How long before selling?

[mreza Salav]

For me, once I realize I am getting by without I or there is a better option I sell it. I once bought and restored an old Rockwelll combo belt/disk sander but soon realized I use the edge sanders I have and the disk sander is too small. Sold it. I sold my biscuit joiner. Several other tools. I don't feel emotionally attached to anything. If it doesn't get used it should free the space.

[Pete Staehling]

What I didn't say is that there may come a time when I am too old a feeble to use them. At that point I'll still hold on to them if I hold on to the house, but if I downsize into someplace that I can't keep them they will have to go. That will be a sad day. I probably won't do that as long as i can still use them.

If I decide to sell the house and hit the road in an RV for a few years I might store them.

I do know of guys who hug onto stuff that there was no way they'd ever be able to use again just to hang onto the dream. Sailboats come to mind, in some cases big expensive ones that cost a lot of money to store where they were and they were deteriorating alarmingly. Not only were they costing to store, but by the time the guys kicked the bucket they probably went from worth a bundle to nearly worthless. I guess it was worth it to them to kid themselves that just maybe they'd be able to sail again. I might keep my tools like that. At least they won't rust to pieces or cost a fortune to store as long as I own the house.

[Jim Becker]

If you're enjoying playing "pasture pool" with your son, just enjoy it and don't worry about the shop. If you sell those tools, you're going to take a bath financially and when the world turns over, you'll end up buying them again unless you are absolutely, positively sure you're not going to continue with the activity.

The last time I played golf was about 12 years ago. I still have my clubs, but zero motivation to engage in the activity...but if I was asked to participate in a charity event or something, I'd probably do it.

[Greg Parrish]

Yeah it’s a tough call. I told myself to try to get motivated to make something this weekend and see how I feel about it. It’s a weird thing as I’ve done this with other hobbies before like off roading, rebuilding and restoring a vehicle, remote model helicopters and drones, high end digital nature photography, etc. camping with the motor home and woodworking were the two that stuck over the years but I guess I’m just finding it to seem more like work or a chore and less enjoyable for many tasks in the shop. Combine that with an overwhelmed interest in spending all our free time on the course and you get the idea.

equip wise I think I might not do to bad as long as I’m patient on a buyer. Don’t know though. May start with testing waters on the Felder slider since I could live without that large item if it sells. Could reassess from there.

[Ron Citerone]

If you're enjoying playing "pasture pool" with your son, just enjoy it and don't worry about the shop. If you sell those tools, you're going to take a bath financially and when the world turns over, you'll end up buying them again unless you are absolutely, positively sure you're not going to continue with the activity.

The last time I played golf was about 12 years ago. I still have my clubs, but zero motivation to engage in the activity...but if I was asked to participate in a charity event or something, I'd probably do it.

I agree with Jim here. Life is change............and cyclical. If you have the room and don't need the money I would say keep it and you never know how things will be going forward. I used to hunt deer and thought I would get back into it wen I retired. Well with a heart condition I really can't exert myself in the cold so that's over for me. Now in the winter months I have really gotten back into woodworking. My surf rods have sat idle for years, now we are taking all the kids to the Outer Banks this summer and they want to fish the surf.

Think things out before you sell IMO.

[John K Jordan]

My surf rods have sat idle for years, now we are taking all the kids to the Outer Banks this summer and they want to fish the surf.

One of my favorite places, I especially like fishing for flounder.

fishing_PA265222.jpg

Did you ever fish there in the winter? Nov/Dec were my favorite times but not for the kids!

JKJ

[Bruce Lowekamp]

As others have said, hobbies can come and go. I spent quite a bit of time in my shop before kids (there was even a recliner in there my wife would sit in sometimes and maybe read if I wasn't using power tools). But when kid #1 arrived priorities changed between her and realizing I needed to get into shape. So being a Dad and cycling have been my biggest pastimes. But even then, the occasional project would come up, so in the last 13 years I've made 3 beds (one for each daughter) and an aquarium stand (essentially also for the daughters). And the shop has been invaluable in various home improvement projects (beyond table & miter saw, drilling holes in porcelain tile is laughably easy when you have a nice drill press).

