# I Wonder What To Do With My Shop When I Am Gone



## Mark_f (Mar 30, 2015)

I think of some really dumb things occasionally. With my deteriorating health, I have wondered what will happen to my shop when I am gone. There is no one I can leave it to ( any remaining idiots related to me wouldn't have a clue what any of it is). I don't want some money grabbing relative to sell it for what they can get. This really bothers me sometimes.Soooo...... I have decided, when I cut my last chip, I want to give my shop to an enterprising , enthusiast, that loves this stuff as much as me. I haven't exactly figured out how to go about this yet, but I think that is what I want. Anyone else ever wonder about crap like this?


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## Holescreek (Mar 30, 2015)

All the time.

The trick is figuring out when that last ship is going to get cut. The only thing worse than dying and leaving it for someone else to figure out would be selling everything off too soon and missing it.


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## pineyfolks (Mar 30, 2015)

My biggest fear is that my wife is going to sell my stuff for what I told her that I paid for it. Lol


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## Andre (Mar 30, 2015)

I always wonder if something happens when the machine is under power feed, just a crash that might not be stopped for hours. That could mean a possible electric fire from the motor, etc. 

As for after I'm gone, not really sure. If I has a suspicion before hand, I'd go out with post-it notes and mark everything in the shop with a price. For a future wife or relatives to sort out.


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## Mark_f (Mar 30, 2015)

I do have a plan, but haven't finalized the details yet. I need to find someone I can trust to be notified per details in my will to handle giving everything to the right person they will find by the criteria I outline. Just hope I get it done before it is needed.


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## 6literZ (Mar 30, 2015)

What about donating them to a technical school or high school?

That is very nice of you to consider donating the machinery,  you will inspire more generations and light the fire inside them to persue machining as a hobby, or a career. 

I was lucky enough as a teenager to have a fully equipt shop with 10 lathes, a Bridgeport mill, grinding machines, etc. I wish I had it at my disposal now.


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## jim18655 (Mar 30, 2015)

I tell my wife all the time not to sell anything until she talks to my brother. We have similar interests - machines, archery, guns, ham radio - and he knows what I have. A friend of mine died young and his brothers went to the house and told his wife they came for the stuff he borrowed from them. Luckily she was smarter than that and told them to leave.
What about the local Vo-Tech school?  How about a local club? You might be able to partner with them about a student, or students,  that could use some help in their career.


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## Mark_f (Mar 30, 2015)

6literZ said:


> What about donating them to a technical school or high school?
> 
> That is very nice of you to consider donating the machinery,  you will inspire more generations and light the fire inside them to persue machining as a hobby, or a career.
> 
> I was lucky enough as a teenager to have a fully equipt shop with 10 lathes, a Bridgeport mill, grinding machines, etc. I wish I had it at my disposal now.




You have a good point, however, most schools don't teach this stuff anymore ( and that is a shame). Soon there will be no need for our kind of machining as some geek designs on a computer and another unskilled "operator" pushes a button and another computer does what we used to do. Sad as it is.

The tech schools don't really care about all the nice "homemade tooling" and don't really care about "antique" machinery as it is not the "stuff" of today's machinist ( and I use that term loosely here.) The proper place for all my usable and quality tooling and machines, I feel, would be an enthusiast as we are who is devoted to the preservation of this dying craft and that will be where I believe my shop will get the care and use it deserves. 

I have two friends who "graduated" from the local "school of trades" and one of them has a shop full of equipment that makes me green with envy, but with all the "training" they received for almost two years, it is amazing what they DON'T know. I spend time with the one teaching him what I know and he soaks it up like a sponge.    ( he is actually the same age as  me).


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## jtrain (Mar 30, 2015)

I have wondered also what should happen to my stuff.  Sometimes I think I don't care what happens as long as I have my pleasure when I can do it, or there are some people I know that are a couple of hours away could help the wife disperse what I have.  Of course they all have their own machines, but maybe they can help out some way.
John


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 30, 2015)

I too think of things like this, although i'm still relatively young at age 45.
the problems with half the junk i collect is that not many people know what i have or how to use it or the worst part- How much it's worth...
the other half of the junk i have is broken in one shape or form and not many people know how to fix the broken stuff...


