Gem99ultra
Veteran Member
I'd say that the Amish fella had a lot to learn. Buy cheap, buy twice.
How Do You Organize Your Shop?
- Thread starter Briana03
- Start date
I'd say that the Amish fella had a lot to learn. Buy cheap, buy twice.
RacinJason
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- (2)Simplicity 6216; JD 112: YM1702D: JD 420C
I have to agree w/the Amish fella. I have a lot of hobbies, and have needs (wants) for a lot of tools, etc., that as a retiree, I would not be able to afford if I were to buy top quality tools. There is a Harbor Frieght across the river from my home, and I have purchased many items there. I try to buy American, when I can, but I also have to conserve my limited/fixed income resources. Occasionally, I have "... bought twice."as when I purchased a recip. saw from HF online and it broke the second time I used it. The reciprocating shaft was 1/4" square and had a 1/8" dia. hole thru for a roll pin. So, I went on Amazon and purchased a factory reconditioned Milwaukee Heavy Duty for about half the MSRP, which has stood up to a lot of abuse. Comments, anyone?
MtnViewRanch
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This works for a person as yourself and nothing wrong with it.
But put a time frame on the project or that you try to make a living with your tools (in other words you depend on the tools, not just a hobby) and a person is foolish to buy cheap if they can at all afford better.Just my :2cents:
3v0
Platinum Member
It depends. If you are buying tools for the average farm hand to take with him HF is just the ticket. Chances are he will break, loose or steal them anyway.
Tools for the shop or someone who passes for a decent mechanic the good stuff.
I am not a farmer. Just a retired person maybe not too unlike RJ. Money keeps shrinking. I have some HF stuff like a shop press, parts washer and their wheel puller set. The pump crapped out on the parts washer after 10 years. Anything I use a lot or more high tech then that I like better stuff if I can afford it. Only go with snap on for stuff like tube (brake line) wrenches where the cheap stuff will just not work. Snap ring pliers... etc
I would love to stock the shop with top notch tools but it would be a lot less tools.
Gem99ultra
Veteran Member
Don't get me wrong - I've bought a few things from HF too. Mostly consumables, i.e. sand paper, bungee cords, rope, etc.. Tools? NO. I've done that in the past and had or nearly had serious injuries from ratchets stripping, break-over bars breaking, pliers bending, lug wrenches twisting in two.
I can easily see from the difference in prices why many will buy HF goods. And - I don't usually say one word about their choice. Their money, their choice. But if I can't afford to buy a known quality tool, I'll either borrow it or rent it, or do without.
On the other hand, I very rarely loose a tool, break one, and better not catch anyone trying to steal one from me. I treasure my tools just like my lady treasures her kitchen utensils or sewing accessories. I do take care of my tools and clean them up and put them in their place after using them. For those that don't - I can suggest they continue to buy from HF.
3v0
Platinum Member
It is not black and white. There are tools with quality between top of the line and HF.
scaredychicken
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Blaneypark - that sound's like our garage - the vehicles stay on the driveway, the beekeeping stuff comsumes all 900 sf of the double garage. I am picking up a rolling tool chest today (rainchecked 3 wks ago) - so my afternoon will be busy, but at least a good number of the tools will be in the right spot. my wife (the beekeeper) is so busy, that she'll maybe notice it on the weekend.
mbtrac - that's partially done here also, just starting to relocate things to their own space now. the garage has been re-organized as much as the govt job that I previously held.
mbtrac - that's partially done here also, just starting to relocate things to their own space now. the garage has been re-organized as much as the govt job that I previously held.
RacinJason
Member
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- (2)Simplicity 6216; JD 112: YM1702D: JD 420C
Ranch, I agree w/u also. When I was a machinist, my tools were Starrett, B & S, etc. They now have plants worldwide, including China.
3v0, Right, my primary wrenches are Craftsman, used to be made here in Springfield, MA, now made in China, I believe. Fairly good quality and a good replacement guarantee! However, my duplicate tools that are in my tractor and dozer boxes are HF or tag sale specials. Actually, I often find my Craftsmans @ tag sales! LOL
3v0, Right, my primary wrenches are Craftsman, used to be made here in Springfield, MA, now made in China, I believe. Fairly good quality and a good replacement guarantee! However, my duplicate tools that are in my tractor and dozer boxes are HF or tag sale specials. Actually, I often find my Craftsmans @ tag sales! LOL
powerpace
Veteran Member
I use at least 3 tape measures when working on big projects. One at the measuring site on the project another at the cutting site and one to carry around.
