How Does Your Spouse Relate to Your Tool Fetish?

[supertooljunkie]

My wife knows I have a lot of tools, but not what I have. I usually just buy what I need for a job or project. If she complains to much, I tell her how much I saved by buying the tool and doing it myself. Then I buy her something to put in her Snap on box. If I spend less than $30-40, she doesn't say anything.

 

[Justanoldguy]

I don't have a fetish for my tool but I fear my wife does.

 

[caper]

I dont discuss it with her. Not her business.

Bingo!My philosophy as well.

 

[MN4x4]

My wife has me figured out. She says " I want you to build me X and you probably need a new tool to do it, don't you?"

Guess that's why I've kept her for 37 years.

 

[Simplespeed]

My girlfriend understands i need quality tools for work so she doesnt say much. I tell her i bought some new stuff and try to show it off to her and she doesnt give two shits. Her college costs a **** load more than ill probably ever spend in tools.

 

[stricht8]

I wrap her head in a ratchet, she then gets tongue tied and can't *****.

 

[Bolster]

My wife is treated to ongoing tool propaganda. Every time I do something she likes, I tell her which tool allowed me to do it, and why no other tool could substitute.

As the garage gets more and more full of tools, it's getting harder and harder to make the case that a particular specialty tool is needed.

Just picked up a Bosch (Switzerland! Woot!) screw gun and she KNOWS I could have done the job with my cordless drill...that was a "no sale" attempt I fear.

She doesn't yell, or argue, she just stops listening or, worse yet, sniggers at me. That's the worst. The snigger says:

"Yeah, right, you NEEDED a new tool. Sure you did."

Problem is, she doesn't have any profligate spending habits. So it's sort of like living with the Mother Theresa of finances. I can't point to her .... anything... and say, "Oh yeah? Well, you..." because there's nothing to rub her nose in.

Best I can do is make stuff she likes, and get it done when she wants it done. She has very high expectations for quality. But, I have nice tools, so it usually works out. And when it doesn't, I tear it apart and start over.

 

[1969]

My wife is actually pretty good about my tool purchases. I'm not sure she totally understands why I need to keep buying ratchets though. There has been times when I am looking/debating on getting a tool, and she says.... you haven't bought anything for yourself in a while, why don't you just get it. She knows I am quite "careful" about spending $$$$$$$.

 

[stricht8]

Not even that $70 an ounce anti-wrinkle cream or those yoga classes or....

My wife is treated to ongoing tool propaganda. Every time I do something she likes, I tell her which tool allowed me to do it, and why no other tool could substitute.

As the garage gets more and more full of tools, it's getting harder and harder to make the case that a particular specialty tool is needed.

Just picked up a Bosch (Switzerland! Woot!) screw gun and she KNOWS I could have done the job with my cordless drill...that was a "no sale" attempt I fear.

She doesn't yell, or argue, she just stops listening or, worse yet, sniggers at me. That's the worst. The snigger says:

"Yeah, right, you NEEDED a new tool. Sure you did."

Problem is, she doesn't have any profligate spending habits. So it's sort of like living with the Mother Theresa of finances. I can't point to her .... anything... and say, "Oh yeah? Well, you..."

Best I can do is make stuff she likes, and get it done when she wants it done. She has very high expectations for quality. But, I have nice tools.

 

[Bolster]

Not even that $70 an ounce anti-wrinkle cream or those yoga classes or....

I wish! I'm telling you, Mother Theresa of finances, here.

She does cheer me on loudly whenever I SELL a tool.

 

[Cumminst100]

Before my girlfriend and I started going out she knew I spent a lot of money on cars tools and watches, so she doesn't say anything. She makes a lot of money so she buys what she wants I buy what I want.

 

[Boost Creep]

single right now but the last girl i was with was cool with it. would go riding along when i went tool shopping. i asked her if she thought i was weird for enjoying going to stare at tools and she was like, nope, if thats what ya like theres nothing weird about that.

 

[Bolster]

Yeah, a smart girl understand that a tool fetish is pretty mild, and actually beneficial to her. Imagine if you enjoyed collecting ***** or bongs or something...

 

[Eric Commarato]

I voted for the "here's some money, go buy some tools". You guys might find this hard to believe..... but she goes to auctions with me, and pays for the tools... even helps me load them up. And we do at least one auction a month, sometimes several.

Otherwise, I rarely leave the house, and she's in sales, so she stops and picks up tools and supplies for me while she is out working (and pays for them !). My friends feel cheated by their wives, and keep telling me how good Ive got it, which I'm well aware of.

damn you have it good...

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

damn you have it good...

Yeah, I know, I attribute it to nothing more than dumb luck, one of my buds has accused me of having a 18" "deal maker"...but its just dumb luck. It also helped that her two previous husbands where couch potatoes, and would not lift a finger to do anything, on the other hand, I wont allow the hiring out of anyone for anything. She thinks that's neat. I also support her hobby (horses), so I think its her way of saying "thank you".

 

[Bolster]

It also helped that her two previous husbands where couch potatoes, and would not lift a finger to do anything,

Aha! You've got the law of contrast working in your favor!

Number #1 rule for a happy marriage: marry a woman who has dated or married jerks previously.

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Any chance she got a sister?

Funny thing, she does have a sister, just one, she's single, but they are about exact opposites. Great girl, she girly girly, and mines not. They both grew up on a VERY large cattle ranch in Montana, but meeting her sister, you'd never know it. Her sister works in retail and mine wont lay foot in a mall !

We still go out every Friday night on a date, we go to the farm store together... its hard to believe these sisters came from the same place....

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Aha! You've got the law of contrast working in your favor!

Number #1 rule for a happy marriage: marry a woman who has dated or married jerks previously.

