How much do you have into your tools?

[Jrboulder]

Reading the Snap-On stubby wrench thread got me thinking, I barely have twice that into all of my tools.

Me: about $2500 into the tool box and its contents, almost entirely bought new, home gamer

 

[MushCreek]

I have no idea. My trade tools for tool and die work are very expensive to buy, but I made most of mine. Many of mine surpass the tolerances of even US made tooling. Sadly, this stuff has dismal re-sale value, especially with the flood of imported knock-offs coming in. Conservatively, if I had to run out and buy all of it brand new, I'd say at least $30K. The question I'll be facing soon is what to do with it when I retire. I'm already using only about 20% of it. It would bug me to only get a few hundred bucks for something that was originally a couple thou.

 

[PureLeaf]

I only work on projects for fun or to help out family. Have most of my receipts for insurance purposes, and its about 20k in cost for all of my hand tools, power tools, tool boxes, consumables, vices, speciality tools etc. I'm sure it would cost me more to replace it since my tools have been slowly built up over time, snagged many good deals etc.

 

[zoomieport]

About the same amount all my buddy's that got divorced lost...

 

[GTA Matt]

Easily 150, probably closer to 200k. I'm not adding it up, it would make me sick.

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[redshed]

I have wondered but have never inventoried it all

I added 1,000 sf addition to home and included $5,000 in remodel fund for construction tools. That was 10 years ago.

I have about another 10,000 to 15,000 in mostly automotive tools.

So, 20k replacement cost but with depreciation maybe 1/3 that value now.

Some tools hard to replace, early craftsman, proto, etc. Some stuff like gearwrench easy to replace.

 

[redwrench60]

I don’t want to talk about it.

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

If forced to replace all of my tools (Tool & Die, Automotive, power, air and general carpentry), not only do I not want to talk about it - I don't even want to THINK about it!

Took some photos and made up a spreadsheet a few years ago (about 15 pages) and never wanted to finish calculating replacement value after the first 4 pages. OUCH!

 

[sberry]

I have a lot but really don't have all that much in to it considering the possibilities. Most of the hand stuff is Cman or branded and worn out. Not a long career in buying off the truck. I probably got only 10 large in welding, maybe 5 into hand stuff and another 5 or so in misc not including rigging which is a couple or so.
I could get it all back for 20 or 25 if I didn't include pressure washing.
At some point I really quit buying stuff I really didn't need, bought the last set of "extra" sockets at a sale 15 yrs ago. Never used them. Don't "collect" ratchets. Bought a fuel inj cleaner, used once so far. Should have bought cam bearing tool earlier in my career. Now it sits.
Most of it is well depreciated and a lot wouldn't bring a great amount at sale.

 

[Gmonkee]

I used to be neck deep at maybe 5 grand. A lot of dupes and older stuff gone unused with new arrivals. That is a big % of my income at the time.

Selling off first the unused then refining what was left into a good kit after a job change left me with maybe 1500 into tools total. Much more realistic for my needs and lifestyle.

The antiques are money in the toilet on resale so those are not even included in any tally. They just make me smile as they do nothing but look old. It could have been pissed away in beer.

Resale I might get lucky get half my investment out of buy price, but most have years of making me money so that seems a moot point.

 

[Fcvapor05]

Too much.

Also, not enough.

 

[Yarpo]

In my home box, maybe 2,000 in automotive tools, 3,000 tops.

 

[sberry]

Yes, one really can't count the battery tools etc as they are fully depreciated and have no resale. Wire cutting pliers are worn out, doesn't matter that they are Klien or how much they were new.

 

[signcrafter]

I don't even want to think about it. If I had to guess I would say somewhere between 75-100 grand for everything. From construction tools like M18/12 to track saw to demo drills to floor buffer to just about any construction tool there is. Then auto tools from expensive scan tool to all the specialty tools needed to everything else. Then welding and wood working and all the other stuff. It adds up fast. All of it bought as needed or on sales and paid for by the work I used it for. Did a lot of side jobs that needed the tools so I bought them with the money from the jobs or if it was fixing something for myself I used the money saved over hiring someone.

 

[Tractorsellr]

I provide all the tools for my business, I have them insured for $500,000 and hope this covers all if lost.

 

[zmotorsports]

Too damn much. Enough I could probably retire early if it wasn't ******* in tools. I have everything documented but quit adding it up when I hit the $150k mark and know it has now far exceeded that, probably surpassed $200k.

 

[HanShotFirst]

Exactly two ****-loads of cash!!!

 

[crewchief888]

Let's see

Professionally

8 years as a machinist
30+ years as a heavy eq mechanic/ welder

Garage full of tools, some woodworking stuff for around the house stuff....

Id guesstimate well over $100k in replacement costs.
The last time I did a full replacement cost was in '97 for work tools only, I was at $75K +

 

[pi_guy]

I did it in the late 80's when I had a race shop in a physical location it was over 100k.
Sold a percentage of the shop in the 90's.
Now have added electronics bench and surpassed the pile of tools I had in the 90's and I do not want to see the real number.

 

[Thumper68]

If I had to replace everything that I actually need it would be around 40k, what I actually have is around 4x that much.

