Too many tools....

[Matt Warfield]

too soon?

Does anyone ever think that one can get too many tools too early in the woodworking hobby? Sure, more tools are nice as you can do more things. But, as you're learning, couldn't it be a little dampening on one's creative problem solving skills to have enough machinery and hand tools to skin a cat 24 different ways? It seems as though this could also overwhelm the beginner with deciding the best method to get the task completed.

My thought is that when I had only a table saw and a router table, I made several projects that are of pretty good quality. And the quality improved with each project, not necessarily each tool I've added. In a way, I feel I've spent so much time in the past year or two acquiring the best tools that I've lost momentum in developing the more essential skills.

Does anyone have any thoughts and/or experiences that may relate to this?

Thanks,

Matt

[Steven Shelby]

Matt,

I think there is really some validity to what you're saying. When I first started woodworking about 6 or 7 years ago, I had a very small shop (maybe 8x10) in my basement. And my tools were limited. While I would occasionally find a need for a new tool as a new project began, I still had limits. So, for example, since I didn't have a nice router table, I was forced to make strips of molding while sitting on the floor and running the stock through a small portable router table (lucky to still have all 10 after that one). The other thing I found was I built alot of jigs. Didn't have a drillpress yet, so I had to create ways of being accurate using the old Makita cordless.

I remember building several projects in that period that were my best work to date. Sometimes less is more. And the experience and skills will last forever!

[Jim Becker]

I don't think you need to be minimalist, but having too many tools available before you are able to learn what you have can and cannot do isn't the most desirable thing. It's an experiencial thing. I do think equipping a shop with the essential work triangle and a few other things is a good idea, but there is no reason to buy the more esoteric tools or things you have minimal use for until you actually have a project that really needs them. The TS, J and P are the heart of a woodworking shop, at least in the traditional sense. These three let you mill lumber flat, straight and true, and to thickness, length and width. A router lets you profile wood.

And in the case of constrained space, there are newer tools/methods that can do a lot with more flexiblity. (Guided saw/router systems, for example)

Do take the time to practice with each tool/machine so you fully understand what it can and cannot do as well as to develop a feel for working with it. That's a safety issue, too.

[Bob Noles]

Matt,

Being somewhat new on the scene myself, (a little over a year) I am afraid I have to agree with you on this. I spent the better part of the previous year aquiring my tools and setting up shop. I am hoping to balance things out now and use the upcoming year in learning to use each tool effectively and start making some projects to show for all of this.

[Ian Barley]

I think that there is a baseline around where Jim says. I suspect that many people would improve their skills and abilities more by then spending some money on good timber, make some nice projects, and develop the better use of those base tools, rather than spending every available dollar on the next whizzbang machine but not having enough left to buy quality timber and get the feel of the material. It is all too easy to develop shopitis where having the best equipped shop becomes an end in itself.

[Matt Meiser]

I know I did that, and then spent a lot of money upgrading tools or sold off things I just never used.

[Mark Singer]

I have always designed around the tools in the shop....if I don't have a tool for a project , I buy it or figure a way to use what I have. Many guys never take the time to learn to use the stuff they have well...The woodworking shows are full of gagets you really don't need it is a big mistake to just rely on gagets.....Most projects break down to very basic tasks that are used over and over....Joinery, resawing, breking down stock, preparing stock, gluing, sanding or planning. Jim B. is making the point that the essential tools are key and that is true. Using hand tools well is another important component to woodworking....Put it all together and you have a good foundation. Then you can add tools as you need them...

[jerry cousins]

much agreement here - there is this list of "wanted tools" - and always on the lookout for a great deal - but there comes a time when i feel i am not using the tools i have to their full potential (often times hand tools) and i really stop myself and focus in on learning more about what's already in the shop. making myself push the relationship between my skills and the tool's performing purpose.

maybe handplanes - shaper jigs - dovetail saw - even bandsaw techniques. once i do that i really find it pretty satisfying. and then in fact some of the tools on that list seem to drop off - or at least end up at the end of the line.

jerry

[Andy London]

I have a lot of tools that I rarely use and I run a home based business however they are there when I need them and I am thankful for that.

