Episode 4 Money for Nothing


Episode 4

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How do you make money for nothing?

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The answer could be hiding in the 20 million tonnes of household waste

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we throw out every year.

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Sorry to bother you, before you throw that away,

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-is there any chance I can have a quick chat to you about it?

-Sure.

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That's why entrepreneur Sarah Moore wants to get her hands

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on things before they hit the skip.

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I am a passionate buyer, maker and user of old stuff

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and I've turned that passion into a moneymaking business.

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I turn old stuff into new stuff and sell it for a profit.

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Sarah's ready to sift through as many boots

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and bin bags as she needs to...

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Look at that, absolute box of joy, these are just fantastic.

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..in her search for tip treasure.

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Got to be able to make something out of that, haven't we?

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And with some of the country's elite designers and makers...

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-I've got a little something for you.

-Yeah, I thought you might.

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Oh, this is a hard one.

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..she can transform her finds into desirable...

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It worked.

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..beautiful...

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valuable...

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Cha-ching!

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..and hopefully saleable items.

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Well, I love this, so I would really like to have it.

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If Sarah is successful, then she can hand the profits back

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to the very people who had no idea there was cash to be made

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from their trash.

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That is incredible, isn't it?

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Today, Sarah is the Bredbury Recycling Centre in Stockport,

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where up to 500 people a day turn up to chuck out their unwanted items.

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That is, if Sarah doesn't intercept them first.

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It's really embarrassing being caught

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looking in people's cars all the time.

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I've got to do it, cos they might have something good in there.

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Remember, Sarah has got special permission to rummage about today,

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so don't go pestering people at your local dump or you could be

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the one getting thrown out, all right?

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Would it be OK to have a look through your rubbish, would you mind?

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-Is that...

-Not at all.

-Really?

-Yeah, sure.

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Sarah is searching for three-pieces which, reworked and sold,

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will hopefully produce a pay-out for the people dumping them.

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-You look like you're having a good clear out.

-Oh, well.

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Sarah always has high hopes.

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I get really excited. Every time somebody pulls up,

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I think, "There might be a Rembrandt."

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Don't think there's going to be a Rembrandt in there, I checked.

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But you never know.

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And it's clear people have cottoned on to what she's up to.

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She's a rubbish burglar. Yes.

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But the contents of John's boot could mean all that prowling

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is about to pay off.

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I was just looking in the back and seeing some older pieces in here.

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Yes. Some of it is...

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My mother passed away recently, so we're cleaning the house out.

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-OK, OK.

-If some of the...

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It's got that sort of time-warp look to it, hasn't it?

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-I've got some old 78s in here, if you want them.

-Oh, really?

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I was just looking at the case, actually.

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-So these weren't yours then?

-No, these were my father-in-law's.

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Oh, wow. They're fantastic!

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Yeah, I would definitely like to have a look at them.

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I really like the case as well. And you've got a sewing machine as well?

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They are normally really heavy, aren't they?

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I'll get them out of the way.

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Do you know how to...

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Oh, wow, look! That's almost like brand-new, isn't it?

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Wow, look. I absolutely love that,

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look at that badge and stuff on there.

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There's something about that that's just so appealing.

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I think the little badges and all the bits of it...

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They don't make it like that now, do they?

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You haven't got anything else hidden in the trunk? No other old stuff?

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No, I don't think so.

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All right, Sarah, don't get greedy.

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We're just clearing mainly from my house, out of my shed,

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which I'm clearing out for a new shed.

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But the sewing machine looks as though it's never been used.

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And, as Sarah pays homage to the humble sewing machine...

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Oh, look, it's even got its own instruction manual!

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..John keeps unpacking his trunk

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and brings her something with even more potential.

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My word!

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-I forgot I brought this.

-That's amazing! So original Bakelite...

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-Yes.

-Whose was that?

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I used to be on the removals and somebody gave it to me

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about 30 years ago.

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That is the most fabulous thing I've seen here. I absolutely love it.

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Apparently, if they're working, they're worth about...

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£150, but it's got a bit messy, so I couldn't be bothered.

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I'm going to turn this into something fabulous, I tell you,

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this is so exciting.

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Bakelite is an early type of plastic

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and radios like John's are collectible pieces of social history

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from a time when the radio was the focal point of the home.

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I love it. You've made my day.

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That is tip gold.

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-Thank you so much, it's brilliant.

-OK, see you, bye.

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(Look at that!)

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So John's radio trumps the sewing machine and the old 78s

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to become Sarah's first item.

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She's got someone in mind who's sure to take it

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from the pits to the Ritz and make some money for John.

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Trot on Mark Phillips, also known as Horse.

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Electronic super brain Horse was chief engineer

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for a world-renowned audio recording company for over a decade.

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He's now taken his love for restoring vintage sound equipment

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and made it into a business.

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I enjoyed refurbishing vintage equipment.

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It's always a shame to see stuff like that go to waste.

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I think it's great giving a second life to something that would have

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essentially just been smashed up, thrown in the rubbish.

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So, yeah, it's definitely a job and a passion.

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Something tells me Horse is in for a treat

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with John's Bakelite radio.

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So, it's one item saved from the skip and two more to find.

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Loads of people here, I don't know which end to go to first.

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I'm going up this way to see if there's anything coming in.

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Oh, man, I can't tell if Sarah is coming or going anymore.

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As long as she doesn't go, that's the main thing.

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Come on, you, get back to work!

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There's still loads of 'tired' old stuff coming in.

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So that's a nasty bicycle tyre habit you've got going on.

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-The middle-aged men in Lycra brigade.

-No. I'm not one of them.

-You're not?

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No, Lycra?! You having a laugh.

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-You'll be shaving your legs soon.

-Not a chance.

-Really?

-Not a chance.

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It's a slippery slope you know, Lycra.

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Less Lycra banter, lass, and more searching for item two, please.

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Hang on, what's this?

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Sarah is swooping in on Peter.

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-I'm just wondering if I could talk to you about your rubbish.

-Yes.

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-Are you clearing something out?

-We're clearing the garden out.

-OK.

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-I'm just looking at your table, do you mind if I...?

-Sure.

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-It's been outside, has it?

-Yeah, it's got weather-beaten.

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It came from my friend's house.

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-His mum and dad had it, so it's quite old.

-It's got that 1970s feel.

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-Can I take it away and see if I can make something out of it?

-Yes.

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-Yes, you can use it.

-Fab, OK.

-I'm glad you can use it.

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What a find! There's a big market for retro furniture.

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Well, when it's not covered in mould, that is.

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So, saw the legs of this sticking out of the back of someone's car

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and it's screaming Ercol,

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they're 1960s-1970s British furniture makers.

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It's got a sticker on here that you can see. The original one.

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The good news is, that Ercol is collectable.

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The bad news is somebody has left this out in the garden

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and it's in really poor condition on the top.

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If this can be reconditioned and brought back to life,

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I think that maybe £100 profit.

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100 quid! What do you think, Peter?

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-I don't think she'll make much.

-We'll see about that.

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And with Peter's mouldy Ercol, that makes two items ready to renovate.

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The table is going to take a lot of work,

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but Sarah knows exactly where to take it.

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Jay Blades is a builder turned philosophy graduate

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turned furniture restorer.

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Jay has his finger on the pulse of modern design interiors.

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He loves reworking the very best of original British craftsmanship

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and bringing it bang into the 21st century.

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I've always had a passion for the kind of heritage that

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the British designers have produced over the years.

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Traditionalists would love to keep it as it is

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but to be reintroduced into the market,

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I like to add a bit colour and something a bit quirky.

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I really enjoying adding my bit

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and not necessarily worrying about other people's reactions.

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It's more about, do I like it? If I like it, then it's good.

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The '60s table Sarah is bringing Jay sounds right up his street.

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But he hasn't yet clapped eyes on the state of it.

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So Sarah has two items with Horse and Jay's names on them,

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but what about Sarah's own designer talents?

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She needs to find something she can put her stamp on.

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Here you go.

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Why don't you ask Ian what he's chucking?

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-Excuse me?

-Yep.

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Sorry to bother you, I'm just here today looking at what people are throwing away.

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Any chance I could have a chat with you about your rubbish?

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Just general rubbish that's been accumulating in the garage

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for a while. Just time to get rid of it.

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I was just looking at your suitcase and was wondering

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-if I could have a closer look at it?

-Absolutely.

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Do you know where it came from?

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Yeah, it's my case from when I was a kid.

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It's been sitting around at home for ages.

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I would love to have a chance to take that away

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and give it another life or use it again.

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I would love to see something like that happen to it.

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I'm sorry I stamped on it before.

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I broke the hinge to get it in.

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I'll be able to sort that out, that won't be a problem.

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I think it's got a lovely shape and these details...

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and the fact it had a previous life I think would be great to incorporate

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into a new something so that's fantastic, thank you ever so much.

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Right. You're welcome.

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Don't think that's ever been out of the country.

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I think it was when I was a kid or a teenager.

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It's been on family holidays in the UK.

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I think when I was a student as well, it was one of the cases

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I took to polytechnic with me

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so, it's not really had that special a life!

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I just really like the look of this case, it's just so 1960s.

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It's got some lovely lining on the inside.

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I really don't know what I can do with it, but it would be nice

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to be able to think I can send it on another journey.

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Sarah's three-piece treasure hunt is complete.

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The radio will be switched on by Horse.

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The retro coffee table is going to furniture maker Jay,

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and the tatty old suitcase may have lost its sentimental value,

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but Sarah is confident she can restore its cash value.

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I've saved three fabulous pieces here today

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and I'm going to make lots of money from them, I hope.

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Sarah's next stop is Manchester where the cultural scene is

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buzzing with a task force of talented designers and artists.

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Riding high on the city's wave of creativity is

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electronics restorer, Horse,

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he'll be working on the knackered old radio.

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But he doesn't know what's coming.

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Sarah is going to bring me a piece of, essentially, rubbish.

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So I'm going to have fun seeing if I can make it beautiful again,

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make it functional again, depending on what it is

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and what kind of condition it is, I suppose.

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-Hiya, how are you?

-Hiya!

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-Good, yeah, very good.

-I've got a little something to show you.

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Brilliant, let's have a look.

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-So I'm hoping this is your kind of thing.

-Brilliant.

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-What do you reckon?

-Yes, pretty much exactly.

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The only thing I'm worried about is my radio is

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actually in a bit of a state.

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It's not as bad as it looks.

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It's quite reassuring that that still works and I think this one...

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-Yeah.

-I think I've broken it!

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Oops! Butterfingers.

