# Confessions From A Tool Junkie...i had to say no to a tool, and i feel remorse and shame....



## Ulma Doctor (Mar 8, 2013)

i had to pass on a beautiful le blond metal lathe i saw on CL.....
the remorse comes from the price, the seller wants only 900 for it, money is not the issue.
the shame part comes from ,i don't have a place large enough to house this 9 ft long behemoth .
he wanted to help me load it, and date his daughter..ok i made up the daughter part:lmao:
please, will someone tell me i did the right thing by passing on a great deal, i need reassurance and a little wind under my kilt to brighten me spirits, as it were......


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## Ray C (Mar 9, 2013)

What year, model and size was it?  Condition?  After that, I'll render a thought...

Ray


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 9, 2013)

here's the link, i'm not sure of the year...
http://stockton.craigslist.org/tls/3655905520.html
i had the pictures , but having a hard retrieving them...
i will add it needed paint but looked complete little to no rust...


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## macrnr (Mar 9, 2013)

If you don't have a place to set it up, there is no point in having it. Let somebody who can set it up get use out of it. Nothing sadder than a tool setting outside rusting away.......


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 9, 2013)

macrnr said:


> If you don't have a place to set it up, there is no point in having it. Let somebody who can set it up get use out of it. Nothing sadder than a tool setting outside rusting away.......



thanks i needed that...
i didn't sleep much last night trying to figure a way to stuff 10 lbs of stuff into a 5 lb bag, i don't think it's happening....
i didn't take it precisely because i didn't want the old girl to rust up outside.

i feel better now!
thank you!!!!)


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## macrnr (Mar 9, 2013)

I once got a sweet deal on a Wilton 9" X 14" horizontal band saw. I got it home, cleaned up and working good and stuffed it in my little shop. I even put it on castors to move it out of the way when not in use, but it was just so big it overwhelmed my shop. I was to the point where I was contemplating adding on to the shop to accommodate the saw, when common sense finally took hold. I ended up trading it for a 9 mm Beretta Stainless Steel pistol, and I bought a Milwaukee porta band saw. It was nice, but it was much more machine than I need.


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## jumps4 (Mar 9, 2013)

are you out of your mind!
oh, i guess thats not helping you
hahaha
steve


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 9, 2013)

jumps4 said:


> are you out of your mind!
> oh, i guess thats not helping you
> hahaha
> steve


i figured i had a couple of those coming!
thanks for looking!
 thanks for the poke:lmao:


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## todd774 (Mar 9, 2013)

I had to read this thread 'cause it described me in the title, "tool junkie" (I wonder if there's a 12 step program for that). I'm presently moving out of my old shop & moving into another one. Though it's a nicer shop, I don't have as much room for all my tools. Since my present job doesn't leave me much time to take in jobs to help pay the rent, The place almost feels like an open wound to my finances. Which leads me to thinkinking, "do I own my stuff or does my stuff own me". I don't know if that has anything to do with what we're talking about, but I do understand your mental troubles Mike.
Thanks for sharing,
Todd K.


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## itsme_Bernie (Mar 9, 2013)

Passing on the machines that won't work for us leaves room for the ones that WILL.

Coming from a tool junkie as well hah


Bernie


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 9, 2013)

todd774 said:


> I had to read this thread 'cause it described me in the title, "tool junkie" (I wonder if there's a 12 step program for that). I'm presently moving out of my old shop & moving into another one. Though it's a nicer shop, I don't have as much room for all my tools. Since my present job doesn't leave me much time to take in jobs to help pay the rent, The place almost feels like an open wound to my finances. Which leads me to thinkinking, "do I own my stuff or does my stuff own me". I don't know if that has anything to do with what we're talking about, but I do understand your mental troubles Mike.
> Thanks for sharing,
> Todd K.



funny u said the 12 step thing....
my wife swears she's gonna have an intervention:lmao:
so if i come down my street and i see a lot of friend's and family's cars parked around my house, and it ain't my birthday,
i'm gonna keep on driving...:rofl:


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## Walt (Mar 9, 2013)

There have been several machine tools sold in my area that I've passed on because I don't have the space or really, the need for them. At this point I'm mostly making bicycle lights, these would be total overkill.

