TOOLS - When is Enough, Enough

[bczygan]

Really!

When you have the full selection of hand and power tools for automotive and carpentry and woodworking and masonry and metalworking etc. etc.

Isn't there REALLY an end to it?

I know, there is never enough, but really?

Bill

 

[JonDick13926]

 

[RiverRider]

When you start accumulating tools you have no idea how to utilize, you have enough.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

When you get depressed and wonder what you are doing with your life, last week I bought $15 worth of stuff that I already had and did not need more of, at least I got a quart of bondo, need to buy some hardener though. Did not last for long though, already bought a dewalt 1/4 socket set, cman ball driver, 4 wrenches, a belt disc sander for $4 and a free table saw

 

[Fretters]

Some of us just aren't cut out to stop collecting. I'm currently in the "should I or shouldn't I" phase of getting another lathe which will require nigh on a 500 mile round trip to collect, so I honestly can't say diddly about when enough is enough.

 

[AmishFury]

no such thing... just when you think you have enough tools something new and shiny comes along

 

[stikman56]

I will only buy if I need. Otherwise I don't care to spend my money there. Too many other things I'd rather have it do for me.

 

[Brad54]

I think that too... sometimes.
I had a professional engine builder and race car fabricator come to my backyard shop last week for a little project.
"Do you have..."
Yeah. Right here.
"How about..."
Yup... over there.
"I need..."
Here you go.

For hand tools though, I'll admit it seems like it's a little nuts.
Until I stop and think about it.

I've got two sets of everything in my main tool box, so that either I can work on something and have a nut/bolt side, or I can wrench with a buddy in the shop and we aren't waiting on tools.

Then at the front of my shop I have my Montezuma portable box with a FULL set of screwdrivers, sockets of all three sizes, pliers, two sets of every wrench, hammer, pry-bars, etc. etc. etc. It's affectionately called "The War Chest" by my buddies, and it goes to the junkyard and on road trips with us.

I've got at least two of every wrench from 3/8 to 1-1/4 on the wall...when we're all thrashing, and I pull the last 7/16 off the wall, it's time to stop and clean up the shop. When I need to modify a wrench to fit something (like grind it for clearance), I've got them on-hand.

And then there's the trucks. I have an ammo can tool kit--full set of screwdrivers, short hammer, chisel, two sets of wrenches up to 7/8, Vise grip, pliers, needle nose, and a few other things. I keep one of those in the 4x4, and will be fleshing it out for the next 4x4. I also grab those when I have a short trip to the junkyard for a specific item.

I can justify having more tools allllll day long.

When is enough enough?
Three minutes before I flat-line.

-Brad

 

[SASORacing]

You need 3 full sets of each tool, then a car set and a loaner set. At this point you can relax and stop buying.

All in all its fun to accumulate and trade tools, for some its the journey not the destination. Some people collect baseball cards, some people collect tools. And when the former sees a Babe Ruth vintage card is he not going to buy it just because he has enough cards already?

 

[1950mercury]

Im to the point where i only buy specialty tools if i know im going to use them often enuff to warrant the purchase. If not ill rent from an auto parts store. I have 2 nice sized mac boxes 1 with a side cab. And a red 5 drawer hf cart full.

The one thing ive never done that i see a lot of people do is buy 4 miss match 60 year old open end wrenches at a garage sale for next to nothing and there box is filled with odd out of business short crusty open ends...that to me is a waist of space

 

[Gmonkee]

Even if some us use crusty short DOE wrenches as our main tools at home? I have very few combo wrenches and no plans to replace what I sold.

I have been rotating out fillers for years as my Stanley Workmaster set fills up with the correct brand. The other sets I'd like to build are slow going but I grab what pops up.

 

[GTO]

I will let you know,when I fill up my KRL1022

 

[raddksn]

Don't ask silly questions!

 

[Fedwrench]

Common sense rarely applies here. Perhaps not an end to getting tools but, maybe a slowing. They'll always be the deal that's just too good to pass up, a newly released tool that you can't live without, or a new variation on an old theme.

