Too many tools syndrome....!

[AJB Temple]

This is just for amusement - you can laugh at my embarrassment. I took out a palm sander today to clean up some chair legs and realised I had borrowed the plug for a grinder. I knew I had a box of rubberised plugs somewhere so I started to worked my way through the 16 double width filing cabinet drawer fulls of stuff at one end of my shop. The plugs were in the fourth drawer I tried. In doing this I found:

• New and unused orbital sander that I had totally forgotten about ( I bought another new one only 2 months ago as I "didn't have one"...)
  Set of new Robert Sorby lathe tools my dad gave me. Unused as I didn't have a lathe at the time. Forget about them too so bought another set on eBay 2 months ago...
  Short lathe rest and a pair of centres I didn't know I had.
  Short spirit level that had "gone missing" (and was also recenty replaced)
  Reciprocating saw that I had completely forgotten about. Used it this afternoon.

Ludicrous!

 

[beech1948]

Differfent but the same

About 12 months ago my Grandad and my Dad died a few weeks apart. Just after that my father-in-law died. All woodworkers.

It took 2 months for their widows to call and ask for help from these three woodworkers. So we sold off the machinery, imagine 3x of everything though I kept a few things such as an enourmous bandsaw and a 16" P/t.

The real problem then was about 450 chisels, 49 hammers, 10,000 screws, 110 clamps etc etc etc. I was so put off by this pile that I just left it in boxes in a shed. Just started to go through it all....a real struggle. How come I have 31 quarter inch chisels??

Becoming an expert on rust, cleaning tools and protection against rust. Will have to sell some of these soon to get the space back....and I hate Ebay.

 

[beganasatree]

Forget about Ebay and put a list on here in the For Sale forum.

Peter.

 

[MusicMan]

You could also consider Tools With A Mission (TWAM). They collect old tools, volunteers like myself recondition them, then they are made into carpenters kits and shipped in containers to Africa. They provide training also. Do a fantastic job. Now when I wonder whether I need a tool, I try to visualise its use in Africa! They have collection points and workshops around the country and are well organised. Incomplete tools are broken down into spares and stocked. I do No. 4 planes in my local workshop and they have all the spares for these, other centres do other models. Your collection would be invaluable if you do t need to sell them!

Ps they even sort screws...

 

[Fitzroy]

You do know you can never have enough clamps!

 

[marekskoczylas]

"Too many tools" disease is rare; you are probably suffering from the more common "Need a larger workshop". It is treatable, but I'm not sure if it can be cured!

 

[John15]

Not losing or forgetting about tools and equipment is one of the few advantages of a small workshop - there's nowhere for them to hide!

John

 

[Lons]

This is just for amusement - you can laugh at my embarrassment. I took out a palm sander today to clean up some chair legs and realised I had borrowed the plug for a grinder. I knew I had a box of rubberised plugs somewhere so I started to worked my way through the 16 double width filing cabinet drawer fulls of stuff at one end of my shop. The plugs were in the fourth drawer I tried. In doing this I found:

• New and unused orbital sander that I had totally forgotten about ( I bought another new one only 2 months ago as I "didn't have one"...)
  Set of new Robert Sorby lathe tools my dad gave me. Unused as I didn't have a lathe at the time. Forget about them too so bought another set on eBay 2 months ago...
  Short lathe rest and a pair of centres I didn't know I had.
  Short spirit level that had "gone missing" (and was also recenty replaced)
  Reciprocating saw that I had completely forgotten about. Used it this afternoon.

Ludicrous!

Is that all? You ain't seen nothing :lol: :lol:

 

[Benchwayze]

"Too many tools" disease is rare; you are probably suffering from the more common "Need a larger workshop". It is treatable, but I'm not sure if it can be cured!

Yup... I need a larger workshop; or annexes to my present one!

 

[dickm]

Not losing or forgetting about tools and equipment is one of the few advantages of a small workshop - there's nowhere for them to hide!

John

Not true - they will find somewhere however small it is!