At what point do you justify buying more tools vs making do with what you already hav

[BukitCase]

Probably as good a place for this as any; possibly more than you ever wanted to know about batteries -
Basic to Advanced Battery Information from Battery University
...Steve

 

[/pine]

For myself the quandary more often involves a decision whether or not to take the time to make a jig etc. for a specific purpose when a number of identical parts/pieces must be fabricated etc...

Jigs etc. can eliminate a series or several series of steps required to make the same pieces one at time...if it is for something that will be used beyond a current project it is usually a no brainer...but sometimes it's a toss up...

I have a friend that will spend hours just trying to come up with an easier way to accomplish something (make special tools etc.) he often spends more time doing that than it would have taken to do do the job if he had just went at it from the onset...

 

[k0ua]

Just an aside about batteries... I've always run my cordless tools until they were dead, thinking that they wouldn't gain "memory" that way. Recently I was reading about the lithium batteries and apparently that's a sure way to cause premature death. They said to switch as soon as the tool slows down. Probably I'm the last person to figure this out... :laughing:

Yes, different chemistry's, different protocols. Sorry.

 

[dragoneggs]

I've been buying and getting as gifts, tools for almost 40 years now. Love them. I hate hiring out a job that I can do myself. Even if it costs me the same or a little more in the investment. Just a pride thing I guess. And I keep buying... Though recently I needed part of my cement patio broken up to fix a septic line. I did hire it out because I wasn't about to rent or buy a jack hammer for a few hours of no fun.

My offspring are not DIYers so I imagine there will be some awesome garage sales when I depart. I hope whoever is running it knows the value of the tools and doesn't give them away for too cheap! Of course I am always looking for that circumstance myself. Do need a bigger shop though!!!

 

[aczlan]

My offspring are not DIYers so I imagine there will be some awesome garage sales when I depart. I hope whoever is running it knows the value of the tools and doesn't give them away for too cheap! Of course I am always looking for that circumstance myself.

The old "may my wife sell this for what I paid for it, not what I told her I paid for it"

Do need a bigger shop though!!!

The only time I have heard someone wish for a smaller shop is when the tax bill or the heating/cooling bill come due...

Aaron Z

 

[Jstpssng]

I've been buying and getting as gifts, tools for almost 40 years now. Love them. I hate hiring out a job that I can do myself. Even if it costs me the same or a little more in the investment. Just a pride thing I guess. And I keep buying... Though recently I needed part of my cement patio broken up to fix a septic line. I did hire it out because I wasn't about to rent or buy a jack hammer for a few hours of no fun.

My offspring are not DIYers so I imagine there will be some awesome garage sales when I depart. I hope whoever is running it knows the value of the tools and doesn't give them away for too cheap! Of course I am always looking for that circumstance myself. Do need a bigger shop though!!!

My father bought a used Sawzall years ago, which was a major purchase for him at the time. It came from an estate but before passing away the previous owner had gone through everything and told his wife what each item was worth.

 

[Renze]

Impact drivers are way better for putting on screws especially Phillips and tapcons. And no wrist fatigue when doing a bunch of big screws.

When i buy a house and need to do a roof construction, a cordless impact will get bought. So far, dragging the air compressor with impact wrench on site will suffice

 

[crazyal]

My father loved the flea markets down in Florida. If he saw what he thought was a deal on a tool he would buy all of them, lol. When he passed away I was bringing things like corded drills to the free section of the dump. They had brand names I've never heard of. There were plenty of people there who grabbed them as quick as I could put them on the shelf. They couldn't believe that I would get rid of a drill that still had the cord wrapped up from the factory. I did keep a few things but not a lot. The force was strong to keep more.

I have switched to thinking harder before buying a tool. I'm as bad as the wife is with shoes when it comes to tools but I have stuff that I might never use again. Like special sockets to remove the ball joints on an early 70's Dodge. I doubt I'll ever use them again.

 

[dannoGT]

I'm pretty basic. I have several sizes of hammers. There is usually the correct size to solve the problem.

Exactly! My motto is "don't force it.......just get a bigger hammer"

Danno

 

[rScotty]

When i buy a house and need to do a roof construction, a cordless impact will get bought. So far, dragging the air compressor with impact wrench on site will suffice

Cordless is the way to go. Better put it off as long as possible because there are a few pitfalls.
Our family had always had Milwaukee tools and myself as well. So when Milwaukee came out with their line of V28 construction tools we all bought a full set. Thousands of dollars.

You can guess what happened next.....without warning Milwaukee discontinued their construction quality tools. No more V28 tools, no more batteries, no more support, no apologies. No Nothin.

It looks like after having made their name with quality products, Milwaukee went completely away from their quality tools and into home owner type tools sold at big box stores.

I see some Japanese made tools taking the opposite approach and starting with homeowners tools and then building up to commercial quality tools - just like they've done with tractors, cars, and trucks !
Those are the brands we will be looking at next time.

still poed at Milwaukee's customer support and their whole tool building philosophy. They could have at least warned us. Never again.
rScotty