Why do we keep upgrading our tools?

[Shawn Pixley]

I think I wrote my comment less precisely than I should. I am not going for a nomadic lifestyle, but rather paring back to what I really need and use. When something comes into the house, something within must leave. Over the last week or two I have tried to cull as many things from the Garage / Shop as possible.

Leaving are: Work cart and drawer storage unit, freestanding router table, chest freezer, old pressed steel table saw wings, unused dust collection fittings, Drill Doctor, Powered hand planer, Spare Router and wood scrap that seemed like a good idea to save at the time.

Also leaving: Tool shaped objects (hand Planes) that people pick up to give to me that either can't be made to work or are not worth the effort to rehab / re-manufacture. I love the gesture, but the objects are just in the way. Yesterday LOML brought back a very rusty Disston saw. It had a good bow in the blade two minor kinks, the original plastic handle (thoroughly broken). "But it said Disston. I thought they made good saws?" All things are not equal.

[Maurice Ungaro]

"But it said Disston. I thought they made good saws?" All things are not equal.

As we say in the South, bless her heart....

[Tony Zaffuto]

Depends: was the plastic two tone? Might be "bakelite", D-95.

[John Sanford]

Reasons for upgrading:

1. Better functionality. Upgraded from 12.5" lunchbox planer and 6" PM jointer to MiniMax FS30 12" Jointer/Planer. Better functionality can mean any of the following, singly or in combination: safer, faster, more accurate, less messy, more durable, less space, better surface, lower operating cost, easier setup, more convenient, more flexible, more power, more capacity.
2. Multiples for convenience. Recently added the new Veritas Custom Jack to my herd, supplanting a vintage #5 Bailey pattern that was sharp and useable, but troublesome. I already have a Veritas BU Jack, but wanted to set this new one up with some good camber.
3. Try out and compare different approaches to the same problem.
4. Because I like good tools, and not all of mine are good, although I'm getting there.

I enjoy my tools, in and of themselves, apart from what I do accomplish with them.

[Frederick Skelly]

Reasons for upgrading:

1. Better functionality. Upgraded from 12.5" lunchbox planer and 6" PM jointer to MiniMax FS30 12" Jointer/Planer. Better functionality can mean any of the following, singly or in combination: safer, faster, more accurate, less messy, more durable, less space, better surface, lower operating cost, easier setup, more convenient, more flexible, more power, more capacity.
2. Multiples for convenience. Recently added the new Veritas Custom Jack to my herd, supplanting a vintage #5 Bailey pattern that was sharp and useable, but troublesome. I already have a Veritas BU Jack, but wanted to set this new one up with some good camber.
3. Try out and compare different approaches to the same problem.
4. Because I like good tools, and not all of mine are good, although I'm getting there.

I enjoy my tools, in and of themselves, apart from what I do accomplish with them.

All good reasons John. The last is especially well put.

[Dennis Aspö]

I have it easy, I just keep one of each because I can't afford more. I have a #4 and #3½ Stanley plane and they've been very useful and I use them a lot.

But sure I wish I had more planes, I'd like a #7 jointer, a router plane and a rabbet plane and a small block plane still, perhaps an old wooden plane to act as a scrub plane.

There's a transitional Union #28 plane nearby for sale, but I dunno what I'd do with it, perhaps it could work as a #5 but I don't think I have much need for that when I got my #4 so I think I might pass on it.

All in good time as I find deals I guess. Good thing I own a power jointer/planer I got very cheaply.

[george wilson]

Actually,I have thinned out earlier tool purchases. Usually by giving them to beginner woodworkers I want to help. I never bought tools than DIDN'T work!

Those Costco jeans are quite good. They even have rivets. I could wish for different placement of the belt loops for better ease in locating a cell phone ,Leatherman tool,etc.. The Costco jeans have a watch pocket 5" deep,which I really like! I wear $5.00 blue denim shirts if I can find them that cheap. I bought 17 at Walmart a few years ago at a low sale price. I don't care what they cost. $5.00 or $40.00. They will all wear out on a few years anyway,regardless. One time I did find a batch at Costco for $5.00 each,and bought up a supply. They were as good as any others. They all get worn out by washing machines in a few years. Shocking how much blue fluff gets on the dryer filter.

I finally succumbed last night and bought a Marbles pocket knife for less than $13.00,shipping included. Made in China. An article said they are as good as originals. If not,I'll make a replacement blade from 1095. I just want to check their quality. They are said to be made from 440 stainless. I'm not a fan of stainless,but if true,440 is as good a stainless as most. Perhaps ATS34 might be better. We'll see. Nothing will get as sharp as 1095,or plain carbon steel. But,of course,stainless will not get messed up in your pocket.

Ramble over.

[Dennis McCullen]

Are you still a woodworker or are you now just a tool collector? Denial, denial, denial. Many of the posts on woodworking forums have to do with what tools you have and few very honest folks actually admit that it has taken over their love of making things from wood. From someone who is just trying to start working with hand tools, I find it repulsive that someone admits to having 300 chisels or 50 planes but "is not a collector". The increasing popularity of "traditional" woodworking is one thing, but the fact remains that newbies want to try out working with hand tools and must compete with a large segment of experienced woodworkers (if you can still call them that) who spend most of their effort at collecting more and not necessarily better hand tools. Compare written comments regarding the artistic side - elements of design, etc. to the number of tool gloats and you'll see what I mean. Going against the grain here?

