Regrets? I have a few...

[Clisby Clark]

I was in the shop today and started thinking of what I'd do different if I could do it all over again-specifically regarding tools. Funny thing is-on the power side, I think I made pretty good choices and wouldn't change much of anything. My biggest Power mistake was not snatching up the $250 CL General mortiser, but money was tight at the time.

The hand tool side is where I'd make all my changes. Particularly I think I should've focused more on new premium quality instead of so much vintage stuff. Don't get me wrong, all the hours spent fettling taught me a lot about how planes work, but now I've got three #8s, three 7s, two 6's, three 5's, four 4's, three 3's, two 78's as well as a bunch of stuff I don't think I've ever used on an actual project-a 95, a 75, a type 4 #3 that I bought just "to have" (It's over 125 years old, for crying out loud!), a 10 1/2, 40, etc. I've got a thing for just about anything old and bought up just about anything that was a good deal whether I needed it or not. I'm seriously thinking about thinning the herd and using all the proceeds to get a LN or two. Unfortunately, it looks like the market's a bit softer than it was when I bought most of this stuff.

If anyone would like to share their regrets feel free to pile on.

[Stephen Cherry]

Sounds like you are doing pretty good to me, but here are a few cliches to cheer you up:

No matter how good of a deal you miss, a better one (and a worse one) will come along.

(I could only think of one cliche).

[Craig McCormick]

I started woodworking at a very young age. Dad bought me my first table saw when I was ten. I spent my whole life upgrading and acquiring hand and power tools. I have made most of the furniture in our home. Five years ago I finally had a dedicated shop! At the same time I lost most of my interest in woodworking and have sold off most everything. Life is funny.....
I still read woodworking mags and follow SMC every day.
No regrets here:)

AZCRAIG

[Jeff Duncan]

In general I try to buy and keep what I need. I don't mind having a couple of something I use a lot, like say chisels or block planes. If I had 3 or 4 of a hand or power tool though and it wasn't getting used, it would be getting sold. For me personally I don't get any satisfaction from just having them around. I know there are plenty of collectors out there that just amass tools, so 'to each there own', but for me the pleasure of a tool or machine comes from using it to make something.

My equipment has been continuously upgraded over the years and is still being added to and upgraded from time to time. The only tool I started out with that I still have is a Craftsman RAS which I've come close to replacing several times, but it's just so low on the priority list I can't really justify any finds going towards it. The thing for me that is toughest is that once you've upgraded your basic equipment, you start looking for more specialized stuff like panel saws, edgebanders, dovetailers and such. These are the machines that really drain the wallet! On top of that then you need more space!!!

good luck,
JeffD

[Rod Sheridan]

I wish I had started at the end, equipment wise, rather than the beginning.

For example I went from a Craftsman tablesaw to a General 650 to a Hammer B3, I could have saved a few thousand by starting with the B3.

Dust collection went from a bag type to an Oneida cyclone, could have saved some money again by starting with the Oneida.

General jointer and planer replaced by a Hammer A3, same thing.

My hand tools however haven't needed any upgrades as I always bought good hand tools..........................Regards, Rod.

[Anthony Whitesell]

1) I regret not starting WW sooner.

2) I spent a lot of time selecting my tools. I spent over a year deciding on a bandsaw, and several months selecting a router. I spent only a few weeks deciding on a jointer...and thought I got an 8" instead of a 6" I regret not getting the spiral head cutter. It would have been so much easier. Don't get me wrong but I love my G0490, but what am I supposed to do with the old head if I ever buy a spiral replacement??? It's going to be money sitting on the shelf. (both in the fact that the G0490X is less than the cost of the G0490 plus the spiral head purchased and shipped separately, and the fact that I can't sell the old straight blade)

[eugene thomas]

I generaly dont regreat buying tool that later upgraded to because at the time was what could afford. my big regreat is when buy tool that turns out to be junk. then threw money away.

[Chris Fournier]

I have very few regrets when it comes to equipment and tools. I bought some cheap handtools, maybe $200 worth, I realised the folly of my ways and sold them for $100 - no biggie. I used a General 350 cabinet saw for over 16 years and I now have an SCM 410 Elite S slider. The Elite is light years superior to the General. Regrets? Not at all. My SCM takes up more space than the footprint of my first shop by a huge measure. It was never a possibility for me 20 years ago.

