Giving away tools?

[parb]

I'm considering updating my tools, specifically my old wrenches and my sockets. I have a full set of sae and metric wrenches, Craftsman from 25 years ago. I also have full sets of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 set sockets deep and shallow with ratchet handles that are 25 year old Craftsman gear.

I am going to get new wrenches, I prefer ratcheting and I'm going to get new sockets. My eyes are getting older and I spend more time trying to read the stamped socket size than I care for. I haven't decided which sockets to get but I'm thinking the tekton because of their big and nicely engraved sizes.

I don't really want to trash the sockets and wrenches but I'm also not really loving the idea of putting them in Craigslist. Any suggestions on how to find a preferably a young kid who is starting out and want to have their own first set?

Or am I naive? Should I just donate these to my church and their rummage sale which typically attracts an older crowd who I know will be interested in them.

 

[Firebrick43]

Either solution is a good one.

Some kid it might just be the ticket to a better life or they might squander them and abuse them. You never know?

If you go that route I wouldn’t give another thought to if they are appreciated or not. To many other things to worry about in life than mid grade tools.

 

[Skellyii]

I'm considering updating my tools, specifically my old wrenches and my sockets. I have a full set of sae and metric wrenches, Craftsman from 25 years ago. I also have full sets of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 set sockets deep and shallow with ratchet handles that are 25 year old Craftsman gear.

I am going to get new wrenches, I prefer ratcheting and I'm going to get new sockets. My eyes are getting older and I spend more time trying to read the stamped socket size than I care for. I haven't decided which sockets to get but I'm thinking the tekton because of their big and nicely engraved sizes.

I don't really want to trash the sockets and wrenches but I'm also not really loving the idea of putting them in Craigslist. Any suggestions on how to find a preferably a young kid who is starting out and want to have their own first set?

Or am I naive? Should I just donate these to my church and their rummage sale which typically attracts an older crowd who I know will be interested in them.

I think you answered your own question. If you don't have any friends or family members who have young relatives/friends who are starting out, I'm sure that your church will appreciate the donation.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Local vocational school?

 

[four.cycle]

^ I have the same dilemma with my art supplies. Thinking seriously of willing it all to Lakes High School art department.
Peddling off the tool collection right now but if I die first, my relatives will have contact information for a couple west-coast GJ members.

 

[Tynee]

Consider Goodwill or the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Nice thing there is you can inventory them and claim the donation on your taxes, if that is a benefit to you, but it also is a place where someone who needs a decent price on tools will see them and have the opportunity to take them home.

 

[bobg03]

^ I have the same dilemma with my art supplies. Thinking seriously of willing it all to Lakes High School art department.
Peddling off the tool collection right now but if I die first, my relatives will have contact information for a couple west-coast GJ members.

My deceased wife was an avid crafter, it was amazing what she had stockpiled in the two extra bedrooms and closets. I found a local church that had a youth group they did crafts with and they took it all and I'm grateful that it went to a good use.

 

[RTM]

Any suggestions on how to find a preferably a young kid who is starting out and want to have their own first set?

Drive around, look for some kid wrenching on an older American car in his driveway, or worse, the street, and chat him up . Get out of the affluent neighborhoods, where kids are given BMWs w their drivers license, and look where they get the hande down family car.

 

[KSJeff]

I'd probably find a local high school votech that could use them or get them to a kid who could use them. You could also pawn them if you don't want to mess with selling them online.

 

[FigN⋅m]

Drive around, look for some kid wrenching on an older American car in his driveway, or worse, the street, and chat him up . Get out of the affluent neighborhoods, where kids are given BMWs w their drivers license, and look where they get the hande down family car.

I can't help but feel like this plays out as one of those old LDS "Pass it On" commercials, but I agree with the sentiment.

It may lack the satisfaction of seeing first-hand the impact on a individual, but donating them is going to be
the fastest way to get the tools into the hands of folks who can benefit from your generosity.

