Just bought my very last tool ever...

[Coolabah]

Yep. Just arrived, my Snap On set of 3 diagonal wire cutters PL 803A. I now have 9 different size & brand wire cutters distributed over a few work tool boxes/home, and I probably only really need 1 or 2 if I had to. The rest of my tools is just the same story.

OK, no more...... Done & dusted

edit... darn, just won an auction on ebay for a set of WIHA hexdrivers....

... oops !!

I know some of you guys have even more tools... do you ever reach a point where you just start to think , hey , this is getting ridiculous ???

What do you guys do ? Sell some ? Just wait a while before buying more ? Melt them down for Confederate battle recreations ??? Give them away ??? What ????

 

[toast boy]

Too much is never enough!

Although I have occasionally given tools to friends if I've got more than I need of something and have just bought something better.

 

[JeremyManning]

Buy another tool box, or upgrade sell off some to buy better

 

[danski0224]

My Suggestion

I know some of you guys have even more tools... do you ever reach a point where you just start to think , hey , this is getting ridiculous ???

What do you guys do ? Sell some ? Just wait a while before buying more ? Melt them down for Confederate battle recreations ??? Give them away ??? What ????

The most honorable thing to do would be to send your excess tools my way.

They will have a good home.

Thanks.

 

[fringeofinsanity]

This is funny, I go through this battle all the time telling myself I have enough. And then that new fangled chrome polished hoozywhatzy comes out and I say, man that could make my life so much easier. Then I struggle for about a year before I decide to finally buy it, mind you I buy a new hoozywhatzy each month as something new always comes out.

Finally I decided I need to justify these expenses, so I'm in the process of moving continents, now I need more tools! lol

 

[catfish]

take the junk ones down to the dump , someone will pick them up there
maybe get a few bucks at a pawn store if they are half decent

 

[viking01]

There is no such thing as too many tools!

 

[2oolhound]

Oh the horror! When that moment occurs you have to start a new occupation and begin acquiring gear again for it.

 

[dirtrider]

God help us all!

 

[Garys Garage]

When I buy a new premium tool the one it replaced goes to my secondary box. That tool goes home to my home box. If I have that tool in my home box it goes to my carry box. If the the carry box does not need it then it goes to the Motorhome atv or snowmobile.

 

[scott37300]

I know some of you guys have even more tools... do you ever reach a point where you just start to think , hey , this is getting ridiculous ???

What do you guys do ? Sell some ? Just wait a while before buying more ? Melt them down for Confederate battle recreations ??? Give them away ??? What ????

Simple answer is you never will stop buying tools because they keep coming out with new or better ones. I know that there are thousands of tools that I don't have that could come in handy some day. I buy as needed and also if I come across a good deal on a used one. I keep spares around and they always come in handy. I sell some of my doubles if I'm sure they aren't going to be used. I give my extras or tools I upgraded to better brand to family or friends.

 

[ZRX61]

Well I don't have a Mill in my garage yet, but I have access to my neighbors one..... & he has access to my 3 lathes...

 

[canuckian]

I say that every time I walk off the tool truck.....lasts until I walk on there again or I see a good deal on Ebay. I do much the same as some of the above posters and as I buy new, nicer tools, the older/crappier models get demoted down the line - main box, cart, hand boxes & workbench, "loan to neighbors" box. the scrap pile is the next step as I'm running out of room!

 

[xJoey Dubsx]

Saying that you have too much tools is like saying your custom car is done... if you say it's done, your lying.

 

[bob_s2]

You need to pick up another interest. If you're into woodworking, pick up welding for example. Or you can start tweaking your collection. Get rid of tools you don't really need, and replace them with tools you would use. I recently found myself with 2 sizes of shop press, and decided I really wanted a third size. I sold the other two and bought the size I wanted. Gonna do that with a few saws this spring.

Actually do both. Pick up another hobby AND start adjusting the tool collection. That way tools are coming in, going out, coming in, going out, and the wife has a harder time identifying a truly new purchase!

 

[chadster1]

Just bought my very last tool ever...

Liar

 

[Coolabah]

I'm starting to see that I might have misunderstood the problem ... I'm thinking I need more tool boxes and a bigger garage ???

 

[Lightfoot]

OK, no more...... Done & dusted

that's what they all say.

