When my wife buys tools... ugh...

[JFoy]

My wife enjoys working with wood and stuff like that. Presently, she's making some tables out of some 2in maple we had milled from a fallen tree.

Now, my darling wife is the queen of finding good deals. I have over 20 years in IT and she still bests me in finding stuff online. BUT! When she announces she bought a new tool for the shop, I always cringe inside. Why? What she thinks is a good deal, I would never buy. It's usually too small or junky.

Today, she announced with glee about finding a router and router table on craigslist for $75. With a forced smile on my face, I go out to her SUV to unload it. The table was a rickity home made table and the router was a small craftsman unit mounted to the underside. I'm quite certain the rock maple will out match the router but I just smiled, unloaded it, and stowed it in the shop.

Anyone else ever deal with this? Even when you tell your spouse, "Please don't buy me stuff for the shop" and they do it anyway?

Sigh.....

 

[dieselcrawler]

Lol... Its in the spouse contract, sub section T(olerant) fine print... They mean well, we love them, and simply help them unload their new found treasures with a strained smile!

 

[adventure bob]

Mine does pretty good because she understands what I mean by quality. She brought home a box of tools from a garage sale and I was a little reserved. In the box was an old Sears corded 1/2 chuck drill that is a beast. A ton of old school bits, the kind made of real steel. 3 of these bits weigh what a box of new bits weigh. Couple of really nice chisels and a couple of chuck keys. So I says "whatdyd pay for this box of tools?" She says "$7 bucks." I'm happy.

 

[mddorange]

Sorry to hear that. I have never had that problem. In fact, my Father-in-law taught my wife all about tools as she was growing up, with her being the oldest. She has always let me select my own tools, but if she ever did get me something it was normally the top of the line.

The first few years we were married, I would take her along with me to the auto hobby shop to work on the old cars we had back then. When I needed a certain tool, she always knew exactly what I wanted and would get the correct one every time.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've seen the opposite first hand and given a choice I would rather be in your shoes...

One of my friends married in college and settled down...

I was visiting one Saturday and he was repairing a screen storm door and his wife comes walking up and boy does she let him have it... his crime was she saw several new Craftsman screwdrivers on the step... she really went ballistic berating him for having 4 screwdrivers!!!... he even said they were on sale on the 50% off table so he couldn't wait to discuss it with her...

Right then and there I decided I would NEVER be in that situation... EVER.

I've had people buy/bring me tools and I take it in the spirit as given... if it doesn't work out I can always re-home them...

 

[MF283]

I'm fortunate that the wife always ask me opinions on tools before she buys them for her little project's & even before buying for me on occasions, even more fortunate that she can safely operate them.
Now if i could get her to run chainsaws, weed whackers, ZTR & the tractor:confused3:

Ronnie

 

[Gulfmp]

Our agreement is I don't pick out her shoes, and she can have as much as she wants; in exchange she does not complain about the number of tools I have or try to get something to "help" me without asking first.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Just be happy that your wife is interested enough in what you do to buy something for you!

 

[Thomas]

My bride every now and than well purchase something she thinks I need,sooo I am very careful how I explain the item,last time I said I need a new chain saw, she purchase chainsaw and 50' ext cord...I couldn't find outlet 1/4 mile in the woods.

As pmsmechanic said.:thumbsup:

 

[Industrial Toys]

Actually, my lady friend bought me a Stanley Laser Distance finder (which in truth I never use as it's no good for outside) and a Mikita Four stroke Leak Blower, which I love!