"Pat Barber" wrote in message
...
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:

The subject has been bugging me all day... Why on earth does it have to
be justified? Why can't we just buy stuff because it strikes our fancy
on a whim?

Wow.....somebody who finally understands the world of tools.

Our old friend on PBS probably sold more tools accidentally than any
tool rep in the world today.

Nobody needs a PC 557 but there are millions sitting in shops around the
world because of one guy and a thing called tool envy.

If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

I'm not much into magic tools but I will drop money on good ones... even if
I don't have an immediate need for the tool. All the crazy gizmos sold for
things like handcut dovetails just baffles me... I think my father nailed it
years ago when he said "people try to buy their skill with their next tool
purchase." He had served an apprenticeship as a tool and die maker early in
his career and definitely had an eye for mechanical things and for how
people worked. "You know they are good if they make it look easy and they
turn out good work." Self confidence in how they approach the job goes a
long ways. Gizmo junkies don't necessarily perform better and may not be
able to perform at all because they don't understand the task or the
gizmo... I've witnessed quite a number of instances where this was true.

I recall my son describing woodworking as magic as rough cut wood was
transformed into beautiful objects. Using L-N saws and planes helped him
succeed as that stuff works well, but it was his developing skill that got
the job done. He and his brother understand the processes better with each
new project... that's what really matters.

John

On Feb 9, 2:09*pm, Pat Barber wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:

Our old friend on PBS probably sold more tools accidentally than any
tool rep in the world today.

Nobody needs a PC 557 but there are millions sitting in shops around the
world because of one guy and a thing called tool envy.

If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".


Tool envy? I don't know if that is the right word. I suppose there
are nut cases who buy tools just to say they have that tool. But I
think most people acquire tools because of what they can make with
that tool. Owning a tool just to have the tool does not make sense to
me. Tools as status symbols like houses and cars? But owning a tool
because it will allow you to make something, dream about making
something, that makes plenty of sense. Irregardless of whether you
actually make anything with the tool. I'll admit to having tools with
far more potential than I have realized.

"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.

....and make sure you understate the cost of the stuff to your family so they
under price it at the estate sale.

John

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:40:13 -0600, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 2/9/2012 8:30 AM, John Grossbohlin wrote:

"Leon" lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote in message
...
On 2/8/2012 5:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:

"Leon" lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote in message
...


Wellllllll I don't have to justify it but some do and think it is
crazy to spent that kind of money when they can do it with a bench top
mortiser, router, DP and chisel, chisel. etc.

I think that because the machine is relative expensive that most don't
seriously consider it and therefore have no clue of how much time it
will save them. For me it saves time and encourages me to use better
building techniques.

As I replied to Swingman that was a tongue in cheek post... ;~)

I totally understood that, but I knew there would be others that didn't
hence my reply. ;~) I think you just caught Swingman off guard, he has
been going at it with a couple of others here. ;-0

And I totally agree, who can really justify the cost of a 70" vs 40" TV?

If you like it, want it, and can afford it, GET IT. :~)

I saw a little, old, blue-haired couple arguing with the Walmart
employee who couldn't fit the 50" TV into their 1970s compact car.
Well, it fit into the back seat, but neither front seat would fold
back upright and neither door would close. I think the 24" long trunk
was too narrow to stick the box in sideways, too, even if they had
some way to support the other 3' which were sticking out.

My grin lasted over half an hour for that one. Two guys walked past
me while I put on the windshield wiper blades and wondered just what I
was grinning about. That shot the grin up another notch.

Peoplewatching is fun.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

On Thu, 9 Feb 2012 16:19:09 -0500, "Lee Michaels"
leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net wrote:

"Pat Barber" wrote ...
John Grossbohlin wrote:

The subject has been bugging me all day... Why on earth does it have to
be justified? Why can't we just buy stuff because it strikes our fancy
on a whim?

Wow.....somebody who finally understands the world of tools.

