# You know your a tool junkie when................



## alloy

You know you a tool junkie when...........

  You score and put them on here and someone from the UK says you officially suck

  You only go to garage sales that say tools in the CL listing

  You can' wait to get home to put your scores on here

  Your girlfriend says........Now what did you buy? How much did you pay for that? Do you really need that?


  You have 4 bottom tool chests and 3 top ones, and you want another top one because the 4th  one looks naked with no top box on it

  You stay up late bead blasting and painting your new (old) vise and post pics of it on here

  You work for 2 months scraping grease, cleaning, sanding, and painting a $1300 Bridgeport and when your done with it the spot on the floor where it was looks empty and your looking for a new project to put there

  You by a portable band saw for $20 and find it needs $30 worth of repair parts and still think you scored


  I'm sure I'll come up with more as time goes along


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## Andre

You have duplicates of tools, to keep the originals in pristine condition.


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## PatMiles

You're in the shop working with said tools at 3:00 am, in your pajamas, on a project you woke up thinking about.
Don't laugh... I've done it.


Pat


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## alloy

PatMiles said:


> You're in the shop working with said tools at 3:00 am, in your pajamas, on a project you woke up thinking about.
> Don't laugh... I've done it.
> 
> 
> Pat



I just read this to my GF.  She said it sounds like something I'd do.  She says my "wheels" are always turning


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## zmotorsports

PatMiles said:


> You're in the shop working with said tools at 3:00 am, in your pajamas, on a project you woke up thinking about.
> Don't laugh... I've done it.
> 
> 
> Pat



Yep, been there done that.  Something finally "clicked" and woke me up.  Then out to the shop to complete.

You also know you are a tool junkie when the wife sees the VISA charges and says "your cut off".:nono:


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## alloy

zmotorsports said:


> You also know you are a tool junkie when the wife sees the VISA charges and says "your cut off".:nono:



That's why I have my own PayPal account funded by my Ebay sales :rubbinghands:


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## GarageGuy

You don't know why you want a particular tool, or even when you will use it, but you still want it anyway!  Yeah... I got it bad.

GG


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## middle.road

--- You raise the lower portion of the back seat of your truck and there is part of your haul from an estate sale,,, 
     (3) weeks ago, and you forgot about it...

--- Spending hours restoring an old tool gives you great satisfaction.

--- At estate/garage sales, you go through the same boxes a half a dozen times each to be sure you didn't miss anything.

--- You drift off at night thinking about how to squeeze another cubic foot of space out of your shop...

--- You hear about an auction on HM that you missed that was held 20 mins from your home, and you mope around for days...

--- You see a listing in the CL section that is 600 miles away and you try to figure out some way, any way to get to it or procure it.

--- You have a handful of certain favorite tools that you've had since forever and when you misplace one you will spend hours looking for it.

--- You turn comatose when you here from someone at work that they dumped off all of Granddad's shop stuff at the local thrift store.

and if you're lucky,
--- Your S.O. txt's you picts from a sale and scores you an unusual piece that you _don't_ have in your collection.


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## Tool-in-the-Box

You collect tooling for a machine you don't even own yet.


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## chips&more

When you have 10 lifetimes of tools, projects and your garage has more square footage than your house and filled up to the top of the rafters with crap….and you only have 1 lifetime to do something about it.


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## middle.road

Tool-in-the-Box said:


> You collect tooling for a machine you don't even own yet.


So that's whats in all those milk crates...



chips&more said:


> When you have 10 lifetimes of tools, projects and your garage has more square footage than your house and filled up to the top of the rafters with crap….and you only have 1 lifetime to do something about it.


Wait - your shop has more space than the house? - you lucky dog!


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## alloy

When you look at every single ad this morning on CL that lists tools and can't even find one worth going to.

So now I have to work on my "honey do" list. :-(


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## Don B

When you see a tool in an Add/Flea Market/Yard Sale wherever, and your immediately convinced you can't live without it, but when you woke up that morning you didn't even know you needed one of those)


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## Mark in Indiana

1. You give each piece of equipment a name.

2. When you sell a tool, your first concern is if it will go to a good home.

3. You feel like you truely saved the world when you buy a piece of equipment that would have gone to the scrap yard.

4. You spend hours on the internet researching for information about the tool that you just bought...like geneology.

5. You begin to truly believe that: "No tool is truely happy unless it is used and loved by a craftsman."

6. You scratch your head in dis-belief when you meet someone that doesn't have a milling machine in his garage.



All Joking aside, these 3 I'm guilty of:

1. Saturday morning yard sales...If I don't see any signs of tools, it becomes a drive by. So time isn't wasted on getting to a good sale.

2. At least twice a day, check CL.

3. At least once a day, check the Hobby-Machinist and other tool forums.



Happy trails!