Just finished making the bed for daughter #3 and while doing it I realized that I missed it. I also realized it was easy to make the bed because I had accidentally left the router bit set up for cutting slots for the head/foot board in the router table from the previous bed, which told me how long it had been since I had made anything that required the router table. So I've been trying to get back into it, getting the shop cleaned up for building furniture, upgrading the dust collection a bit, and maybe finish the partially finished workbench that's been sitting in there since before daughter #1.

Anyway, not only are you likely to get back into it, but you are also likely to find the equipment useful for other projects that come up, and maybe even the occasional small furniture project. If you don't have a woodshop, things like "I need to make this board just a little bit thinner" are shockingly hard.

Entirely your call, but I would say keep it unless you're completely sure you never want to use it again, or unless you're sure what you have now isn't what you would want if you decide to start again.

Bruce

[Darcy Warner]

I have sold stuff I was using, because someone else needed it. Then I get to go buy another one. Lol

[Alex Zeller]

I sell for two reasons, one if I have a tool that another tool has replaced. For example I have a heavy cast iron router table. But now that I have a router in my table saw and a shaper it's been collecting dust. If it wasn't taking up room I would most likely keep it. But moisture is a real problem for things stored in an unheated shop around here so either I have to cover it in grease to protect it (in which case I'll be even less likely to use it) or I should find a new home for it.

The other reason I sell is if my interests have changed. Just not having time or not much interest isn't enough. I have to actually not like doing something. With woodworking equipment as long as you don't need the space it's not going to loose value much, if at all. In fact I've seen things that sell today for more than they would have 10 years ago. You're not going to invest money in a table saw like you would the stock market but they are also not living breathing animals that require food.

For me this is a hobby that I hope to find more time to do once I retire. Right now I add to my collection as I find deals. I'll go months without stepping foot into my wood shop. If it turns out that even in retirement I don't have time I'll reassess. Even then I most likely will keep what I have since life does change. Right now you are doing a lot of golf but what if your son decides he wants to work with wood? As little as 10 years ago rough framing was about the most I wanted to do with wood. Now I find myself wanting to make stuff that shows off my creativeness.

[Rich Engelhardt]

SELL IT!!!
LOL!!!

Are you trying to crack a joke of some kind?

Everyone knows you lose track of it....then go out and buy at least one more....long before you actually need it!!!



(& BTW - I'm only kidding just a tiny bit here...)

[Bob Riefer]

My teenager son said to me yesterday “dad? When I’m grown will you come over to my place and help me build all this stuff at my place?”

So, even if my current woodworking obsession cools off I’ll likely keep the shop going long enough to help the kids setup their lives.

[johnny means]

I'm reminded of a popular refrain of another enthusiast crowd, "... from my cold, dead hands."

[michael dilday]

I don't have very many tools that aren't used much. I guess my hand planes don't get used much but I am keeping them. When I upgrade a tool then I usually get rid of the old one like I did when I got the SawStop table saw. I gave my old Craftsman to my son in law. Looking at a bandsaw upgrade in a year or so and then I will be getting rid of the old Craftsman. That 12" Craftsman has served me well of 25 years or so and that will be hard to let go.

[Thomas Wilson]

I am lucky to have few restraints in my retirement years to pursuing things I had to forego while working. I probably have too many expensive toys. I am 68 and healthy. At some point, I will have to put a value on everything and help my children dispose of it but not today. Today, I have to plan for building birdhouses with grandchildren. At present, all the tools, all the books, all the sketch pads, all the logbooks and diaries are part of me and I have no desire or need to get rid of anything. Ten more years of full life is the goal. Talk to me then.

[Tom M King]

One of my favorite places, I especially like fishing for flounder.

fishing_PA265222.jpg

Did you ever fish there in the winter? Nov/Dec were my favorite times but not for the kids!

JKJ

Have you been to Portsmouth island?