Our old friend on PBS probably sold more tools accidentally than any
tool rep in the world today.


Nahm?? Are we talking about Nahm?? What was funny about NYW was that PBS
insisted that all logos be covered or removed from the tools. Apparently it
would have been too commercial. And you could go to any tool store or forum
on the net and all the tool brands and models would be instantly
communicated. He did a hell of a job selling tools for a "non commercial"
network/program.

Nah, he was talking about Roy Underhill. People would watch him work
up a sweat, huff and puff, and stick himself with sharp tools, then
they'd run out of the house and drive down to Woodcraft to buy
something very -electric-! =:0

Nobody needs a PC 557 but there are millions sitting in shops around the
world because of one guy and a thing called tool envy.


I wonder how many routers were sold as a result of Norm opening that drawer
on his shop cabinet to reveal that he had more routers than fingers or toes.

Keeping up with the Nahmses probably accounted for thousands of
bankruptcies every year, too.


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

I regret very few tool purchases. I'm a collector, but not in the
normal way. I don't put them in fancy display cases. I use 'em.


On the other hand, I bought a bunch of tools that were put to use five
minutes after I got them home. And I have bought tools that lasted over
twenty years. Heck, my old wrenches and general tools are over 40 years
old. Most of what I bought was put to use. Although, sometimes I buy some
kinda exotic wrench because I had a couple situations where I really needed
it. And the situation hasn't arisen yet to use them. But If I need it, I
know where to find them!

I have a drawer of those, too.


Reminds me of that old depressing joke. How can you tell that you really,
really need a tool? When you buy it twice. That refers to brain farts
where you have a tool and forget about it. You go out and buy a new one and
discover that you already bought one years ago and forgot about it. I have
done that a couple of times.

blushing deeply I'm glad I've never done that.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

Oh, no. That green clashes with simply everything!


Like the bumper sticker says, "I am spending my kid's inheritance".

Neener: I don't have a wife to slow me down nor kids to rip off.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

On Thu, 9 Feb 2012 22:37:48 -0500, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:


"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.

...and make sure you understate the cost of the stuff to your family so they
under price it at the estate sale.

John

No danger there if he has a wife. If she knows even half the cost of
most of the stuff and still lets him buy it she's a REAL keeper!!!

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:07:26 +0000 (UTC), (Edward A.
Falk) wrote:

In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.


Love my Dremel - both the ancient single speed one and the newer one
with a speed control.
Asked my dentist for the used diamond dust bits that usually get
thrown away at their dental end of life. They still work nicely to
trim little bits of ceramic tile (think: enlarging the hole in a tile
when replacing a 30+ year old duplex outlet with a GFCI version).
People might complain about the less than perfect grinding surface,
but the tile never says a word ;-)

John

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:16:54 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 9 Feb 2012 22:37:48 -0500, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:


"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.

...and make sure you understate the cost of the stuff to your family so they
under price it at the estate sale.

John

No danger there if he has a wife. If she knows even half the cost of
most of the stuff and still lets him buy it she's a REAL keeper!!!
And if a guy is still breathing it's a slim chance indeed that he
has made his LAST dumb-ass purchace, if he's really honest about it.

I know I haven't, unless I die tomorrow, or shortly there-after.

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:27:28 -0500, wrote:
I know I haven't, unless I die tomorrow, or shortly there-after.

My last dumb ass purchase was the Bridge City Tools Jointmaker. That
particular purchase cost me close to $1800. When everything was said
and done, I ended up selling it basically unused for more than a 33%
loss.

Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent precise tool. Only problem with
it was that it's limited to a maximum of about 6" cuts. I didn't
consider that limitation when buying it mostly because I got caught up
with the glitz of the advertising videos.

So, even though I admit to having bought the occasional expensive,
unnecessary tool, I won't admit to that with my purchase of any
Festool products ~ not yet anyway.