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Remember, you're supposed to be ADDING value, Sarah.

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It would be really nice to think that sound could come out of it again.

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I was wondering if that means it's an accessory for somebody's phone

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or just a radio. But possibly something a bit cool.

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Yeah, the ideal application would probably be a universal,

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-kind of small, powered speaker.

-That sounds fab.

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So basically it's going to be something that somebody can

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-listen to their music through with their phone or laptop?

-Yes.

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Yeah, you can plug essentially anything into it.

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You can probably use some of the existing components.

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I'm going to use valves in it as well.

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They still make them for certain applications,

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mainly guitar amplifiers and high-end audio hi-fi equipment.

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-They just have a specific warm sound to them.

-That looks really cool.

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I just love that as it is. That's stunning.

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Shame those valves are going to be hidden away inside, really.

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Now, Horse really knows his onions when it comes to modifying

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vintage technology to accept modern gadgetry.

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He'll make sure that smartphones and laptops with mini jack

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sockets can be plugged into this old valve-powered speaker.

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Who'd have thought it?!

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Hopefully will be a beautiful object,

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that is functional and will sound really nice,

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and it's completely unique.

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Horse will target a higher-end clientele with his finish on the radio.

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But how much will he charge?

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You might be looking at sort of like, £300 or so...?

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-On that basis I reckon full steam ahead, let's go for it.

-Brilliant.

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I think that radio is in really safe hands.

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It's going to sound amazing, and I think I might make as much as £100 from it.

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Sarah's confident - but is Horse on the same wavelength?

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I think it's definitely doable, it's in good enough condition.

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I am looking forward to the challenge. Yeah.

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It's going to be great.

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With a bit of Horse-power,

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the old radio could pump up the volume and the profit.

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Horse's expertise and materials would cost around £300.

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So, Sarah will depend on that high-spec finish to make any money.

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Sarah's next stop is within the metropolitan borough

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of the West Midlands, Wolverhampton.

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And tucked away in the disused Berry Street factories

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is woodwork wizard Jay.

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Sarah's about to surprise him with the mouldy Ercol table.

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But it just might be too weather-beaten for Jay to work with.

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All I know is she's got something from the tip that someone was throwing away,

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and then she wants me to be able to turn it into something that's going to make money.

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Could be anything with Sarah.

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But hopefully she'll bring me something that isn't chipboard.

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Real wood is what I'm after.

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-Hi, Jay!

-Hi, how you doing?

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-Yeah, I'm doing really well. How are things?

-Very good.

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What have you got today?

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Oh, wow. A table.

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-This is the good side...

-This is the good side. OK.

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-This is the not-so-good side.

-Wow.

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OK. It's been outside, obviously...

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Yeah, I think the guys who dropped it off said that they had been

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-storing their plants on it in the garden.

-That'll put it in that state.

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It's beautiful.

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Even though it's in the state that it's in I really like it.

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I really do like it. I've seen many Ercol tables but I've never seen one with this kind of

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round oblong kind of shape to it.

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Ercol was a prominent British furniture manufacturer

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dating back to the 1920s.

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Its mass-produced furnishings found a ready market in post-war Britain.

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But now, vintage enthusiasts will pay through the nose

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for well-preserved pieces.

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Alas, this one's on its last legs.

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The only bit I'm concerned about is here, where the plant pot has been there for quite a while.

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But if you bear with me two minutes I'll just get this machine on...

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I love a machine!

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Everybody has better toys than I do -

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everywhere I go, everybody has got these really cool things,

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I end up doing everything by hand, takes me ages.

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The only thing I'm concerned about now is the red.

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-Oh, dear...

-Worst-case scenario is that we rub it down

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and that stain has gone straight through to the piece of furniture.

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Then what we will more than likely have to do is

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I would say paint it because no-one will want that kind of colour.

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So, ideally we'd like to have a surface on the top that is

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-blonde and beautiful, but the chances are we might have to paint it.

-Yes.

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OK. I'm happy with that.

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What we probably need to think about is, you know, what

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kind of money do you think we'd sell it for, and is it worth taking it on?

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I could charge £75 to £100, it depends on what is being done.

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-That's definitely a deal!

-OK. Cool.

-You always talk my kind of money, I love doing deals with you.

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You look like you've got your work cut out, I'll leave you to it.

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Take care!

0:18:070:18:09

Jay absolutely loves Ercol, and I think whatever he does

0:18:090:18:11

to the top or the legs it's going to look fantastic.

0:18:110:18:14

I'm just excited to be working on Ercol.

0:18:140:18:16

This is something that someone was going to throw away,

0:18:160:18:18

totally discarded it.

0:18:180:18:19

Put it in the garden, put some plant pots on it,

0:18:190:18:22

and allowed the weather to do what it's doing

0:18:220:18:24

and the table never gave up - it never gave up on life.

0:18:240:18:27

So all I can do is just make it look...

0:18:270:18:31

not as great as Ercol did back in the 1950s, or 1960s I should say,

0:18:310:18:36

but make it look as good as I can make it look.

0:18:360:18:39

Jay can always make Sarah smile when it comes to money.

0:18:390:18:43

75 to 100 quid? What could go wrong?

0:18:430:18:47

So - two items with the potential to make some cash.

0:18:540:18:59

Sarah's on a roll,

0:18:590:19:00

but now it's time for her to put her money where her mouth is.