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## zmotorsports

Mark in Indiana said:


> 1. You give each piece of equipment a name.
> 
> 2. When you sell a tool, your first concern is if it will go to a good home.
> 
> 3. You feel like you truely saved the world when you buy a piece of equipment that would have gone to the scrap yard.
> 
> 4. You spend hours on the internet researching for information about the tool that you just bought...like geneology.
> 
> 5. You begin to truly believe that: "No tool is truely happy unless it is used and loved by a craftsman."
> 
> 6. You scratch your head in dis-belief when you meet someone that doesn't have a milling machine in his garage.
> 
> 
> 
> All Joking aside, these 3 I'm guilty of:
> 
> 1. Saturday morning yard sales...If I don't see any signs of tools, it becomes a drive by. So time isn't wasted on getting to a good sale.
> 
> 2. At least twice a day, check CL.
> 
> 3. At least once a day, check the Hobby-Machinist and other tool forums.
> 
> 
> 
> Happy trails!




Those were AWESOME!!!  I had to read them to my wife and she wondered if I wrote them.:roflmao:


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## timvercoe

I wanted to reply with quotes to everything written here, but decided a general reply was enough.  So have you guys been following me around?  Recording my activities?  Only to post them here?  I have a definition to add to the comments:  Do you know the definition of a mechanic?  A mechanic is a tool junkie, a means of supporting and justifying his addiction.  A machine shop is the ultimate tool junkie fantasy, there is always a better tool. 

Tim


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## Don B

Mark in Indiana said:


> All Joking aside, these 3 I'm guilty of:
> 
> 1. Saturday morning yard sales...If I don't see any signs of tools, it becomes a drive by. So time isn't wasted on getting to a good sale.



LOL, I'm so guilty of this one, if I notice a yard sale before my wife and it looks like there's only clothing and ornaments I do my best to distract her in the hopes she won't see it, and if I do have to stop I just sit in the truck sending her telepathic messages to hurry up thinking I'm missing a deal up the road)


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## Hawkeye

Want the ultimate test? There are way too many guys on here that know exactly what I'm saying, and I hope no one else ever understands. BTW, no tears on this keyboard. Here goes ...

You think about a tool in the shop in your burned-out house and wonder, "Can they clean that, or will they scrap it?" e.g. Starrett sliding square that came from the neighbour's garage sale. The lineman's pliers that your first boss in the trade gave you. And especially, the Mitutoyo micrometers. :veryscared:


Yup. I'm a tool junkie.




The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)


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## rebush

You buy a piece of equipment to upgrade what you already have. You justify your purchase by thinking what you could sell the old equipment for. When someone comes to the shop and sees you have two and ask if you want to sell one. You answer " Hell no. Why would I want to do that? "


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## Mark in Indiana

You talk to your tools.......they talk back to you......your wife walks into your garage and interrupts your intellectual conversation with...your tools.


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## Bishop

I was using my shaper just last night and she spoke to me. She said the even though I was buying a newer, bigger, stronger shaper in better shape, she would promise to never complain and would take whatever menial task I gave her and due the job as quick and pretty as she could with never a complaint. She only asked that I don't sell her to someone who will never oil her, feed her sticky grease instead and would turn there back instead of standing mesmerized by the beauty of the work she was doing!

What could I possibly say to that, I had to tell her there was more than enough room for two shapers in the shop and she could stay ) I'm a sucker for tool talk. 

Shawn


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## Mark in Indiana

Normal people keep pictures of family and friends stored on their smart phones. Tool junkies keep pictures of their tools and projects stored on their smart phones.


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## zmotorsports

My wife borrowed a screwdriver on Saturday and when she returned it and put it in the drawer, I asked if she put it back in correctly.  She said she put it where she found it.

I walked to the drawer and noticed that it was indeed in the correct drawer but it was not in the exact spot it goes and it was not facing the correct direction.

When she questioned my behavior, I told her I knew that something wasn't right because there was a disturbance in the force, I could feel the tools weren't "happy".

I don't think she saw the humor that I did.


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## Don B

zmotorsports said:


> My wife borrowed a screwdriver on Saturday.



Those are the most horrifying words my wife can utter "where is the screwdriver/hammer/wrench" besides the fact I'll never see that tool again until I happen on it when I'm looking for something else, I just know I'm going to be fixing something.


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## zmotorsports

Don B said:


> Those are the most horrifying words my wife can utter "where is the screwdriver/hammer/wrench" besides the fact I'll never see that tool again until I happen on it when I'm looking for something else, I just know I'm going to be fixing something.



Yep, it shot a tingle down my spine when she asked but in all honesty it was easier to just point to the toolbox and let her get it herself.  Although afterwards giving her crap about not putting it back in the right place and not facing the correct direction, I think she will think twice before asking next time.

I did make the mistake of asking her if I go into the kitchen and rearrange all of her things.:veryscared:  Hind sight, that probably wasn't the best thing to say.


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## John Hasler

My wife has her own tools that I am not allowed to touch.  I wouldn't use them anyway because I'd never be able to find anything in what looks to me like a random mound of stuff.  However, she can always put her hand on what she needs on the first try and always somehow puts it back right where it was.


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## mzayd3

my wife also has a set of her own tools.  they are so cheap that I refuse to use them.


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## Don B

John Hasler said:


> My wife has her own tools that I am not allowed to touch.



I tried that for a few years when we where first married, that didn't go well, about 30 years ago that tool box mysteriously disappeared in one of our moves, I've always been a prime suspect but there was to many people involved in the move to come up with anything more than circumstantial evidence.
But in my defense have you ever tried to remove 4 screws that have no discernible/recognizable heads left on them, not to to mention the 12 holes that need repairing, that dam tool box was costing me to much work and time, I really had no choice.