 

[ozyborn]

Too much tools what's that mean
It's I like too much money there's no such thing
It's like a girl too pretty with too much class
Being too lucky a car too fast

to many tools just means you chose a too small of space to put them in.

 

[crewchief888]

i've been wrenching on const eq for 30 years. most of my tool buying was geared towards work needs. i slowly built up a home/race shop set of hand tools, as most of my stuff was @ work.

(new) tools that i buy now are to keep my vehicles on the road, and to make whatever "changes" i need to do to my trail truck.

i have to justify (to myself) tool purchases, weighing the cost vs use.
there are many things i'd LIKE to have, and would probably make any project i'm taking on a little easier, convienent, or faster but i could probably make do with what i already have.

fortunately for me i recently won a facebook contest, my grand prize was $1000 merchandise credit to an industrial supplier. i'm picking up my stuff next wed !!

now i just have to make room for it

 

[Mark in Indiana]

When you buy a new tool...then discover that you already had the same tool, but forgot about it.

 

[Dan Jacobs]

Crappy tools I have enough of However if it's really good I gotta have it
Got a new Snap On man after not having one for 8 years Spending alot and happy to
They got some nice stuff

 

[454ragtop]

Well, just when you think you have enough, the A holes who design vehicles decide that straight, Phillips, torx, torx plus, hex, hex socket, etc couldn't possibly work, so they invent a new one, and you're right back to square one.
Jim

 

[C'man Guy]

I don't know if you can ever really find enough tools but like others have said here it's more about the journey then the destination. when I see a good deal on tools that I think would be neat to have and someday find a use for I go ahead and buy them if I have the money

 

[C'man Guy]

And as it's been said before there will always be a deal you can't pass up or a cool new toy that'll make a frequent job less the headache

 

[Fretters]

to many tools just means you chose a too small of space to put them in.

I like that train of thought.

I don't know if you can ever really find enough tools but like others have said here it's more about the journey then the destination. when I see a good deal on tools that I think would be neat to have and someday find a use for I go ahead and buy them if I have the money

Well put. I've always found half the fun of tools and machinery to be the enjoyment of collecting and restoring them.

 

[johninct]

I am now down to only buying specialty tools , a new really really improved tools. or something to complete a set.

 

[Outlander]

'enough is enough' when Mrs Outlander asks why I spent grocery money on tools, and I point out I enjoy Kraft Dinner & beans on toast.

 

[junktastic]

I buy tools I have no idea what their for at yard and estate sales all the time. If their cheap, I can't help myself. I have a ton of tools, and a ton of **** in the garage in general for that matter. Whenever I see a Wilton bullet vise for a decent price, it ends up in the truck. I sell some of it off, but that money just ends up buying more. When I'm not working, I'm out buying more ****. My wife is cool with it as long as it stays in the garage.

 

[back2class]

I am not sure when you can have enough...I know I am getting closer though. I like to hit the big flea market near me. Used to come home with a ton of stuff, now rarely do I see something I need or even want. I guess a few HUGE specialty tools like a stomp shear and another vertical mill would be nice, but that opens a huge pandoras box of new tools.
In SHORT
HAND TOOLS...too many when you have so many you can't keep track of what you have...ALSO when you look at the investment and realize you could have bought a rental house and have the rent generate enough to pay a professional to fix anything you need done and still come out ahead.
Small power tools, I have enough..around 50 of them. r
Big tools. You can never have enough, but we all have a point of diminishing returns on cost and space. I mean a better mill would be nice, but not sure I need a 20" bandsaw or injection molding machine.
But I don't "collect" tools...that is a different mindset and not sure there can be an end to that.

 

[03protege]

The one thing ive never done that i see a lot of people do is buy 4 miss match 60 year old open end wrenches at a garage sale for next to nothing and there box is filled with odd out of business short crusty open ends...that to me is a waist of space

Open ends make sweet drawer pulls though!

 

[Dave455]

Not sure you can have too many!

I've got obscure things I've inherited and think I'll never use, but don't get rid of because I was always told 'never get rid of tools'! Then some job comes up, and I can do something someone else can't, or do it cheaper, or better, because I have the right tool!