0:19:000:19:04

Back at her barn,

0:19:050:19:07

she's hoping to transform

0:19:070:19:09

Ian's battered baggage into something profitable.

0:19:090:19:12

Well, this poor old suitcase has definitely seen better days.

0:19:130:19:17

It's in a right state.

0:19:170:19:20

It's been taped up, it's never going to have been

0:19:200:19:23

a valuable object, and it's certainly not worth much at the moment.

0:19:230:19:26

But I'm hoping that I can make it look just beautiful.

0:19:260:19:30

They work, just...

0:19:300:19:32

Oh, it's quite tough to get it open.

0:19:340:19:36

My plan is to paste some pretty fabric all the way over it -

0:19:360:19:41

probably not very big pieces, so I can use scraps of it,

0:19:410:19:44

and just patchwork the surface of it so it just looks bright and pretty

0:19:440:19:48

and you don't see any of this black.

0:19:480:19:49

Maybe I can get a price tag of...

0:19:490:19:51

£50, £60 on it?

0:19:510:19:53

Sarah starts by giving it a gentle rubdown -

0:19:530:19:57

being careful not to get it too wet.

0:19:570:19:59

RUSTLING Oh, dear. That didn't sound good.

0:20:040:20:07

I'm loath to take the paper out,

0:20:090:20:11

once I take the paper out I've got a world more work.

0:20:110:20:14

But I think I might just have to take out the loose bits.

0:20:140:20:17

You can see how it's made, it literally is made of cardboard...

0:20:220:20:26

Cardboard suitcases were a lighter

0:20:260:20:29

and cheaper alternative to heavy leather or robust wool luggage,

0:20:290:20:33

becoming popular in the 1920s

0:20:330:20:36

with the rapid expansion in automobile travel.

0:20:360:20:39

I really like the fact that it says "American Home Magazine Selection."

0:20:390:20:43

I might try and put that as part of the design.

0:20:430:20:46

Cardboard may have been a more convenient material for the day,

0:20:460:20:51

but it wasn't built to last.

0:20:510:20:53

I've just got to get this roughly in position here.

0:20:540:20:57

So it's just the main thing is to keep the fabric really taut.

0:20:570:21:00

When you're getting the wrinkles out

0:21:000:21:02

you can feel them really clearly when you've got them

0:21:020:21:05

so you just need to work the fabric, stretching it...

0:21:050:21:08

Sarah's glued the fabric with a simple PVA glue,

0:21:080:21:12

and once she's smoothed out the wrinkles

0:21:120:21:15

she can work out the details round the locks.

0:21:150:21:18

You can see where just round the edge of the fastenings on the case

0:21:180:21:22

I've stretched the material round,

0:21:220:21:24

and if you just push it in really neatly around it

0:21:240:21:27

you can give yourself a template to cut round.

0:21:270:21:29

I always trim slightly inside the line,

0:21:290:21:32

and then you can just run the fabric right up to the edge.

0:21:320:21:36

I'm going to stick that in as close as I can...

0:21:360:21:39

and then when it's all dry I shall just get a craft knife

0:21:390:21:41

and trim off those little extra bits there.

0:21:410:21:43

I think that is a great start.

0:21:430:21:47

Just a little bit more covering to do before it looks absolutely perfect,

0:21:470:21:51

but I'm really pleased with that.

0:21:510:21:53

I think that's well on its way to making some money.

0:21:530:21:55

Sarah's scraps and glue should only set her back about a fiver.

0:21:580:22:03

So, if she can sell it for more than that, she's on to a winner.

0:22:030:22:06

At Horse's workshop in Manchester,

0:22:130:22:15

some electronic surgery is about to be performed on the old radio.

0:22:150:22:21

Look away if you're squeamish!

0:22:210:22:23

So, to start with, I'm going to dismantle it

0:22:240:22:28

and then I'll just put in a very simple circuit with some new valves.

0:22:280:22:31

I've got to put in a new mains transformer,

0:22:310:22:35

cos it was potentially lethal.

0:22:350:22:38

You definitely need to be careful, you certainly shouldn't just plug it in until

0:22:380:22:41

somebody qualified's had a look at it.

0:22:410:22:43

One memorable time

0:22:430:22:46

I got a shock, and then punched myself in the face

0:22:460:22:49

pulling my hand back, so yeah, I'm quite careful these days.

0:22:490:22:52

Ouch! And double ouch.

0:22:520:22:55

Definitely don't try this one at home, folks.

0:22:550:22:58

This was a valve radio. I'm going to make it a valve-powered speaker.

0:23:020:23:07

I'm sure there'd be purists going insane at this.

0:23:070:23:09

It's not like they're rare, so it's fine.

0:23:090:23:12

This is just the chassis, so what we need to do with this

0:23:210:23:24

is clean it up and then put the bits back in that I'm going to be using,

0:23:240:23:29

and then start building the circuit around that.

0:23:290:23:33

The case needs some serious cosmetic work too,

0:23:350:23:37

and that's Horse's biggest challenge.

0:23:370:23:39

What you can do is

0:23:390:23:41

use what's called wet and dry paper,

0:23:410:23:44

which is an abrasive, bit like sandpaper.

0:23:440:23:47

You can start off with quite a coarse grit,

0:23:470:23:50

and then you move to a finer grade, and kind of keep doing this...

0:23:500:23:54

It can be quite rewarding, cos it's quite nice to get

0:23:540:23:56

the scratches out but, yeah, it's pretty...