[Brian Holcombe]

....then participate in the design threads which die out in less than a week. They never seem to progress beyond over-arcing likes into the nuts and bolts of design, likely because specific details are not requested during progress. That has happened on occasion and I think the results have been really good, but it does not seem to be a regular request of the board.

there are many varieties of designs which can translate well into hand-tool created works, all of which have a good fallowing on the board here, so we are not without the ability to respond with helpful ideas.

also, I think it's a bit of an unfair gripe, there have been some incredible works created by the posters which regularly post in the neander forum.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Are you still a woodworker or are you now just a tool collector? Denial, denial, denial. Many of the posts on woodworking forums have to do with what tools you have and few very honest folks actually admit that it has taken over their love of making things from wood. From someone who is just trying to start working with hand tools, I find it repulsive that someone admits to having 300 chisels or 50 planes but "is not a collector". The increasing popularity of "traditional" woodworking is one thing, but the fact remains that newbies want to try out working with hand tools and must compete with a large segment of experienced woodworkers (if you can still call them that) who spend most of their effort at collecting more and not necessarily better hand tools. Compare written comments regarding the artistic side - elements of design, etc. to the number of tool gloats and you'll see what I mean. Going against the grain here?

I don't know Dennis, I personally think that LV and LN are doing a good job of selling user tools, which increases the number of them out there. I'd argue that the number of woodworkers is really rather constant, so there probably isn't a shortage. I am a collector too, and quite frankly, the good user grade stuff isn't very interesting for my collection because it's too common. You were speaking of users that don't use though probably. Those guys are preparing to be sellers. Be patient.

[Frederick Skelly]

....then participate in the design threads which die out in less than a week. They never seem to progress beyond over-arcing likes into the nuts and bolts of design, likely because specific details are not requested during progress. That has happened on occasion and I think the results have been really good, but it does not seem to be a regular request of the board.

there are many varieties of designs which can translate well into hand-tool created works, all of which have a good fallowing on the board here, so we are not without the ability to respond with helpful ideas.

also, I think it's a bit of an unfair gripe, there have been some incredible works created by the posters which regularly post in the neander forum.

+1. Well and tactfully said Brian.

[Marc Seguin]

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

I agree with you completely on taking a minimalist approach to tools. Having more general use tools and knowing how to use them to produce a wide variety of shapes makes more sense to me than having a tray of 300 router bits that only cut one shape each...

The thing that caught my eye was the wider than 1" chisel. I use my 1.5" chisel all the time. I also have a 2" chisel that I wouldn't get rid of because it sees regular use on certain projects. It just goes to show that one woodworkers minimalist set isn't for everybody.

[Shawn Pixley]

Depends: was the plastic two tone? Might be "bakelite", D-95.

I didn't know of the bakelite D95, but after looking it up, no it isn't a D95. It has a hollow plastic handle that is seamed at the center. To me it is a saw shaped object.

[Sean Hughto]

Are you still a woodworker or are you now just a tool collector? Denial, denial, denial. Many of the posts on woodworking forums have to do with what tools you have and few very honest folks actually admit that it has taken over their love of making things from wood. From someone who is just trying to start working with hand tools, I find it repulsive that someone admits to having 300 chisels or 50 planes but "is not a collector". The increasing popularity of "traditional" woodworking is one thing, but the fact remains that newbies want to try out working with hand tools and must compete with a large segment of experienced woodworkers (if you can still call them that) who spend most of their effort at collecting more and not necessarily better hand tools. Compare written comments regarding the artistic side - elements of design, etc. to the number of tool gloats and you'll see what I mean. Going against the grain here?

Dennis, you seem to resent having to compete with others to obtain vintage tools. Rest easy, as if what you are interested in is making great furniture or other works in wood, plenty of new and common vintage user grade tools are available. Let the hoarders hoard if it makes them happy. It will not affect you.

and generally speaking, why the scorn towards tool collectors? If it makes them happy, shoot, the world needs as much happiness as it can get.

As far as the lopsided number of tool posts versus posts about actually working wood, well I think it's pretty easy to understand. Making good works in wood is a form of making art. Making good art is very hard. Talking about aesthetics is hard. Beginners and even intermediates often cannot do it, or at least cannot do it at a level that they are willing to share. Conversely, entry level issues like sharpening and tool choices are largely matters of opinion, and like ah .... exit holes, everybody's got one. In short, tool threads are readily accessible to everyone, design threads ... Not so much.

[Mel Fulks]

Let your friends,... I always presume everyone has some, know of your interest. Sometimes good things move toward good
people. Some pieces that are sought by collectors actually have little practical use. A yard sale hammer may actually be
suitable for pulling out a small nail, a new one won't. Remember a lot of stuff was made and had to be good because a lot
of guys had to provide for their families. It is only now,in our modern prosperity, that some tools are made that won't cut.