Succession Planning...what To Do With Our Home Shops/machine Skills

I have to agree with some of the sentiment here. I'm likely half the age as some of you on here and am just getting started in machining. Your equipment is definitely awesome, but your skill, knowledge, and ability to mentor are things that are very interesting to me!
 
It's been mentioned, but I want to stress one thing. Do your surviving family a very large favor. Make a detailed list of what you have and what they need to know to dispose/sell it. I am finally nearing the end of dealing with the late father-in-laws collection of antique tools and cars/parts. It has taken me close to two years to sort, identify, and sell/dispose of all sorts of early 1900's stuff; six Model A in pieces to hit-n-miss engines. Magnetos to firetruck parts. A journey I wish on no one.


TL The local used machine vendor I deal with appears to buy his stock mostly at auctions out of eastern Pa. you're in the rust belt, prime used machine territory. Keep looking.
 
I will be 63 next week, not old, but as old as my Dad when he passed 25 years ago. I have a lot of tools and equipment I've owned for for nearly 50 years. Some of it my Dad owned for 50 years before me. He was a mechanic and I'm a welder. I have complete mechanics tools, welding shop, and a woodworking shop. No one in my family has any interest in anything other than facebook and TV. I hope when my number comes up I'll have time to dispose of things in an orderly fashion. I'm ok with giving it away if there is someone who I think will use it and value it as I have. I suppose I'm ok with selling it to leave my family a bit more cash. The thing is, in the end, it is just stuff. It has meaning only when my hands are working with it, my mind is engaged, and something of value is being repaired or created. Once I'm gone it reverts to just stuff. Some folks are lucky to have kids or someone willing to learn from them and carry on. Others are not. It's just stuff. And if some tourist from Iowa in a Cadillac takes me out on my morning ride to work, somebody else can deal with it!
 
Silverbullet said:
That worries me , I too have three daughters, a son in law who can't use a screwdriver . I mentored an autistic , but super high function in small engine repairs , engine and transmission rebuilds on mowers. This young man is a very good mechanic , going to higher training for Toyota now. He will be more then able to provide for himself . I am proud to have had him under foot at times . But he was happy to be here to get used engines and things to work on.
His love of life is engines , I'd be more then proud if my family offer this young man my mechanic tools and small engine supplies. As for the machine shop we will see what comes along before I croak , who knows God may need me work out the joints in the streets of gold.
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We adopted three girls and my youngest one likes to tinker with me in the shop but I figure that will slow down when she is old enough to notice boys. I just told them that one of you girls has to marry someone smart enough to read a ruler and a book.
 
opus66 said:
We adopted three girls and my youngest one likes to tinker with me in the shop but I figure that will slow down when she is old enough to notice boys. I just told them that one of you girls has to marry someone smart enough to read a ruler and a book.
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I think you are making some assumptions about gender that facts don't support. I was a math teacher and didn't find girls inferior to boys.
 
I started a thread about this a long time ago on this forum, as I have some very dangerous health problems and at 66, this subject has been one of my concerns. And, as here, many responded but I found it did not solve my dilemma. I still have no ideal solution, but if i get to a point I am alive but cannot use my shop anymore, I thought about giving the whole thing to a deserving young person. That only opened a new can of worms of how to find the right person. I concluded that their is no good answer to this question. I will make a inventory with values on it for my executor to have an auction, or I will give it all away beforehand, or I will sell it myself before I am gone, or I will do nothing and let God's will be done. So, you see, there is no right answer to this question. Enjoy life, go home to God, and let everything left behind work out.
 
My wife knows the value of each machine in the shop. I catalog everything and have it on the "cloud" and it gets updated often. At least if she has to sell something, she has a starting point. We only have one child, he's a good man and enjoys working with his hands. Not sure what will become of my collection, but then again who cares, its serving its purpose while I'm here.
Live today guys!
Turn and Burn.
 
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