0:23:560:24:00

It can be pretty laborious,

0:24:000:24:01

especially when they're as scratched as this one.

0:24:010:24:03

It's lost its sheen a little, so

0:24:050:24:07

I use this special Bakelite polishing paste,

0:24:070:24:11

and this sort of takes a thin layer off

0:24:110:24:15

and buffs it up to a nice shine.

0:24:150:24:17

If Horse can get the balance of shiny, new usable, traditional,

0:24:170:24:22

old object right, and up the value to over £300,

0:24:220:24:27

this radio is on course to make a tidy profit.

0:24:270:24:30

It's nice to have a finished product that actually sounds good,

0:24:300:24:34

and is usable and means that you can kind of have

0:24:340:24:38

such a nice-looking object that's useful again.

0:24:380:24:42

All's tickety-boo in Manchester, then.

0:24:440:24:46

Back in Wolverhampton,

0:24:500:24:53

Jay is sanding down the Ercol table top

0:24:530:24:56

to determine if the stains can be removed

0:24:560:24:59

so he can keep the natural colour of the wood.

0:24:590:25:02

And it's bad news.

0:25:080:25:10

It's stained all the way through,

0:25:110:25:13

so it's sad that we have to paint an Ercol

0:25:130:25:16

and I really don't like doing that.

0:25:160:25:18

Kind of disappointed.

0:25:180:25:20

If you were to paint this white to kind of blend it in to a room,

0:25:200:25:23

what you might have a problem with is this stain that's already here

0:25:230:25:27

might start to bleed through to the actual top,

0:25:270:25:30

so getting the red and the green out and also the black

0:25:300:25:32

is virtually impossible, because I don't know what that red is.

0:25:320:25:36

It could be wine, it could be anything,

0:25:360:25:39

but if we put a good primer on this, it should be OK.

0:25:390:25:42

The legs are going to be the wood colour,

0:25:420:25:44

but once I've sanded down the problem legs that have the stain...

0:25:440:25:48

..then I'll be able to tell if we can keep the legs

0:25:490:25:52

as neutral as possible.

0:25:520:25:54

I have to sand all of this, all of this.

0:25:540:25:57

I have to especially sand that leg.

0:25:570:26:00

That's one of the main...

0:26:000:26:01

That also determines what the design is going to be like in the end.

0:26:010:26:06

So, the top didn't pass the test.

0:26:100:26:12

If Jay can't sand the stains out of the ends of the legs,

0:26:120:26:16

they too will be destined for a paint job.

0:26:160:26:18

So, Jay, what's the verdict?

0:26:230:26:25

It's very rare you catch me doing this,

0:26:260:26:28

but, um, I think it's going to have to all be painted.

0:26:280:26:33

What a shame.

0:26:340:26:36

We could do light blue on top,

0:26:360:26:39

black legs and light blue underneath.

0:26:390:26:42

So light blue all along there

0:26:430:26:46

and black legs, light blue top,

0:26:460:26:48

so then it will lift the top of it and just make it look light,

0:26:480:26:53

cos it's quite a big table, quite a big coffee table

0:26:530:26:56

and you don't want it to be too imposing into someone's house.

0:26:560:26:59

You want it to be quite uplifting and I think...

0:26:590:27:03

I think that's the design.

0:27:030:27:06

That would be how I think it would look best.

0:27:060:27:09

Well, it's a shame to cover up that lovely wood,

0:27:090:27:12

but if it can still be sold for more than 100 quid,

0:27:120:27:15

then he can paint polka-dots on it for all I care.

0:27:150:27:18

Back in Sussex, Sarah's nearing the end of her own restoration project.

0:27:250:27:29

Basically, I've covered the whole of this case

0:27:340:27:37

in a new layer of fabric on the outside.

0:27:370:27:39

I've carefully cut round the things that are on here already.

0:27:390:27:43

Tricky to get it done perfectly,

0:27:430:27:45

but the overall effect of it I think is really pretty.

0:27:450:27:49

That should make it saleable.

0:27:490:27:51

So I was hoping for 50 quid, but I don't know,

0:27:510:27:54

I might make it an even higher price.

0:27:540:27:58

What do you reckon? 60?

0:27:580:27:59

70?

0:27:590:28:01

Before, this was a battered old cardboard suitcase,

0:28:030:28:08

but now, after some careful graft, a bit of glue and some off-cuts,

0:28:080:28:12

it's transformed into luxurious luggage.

0:28:120:28:15

-You wouldn't lose it at the airport, would you?

-Time to hook a buyer.

0:28:160:28:20

I'm not sure I want to part with it.

0:28:230:28:25

I'm tweaking the photograph so it looks absolutely the best it can.

0:28:280:28:33

I think that's singing out now, don't you?

0:28:330:28:35

Sarah's success is measured in sales

0:28:400:28:43

and she always seeks out the best ways to maximise profits,

0:28:430:28:48

hosting her own clothing and furniture sales in her barn...

0:28:480:28:51

Just sold the sofa.

0:28:510:28:53

..advertising and selling online...

0:28:530:28:56

..or selling directly to specialist shops.

0:28:570:29:00

With opportunities galore in the things we throw out,

0:29:010:29:04

Sarah's always looking to make money for nothing.

0:29:040:29:08

So Ian's old suitcase has been on one heck of a journey...