However five years ago when I switched from cabinetry to picture frames and crafts, I sold off a lot of equipment. After my shop reno this Christmas, I placed an ad in the local buy and sell as I once again had 9 items that I really don't need, are duplicates or I wanted to upgrade into something different.

I am of the mind for those starting out to buy the tools for the job, buying tools can cost you a lot of money fast, I have been acquiring tools for the past 20 years, when I sit and look around the shop it's scary the $$$ tied up.

Andy

[Frank Pellow]

You are correct.

I have acquired a LOT of tools over the last two years and my guess is that I only use about 2/3 of my new tools on a regular basis. In particular, I don't use my band saw or my scroll saw very much. I need to spend time getting more skilled with both of them.

[Peter M. Spirito]

i was so blessed to start off with a hand axe and a bucket of used bent nails.:mad:

[Matt Warfield]

Thanks for the feedback fellas!! :D I've been looking in my shop recently and wondered "where did all these tools come from?" For me, it's not so much the dollars as some were very inexpensive at auctions. In the last 6 months, I've added a jointer, planer, 24" scrollsaw($20 at an auction), dust collector, a few measuring paraphenelia, and about 2600 BF of lumber. So, for getting started in my new shop at the new house, it feels a little overwhelming.

I think what it comes down to is just kicking myself in the rear and build something, anything to get the wheels in motion. Oh yeah, and then I fell into the creek and that cuts into the shop/family time as well. :eek:

Thanks again and, oh yeah, I forgot to thank you for the friendly welcome that was doled out last month.

Matt

[Don Baer]

I got along for years using hand held power tools and other hand tools only (Circ Saw, jig saw, hand sander and hand held drills). I was able to accomplish an awful lot with these tools. I slowly aquired a CMS, table saw, and band saw and will eventualy get a Jointer and planer only to give me more freedom in selecting the raw material I plan to use. Am I limited in what I can make.? No. Will the additions to my tools collection make my job easier? You bet but I definitly am not a tool junkey nor am I limited in what can make.
When I buy tools now I look at what I can do with it to make the tasks I have done before easier and better. I never spend the money just to buy a tool. I may some day add a shaper to my collection but for now I fiind that my router does everything I ask of it. Would a jointer do a better job? Yes. Do I need a shaper? NO. Id rather spend the money buying some figured maple or maybe some cherry or walnut.

[Corey Hallagan]

When I first started woodworking 20 years ago I don't think I necessarily bought to many tools, but to many tools that I didn't use because they were just not good enough quality. I should have focused on the basics and bought better when I could afford it instead of outfitting my shop with every benchtop jr. to the full sized tools. Some worked others didnt. Those that didn't like the benchtop jointer and bandsaw I got rid of. A year ago, I set out to upgrade my shop I bought new tools but I consider most of them essentials, good table saw (Delta CS, good router table (BenchDog and router inside (Dewalt 625) Hand Held Router (Dewalt DW618 PK) and Bosch 1591 Jig saw. All quality tools but not gadgety type tools. I do not have a bandsaw or a jointer, just don't have the room and not interested in mini versions. My drill press was a good purchase 20 years ago, still using it. Anyway, that is my story :)

Corey

[Mike Henderson]

I think most beginning woodworkers would be best served to only purchase tools when they're needed. In other words, don't purchase a Stanley #7 plane until you find that you really need it.

Some tools are essential, like a table saw, but I started with a Craftsman TS that was given to me. I had to buy a motor and tune it up, but when I finished, I knew how the saw worked and how to set it up properly.

I bought low cost tools to start and don't regret it. I learned on the cheap tools and upgraded when I could tell that they were not as good as they should be. I sold the cheap tools on EBay and got most of my money back - people pay way too much on EBay for tools.

My advice to beginning woodworkers is "Work Wood". Find a simple project and build it. You'll discover what tools you need as you go along.

Mike

[Mark Singer]

A few years ago a Doctor I new took up woodworking and asked me to teach him at his shop....this guy was just beggining to learn woodworking and I could not believe the shop.....every tool you could imagime was there....it was like he went through the Garret Wad e catalogue and picked one of each....Ulmia bench,,,Laguna 20" bandsaw..every router bit made almost! Well I came a few times and he wasn't relly getting it...It was like me building the projects ,,,,in ix months I heard he sold it all.....tools does not mean woodworking or knowedge....

