Lockdown Purchases

[Andy Kev.]

You know that being confined indoors except for the odd bit of sport is getting to you when you buy something that you know you don't really need:

https://www.fine-tools.com/string-inlay-tools.html

I've just ordered the cutting head attachment for the Veritas router plane (about half way down the linked page) because I thought it might be a nice idea to put a bit of inlay on a draw front and why not get a tool designed to help in doing just that? I don't actually need it at all but having realised that e.g. restaurant visits are out of the question for a while and that petrol consumption has plummeted (no commuting), this has sort of paid for itself.

The only question is: will I be able to use it half competently?

 

[AndyT]

I like the style of your justification there - but you left out the argument that you are supporting the world economy in one of the few ways left open to you!

I'm trying to use more of the tools I already own...

 

[Andy Kev.]

I like the style of your justification there - but you left out the argument that you are supporting the world economy in one of the few ways left open to you!

I'm trying to use more of the tools I already own...

Fair comment. I hereby declare that I've just provided a couple of Canadians with the money to go and watch other Canadians trying to murder each other i.e. visit an ice hockey game ... er, once the ice rinks have reopened.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

If you'd bought from Classic Handtools you could have got your hands on them quicker and probably have spared a wurst or two....

 

[Andy Kev.]

If you'd bought from Classic Handtools you could have got your hands on them quicker and probably have spared a wurst or two....

So you would have thought but if I remember aright CHT is awaiting delivery of it* (I always go to their website first if after a tool). And as I live in Germany it probably works out the same or cheaper. If previous experience with Dieter Schmid is anything to go by, I will get it on Saturday.

*Confirmed: "awaiting stock".

 

[AndyT]

Andy, looking again at what I wrote, I just realised how it could be misread. When I said

"I'm trying to use more of the tools I already own..."

I didn't mean any criticism of you for buying a tool. It was just to say "I've got a different problem" - which was a pretty pointless thing to say. Sorry.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

"I'm trying to use more of the tools I already own..."

Well, I didn't read anything snarky or malicious into that, for what it's worth. I just saw it as a straightforward statement of fact.

Know what you mean, too. I'm sure the damn things breed when your back's turned. It doesn't help that once word gets out that you're a bit of a woodie, things just keep appearing. "Hmm, I'll clean that up when I get a round tuit, but what on earth do I do with this?." Then there's all the basket cases that you can't bring yourself to scrap because they're over a century old.

Maybe this is a chance to cross a few jobs off the to-do list. If I could find the time.

(Sorry for the slight thread diversion, AK!)

 

[Lons]

Then there's all the basket cases that you can't bring yourself to scrap

I spent a couple of days last week sorting out a single garage I use to store "treasures", my wife calls junk. :roll: Piled up a lot of those "basket cases" to throw away but ended up going back to them and sorting them again which is fatal, in the end I scrapped very little and even some of that may find it's way back as it's just stored in a couple of sacks. :wink:

The only difference in that garage is I don't know where everything is now it's sorted. #-o

 

[Andy Kev.]

Andy, looking again at what I wrote, I just realised how it could be misread. When I said

"I'm trying to use more of the tools I already own..."

I didn't mean any criticism of you for buying a tool. It was just to say "I've got a different problem" - which was a pretty pointless thing to say. Sorry.

Andy,

I think that the modern world is perhaps making you a little over-considerate. I can assure you that I never read that into what you said but thanks for the consideration of my unoffended feelings.

I've actually found myself casting a cold eye on a couple of bits of kit that I shouldn't have got, where either the acquisition of a skill or a better tool has made them redundant.

There's also a bit of irony in this tool buying business in that many people advise buying second hand. IMO the only difficulty with that is that you need to become experienced enough to know when a second hand tool will meet your needs. At least I know for sure that I don't need the bit of kit I've ordered but I'm going to have fun trying to get decent results with it. In a perfect world it would turn out to be a revelation and lead to thinking that I wish I'd bought it ages ago. So far the only thing which fits that bill is my Record No 6.

 

[NickM]

I enjoy buying tools second hand but I rarely feel like I've got a bargain! I did buy a very tatty no.4 for a good price which came up a treat and works very well, but as soon as you get into anything a bit more specialist the prices go up a lot.

For example, I've been looking for a router plane for a while and the ebay prices are not very attractive particularly because you never quite know what you're going to get (I bought a small block plane recently but someone had filed the mouth and it was a bit of a mess). I like Tooltique because although you pay a bit more I think you get a good tool and the descriptions are fair. However, for a standard Stanley router plane their standard price is £125. Although I think that's a very fair price compared with what's available on eBay, you can get a new Lie-Nielsen for £142 from Axminster so I decided to go that route this time.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for secondhand tools (including in junk/antique shops when we can get out and about again) because I like using them and the idea of bringing something back into use, but it doesn't always make sense.

 

[D_W]

It's a shame that some blogging can do that to router planes. I bought two about a decade ago for around $50 on average, and they were nice clean planes (one stanley and one millers falls) with blades.

I sold the millers falls last year on a straight up auction as I don't use it and figured someone else might like it. As i recall, it brought about double what I paid for it.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

If you'd bought from Classic Handtools you could have got your hands on them quicker and probably have spared a wurst or two....

So you would have thought but if I remember aright CHT is awaiting delivery of it* (I always go to their website first if after a tool). And as I live in Germany it probably works out the same or cheaper. If previous experience with Dieter Schmid is anything to go by, I will get it on Saturday.

*Confirmed: "awaiting stock".

Ah yes, makes sense. I got mine from CHT along with other Veritas inlay toys - hours of fun in store!

 

[pidgeonpost]

I enjoy buying tools second hand but I rarely feel like I've got a bargain! I did buy a very tatty no.4 for a good price which came up a treat and works very well, but as soon as you get into anything a bit more specialist the prices go up a lot.

For example, I've been looking for a router plane for a while and the ebay prices are not very attractive particularly because you never quite know what you're going to get (I bought a small block plane recently but someone had filed the mouth and it was a bit of a mess). I like Tooltique because although you pay a bit more I think you get a good tool and the descriptions are fair. However, for a standard Stanley router plane their standard price is £125. Although I think that's a very fair price compared with what's available on eBay, you can get a new Lie-Nielsen for £142 from Axminster so I decided to go that route this time.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for secondhand tools (including in junk/antique shops when we can get out and about again) because I like using them and the idea of bringing something back into use, but it doesn't always make sense.

I've always enjoyed buying secondhand tools, not least because I like to think of who might have used them before and whether my efforts are any worse than theirs.
I've recently started picking up again on doing a bit of hand woodworking, and was on the lookout for a Record combination plane. I couldn't believe the eBay prices for some items, but did eventually manage to pick up a good-as-new Record for a price that was not too eye-watering. But some of them were way above what I'd have been prepared to pay (I'm 72 so it's not like I'm going to get another 50 years out of it).
I lost one of the very small Stanley routers years ago, and although I bought a very nice hand-made wooden one of roughly the same size off eBay, I've been wondering about getting a slightly larger one - Record or Stanley 71 would do the trick. But some of the prices are amazing. Who's buying them at £130-£150+? Perhaps my mind hasn't adjusted from 70's/80's prices!