What to do with excess tools?

[Toymeister]

I’m closing in on 50 and I have nearly 30 years of tools with many duplicates of equal quality. I’m deployed and I still can’t resist a serviceable screw driver or vice grip that is in the scrap pile. Perhaps I am a tool hoarder…

At a certain point you have to be honest with yourself though, you only need so many copies of common tools. This applies to someone like me who does not earn a living with tools. So what to do with the extras? I could group them as sets and list them on CL. This has a certain appeal of extra cash. But I don’t really need the cash and I definitely don’t want to deal with the occasional odd character from CL. It is still an option though. If I go this route, what is the best approach? I.e. grouping or selling the copies as one or a few large lots, and what price as a percentage of retail?

The other thought I had is setting aside groups of tools to give to eventual son in laws to help them out. My own son has not come to the point that he appreciates the value of tools and one daughter’s fiancé’ did not know how to change oil, he is 22. So I am not sure this approach will be appreciated.

What does the panel say, certainly some of you have on very dark days thought about this?

 

[930dreamer]

I've made multiple sets for three different location, shop, primary residence and secondary residence. A to go box doesn't hurt either.

I don't like the word "to many tools"

 

[smogtech]

excess tools? what is this you speak of?

 

[Hootbro]

Ebay or post them for sale here in the classifieds.

Forget the son or son in-law. It will just piss you off when you find out they either lost half of what you gave them or sold them for pennies on the dollar to someone else.

 

[klhitman]

hi my name id KLHITMAN and i am a tool hoarder


i have plenty of tools, not to say i have all of what is out there. but if there is a bolt that needs 5 wrenches then i can handle that.

i have pondered the same question. i have 3 tool boxes at home, that does not include the carry around boxes. well they are full and i have a milk create of tools that i haven't even looked at yet.

what do we do????

 

[Trucky]

Give some spares to me, an aspiring machinist and engineer...

kidding. I wonder why he doesn't like tools You'd be better off selling them as a lot or in groupings of similar items to people who really care for them.

 

[btbsandman]

You can donate some of your tools to a Sheltered Workshop, your Church, Americorp, etc.

 

[Jwrightkustomz]

I'd say go with the son in law. Take it as an opportunity to try and teach him to value tools and a lesson on accomplishing something on your own. That way he can try to hold on to the set for his children.... if not you said you had multiple duplicates, I'd save an extra set for grand kids.

 

[Krokodil]

I've got one of everything in my main box. Extras or doubles go to the road/travel box.

Anything left after that (3rd copies) gets passed out to people needing them. Might be family, friends, needy, charity projects, whatever floats your boat.

I've come to this realization long time ago that you can only use one tool at a time anyway.

 

[Carl B]

You can donate some of your tools to a Sheltered Workshop, your Church, Americorp, etc.

Best Suggestion... go with this. You will feel good about letting them go...

FWIW,
Carl B.

 

[Toymeister]

I've made multiple sets for three different location, shop, primary residence and secondary residence. A to go box doesn't hurt either.

I don't like the word "to many tools"

I had a cabin, pole parn, garage and basement set up before. I had the 48 Acres, lake and pond, but now 1 acre in suburbia. So the need for multible sets no longer exists.

Some will say that I can go back to acreage, but you know, after a while your possesions own you. It may sound very strange but one of the best days I had was the farm auction: $27,000 of possesions in 4 hours and i was relieved to see it all gone. One guy spoke to me a lull moment "How old are you" I was 44 at the time, he said "Mr. You sure have a whole lot of stuff" and he was right. Another guy asked if I was heart broken it see it all go, I said I wasn't I'll buy what ever I need again and I meant it.

 

[V70R]

Donate them. Know someone who takes care of their stuff, potentially a family member starting a new career path? Always a great feeling to help someone out.

 

[mdbeck1]

I've got three complete sets of tools. One for the garage (work on cars), another smaller set in the wood shop, and a pretty good set in the truck. All of the spare ones go into an old top box on the lower shelf. Those are kinda being saved for my son. He just got his driver's license and will be needing them soon. They are also the ones that I give away to kids that SEEM to have an aptitude for working on stuff. oh... and I use the spares for loaners to people that I'm not sure I will get them back (like BIL's).


BTW: there is NEVER EVER a thing called "too many tools".

 

[coalminer]

I suggest you keep them and never stop adding to them...

 

[BajaBound]

Start separating them into organized complete sets.

 

[scottv]

Toymeister find a young person who is intred in using tools and give them to him or her. In in the same boat and have been thinking of this for a wile now.

 

[Toymeister]

What I find most interesting about this thread is I am 10 1/2 to 12 1/2 hours ahead of you guys and you are all on the forum some of you in the wee hours of the morning writing about tools. I am not sure if that is good or bad.

I had considered donating the tools to a charity, however I am not conviced they would make it to the intended reciepient. Perhaps to a sale table to end up on eBay by a profiteer who frequents thrift stores?? not my idea of charity

 

[Fedwrench]

First off, there's no such thing as excess tools at least here.

Actually, I have the same problem. I have more tools than I will ever use. I think chrome can be as addicting as any drug.

What I've done is about once or twice a year I'll sort through some of my stuff that I haven't used in awhile and either list it on Ebay or sell it at the local once a month automotive swap meet. This has enabled me to at least be able to walk through my garage.
A second option although I haven't had much success with it here, is to donate directly to a public school's automotive program. There aren't too many public school programs left but, most are cash strapped and tend to appreciate the tools.

