Make or buy - shop tooling, etc

[RandyM]

Great . When starting out there are tons of projects to keep you going . Tools , tools to make tools , fixtures , anything to make things easier to do in the house , machine improvements etc . The list is endless .

If you do anything that makes having a lathe or mill worthwhile, you will spend a non-trivial amount of time making tools, tools to make other tools, fixtures, and parts that serve to enable some other machining operations.

Some of these will look like one-offs but, occasionally you may find you're able to abstract some higher level principles and make a tool, fixture or part that's generalised enough to be used for something other than just the one-off use.

When that happens, you will strut around your workshop (and probably elsewhere too!), chest puffed out, like you are some kind of machining god!

Make sure you enjoy those moments to their full, and also when inevitably you mess something else up and scrap a few hours of work on some other project, remind yourself of your machining divinity; it'll help tamp down the rage and self-loathing.

Take heed, the Wisemen have spoken.

 

[SouthernChap]

Take heed, the Wisemen have spoken.

Dear god alive, don't insult the wise by associating them with me!

I'm the perfect example of a fool!

 

[mmcmdl]

Dear god alive, don't insult the wise by associating them with me!

I'm the perfect example of a fool!

You and me both .

 

[RandyM]

Dear god alive, don't insult the wise by associating them with me!

I'm the perfect example of a fool!

Then, stop impersonating one.

 

[woodchucker]

You and me both .

same here. But I mostly enjoy tinkering and saving things that would otherwise be landfill. They live to serve us for another day.

Very well said @SouthernChap . And after an earlier post to @coolidge you are batting 1000 today on the wise man chart. No higher honor.

 

[matthewsx]

I got tools for makin tools to fix tools that I’m makin.

 

[WobblyHand]

I got tools for makin tools to fix tools that I’m makin.

Sure feels that way at times!

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Dear god alive, don't insult the wise by associating them with me!

I'm the perfect example of a fool!

Even a broken clock.....

Kidding, you did hit on some good points though.

OP, often times your final product will come down to the quality of indicator you use. You will be making tools that will be making tools and so on, so I would find a design you like, them make it based off of a known quality measuring devise.

TANSTAFAL Applies and being able to make it for the same price as buying it is a little concerning on both ends.

Build your shop around quality metrology as soon as possible and you'll be way ahead in the end.

 

[ChazzC]

Dear god alive, don't insult the wise by associating them with me!

I'm the perfect example of a fool!

Don’t be so hard on yourself, Steve: nobody’s perfect!

 

[ChazzC]

One of the (many) reasons I partake in the forums and view YT (while shaving or peddling on the stationery bike since it’s too cold to walk) is to get inspiration from how others approach something and adapt the methods to my equipment & needs.