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## Uglydog (Mar 30, 2015)

My wife thinks about Senna (Ken Umpires) wife.
She has two fears.
1) She will have several tons of old iron to deal with.
2) I live past retirement and plague her 24hours a day. Read: go to the shop!!!

My full time job is as a Paramedic Instructor.
Our students are assigned a single Mentor for nearly a year. 
Hundreds of hours.
Our hand selected Mentors know and understand that for better or worse their Student will imprint on them.
What they do well or poorly will be repeated.
Likely on to future Paramedics for several generations.

Please know and understand that your work here and with your protege will live on in multiple generations of full time and hobby machinists.
I sincerely look forward to your posts for as long as you are able to make them.

And God willing, some day far into the future we will be able to talk about the merits of handwheels vs DRO on a cloud some day.
I look forward to actually meeting you.

Daryl
MN


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## Baithog (Mar 30, 2015)

We have taken care of what will happen with the dogs. We set up something for the cat, if he out lives us. I haven't gotten to what to do with the firearms and tools. The real problem with stuff that's worth more than a few dollars is finding someone that you can trust to do the right thing. I have been witness to a couple of estate messes where the executor didn't lock everything up quick enough and all the valuable stuff disappeared. I am leaning towards just letting the greedy ones try to haul off the big chunks of iron. I have a sneaky suspicion that I won't care, but if for some reason I actually get to see what goes on after I'm gone, It may be amusing to watch my worthless in-laws fight over it.

If you really want the stuff donated to deserving apprentices, and have someone that will do it, then I'd sell it to him ahead of time. That way it is his and not part of the estate, even if its still in your shop when you croak. Then I'd put up a sign. Something like -* Everything in this shop has already been sold by me. To be delivered upon my death. There is an inventory. Take something and you will go to prison for grand theft*.

They'll probably try to steal it any way.


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## Holescreek (Mar 30, 2015)

I am at an age where I potentially have a couple decades of productivity left and am the last of my line as a machinist. Besides the complete shop I'd already built for myself I inherited the entirety of my Uncles shop which also included my grandfathers tools. No one else in the family has an appreciation for anything passed down that they can't turn into cash and immediately spend, so the rest of the older relatives keep giving me stuff to hold onto to "keep it in the family".  Antiques, firearms, tools etc. waiting for a future generation that cares to be born.  I've asked nieces if they wanted my grandmothers (now highly collectible) items only to be turned down cold or asked "what's it worth?".   What to do...


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## Mark_f (Mar 31, 2015)

Holescreek said:


> I am at an age where I potentially have a couple decades of productivity left and am the last of my line as a machinist. Besides the complete shop I'd already built for myself I inherited the entirety of my Uncles shop which also included my grandfathers tools. No one else in the family has an appreciation for anything passed down that they can't turn into cash and immediately spend, so the rest of the older relatives keep giving me stuff to hold onto to "keep it in the family".  Antiques, firearms, tools etc. waiting for a future generation that cares to be born.  I've asked nieces if they wanted my grandmothers (now highly collectible) items only to be turned down cold or asked "what's it worth?".   What to do...



it is a sad situation we struggle with. it was said " I'll be gone and won't care". Maybe and maybe not. I just know, there is no one after me, I am the last and my remaining time is being spent passing this knowledge on to anyone I can.


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## Holescreek (Mar 31, 2015)

On a brighter note, the wife and I have a saying "there's going to be a hell of an auction some day"


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## Lucky 13 (Mar 31, 2015)

My biggest fear is my wife selling all my stuff for what I told her I paid for it. LOL


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## great white (Mar 31, 2015)

Don't care.

The missus can deal with it as she sees fit.

I would prefer she got some decent money for my stuff (she deserves it), but If it goes for scrap weight then so be it.

No one else in my family like me or has my interests anyways (ie: tools and mechanical abilities)

In have my fathers shipwright tools, but no one wants those either.