[Anthony Anderson]

Matt, If buying tools does not put undue burden on your family, then I think you are taking a good route to buying tools. Your strategy of buying when someone has to sell them, rather than when you need them, will save you time, money, and aggravation in the future. You may not necessarily need them right away, but at some point in your WWing you will, and providing that you have bought quality tools, you will thank yourself when you do. Now, if you have a case of the "Buying Regrets" because you have bought more tools than the number of projects you have produced, and because the wife is getting a little annoyed at your tool buying because you are not producing (causing you to feel guilt), then that will pass. The right tool will allow you to work safely and more efficiently, and produce a much nicer product. Figure out a project that the wife wants, something considerable, and tackle it. Give it to her, surprise her in fact, and those tool purchases will become well worth their weight. Do any of us really "NEED" all of what we have? Of course not! We are a society of wants, not a society of needs, and this applies to everything, not just woodworking. Think of cars, trucks, houses, tools, vacations, and the list could go on and on. But it is our nature to want "more", and the current atmosphere of success in this country lends fuel to that fire. I feel guilt sometimes, when I know that I have food at my fingertips, and thousands, all over the world, will starve tomorrow, in fact several have died while I have sat here and typed this. That is what I truly regret, and feel remorseful for. Everyone should try to make a difference in the world, in their own way. But try to enjoy your tools. Make more projects, and don't feel so bad about buying tools. Make a gift and donate it to the local good cause for their fundraiser, this will go a long way in helping you to to justify those tools, not only to the wife but to yourself. Regards, Bill

[Anthony Anderson]

Mark, I have to agree completely. A person that I knew long ago, when I was much younger, told me this, "All of the tools in the world will not make you a master of your craft, but perserverence and love certainly will". I try to keep that in the back of my mind when I am considering a purchase. Thanks for your post. Regards, Bill

[Joe Scarfo]

I wish someone in the hobby had taken me under their wing. I would've purchased wisely and likely had a chance to use the tool in their shop first.

I've been a mentor to a few while living in Tampa and they avoided many of the errors I learned from...

Joe

[Joe Chritz]

Wisdom comes from experience which comes from bad judgement.

The wise of the wise use their own mistakes to learn and more importantly, the mistakes of others.

I recently finished building an entire house from a hole in the ground. Excavation, upstairs drywall and heating/AC was contracted. Everything else I did. I did this not because I knew how, but because I was willing to learn how. If you don't know today, go figure it out tomorrow.

I purchased my tools to complete jobs or to complete jobs better. If faster also then bonus for me.

Joe

[glenn bradley]

Tools in a shop are like water in a vessel; they will fill any available space if uncontrolled. Ha!

[Seth Poorman]

Ive never bought a tool that I didnt need . ;)
I have some that I dont use as much, but its nice to have them when needed.:cool:
I love my tools. :D

[Vaughn McMillan]

I've been on a bit of a tool-buying spree for the past year, but I've generally only bought them as the need came up for a specific project. A few of them (like my Dewalt biscuit joiner or Bosch hammer drill)) are very seldom used, but when needed, they are worth the expense to me. Yes, there are other ways I could have done the same tasks, but I still feel they were justified.

Matt, I think your statement about needing a kick in the pants to get going on a project or two makes good sense. It sounds like you've made good buying decisions so far and are well set up (including a nice stash of lumber), so I'd suggest just picking something you've never built before, then just building it. I have to do the same myself from time to time, especially after building something that's not quite up to my standards, or spending more time fixing mistakes than building the project. I have to remember to write off the mistakes and less-than-perfect workmanship as part of the learning experience. I also have found that just knowing the SMC folks (including some very respected pros) are looking over my shoulder and cheering me on helps motivate me to try to do my best job.

