putting off/ waiting for a better tool

[newbury]

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Dang Newbury! There I was feeling sorry for you that you had NO tools And now we learn - you have more tools that Mr. DeWalt!!! Your cache makes me envious. Nah, not envious, but you can be proud of the tools that you do have... a value to you and your siblings.

Well I still don't have the powered pole saw, or a 14" drill press, or a 22" planer, or a 3 phase converter, or a long list of tools I have wants for

It just seems with many projects I'll run into situations where I'll say to myself "if I just had [fill in the blank] tool this job would be so much easier".

Lot's of times it may be a one off rare project, like ditching a water line, but for those projects I'm doing more than a few times I'm liable to put them off until I get that special tool.

 

[mrblanche]

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I use a different approach. Promise to do "projects" come with the new tool that I need. For instance, SO wanted a porch deck built. Sure, I said - Price of a new dual angle Dewalt miter saw, withe stand, goes with the price of materials.

Next, she wanted some Adirondack chairs. Sure - I said, band saw cost is part of the cost.

Same technique for every project. If the cost is too high, I never hear another word about wanting the project done. If not, viola! New tool.

But, as far as the two projects that you have on your "Honey Do List" - A good ladder is a household essential. Get one. Then, I personally like the pole saw; better reach without climbing all the way up and into trees for trimming limbs. Chain saws are for some serious tree cutting work.

Miter Saw? Forget miter boxes - get a good miter saw with a stand. Dual tilt head highly recommended. There are endless numbers of fun projects that you can do later with that tool.

Tools are forever. Buy GOOD tools once. Buy the best quality you can afford. Your children and grandchildren will enjoy them long after you're dead and gone. But you'll never be forgotten.

The motto among us hotrodders is, "No job is too small to justify buying a new tool and learning to use it."

 

[Gary Fowler]

The motto among us hotrodders is, "No job is too small to justify buying a new tool and learning to use it."

I have almost always used that motto which is why I have so many unused tools. Sometimes I find one that I had forgotten that I had especially specialty woodworking tools which I don't do much of anymore.

 

[bigtiller]

I will bulldoze my way through a project with the tools I have on hand, especially after buying $924 worth of tools to build a few tape dispensers for Christmas presents. I seam to buy tools after the project is finished. It will be a lot easier to make a tape dispenser next time.

In case your wondering about the $924:
3 router bits 67
osculating drum sander 680
vacuum hose 20
machinist square 15
3-1/8 hole saw 15
pin nailer & nails 127

 

[chim]

The table saw and compound miter saw are each on their own wheeled, collapsible stands. At 68 there's not much interest in carrying heavy things that can be wheeled around.

The DeWalt 20V tools are great and the 5AH batteries provide a long run time. The few 2AH batteries are usually reserved for the LED lights, while the 4AH & 5AH batteries are used for real work. I picked up an adaptor to use the 20V Max batteries on my remaining 18V tools. It works on most, but not all of them due to clearance. The nice thing with the 20V batteries is that they remain charged for a very long time. My 18V batteries tend to discharge over time. The 18V batteries are less than ideal for "grab and go", especially since they lack the press-to-test fuel gauge. That makes it hard to tell how charged they are.

In 20V I have a band saw, a couple 1/4" Impact drivers, a 1/2" (700FTLB) impact wrench, sawzall, grinder, hedge trimmer, string trimmer, and a couple LED lights. The one I use the most out of all of them is the 1/4" impact. After buying a a $30 keyless "impact ready" chuck, I rarely use the 18V VSR drill. One really nice thing about drilling with the impact driver is it hammers when the bit gets stuck, rather than turning small pieces into whirling helicopters of death. The rest of my battery tools are the 18V platform (jig saw, trim saw, SDS drill, rototrimmer, sawzall and 1/2" VSR.

 

[crazyal]

An old neighbor who passed away at 95 years young would take a different approach. He would try to figure out a way of completing the task without buying something new. To cut limbs instead of buying a pole saw he used his riding mower to pull a trailer with some borrowed scaffolding attached to it. The idea was to keep his mind active trying to find a solution, not to save money. It also wasn't with the idea of using something woefully under powered or sized to do a job stretching it out from hours to weeks. He actually inspired me to try and do the same. I do buy new tools to make my life easier, what man doesn't love new tools. But I do find the game of seeing if I can come up with a solution that's not going to take too long actually motivates me to get the project done whereas the projects like changing a timing belt on a car where I have all the needed tools, have the skills, and the knowledge to do the job I'm less motivated to get done.

 

[Bird]

Still waiting for my orthopedic surgeon to say "This new shoulder will work better than what's left of your God-given one."

Next month will be 6 months since I had my right shoulder replaced, and when I go see that orthopedic surgeon, I'm gonna tell him I understand now why he doesn't tell his victims (I mean, patients) what to expect because he'd put himself out of the business and never get to do another one.

 

[bigtiller]

Next month will be 6 months since I had my right shoulder replaced, and when I go see that orthopedic surgeon, I'm gonna tell him I understand now why he doesn't tell his victims (I mean, patients) what to expect because he'd put himself out of the business and never get to do another one.

I feel the same way after hemorrhoid surgery 20 years ago. My surgeon said if he would have told me the whole story I probably wouldn't have had it. I agreed.