0:29:120:29:16

I was just looking at your suitcase.

0:29:160:29:18

..picked up by Sarah just as it was sailing over the edge of the tip.

0:29:180:29:22

I shall cherish it and make something amazing out of it.

0:29:220:29:25

I'm sorry I stamped on it beforehand,

0:29:250:29:27

cos I broke the hinge to be able to get it in.

0:29:270:29:30

It's now transformed into something saleable.

0:29:300:29:33

Now, Sarah's back in Stockport to show Ian what she's done to the case

0:29:350:29:40

and to hand over the cash.

0:29:400:29:41

That is, if it sold.

0:29:410:29:43

-Hi, there! Hi, Ian!

-Hi! Nice to meet you again.

-Nice to see you.

0:29:480:29:52

-Much nicer than where we last met.

-Yes, indeed, indeed!

0:29:520:29:56

Well, since we last met, I took your case

0:29:560:29:58

and it actually turned out to be a project that I worked on

0:29:580:30:01

and I had a lot of fun with it.

0:30:010:30:03

Am I right in thinking it was just yours, it had one careful owner?

0:30:030:30:07

-Well, I don't know about careful, but one owner, yes.

-Lovely.

0:30:070:30:11

-In the end, I actually made it look like that.

-Wow!

0:30:110:30:15

I used lots of scraps of fabric that I had left over from other projects

0:30:150:30:20

-and pasted all over.

-I think that's amazing!

0:30:200:30:23

It had a very battered cover to it,

0:30:230:30:25

so I was wondering what you were going to do with that.

0:30:250:30:28

I'm actually quite pleased that you've made it into a case

0:30:280:30:31

that could still be used as a case.

0:30:310:30:33

I shared it online and there was quite a lot of interest in it.

0:30:330:30:36

-Wonderful.

-And because it only cost £5 to renovate,

0:30:360:30:42

-there was a bit of profit from it.

-Right.

0:30:420:30:45

I sold it to somebody who has a vintage shop

0:30:450:30:47

-who wants to use it as a display piece for her window.

-Oh, wonderful.

0:30:470:30:51

And it turns out that in the end,

0:30:510:30:53

-she paid £85 for it.

-Oh, that's...!

0:30:530:30:56

-That's amazing!

-So, Ian, for you, £80 for your old suitcase.

0:30:560:31:02

That... That is incredible.

0:31:020:31:03

Thank you very much.

0:31:030:31:05

It was going to be thrown away, as far as I was concerned,

0:31:050:31:07

so thank you very much.

0:31:070:31:08

Sarah sold the suitcase online for 85 quid.

0:31:100:31:15

Take off a fiver for materials and Ian's walking away £80 richer.

0:31:150:31:20

But what are his plans for the money?

0:31:200:31:22

I think, really, to me, it's all about memories.

0:31:220:31:25

The case is an old case and memories of holidays with it,

0:31:250:31:30

so I think I'd like the money

0:31:300:31:31

to go to a society that deals with memories,

0:31:310:31:34

something like one of the Alzheimer's-related charities.

0:31:340:31:38

So, the money's in the bag for the suitcase, so to speak.

0:31:440:31:48

And in Manchester, how's Horse getting on with the radio refurb?

0:31:500:31:55

I finished it a couple of days ago.

0:31:560:31:58

Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with the way it sounds.

0:31:580:32:00

It's valve, it's true to the original design,

0:32:000:32:03

so, yeah, I hope Sarah likes it.

0:32:030:32:05

Before, this vintage radio had sat in dusty silence for over 30 years.

0:32:070:32:13

Now, Horse has sympathetically repurposed it

0:32:150:32:18

as a universal speaker for today's music-playing devices.

0:32:180:32:21

It's perfect for someone with an eye for funky functionality

0:32:230:32:27

and an ear for the rich tones of yesterday,

0:32:270:32:30

as Sarah's about to find out.

0:32:300:32:32

-Hello!

-Hello, how are you doing?

-Brilliant.

0:32:340:32:36

Have you got something to show me?

0:32:360:32:38

-Yes, let's go and have a look at the radio.

-Oh, fantastic.

0:32:380:32:40

SARAH GASPS

0:32:430:32:45

-Does it work?

-It does, you just have to wait for it to warm up.

0:32:460:32:50

CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

0:32:500:32:53

Ah, Brahms.

0:32:530:32:55

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat.

0:32:550:32:58

I've never heard it sound quite so good.

0:32:590:33:02

It's amazing!

0:33:030:33:05

Oh, and it lights up!

0:33:070:33:09

Everything about this - the wood effect and the gold

0:33:090:33:11

and the lights and everything,

0:33:110:33:13

I'm blown away and the sound quality,

0:33:130:33:15

it is markedly different from modern speakers, isn't it?

0:33:150:33:19

-Yeah, definitely.

-How do I make it work?

0:33:190:33:21

This is just a standard common or garden mini-jack connection

0:33:210:33:24

and that you can plug into anything

0:33:240:33:26

with a auxiliary output or any line output.

0:33:260:33:29

He's talking technical - I think he means smartphone.

0:33:290:33:31

-Do you mean smartphone thingy?

-Exactly.

-Yeah, OK.

0:33:310:33:34

It's kind of up to the spec of a brand-new product, basically.

0:33:340:33:38

I love everything about it. I think it looks fantastic.