Larry Jaques wrote in
:

I saw a little, old, blue-haired couple arguing with the Walmart
employee who couldn't fit the 50" TV into their 1970s compact car.
Well, it fit into the back seat, but neither front seat would fold
back upright and neither door would close. I think the 24" long trunk
was too narrow to stick the box in sideways, too, even if they had
some way to support the other 3' which were sticking out.

My grin lasted over half an hour for that one. Two guys walked past
me while I put on the windshield wiper blades and wondered just what I
was grinning about. That shot the grin up another notch.

Peoplewatching is fun.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

I bought a piece of plywood that did that... So I took it back in to the
store and asked them to cut it. It fit in the car just fine then. I bet
that would have worked for the TV!

Puckdropper

--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
m:


"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.

...and make sure you understate the cost of the stuff to your family
so they under price it at the estate sale.

John



120 grit 6" sandpaper. Cloth back, super strong stuff.

Trouble is, it can't be used on the Worksharp because I can't hardly cut
the stuff. (Anyone have a use for such heavy stuff?)

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

"Kerry Montgomery" wrote

I hope I haven't made my last dumb ass purchase yet, but my most recent
one was a Stanley utility knife. Nothing wrong with it, but the length of
time it took me to figure out how to install the blade made me feel like a
dumb ass.

My wife, lovely lady, knows I like tools. So she buys them for me
sometimes. Usually I return them and get something I want. This upsets
here. Sooo....

She bought some kinda super utility knife from sears. She gave it to me for
Christmas. This thing came in a big case and had several modules. It
looked like a bad infomercial. I thought, how can you screw up a utility
knife? Little did I know.

I opened the case and viewed its many components. All I wanted was a
generic utility knife. I had a couple laying around, but I knew my wife
would get a kick seeing me use a present she bought. I fiddled around with
it for awhile to get it broken open to insert the blade. It had more parts
than a small engine. It was dark where I was trying to figure it out. So I
walked out on the porch to get some light. I carefully tried to move some
immensely complicated spring mechanism out of the way to insert the blade.

The many small parts inside this utility knife from hell exploded and flew
into some tall grass. I took the gutted knife and case with all its modules
and threw it in the trash. I let my wife know about it too. I was upset.
Who were the brilliant engineers who figured out a way to make the world's
most complicated utility knife?

On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:47:28 -0800, Larry Jaques
wrote:



I saw a little, old, blue-haired couple arguing with the Walmart
employee who couldn't fit the 50" TV into their 1970s compact car.
Well, it fit into the back seat, but neither front seat would fold
back upright and neither door would close. I think the 24" long trunk
was too narrow to stick the box in sideways, too, even if they had
some way to support the other 3' which were sticking out.

My grin lasted over half an hour for that one.

I wonder if there is money to be made there. If you have a pickup,
just hang around the parking lot and offer to take the big packages
home for them for a few $$$.

On 2/9/2012 11:15 PM, Puckdropper wrote:
"John wrote in
m:


"Edward A. wrote in message
...
In ,
Pat wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.

...and make sure you understate the cost of the stuff to your family
so they under price it at the estate sale.

John



120 grit 6" sandpaper. Cloth back, super strong stuff.

Trouble is, it can't be used on the Worksharp because I can't hardly cut
the stuff. (Anyone have a use for such heavy stuff?)

Try a cheap pair of aviation snips. Or use a utility knife from the
back side. I cut my drum sander paper this way.

On 2/10/2012 3:52 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:47:28 -0800, Larry Jaques
wrote:



I saw a little, old, blue-haired couple arguing with the Walmart
employee who couldn't fit the 50" TV into their 1970s compact car.
Well, it fit into the back seat, but neither front seat would fold
back upright and neither door would close. I think the 24" long trunk
was too narrow to stick the box in sideways, too, even if they had
some way to support the other 3' which were sticking out.

My grin lasted over half an hour for that one.

I wonder if there is money to be made there. If you have a pickup,
just hang around the parking lot and offer to take the big packages
home for them for a few $$$.