 

[Cypherian]

Not as much as I would like but more then I probably need to :}

Cypher

 

[theoldwizard1]

90+% of my hand tools are Craftsman and most of them are over 30 years old (some 50). The tool chests (top, middle and bottom), all Craftsman, were the most expensive things ! Even if you add in my electric tools (1/2 drill, 4.5" angle grinder, circular saw, reciprocating saw, multiple sanders, compressor (2hp, twin cylinder, 20 gallon), and all my pneumatic tools (most over 30 years old) and a couple of Milwaukee M12 tools, sockets, etc, etc I probably spent between $5,000 and $10,000.

Replacing them would be 4 or 5 times as much.

 

[ssdave]

I have around $130,000 in replacement costs in my insurance spreadsheet for all my tools. This is mechanics, jewelers, gunsmithing, and construction tools. I doubt that I have more than $40,000 invested into them over the years as I got many of them used.

My mechanics stuff is about $40,000 worth. A lot of dollars there because most is Snap-on and Proto. I've also got most of those for 1/4 or less of retail used, although I buy some stuff new off the truck.

I know I have bought a bit over $24,000 in replacement cost stuff in the past two years as I've tracked them separately. I have got abut $5,000 invested into that. A lot of that is Snap-on and Proto stuff included in the mechanics total above; I sold off a lot of my duplicate and lower end stuff and put the money into a smaller quantity of better stuff to make a nice comprehensive setup. I sold about $12,000 worth and invested back about half that amount in nicer stuff. Getting out of hoarding mode, and into "have nice stuff that I use" mode.

On resale, I'd guess I'd get about $40,000 out of it all if it was ebayed carefully. Or $10,000 if my wife sells it at a garage sale.

 

[zktk01]

The real question is how much have you spent since joining GJ? Sometimes I wish I could block the Hot Deals Section.

 

[ssdave]

The real question is how much have you spent since joining GJ? Sometimes I wish I could block the Hot Deals Section.

I've had a net profit since joining. It made me realize, looking at my behavior and comparing it to others I see posting that I had a hoarding problem. I saw that behavior in others, and then came to the realization that I had the same pattern. I have since sold way more than I have bought back. Gone down in quantity, up in quality. It's a good solution for me.

 

[Bighead38]

Does heavy equipment count towards the tool total? Lol

 

[HaroRider]

Maybe $15,000 or more
Somewhere in between that. Counting my boxes, welder, and all my automotive things (Engine hoist, jacks, stands, etc.)

 

[Strouty]

My Snap On driver said I hit 40K, that was since may of 2015 and just with him. I don't think I want to know what my overall is, but my guess would be in the 300k range.

 

[66HertzClone]

I was doing well until I fell into the trap of checking the show your new tools thread on a daily basis. Not long after I started to pile a slew of PB Swiss screwdrivers, Knipex pliers, Toptul ratchets, sockets, extensions, NWS pliers, up in the drawers of the Lista cabinets I also saw there.

 

[scooterGA]

Going on 30+ years now as a professional automobile tech and when I bought my new box last I had to re-inventory all items for insurance purposes with detailed listings and photos and video. All told as of Nov 2016 $86,430. Have since added another 5k as I have bought some stuff since then and added a new scanner in May. So I would say I have hit the 90K mark. Is what it is they have made me my living and help put two kids in college. But it is a massive investment for sure.

 

[sberry]

I cant buy anymore to make it faster or cheaper.

 

[Clogking]

Starting collecting at 12 for my M/C bike haven't stopped buying at 62 for the race team! 4 large tool boxes plus a few small hand carrying boxes,Welders,Smithy 3in1, i dont want to think about it but must be 150K not even sure my home owners insuraance would cover it!

 

[Robby321]

In ya have to ask (me), you couldn't afford it!

 

[shelteredV]

The two shops- one my personal, and one is the business wood fab shop are insured to 450K. And I have nothing all that special.

 

[J king]

I added a rider policy for my tools last year. Insurance co wanted the amount of tools I had. I made a list.. about ****. 50 grand. Boy they add up over 40 years!

 

[FigureItOut]

Probably around 35k retail. I'm insured at 35k I think, and I made sure it pays replacement cost. I've spent probably 25k thanks to savvy shopping, but of course when an immediate need arises, you buy it at the best price you can find that day.

If everything was lost today, I'd only need to spend a grand or so to feel okay at work on Monday for a routine day, but 2500 would put me back in the swing of things comfortably for a limited time.

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[d.mcfarland]

Aggressive home shop I'd call it. About $5000 total. Has saved me that much in car repairs or payments so I don't really have anything above and beyond into it.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

My tool spending has averaged probably 6K / year since 1995, including home project tools and full time wrenching for a living, when I started. Subtract looses / worn out stuff and I'd guess I still have 80k or a little more. This does not include "equipment" type tools like a tractor / attachments, though many consider that a "tool".

 

[Formula]

Not sure. I know I've lost at least $3000 worth of tools over the years leaving them under hoods or in cars.

 

[Finky198]

Probably in the neighborhood of 75-100k last time I did inventory was 2 years ago. So it’s probably a bit higher now. That does not included large items like above. Only tools across my multiple trades. In mechanical tools I'm around 25-35k. If I had to guess our shop between me and my partner somewhere in the neighborhood of 500k+ in equipment and stock, supplies. not including trucks trailers and small equipment.