Dumpster Dive Electronics

The high school is getting a new STEAM center.  This seems to have prompted a general tidy up and updating of things in the Tech Ed department.  I've already posted about the magnificent manual mill that was parked outside the door.  As of January 6th it was still there.

And next to it.  Oh, the things they are throwing away.  I can pass on the dozens of desks and work tables that were stacked up.  Most of them are fine, just a bit old and scruffy.  Replacing them will cost a bunch.  But I don't have room for such things and am reluctant to bring semi-junk into our robotics work space.

But the dumpsters.  I shouldn't peek.  A bunch of metal parts bins, always worth grabbing.  And thousands of brand new electronics components.  Bags of resistors, capacitors, rheostats....and things I really could not identify with a cursory glance.

All being tossed.  Why?  Ah, kids don't want to learn old school electronics any more.

So I grabbed enough to half fill the parts bins that I was going to snag anyway.  And now for a bit of detective work.  What do we actually have here and will it ever be of any practical use?

Handfuls of stuff.  Some are easier to identify than others.  The SANGAMO bricks are capacitors, perhaps for sound amplifying systems.  They seem to be going for about 50 cents each on ebay as "vintage" electronics.

Hundreds and hundreds of resistors, the tropical fish of the electronics world.  Most of these are fairly big boys in terms of size.  Probably only worth a penny or two each.

A bit of an odd ball.  Why is it called Vitamin Q?  This is another "vintage" capacitor of a type that appears to be used in guitar amps.   Could this bag full really be getting $14.90 a pop on ebay?  This source  seems to hold them in high regard.  And they are only selling units that go up to 400 Volts.  The bag o' bad boys I salvaged run a head bangin', Led Zepp' caliber, 600V!

Neither starting a garage band, nor building my own amps has much appeal in retirement, likely to the relief of many.  So, what to do with this eclectic stash.  Above is my impression of nerd art.  "Still Life on Bread Board".  Hey, I've seen worse...

But maybe there's another possibility.  This sort of stuff turns up on etsy pretty often in jewelry.  Below are a couple of examples.  Maybe the robotics team can twist them together into robot charm bracelets for event give away items?