If you lived in Houston you would be called the "Mexican Illegals". ;~)

Not a bad idea though, like a wrecker driver.

On 2/9/2012 10:46 PM, Dave wrote:
On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:27:28 -0500, wrote:
I know I haven't, unless I die tomorrow, or shortly there-after.

My last dumb ass purchase was the Bridge City Tools Jointmaker. That
particular purchase cost me close to $1800. When everything was said
and done, I ended up selling it basically unused for more than a 33%
loss.

Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent precise tool. Only problem with
it was that it's limited to a maximum of about 6" cuts. I didn't
consider that limitation when buying it mostly because I got caught up
with the glitz of the advertising videos.

So, even though I admit to having bought the occasional expensive,
unnecessary tool, I won't admit to that with my purchase of any
Festool products ~ not yet anyway.

LOL...... Those this are pretty cool.... have you seen the latest cross
cut accessory for it?

On 2/9/2012 9:07 PM, Edward A. Falk wrote:
In ,
Pat wrote:
On 2/8/2012 3:59 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:


If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.


If I had the money, I would have a shop full of Festool just because
I want my estate sale to be interesting.

I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.


Bendable. flexible drill extension, and long ago the PC detail sander.

On 10 Feb 2012 05:13:13 GMT, Puckdropper
puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote in
:

I saw a little, old, blue-haired couple arguing with the Walmart
employee who couldn't fit the 50" TV into their 1970s compact car.
Well, it fit into the back seat, but neither front seat would fold
back upright and neither door would close. I think the 24" long trunk
was too narrow to stick the box in sideways, too, even if they had
some way to support the other 3' which were sticking out.

My grin lasted over half an hour for that one. Two guys walked past
me while I put on the windshield wiper blades and wondered just what I
was grinning about. That shot the grin up another notch.

Peoplewatching is fun.

I bought a piece of plywood that did that... So I took it back in to the
store and asked them to cut it. It fit in the car just fine then. I bet
that would have worked for the TV!

You betcha! Then again, it probably would have fit in the mini cah if
they'd taken it out of the box. There's a lot of foam in those boxes.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:27:28 -0500, wrote:
I know I haven't, unless I die tomorrow, or shortly there-after.

My last dumb ass purchase was the Bridge City Tools Jointmaker. That
particular purchase cost me close to $1800. When everything was said
and done, I ended up selling it basically unused for more than a 33%
loss.

Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent precise tool. Only problem with
it was that it's limited to a maximum of about 6" cuts. I didn't
consider that limitation when buying it mostly because I got caught up
with the glitz of the advertising videos.

I could see that tool being useful for making jewelry boxes and other
relatively small items, and casing... an alternative to a bench hook and
shooting board or miter box. Maybe the right project just hadn't come along
yet!

So, even though I admit to having bought the occasional expensive,
unnecessary tool, I won't admit to that with my purchase of any
Festool products ~ not yet anyway.

I've pondered this subject for the past day or so and it seems that gifts
are the biggest issue. Others got sucked into the gizmo advertising and
thought I'd like it... One purchase I recall that I ended up throwing away
was an inside corner drywall tool. I didn't buy a taper ground Hyde tool to
replace the worn out one--a bead was left in the very corner as it wore
through. This purchase happened as I couldn't find a new Hyde tool as they
were out of stock at the local stores. I grabbed some other, cheaper, brand
at an Ace Hardware... terrible piece of crap that went in the can. It didn't
flex... RE power and stationary tools, a Dremel that burst into flames while
using it as a drywall cut out tool comes to mind but then I was taxing it
pretty badly. I upgraded my table saw, jointer and dust collector as I under
bought initially... wasn't sure I was really going to use the stuff!