- Vaughn

[craig lapiana]

i think you will see my thinking goes against the 'grain' of the above replies a little bit :)

i decided a few years back to start up my woodworking hobby 'soon' so i started purchasing tools. i have really loved finding bargins for each piece i have desired (many thanks to a lot of posts here at the creek) well here i am almost a year and a half later having spent close to 10k in tools and not much saw dust at all! really only testing a few tools after setting them up. even more funny, to many in my family, that i still got a pile of boxes not even open yet :)

to be honest with you i am in no 'rush'. i have really ENJOYED this board (and another) gleaming the advice and recommendations from all you great folks. i love doing the research into what you folks find great and why? i know many lessons learned, shared openly, have been such a blessing in that i dont like spending money on sub standard products. i simply wait and get quality vs replacing items as my skills grow (it took me a year and a half to find my used delta shaper that would work with my used excalibur 'shaping' sliding table which i purchased last year!)

but like i said i am in no rush. i spent some unexpected time deployed with the Army after 9/11 which allowed me to save some money focused on my retirement (which is 2 decades away) in which i always knew i would take up woodworking. this unexpected tour (to the far east) has blessed me now with having a fully equipped shop which i can learn in at my own pace. now i fully expect to be a very skilled craftsman as i hit retirement age with no tools to purchase and only the expenses of finding nice wood.

life is good :) thanks to all who participate in this board, which i now feel, i have time to contribute too.

craig

[Joe Marotta]

As a relative newcomer to the hobby, one thing that I think feeds into the 'gotta have it" mentality with respect to tools is the way many articles (and television shows) concerning woodworking are presented. They do a very good job of walking you through how to do a project step by step. But the assumption is that you have every tool under the sun!

There was one book that I received as a birthday present a number of years ago that had a unique approach. It was a beginners woodworking book. The authors made a point of only using handheld tools (circular saw, jig saw, cordless drill, etc). That way any beginner could make the projects in the book without spending a fortune. Then, as their skills developed, they could make bigger purchases. The hand tools they did have would be in any craftsman's shop anyway, so it wasn't as if you would be replacing anything as you upgraded.

I do wish some authors and producers would present alternatives when they do a step by step with some of the more expensive tools. For example, "you can do this really easily on a drill press, but if you don't have one, here's what you do..." As someone mentioned above, a limited supply of tools really tests a woodworker's problem solving skills, which is what makes it fun for me! Which is more satisfying, buying a $500 tool or sitting down, scratching your head and figuring out a way to get the same result with the tools you already have?

Easier said than done, to be sure! Perhaps we could set up a forum for jig and solutions that will allow beginners to get the same results w/o the big tools. I have pretty much blown my budget on tools for the time being, and am looking to get started on some good jigs and other shop fixtures. I have a stack of magazines and books with plans, but most of them require tools that I do not have yet (drill press, miter saw, bandsaw, etc.) I know that I can make these projects without them, but am struggling with how to do so SAFELY!

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I feel the slower you acquire the better. That gives you time to gain knowledge of what good tools and equipment are and if you REALLY need them. The more mature wood worker you are the better your decisions become and that just takes time. Just my 2cents.

[Jeff Horton]

Just read all the gloating to goes on about the tools they bought.

Compare that to the number of post with photos of what they built.

:) Speaks for itself I think.

[Frank Pellow]

Just read all the gloating to goes on about the tools they bought.

Compare that to the number of post with photos of what they built.

:) Speaks for itself I think.
Do you really think that there are more of the former? I don't.

[Mike Wenzloff]

too soon?

Does anyone ever think that one can get too many tools too early in the woodworking hobby?
...
Does anyone have any thoughts and/or experiences that may relate to this?

Thanks, Matt
Well, this same issue as you can tell by now afflicts not only new people to the craft, but seasoned ones as well.

In part because I downsized my space [considerably], and in part because I started looking around at the tools I have, last year I invoked what I refer to as The Quest for Less.

I realized the shear number of tools, jigs and even lumber was more a detriment to my work than an enhancement to it. So I sold off a great number of power and hand tools. It was difficult at first and a joy later.

Of course, I sold a couple tools I later regreted and have bought a couple planes to replace them, but I am happy I went through the excercise.

My mom use to have a system for her clothes. If she didn't wear something for a year, it would move to another place in her closet. If she didn't pull it back out of that place after another year, it would be given away or donated to the Goodwill.

So I went through all my "temporary" jigs which were never dealt with, salvaged hardware if there was any and used them for heat in the fireplace. Tools I hadn't used for some time also went away to new homes. Large, stationary power tools were difficult at first to sell. But after the first few, it was easy.