At last count I had 14 tape measures. I think. I don't know how many straight edge measuring devices.
Coyote machine
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I'm always trying to get more organized. I recently visited my cousin and her husband. They are incredibly neat and clean in everything they do, and it blows my mind how clean their house/garage/cars/dog are!
One of their pet things is they do not take on anything they don't need from anyone; no family junk from gens past or anything like that, etc.
I on the otherhand have everything from my childhood, my mother's stuff, my aunts' stuff, my grandfather's, grandmother's, uncles, etc. Being an only child the cleanout of several houses in the family over the years has accumulated a MONSTROUS amount of stuff, some valuable, some junk, thousands of books, tables, chairs, etc.
In 2009 I built a barn for the tractor, boat and several other things like a bunch of mowers, ATV, etc. It ended up being about 50' wide in front with a 12'W x 14'H x 40'D boat bay, two other 10'W x 8'H regular bay doors and a side stairwell for egress to the apartment above, instead of incorporating it on the inside of the building. On the right side is another std bay door for the ATV and other related equipment entry, like the backhoe on a homemade cradle.
I put radiant heat into the floor, except in the unheated but heavily insulated boat bay, which began with a gravel floor for the first couple of years. It now has a poured concrete floor and two 2 ton chain hoists and custom made straps to haul the boat off it's trailer for any needed work on boat or trailer. Works out great!:thumbsup:
My main workbench is on wheels which allows me to move it to the best place in the main three bays where most of my work gets done. I have a huge Snap-on box from when I owned my Foreign Auto shop years ago, and a number of smaller Craftsman and Husky boxes accumulated over the years. I store all my 'junk' on HD plastic shelves which I like a lot because they are easy to set up and relatively cheap to buy and move around too as needed.
I have categories like electrical, plumbing, painting etc. which narrows it down but still isn't sorted enough. I just try to do several sorts a year to further refine my disorganization as much as possible. Usually I have to borrow or beg the wife to come help me because I get totally lost within a few hours of trying to sort things out and leave frustrated thinking it will never get done. Not in my lifetime or a thousand more either!:banghead:
Must say the wife saves the day most of the time and I just have to keep learning to walk away- far away!:confused2:
Suffice it to say it's a never ending battle against chaos in the form of wasted time looking for stuff in front of my face, or lost somewhere else on a project forgotten about in the heat of something more pressing.
61 years and learning everyday. Still a lot to learn I guess:confused3:
One of their pet things is they do not take on anything they don't need from anyone; no family junk from gens past or anything like that, etc.
I on the otherhand have everything from my childhood, my mother's stuff, my aunts' stuff, my grandfather's, grandmother's, uncles, etc. Being an only child the cleanout of several houses in the family over the years has accumulated a MONSTROUS amount of stuff, some valuable, some junk, thousands of books, tables, chairs, etc.
In 2009 I built a barn for the tractor, boat and several other things like a bunch of mowers, ATV, etc. It ended up being about 50' wide in front with a 12'W x 14'H x 40'D boat bay, two other 10'W x 8'H regular bay doors and a side stairwell for egress to the apartment above, instead of incorporating it on the inside of the building. On the right side is another std bay door for the ATV and other related equipment entry, like the backhoe on a homemade cradle.
I put radiant heat into the floor, except in the unheated but heavily insulated boat bay, which began with a gravel floor for the first couple of years. It now has a poured concrete floor and two 2 ton chain hoists and custom made straps to haul the boat off it's trailer for any needed work on boat or trailer. Works out great!:thumbsup:
My main workbench is on wheels which allows me to move it to the best place in the main three bays where most of my work gets done. I have a huge Snap-on box from when I owned my Foreign Auto shop years ago, and a number of smaller Craftsman and Husky boxes accumulated over the years. I store all my 'junk' on HD plastic shelves which I like a lot because they are easy to set up and relatively cheap to buy and move around too as needed.
I have categories like electrical, plumbing, painting etc. which narrows it down but still isn't sorted enough. I just try to do several sorts a year to further refine my disorganization as much as possible. Usually I have to borrow or beg the wife to come help me because I get totally lost within a few hours of trying to sort things out and leave frustrated thinking it will never get done. Not in my lifetime or a thousand more either!:banghead:
Must say the wife saves the day most of the time and I just have to keep learning to walk away- far away!:confused2:
Suffice it to say it's a never ending battle against chaos in the form of wasted time looking for stuff in front of my face, or lost somewhere else on a project forgotten about in the heat of something more pressing.
61 years and learning everyday. Still a lot to learn I guess:confused3: