Dumb things you own, and never use

BGHansen said:
p.s. Just because I don't use them doesn't mean I'm ready to sell them!
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Sometimes I think those things are a talisman against the time I will need it! 99% of my stuff I’ve bought used and at prices I couldn’t resist. But things like sine bars, gauge blocks etc I know I’m not going to use so have resisted. For now :) I am worried some of those things are going to show up for some obscene cheap price and I’ll HAVE to take them home though.
 
dewbane said:
Along these lines, another useless Item I have is a swivel vise. In theory, you could put work in and set it to a precise angle for machining. In practice, I'm not even sure where the thing is. I threw it in a dusty corner somewhere after I bought it, and never looked at it again. (I bought it with a gift card from somewhere. At least that one didn't cost me cash.)
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Aparently it was on a different thread and this just rang a bell. Whatever the case, I ran across a swivel base being used for a contraption. Video link:
I have a (sorta) anvil so can do full size stuff with a hammer up to my physical limits, but usually smaller stuff such as 3/16 X 1/32 brass. For the small work I have a number of my own (homade) contraptions, so have no need for this. But thought it might throw some light for folks that throw away "useless" stuff.

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I have something called a Black and Decker Workmate 525. It's a combination of a folding workbench and a hand truck. It looked like a good idea at the time. It doesn't make a very good hand truck and it's sort of bulky compared to the "normal" Workmate. Can't remember when I used it.

Interesting that it was such a dismal failure. I have a few of the folding Workmates and they're the best things since sliced bread. I paid $20 for the first one over 30 years ago and have used that thing for almost everything. A little scrap wood can be used to mount grinders, chop saws, etc. They're not the best welding table, but at least the laminated surface burns slowly.
 
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TomKro said:
They're not the best welding table, but at least the laminated surface burns slowly.
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Congratulations! You just won the internet for today.

On the subject of dumb things I never use, I bought a knock-off Noga clone after visiting a real machinist's shop, and listening to him extol the virtues of Noga bases.

That guy's shop was the stuff of legends. He probably had over a million pounds of cast iron in there. The car we bought off of him was still junk though. The theory that if a machinist used to own it, it will be in good shape was proven false. I gave it to my wife's boyfriend for free, and he didn't die when the brakes failed. Crap. I tried.

The fake Noga base was junk too. Jeeeeeuuuuuyyyunk.

Anyhoo, Travers had a sale on Noga bases, and I snagged two real ones. Noga bases are seriously awesome.
 
C-Bag said:
Sometimes I think those things are a talisman against the time I will need it! 99% of my stuff I’ve bought used and at prices I couldn’t resist. But things like sine bars, gauge blocks etc I know I’m not going to use so have resisted. For now :) I am worried some of those things are going to show up for some obscene cheap price and I’ll HAVE to take them home though.
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I typically don't pay too much for stuff, try to do some informed shopping before bidding/buying. I have been known to do a lot of impulse buying on the cheap. I'm trying to reel it in a little better. I went on a buying spree a few years ago after I picked up a DoAll ML 16" bandsaw which would be replacing my Sears 12" wood saw. My DoAll has a blade welder which works great. I was shopping for bulk blade stock in varying widths and teeth per inch to replace the plethora of choices I had for the Craftsman. I think it was eBay seller "stm_surplus" who listed a 100' roll of Starrett 1/2" x 10 tpi for $10. "Oh, gotta have that! That'd be great for cutting 1/4" plate!". Before bidding, I checked what was in the shop. I already had a full roll (good for 10 blades on my saw) and a pretty full partial. Nope, don't need to be able to make up close to 30 10' 1/2" x 10 tpi blades. I'm happy someone got a great deal as the stock went off auction at $10.

On the other hand, if picking up deals is what makes you happy, go for it! I had a buddy in the Erector set collecting club who lived for "the hunt". He scoured antique shops, flea markets, yard sales (and eBay) for stuff on the cheap. He had over 1500 Erector set boxes with parts as found in them. He probably had under 25 sets that were restored to "as shipped from the factory" appearance. He got off on finding something for cheap and wasn't into sorting out parts and inventorying to build a complete set. He was still buying stuff until he went off Chemo 6 years ago and passed away.

He told me a story about his son (kindergarten teacher) asking him where he could find a bunch of magnifying glasses for his students to use. Ray went to a shelf and pulled off a couple hundred that he'd bought for $1 at a flea market. I'm sure the look on his son's face was priceless to Ray!

Bruce
 
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I may have things I own but never use here and there around the shop...
But the real issue is owning so many things that my so-called friends would use but never own!

Thirty minutes on the mill might cost you nothing, but I paid for it, moved it, housed it, powered it, tooled it up, and maintained it for years, and in that time my money has leaked like oil all over the place! That thirty minutes is worth at least a pizza and a six pack, for frik's sake!
 
I have a similar problem Bruce. This past weekend I had a woodworking project using all half inch and 1X (.75") thick material. The entire project was built with biscuits and glue except a couple small decorative panels that I used some 1-1/8" screws, 4 screws total. When I went to get the screws I found I had 6 boxes one pound, 1 box 5 pound of them, some newer purchases and some really old boxes, all open. After laughing at myself I said, "no problem, I will just combine them into one". Nope, they were all full. Apparently I cant go to the depot without buying a box of 1-1/8" screws.
 
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