I do a lot of work by hand, and so I probably sold fewer of those in dollar value, but in quantity they surpass the power tools. And I still have some tools which I will probably sell. For instance, I have a Jet shaper I've used once in over a year. Do I really need it? Most likely not. So I will probably sell it off too.

I think for each of use, if we really look hard at what we have and what we really need to do our work, the list of needs vs. "maybe I'll need it someday" will be different.

Take care, Mike

[Mike Wenzloff]

Do you really think that there are more of the former? I don't.
I agree with Frank here.

I think in the time I have posted on forums, much less SMC, I have only shown a few items I have made. Doesn't mean I haven't made many more things, nor that I am not proud of them. Just means that is not soley why I come here.

I come here to share what little I know, or to learn something I do not know. To talk, so to speak, and to read.

Take care, Mike

[tod evans]

I agree with Frank here.




I come here to share what little I know, or to learn something I do not know. To talk, so to speak, and to read.

Take care, Mike

well written mike! exactly why i participate. tod

[Travis Johnson]

It's kind of funny...

For me anyway it seems that most of the tools I just "had to have", I do not use. I wanted a hollow chisel mortiser so bad a few years ago, and yet I think I have used it once, maybe twice. The same thing goes for a dovetailing router jig, and a dozen other gadget examples.

The thing is, I found I was more content toiling away in my shop chopping mortises and dovetails by hand then I ever was listening to screaming machines. I know everyone is not like that, and that's fine, but before you open your wallet, a woodworker, new or experienced, should find out what motivates them to walk out into their shop in the first place.

If that walk is motivated by the production of a dozen cabinets every year, then by all means search for that dovetailing jig, find that 3 horse power router and buy an expensive biscuit joiner. You certainly will be able to justify the purchases.

Me on the other hand, well I work in the railroad industry, where every task is dictated by time. For that reason, taking that walk out into my workshop means I won't be looking at my watch for awhile. It's a true retreat, so I'll take my chisel and be mesmorized by a finly honed chisel severing wood fibers as I make that mortise.

When you find out what makes you step into your shop, then and only then will you be able to make intelligent woodworking tool purchases.

[Scott Vigder]

Shakespeare would have loved this one, and as a newer hoobyist (less than two years) I can say that although I've bought more tools than I need, I do have the willpower to wait until I need something the second time around before seriously thinking of purchasing it. If the job requires something I don't have and my research shows how much time/space/energy I can save by having said tool, then I jump in. My recent purchase of an 8" jointer has reduced my sanding time by upwards of 80%.
That said, I like having tools ready to use, and have thought of tackling bigger and tougher projects as my collection has increased. My most recent accomplishment, a mission style computer desk, would have stayed on the drawing board without the jointer and a mortising machine (seventeen spindles times two [top and bottom] times three [two ends and one middle section] equals a boatload of mortises!) See photo of desk at. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=35195&d=1143645564

[Greg Koch]

I'm a newbe to woodworking, but not to doing projects and working with tools. I know that you can sometimes get along with less, but having the right tool can make the job simplier and sometimes less stressful to complete. If you have decided you are going to do this thing...WW..it also makes sense, IMO, to take advantage of sales for things you need or want now because you feel it will help.

I bought a new Delta 10" contractors saw, when I already had a Rockwell 9"...old and a bit of a pain working with the old fence and gauge. I could have "updated" just them, but I felt in the near future I would want a more accurate, powerful, larger, smoother saw. Amazon had a deal on a Delta 36-680 that, with free shipping and a $150 rebate (I got today), it ended up at $429! (now $579) My Makita planer was $337 with free shipping and a $75 rebate (now $429). My Bosch 1617EVSPKE, with over $100 of accessories added, was $145 (now $218 for just the router and fixed/plunge base. My PC 557 plate jointer was $127 with $30 rebate and 1000 biscuits (now $199)... Sometimes, it's worth it to get some tools sooner than you really have to have them because they are on a super sale, and you can begin to use/learn them right away.

I have posted equipment gloats, but few "finished job" posts, but doesn't mean that I'm just "collecting tools". I have installed new wood flooring under the kitchen sink, built a shelf for under the sink in the master bath, built food bowl stands for our dogs, 2 step stools, a towel/mat drying rack, a lattice privacy curtain, a spice rack, and some jigs for the shop...using all the tools (except the TS which I'm still doing some modifications on).

