Thread: Tool Addiction

It's call toolatitis, once you have it, the only way out is to get bankrupt.

Ian mate you've got it bad. Sympathies from a fellow sufferer.

3 years ago my tool collection consisted of a Makita CS, Makita Drill and a orbital sander, (Makita again) and a el cheapo made in India #4 plane.

Now I have:
4 routers
an SCMS
2 cordless drills
a ROS
a thicknesser
a jointer
a triton wc 2000
a table saw on order
a band saw
a drill press
a DC
a Stanley #4
a Stanley #5
a Stanley block plane
a HNT Gordon shoulder plane
3 Mujingfung planes
sundry other hand tools
A renovated workroom/workshop/shed
Plus I still have the original tools I started off with.

I don't know what the name of this affliction is, but it definitely needs one.

Craig

Toolaholic

don't worry you're perfectly normal.

I aquire woodworking, metalworking, diy, mechanics tools faster than I can learn how to use them ... my list of projects which are awaiting completion is embarassingly large ( only overshadowed by the list of projects I haven't actually started yet ). I'm irresistibly attracted to magazines full of a) tools to lust over and b) projects to add to my "one day" list.

My boyfriend finds all this very bemusing and gets hacked off when he finds that he's left me behind cos I've stopped to peer through the windows of the hardware shop or to examine exactly how they've done something to the house they are building down the road. The plus side of this is that he's never going to want to share my shed ( its MINE all MINE I tell you ).

And being a girly I also have dressmaking, knitting and embroidery projects on the go and have to buy all the tools and materials for that too

Perhaps it is possible to recover from posession additction. ... i now only have one motorbike ... my record being 6 and a half plus 2 spare engines for one of the whole ones ( for some reason the neighbours thought I was "lowering the tone of the area" ). Had to move countries to force myself to de-bike though. However .... if someone happens to know of a motorbike that is free to a good home and just needs a bit of work ......

I've been collecting tools for years.

Started in 1983 with three bench planes, a Stanley #78, a couple of Spear & Jackson hand saws and a brace 'n' bit that I found under our house. They had belonged to my Grandfather. My Dad being a plumber didn't know what to do with them.

Bought a couple of laying out tools and a spokeshave to make an electric guitar.

Got hooked, bought drill, router, powerplane, beltsander and jigsaw (all Makita).

Moved to Sydney, became poor, sold all the power tools for a fraction of their value.

Bought a house and started again with Circular saw, followed by 1/2" router, Triton router table, then Workcentre 2000.

Next was a Makita SCMS.

Moved here from Sydney and bought a jointer and a thicknesser. Two drill presses (don't ask) soon after. A heap of minor tools like marking and layout tools etc.

New tablesaw arriving sometime next week, also expecting a bandsaw and a dust extractor soon.

I also collect wood. Got a bit drunk on Friday night / Saturday morning and burned some of it (very cold here at night). Still annoyed with myself.

Yes, you need help and so do I.

Ok SilentC, I GOTTA ask.... why do you have 2 drill presses, I've heard of tool envy but that is far beyond oneupmanship.....

I said "don't ask"

OK, well I ordered one and it came with the wrong size head - it wouldn't fit the pedestal column. The head they sent was from a cheaper model. So I rang and said instead of taking this one back, send me the correct head plus a bench stand to fit this one. This they did but they sent the floor pedestal instead of the bench stand and gave me about $100 off plus free freight. My idea was that I'd sell the small one to my brother in law or someone. However, I got one of those mortising attachments cheap and it's handy to leave it set up, so now I've got two.

Told you not to ask

Now listen very carefully, for I shall say this only once!

Oh boy! I don’t know what it’s called but I’ve got it and it’s not getting better. Three and a half years ago I had an old B&D Workmate, a small ball pein hammer that used to belong to my Dad, a quite decent Stanley claw hammer, a Stanley ¾” chisel and a handful of odd spanners and screwdrivers. Hadn’t done any woodworking for more than 30 years but I had nurtured a quiet ambition to take it up again at some undefined time.

Then I bought a cheap Ryobi circular saw – on impulse – at Bunnies. That got me started. Here’s the approximate contents of the tool locker, reading from right to left