What about the Tiawanese 8" jointer that became the 12" SCM combo that is now also long gone? No regrets at all. I had neither the space, knowledge or need for my current equipment when I started out. I made money on all of my cast offs; I bought, employed and sold well.

You want regret? Ok sure. I regret that I now no longer have a WWKg fire in my belly like I did when I first started out. I regret that I haven't made a guitar in quite some time because I can make big $$$ doing corporate casework but barely crack a $20.00/hr wage building a fine musical instrument. I regret that I ever tried to make money WWKg. However I don't regret that I made money WWKg because I have a stunning shop full of the finest equipment and materials that I can imagine. I regret that this shop no longer makes me want to WWK 48 hours straight even though it is the best shop I have ever owned.

The biggest regret that comes to mind most every week after 15 years since the incident occurred? My 1" Robert Sorby paring chisel which I threw against the wall in an infantile fit of rage (tantrum is the honest word). I have straightened, surface ground and re-tempered that blade. It sits in plain view of my bench and I can't see my way to re-commissioning it. It is damaged goods through no fault of its own. It is a tangible symbol of my ineptitude, impatience and foolishness. Funny how this meager chisel has haunted me over these many years, I've got the $65 needed to replace it but I think that regret is holding me back.

Yeah I have regrets; that I have missed the opportunity to be quiet, contemplative and logical and overcome the obstacles that I have made/found before me. The rest is fluff and of no consequence whatsoever. I could have been so much smarter in my approach to this craft. This is my greatest regret.

[paul cottingham]

I wish I had bought a good bandsaw and a mortiser with my first wave of tools.I also wish I had bought a good cyclone for dust collection right of the bat. Maybe a better hybrid table saw as well. I have a short jointer, but it is the only size that fits in my shop...so I am happy enough. Of course, if I was in a space larger than 9x20 I would probably be grumbling about it too, Funny thing,,,,I got advice on all this from a craftsman I really respect, and he said I would never need a bandsaw (!) or the mortiser (?). I now file that under "things that make you go hmmmmm."

[Julian Tracy]

If you have a large enough assortment of drywall screws, why would you need a mortiser? ;)

Seriously though, I actually sold my mortiser and my biscuit jointer when I bought the Domino. Most of what I do can be done within the scale confines of the tool.

JT

[Paul Symchych]

For life in general I have more regrets for the things i didn't do than those I did. But I try not to "should" on my life. Tools have been added to fit current needs balanced with an estimate of value for money. Buying the high end of everything is fine but that would mean knowing where I will ultimately wind up. Adding the 'bigger or better' later on if the need arises is preferable to me than having a 'bigger and better' sitting around unused.

[Andrew Joiner]

I started woodworking at a very young age. Dad bought me my first table saw when I was ten. I spent my whole life upgrading and acquiring hand and power tools. I have made most of the furniture in our home. Five years ago I finally had a dedicated shop! At the same time I lost most of my interest in woodworking and have sold off most everything. Life is funny.....
I still read woodworking mags and follow SMC every day.
No regrets here:)

AZCRAIG


I have a similar story. I was passionate about woodworking from age 4 to 38. I worked hard in my own commercial shop for many years, then leased it out. Finally at 41 years old I sold all my machines and hand tools and retired to travel and play. I lost my love of making things and thought I'd never get back into it.
Now I'm 60 and a few years ago I got the love of building things back. I have a nice shop and built a new house and most of the furniture.
Occasionally I'll reach for a tool I once had and regret selling. Some of the hand tools I bought new at the corner hardware store as a kid are now rare collectibles, so that's my biggest regret! Some times I regret selling my hoard of rare slabs. I'd love to still be hoarding them (they were to rare to cut up) . Then I think well, I could have moved things a couple times and paid lots of storage fees, so no serious regrets.

Great thread and I promise to buy the next tool I regret selling when I was out of love.

[Bob Riefer]

I chose to buy all used duing this learning stage that I'm in - all in, I've spent well under $2000 for everything, but no more than $450 for any ONE thing. I researched and asked questions, but didn't go too nuts in trying to get "the perfect" anything, just looked for deals and made the purchase when there was a good one to be had. I figure that through using the tools, I'll learn a ton about what my needs truly are, and will upgrade when it becomes necessary. But honestly, I think the shop will not be outgrown by me in the next 10 years at least.

So, no real regrets in terms of purchases so far.