 

[Davefr]

I'm considering updating my tools, specifically my old wrenches and my sockets. I have a full set of sae and metric wrenches, Craftsman from 25 years ago. I also have full sets of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 set sockets deep and shallow with ratchet handles that are 25 year old Craftsman gear.

I am going to get new wrenches, I prefer ratcheting and I'm going to get new sockets. My eyes are getting older and I spend more time trying to read the stamped socket size than I care for. I haven't decided which sockets to get but I'm thinking the tekton because of their big and nicely engraved sizes.

I don't really want to trash the sockets and wrenches but I'm also not really loving the idea of putting them in Craigslist. Any suggestions on how to find a preferably a young kid who is starting out and want to have their own first set?

Or am I naive? Should I just donate these to my church and their rummage sale which typically attracts an older crowd who I know will be interested in them.

I did some toolbox drawer thinning recently and filled a couple flat rates boxes and offered them as "Free Piles" here on the GJ classified. (they just had to pay the shipping). They were gone within hours and went to some good members here. I'd consider that approach if you just want stuff gone quickly with no hassle.

 

[four.cycle]

^ yep. and one of Dave's "grab bags" completed half a dozen sets here, and the rest got passed on to other members.

 

[Zewnten]

Hang out at an auto parts store for a few minutes and set some younger person up to work on their jalopy.

 

[rust in the eye]

Do high schools have shop classes anymore?
Might want to talk with a shop teacher and offer your tools to a student that shows real interest and some promise.

 

[rust in the eye]

Drive around, look for some kid wrenching on an older American car in his driveway, or worse, the street, and chat him up . Get out of the affluent neighborhoods, where kids are given BMWs w their drivers license, and look where they get the hande down family car.

That could also get you in trouble these days.

 

[Jgaz]

I give mine to my Bug Man.
Decent, hardworking, polite kid that I don’t think has ever gotten a break.

 

[mreisner]

Give them to Habitat for humanity and get a tax reciept. Goodwill ceo makes a ton of money.

 

[Skellyii]

I'm considering updating my tools, specifically my old wrenches and my sockets. I have a full set of sae and metric wrenches, Craftsman from 25 years ago. I also have full sets of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 set sockets deep and shallow with ratchet handles that are 25 year old Craftsman gear.

I am going to get new wrenches, I prefer ratcheting and I'm going to get new sockets. My eyes are getting older and I spend more time trying to read the stamped socket size than I care for. I haven't decided which sockets to get but I'm thinking the tekton because of their big and nicely engraved sizes.

I don't really want to trash the sockets and wrenches but I'm also not really loving the idea of putting them in Craigslist. Any suggestions on how to find a preferably a young kid who is starting out and want to have their own first set?

Or am I naive? Should I just donate these to my church and their rummage sale which typically attracts an older crowd who I know will be interested in them.

One other option...like you, I've gotten to the point where I have trouble reading the stamped sizes on my sockets and wrenches. I have a lot of SnapOn and older, better quality Craftsman, Proto and SK stuff. I didn't want to dump that stuff, especially the SnapOn, so I've been trying labels. So far they seem OK, and even if I need to replace them yearly, it's cheaper and less of a hassle than trying to replace my existing stuff.
This is what I'm experimenting with, but there's a lot of others out there.
https://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Master-Economy-Labeling-Sockets/dp/B0101A86EK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Kkmk]

I once left a motorbike on the front lawn, neighbourhood kid picked it ip, was super stoked. Came to the door later asking for info about it, if I had any more parts for it etc. Was in the middle of dinner so told him to come bacm the next day. He came back, I’d put togrther a box of air filters, chain, throttle cables, tools. He then rather rudely asked if I had any more things. I could see it was ‘t going to be the cute mentoring/friendly neighbour thing, he was a nuisance. Told him I wasnt a charity.

Now if I have tools I no longer need, I chuck them on our communal work bench for other fitters/apprentices to help themselves to. They’re already into fixing stuff and appreciate the benefits of tools.