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## John Hasler

I daren't try that: half my tools came from Robin's father.  Besides, she's quite able to use them.  She did all the maintenence in a small apartment building for years.

She won't use power tools any more though.


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## hman

Mark in Indiana said:


> 1. Saturday morning yard sales...If I don't see any signs of tools, it becomes a drive by. So time isn't wasted on getting to a good sale.



Here in the Phoenix area, yard and garage sales tend to start early on Friday morning.  And between the early-bird scavengers and the heat of the day, if you're not there by 11AM, you're totally SOL.  Makes it kinda hard for a lazy/night-owl/late-rising retiree like me


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## Mark in Indiana

While visiting in a city across the country from home, I'm looking up CL in the area where I'm at for tools, and monitoring the CL ads back home.

Do I need help? :nuts:


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## silence dogood

You know that you are a tool junkie when you  beg your wife  to take her to the fabric store so you can go to the near-by Harbor Freight store.
Mark:nuts:


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## middle.road

Hi, my name is Dan & I haven't check CL in two days...

I certainly received my come comeuppance with Honey visiting family in KC and I teased her that I'd be checking CL out there and 
sure enough there was that Mill that popped up that Stonghold scored. If only the FIL had moved quicker. (hehe)
That should teach me... Of course retrieving a big hefty mill from KC would have cost a bit in time and money.
And it worked out for the best, the In-laws won't be following Danielle back here. They're going to head home to Colorado instead...  hew:


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## CNCMAN

This is good stuff. I'm going through some tooling I got when I got my lathes. Of course its unrelated to my lathe, totally useless to me...and I still cant toss it.
 		 			 				:makingdecision:


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## Mark in Indiana

Denial is one of the first symptoms. 

Tool Junky Husband to wife: "Honey, I didn't buy it for myself. It was at a price that I couldn't refuse. I plan to sell it and make ten times my money." 
3 years later, the tool is still in the garage...still being played with...never sold.


Seriously, that's one of _*my*_ occupational hazards of flipping tools.



Happy Trails (or tools)!


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## chuckorlando

I had no idea selling tools was part of the equation.... I will have to sit on this concept a few years and ponder this. For now I will keep all 10 of my pliers


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## Fabrickator

You know when you're a tool junkie when you walk through a tool store or catalog and can't find anything that you really need.  Oh sure, there may still be a few things that you'd like to have, but upon checking your shop, you already have _*one or two*_ and didn't even remember them.

My wife hates Christmas time because we can't figure out what to buy me.  I just ask for CREDIT in case something comes up during the year.


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## SG51Buss

My grandfather was a tool junkie.

My father was a tool junkie.

Now I have it all.



It's not enough.



Must be genetic.

A proud and (*grunt*) rewarding heritage...


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## mcostello

Wow how fortunate to have to have ancestors do the collecting and saving for You.:thumbzup3:


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## Bob Korves

"You have 4 bottom tool chests and 3 top ones, and you want another top one because the 4th  one looks naked with no top box on it"

My fourth bottom tool chest has a surface plate on top...  But a Gerstner could probably fit in there somewhere!
-Bob Korves (prepared for all previous emergencies and working on being prepared for all possible future ones)


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## Wdnich

When you hit an estate sale with the intent of turning some things around to buy much needed items, get everything home, and don't want to part with it. Even though you already have 3 or 4 of the same item, just a different manufacturer.


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## mws

You buy a junker "tool name here" for missing parts to fix the one you have and end up duplicating the parts and fixing them both.  Neither of which you really needed in the first place. 

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one being drawn out of bed in the wee hours by the light bulb in my head.


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## mws

zmotorsports said:


> My wife borrowed a screwdriver on Saturday and when she returned it and put it in the drawer, I asked if she put it back in correctly.  She said she put it where she found it.
> 
> I walked to the drawer and noticed that it was indeed in the correct drawer but it was not in the exact spot it goes and it was not facing the correct direction.
> 
> When she questioned my behavior, I told her I knew that something wasn't right because there was a disturbance in the force, I could feel the tools weren't "happy".
> 
> I don't think she saw the humor that I did.



I have three boys 8, 10 and 12 with the tools affliction and a wife who's a fair tool hand herself. To protect my investment they ALL have their own tool boxes each stocked with whatever tools they need/use.  I'll NEVER tell them they can't get this or that tool if they want it.  Ask to borrow a tool in my house and you'll get 5 of them.  We need serious help, don't we?


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## John Hasler

I'd say you're in a position to give serious help.  You're doing it right.


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## alloy

When you find a 1-1/4" carbide insert rougher in the scrap at work and all that's wrong with it is that one of the screw heads holding an insert broke off. You spend 2 hours digging the screw out and your so proud of yourself for saving such an expensive cutter body. 


It doesn't matter you have no way to hold a 1-1/4" cutter in your Bridgeport, and even if you could hold it you don't have enough power to really use it. What matters is that you saved a tool from the scrap heap.


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## GA Gyro

PatMiles said:


> You're in the shop working with said tools at 3:00 am, in your pajamas, on a project you woke up thinking about.
> Don't laugh... I've done it.
> 
> 
> Pat



I imagine that describes more of us than we are willing to admit to...