0:33:380:33:42

Aww, Sarah's gone all warm and fuzzy.

0:33:430:33:46

But stay put, because Horse has added a surprise feature.

0:33:460:33:50

I've also put a quarter-inch jack connection.

0:33:500:33:52

It means that you can plug a guitar into it, basically.

0:33:520:33:55

-So it's an amp as well?

-Yeah.

0:33:550:33:56

The way that you make it, it's sort of silly not to, really.

0:33:560:33:59

Come on, then, let's hear it.

0:33:590:34:01

HE PLAYS BLUES GUITAR

0:34:010:34:04

Horse, you're a genius on so many levels.

0:34:120:34:14

I think that that just is the icing on cake.

0:34:140:34:18

That was lovely, wasn't it?

0:34:180:34:20

All right, Sarah, enough of the mellow jamming sesh.

0:34:200:34:23

Let's get down to business.

0:34:230:34:25

Horse came in on budget at £300.

0:34:250:34:28

Now, Sarah needs to get selling.

0:34:280:34:30

Right, so all I need is some of your excellent music connections

0:34:300:34:33

and a nice buyer and then everything will be perfect.

0:34:330:34:37

I am seriously impressed

0:34:410:34:43

with what Horse has managed to do with this radio.

0:34:430:34:46

It was in a really bad state and now you can play your music through it,

0:34:460:34:50

you can play your guitar through it

0:34:500:34:52

and I think I'm going to make some money out of it.

0:34:520:34:55

I think she was generally quite chuffed with it.

0:34:550:34:58

I think the addition of the guitar amp was a last-minute bonus,

0:34:580:35:03

so, yeah, I'm pleased, I'm glad she really likes it.

0:35:030:35:06

This vintage radio was nearly dumped at the tip.

0:35:090:35:13

If it were working it would be worth about £150

0:35:130:35:15

but I couldn't be bothered.

0:35:150:35:17

John was happy for Sarah to take it away for nothing.

0:35:170:35:21

And with the expert attention of electronics engineer Horse...

0:35:210:35:25

Hopefully it will be a beautiful object that is functional

0:35:250:35:28

and will sound really nice.

0:35:280:35:30

..it was turned into a glorious custom-made speaker with

0:35:300:35:33

a contemporary twist.

0:35:330:35:35

And when Nick from online retro furniture store

0:35:370:35:40

Smithers of Stamford took a look and a listen, he bought it.

0:35:400:35:45

-Hope to do some more business with you soon. Take care.

-Bye.

0:35:450:35:49

And now Sarah's back in Stockport to show John the radio's

0:35:520:35:56

transformation and hopefully hand over some cash.

0:35:560:35:59

-Hi there, John. How you doing?

-Not too bad, thanks.

0:36:050:36:08

-It's a long time since I saw you at the tip.

-It is.

-How are things?

0:36:080:36:11

-All right.

-Lovely. I've just come back

0:36:110:36:13

because I've got a couple of pictures to show you of your old radio.

0:36:130:36:16

All right.

0:36:160:36:17

Did you have any thoughts about it cos it wasn't in great condition

0:36:170:36:20

-when we picked it out.

-No.

0:36:200:36:21

It's funny, it came all the way down south to me

0:36:210:36:24

and it turns out the one man who restores and loves working with

0:36:240:36:29

old radios like yours lives about ten minutes down the road from here.

0:36:290:36:33

-From here?

-Yeah.

0:36:330:36:34

It's been a big circle and it went to this guy called Horse.

0:36:340:36:37

-Do you want to see what he's done to your radio?

-Very interested.

0:36:370:36:40

-He's turned it into its former glory.

-Beautiful.

0:36:400:36:44

That is now an amp if you want to play your guitar through it.

0:36:440:36:47

And also if you have a smartphone or something like that you plug

0:36:470:36:50

that in and it plays all of your tunes.

0:36:500:36:53

Got lights in it, as well.

0:36:530:36:55

So when you turn it on all those lovely old stations

0:36:550:36:57

and everything light up.

0:36:570:36:59

-It does look and sound really lovely now.

-Unbelievable.

0:36:590:37:03

Can't believe that.

0:37:050:37:07

So the good news is in that condition it did sell

0:37:070:37:11

and I've got some money here to give to you.

0:37:110:37:14

I've got £50 profit from the sale of your radio and so that's for you.

0:37:140:37:19

-Are you sure?

-Yeah, definitely.

0:37:190:37:21

-What do you think about that?

-Absolutely amazing, really.

0:37:210:37:24

Any ideas what you might do with that?

0:37:240:37:26

-I'm just going to buy a new garden shed.

-Are you?

0:37:260:37:29

-To fill up with more radios?

-Yeah.

0:37:290:37:31

That's the reason that came out ready to buy a new one.

0:37:310:37:37

Fantastic.

0:37:370:37:38

I think that's a great idea that something that came

0:37:380:37:40

out of your old shed is going a little bit towards buying a new one.

0:37:400:37:43

Brilliant.

0:37:430:37:44

Sarah paid Horse £300 for his specialist work on the radio.

0:37:470:37:51

Making £50 for John to put towards his new garden shed.

0:37:550:38:00

Bloomin' marvellous.

0:38:000:38:01

I was astounded really at how good it was.

0:38:030:38:06

I thought of having it renovated myself

0:38:060:38:09

but I don't think it would have come up as it has done.