I watched my mother struggle with just clearing out my dads stuff when he passed. Was a major pita. I was a couple thousand kms away at the time and couldn't help.

Don't want my missus to go through the same hassle....


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## WRMorrison (Mar 31, 2015)

I think of it often (am I'm relatively young and in moderately good health), and for all things like machinery, guns, tools, etc., etc.  I've actually got a Word file on my computer that's titled, "In the event of my death" and it has ALL the details.  Things like identification, value (what I paid vs. what it could/might be worth), who might use it, where to sell it/give it to, etc.

Most of my stuff would go to my son; I purposely gave him the same initials as mine (but not the same first name) as I tend to engrave or otherwise mark my things with "WRM".  It's spelled out that the important stuff should be given to him if he's 21 or older or kept for him until that time.  If at 21 he doesn't want any/part of it, the notes will let them know how to liquidate it, and the money is split between him and my wife.  Certain things are noted for immediate sale (if nobody wants them), others are "hold only."

I know that they're just possessions, but I hate to think that everything I've worked so hard for and passionate about might be given away for pennies on the dollar at an estate sale because someone just didn't know any better.  

Also on the list are a long list of names of people to contact upon my demise (friends, forums, etc.), that way everyone that might have lusted over any of my items might have enough notice to be at the sale.

Another notion I've toyed with is having a table piled high with tasers at my wake; last person standing gets my stuff...lol.

-WRM


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## Karl_T (Mar 31, 2015)

I need to count my blessings...

My son is my best friend. He's a full time machinist and will want the entire shop. No other kids to fight over it.

Karl


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## mikey (Mar 31, 2015)

I, too, am blessed with a son who grew up in my shop and shares most of the passions in my life. I cherish every second I was able to spend with him and someday everything will go to him. The love, the time and the lessons have already been given; the shop will go to him when I pass and I couldn't hope for a better man than he.


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## hdskip (Mar 31, 2015)

Mark,
   I'd like to respond to the statement about being in Votech for 2 years. In my school I only have them for a total of 720 hours in that 2 years. That's only 18 40 hour weeks, less than 6 months. An apprenticeship in my state for a machinist is 7000 hours. It is great that the guys you are dealing with are like a sponge. That means whoever taught them generated a desire to learn more. That's what I tell my self anyway. I'm facing the same dilemma as you are. I've got a lifetime of tolls and machines to pass on to someone. Just not sure how yet. I'll likely pass them to former students who have gone on and stayed in the trade. I'm not ready to give them up yet though.


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## Doubleeboy (Mar 31, 2015)

I think its important to remember that it is just stuff.  No one likely will care about it or for it as much as you.   Let your wife or heirs do with it what they please and use it as long as you can.   Conversely you could join a model engineering club and likely some of the members would be glad to buy the tools when you are gone or no longer able to use them.

michael


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## chips&more (Mar 31, 2015)

I have 3,100 sq/ft of crap. My wife says;” if I go first, she is going to dig me up and kill me!”


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## brav65 (Mar 31, 2015)

I just turned 50 this last week and reading all of this has got me thinking about what to do with all of my shop items. My son is not that interested in working with his hands, and I am not sure he would want all of my tools. I like the idea of selling them to someone  who would use and appreciate them befor my demise, to be collected after. The whole subject is a little depressing on a number of different levels.


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## MikeWi (Mar 31, 2015)

I've seen the after-math of this twice now.  My Grandmother gave away all of her husbands tools very quickly after he died (Master Carpenter) because she didn't think any of us grand kids would want the stuff.  Strangers got some really nice stuff for free!   When my Dad died, I got first pick of his tools since my younger brothers have no mechanical skills or interest.  He was a mechanic and gearhead when he was young, so lots of good stuff, but I was torn because my Mom was planning on selling whatever was left.  On the one hand, I got some tools of a quality that's hard to match now, but on the other hand, she lost out on money, so I made myself be very conservative.  Hate to see that stuff go to strangers for a fraction of their worth.  Now I'm 54 with no kids and no relatives who would want this stuff.  Makes me feel quilty for buying it in the first place, but it's want I always wanted to do...


