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Author Topic: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box  (Read 3323 times)

LEE

What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« on: 27 January, 2011, 05:26:19 pm »
From a thread concering Audio/Visual Entertainment, and the various connectors and leads such equipment spawns spontaneously...


What is in your box of stuff, too useful to throw away that you now realise will never get used (but you still won't throw away...it's just too useful)

Mine contains a vast knotted collection of SCART Leads, Red/Yellow Audio Video connectors (usually with a mystery proprietary connector on the other end that is designed for a long since departed device) and RJ45 cables.

If I ever actually wanted a nasty, cheap, SCART cable then it would be quicker to drive to the shops and buy one of decent quality than to attempt to untie the knot.

Tip for manufacturers of Anchors and Grappling Hooks, make the end of your products the same shape as an RJ45 connector.  They are the absolutely perfect design to snag on anything they come into proximity with.
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Bledlow

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #1 on: 27 January, 2011, 05:48:48 pm »
Much the same. USB cables, LAN cables, power leads, etc., plus some I can't identify.
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"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #2 on: 27 January, 2011, 05:53:37 pm »
Hell, I still have some old SCSI leads and terminators somewhere.
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Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
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Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #3 on: 27 January, 2011, 05:56:12 pm »
The entire contents of both sheds and most of the loft space of our house.

If only we could de-clutter we'd have some room to move, FFS!  ;D

But I think I'm . . .

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VELOMANCER

Quote from: trekker12 on 16 July, 2016, 08:54:33 am
Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #4 on: 27 January, 2011, 06:40:37 pm »
A king rat of wall wart power supplies. Goodness knows what they are/were for.

..d
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"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Arch

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #5 on: 27 January, 2011, 06:44:53 pm »
For me it's probably craft odds and ends - bits of fancy paper, ribbon, embroidery threads etc.  And wool, but I do intend to get round to using it all.
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See my recycled crafts at www.wastenotwantit.co.uk

Jules

  • Has dropped his aitch!
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #6 on: 27 January, 2011, 06:48:34 pm »
Yes - a bit box full of computer cables and power adaptors.

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Audax on the other hand is almost invisible and thought to be the pastime of Hobbits ....  Fab Foodie

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #7 on: 27 January, 2011, 06:56:13 pm »
s/box/house/

Though experience suggests that once useful items reach a critical mass, you start using them.  For example, with random cables, the more you have, the higher your chances of having the cable you actually need.
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robbo6

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #8 on: 27 January, 2011, 07:10:53 pm »
Not in a box, because it's too big, but I do have a piston and conn. rod from a deltic engine lying about.
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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #9 on: 27 January, 2011, 08:06:23 pm »
That sounds more like a souvenir than a "useful item".

I have only worn out chains - I know they will be useful for something, but so far I can't think what!
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chris

  • (aka chris)
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #10 on: 27 January, 2011, 08:09:51 pm »
About 4 bikes!
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interzen

  • Venture Altruist
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Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #11 on: 27 January, 2011, 08:10:06 pm »
Quote from: Arch on 27 January, 2011, 06:44:53 pm
For me it's probably craft odds and ends - bits of fancy paper, ribbon, embroidery threads etc.  And wool, but I do intend to get round to using it all.
If you ever want shot of any of your fancy paper, let me know (origami is a hobby of mine, y'see, and 'proper' origami paper ain't cheap!)

For me, it's the usual box full of audio/computer cables and assorted other related odds and sods. I also have the front number plate of my dearly departed Clio behind my desk at work, but that's hardly a 'useful item' unless I intend to beat someone to death with it :)
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Blade

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #12 on: 27 January, 2011, 08:39:19 pm »
Huge amount of nuts and bolts,both english and metric.

Lots of bits of steel and aluminium strip.

U bolts and jubilee clips.

All sorts of offcuts of wood.

Loads of broken bike bits from the sixties onwards.
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Marco Stefano

  • Apply some pressure, you lose some pressure...
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #13 on: 27 January, 2011, 09:04:46 pm »
Alpine radio cassette unit, Harman-Kardon power amp (mmm), Boston Acoustic 2-way speakers & assorted wiring from the late eighties. 'EH? PARDON?'