I have, and use, a lot of stuff because I'm in the U.K. and I encounter Metric, Inch A/F and Whitworth. I have different grades of stuff too. I have some cheaper tools I bought when I was younger, probably wouldn't buy now, and some folks would dispose of - but those tools are great when I want to visit a scrapyard or suchlike!

I'm not really a woodworker, but when I have to do it, it's great to put my Grandfathers tools to use, and If some job comes up that needs some obscure plane or suchlike I can get straight on with the task without having to buy stuff!

Nope, so long as you've got the space, you can't have too many tools!

 

[The Original Fisho]

I've got the majority of hand tools I need. Pretty much only buy specialty stuff on an as needed basis.

Shop tools though I've been slowly aquiring as money and deals allow. Don't have as much space as I like but that should change next year so I'm preparing now.

In all honesty though if a great deal comes up and I have the cash I'm buying it. If I already have it I will flip it or if I don't it's just another tool in the arsenal.

 

[22george]

There is no such thing

 

[demographic]

Most expensive tool is empty floorspace. You always need some of that.

 

[Dusten]

never is enough... That's full and I'm still tool shopping

 

[Strouty]

Bill, are you trying to justify something?

 

[bczygan]

Bill, are you trying to justify something?

Yes!

 

[Fretters]

Yes!

Like asking a crack addict if you ought have another fix, asking whether a tool purchase is justified, on here.

 

[txvwnut]

My box currently has everything I need in it, but I've found myself not wanting to make the twenty foot walk from the mill to the box to get something so I've decided to stock work stations with a basic set of "station tools" so I'm not consistently chasing tools.

So I guess I just don't have enough yet.

 

[devoncoolman]

Sacralidge! Theres never enough!

 

[bczygan]

I was even going to start another thread on it, but I can discuss it here.

We all know how this site encourages tool acquisition.

This can be a negative for some people.

For those with the means, it doesn't matter how many tools they buy.

But for some people, it is not good that they are encouraged by this site, to get more and more tools.

People like me especially.

The general attitude of the more tools the merrier, permeates the site, and can be a strong motivating force.

I got caught up in various threads. The Vise thread, the Craftsman Block
Grinder thread, the Harbor Freight Coupon thread, The Lowe's and Home Depot threads, and all the Hot Deals.

I bought more of every type of item than I needed, new and used. I haunted CL. I became a regular at HD and Lowes and maxed out my and my wife's HD cards.

I never went anywhere near HF, without taking Julie with me and getting free items and 2 20% off items.

To what end?

Have any of you found yourselves in similar predicaments?

Now, I'm not saying it is all bad.

But now I am seeing that I went a little overboard.

I wanted to show off my latest buy.

I wanted the most vises, and the biggest ones.

And to be the king of block grinders.

I wanted to run with the big dogs.

I wanted to be somebody!

 

[Steevo]

I still have a couple of empty drawers in my tool boxes. I must not be done yet.
But I keep trying my hand at new things that have their own whole line of special tools.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

I was even going to start another thread on it, but I can discuss it here.

We all know how this site encourages tool acquisition.

This can be a negative for some people.

For those with the means, it doesn't matter how many tools they buy.

But for some people, it is not good that they are encouraged by this site, to get more and more tools.

People like me especially.

The general attitude of the more tools the merrier, permeates the site, and can be a strong motivating force.

I got caught up in various threads. The Vise thread, the Craftsman Block
Grinder thread, the Harbor Freight Coupon thread, The Lowe's and Home Depot threads, and all the Hot Deals.

I bought more of every type of item than I needed, new and used. I haunted CL. I became a regular at HD and Lowes and maxed out my and my wife's HD cards.

I never went anywhere near HF, without taking Julie with me and getting free items and 2 20% off items.

To what end?

Have any of you found yourselves in similar predicaments?

Now, I'm not saying it is all bad.

But now I am seeing that I went a little overboard.

I wanted to show off my latest buy.

I wanted the most vises, and the biggest ones.

And to be the king of block grinders.

I wanted to run with the big dogs.

I wanted to be somebody!

You coulda had class. You coulda been a contender. You coulda been somebody. Instead you got a one way ticket to palookaville.