Question for Pete

[Stew Denton]

Pete,

On Scotts post about "Is this a good deal on a set of usable Stanley Planes" you wrote. "Once you do, you need to learn the timeless practice of hoarding and upgrading. That leads to selling and 20 years from now you will be an OT vendor." (Or something pretty close to that.)

I am surprised, Shocked really!, that you might suspect or think that some of us (you too maybe?) could become upgraders or horders.

Some of us just happen to have way more saws, chisels, and planes than we will ever need or use. Further, a lot of us are not into upgrading, it is just by happenstance that we tend to buy or trade for better tools as time goes on, nothing to do with upgrading....these are purely coincidental things, again not the result of upgrading or hording.

I have told my wife that, but for some odd reason she seems to be a tiny bit doubtful, as utterly surprising as that may seem.

In my case for example I have cut way back on tool buying...it is just an odd coincidence that such has happened at exactly the same time that I am also running out of room to put planes, (I don't have, and never have had, very much room in the first place though, that's why I mostly work on sawhorses in the back yard.)

Well...hmmm.....I guess maybe there could be some slight chance that you might be onto something.......

However, I can say that you are completely wrong on one point though!!! I (and maybe others) am NOT good at selling any of my saws, planes, or chisels.....I still have most of them! (This is not hoarding..... or.....well.....I.....)

Maybe it's just that some of us haven't been at it 20 years yet, as per the time factor you put in your statement. I can say that I do now give some away to one of my son-in-laws, and plan to give more as he is learning Neander woodworking, as I am also I guess. Giving them to him is fun!

I do also have a daughter who refinishes and restores furniture for her home, does superb work at such, and she may get to the point of wanting to give woodworking a try too, as a part of that. Then I will have a second one to give tools to! (My wife and I do have 6 grandkids so you never know, giving tools away may become a flood several years from now.)

I hate to admit it, but after thinking it over, I think you may be on to something. Or, maybe it's just that we run out of room in our tool storage, and then have no choice but to sell something if we are going to upgrade......, or, I mean we just happen to stumble onto better tools at a relatively give away prices....sort of.....hmm

How bout the rest of you, any hoarders, upgraders, or OT venders out there? Is it a desease?

Regards,

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

It may be a disease, but a small set of compasses and dividers given to my grandson was appreciated. He does some drawing. He is also into math and science.

So a lot of things follow me home and occasionally they get given away or sold.

It can be a disease, but it can also be a hobby.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

Perhaps a disease for some and a mild bug for others. I have a passion for old tools. When I hold an old tool I can all but feel all the hands that have held it previously. I like thinking about all it's been used to create. When I took up woodworking again after a 25 year hiatus, I decided to build a decent set of antique users. My wife and I both enjoy antiquing and rust hunting just came naturally. I found a couple planes, a saw or two, some chisels, etc. Life was good. Then I'd run across better specimens and buy those too. Pretty soon I had lots of duplication. Even so, It was a struggle to turn down a deal. The planes and saws kept accumulating. I had a monkey on my back.

After much contemplation, I reserved my best users and sold the rest off. I gave a couple items away to an aspiring woodworker I know that's short on resources. I still have a few rare birds that don't get used often. They may get sold next. Any new purchases have to be justified as being something I need to perform a particular job. They are tools after all.

I'm feeling pretty good about my recovery. Last week we were stalking a local antique mall and I found a Sweetheart era 5 1/4 Junior Jack that looked brand new. It was bargain priced. I didn't need it. I walked away.

[ken hatch]

Perhaps a disease for some and a mild bug for others. I have a passion for old tools. When I hold an old tool I can all but feel all the hands that have held it previously. I like thinking about all it's been used to create. When I took up woodworking again after a 25 year hiatus, I decided to build a decent set of antique users. My wife and I both enjoy antiquing and rust hunting just came naturally. I found a couple planes, a saw or two, some chisels, etc. Life was good. Then I'd run across better specimens and buy those too. Pretty soon I had lots of duplication. Even so, It was a struggle to turn down a deal. The planes and saws kept accumulating. I had a monkey on my back. After much contemplation, I reserved my best users and sold the rest off. I gave a couple items away to an aspiring woodworker I know that's short on resources. I still have a few rare birds that don't get used often. They may get sold next. Any new purchases have to be justified as being something I need to perform a particular job. They are tools after all. I'm feeling pretty good about my recovery. Last week we were stalking a local antique mall and I found a Sweetheart era 5 1/4 Junior Jack that looked brand new. It was bargain priced. I didn't need it. I walked away.

Rob,
Shame on you :-).

Stew,
As a recovering tool junky I know how hard the monkey is to break. My only saving graces are living in the desert and a lack of shop space. The desert because otherwise I could never get any work done other than tool mantainance and at some point shop space is limiting, I've been there for awhile and I've been on a down sizing kick, that is until I started getting a jones for all things early Marple. Those Marple flat tanged, box wood carver handled chisels tickle my chisel G spot. It is a hard monkey....My name is ken and I'm a.....Whoops, I gota go the UPS girl is at the door with a package from UK :-).
ken

[Archie England]

Pete,

On Scotts post about "Is this a good deal on a set of usable Stanley Planes" you wrote. "Once you do, you need to learn the timeless practice of hoarding and upgrading. That leads to selling and 20 years from now you will be an OT vendor." (Or something pretty close to that.)

I am surprised, Shocked really!, that you might suspect or think that some of us (you too maybe?) could become upgraders or horders.

Some of us just happen to have way more saws, chisels, and planes than we will ever need or use. Further, a lot of us are not into upgrading, it is just by happenstance that we tend to buy or trade for better tools as time goes on, nothing to do with upgrading....these are purely coincidental things, again not the result of upgrading or hording.

I have told my wife that, but for some odd reason she seems to be a tiny bit doubtful, as utterly surprising as that may seem.

In my case for example I have cut way back on tool buying...it is just an odd coincidence that such has happened at exactly the same time that I am also running out of room to put planes, (I don't have, and never have had, very much room in the first place though, that's why I mostly work on sawhorses in the back yard.)

Well...hmmm.....I guess maybe there could be some slight chance that you might be onto something.......

However, I can say that you are completely wrong on one point though!!! I (and maybe others) am NOT good at selling any of my saws, planes, or chisels.....I still have most of them! (This is not hoarding..... or.....well.....I.....)

Maybe it's just that some of us haven't been at it 20 years yet, as per the time factor you put in your statement. I can say that I do now give some away to one of my son-in-laws, and plan to give more as he is learning Neander woodworking, as I am also I guess. Giving them to him is fun!

I do also have a daughter who refinishes and restores furniture for her home, does superb work at such, and she may get to the point of wanting to give woodworking a try too, as a part of that. Then I will have a second one to give tools to! (My wife and I do have 6 grandkids so you never know, giving tools away may become a flood several years from now.)

I hate to admit it, but after thinking it over, I think you may be on to something. Or, maybe it's just that we run out of room in our tool storage, and then have no choice but to sell something if we are going to upgrade......, or, I mean we just happen to stumble onto better tools at a relatively give away prices....sort of.....hmm

How bout the rest of you, any hoarders, upgraders, or OT venders out there? Is it a desease?

Regards,

Stew

Well said, fellow treasurer of quite necessary multiples for assumed essentials! Amen!!!!

[Jim Koepke]

When ever some pile of rust is trying to lure me in to its influence, my first question is can money be made if this has to be sold. My system seems to have an allergy to paying full price for things.

jtk