For some novices (myself at least), it can be a bit embarrasing posting pics of simple WW projects, after seeing some of the awesome things other members here build. Real heirloom works of art.... But, I will get there, I'm sure. Just a few more tools and a few more years experience...and a lot of advice from all the great members here!.

Greg

[Frank Pellow]

Just read all the gloating to goes on about the tools they bought.

Compare that to the number of post with photos of what they built.

:) Speaks for itself I think.


Do you really think that there are more of the former? I don't.

As a bit of a check on this, I reviewed the list of the threads that I have started here on Saw Mill Creek.

12 of those threads were gloats/reviews about tools.

32 threads were about something I had built or was in the process of building.

98 were about something else.

[Jeff Horton]

As a bit of a check on this, I reviewed the list of the threads that I have started here on Saw Mill Creek.

12 of those threads were gloats/reviews about tools.

32 threads were about something I had built or was in the process of building.

98 were about something else.
I think SMC is the exception and I should have said that up front. I read a couple of others forums and it seems there is more excitement about tool collecting than tool usage. HEY, maybe I am wrong. But it seems that way to me.

Again, SMC is the exception. I have no idea why but the attitude/people here are MUCH different than the other groups I read. Thats a good thing too!

[Randy Gillard]

Hi, my name is Randy, and I'm a toolaholic.

While I don't have a bunch of expensive hand tools (my one extravagance in that area the LV shoulder plane), I have been in the process of upgrading my larger machinery in the past couple of years. From a contractors saw to a 1965 model General 350 cabinet saw, my 6" jointer to an 8" DJ-20, my 14" bandsaw to a MM16, my cheapo drill press to a new Delta 16 1/2". Ironically, the first serious WW tool I ever bought, and is largely repsonsible for my entry into amateur WW, I have no intention of upgrading. That is my MAkita SCMS.

I like having great tools, and do not feel much remorse about not having enough time to use them a lot. WW is my hobby, and the tools are a big part of it.

As well, I am accumulating them now in prep for early retirement, while I can afford to do so. Dropping 2 grand on a bandsaw, for example, may not be so easy to do when I am not working. Right now, no problem. And the tools will last a lifetime.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/DJ-2020small.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/c229.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/Minimax/DSC01162.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/edb5.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/DSC00310.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/DSC01953.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/DSC01818.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/hrgillard/5da1.jpg

Cheers

Randy

[Tyler Howell]

Blasphemer !!! Infidel!!!
How can you utter those sacrilegious words. "Too many tools."

Can we just say:

That tool was not suited for the job at hand.
I selected wrong!
I have out groan this tool!
The manufacturer should be shot.
I learned a valuable lesson from this tool.
I kept the parts people in business.
The Tool is too advanced for me.But never "Too many tools."
Some of the entry level items, are rights of passage. Design to cull out the weak of heart.
You have to know poor, before you can appreciate quality.
You learn after many attempts that "It's a start, now let's get down to business"

I know hi performance boats, skis, and snow boards will frustrate and beat down the beginner as with many tools
Too much power, too many adjustments.
WW like anything else is a developed skill and some of that education fro making mistakes

[Jim Andrew]

I put off having a shop for 30 years, just set up in each new house I built,
and about a year and a half ago, I fixed up a building and bought all new
machines. I gave away my old craftsman table saw and jointer, and used
Sawmill Creek for advice on buying my machines. I appreciate all the advice I received. Wound up buying much better quality than I had planned. Unisaw with biesemeyer, 10" Oliver Jointer, woodmaster planer
molder, and a MM 16. Don't use the MM as much as I had planned, but
it sure is nice when I need it. Hate rattly old junk bandsaws. Now, having gotten disgusted with sawyers, ordered my own MP 32 Cooks
Bandmill. And no I'm not sorry. Jim

[Bill Fields]

Matt M. and Matt W.:

Great points!

I have tools that I haven't time to know how they work.

This is a disease akin to women and shoes! (No letters, Ladies!)

All is not lost--like you, I have friends downstream tha can use my unwise purchases.

The good news is I'm learning almost every day!

BILL