Index: activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb
===================================================================
--- activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb      (revision 7347)
+++ activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb      (working copy)
@@ -424,13 +424,55 @@
         validate_find_options(options)
         set_readonly_option!(options)

-        case args.first
-          when :first then find_initial(options)
-          when :all   then find_every(options)
-          else             find_from_ids(args, options)
+        finder.dispatch(args, options)
+      end
+
+
+      # The Finder class allows you to easily define your own custom find implementations.
+      # Simply define this class in your model, and any methods will be available
+      # to your #find call.  For example,
+      #
+      #   class User < ActiveRecord::Base
+      #     class Finder
+      #       def last(options)
+      #         @base.find(:first, options.update(:order => 'id desc'))
+      #       end
+      #     end
+      #   end
+      #   
+      #   User.find(:last, :conditions => ['name = ?', 'John'])
+      #
+      class Finder
+        def initialize(base_instance)
+          @base = base_instance
         end
+        
+        def dispatch(args, options)
+          finder_method = args.first
+          if finder_method.is_a?(Symbol) and respond_to?(finder_method)
+            send(finder_method, options)
+          else
+            from_ids(args, options)
+          end
+        end
+        
+        def all(options)
+          @base.send(:find_every, options)
+        end
+
+        def first(options)
+          @base.send(:find_initial, options)
+        end
+        
+        def from_ids(ids, options)
+          @base.send(:find_from_ids, ids, options)
+        end
       end

+      def finder
+        @finder ||= Finder.new(self)
+      end
+