just curious?

[Tyler Howell]

Never looked at it that way. It's more can I justify the investment , not so much from a cost angle but more. I'll never use it enough in my life time. Clearly the new influx of toyls are built to last.

[Travis Porter]

I seem to go both ways. If it is something that I know will be used a lot, I will buy the best that I am aware of, otherwise I buy disposable. I have recently learned, the best may be only that you are aware of at the time. For example, 10 years ago, I thought Record handplanes were the best, and I couldn't get the thing to work to save my life. Over the past 2 years I have learned that you can tune them up and make them work better, but I still would rather buy a Lie Nielsen (which isn't necessarily the very best) than a Record or otherwise.

Although I would like to leave my tools to my children, I don't think it is going to happen being that I have a 3 yr old daughter and another daughter due in a month. I would like them to get into the hobby, but I don't count on it.

Regardless, if I know it is a tool that is going to be used, I will buy the best. If I am unsure of the amount of use, I will start cheap and upgrade to the best once I know better.

[Bill Lewis]

I'm with a few others on this, I buy the best tool I can resonably justify buying. Most of my tools I am sure will outlive me. I often think about how great it would be to attend the tool auction that my wife will one day be able to have.

Now I also have to say that "resonable justification" to me may mean somthing entirely different to someone else. I've got a good income, and my wife and I don't have any children so I can afford to buy pretty good stuff. However space is still a limitation that has to be respected. There's no room in my shop for a big belt sander or a CVN-20" jointer.

I was just thinking the other day about how much I am still more of a framer, remodeler, electrician, plumber, tile guy, and DIY'r I am than an experienced wood worker. It's what got me in to WW'ing in the first place.

My neighbor who owns a very successful plumbing and heating business was over the other day and just shook his head at the tools (number and quality) that I am using on my current basement bath project. I've heard it before, about how I have more, and better tools than most contractors have. But to me, my tools are my best subcontractors, they do exactly as they are told, and a better job than anyone else out there, and as costly as they are, they're also the lowest bidder.

[Shelley Bolster]

Although I would like to leave my tools to my children, I don't think it is going to happen being that I have a 3 yr old daughter and another daughter due in a month. I would like them to get into the hobby, but I don't count on it.

Hey Travis, don't count on it. That is just not coming from a woman woodworker but the parent of two girls and one boy. None of my kids showed any interest in woodworking whatsoever....until of course it came to making out their "Mommy-Do-Lists".......until the last couple of years when my my oldest daughter, 26 and very much a "lady" decided to restore an old heritage home with her husband. She started working on a few projects with me and really took to it......I don't know if she will want my tools when I no longer have any need for them but who knows what will happen down the road. Believe me, if you had told me when I was younger that one day I would have a passion for woodworking, I would have asked what you had been smoking.

HD" as in "Home Depot", or "HD" as in "Harley Davidson"? Makes a difference, you know.

(Now there's a "brand-name debate" just waiting to happen...)

Oh goody Lee, another brand-name debate........Let me get the ball rolling.

Harley Davidson is sexy.......Home Depot is not.

Actually Tod, to answer your question, I never buy any tools with the main objective to leave it to my kids.......if they want something after I die and it still runs, so be it. I am however bit by bit upgrading some of the tools I first got years ago when building our house, this time with longevity a top priority........for the big fellas anyways. Course my idea and your idea of tools are miles apart I am afraid - you are definitely in the industrial grade - I am in the high-end hobbyist I guess you would say. Not that I wouldn't want your shop - ha, are you kidding?? But reality in the form of lack of funds makes most of your tools out of reach for my budget. Now, if I were say in my twenties and knew that I was in fact going to try to scratch out a living doing this, then ya....industrial would make since but seeing I am pushing Fifty, I have to be realistic about how many productive years a have ahead of me. Sure, in a larger community resale of industrial tools would probably see me getting almost what I paid for them but in a real small town - forget it. I do want preformance and I have yet to find the lower cost tool that can deliver it.....I also do not like "playing" with tools......I am not into monkey-wrenching or modifying. I wanna turn it on and have it work - period, so once again, higher end fits the bill. For a once in a while job (such as roofing) rental is the ticket!

[Chris Dodge]

I try to buy tools that will last a lifetime. I do a lot of research to find out what the magazines picked and then I ask on forums and ask my woodworking friends how they like theirs. The only tool I have ever had to replace was a cordless drill and those only last about 10 years anyway, which is about how long mine lasted.