Monarch lathe
South Bend Heavy
A nicer Taiwanese vertical mill

Walt


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## Ray C (Mar 9, 2013)

Well, Mr. Ulma Dr... still can't decide if you need a poke in the ribs or a pat on the back but wish to share this story with you -and maybe you won't feel so bad...

About a year ago before I got my current lathe, I saw a 16" sheldon locally in craigslist.  Here's a photo of one just like it.  It appeared to be perfect mechanical condition and even had a turret and non-turret tailstock and few other things like a taper attachment.   No chucks though.  The seller (the second owner) showed me the inside of the gearbox...-clean.  He knew the original owner and new the machine was in near-perfect shape when he bought it.  It just needed a motor because the original owner kept it.  It was a late 70's machine, used for 15 years or so then sat in the second owners shop/garage for another 10 years.  He wanted 3000 bucks for it.  It was about 4000 lbs and he was wiling to transport it to my garage.  I said, let me scratch my head on this and think if there's a way I can power a 10HP motor and also take measurements to see how it fits in my shop.  I didn't put money down.  2 days later when I called to say yes, I want it... It was gone.  You snooze, you lose...  Feast your eyes on this:


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## bcall2043 (Mar 9, 2013)

Ulma Doctor said:


> i had to pass on a beautiful le blond metal lathe i saw on CL.............., will someone tell me i did the right thing by passing on a great deal, i need reassurance and a little wind under my kilt to brighten me spirits, as it were......



I know how you feel but let me tell you how to deal with the pain. You need to accept that if you pass on a CL deal like your current situation that there is someone else out there that will adopt that machine and give it a loving home. The problem I still have is the tools that show up at the local scrap yard. I just can’t walk away without trying to find them a home before they get loaded out to the furnace guys and melted. Several have followed me home to buy time and then when the right home is found it is like giving up family. No, that’s not right; it feels good to send them to a good home.

You did the right thing but I won't offer any wind under your kilt.

Benny
The Orphanage Never Closes


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## Kent (Mar 9, 2013)

I certainly understand ..............
My folks passed away and I inherited a bunch of tools and machinery.  Had to take the DoAll bandsaw to work so I could still have access to it.  Giving my boat out of my garage to my kids (and helping pay for a new building to store it).  I've spent my spare time finishing off part of my garage for a second upstairs workshop (and of course more hand tools so I don't have to run between the basement and my new garage shop)  No, you're not nuts (maybe I am).  I did it only because they were my Dad's tools and I couldn't part with them.  Have yet to move the Southbend lathe and drill press home, but looking forward to it.  Hope to teach my son in law and grandsons how to use them so they'll keep them in the family when my time comes.  The skills some of us have learned need to be passed to the next generation - it aint all done with a computer.


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## plm (Mar 10, 2013)

Well, obviously there is hope for you. The simple fact that you were able to walk away this time, demonstrates you have the will power to conquer your addiction, however remember that if you slip up the next time....................well, I guess I don't need to preach to you about the pitfalls of your addiction.


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## joe_m (Mar 10, 2013)

You couldn't find 9 feet?!?!?!?!?  That's a measly little 108".  Unless you're living in a studio loft apartment I don't see how you couldn't find that much space. How long is the couch and end-table setup in the living room? You get a slipcover to match the curtains so you can hide it when not in use, and to tie it in with the rest of the decor you put a piece of plywood on top of the kennedy toolchest and call it a coffee table.

Got a guest bedroom? A comfortable queen bed is an invitation for the MIL to come and stay for a week. Turn that room into a spare workshop. She can sleep on a cot in the garage - I bet she cuts those visits down to a couple hours max and you end up with room for a couple of lathes. 

Got a side buffet in the dining room? Those went out of style a century ago. The possibilities are endless, you just need to look a bit harder.

Now you've got your old-iron karma way out of whack. It will be decades before another tool like that comes along at a decent price.


