[OP]
Contributor
A box of #4 finishing nails has occupied space in my shop for at least 30 years. Yesterday it saved me a trip to the store! Was it worth it, not really. But the number of trips the misc hardware collection has saved has definitely been worth the space. But almost never have I bought supplies on speculation, only for a specific need. I have brought home found and gifted stuff but stuff has to be tossed sometimes. Keeping control of the shop is a delicate balance.
Contributor
Id value life at $40 per hour around the clock for 70+ years. So depending how far that big box store is you may have saved $40-80 plus gas. :0Originally Posted by Tom Bender
Saving the little stuff, if its well organized, is worth it. Holding on to something that occupies excessive space is where decisions need to be made.
Contributor
I know the feeling. I have one small storage building just dedicated to old boxes of nails. I spent an hour every morning in the main shop for a couple of months doing three things. Organizing something, fixing something, and throwing something away. When I got to the point that I didn't want to throw anything else away, I stopped. I almost know where everything is now and everything is ready to go to work.
Moderator
As a "general rule", I don't throw out stuff like fasteners and various leftover hardware things, although I've been getting more selective, for exactly the same reason. I might not use a 4p finishing nail with a hammer very often, but when it's the right solution, having it on-hand is a nice thing. I'd say at least half of the bins in my wall storage is for things like that...and I have a few plastic boxes that I throw non-fastener hardware that might be useful, too.
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Contributor
I still have most of a 50 lb box of 5d finish nails that I bought about 1980. I used a lot of them back then.
Bulk nails in general have become kind of a specialty item, except maybe 16 and 8d sinkers.
Contributor
We once bought a "kit " garage from Menards, when they delivered it they included 5 , 50lb boxes of 6d common nails. 250lb of 6d is a LOT of nails ! This is over 20 years ago and for some reason they wouldn't take them back or they were going to charge us, I don't recall which. End result was I had plenty of nails to give away !
Chris
Contributor
I am 683 miles from home. I awoke thinking about pitching the big box of industrial strapping tape and its metal clasps when we get home. I haven't shipped any large heavy boxes since I retired 13 years ago. It t
unnecessarily takes up space in my office. Then I asked my wife what we were going to do with the boxed 15' trampoline that resides unnessarily between my tablesaw outfeed table and the scrollsaw in the shop.I want the space back.
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Contributor
I tossed several buckets of trim samples which I would show to clients. Also the entire selection of telephone and cable jacks.
At this rate, I'll have things slimmed down... never.
Contributor
We bought a setup about 15 years ago It came with the cart/spool of the tape/cutting tool/crimp tool/tightener/ and 5000 clips or so. We emptied some of the box into a slightly smaller box in the tray of the cart. We just, last month, emptied the remainder of those 5000 clips into the box on the cart. Id say another 40 years should do it.
Tell the wife the insurance company will charge $150 more a year to have the trampoline even taken apart. And that you accidentally shared a picture of your outfeed table here and the insurance guy might catch wind.
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