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## itsme_Bernie (Mar 31, 2015)

pineyfolks said:


> My biggest fear is that my wife is going to sell my stuff for what I told her that I paid for it. Lol



Hah hah hah hah!!!  

Oh man that was good.

I started a note in my computer listing things I have and what they are worth.  I try to have pics of things in another foods so someone will know what the heck things are if something happens to me.  

I rue the day I have to decide to stop making chips, or have to decide when to downsize from the machines I love now.  Maybe I will feel differently then, I don't know.  I am 43 now.
Bernie


Bernie


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## Dave Smith (Mar 31, 2015)

Mark---I think all of us value our collections very dearly, and need them for contentment until we go to a higher much more glorious place---I have always counted on them as a good investment and my wife and family will need all of the monetary value from them when I'm gone---Don't second guess your children and grandchildren and family and worry about someone  to be able to find and use them---just pray that they will be purchased by someone who knows their value and can enjoy using them---we have all found our stuff and many more are looking for their stuff----just keep everything labeled and organized as often as you can to help the next owner---I've seen many sell all their stuff just because they are old --and then have nothing to do---and some even start buying items all over again because they miss them-------Just remember that it is just stuff that we need while we are here--others will find it when our time is up---don't spend time worrying about death--just accept salvation and be at peace knowing  where you are going--------Dave


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## Mark_f (Mar 31, 2015)

Doubleeboy said:


> I think its important to remember that it is just stuff.  No one likely will care about it or for it as much as you.   Let your wife or heirs do with it what they please and use it as long as you can.   Conversely you could join a model engineering club and likely some of the members would be glad to buy the tools when you are gone or no longer able to use them.
> 
> michael



For most of you, what you say is true. Yes it is just stuff, But to  me it is GOOD stuff. Many have wives and kids that will take care of the mess. As for me , it is different. There is no one to take this "stuff"and there is no one that wants or knows what any of it really is. There  is no one to leave anything to. I intend to cut chips as long as I am breathing. It doesn't matter to some and that is ok , but I want my shop to be used and appreciated for what it is and there will be some younger person that will do that and I will leave it to that person.

I actually had no idea the controversy this topic would bring. I just wondered if I was the only one thinking about it. I ain't in no hurry to close shop and depart for greener pastures, but I do have to realize I am going on 64 years old which in itself is not that old, but after two heart attacks , two strokes, open heart surgery , a pace maker , and looking at another very very risky ( 30% chance of surviving the surgery and 0 % chance if I don't do it) surgery coming soon, I  think I NEED to think about this. Many of you really don't yet. ( of course you never know what can happen)

I am going to keep making tooling and chips until I can't


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## Mark_f (Mar 31, 2015)

Dave Smith said:


> Mark---I think all of us value our collections very dearly, and need them for contentment until we go to a higher much more glorious place---I have always counted on them as a good investment and my wife and family will need all of the monetary value from them when I'm gone---Don't second guess your children and grandchildren and family and worry about someone  to be able to find and use them---just pray that they will be purchased by someone who knows their value and can enjoy using them---we have all found our stuff and many more are looking for their stuff----just keep everything labeled and organized as often as you can to help the next owner---I've seen many sell all their stuff just because they are old --and then have nothing to do---and some even start buying items all over again because they miss them-------Just remember that it is just stuff that we need while we are here--others will find it when our time is up---don't spend time worrying about death--just accept salvation and be at peace knowing  where you are going--------Dave



WELL SAID!     ..... I know where I am going and I wouldn't get rid of anything till I am gone


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## pebbleworm (Mar 31, 2015)

These are all good points- the market for these kinds of machines is getting narrower, but is still out there.  If you want to donate the shop, maybe a nearby museum with a mechanical bent.  I used to work near a railroad museum with a lot of space and they were being given so much machinery that they had a sideline of selling it off to fund the museum, keeping the better equipment to keep their rolling stock going.  Their shop was pretty active!  The key is finding a museum who has the staff/volunteers who know what to do with a lathe ,shaper or mill.  If the equipment is on site, a machinist volunteer can teach someone else how to use it.  A very real fear of a  ship museum historian I know is that their machinist takes things home to work on and is not teaching the next generation.  Just a suggestion, not necessarily a good one


