At what point do you justify buying more tools vs making do with what you already hav

[BravoXray]

I have been working on cars, trucks, heavy equipment and airplanes since I was 15. When I came back from college in 1970 and went to work at my father's construction company, I bought my first Craftsman tool box. Eventually I bought a big Snap-On top and bottom chest that I still have. When I bought my Cessna 172, I bought a Craftsman top and bottom and tool set for the hangar. My Snap-On box is in my shop, and I got tired of running down there every time I needed wrench or channel locks, so I bought a Craftsman box and tools for the garage at the house. The last several years I have been doing a lot of projects in my basement workshop, so I bought a HF side box with seven drawers, and filled it up over the years. Also A few years ago I was working every other weekend or so helping a friend put his 1970 Charger back together from a bare body, he had some tools with no organization, spent more time looking for a tool than I spent using it, so I bough a 19" tool box that fit behinds the passenger seat in my F150 and filled it with tools, some new, some extras from other boxes.
So yeah, I have a crapload of tools, but I'm not married, so I buy what I want when I want it.
Always looking for that specialty tool that I might need sometime, maybe.

 

[Cougsfan]

You have to justify buying tools??? What a concept!!

 

[TimberHole]

I have been working on cars, trucks, heavy equipment and airplanes since I was 15. When I came back from college in 1970 and went to work at my father's construction company, I bought my first Craftsman tool box. Eventually I bought a big Snap-On top and bottom chest that I still have. When I bought my Cessna 172, I bought a Craftsman top and bottom and tool set for the hangar. My Snap-On box is in my shop, and I got tired of running down there every time I needed wrench or channel locks, so I bought a Craftsman box and tools for the garage at the house. The last several years I have been doing a lot of projects in my basement workshop, so I bought a HF side box with seven drawers, and filled it up over the years. Also A few years ago I was working every other weekend or so helping a friend put his 1970 Charger back together from a bare body, he had some tools with no organization, spent more time looking for a tool than I spent using it, so I bough a 19" tool box that fit behinds the passenger seat in my F150 and filled it with tools, some new, some extras from other boxes.
So yeah, I have a crapload of tools, but I'm not married, so I buy what I want when I want it.
Always looking for that specialty tool that I might need sometime, maybe.

Same here. I do maintenance in 4 different places on everything from mowers to boats to autos to airplanes. I just keep buying tools. My latest acquisition was a fairly complete wood shop.

 

[ning]

My rule has always been that if I can do a job, and I want to do a job (ie it seems interesting to me and I have the time to do it), I'll buy whatever tools I need to as long as the total cost is in the ballpark of hiring the job out. If the tool seems single-use to me (like I don't expect to ever use the tool again), the cost should be well below the hire price; if the tool seems really useful and was just begging for an excuse to buy it, I'll allow the price to approach or slightly pass the hire price.

This scheme works for me because while I consider my time personally valuable, I actually enjoy working on and fixing things and so I'm willing to call my time $0 in the above equation. If I had to count my time the way my employer pays me, I'd never get to do anything fun that requires new tools.

 

[rScotty]

SNIP....
So yeah, I have a crapload of tools, but I'm not married, so I buy what I want when I want it.
Always looking for that specialty tool that I might need sometime, maybe.

I've married and my wife has always supported buying tools. In fact she encourages me when I'm reluctant - for example buying a set of extended 12" cobalt steel drill bits recently. I think she figured out early that a tool usually paid for itself the first job, and after that it didn't cost to keep it.

Come to think of it, she has a fair amount of tools herself....but she doesn't seem to be as crazy about keeping the old ones like I do. As they wear, she gives them away and buys better ones. She seems to have a thing for German hand-forged stainless. I noticed that even her waterpump pliers are all stainless. Her carpentry hammer has a stainless head... Good thing they don't make a stainless pipe wrench - or do they?

rScotty

 

[PILOON]

LOL, I sometimes wonder if the discounted tool prices are just a trick to increase battery sales.
Is that where the profits are?
You'll notice that DeWalt seems to monitor and shuts down any discount battery sites.
Tons of other brand discount batteries available, but rarely DeWalt.

 

[ning]

LOL, I sometimes wonder if the discounted tool prices are just a trick to increase battery sales.
Is that where the profits are?
You'll notice that DeWalt seems to monitor and shuts down any discount battery sites.
Tons of other brand discount batteries available, but rarely DeWalt.

I definitely think so. The more $brand tools you have, the more invested you are in those batteries, which only last so long; if you have only a drill, you may switch if you think the batteries aren't worth it, but once you've got a few... or 10... you're going to keep mainlining those batteries

Basically it's a subscription model!

 

[jjeff]

Remember trying to take heavier duty retaining rings off. Had a drawer full of cheap retaining ring pliers. Only after my knuckles looked like raw hamburger did I dump that drawer in the trash and bought a nice rather pricey set of Knipex. My total frustration with my substandard tools justified me buying more higher quality tools.

 

[ljjhouser]

At the point when paying someone else costs more than the tools you have to buy. Example - if your wife wants a new patio, buy concrete finishing tools you need and save a lot. My wife was asked on time - Why do you think it is ok for your husband to buy all those tools - "because if he buys tools, i get things done around here. " Best example - I replaced my HVAC. That is the opportunity to get GOOD tools. Testo 550 digital guages, Testo vac pump, freon scale Micron guage. - tool cost - $1400 + hvac variable speed furnace, compressor, evaporator coil, line set etc cost $4100. Total cost - $5500. Estimate quote for someone else - $12,500.

 

[Jstpssng]

I was about to admire your tool storage system but then I took a closer look...

I did the same thing...