Bill, garage sales are an urban legend. I've never found anything I wanted at one, and that includes non-photo stuff, so have written them off. Guy across the street is in dire straits, has had a garage sale every weekend for the last month or so (not legal, I think we're allowed one a year). Huge TV, not HD; spiffy gas grill; crappy furniture. Do you want that sort of stuff? I don't and I'm tired of seeing it all in his driveway.
Seriously and all kidding aside, the majority of my good snags have been at camera shows (but not lately), from vendors' sites (likewise, but after staring at a lens on a site in Italy for a year I just anted up for it), from eBay (US and foreign) and from foreign Craigslist equivalents. I'm dithering about a "Craigslist" lens in France; I have one of it, the second would be for resale (risky), and I'm not sure how much postage will be. Asking is cheap, I should ask.
Recent eBay snags include a 90/6.8 Boyer Beryl (another way to spell Dagor); a Copal Press #0; and a Prontor Press #00 bundled with some Riteway holders, a Polaroid 545, and what I think is a 4x5 Graflok focusing panel. We'll see when that box arrives. I'm going to try to turn the holders and focusing panel, if that's what it is, around quickly, they should pay for the shutter.
Last year I got a bundle from another French Craigslist equivalent. 270/9 G-Claron, 250/6.8 Beryl (do you see a pattern?), really crappy 210/5.6 Rodagon. The G-Claron and Rodagon paid for the Dagor, sorry, Beryl.
All fine for me, but I'm not sure that you want anything I've bought. I read about other peoples' good snags, feel good for them and wonder how on earth I'd ever use most of the things that have made them so happy.
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