Going, going, gone: Braintree shop tools being auctioned

The wrenches fixed hundreds of Braintree High School students' cars. And the saws and drills built thousands of birdhouses and spice racks. And they will all be placed on the auction block this Saturday. "It's the sale of the century," said Tom Mahar, the school department's head custodian. Every table saw, screwdriver and hand jack that once filled the high school's now-closed wood and auto shops will be up for grabs at the auction. The lots range from complete sets of socket wrenches and hand saws to a small airplane engine and hydraulic car lift. Other items include a cabinet filled with hundreds of drill bits and saw blades, the wood shop's remaining stock of hardwood lumber, a half-dozen full-sized wood lathes, car jacks, belt sanders and hammers. "There were enough tools in here for 30 kids to be working at the same time," said Peter Kress, the school department's business manager. And high-end tools, at that. One of the lots up for auction, for example, is a full cabinet of Snap-on brand tools. The auction will be conducted by Strategic Auctions Inc. and is open to the public. Mahan remembers when the industrial arts wing of Braintree High School buzzed with activity. The sound of running motors, and the smell of fresh-cut wood would waft through the ring of classrooms behind the school auditorium. "You could always tell when someone was using a dull blade," said Mahar, who started his job a month after the high school opened in 1972. But it has been more than ...