0:38:090:38:13

I think it's quite amazing what he's done with it.

0:38:140:38:17

It's so satisfying to see an old piece like that radio restored

0:38:170:38:20

to its former glory and sounding amazing.

0:38:200:38:23

I think that £50 might be music to John's ears, too.

0:38:230:38:26

With two out of our three items sold for a profit it's so far, so good.

0:38:300:38:35

But Sarah has got one more pick-up to complete the set.

0:38:350:38:39

Maybe Jay's painted Ercol will leave her feeling blue.

0:38:390:38:43

I think it looks really cool.

0:38:440:38:46

I hope Sarah would like it. I hope she will.

0:38:500:38:53

Evidently she has to sell this on, so if she likes it

0:38:540:38:58

she will be able to sell it more.

0:38:580:39:00

I like it, but I'm not going to be selling it.

0:39:000:39:02

I'm not sure how this is going to go.

0:39:040:39:06

Well, there's only one way to find out. Get her in.

0:39:060:39:09

I love pick-up time.

0:39:110:39:13

I've got an Ercol table in here but I know it had a few problems

0:39:130:39:16

and I'm hoping Jay has managed to turn it around.

0:39:160:39:20

When Sarah picked it up the table was on the brink of being

0:39:200:39:23

lost forever.

0:39:230:39:26

But now it's a fresh, modern gem with a new lease of life.

0:39:260:39:29

-Oh, my word! Look at that!

-You like?

0:39:370:39:42

-I love it.

-What a relief.

0:39:420:39:44

Can I have a quick look underneath to see what you've done?

0:39:460:39:48

All I've done underneath is painted it black, that's all I've done.

0:39:480:39:53

It's amazing how well the black suits it.

0:39:530:39:56

-It looks like it was made like that.

-Yeah.

0:39:560:39:59

It looks like a massive, beautiful blue egg. It's stunning.

0:39:590:40:03

It does look like a blue egg, actually.

0:40:030:40:04

Or blue pebble.

0:40:040:40:06

It looks like a massive blue pebble you'd find on the beach.

0:40:060:40:09

The state it was in when you first brought it in, it's a

0:40:090:40:12

shame to paint Ercol but I couldn't get the stains out.

0:40:120:40:16

I don't think you have to beat yourself up about this.

0:40:160:40:19

This was going in the skip.

0:40:190:40:20

And now it's going into a really smart interior.

0:40:200:40:23

If you think back to how it was when it arrived, it was green,

0:40:230:40:26

it had stains all over it, it was falling apart.

0:40:260:40:28

Yeah.

0:40:280:40:30

You've completely transformed it.

0:40:300:40:32

-This has gone from dustbin to designer. It's brilliant.

-Thank you.

0:40:320:40:37

Luckily, Sarah can see the sales potential in funky,

0:40:390:40:42

modern furniture.

0:40:420:40:44

And what's more, it should still make a profit despite being painted.

0:40:440:40:48

He's really nailed it, hasn't he? That table looks fantastic.

0:40:490:40:53

That beautiful blue egg.

0:40:530:40:55

I think I'm definitely going to be able to sell that with a profit.

0:40:550:40:58

I'm glad she's happy.

0:40:580:40:59

She can sell it and then she can give the person that was

0:40:590:41:02

throwing it away the money back and everybody's happy.

0:41:020:41:06

Well, we're not happy yet.

0:41:070:41:09

Jay came in on budget but Sarah still has to find a big

0:41:090:41:13

buyer of blue before we can start jumping for joy.

0:41:130:41:16

Who could have imagined that the Ercol table nearly reached

0:41:210:41:24

the end of its life as a plant pot stand.

0:41:240:41:26

-Just wondering if I could talk to you about your rubbish.

-Yeah.

0:41:260:41:29

Sarah saw its potential.

0:41:290:41:32

-It's been outside, has it?

-It's got weather-beaten.

-Even if Pete didn't.

0:41:320:41:36

Quite old.

0:41:380:41:39

But with the magic touch of Jay it was transformed into a blue beauty.

0:41:390:41:44

Sarah showed it to specialist buyer Martin at her barn.

0:41:470:41:51

He's got a good eye for antique-y,

0:41:510:41:53

vintage-y type stuff to sell on in his trendy London shop.

0:41:530:41:57

It's a retro look. It's a very clean look.

0:41:570:41:59

I love the colour, very saleable.

0:41:590:42:01

And guess what - he bought it.

0:42:020:42:04

Ah, now I can sleep easy.

0:42:050:42:07

So the good news is the Ercol table sold with £100 worth of profit.

0:42:240:42:29

But the bad news is I haven't been able to make contact with

0:42:290:42:32

Peter again and time has run out.

0:42:320:42:33

So this money is going to go to Children in Need.

0:42:330:42:37

Give that girl a gold star

0:42:370:42:39

because Sarah has made a profit on everything she's saved at the tip.

0:42:390:42:43

The cardboard suitcase came up lovely and rosy.

0:42:440:42:47

The vintage radio brought old school and modern technology into harmony.

0:42:490:42:53

And the retro Ercol table is now cool, blue and contemporary.

0:42:560:43:01

There were three things that were saved from the skip that would

0:43:050:43:07

have been lost forever.

0:43:070:43:09

And who knows, maybe next time you're at the tip

0:43:090:43:11

I could be taking your rubbish and turning it into money.

0:43:110:43:15

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