Thinning the herd - your take?

[Simon MacGowen]

My strategy is to get rid of something after or before getting something new. All tools are toys to me and I like new toys. I have a small shop, and selling or giving away the old toys is partly born out of neccessity and partly out of self control.

Admit it: you keep some of your surplus tools because you can't let go of them, not out of needs.

Since most of my toys are premium brands and quality, they fetch good prices when I part with them, a reason why you should buy the best you can afford.

Thinning the herd is not something I do because I never own a (deep) herd. Only tools that I use constantly or will use are found in my shop. Proud not to be a hoarder.

By the way, I am not a minimalist anything. That term is just a label used to sell books. Keep and use as many tools that you enjoy and that you can afford. You won't be a better woodworker just because you are a minimalist.

Simon

[Rob Luter]

Follow up.......

Four months on and all is well. I had my second purge as planned and reduced the breadth of my kit some more. No withdrawal symptoms yet. I did make a couple acquisitions with the proceeds that have proven to be useful (a Titemark and a couple Boggs Shaves) but the net count is still way down. Bench plane count is down by half, as is block plane count. Backsaw count went from 7 to 3 with one still on the market. Eggbeaters went from 5 to 2. Auger sets went from 3 to 1. I've worked on a couple projects and never found myself wanting when it came to the appropriate tool. There seems to be something to a minimalist approach. I'm finding that many tools are much more versatile than I gave them credit for.

Next time I'll shed some hammers, saw vises, a couple more planes, a brace or two, maybe another eggbeater. It depends on what I really use over the next few months.

My ultimate goal is to be able to store my whole kit in a wall hanging cabinet. When it comes time to move, I'll pull it off the wall and hang it in the new shop.

[ken hatch]

Follow up.......

Four months on and all is well. I had my second purge as planned and reduced the breadth of my kit some more. No withdrawal symptoms yet. I did make a couple acquisitions with the proceeds that have proven to be useful (a Titemark and a couple Boggs Shaves) but the net count is still way down. Bench plane count is down by half, as is block plane count. Backsaw count went from 7 to 3 with one still on the market. Eggbeaters went from 5 to 2. Auger sets went from 3 to 1. I've worked on a couple projects and never found myself wanting when it came to the appropriate tool. There seems to be something to a minimalist approach. I'm finding that many tools are much more versatile than I gave them credit for.

Next time I'll shed some hammers, saw vises, a couple more planes, a brace or two, maybe another eggbeater. It depends on what I really use over the next few months.

My ultimate goal is to be able to store my whole kit in a wall hanging cabinet. When it comes time to move, I'll pull it off the wall and hang it in the new shop.

Rob,

Good on you. I keep trying and fail every time. It always comes down to, "Get rid of my almost complete set of type 9 Stanley planes? I can't do that." Apply to whatever tool is in my hand at decision time.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

Rob,

Good on you. I keep trying and fail every time. It always comes down to, "Get rid of my almost complete set of type 9 Stanley planes? I can't do that." Apply to whatever tool is in my hand at decision time.

ken

How about getting rid of all the planes that aren't type 9?

One of my fears in selling off old planes is some of them are not in great condition. One of them has the tote screw held in with threads cut in to JB Weld.

Though the #8 that was recently assembled works amazingly well, it has a repaired tote, a patina of oxidation from the sides to the sole and a couple of chips at the bottom edge of the lever cap. Not a pretty plane. It does take wonderfully thin shavings.

Got Some Planing to Do.jpg

For the record, a jointer plane is not usually judged by how thin of a shaving it can take, but if the sole is out of flat, it will have a hard time taking a thin shaving.

jtk

[ken hatch]

How about getting rid of all the planes that aren't type 9?

One of my fears in selling off old planes is some of them are not in great condition. One of them has the tote screw held in with threads cut in to JB Weld.

Though the #8 that was recently assembled works amazingly well, it has a repaired tote, a patina of oxidation from the sides to the sole and a couple of chips at the bottom edge of the lever cap. Not a pretty plane. It does take wonderfully thin shavings.

Got Some Planing to Do.jpg

For the record, a jointer plane is not usually judged by how thin of a shaving it can take, but if the sole is out of flat, it will have a hard time taking a thin shaving.

jtk

Jim,

That's too logical and for the most part hoarding tools ain't logical .

ken

[Bill Houghton]

One of my fears in selling off old planes is some of them are not in great condition. One of them has the tote screw held in with threads cut in to JB Weld.

If a plane's not of sufficient quality for you to sell, you can always see if the Habitat for Humanity in your area runs a ReStore and donate it. I'm always careful to attach a note if there are known but not highly visible flaws, detailing them.

[Jim Koepke]

If a plane's not of sufficient quality for you to sell, you can always see if the Habitat for Humanity in your area runs a ReStore and donate it. I'm always careful to attach a note if there are known but not highly visible flaws, detailing them.

One of my planes has a repair using JB Weld, a note is written with a sharpie on the face of the frog for future reference.

Most of my bench planes are are somewhat ugly but good users.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

Rob,

Good on you. I keep trying and fail every time. It always comes down to, "Get rid of my almost complete set of type 9 Stanley planes? I can't do that." Apply to whatever tool is in my hand at decision time.

ken

I hear you. I was one shy of a Sweetheart era set of bench and block planes. Something about that logo on the blade....

I just had a heart to heart with myself as to what I really wanted to do, accumulate tools that made me happy but didn't get used or use a core set of tools to accumulate skills that will make me happy. I chose the latter.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Here's the thing, many of us are no longer spring chickens. Many of us have tools we bought brand new and some given to us by our dad. So, when perusing "that auction site" and I see many tools I bought new (or inherited), described as "vintage" or as"valuable antique", I just can't part with that tool when it is now so valuable and rare!