• 8 shelves of different screws, nails, biscuits, dowels, glues and assorted fasteners.
• Triton 2000 WC plus Triton saw plus router table - well modified – thanks Peter (Sturdee).
• Triton dust bucket etc also well modified with a cyclone – thanks again, Peter.
• Vacuum cleaner (quote: “Buy one for the shed and never bring it indoors!” - ‘Er indoors).
• 2 tubs of timber off-cuts. Some of these are so small they probably qualify as splinters but one day I will find a use for all of them.
• Bench-mounted drill press.
• 2 drawers containing router bits, tape measures, pencils, various marking gauges, two sets of chisels and a couple of electric drills (corded).
• Stanley # 6 plane.
• Stanley # 18 block plane.
• Sargent block plane.
• Veritas low-angle block plane.
• Record # 5 jack plane.
• (Gloat, gloat) Lie-Nielsen low angle jack plane (brand new)
• Mujinfang palm smoothing plane.
• Stanley # 4 plane.
• Stanley # 4½ plane.
• Stanley # 71 router plane.
• HNT Gordon ¾” shoulder plane.
• Veritas cabinet scraper and scraper burnishing tool.
• Mujingfang jack/smoothing plane (for $20 probably the best value of the lot ).
• HNT Gordon smoothing plane.
• 62 clamps (actually make that 64 – I forgot the two I bought last week ).
• 4 different try squares.
• 3 steel rules (150mm, 300mm and 600 mm).
• 3 routers: Triton, GMC fixed-base and Ryobi ¾ h.p.
• 3 cordless drills: 2 Ryobi, one GMC.
• 1 Makita belt sander
• 1 Festo random orbital sander
• 1 B&D orbital sander
• 1 Triton ROS fitted to a Bosch angle-grinder.
• 1 GMC biscuit joiner.
• 1 el cheapo mitre saw (hand-powered) – no complaints – works well.
• 2 Japanese Z saws – one rip, one crosscut.
• 1 coping saw
• 1 jeweller’s saw
• 2 mallets
• 8 Sidchrome adjustable spanners.
• 4 good quality engineer’s screwdrivers.
• 1 brace.
• 1 dead-blow hammer.
• Sheet of plate glass (scary sharp, for the use of).
• Miscellaneous useful thingy’s (eg, Veritas honing guide, Veritas dovetail saw guide, dowel jig, etc).
• 2 tool boxes containing multiple indispensable small tools: drill bits, screwdriver bits, countersinks, pliers, dowel wotsits (thanks, Jackie, never could think of a name for them!), precision screwdrivers etc, etc.
• 1 big box containing sandpaper sheets, discs and belts plus UBeaut shellac, EEE and Traditional Wax – thanks, Neil – great products! (Yeah, I know, sucking noises).
• Measuring devices: callipers, height gauge, depth gauge etc.
• 4 Iyoroi chisels: 2 butt, 2 dovetail.
• Power cables and extension leads etc.

I think that’s the lot :confused: – all acquired over the last 3½ years. I haven’t worked out what it all cost :eek: but I know that if I hadn’t spent the money I would be more wealthy – and more miserable.

Col

Ian007,
Well you might not be fully addicted as you have sold some tools. But never fear you can degenerate into a true addict if you cultivate it.

Us true addicts cannot sell tools no matter how useless the tool is.
True addicts are not confined to just wood working tools either, anything will do.

Jackiew,
Its about time you had your boyfriend checked out,
It seems incredible that he can walk past a hardware store window without stopping to drool at the tools. He dont seem normal!

As for dressmaking, knitting and embroidery projects. Hey those skills can be applied to woodworking projects if you let your creativity run wild.

And dont give up your bike, its yours not your neighbors. (it isnt a Harley by any chance?) mmmm... a chick riding a harley .. what would you do about the near mandatory bushy white beard favored by the Harley lot???

As far as I'm concerned you are all Well and healthy. It's the bored overweight couch potato's glued to the telly and playstations who moan about not having anything to do in their spare time that need to be checked out.

Is there any vacant retail space left in your country, I think I will open a toolshop?

Originally Posted by Driver

.....I think that’s the lot :confused: – all acquired over the last 3½ years......
Col

Col, is that all? Better get some retail therapy.

A lifetime of woodworking and renovating means that there are just too many tools, jigs and gadgets to list individually. You just have to bracket them into groups.

So a quick walk through the workshop I can see 85 assorted power (electric, battery and air) tools, Triton workcentre and accessories all suitably modified, Triton router table and accessories also modified, 140 assorted hand tools, 8 saw horses and stands, 197 assorted clamps ( used to be 200 but had to make room for some more ) numerous homemade jigs and gadgets and a DC and Triton dustbucket mini-cyclone.

All this without looking in cupboards or the garage which houses all the car repair tools. I agree with Echidna never ever sell a toolbecause years later you will find a use for it.

I don't have a problem with tools ( because I already have them ) but I suffer from a lack of suitable workshop space.

Peter

Originally Posted by jackiew

And being a girly I also have dressmaking, knitting and embroidery projects on the go and have to buy all the tools and materials for that too

Hey.............Thats not fair. You get the best of both worlds.
I thought you girlies wanted equality, not to outdo us blokies?

Al

what have I started
but its all good come on lets hear it guys and girls

Cheers Ian

what's the problem ?