Have often thought about getting suitable 12V power supplies and making boxes for the bits to produce a mini system for indoors.

One day...  ::-)
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Steve Kish

  • World's No. 1 moaner about the weather.
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #14 on: 27 January, 2011, 09:14:19 pm »
Box ... ?  ;D ;D ;D

My loft is the place.  Makes Steptoe & Son's back yard look like a Cycle Promotions sale 10 seconds before they open the doors! :smug:
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Old enough to know better!

Asterix, the former Gaul.

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #15 on: 27 January, 2011, 09:26:13 pm »
Among other things, a Seagull Outboard motor bracket and a camping trailer.  Plus the usual outdated techology: wind up gramophone, 'steam' radio and one of those things you can attach to a televisual apparatus to make the picture look bigger. 
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Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #16 on: 27 January, 2011, 09:27:02 pm »
An Acorn Archimedes A5000. Don't laugh - I paid extra for the 40Mb hard drive.

I really must get rid of it but I think it still has PCB layouts on it for my final year project at uni and I've always promised myself that, one day, I'd redesign and debug that circuit. Although I suspect that (a) 20 years in an attic is probably not good for hard drives (b) I doubt anyone uses RTTY anymore and (c) I've forgotten everything I knew about electronic engineering.
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Asterix, the former Gaul.

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #17 on: 27 January, 2011, 09:29:18 pm »
Quote from: Kim on 27 January, 2011, 06:56:13 pm
s/box/house/

Though experience suggests that once useful items reach a critical mass, you start using them.  For example, with random cables, the more you have, the higher your chances of having the cable you actually need.

Not in my experience. The critical mass merely means they can start to breed.
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perpetual dan

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #18 on: 27 January, 2011, 10:04:36 pm »
Quote from: Kim on 27 January, 2011, 06:56:13 pm
s/box/house/

Though experience suggests that once useful items reach a critical mass, you start using them.  For example, with random cables, the more you have, the higher your chances of having the cable you actually need.

And the longer it takes to extract it from the tangle it's made for itself.
I dread every having to clear my office out, it contains quite a lot of useful stuff that is geeky (and hence possibly for work) but mine.
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #19 on: 27 January, 2011, 10:15:08 pm »
Quote from: asterix on 27 January, 2011, 09:29:18 pm
The critical mass merely means they can start to breed.

This is certainly true.  And it's only the annoying ones that breed:  Centronics printer cables; RJ11-BT cables with the wrong pair wired to the active pins; male-male USB A leads; IEC 'kettle' leads with blown or missing fuses; anything with structural insulating tape, that sort of thing.

Modular connectors are particularly annoying, because the tab always breaks off when you try to untangle them.
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Panoramix

  • .--. .- -. --- .-. .- -- .. -..-
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Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #20 on: 27 January, 2011, 10:25:29 pm »
Quote from: asterix on 27 January, 2011, 09:26:13 pm
Among other things, a Seagull Outboard motor bracket and a camping trailer.  Plus the usual outdated techology: wind up gramophone, 'steam' radio and one of those things you can attach to a televisual apparatus to make the picture look bigger. 

I fished out a British Seagull in the Thames (long story, I was looking for another engine) and it ended up in my parents basement. We've established that it is beyond repair but I think it is still there!
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David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #21 on: 27 January, 2011, 10:28:27 pm »
I've got a long drop seagull in the garage if anyone wants one.. Don't know if it works but it did turn over last time I prodded it so it wasn't totally seized.

..d
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"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

drossall

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #22 on: 27 January, 2011, 10:31:18 pm »
The problem is, I can't remember what's in the box, so I usually buy a new one and then next time I look in the box...
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robbo6

Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #23 on: 27 January, 2011, 10:46:19 pm »
Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 27 January, 2011, 08:06:23 pm
That sounds more like a souvenir than a "useful item".

Someone from the Deltic Preservation Society wanted to buy it until I pointed out it was in fact more knackered then the ones they wanted to replace.
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rower40

  • Not my boat. Now sold.
Re: What's in your "Too useful to throw away but I'll never, ever, use it" box
« Reply #24 on: 27 January, 2011, 11:03:33 pm »
A pair of rowing shoes.
My boat now takes SPDs.
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