Who'd have thunk them plum colored Stanleys would one day be called rare!

[Rob Luter]

Here's the thing, many of us are no longer spring chickens. Many of us have tools we bought brand new and some given to us by our dad. So, when perusing "that auction site" and I see many tools I bought new (or inherited), described as "vintage" or as"valuable antique", I just can't part with that tool when it is now so valuable and rare! Who'd have thunk them plum colored Stanleys would one day be called rare!

All my vintage stuff I bought later in life. I remember Dad having a couple planes when I was a kid but have no idea what happened to them. The spring chicken thing is ringing true with me. Part of my desire to thin things out was a discussion with my Daughter about family heirlooms and such. She and her husband (who's father is also a woodworker) live a semi minimalist lifestyle. They have no desire to accumulate a house full of "stuff" and she really has no emotional attachment to the things I've collected and hold dear (Guitars, Stickley Furniture, Woodworking Tools, Antique Arts and Crafts Pottery). She basically told us to sell it for what it was worth when we could, because if she had to sell it at an estate sale after our deaths it was going cheap just to get it gone. I appreciated her honesty. Dead or not, I don't want to be the guy behind the $100 Les Paul or $50 Stickley Morris Chair urban legend.

[ken hatch]

All my vintage stuff I bought later in life. I remember Dad having a couple planes when I was a kid but have no idea what happened to them. The spring chicken thing is ringing true with me. Part of my desire to thin things out was a discussion with my Daughter about family heirlooms and such. She and her husband (who's father is also a woodworker) live a semi minimalist lifestyle. They have no desire to accumulate a house full of "stuff" and she really has no emotional attachment to the things I've collected and hold dear (Guitars, Stickley Furniture, Woodworking Tools, Antique Arts and Crafts Pottery). She basically told us to sell it for what it was worth when we could, because if she had to sell it at an estate sale after our deaths it was going cheap just to get it gone. I appreciated her honesty. Dead or not, I don't want to be the guy behind the $100 Les Paul or $50 Stickley Morris Chair urban legend.

Rob,

I'm lucky to have a friend of many years (I hired him when he was 22 years old and he flew as my FO for many years before going to the airlines) who is in reality a much better craftsman than I am to pass my tools to. I know he will care for them and use them as he did during the times I was working out of country and with out a shop. When he goes who knows what will happen because he and his wife have no kids. But whatever I will be long gone by then.

I have one other advantage, living in the desert Southwest tools do not rust. There is little maintenance required, If I still lived in Houston, TX or McMinnville, OR, or even Salt Lake City, UT my tool inventory would be a tenth of what it is now. I guess what I'm trying to say is other than storage room there is little cost to having a kinda large collection of hand tools and even though I make noises about culling the herd and make sporadic attempts to if I'm honest it ain't going to happen in this life.

BTW, good on you for doing it.

ken

[John K Jordan]

.. She basically told us to sell it for what it was worth when we could, because if she had to sell it at an estate sale after our deaths it was going cheap just to get it gone.... Dead or not, I don't want to be the guy behind the $100 Les Paul or $50 Stickley Morris Chair urban legend.

One option is to put a sticker on things like that with the approximate value so she can decide if "cheap" is $100 or $10000.

Another option is to specify in a memorandum attached to your will specifying where specified things will go, for example my extensive turning wood collection will go to a local club.

I think too many tools in the shop depends on what you do. For example I don't often use some in my little machine, welding, or electronics shops but when the tractor breaks down or the horse fence charger needs fixin' I usually have what it takes to do it now. I also have many tools for wood working/turning that I don't use often but students and shop visitors do. If I didn't have plenty of space I'd certainly keep less.

JKJ

[Richard Jones]

I like 'stuff' as much as the next guy/gal. That said, if I take an honest look at what I have, it's too much. Too many guns, guitars, knives, tools, etc. I'm going through my shop now to try and weed out what I don't need. Any regrets I may have will be (hopefully) overshadowed by knowing that maybe whoever that has whatever is actually using it.

I applaud you, sir, for your downsizing machismo, and hope that I can do the same.

As an aside, my wife happened to look in the gun safe one day and asked me what all of it was worth. She said that she would probably sell it all for $2,000, to which I responded, 'honey, the safe cost that much. Just call Eddie (a friend that I would walk off the pier for) and have him sell it off for you.' I guess that's the downside to not revealing the true price of things........

[john zulu]

I have the notion to use the least tools for the job. I will buy or acquire tools which I need when the time comes like the Jack Rabbet plane.
As for hand tools. I generally have one each like my hand planes. That said..... When it comes to knives, I have multiple of them. Each one with it's own grind and function.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Rob, it is all about what makes you feel comfortable in whatever stage you are in now. Sure, we could all do more with less. Sure, there may be some validity to the concept that we may have some shiny-object-hoarding-tendencies or, restated, have more than we need. BUT i doubt having too many tools is hampering us from actually doing more work with wood. Life is a journey and sometimes we might overindulge a bit, but if it is filling a need at the time, then that is not necessarily bad.

If you think thinning the herd will make you feel better, then that is the thing to do. If your motivation is to maximize the monetary return, and think you will roll over in your grave if the kids don’t value those things the same as you, then focus on that. Objects don’t have feelings - or so i am told - but if someone acquires from your estate one of your cherished possessions for a song, and it goes to a happy/thrilled/loving home, i am not so sure that is a “bad” thing.

Just some thoughts from a fellow traveler; ya gotta do what is best for you at this stage of the journey. Tomorrow will be here soon enough, but no guarantee we will be here to see it. Hence, don’t worry too much about what you cant control. Best, Patrick (who knows very little)