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## GA Gyro

Hawkeye said:


> Want the ultimate test? There are way too many guys on here that know exactly what I'm saying, and I hope no one else ever understands. BTW, no tears on this keyboard. Here goes ...
> 
> You think about a tool in the shop in your burned-out house and wonder, "Can they clean that, or will they scrap it?" e.g. Starrett sliding square that came from the neighbour's garage sale. The lineman's pliers that your first boss in the trade gave you. And especially, the Mitutoyo micrometers. :veryscared:
> 
> 
> Yup. I'm a tool junkie.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)



Best one I have read so far... 

And yes... keeping the Lord in the tool perspective helps to balance an addiction...


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## GA Gyro

When you drive by the metal recycling place, you look with contempt at the folks lined up to sell 'scrap'...


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## zmotorsports

mws said:


> I have three boys 8, 10 and 12 with the tools affliction and a wife who's a fair tool hand herself. To protect my investment they ALL have their own tool boxes each stocked with whatever tools they need/use.  I'll NEVER tell them they can't get this or that tool if they want it.  Ask to borrow a tool in my house and you'll get 5 of them.  *We need serious help, don't we?*



Yes, you do.:whistle:


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## zmotorsports

You know your a tool junkie when you browse the machining sites looking for ideas for shop made tools in the situation that you "MIGHT" need it some day.


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## darkzero

Look at all my custom flashlights, I can't sell a single one.....I love tools more! 
My brothers & friends say I have issues but I have no idea what they mean. :nuts:


*

*


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## alloy

darkzero said:


> Look at all my custom flashlights, I can't sell a single one.....I love tools more!
> My brothers & friends say I have issues but I have no idea what they mean. :nuts:



Have you ever considered the possibility that they are the ones with "issues"?


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## darkzero

alloy said:


> Have you ever considered the possibility that they are the ones with "issues"?



Haha, I like that, that is exactly what I'm going to tell them next time!


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## GA Gyro

alloy said:


> Have you ever considered the possibility that they are the ones with "issues"?





darkzero said:


> Haha, I like that, that is exactly what I'm going to tell them next time!



I agree... THEY have the issues... :nono:

And just for fun... are any of them enthusiastic about a hobby or self employed... If not... well... :allgood:


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## kd4gij

I am not a tool junkie. I can quit anytime I wan't, I do not have to have every good deal that comes along. I could pass up a yard sale or toole sale if I wanteded to.

Honest. For real Of corse I can. 











 You are buying this RIGHT!


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## GA Gyro

Yeah, I can quit buying tools any time I decide to...  :bitingnails:

I just have not decided to... :makingdecision:


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## rmsflorida

Your seventh lathe ..A Standard Modern20/36X60  sliding bed lathe ...sitting on the trailer.... back up to the house garage. (since there's no more room in the shop)
Your bride comes out  looks at you .. and then ..the machine on the trailer.. 
You said to you Bride (like a kid with a found puppy ) "It followed me home ..Can I keep it ?" 
Her reply "It's dirty....OK.. you can keep it... but I'll clean it up"
She spent 5 days clean and polishing it .

And you know that BOTH are keepers.!

Robbie


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## GarageGuy

rmsflorida said:


> Your bride comes out  looks at you .. and then ..the machine on the trailer..
> You said to you Bride (like a kid with a found puppy ) "It followed me home ..Can I keep it ?"
> Her reply "It's dirty....OK.. you can keep it... but I'll clean it up"
> She spent 5 days clean and polishing it .



I've fantasized about women like that, but I didn't know they really existed!  Yes, a definite keeper.

GG


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## GK1918

I just have been advised by the General that I need adult supervision cause you all know women can see through concrete, so she sees I blew $100 bucks on a thread micrometer,
with all the anvils..  Her like a grade teachers question, as what I been doing for the last 50ys with no thread mic?  My answer = I'm not about to get in a contest with ya, just
hand me the dunce cap!   (this was yesterday when she beat me to the mailbox)

sam


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## mcostello

Flashlight envy rears it's ugly head. Have 46 from HF.:whistle:


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## alloy

rmsflorida said:


> Your bride comes out  looks at you .. and then ..the machine on the trailer..
> You said to you Bride (like a kid with a found puppy ) "It followed me home ..Can I keep it ?"
> Her reply "It's dirty....OK.. you can keep it... but I'll clean it up"
> She spent 5 days clean and polishing it .
> 
> And you know that BOTH are keepers.!
> 
> Robbie



You are a lucky man indeed.

My lady is much the same.  We went to a swap met this last weekend to show my transmission conversions.  And on the way we hit 4 wrecking yards and I found 2 transmissions to buy.  She pulled the shifter boot and shifter while I was underneath pulling the trans.  She loves going to places like that.  Calls it an adventure 

And the entire weekend she was there a the swap meet with me in our booth.  Didn't complain even once.


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## alloy

When you buy a tig welder today for $600 and you have never tig welded before, but it looks like fun to learn to use it.