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## Maddogmech1 (Mar 31, 2015)

I'll tell a story here, maybe it'll ease some minds...
My grandfather was a jack of all trades, brought up farming, you know how that goes. If he couldn't build it or fix it, it wasn't allowed on the farm. He always had a itch to machine things, but didn't have the advantages we do now of Google and YouTube to teach himself. This is the story of just one of his machines. An old shaper, not pretty at all, he bought it at an auction for who knows what, and dragged it home. I think he used it once, and by the tiny drill press vise mounted to the table, I'm sure he wasn't successful with it. Fast forward to '97, and he was so sick he couldn't force himself to the shop anymore. Not long after, he passed, leaving his children to squabble over his stuff, even though he'd laid it all out in his will. My uncle and father ended up with the tools, and the only reason this shaper remained was because it was so big and heavy no one could handle it. Eventually during a clean out, the shaper was moved into the back corners of the main barn, covered with a tarp, and buried by a bunch of other junk by my father. Jump ahead another decade or so. I had found a huge old vise in a scrap pile, it only needed one jaw pad. Pricing having these made was just crazy. One day, I mentioned this to my father, who said "too bad we don't know how to use that old shaper in the barn". 
"What the hell is a shaper?" I said. After a brief explanation of what little he knew about it, I decide to see if it even still worked. Longer story short, after some oil, and minor electric work, the old beast roared to life, and that machine made me fall in love with machining. It is one of my most prized possessions, not that it gets used much, since I bought a mill, but I would never get rid of it. 

Basically the point to this whole thing is: even though he didn't give the shaper away or sell it off to an already established machinist, it still found a good home, and you never know when your old "stuff" will ignite a flame in someone to learn as much as they can about the old way of doing things. Maybe the person that should get your stuff just doesn't know they need it yet!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Mark_f (Mar 31, 2015)

I'm sure they don't, but someone will be pleasantly surprised when I am gone and they are offered a shop, the giving of which will be managed by a selected executor just for that purpose.


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## Maddogmech1 (Mar 31, 2015)

I'm 35, and have to admit I already have thought on this from time to time. My 14 year old daughter more than likely won't care about any of my treasures. But it didn't give me a glimmer of hope last weekend when I taught her how to use the drill press and mill for a couple simple operations. She sat there and flung her first chips, with a big smile on her face. Even my grinder&torch happy brother is coming around to realizing what these machines can do. I don't think it's a matter of interest, but being in the dark and thinking you can't do it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## MikeWi (Mar 31, 2015)

I just realized that I got all emotional and forgot to add the point of my story.  You have the right idea to make sure the shop goes to someone that will USE it.  That's my point.  Too many people are looking for this stuff just to turn it around on ebay and make a quick buck.  That's a waste of all the time, effort and expense you put into it.  I hate the idea that half of my dad's stuff went that way, and who knows how much of my grandfather's.  What a waste.


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## MARVIN GARDENS (Apr 1, 2015)

I think about it more nowadays, I am 57 and still hope to use it awhile longer.  My dad stopped driving at 92 and my uncle gave up his license at 97 before passing at 99.  No one in the family shares my interest in collectible firearms and I have written instructions on how those are to be disposed of.  My son-in-law has an interest in tools and works on his cars and around the house.  He does not share my interest in machining and cabinet work.

My grandsons are one and four.  I hope one or both develop an interest in my shop the way I did my grandfather's.  If either of the boys has an interest, the stuff will be theirs.  I have two rollarounds full of Snap-On, my cabinet making tools, my machining equipment, reloading stuff, and my using guns.  If the son-in-law and grandsons want  any of it, it is theirs.  If not, I've suggested to my wife that she have a machinery dealer and gun dealer come and pick it all up for consignment.

As time goes by I've done a better job of cataloging everything and placing values on it.