Yes, its interesting, my "x", I could not make her or her family happy, I just could not do enough or make enough $, and never so much as a "thank you" for all the things I did, and now I walk on water... I haven't changed... just weird how things work out.

 

[Beerman]

Wife ******* and complains about everything. Why would my tools be exempt?

She conveniently forgets about the 10 or so times that I've gone out to the flea market and sold enough tools on Sat. or Sun. that we had food to eat that week or money to buy medicine for our daughter though.


Beerman


Beerman

 

[wreckercologist]

I'm single.

I bought a FK80, FKF80, and a FBF80 from Snappy, and a 1/2" impact from Cornwell last week. This week I bought a set of extensions from Mac and a 14mm universal socket from Cornwell.

Whoever it was that said you can't buy happiness was obviously a married man who had never stepped on to a Snap-on truck.

 

[quattrojon]

My Wife is happy for me to buy lots of tools........ and Very happy when i sell them again!

 

[Gary S]

I don't have a tool fetish. I buy the tools I need to get a job done. My wife likes getting things done, so if we need a tool, we buy it and do the work ourselves so we are satisfied with the finished project.
Somehow, every time I hire things done, I end up wishing I had done it myself instead.

 

[pfbz]

It's easy...

I just make sure a reasonable percentage of the mysterious UPS/Fed-Ex packages that arrive on the front porch have something I bought for her inside, and I never get complaints about how many show up for me!

 

[chief ben]

My Wife is Very Favorable, She tells Me & Jerry Lea to go Buy new tools everyday, So we can do All Her HONEY DO's: And We Say Yes Mam

 

[NES]

I'm in the single category. I purchase tools when I can. Nice, you have your dog guarding your tools.

 

[Roberts210]

SWMBO doesn't know an open end from a Crescent wrench and I intend to keep it that way.

Here I'm rebuilding a Chevy 3-speed trans in her kitchen (Yes the kitchen and dining room are definitely hers!). She was out of town for a few days, and the garage was too full of junk. In spite of the fact that I accidentally dropped the mainshaft on her reclaimed Doug Fir floor and dented it she never caught on.

 

[Olafur]

Why didn't you use the dining table in the background - it looks bigger, always nice to have more workspace!

 

[tarmy]

Got lucky...mine doesn't care...loves that I can fix anything...

I have two shops full of tools...main house and my 3200 sq ft shop at my vacation house...

Wilson combat toys and two shops...hard to beat...

She bought me a 8" planner for our 13 th anniversary...

But...I got no say in house area...which is good with me...oh...and I have learned after 36 years to keep my damn mouth shut if she wants something or wants her family over...

Balance gentlemen...balance.

 

[Roberts210]

Why didn't you use the dining table in the background - it looks bigger, always nice to have more workspace!

I have tried that before but I can never get all the **** that's on that table back in the correct spot. She always notices.

 

[oldldh]

She asks what I want for Christmas --- Birthday --- Anniversary --- Father's Day, etc...

And then she pays for it...

And she doesn't say a word, if I buy stuff out of season...

We've been married nearly 20 years, and I hope we get, at least, 20 more...

 

[Olafur]

I have tried that before but I can never get all the **** that's on that table back in the correct spot. She always notices.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Well, for once, I got the "stink eye" look from SWMBO !

I bought a UNI-T UT210E "amp clamp" meter, just because I always wanted an amp clamp.

"What do you need another meter for ?" (I only have one DMM.)

She probably though it cost more than the $40 it did cost.


I am still waiting for a deal on a Milwaukee M12 Fuel 3/8" impact. Will I use it ? Sure, but not a lot. I am old enough I just want to spend a few more bucks on myself !

 

[paulsomlo]

I don't drink, gamble, or do drugs - tools and social dance are my only "addictions". Here's a list of the last service I did on her Honda - it cost her all of $275. She has no problem with my tool habit.

timing belt
timing belt tensioner
water pump
upper and lower radiator hoses
three heater hoses
thermostat
alternator and power steering belts
spark plugs
engine air filter
cabin air filter
coolant flush
manual transmission fluid flush
brake fluid flush
clutch fluid flush
power steering fluid flush
oil change and filter

 

[930dreamer]

I tell her someday this might be all yours

 

[Waggoner72]

Mine likes to pick out her favorite tools. Usually the biggest wrench I have or something giant.

 

[MushCreek]

Mine appreciates all of the stuff I do with my tools, from fixing cars to building our house. The only time a repair guy comes out to the house is if the problem is under warranty. I also have a lot of expensive tools for my trade as a toolmaker, but I've accumulated that stuff over 40 years.

 

[bczygan]

She thinks I have too many tools and says so often.

In fact, yesterday she transferred $700 from my account to hers, leaving me $185. And she wanted me to pay a $100 bill out of that. She said she was worried that I would have enough money in my account to buy more tools.

To be honest, I do have tools that are misc., excess and unorganized, especially wrenches and sockets.

On the other hand, with almost every job I do, especially automotive, but also home maintenance, I find I need additional tools.

I do have tools that are what I call optional. These are tools that aren't required for automotive or home maintenance work. Things like metalworking tools. Bridgeport, horizontal bandsaw, disc and belt sanders, bench grinders, lathes and blast cabinet are in this category. Not necessary at all, but useful in many ways. Collections of vises aren't defensible. They are simply fun and cool to have, but not necessary at all. Same for multiple bench grinders that I have. Although a case could be made that I am going to set them up for wire wheeling and buffing.

So, the reality is that she is right in part, but not completely.

Bill

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

My wife says "you bought another drill".

"No honey, this is an impact wrench, not a drill".

Lol.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Lately, my wife is just mad that I buy, or the tool man gives me freebies, all the stuff I want, leaving her nothing to buy me for Christmas!

 

[bczygan]

Wow, 6 year old thread brought back from the dead!