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## alloy

When last night at 8:21 pm a tool sale ad came up on CL for 8 am today,  and you kick yourself for making that front end alignment appointment  for 8 today.  Never mind that you spent $600 for new tires last week and  you know your front end is out............you still consider cancelling  the appointment. But reason (and your GF reminding you about that $600  you just spent) takes over and you go to get the alignment.   But all the while you are waiting you know there are deals slipping  through your fingers.

So you race 24 miles to the sale wishing  the slow drivers had enough brains to stay in the right lane and get the  finally.  The sale isn't as big as the pics make it out to be, but still  some decent stuff there.

A Milwaukee deep cut portable band saw for  $50.....................hmmm.............I have a portable band saw.   But this one is a deep cut and you tell yourself they go for $150 on CL  all day long.  So I grab it.  Then spot a new 1/2" x 20 Helicoil kit for  $2. Do I need this...........heck.........for $2 I can't pass it up.   Then there is the valve spring compressor for $4, and the American made  wire strippers for $3.  My strippers have a big  wide jaw at the tip,  these are thin.  Then there is the 1/4" die grinder for $5 with the roll  lock setup on it.  

I get home with my booty and my GF says you  already have a saw like that.  I say but dear it's a deep cut and mine  isn't.  She wasn't' impressed.  Oh well............I'm the tool junkie not  her and I'm the one standing on my feet 10 hours a day running VMC's  making the money to buy my toys.

It was a good day 



Twins


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## Andre

Your a tool junkie when you have two working (*Working!*) lathes and are looking for another......


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## Dranreb

When you come across this just sitting there and it's yours for a few notes, you have no need or room for it and no desire to restore it, but it keeps nagging at you and won't stop!




Bernard


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## SG51Buss

That would make an interesting  ....erm..... mailbox holder.

That should stave-off the urge to restore it...


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## george wilson

Speaking of mail box holders,I lost 2 mailboxes from idiots cutting the corner too close. Well,one guy claimed he was avoiding a pack of dogs. I don't believe that. I moved the mailbox farther from the corner,and made a mailbox holder from solid 2 1/2" square steel. It was VERY heavy. Had to carry it out on a hand truck and set it in concrete. Let the idiots hit THIS one!!!!!


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## Micke S

When you go out to buy some food and comes home with a pouch with 12 small screw drivers for 80 dollars :shopping:
I may be excused to some extent by only having low quality screw drivers in these sizes that becomes damaged or damage thing the first time they are used. Wera tools are based in Germany and if the tools are made there or at some other place under their control you know they are top notch.

You never regret buying high quality stuff, which usually costs substantially more than items that are primarily fabricated to be cheep and sold in mass quantities. The problems comes with cheep-silliness.


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## road

Mark in Indiana said:


> You talk to your tools.......they talk back to you......your wife walks into your garage and interrupts your intellectual conversation with...your tools.





OMG   I Do This Too ! 

Some times I think ONLY my tool understand me ...


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## alloy

Andre said:


> Your a tool junkie when you have two working (*Working!*) lathes and are looking for another......



Well if you bought just one more lathe  that wouldn't be an even number.


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## chips&more

george wilson said:


> Speaking of mail box holders,I lost 2 mailboxes from idiots cutting the corner too close. Well,one guy claimed he was avoiding a pack of dogs. I don't believe that. I moved the mailbox farther from the corner,and made a mailbox holder from solid 2 1/2" square steel. It was VERY heavy. Had to carry it out on a hand truck and set it in concrete. Let the idiots hit THIS one!!!!!



Sorry, but the idiots will find a way, Murphy says so! I bet your mail box is the best looking one on the block!


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## alloy

When you finally get that 4th top box you wanted..............don't need but wanted


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## road

How about being 1 hour late for work just to pick up a great deal on another Drill press.  
Or  calling your buddy to ask him to go pick something for you while your still in the office !   

That's a best friend !


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## alloy

When I found my Bridgeport I took off in the middle of the day to look at it, then took the next day off to go get it.  I didn't want to wait and possibly find parts missing off it after I paid for it.

I probably paid too much for the tool box today, but I wanted it.

I missed an Ellis 1600 saw yesterday for $175.  It's a $3k saw new. He never called me back :-(


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## GA Gyro

Scored a toolbox today...

Was at the Harbor Freight store... looking to spend the 25% off coupon I had.  

Was looking at this toolbox:
http://www.harborfreight.com/30-in-...iMTY5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9p
ZCI6IjEwNDA5In0=

Planning to remove the toolbox from the cart, and mount it under the chip pan on my lathe when it gets here...
Talked to the sales guy... he asked me to come back to the stockroom.  He had one with the lid bent up... and the drawer lock pins (that lock the drawers when the lid is down) were messed up. He offered it to me for $75... took it.
For my use... I am gonna cut the top off, so the dented part and the lock pins do not matter.

I had been looking for an 'under the workbench' toolbox... they are all but non-existent... 
Decided this was too good a deal to pass up.

Now if Matt will just get the lathe here... <grin>


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## dave2176

Andre said:


> Your a tool junkie when you have two working (*Working!*) lathes and are looking for another......



I have 4 working lathes and am hopeful #5 comes around. :rubbinghands:
Dave


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## Reeltor

george wilson said:


> Speaking of mail box holders,I lost 2 mailboxes from idiots cutting the corner too close. Well,one guy claimed he was avoiding a pack of dogs. I don't believe that. I moved the mailbox farther from the corner,and made a mailbox holder from solid 2 1/2" square steel. It was VERY heavy. Had to carry it out on a hand truck and set it in concrete. Let the idiots hit THIS one!!!!!