Some stuff I have fancy things of, some I have crappy ones. Whenever my mates / apprentice upgrade, they sometimes give me their old stuff which is still nicer than what I use.

 

[Jtels85]

Hang out at an auto parts store for a few minutes and set some younger person up to work on their jalopy.

This! Donating to a restore… they’re sure to end up in the hands of someone who will resell. I’ve seen my fair share of greedy people scouring those places looking to make a fast buck.

The vocational school thing sounds good, but the schools have enough tools and those kids will want SnapOn and Matco stuff.

I like Zewnten’s idea… run across a young man working on his car at the auto parts store. Chances are, he has inexpensive tools and would be greatly appreciative of what you have to offer.

 

[Spareparts]

My vote is for the Vo-Tec school, most of the schools are supplied by either Snap-on or Mac, just because the students
are taught with the best dosen't mean the student starting out can afford that, you gotta start somewhere and build up.

 

[GX460DIYguy]

Hold on to them for a while and find someone starting out that may need them. I made the mistake of getting rid of my old craftsman sae sockets and wrenches a while back thinking that since I hadn’t used them in a while I didn’t need them. Now I’ve needed them and don’t have them.

 

[oldwino]

When I left the trades we had a young Hispanic kid helping out. He was smart and wanted to learn as much as he could. Always tried to pass on knowledge while we worked together and when I left I gave him about a thousand dollars worth of tools. Only stipulation was that if he upgraded or changed careers he should give them to someone new that needs a chance. Ran into him about 3 years later he was studying English and preparing for his contractors license.

 

[lund]

I'm considering updating my tools, specifically my old wrenches and my sockets. I have a full set of sae and metric wrenches, Craftsman from 25 years ago. I also have full sets of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 set sockets deep and shallow with ratchet handles that are 25 year old Craftsman gear.

I am going to get new wrenches, I prefer ratcheting and I'm going to get new sockets. My eyes are getting older and I spend more time trying to read the stamped socket size than I care for. I haven't decided which sockets to get but I'm thinking the tekton because of their big and nicely engraved sizes.

I don't really want to trash the sockets and wrenches but I'm also not really loving the idea of putting them in Craigslist. Any suggestions on how to find a preferably a young kid who is starting out and want to have their own first set?

Or am I naive? Should I just donate these to my church and their rummage sale which typically attracts an older crowd who I know will be interested in them.

I like the idea of helping younger people. But it is best to do so with someone who will make good use of them and develop skills. If you have the time and the inclination and the fit is there, mentoring someone young and involving them in projects for small pay (they help you for modest dollars + give them tools if they work well and you see the fit) could be super. You would need to advertise for young handyman type help if you do not already know candidates and have a project that is suitable.

I am upper middle age handy guy but have younger sons (14 and 11) that I am training. It generally takes a lot of effort and patience to get kids started. But if they do not start, then they do not progress. It can be fun teaching and it feels great when you see kids progressing and improving enough to make real contributions. All people are different too. Sometimes the kids of handy type parents are not so disposed to be handy. But generally, tendencies like that tend to run in families etc. But if they are not handy type, you have to be careful not to push your own fantasy and let them find their own productive avenues.

My observation as an somewhat easy to annoy guy is that kids are doing less these days and tend to be more fixated with online, games, etc. So you may do someone a favor if you help them branch out and balance. Gaining strong skills is also a gift that keeps giving. Being handy means even with modest income one can live much better than those who have to pay others to take care of things.

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

That could also get you in trouble these days.

Hahaha! I was thinking the same thing. I can see it now on Nextdoor. Reports of a man in a white van trying to lure teenagers with the promise of free tools.

 

[LOW1]

Most trade schools have bulletin boards to place ads and notices on. Find one near the auto section of the school and post the offer there.

But perhaps you should reconsider the “free” portion of the deal. Free tools might just result in those same tools appearing on Craigslist or in your local pawnshop.

A modest price, well below market, may make them more appreciated by the recipient.