Over the years I think I've learned my lesson about buying serviceable well
designed tools and other items but sometimes I go against my better judgment
as the result of ill founded frugality. Case in point was the tires on my
son and my touring bicycles. Anyone who followed our on-line journal of
last summer's trip from CO to WA will know that tire and tube problems
haunted us. The "cheapskate" factor kept me from taking the factory supplied
tires off and installing Schwalbe tires... It seemed tough to justify taking
new tires and tubes off (maybe $150 worth) off and dropping $320 or so for
two pair of tires and another $20-30 for better tubes. We paid for that
cheapness over and over again through myriad flats and as 3 of the 4 tires
fell apart--didn't last long enough to wear out--and 5 of the 6 tubes we had
failed at the stem. We struggled until Schwalbes could be found along the
way... Lander, CO for the first one and then Hamilton, MT. In hind sight
those Schwalbe tires were a trivial expense compared to the total costs...
and they rode a lot better and didn't pick up stone chips like the factory
tires. As I'm writing this I'm kicking myself. ;~)
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/RipVanWinkle

John

Edward A. Falk wrote:


I'll definitely go. Please let me know when you die.

All right you asshole - you've got me in that "continuing to chuckle" mode.
Why did you have to go do that? Now I'm going to have to go pee or
something...

--

-Mike-

I didn't think it was the right term either but it
was the first thing that came to mind.

On 2/9/2012 2:47 PM, wrote:


Tool envy? I don't know if that is the right word.

Oh God....there's mexicans in Houston ??

I thought they were all here In N.C.

On 2/10/2012 4:34 AM, Leon wrote:


If you lived in Houston you would be called the "Mexican Illegals". ;~)

On 2/9/2012 4:19 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:
Hey! I resemble that remark. I did some cleaning in my shop recently
and found stuff I bought over 30 years ago. Still in the original
package. I haven't opened them or used them since I bought them.

I don't have too many "virgin" tools, but I've got a bunch that were
used once. I imagine that happens a lot to homeowner handymen like me.

My basin wrench, for instance, is in absolutely perfect shape. I bought
it when I was putting in our kitchen. It did an admirable job of
installing the faucet, which was to be expected as it was the most
expensive model they had. Knowing it was going to be a seldom-used item,
I tried to buy either of the two cheaper ones in the showcase, but
neither was in stock. Looks nice in the toolbox, though.

Some of my other plumbing tools have similarly thin resumes. The
deep-socket faucet wrench set was used maybe twice. The PVC tubing
cutter had a brief encore when my daughter was in junior high. (science
project - how does the length of a tube affect it's resonant frequency?).

I've got a masonry hammer and a pair of those hand-shield cold chisels
that I used once to put in a dryer vent. The hammer also came in handy
to break up some hardened ice-melt crystals. (don't do that, by the way;
the crystals reacted with the hammer and caused some nasty corrosion).

I got one of those "laser" (actually ultrasound, I think) distance
measuring gizmos as a gift a number of years back. I imagine it would be
a handy item for measuring room dimensions, say for a contractor
estimating a job. I haven't come up with a use for it yet myself,
though. Molding just looks better when it's *exactly* the right length.

My grout float sat after it's rookie job for quite a few years, but
eventually came out again. The torx screwdrivers are still waiting
though. I've probably used the Greenlee Naileater 3/4" drill bit and its
extension maybe three times.

I'm sure there are any number of others.

Ok:

I have the world's largest collection of:

1.Caulk guns (metric ass load)
2.Tape measures (thousands)
3.Pencils (I get them by the truck load)
4.Koozies for drink cans (they are breeding in my shop at night)

I have "several routers" still in the box and at
7 more that are out of the box.

More router magic attachments to make wizard like
dovetails, dado's,etc,etc,.

I have three dovetail jigs(none of which make dovetails)

General Tools M&T jig that makes some weird tenons
and some great mortises.(Hey...it was cheap)

Several strange wrenches that could end up in
the Smithsonian in the "what the hell does that do"
department.

We won't even talk about the tools my wife and MIL
have got me over the years.