Slight thread jack, George your post reminded me when I was a kid in high school.  In the early hours of Friday nights we would walk home from where ever and our track took us on "snake hill" a very curvy residential street where the houses had overly large front yards.  Every Friday someone cut the curve, smashed the mailbox with a bat and tore up the yard.  This happened 6 weeks in a row.  One night there were a number of police cars and a wrecker at the house.  The owner buried a steel teeter-totter/seesaw in the yard so that when a car drove across the yard the weight of the car on the pivot point would drive 2 steel bars up through the grass and they ripped the rear axle off the car.  45 years ago it was what the kid deserved, if it happened today I'm sure the owner would be in jail.
I hope no one minds the thread jack

Mike


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## dave2176

Reeltor said:


> Slight thread jack, George your post reminded me when I was a kid in high school.  In the early hours of Friday nights we would walk home from where ever and our track took us on "snake hill" a very curvy residential street where the houses had overly large front yards.  Every Friday someone cut the curve, smashed the mailbox with a bat and tore up the yard.  This happened 6 weeks in a row.  One night there were a number of police cars and a wrecker at the house.  The owner buried a steel teeter-totter/seesaw in the yard so that when a car drove across the yard the weight of the car on the pivot point would drive 2 steel bars up through the grass and they ripped the rear axle off the car.  45 years ago it was what the kid deserved, if it happened today I'm sure the owner would be in jail.
> I hope no one minds the thread jack
> 
> Mike



And the kid would be the victim somehow. A friend of mine would get his mailbox destroyed by a baseball bat. His fix was a heavy steel plate box mounted on a large diameter thick wall pipe held in the ground by several hundred pounds of concrete. One morning there was the remnants of a shattered bat by the mail box but he doesn't have anymore mailbox problems.
Dave


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## GA Gyro

Reeltor said:


> Slight thread jack, George your post reminded me when I was a kid in high school.  In the early hours of Friday nights we would walk home from where ever and our track took us on "snake hill" a very curvy residential street where the houses had overly large front yards.  Every Friday someone cut the curve, smashed the mailbox with a bat and tore up the yard.  This happened 6 weeks in a row.  One night there were a number of police cars and a wrecker at the house.  The owner buried a steel teeter-totter/seesaw in the yard so that when a car drove across the yard the weight of the car on the pivot point would drive 2 steel bars up through the grass and they ripped the rear axle off the car.  *45 years ago it was what the kid deserved, if it happened today I'm sure the owner would be in jail.*
> I hope no one minds the thread jack
> 
> Mike





dave2176 said:


> And the kid would be the victim somehow. A friend of mine would get his mailbox destroyed by a baseball bat. *His fix was a heavy steel plate box mounted on a large diameter thick wall pipe held in the ground by several hundred pounds of concrete.* One morning there was the remnants of a shattered bat by the mail box but he doesn't have anymore mailbox problems.
> Dave



In the state of GA... that would be referred to legally as a 'booby trap'... which is illegal and will get you may years in jail.  

If memory serves... there was a case taken to court years ago (do not remember which state); similar to the second quoted post above; The high school kid's dad was an atty and tried to sue because his kid got a broken finger or wrist or something... from the recoil of the bat hitting an immovable object.
Judge threw out the case.


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## middle.road

......when nice weather breaks and you finally get back into the garage/shop to start going through all the stuff that has piled up 
in the only open area of floor space, and you realize that you have goodies from an estate sale that you picked up in October.
Kinda like Christmas in March.


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## brav65

You consider taking some precious time away from your shop to make up a sign that says "*will work for tools*" but decide that you can't afford to be away from your babies long enough to be worth while.


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## Ulma Doctor

Andre said:


> Your a tool junkie when you have two working (*Working!*) lathes and are looking for another......



Andre, it gets worse....... i have more than 2 and still look at CL and EBay everyday
i buy them broken or get them given to me, it really is a sickness- but i'm not seeking treatment


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## The Liberal Arts Garage

Andre said:


> You have duplicates of tools, to keep the originals in pristine condition.


Sick, Sick, Sick.  Turn in your 7-cell 1942 flashlight.


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## brav65

You know your a tool junkie when on Saturday night after your work/fun is done for the day you take a relaxing beverage out to the shop to look at all your toys and ponder solution to various challenges you are having with the 1001 projects in various stages of completion.... TV sucks and this is so much more relaxing, in fact I am doing it now!


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## 4GSR

Went to a estate sale yesterday and came home with about 20 lbs of drills, taps, endmills, rex95, etc., plus a Palmgren 8 rotary table.
Bad part of it is I have tons of drills, taps, and endmills already!


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## mws

GA Gyro said:


> In the state of GA... that would be referred to legally as a 'booby trap'... which is illegal and will get you may years in jail.
> 
> If memory serves... there was a case taken to court years ago (do not remember which state); similar to the second quoted post above; The high school kid's dad was an atty and tried to sue because his kid got a broken finger or wrist or something... from the recoil of the bat hitting an immovable object.
> Judge threw out the case.