 

[D9H 90V]

If you work on anything, especially professionaly you will never have enough tools

 

[richfinn]

Im a Mechanic, and I now get supplied with tools by my employer. So I ended up with loads of stuff at home. I decided I would get rid of the stuff I didnt use anymore and just keep a core tool kit with no duplicates so I can start again if I ever have to. It was hard but first I lost all the British Imperial tools, then all the special auto tools which have fallen out of favour over the last 20 years, I supplemented some of my work tools with useful stuff/better quality stuff of my own and its now under control. I have a nice organized kit at home and a workable kit at work. I gave away most of my stuff to other younger mechanics/mates/or demoted it to the modification bin to be recycled for other future uses.

 

[dodge610]

What is this too many tools that you speak of im confused He who has the most toys wins.

 

[Coolabah]

Buy another tool box, or upgrade sell off some to buy better

Awesome idea... expand (buy more toolboxes) then sell off the surplus...kinda like those company takeovers.

The most honorable thing to do would be to send your excess tools my way.

They will have a good home.

Thanks.

OK, sent excess to "danski0224, c/o GPO, USA" ....enjoy !!

I say that every time I walk off the tool truck.....lasts until I walk on there again or I see a good deal on Ebay. I do much the same as some of the above posters and as I buy new, nicer tools, the older/crappier models get demoted down the line - main box, cart, hand boxes & workbench, "loan to neighbors" box. the scrap pile is the next step as I'm running out of room!

My problem is that no matter how crappy my "end of the line tool" is, I can never ever bring myself to throw out a tool, figuring no tool can ever be "trash"

You need to pick up another interest. If you're into woodworking, pick up welding for example. Or you can start tweaking your collection. Get rid of tools you don't really need, and replace them with tools you would use. I recently found myself with 2 sizes of shop press, and decided I really wanted a third size. I sold the other two and bought the size I wanted. Gonna do that with a few saws this spring.

Actually do both. Pick up another hobby AND start adjusting the tool collection. That way tools are coming in, going out, coming in, going out, and the wife has a harder time identifying a truly new purchase!

That makes sense - I could handle getting rid of a tool if it was more a "swap"

Liar

LOL unfortunately you got me. On the way home today I stopped off to pick up some more picture hanging hooks (promised the wife) I saw an Estwing 20 oz claw hammer on special. I have been eying one of these off for like a year but couldn't justify it to myself. Of course, now that it was discounted, I had absolutely no say in the matter. Of course I had to buy it, pure lunacy not to we all know that , right ???

Im a Mechanic, and I now get supplied with tools by my employer. So I ended up with loads of stuff at home. I decided I would get rid of the stuff I didnt use anymore and just keep a core tool kit with no duplicates so I can start again if I ever have to. It was hard but first I lost all the British Imperial tools, then all the special auto tools which have fallen out of favour over the last 20 years, I supplemented some of my work tools with useful stuff/better quality stuff of my own and its now under control. I have a nice organized kit at home and a workable kit at work. I gave away most of my stuff to other younger mechanics/mates/or demoted it to the modification bin to be recycled for other future uses.

This makes sense. If I think about it I have given away some years ago all my imperial sockets as everything I work on is now metric. Problem is, coupla times since I DID need a 5/8" socket... Is that enough reason to wish I'd kept my other sockets ? Not really, but I DO wish I had ....

thanks for all the responses guys, seriously there are some great ideas but even better in my book is that you guys have convinced me I don't have enough tools & tool boxes. Whew, to think I nearly thought I had too many ???

 

[Sick Puppy]

lol enought or too many tools? Yeah right! I have a to buy list, which includes Vessel JIS screwdrivers, despite having Koken ones, and sets Teng and Wiha in normal and VDE... and soon, pliers and hammers will be going the same way...

 

[Mustangmike]

Too much is never enough....

 

[Jim C.]

I've found that over the last few years I've needed less and less tools. Now when I walk through Sears, Home Depot, shop on line, etc., thinking I'll buy something I need, I usually come home empty handed. I started buying basic hand tools about 25 years ago so I could work on my cars, do home repairs/remodeling/ yard work/gardening, etc. Over the years, I've accumulated a fairly complete, WORKING (not dust collectors) set of tools that I use regularly. I really don't need any more hand tools, or power tools for that matter. I'm not a professional mechanic or tradesman, so I don't really wear tools out, or break too many.

For some reason, I still like buying tools, so to "scratch that itch," I've resorted to buying tools for my teenage sons. I actually started buying them tools about ten years ago. Eventually when they move out and get their own houses, cars, etc., they'll go with a good set of tools that will handle most basic repairs, remodeling, building, and a few other things. As time goes on, they can add to their sets as necessary. A good set of tools can take a lifetime to assemble. I just figured I'd give them a little head start.

 

[Busted Bolts]

you're never done, it is a viscious cycle, with plenty of justifications

 

[comedyman809]

i need another tool box like a need a hole in the head.