Why do we keep upgrading our tools?

[Tom M King]

I bought a digital mitutoyo micrometer today and without a justifiable reason. I became comfortable working with precision equipment in my late teens and have always felt handicapped without it, but for all intents and purposes completely useless for woodworking, so sometimes there is a 'shiny thing' factor involved.

Useful for measuring shaving thickness. I bought this one a long time ago just for that purpose.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I hope you are making her work on the plant floor Tony. Because of general male attitudes in manufacturing it'll be hard enough for her without being viewed as just another "suit" in the front office. An ME degree with an MBA is a hard combination to beat given a time working as a first line supervisor and/or an engineer. Kudos to her.

[Brian Holcombe]

Useful for measuring shaving thickness. I bought this one a long time ago just for that purpose.

Indeed, I see that it is quite practical. Is that a lady bug on the vise?

[Shawn Pixley]

I've been thinking a lot along these lines. Man, the tool maker, advances throuh his use of tools. Tool acquisition is a proxy for fitness for survival. Tool acquisition hampers a nomadic lifestyle, leading us to settle in one place. Fast forward to modern times. This habit of collecting tools / accoutrements clutters our domiciles today.

Currently, I am trying to weed out the tools to the good essential tools. Now if I could do the same with guitars...

[Jim Koepke]

Currently, I am trying to weed out the tools to the good essential tools.

My experience with doing this is every time a tool is sold, traded or given away it is needed somewhere down the line. The only time sellers remorse hasn't come to visit is when there have been others tools of the same type to take its place. Even with duplicates, letting go of some tools has brought about more than one moment of regret.

It is kind of like running into an old friend when a tool hasn't seen the light of day for a decade and then is all of a sudden the only one to save the day. I guess as long as I can remember where it is and that it is around the brain is okay.

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

I hope you are making her work on the plant floor Tony. Because of general male attitudes in manufacturing it'll be hard enough for her without being viewed as just another "suit" in the front office. An ME degree with an MBA is a hard combination to beat given a time working as a first line supervisor and/or an engineer. Kudos to her.

I baby sat her in my office while she was only months old Dave! Last summer (she was 14 then) she worked a couple days a week on the floor, doing tasks for the quality department. I instructed those she worked with to not do her jobs. A few insisted in standing over her and my general manager instructed them to not do that. By the end of summer she was as dirty as everyone else and eating lunch with them all.

I'm not tech savy enough to post pictures of my plant (powder metal parts manufacturing), but if someone were to PM me their email, I send off some photos or short videos of my operation.

T.Z.

[Maurice Ungaro]

I find myself actually selling tools now. I bought things I thought I needed, but are actually not all that useful in my world.

Paul, last year I culled tools and stuff I was either not happy with, no longer needed, or just shouldn't have purchased to begin with. With the proceeds from that sell off, I bought useful tool that fit my work style now. Thinking about it, I should probably make it a habit to periodically cull the herd and trim the fat.

[Prashun Patel]

Shiny thing is different from status symbol.

[Shawn Pixley]

My experience with doing this is every time a tool is sold, traded or given away it is needed somewhere down the line. The only time sellers remorse hasn't come to visit is when there have been others tools of the same type to take its place.

jtk

I guess I haven't seen it quite that way. I wouldn't get rid of tools that have utility that I don't have a replacement for. For instance, I don't use my large 16 lb sledge but once every few years. I won't get rid of it as when you need a sledge, you need a sledge. Same with a sawzall, railroad bar, etc... But I have only one of most sizes of chisels. I don't have a chisel wider than 1" because I haven't needed it.

But I have wheel ramps for a car that haven't been used in 15 years. My wall level was broken a while back. I won't replace it until I need to frame a wall again. I have been given planes, router templates, dovetail jigs, etc... They need to go. I might, could, maybe, possibly need use them in the future. But they clutter and interfere with my today.

I think I am going towards a minimalist approach. I am also gravitating to the theory that constraints enable and advance creativity.

[Paul Sidener]

You say that as if it is a bad thing.

Though it is understandable for folks who do not want to have more tools than are absolutely needed. For me it is comforting to have some tools that are not so nice that there is a reluctance toward using them on rougher wood or to trim the edge of some linoleum that was glued to the top of a cabinet.

There must be at least ten 1/4" chisels in my shop. Before two get customized with skewed edges there needs to be a few more. Most likely another Stanley socket chisel or a Buck tang chisel so they can be made as a matched set.

As for marking gauges it is convenient to have more than one or even one type. Today one of my old wooden Stanley marking gauges with a slitter tip was used for scribing the edges of rabbets. It isn't the best one for marking across grain.

Though for now it is unlikely any more bench planes will be acquired by me, unless one comes my way at a price that can not be refused. Mostly those are bought to resale.

jtk

I suppose I could have phrased that a little better. Things like bench planes, I don't think I need 2 or 3 #7's. Some can justify it, I can't for what I do. Buy a good one the first time, save yourself time and money and frustration. There are things I have extra of, most layout tools come to mind. My budget can't afford to have too many extras. But I will save up my money for a quality tool from Lie Nielsen or Veritas, and many others. I just don't want to buy something to get by, and later on replace it. That just will cost more in the long run. Not to mention, it pisses my wife off.

[Jim Koepke]

I just don't want to buy something to get by, and later on replace it. That just will cost more in the long run. Not to mention, it pisses my wife off.

I can agree with that. Cheap tools can be very expensive to keep replacing. They can be especially frustrating if you are up stinky creek when that bargain paddle breaks.

I usually try to avoid letting SWMBO know I made a tool purchasing mistake. She already knows about so many of my other mistakes.

Though at the moment there are two #8s in my shop that will not be a permanent condition. I am starting to question whether two #6s are serving any purpose. I know there are too many of some other planes. One of these days a new shiny tool will get me to sell off a bunch so the new one will have room in the purchasing budget. Especially if a better bandsaw makes itself known to me.

jtk

[Tom M King]

Indeed, I see that it is quite practical. Is that a lady bug on the vise?

A pop-up ad just showed up for a digital Mitutoyo micrometer, so I clicked on it and saw the current price. I remember paying aboutd $38 for the one in my picture. I don't remember when I bought it, but it was probably also when Hondas were cheap cars.

[Brian Holcombe]

And they're still pretty cheap by comparison to the digital depth gauge and bore gauge. I wanted one of each because I find them pretty useful..,.but not at current pricing, lol.

[Rich Riddle]

If I can honestly say that I am being hindered by the tool and not by my skills, I would upgrade (if possible) rather than continue to be hindered.

Using this principle, I would still utilize grandfather's keyhole saw left in a bucket of water. That's about where my skill level sits and doesn't budge.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I've been thinking a lot along these lines. Man, the tool maker, advances throuh his use of tools. Tool acquisition is a proxy for fitness for survival. Tool acquisition hampers a nomadic lifestyle, leading us to settle in one place. Fast forward to modern times. This habit of collecting tools / accoutrements clutters our domiciles today.

Currently, I am trying to weed out the tools to the good essential tools. Now if I could do the same with guitars...

Does it ever. Having been in the process of switching back to a more nomadic lifestyle recently, I can say that the accumulation of tools certainly does hinder that quest. Much more of this nomadic nonsense and I'm going to get rid of it all and shop at ikea, which will start the cycle all over again. Maybe it's just a chronic affliction that those of us who can see a better way to do something must suffer through?