The best case of mailbox vandal revenge I know of was in Connecticut.  A fellow in one neighborhood being plagued with mailbox vandals placed a box about 1" thick, 5 or so inches high and the length of the mailbox on the right side of his mailbox.  Inside the box was a big plastic bag full of a strong solution of Methylene Blue with a zip lock opening facing the street.  After a week or so, his mailbox was hit. The next day he called the police to report the incident and told them to call the local school Principals and inquire if any students arrived with a blue face or hands. They did, there was, and there were no further smashed mailboxes.  Harmless and effective.


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## Firestopper

When you out grow your first 1300 sf  in 16 years and put your babies in a 3200 sf so they can breathe. We hate crowds! 
Wife ...."you left the music on in your shop"
Me...  "The machines like the song"
Wife..."and the lights are on"
Me...  "they don't like the dark"
 you get it.....right? Haha


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## Cactus Farmer

But ,your honor, I'm a welder and tend to make sturdy things. No booby trap was intended.........hehehehehehehehe


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## GA Gyro

Cactus Farmer said:


> But ,your honor, I'm a welder and tend to make sturdy things. No booby trap was intended.........hehehehehehehehe



Yeah... that should work.

The problem, IMO, is when the 'design' crosses over from 'sturdy' to 'offensive'... as in the mailbox kicks back and causes injury.  

I like the blue idea.... kids will understand that well...


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## mcostello

Best mailbox revenge was, A coworker's mailbox was getting smashed and pushed over every couple of days, His Dad owned a junkyard and suggested auto coil springs as a replacement mail box post. They installed the post and decided to make a custom mailbox out of 1/4" plate, dug a small hole along side the mailbox figuring the driver would see it and go elsewhere. A week or so later while eating supper at 5:30 they heard several dongs coming from the road. Looked out and a truck tried to push the post over and got stuck. The mailbox got revenge and dinged the hood as it was spring mounted. They watched from the house, perpetrators knew they were seen, no one volunteered to help dig them out, had to do it on their own. Problem solved, revenge enacted was self induced, hurts more.


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## 18w

You know your a "old" tool junkie when you read this thread and think "damn I thought this was going to be about tools not mailboxes." 

Darrell


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## 4GSR

While we are on a tangent, dad had a old worn out 16" 4-jaw chuck.  We talked about using it for a base for his mailbox.  Decided that might be too much.  Later buried a 6" wood post about 4 foot  in the ground.  As far as I know, no one has hit to this day!  I guess a 6" wood post is more noticeable???


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## The Liberal Arts Garage

18w said:


> You know your a "old" tool junkie when you read this thread and think "damn I thought this was going to be about tools not mailboxes."
> 
> Darrell


From  New Hampshire, where Forgiveness is rare and formal, where backyard metal
Engineering reaches its highest form, we invent the most Devilish mailbox mounts,
I offer you  a salute..........BLJHB


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## 4GSR

What do you do when you run out of room for tools and machines and you still find things to buy?


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## T Bredehoft

Never mind the 1/4 in mailbox...

You loose sleep at night, designing tooling for your next project. (no stock on hand, etc. ) Then the next day, you are awaiting a call back, can't run the shop till the phone call is over. (that's right now)


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## Grumpy Gator

Never had any problems with mine. A lot of people stop and take it's picture though. LMAO.**G**


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## GA Gyro

How about lets be careful with that 'old' tool junkie thing... 

Just kidding... too many years have piled up... not to worry...


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## 18w

T Bredehoft said:


> Never mind the 1/4 in mailbox...
> 
> You loose sleep at night, designing tooling for your next project. (no stock on hand, etc. ) Then the next day, you are awaiting a call back, can't run the shop till the phone call is over. (that's right now)





GA Gyro said:


> How about lets be careful with that 'old' tool junkie thing...
> 
> Just kidding... too many years have piled up... not to worry...




Me too John! But as they say "age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm!" That is why if I was in a bind for some material like T Bredehoft, I would be out cutting up some of those mailboxes!   

Darrell


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## GA Gyro

18w said:


> Me too John! But as they say "age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm!" That is why if I was in a bind for some material like T Bredehoft, I would be out cutting up some of those mailboxes!
> 
> Darrell



I DEFINITELY like your style... <grin>


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## JimDawson

Tool-in-the-Box said:


> You collect tooling for a machine you don't even own yet.



Man, does that ever hit home.


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## Cactus Farmer

I do this all the time, life is boring without planning ahead. Inserts for "new" cutting tools, Cat 40 tools for the #2 Milwaukee mill, ect. I just found a 13X40 Accra-Turn lathe with CXA tool block and a D-1-5 spindle. Why did I NOT collect these parts?


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## 4GSR

Tool-in-the-Box said:


> You collect tooling for a machine you don't even own yet.



You do that too!!!