Lastly, you need to stay away from places like ebay, flea markets, and here where the temptation to buy more tools can be avoided to a degree.
Yeah, like that's going to happen.

 

[ozyborn]

Never heard of that either. It could be a problem of too small of a garage.

 

[Skyline]

Do you have a volunteer fire department in your town? I donate lots of tools to mine. Every fire apparatus needs comprehensive tool sets, along with a set for the firehouse. Fire Departments are very hard on tools, lots get lost or destroyed at emergency scenes.

When I get good quality American made tools that are brands that won't move easily on eBay, the go to the fire department. There's stuff that I donated in several of the apparatus, and a large Craftsman top box full in the fire house.

 

[Brad54]

You're not even 50 yet? You've got a hell of a long way to go before you need to start thinking about thinning the herd.

However, it depends largely on what you do with your tools, and who you do it with.

For instance, I'm a hot rodder, with a shop behind my house. I've got a very complete road-kit box for racing, junkyards and road trips.
The trunk of the wife's Corvair houses an ammo can with a set of wrenches, screw drivers, hammer, adjustable wrench and some allen wrenches.

If we get a 4x4 truck for hunting, I'll have another one of those.

For the shop, I've got a ton of duplicate tools for two reasons: one, when I'm thrashing and the shop is a mess, it's nice to just go grab another 9/16 wrench off the wall rather than look everywhere for the wrench I carried into the house a left on the counter when I went it to refill my iced tea.

It's also awesome when I've got friends over and we're all working on a car, or we're working on different projects. Installing a hood is a cake walk when you each have a 3/8-drive ratchet and 6pt socket, rather than pausing while you hand the wrench back and forth across the engine bay.

I've only done it once, but I had a bunch of friends over on a Saturday to strip a '73 Duster to put on the rotisserie. At 8am Saturday morning it was a driving car... by 5pm that evening, it was in 12 tote boxes in the basement and a bare shell. We all had our own set of tools to work out of, and that was key to our success. Nobody was standing around waiting for a socket.

Here's another idea:
I have a tool box mounted to the bottom of my drill press; it has all my hole saws, drill bits, clamps, etc. that I use at the drill press. It also has a screwdriver in it specifically to install the pilot bits on my hole saws. That way I don't need to walk across the shop to get a screwdriver... it's always there.

I have a Craftsman hand grinder in a carry case, and have the right sized wrench in there for the wire cups I use all the time... it's always there, and I don't have to fumble with grabbing a 7/8 wrench out of the drawer when it's a 15/16 that I needed.

I've got a 3/4-inch ratcheting wrench hanging on a hook I put on my rotisserie so I can always rotate the car... a big deal, because it's shoved up against the wall in the garage right now for storage. If I move it out, I always have the wrench right on the rotisserie to loosen the heads, rotate it and lock it back down.

Look around your shop and see if there are any power tools or pieces of equipment that need a dedicated wrench or screwdriver at them. That'll eat up a few of your "spares."

Then, when it's all said and done, find a local automotive swap meet (NOT a flea market), and buy a vendor space and sell your extras. Maybe you'll make some money, maybe you won't, but you'll get out of the house on a nice day, you'll meet a bunch of other like-minded guys and you'll have a good time.

-Brad

 

[machine_punk]

I would think that finding a way of giving them to kids in need would be great. One of the boys friends, who comes over to the house often enough, comes from a rough family situation and really doesn't have much of his own. I plan to build a simple tool box with him, to teach him the basics of using solid rivets. Then, I plan to say something like, "That toolbox looks great, but it is pretty empty," and give him some tools I've been putting back for him.

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I think it would be neat if you could set something up with the local high school shop class. Have the shop teacher pick one student a semester who has really done well and seems to 'get it,' then present him or her with some tools of his/her own.

Otherwise, if you have American vice grips in decent shape, I know I would be interested in them.

 

[zjrog]

I gave my son his first tool set when he 10. I doubt he has many of them left, but has since learned the value of tools and has a decent set. But I toss him some now and again. Gave my DAUGHTER a boxed set a couple years ago for her to carry in her Jeep.

I look forward to a day my daughter brings home a gearhead. My father in law wrenched more than my dad did. And while I've managed to pass it on to my son, might be fun with a son-in-law someday.

Even though my job provides tools, I keep a set in my work truck. I have a set in my Jeep (all seconds and thirds and don't mind if they are lost or given away). And a small set (molded case cheapies) in my wife's daily driver. And I still have a small bag of extra castoffs for someday...

 

[zjrog]

I gave my son his first tool set when he 10. I doubt he has many of them left, but has since learned the value of tools and has a decent set. But I toss him some now and again. Gave my DAUGHTER a boxed set a couple years ago for her to carry in her Jeep.

I look forward to a day my daughter brings home a gearhead. My father in law wrenched more than my dad did. And while I've managed to pass it on to my son, might be fun with a son-in-law someday.

Even though my job provides tools, I keep a set in my work truck. I have a set in my Jeep (all seconds and thirds and don't mind if they are lost or given away). And a small set (molded case cheapies) in my wife's daily driver. And I still have a small bag of extra castoffs for someday...

Oh man, I feel old. I'll be 49 in less than 2 weeks... Age has nothing to do with I suppose.