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## Canuck (Mar 11, 2013)

A little tangent but in the tool junkie vein: my wife and I were walking the dog when one of our neighbours (around the corner) stopped me and asked "are you the guy with all of the tools?" to which I (sheepishly) replied "I suppose so, what would you like to borrow?".  His response was "oh no, we have something that you might be interested in"...  They ended up GIVING me a 14" bandsaw (woodworking) with 6 different blades - even helped wheel it over to our place.  Sometimes a certain "sickness" can come in handy.


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 12, 2013)

i'm sweating looking and drooling while looking at CL i wanna get this , just gotta get bigger shop...
but for those who have room and like B&S here u go...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/3675563139.html

a nice brown and sharp horizontal mill,  another deal i must pass for now:angry:


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## kd4gij (Mar 12, 2013)

Sounds like you need a shop stretcher. :rofl:


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## bcall2043 (Mar 12, 2013)

Ulma Doctor said:


> i'm sweating looking and drooling while looking at CL i wanna get this , just gotta get bigger shop....................B&S here u go...
> 
> http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/3675563139.html
> 
> a nice brown and sharp horizontal mill,  another deal i must pass for now:angry:



How can you go to sleep tonight? Get the machine and then you will have a good reason to enlarge the shop.)

Benny
The Orphanage Never Closes


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## cbtrek (Mar 13, 2013)

You can never build a big enough garage!

With my 2 1/2 stall garage and just enough space to get the wife's car in or else, I should of looked for a new house that had more room to add on.


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## bcall2043 (Mar 13, 2013)

bcall2043 said:


> How can you go to sleep tonight? Get the machine and then you will have a good reason to enlarge the shop.)
> 
> Benny
> The Orphanage Never Closes



Ulma Doctor,

I know you did not sleep well last night……… ref;  PM from you just before midnight. Maybe I can put your mind to rest. You definitely have the hobby machinist problem of “metal illness”. This is a chronic illness, see def. below. 


Don’t lose hope this can be treated; however there is no real cure. 

The best treatment I have found is the “12 step program”. Wait this is not that old 12 step program for those other illnesses. This one will help you get the "metal illness" under control and deal with the recurrent symptoms. 

Step 1 – Get a lathe

Step 2 – Get a drill press

Step 3 – Get a horizontal saw

Step 4 - Get a welder

Step 5 – Get a vertical mill

Step 6 – Get a vertical saw

Step 7 through 11 – get the additional tooling and other support equipment that will make the tools aquired in steps 1 through 6 useful. This includes but is not limited to the following: all kinds of measuring tools, all kinds of cutting tools, a tool grinder, a belt sander, a surface grinder, more welder types, a bandsaw blade welder, and books about the above.

Step 12 – Stay tuned to the friendly forum (emotional support group) for new treatment methods plus the justification for all the tools you have and/or need. Here you will get to see what others are doing to cope with this illness and all the neat projects that result.

Now all that said you know that you really NEED that, very rare, universal milling machine. Just think about what you can do with it like make drill bits, gears, reamers and all sorts of things. That’s why they called it a universal machine. See following info-clip from one of the learning books about this type of machine.



Benny
The Orphanage Never Closes


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 13, 2013)

Bernie,
here's the results of my 12 step check...

step 1: done twice, i have two lathes
step 2: had drill press before lathe, out of order but still a qualifying indicator of affliction.
step 3: i chose a slightly different path with cutting instruments, my first choice is a 3" wheeled die grinder, my second was a Milwaukee portable band saw with the horizontal bench mount, third was the 14" Carborundum chop saw, and of course to complete the cutting array a carbon arc cutter, and plasma cutter. my admissions for sure would cause any HMO to drop me from service:lmao:
step 4: check, i have these processes: tig, stick, mig, oxy/acetylene, plastic, not to mention brazing & soldering , i got this step down!
step 5:i need 5 in the worst possible way like nothing else i have wanted.
 the worst part i was given a bridgeport mill but could not store the damn thing and had to pass it up:angry:
step 6: i skipped 5 and decided to to directly to 6, i work on vertical meat saws as part of my job, i converted 2 meat saws to run metal blades with very good result, so god both of the saws have been purchased
steps 7-11: done, all X 3
step 12: i'm there brother!:rofl:
thanks for the laugh,
i owe you,  Bernie!
mike


