Down in Texas

[RiverRider]

Hello to all...

Looks like a pretty busy forum here. I discovered the place looking for answers as to where tools are being made these days. I had collected quite a few tools over the years but got ripped off and am in the process of replacing them (can't bring myself to buy foreign-made stuff and have bought lots of SK, a little Snap-On, and vintage Craftsman the last few weeks). I was disappointed to learn that the Craftsman tools I had purchased a long time ago could not really be replaced with Craftsman tools at present (but the word on the street is that Craftsman will be brought back to the USA...let's hope it's true).

Anyway, I am an avionics tech and love to fiddle with firearms, and I also do about 96.7 percent of the maintenance done on our vehicles. Add the projects around the house that most homeowners are familiar with, and you have a guy who uses and appreciates tools.

As mentioned, I am replacing tools. My entire top chest was taken. I am becoming frustrated with organization solutions because of the unsuitability of them for my tool chest and/or the expense involved. I've watched a number of youtube videos and came up with an idea for using PVC. If I ever get it to work the way I want, I may post here. Heck, I may even post a youtube video (my first ever) and become known as a revolutionary thinker amongst those who love tools just for the sake of having tools. Well...probably not, huh?

 

[dadsEH]

Welcome! Great first post. Good to have another member thinking outside the square..

 

[txvwnut]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry about the loss of your tools. What part of Texas are you in?

 

[1/2 Cup]

G'day and welcome aboard from downunder, post away.

 

[drivesitfar]

RR: i won't say your idea is original with the PVC because there are a lot of neat uses that I've seen other members use so yes post up some pictures or the youtube link if you make one.

sorry to hear your tools were stolen. i think Craftsman has always had a US made version of their hand tools, but they are more expensive than the imported ones. i like the old 1950's Craftsman and SK and some of the other old tool brands that you can't buy new any longer and have picked up quite a few on Craigslist and garage sales over the years.

check out this thread if you want to maybe look for and buy a new top box or bottom and top box roller for your tools. not only are there some nice old toolboxes on this thread there are also some members showing how they totally restored theirs to look better than it did new 50 or so years ago.

welcome to our group and ask questions if you need help and we will if we see the post and can.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49743

 

[rburke65]

Hello and welcome from Ohio!

 

[930dreamer]

Welcome from Amarillo.

 

[RiverRider]

Well thanks for the warm welcome!

Txvwnut, I'm in the DFW area about ten miles west of Texas Motor Speedway.

I've been busy today trying to organize and still looking at solutions available for purchase, but now I have concluded that there's nothing all that great out there.

I took a shot at the PVC idea and it didn't pan out...but I'm an overactive thinker at times and tend to cling to a problem. Now I have another idea.

It occurred to me earlier today that I've spent so much time looking at tools on-line (and bought a ton of em too) that I am becoming obsessed with tool acquisition. In fact, if I may, I would like to coin a term here---if it has not been done already:

TAS - Tool Acquisition Syndrome

I am afraid I am a very sick man.

 

[drivesitfar]

RR: join the crowd and plenty of group therapy going on in this forum. it might help to post a few pictures of your tools.

cheers

 

[RiverRider]

Drivesitfar, I have looked at the thread to which you provided the link...I am afraid my meager tool collection would not impress anyone at all. I'm just a DIYer who prefers to buy stuff that will outlast me.

I grew up in a John Deere dealership and saw what a lot of professionals were using in those days, and most of them could store their tools in a rollaway and a top chest, sometimes with a middle chest. I always figured if you filled up that much storage (and I had about that much before the burglary), you had a pretty good collection. I looked that the thread for which you provided the link, at least the first few pages...and all I can say is "DAAAYUM!" Some of you guys must have got 100 times the tools I'll ever have or need!

Thanks again for the welcome.

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

Hello and welcome to Thee Garage Journal....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am a ToolAholic,Sometimes I regret it,Especially when the ToolMan wont give me no credit

 

[RiverRider]

Thanks XxToolAholicxX. Love your sig line, ya gimme a good LOL!

 

[egnorant]

Welcome from Eat Texas! Gonna be in your area for the Pate swap meet at the end of April.

Bruce

 

[zbyler]

Welcome to the forum RR. I'm sorry to hear about your tool theft. I experienced something similar myself a few years back and have been trying to replace what I lost ever since. Not a great feeling but it has allowed me to learn more about tools and purchase better quality ones than I initially had.

Enjoy!

 

[txvwnut]

I grew up in a John Deere dealership

Was that a dealership around here?

 

[drivesitfar]

RR: when i joined GJ i had a couple hand carry tool boxes and a couple bags of Ryobi 18v tools and a few vises. now i'm not sure i can fit them all in a 30 x 50, but some will be for sale soon after i figure out which ones to keep.

here's a bandsaw i'm picking up today that needs a little work and I've never restored one yet so should be a fun project.

just hoping you learn a bit more about tools or whatever you need because there are a ton of very smart guys and gals on this forum if you need advice or help.

cheers

 

[RiverRider]

Was that a dealership around here?

No sir, it was in beautiful downtown Fabens, Texas. About 25 miles down the river from El Paso.

 

[RiverRider]

RR: when i joined GJ i had a couple hand carry tool boxes and a couple bags of Ryobi 18v tools and a few vises. now i'm not sure i can fit them all in a 30 x 50, but some will be for sale soon after i figure out which ones to keep.

here's a bandsaw i'm picking up today that needs a little work and I've never restored one yet so should be a fun project.

just hoping you learn a bit more about tools or whatever you need because there are a ton of very smart guys and gals on this forum if you need advice or help.

cheers

I know that's true, drivesitfar. I've looked around here a bit and there are some guys who can do or make just about anything. I've never seen garages so well equipped!

I think I said in an earlier post---I've spent so much time looking at tools on-line and bought so much that it's turning into an obsession. Somebody posted a link to Cripe Distributing and I had never heard of them so I checked them out. I ended up ordering a bunch of stuff that was US-made but no longer generally available (US-made Kobalt, Allen, & KD for example), and dirt-cheap at that. I lost a lot of tools, some of which I probably had never used...but I think all the years of experience since I started accumulating the original toolbox is helping me choose even better stuff this time around.

I found an old belt-driven air compressor in operating condition last weekend for $50. It needs to be gone over. I may take some before-and-after pictures and post them. I know there are guys here who would eat that up!

 

[RiverRider]

i messed around with the PVC idea today. Looks like it can work, I'll post in a more appropriate place.

 

[fireeqpsrv]

Welcome to the Garage Journal from Mississippi

 

[drivesitfar]

RR: you might want to put your location in your profile so members will know where in the world you are if you are on other threads posting.

any questions on how to use the forum just ask or enjoy the reading and posting and maybe see you in old tools or the garage gallery where i usually hang out.

 

[RiverRider]

Thank ya Bobby Mac!

 

[RiverRider]

RR: you might want to put your location in your profile so members will know where in the world you are if you are on other threads posting.

any questions on how to use the forum just ask or enjoy the reading and posting and maybe see you in old tools or the garage gallery where i usually hang out.

Thanks, drivesitfar...I wasn't aware of your response here for a couple of days. I'll be scootin around here checking out the various forums, lots to look at!

I've updated my locale as you've suggested.

 

[drivesitfar]

RR: have fun and hope to see a few posts. or just enjoy reading and catching up.

i usually hang in the old tools sections and vises are one of my vices in case you wander over there.

cheers