Newbie with a chance to buy several old power tools.

...and you know what? I once saw a vacuum pump marked for $25, at an estate sales, I tested it but it will not rotate, but it hums. Now, let see since it hums, it could be the motor bearings is bad, or it need new carbon brushes? Looking at the integrated unit, hmmmm... not bad! The gauges and motor itself is worth more than $50 bucks. Or I could always find some use for the motor?

Let's go for it, probably cost less than a few $ for the new bearings or carbon brushes. When I took it home and pulled it apart. My goodness! There were no carbon brushes and the pump's vanes were solidly impregnated in some kind of brown/black stuff. I tried using MEK, paint thinner, acetone and finally soaked it in Gunk for about a week. Nothing seems to be able to remove that s*it.

...and it still sits in my garage not knowing what to do with it.

It's real and thanks for reading.

I bet you die before me!