't handle it by myself. I plan to cut it down to make a counter top for the cubby hole in my garage.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks guys. I love it. Every time I go out there I think about just leaving it like it is. And thanks for the reminder HorizontalMike about the beating. Not sure how much it would get if I put my miter saw on it… But I've thought about some other possibilities for it.

Of course I have a pink tool box. Lol. And you can't tell from the pic… But the black bag in front of it has pink trim … AND it's full of pink tools. Lol. Kids got those for me for Mother's Day this year. I love it!

Lol. On a different note. My ex was in my shop over the weekend. I was saying something and refered to it as my "shop". Oh my… Up until that point he had been doing very well at hiding his feelings about what I have done. And it wasn't intentional. But man oh man! When I called it my shop… The steam rolled out of his ears and he said… "This is not a shop! It's a garage!!!" Then he realized he had lost it and quickly left to go back outside and recover. I left it alone. No need to pour salt in his wounds. It's enough that I'm happy and I'm getting to follow a dream that I've had for so long. I love that I have my own SHOP. And I don't ever plan on giving my love for woodworking up. It's part of who I am. The next guy can love me and accept it (and hopefully share in it)... Or find a woman that doesn't have her own wood shop.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

And as for the ReStore… (Back on topic lol)... For now they have great prices on things. And i didn't know what a great buy their hinges were till I went to lowes and bought some. Lol. Next time… I'll be getting me some hinges at he restore.


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## Tugboater78 (May 26, 2012)

Good finds. Guess someone is jealous of your shop..


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Great Finds!
I've had good luck at my local Re-Store. The problem is, things are SO reasonably priced that they're usually gone before I can get there. http://lumberjocks.com/topics/52277
An old timer who practically lives there told me about some better planes that went for $10 an hour before I get there. The tool collectors hang out like seagulls and swoop down on anything worth value, usually.

Maybe that explains the high prices? To try and keep merchandise from always going into the hands of a few?


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Nicely done Angie. I would use a pink tool box. Wouldn't have to worry about others messin with it.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

A gr8 buy for sure.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Dang Angie! After handling the ex like that!, you can work in my shop anytime you want… except that I already have a girlfriend and live in Texas and all. But other than THAT!... *;-)*


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

We have 2 in our area, pretty good bargains can be had I agree


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Good shopping Angie! I wasn't in 'workshop' mode when the local hospital here sold off their old stuff. A little later I picked up an overbed table. Would love to get my hands on more of those! On wheels, adjustable height, the top slides to reveal a small amount of storage space…great for small project assembly, writing lists, setting your tea on while resting in front of the fan or next to the wood stove.
...and just for the record, if it was a gift or there was nothing else available I would use a pink tool…if I HAD to. My son and I have (close to) the same size hands. One time, out of self defense, I bought a pair of work gloves that were dusty rose in color. Close enough to pink to keep him from using them and far enough from pink that I could use them!


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## reedwood (Jan 27, 2011)

awesome deal. 
As a remodeler, I end up with good stuff all the time and I can't stand to put it in the dumpster.
Habitat for humanity has been a great place for us to bring things that are still good.

Only every time I go in there, I end up buying something weird I just had to have like a 5 gal. bucket of 5/16" dowels for 5 bucks - it's so cheap! I don't use em anymore…........but, they were 5 BUCKS!....5 GALLONS!


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## RonInOhio (Jul 23, 2010)

Bargain hunting. Something I need to get better at. Good find.


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## SamuelP (Feb 26, 2011)

Nice find. I love habitat.


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

There's a ReStore about five minutes from my house. Gotta check it out sometime. I could use a new door leading into my garage. And I see here that solid core doors can be had for a song.

Anyone know if they ever stock reclaimed lumber by itself? Old beams and boards, that sort of thing?

Angie, I have to say that it seems obvious why he's an ex. If I were a single guy on the market again, if i met a lady with her own wood shop, be still my beating heart. The fact that he doesn't like that, well, I'm just perplexed. Must be one of those odd characters that doesn't like bacon, music, or Star Wars. Definitely something wrong with that boy.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

reedwood I'd find it almost impossible to pass on a deal like that! Let's see…peg style game pieces, beads, ... Nope, wouldn't pass it up!


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Lol! Too funny.

First of all… I'd buy a bucket of those for $5 too. 

Yes. Our Restore has tons of doors. And windows for great prices. And I've seen lumber too. Nt as much anymore since the contractors hit them early. But I have come across some.

Pink tools… I've found that nobody takes my pink tools. And the ex can't claim that they are his. Lol. I have just enough pink in there for anyone to know it is not a mans shop. Lol

Btimmons…. He doesn't like Star Wars… Or Cheese!!! There is something wrong with him. And he hated that I wanted to do woodworking.

Lol. Funny thing… There was this guy that I almost dated. He does woodworking too. He came over to my shop and helped me work on my old miter saw before I got rid of it. We cut some boards and… Well… It's a miter saw. Sawdust everywhere. And I obviously wore my safety glasses while cutting. So I'm standing there covered in sawdust…wearing my safety glasses…. Hair in a pony tail…NOT my finest moment. Lol. And he's standing there starring at me. I'm like "what?" ...... He just stares and serious as can be says…"that's he sexiest thing I ever seen!" Of course… I busted out laughing. It was so funny. We are friends and he still teases me and we joke about it.

I guess some guys just don't see it that way. Lol


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

I knew it.


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