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 13, 2013)

let's see if i can verbalize these feelings i have....
i'm going to trade a fully functional 50"s vintage Atlas th42 lathe for a southbend 11 lathe that hasn't run for a while (years i'm thinking) and i have no way of verifying the lathe even works until i get it home.
i know i'm going to need to do some wiring, the owner told me of this as it is a three phase unit. there may be other issues, unknown
He also told me a little of it's history, that it came from Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, Ca.
Mare Island is about 60 miles as the crow flies, from me and i'm gonna pick it up in the foothills on saturday
i don't know i'm going to sleep until saturday, i'm already planning to do a major shop rearrange to accommodate the new (to me) lathe.
i need suggestions on how to keep my mind off of this until then.......and thinking of other tools will probably not help my situation:lmao:


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## macrnr (Mar 13, 2013)

Ulma Doctor said:


> let's see if i can verbalize these feelings i have....
> i'm going to trade a fully functional 50"s vintage Atlas th42 lathe for a southbend 11 lathe that hasn't run for a while (years i'm thinking) and i have no way of verifying the lathe even works until i get it home.
> i know i'm going to need to do some wiring, the owner told me of this as it is a three phase unit. there may be other issues, unknown
> He also told me a little of it's history, that it came from Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, Ca.
> ...



 A south Bend is a much nicer machine than an Atlas. Does it have a phase converter, if so that is a major plus. I started with an Atlas and now have a South Bend and there is no comparison in my opinion. South Bends where built for commercial use whereas Atlas is for the hobbyist and it shows. Start researching, there is a lot of info on the South Bend machines. The South Bend forum is good. We need pictures!


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 13, 2013)

:bitingnails: i was hoping to get some backup on my decision , although i already stuck my foot in my mouth and made the deal...good or bad.
i was sent some pictures and i'm sure to take a bunch of the old girl for display here.
i'm gonna miss the atlas, but i'm already in love with the southbend, just by picture! she's looking promising from the pictures.
she's coming with a ton of tooling , i can't wait until saturday!!!!!
here's a picture!

http://images.craigslist.org/3Kc3J43Nc5Lc5F85H9d3befd799ad03181f37.jpg


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 14, 2013)

> Does it have a phase converter



no sir it doesn't have a VFD, i'm going to build a custom balanced RPC unit to drive this beauty as well as the rest of my shop.
i have a 10 hp 3 phase motor i'm going use as the base for the RPC, i'll make postings in the coming months.


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## todd774 (Mar 14, 2013)

Ulma Doctor said:


> i'm sweating looking and drooling while looking at CL i wanna get this , just gotta get bigger shop...
> but for those who have room and like B&S here u go...
> 
> http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/3675563139.html
> ...


Thanks for showing me that universal mill. I think I want it. He wants $720 ("lets see. I have about $1000 left in the bank. I wonder how much it would cost to ship it from S.F Cal. to Mass. Mabe I could get a 2nd job & try to score a bridgeport M head for it. That would be a nice mill for me. I think I could fit it in the middle of the shop & still squeeze aroud it.")


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## bcall2043 (Mar 14, 2013)

todd774 said:


> .......... I think I want it............ I wonder how much it would cost to ship it from S.F Cal. to Mass...



Take the wife on a California vacation. Drive out and then if run across a mill out there all you would need is a oneway U-haul.


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## jpfabricator (May 5, 2013)

A sorage place like "A Spare Closet" and a gas powered generator and you would be in bussiness! Belive me Iv thought about it before.


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## gmcken (Sep 8, 2013)

Tool junkie is a good disease and it is hard to say no to a new tool.  I was at an auction many years ago when a gear shaper went up for sale.  No one would bid so I thought I would bid two dollars. I bought the machine.  Next came the thought was moving the machine (it didn't appear too Heavy untill a fork lift would not move it).. In a somewhat panic, I knew a machine dealer and contacted him to see if he needed a gear shaper.  I made a trade for a small dividing head and he moved the machine.  The gear shaper would have been nice but what was I thinking!