Much of it will make for a great yard sale and keep my wife busy on eBay for a couple of years.

I mentioned to my wife on more than one occasion that if one of the grandsons wants to be a CPA/cabinet maker/machinist/Smith & Wesson collector, he would have one hell of a start in life.  

Best regards.

Bob


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## cathead (Apr 1, 2015)

There may come a time when those of us who actually have hands on skills will be at a premium.  
Mechanical aptitude is something that not everyone has.  After all who in this world can disassemble
some non-functional machine, determine what is wrong and make the necessary repairs to restore
function?  It would be those of us who hone these skills...


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## Kevinb71 (Apr 1, 2015)

Mark
Any chance that you could find a kid in the neighborhood that you could teach for awhile then decide if you want to give it to him. Some kid that likes to work(hard to find these days), but doesn't have much for resources?


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## Dave Smith (Apr 1, 2015)

Mark----the best way to find a younger person to will your entire collection to is this---join a local machinist club in your area-(we have twenty members and climbing in our group in Minn--Wisc--Iowa)-------in your group meetings you can observe younger hobby machinists  to mentor, and maybe find a good prospect to will your collection to when you finish using it-----they would be close enough to move the entire shop collection to their location-------I am 71 and I need mostly to organize all my small neat stuff that some machinists may not even know the value of----just because we call it stuff doesn't mean we don't highly regard it as very important resources that someone should continue to enjoy when we are gone-----------I'm sure there are many young hobby machinists in this Hobby Machinist Club that would be worthy and proud to be the recipient of your quest,---but you need to find a member close to you that you can trust and choose-------------Dave


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## Dave Smith (Apr 1, 2015)

Mark---I notice that there is no social group for western Pennsylvania and northeast Ohio------maybe you could start one and see if there are other members in your area to join---we sure enjoy our social group in our area, and look forward to more gatherings-----Dave


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## Boswell (Apr 1, 2015)

I was thinking of donating it to the local Maker Space. If I get a chance to see it coming, I might trade for some makerspace scholarships but otherwise, my wife can make one call and I know they would come and take it all away and it would get used on a regular basis.


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## Mark_f (Apr 1, 2015)

Kevinb71 said:


> Mark
> Any chance that you could find a kid in the neighborhood that you could teach for awhile then decide if you want to give it to him. Some kid that likes to work(hard to find these days), but doesn't have much for resources?


you are right about one thing.... that is hard to find!
I sure haven't noticed any...... I was giving hand tools to a hard working and ambitious young fellow in the neighborhood last summer. He had few tools and was always working on something so I started giving him tools I had more than one of or ones I knew I wasn't using and then I found out the *&^%$ was selling them to get the money. Needless to say I cut him off. Finding the right person can be difficult.


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## lowlife (Apr 1, 2015)

I've spent a lifetime building a mechanical/welding shop and recently with the help of a lot of you I am assembling a decent machine shop. I have a Son in law who is very much like me and will put everything to good use. I am apparently one of the lucky ones. I already told my daughter that if they were to ever get divorced it would still be his. I really need to get a Will.


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## visenfile (Apr 18, 2015)

Same thoughts here.  No one in sight who even knows how to prevent rust.  It is a bummer to have to rummage through a loved one's stuff or watch the vultures gather.  To taper or liquidate before probably only accelerates the exit. I guess the few technical schools left would only select from an estate gift so back at square one.  Finding a trusted friend or relative is difficult or impossible .  You can name a recipient in a will and the personal rep should make it happen.  Try to avoid lawyers as the fees can be steep.


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## markknx (Apr 18, 2015)

A hope that my 13 year old son will be more into and claim the shop. I should however leave a list of who to contact for help if he does not.
 Mark,
 not sure who you have left to deal with things but maybe you could leave them instructions to contact this forum. I would be very comfortable having the collective group here help in identifying and placing value on my tools. The key would be to keep it on the board not in private. I would be proud to have many of you have my tools even at 1/2 value.
Or as a second plan I could just PM my name address and phone# to you and you could just leave it all to me.
Mark


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