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## alloy

They were free...................what can I say


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## atlas ten

Did sell my second watchmaker lathe only to buy my second atlas 10f. But the value of the accessories was worth more than the purchase price alone. Now to find the time and materials to make my own tools. Someday i will get all my tools together and put away. Maybe even take them out of the boxes.
Jack


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## taycat

mws said:


> I have three boys 8, 10 and 12 with the tools affliction and a wife who's a fair tool hand herself. To protect my investment they ALL have their own tool boxes each stocked with whatever tools they need/use.  I'll NEVER tell them they can't get this or that tool if they want it.  Ask to borrow a tool in my house and you'll get 5 of them.  We need serious help, don't we?



my 6yr old girl as her own tool box.
got given a unimat sl lathe as restoration project which she as claimed as hers, cos it's right size for her.
as even got daddy time clothes that are covered in oil stains etc.
my 7yr old boy as own tools as well, but is more into welding / shaping metal.
this is bike he did lot of welding on.


	

		
			
		

		
	
 he did some of turning on lathe to make brake disc holder.


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## taycat

your mate works at charity shop and brings you all the gooseneck lights as it would cost more to get them certified safe for sale than they would get.
i use them to make chip guard holders, magnifying lens holders and numerous other bits.
also at boot sale your youngest kids are rummaging through boxes for tools, and ignoring the toy's.


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## G MORSCH

Between my three sons and me, there are four lathes to feed and three mills.  We are always hungry and scrounging for another meal and just maybe some sweet desert!  

Stay hungry my friends!

Gary


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## Mark in Indiana

You use your precision level to set the level of the closet shoe shelf that you built for your wife.


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## GA Gyro

Mark in Indiana said:


> You use your precision level to set the level of the closet shoe shelf that you built for your wife.




Yes indeed... the TJ got to use his tool...
Yet the wifey subtly got to see a use for the tool also... which was a VERY good choice IMO...


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## kd4gij

I am not a tool junkie. I can quit buying tools whenever I wan't. Do not listen to my wife.  I can quit! 












You do buy that right?


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## kvt

I can quit,   I just have the wife buy them,   Doesn't that count as quitting.


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## Cactus Farmer

Talking about wife's, I have mine do all my "dickering". She can get deals that elude me. We went to a local "Old Sorehead Days" event and the piece I wanted was quoted at $50. I passed and ask her to see what he wanted for it. She bought it for $5! I learned my lesson that day. She does ALL the deal making............beats me every time. PS> I love my wife, she has her own tool shed and knows how to use 'em too...........


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## kvt

Yea,   The wife keeps purchasing tools for her,   But then some how they disappear on her.   then she has to find some new ones,   Problem is I can only get by with that on small items.


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## planeflyer21

You know you're a tool junkie when you use the tool you just bought as a prototype, for your new improved version you build.


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## GA Gyro

planeflyer21 said:


> You know you're a tool junkie when you use the tool you just bought as a prototype, for your new improved version you build.



Hey... I resemble that remark...


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## middle.road

...when on a Saturday morning you're sitting at the 'puter, sipping coffee and reading this thread and you stare over at the Unimat that is wrapped up in a plastic tub and 
you're trying to convince yourself that it is time to sell it to finance other tools. It's been in that tub for over (4) months now. 
I've been contemplating selling it for over a year, but after 20 years, it's like it is a member of the family almost...


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## KBeitz

You know you're a tool junkie when ............

You start out taking 1/2 of the basement in you home and soon run out of room so you build a 25x25 shop and within the year add two extensions...

Next year you build a 28x100 weld shop two stories tall.

The next year you build a sawmill and buildings for wood, drying and storing.

Next year you build a 150x150 three story wood shop away from the welder.

Every shop needs its own set of tools. There is going to be one BIG auction here someday... It never ends. But we don't want it to..


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## genec

you are still stopping at garage sales on the way to the nursing home


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## alloy

I think I'm a tool junkie.  Why you may ask?  Well I'll tell you.

Recently I bought  shop...........and a house came with it I'm told.  This shop is 1700 square foot with a 2 post lift.  I had a 3 bed 2000 square foot house I was renting with a 2-1/2 car garage.  Great you say you bought a place with a killer shop. Well now the bad part.  It's 54 miles one way to work, 108 miles per day round trip.  

Awhile back I bought a Trailblazer SS with a 400 horse engine  I love it, but I'm making payments on it.  When I was 9 miles form work it was just fine at 14 mpg, now that I'm 104 miles per day it got expensive quickly and it runs on premium fuel only.

So, can't afford to feed the SS so I bought a puddle jumper for $3k that gets 31 mpg while the SS sits and making payments on it.

Am I a fool or a tool junkie for buying the place?  I just made my first house payment, I am disappointment at how little of it went to principle.  But, in 7 years I paid $105k in rent, at least I'm building some equity now.

I wish I could creat a poll, am I a fool or junkie???  You decide.


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## MrWhoopee

4GSR said:


> What do you do when you run out of room for tools and machines and you still find things to buy?


Oooh, ooh, I know this one! Fred (former employer) could never break the habit of going to auctions and buying stuff after he sold his shop, with the intention of fixing and reselling. He filled the buildings on his rural property, then put up a new building and filled it. His new wife refused to allow him to start dragging new purchases to her very nice property. At 80+, he is trying to sell his property, but isn't having much luck selling a lot of his acquisitions. He GAVE me a very nice SB Heavy 10L and Kent 9x42 vertical mill. He just called to tell me I need to come down and get more, escrow is closing and desperation is setting in. 

So, put up another shed and keep going. If necessary, buy another piece of ground.


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