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## Chester (Sep 11, 2013)

I have the disease, it started after I retired. I was going to try model railroad, until I was given a chance to go to school,( retraining). I picked machine a tooling school, this was a year and half or ago. Now after a 10 in atlas lathe, heavy 9 south bend lathe, Carroll Jamieson 1906 lathe, ru fong bench top mill, fox 1915 milling machine, rhodes metal shaper 3 1/2 in, and I have no ideal of tooling I have gotten. Yes I need help baddy, but for some reason I feel really happy. Is it the hunt or the find? Chester


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## GK1918 (Sep 11, 2013)

jpfabricator said:


> A sorage place like "A Spare Closet" and a gas powered generator and you would be in bussiness! Belive me Iv thought about it before.



Your on the right track, they are cheap I bought a 35' trailer 100 bucks and a 50' Fruehoff 900 bucks with skylights. Dont take long to fill em up.
Im not sure about some area's, but if you leave the wheels on you dont get taxed for it. They make a hell of a shop for cheap and cheap to heat.
I sawzalled a couple of home depot windows / hole for an A/C and wife bullit proof!!!!


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## 4GSR (Sep 11, 2013)

Ray C said:


> ...  Feast your eyes on this:




Ray,

Just so happens I've put my hands on that Sheldon turret lathe about ten years ago at N & R Sales down here in my neck of the woods.

Amazing how a machinery dealer will "dress up" a machine to make it look good.  I looked at it long before he repainted it.  My advice is on this machine is keep on looking.  This one has been run down into the ground!  Bed has about 1/32" wear on it! And it's a harden bed.  Cross slide just as bad.  I can go on, but you know where I'm coming from.

Back at the first of the year, I passed on a 17" Sheldon down here for $700.  Had no room for it.  Now I wished I had ran after it!  I could have stuffed it in the living room.:biggrin:


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## Gene (Mar 3, 2014)

I saw a great deal on an Atlas TH42 with a rare Atlas made cabinet type bench on CL that I had to have! I live in a townhouse and it is presently sitting in my bedroom until my granddaughter moves out of the basement. I have even started to take it apart to refurbish. Where there is a will, there is a way.


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## EmilioG (Nov 24, 2014)

What's wrong with buying tools/machines as an investment. If you find a great deal, why not buy it then sell
it?


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## John Hasler (Nov 24, 2014)

EmilioG said:


> What's wrong with buying tools/machines as an investment. If you find a great deal, why not buy it then sell
> it?



Sell a tool?  I can't quite get my head around that concept.


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## mcostello (Nov 25, 2014)

This thought of "not buying a tool" is so foreign and shameful You have given Me the shakes.(Even through the monitor.) I don't know what would have happened if I would have been there in person. The only antidote seems to be a batch of new iron given intravenously.:nervous::nervous:


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## stupoty (Nov 25, 2014)

Always frustrating when your tempted by things that are totaly amazing but impractical(or just impossible to fit).

Not as bad as the £35 watch maker lathe me and my brother forgot to bid on(ebay) we decide that it was obviously radio active and would have been a very bad thing to have, just keep saying it , ahhhh.



Stuart

p.s.  I have a 1920's milling machine that's in the(slow) process of being referb'd, I've managed to get it striped primed and painted. (with a bit of help)  but as an impulse purchase, yeah , hummm.  It only took a week to organize getting it into the basement, you don't know how much attention 500kg of cast iron attracts when it's chained to your railing's in my area


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## Mark in Indiana (Nov 25, 2014)

EmilioG said:


> What's wrong with buying tools/machines as an investment. If you find a great deal, why not buy it then sell
> it?




Nothing wrong with that but be very careful because:

1. Vintage tools are undervalued. Often, I have to convince my customers why it is better to buy a quality vintage tool/piece of equipment rather than a new, Chinese made POS from a big box store.

2. It's too easy to fall in love with your investment and just keep it.

Morale of my post: Make sure that you buy low & sell high. Over the years, I've seen prices go up and down. It's a fun hobby, but not a living.


Happy Trails!


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## Gary Ayres (Dec 12, 2014)

Confucius said 'the rich man is not he who has everything; it is he who appreciates what he has'.

So, in spite of his wise advice, I keep myself poor by constantly buying beautiful old machines, then struggling to find space for them while wondering how I'm ever going to find the time to restore them...

Sound familiar?

)


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