# At What Age Should You Quit Buying Tools?



## TOOLMASTER (Mar 6, 2016)

something to think about.


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## chips&more (Mar 6, 2016)

Age limit? What age limit? There is a lot more silly and worthless gimmick tools on the market today! Especially in the wood trade! The other will be in my garage and growing and until I check out.


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## RJSakowski (Mar 6, 2016)

71 and still buying!


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## jim18655 (Mar 6, 2016)

I'd say never. However, if you can't physically use it then don't buy it. I'm not sure I'd ever buy a jackhammer at 90.


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## tomh (Mar 6, 2016)

1 day after checkout


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## Tony Wells (Mar 6, 2016)

I may stop buying when I'm unable, but only when they throw dirt on my face will I stop looking and shopping.


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## Bill Gruby (Mar 6, 2016)

When they pry my wallet from my cold dead hands.

 "Billy G"


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## Mark in Indiana (Mar 6, 2016)

I think that I would be physically unable to ride (motorcycles) and drive before I quit.


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## wlburton (Mar 6, 2016)

If I quit I'm afraid Enco would go out of business, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for that!

The "profile" photo on the left is part of a wall full of tools for removing dents from brass musical instrument.  Even though I'm "mostly retired" after 37 years of repairing woodwind and brass band instruments in a music store, and have moved my shop into my home, I feel the need to keep buying (and making) tools for that as well.

Now (at age 67) I finally have time to learn how to use my elderly machine tools (with the assistance of you-tube and this forum).  This has involved buying a few more machines and gradually accumulating more and more tooling and metal as needed.  I don't enjoy travelling or going to bars or restaurants, so this is a good way to dispose of my disposable income.

  This is also the main reason I can't even conceive of moving into a condo or apartment--where would the tools go?  Someday I or someone else will have to deal with all these tools, but I'm not going to worry about that too much--it will sort itself out.

Bill


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## EmilioG (Mar 6, 2016)

Only when it becomes dangerous to you or others.


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## ELHEAD (Mar 6, 2016)

Q wise old uncle told me more than 40 years ago, " If you have a use for a tool buy it ! " Now in my later 60's I find that I still don't have near enough to do all I like to do. Woodworking, metal working, black smithing, fly tying , rod building, auto restoration and mechanics, not to mention gardening and yard / home maintenance, and that is only a partial list.


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## mulletmaster (Mar 6, 2016)

The day I am put into the ground. He who dies with the most wins ;-)


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## higgite (Mar 6, 2016)

Absolutely right. Whoever dies with the most toys wins. I'm taking no chances. I plan on winning.

Tom


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 6, 2016)

i don't know if i'll ever stop buying old tools.
maybe, if i can't use them anymore


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## n3480h (Mar 7, 2016)

higgite said:


> Absolutely right. Whoever dies with the most toys wins. I'm taking no chances. I plan on winning.
> 
> Tom



I've always reasoned that if I get to the point where I think there are no more tools or toys that I "need",  that last day cannot be far from me. In spite of the inevitability, there are far too many things left to build, shoot, ride and fly.

Tom


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## MikeWi (Mar 7, 2016)

All these answers are good, but the first thought that popped into my head was "when you stop needing tools".   Yeah, not going to happen.


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## Holescreek (Mar 7, 2016)

As giddy as new toys makes us feel, at some point they will (at least the big ones) become a burden for someone we actually care about.  If that doesn't bother you, by all means spend away.  I've had to handle 4 estates as an executor in the last 10 years and it's no fun at all.  Money won't matter to you since you're dead and it won't matter that much to your executor since they just want to get back to their life.  My kids don't have any interest in my shop or anything I've collected over the years so the wife and I have a saying. "It's going to be one hell of an auction someday!"


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## FOMOGO (Mar 7, 2016)

Time will tell, but no intention of slowing down anytime soon. Have had my son pick up a few Craigs list scores in Denver for me, and shipped him a few more purchases made on line while on the beach this winter. Will be like having Christmas again when I get home. Mike


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## Fabrickator (Mar 7, 2016)

When my wife quits buying shoes and clothes....

I guess that make me safe for a long while.


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## hermetic (Mar 7, 2016)

From a purely practical point of view, any older good quality tool you buy, be it a pair of blacksmiths tongs, or an older lathe will increase in value dramatically as time goes on, whilst the modern and especially the Chinese will lose money. You can always find someone who will pay for Quality. I will try my hardest never to stop, and by the time I do, I hope to have trained my kids to take over from me. I am bent on machine tool world DOMINATION!  Some of the best sigs I have seen are "One more tool, just one!" and  Better to have tools you don't need than need tools you don't have! 
Phil


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## dlane (Mar 7, 2016)

I'm about done now (no more room) for machines, consumables will keep coming tho


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## gi_984 (Mar 7, 2016)

What do you want to happen to your worldly possessions after you are gone?  This is a question I've been contemplating as well.  I'm just shy of 50.  And like Holes Creek, had to handle the estate sales of several family members and a friend.  It sucked and was frustrating.  It was a real challenge to accurately inventory and price everything fairly and then find buyers.   I would not want my wife dealing with this kind of stress and worry.  Plus I want to make sure we get a fair price for everything so she gets the money.
     My goal is to buy quality tools/tooling that I can use and enjoy.  But will stop when I determine I'm not going to get anymore real use out of them.  Comes down to my health and how I feel.  Could be 70, 80, 100?  I just don't know.  It is different for each of us.  The kids, nephews, etc. will of course be welcome to  pick what they would like to keep in the family.  I've encouraged them and they have spent some time with me in the shop.  But no real interest so far.  But who knows? 
     God willing, I'll have the opportunity to find good homes for everything while still alive and get a fair price for it.


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## Bill Gruby (Mar 7, 2016)

Mine already have a home once I'm gone. My sons will take them and keep them working. I could always will them to this Forum to be sent to new homes.

 "Billy G"


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## 4GSR (Mar 7, 2016)

I'm making up for all the years dad wouldn't buy the tools we needed or wanted!


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## Whyemier (Mar 7, 2016)

The year and age you pass on.


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## Terrywerm (Mar 9, 2016)

Every time that I think I've got all of the tools I will ever need, some new project comes up that requires that fancy "left handed inverted hypoid canabulator" that I never ever thought I would need to buy. Now I've go a whole bunch of them, and I doubt that the process will ever stop. Well, at least not until the inevitable happens.


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