I will let everybody know when I die so that the
estate sale will be a real affair to remember.

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:07:26 +0000, Edward A. Falk wrote:

If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.

Mine was the Ryobi detail sander AKA hand buzzer.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:

2.Tape measures (thousands)

Check. But you can never have too many of those. If there
isn't one within arm's reach, you don't have enough.

Yep, I hear that. I have three tape measures sitting beside me when I type
this. In my youth, I kept losing my tape measure. So I bought another. I
kept losing them. I bought another. A little better, but still spent lots
of time trying to locate that damned tape measure. then one day I was at a
surplus yard and they were closing out a line of tape measures that went out
of business. They came in bright colors, yellow, orange, green. They were
only a buck or two each. I bought the whole box. I have never failed to
find a tape measure since. And I bought some more when I needed something
bigger or better for a specific job.

Some folks think I have a tape measure fetish. I have them in the kitchen,
living room, office, my wife's sewing room and bedrooms. I have a tape
measure and a set of calipers in all the vehicles. And, of course, a number
of them in the shop.

On 02/10/2012 01:04 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:


"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:

2.Tape measures (thousands)

Check. But you can never have too many of those. If there
isn't one within arm's reach, you don't have enough.

Yep, I hear that. I have three tape measures sitting beside me when I
type this. In my youth, I kept losing my tape measure. So I bought
another. I kept losing them. I bought another. A little better, but
still spent lots of time trying to locate that damned tape measure. then
one day I was at a surplus yard and they were closing out a line of tape
measures that went out of business. They came in bright colors, yellow,
orange, green. They were only a buck or two each. I bought the whole
box. I have never failed to find a tape measure since. And I bought some
more when I needed something bigger or better for a specific job.

Some folks think I have a tape measure fetish. I have them in the
kitchen, living room, office, my wife's sewing room and bedrooms. I have
a tape measure and a set of calipers in all the vehicles. And, of
course, a number of them in the shop.



You have a tape measure in the bedroom?

Never mind...


--
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure,the creed of ignorance, and the
gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"
-Winston Churchill

Pat Barber wrote in news:jh3hs7$ta5$1@dont-
email.me:

Ok:

I have the world's largest collection of:

1.Caulk guns (metric ass load)

Those things are funny. You care for them, use them a few times and give
them a nice spot in a drawer or on pegboard and they disappear. You
think you've provided them with a good home, but off they go. (Any wrench
is glad to have such a home--why not a caulk gun?)

The ones I've kept track of often are the ones with a tube of something
in them, so maybe that's what the others leave to find. Once found,
though, they often hide with their tube and only pop up once you discover
their hiding places. Sometimes it takes years.

Keeping caulk guns is like herding cats. :-)

*snip*

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:44:05 -0500, Greg Guarino
My grout float sat after it's rookie job for quite a few years, but
eventually came out again. The torx screwdrivers are still waiting
though. I've probably used the Greenlee Naileater 3/4" drill bit and its
extension maybe three times.

Sounds like typical home owner affliction. Cheaper to do the job
yourself rather than hiring someone, but you need a specific tool to
get it done. That's it for the next twenty years until you have a
similar task to do again and then you don't remember where you put
that tool. If, you remember buying it at all. Then, should you finally
find the tool, you realize that what you need to install has changed
specs and the tool you bought twenty years earlier is useless.

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:41:03 -0700, Doug Winterburn
You have a tape measure in the bedroom? Never mind...

Maybe it's her tape measure, not his. After all, a wife needs to know
when the action is about to begin.

On 2/10/2012 2:41 PM, Doug Winterburn wrote:
On 02/10/2012 01:04 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:


"Edward A. Falk" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pat Barber wrote:

2.Tape measures (thousands)

Check. But you can never have too many of those. If there
isn't one within arm's reach, you don't have enough.

Yep, I hear that. I have three tape measures sitting beside me when I
type this. In my youth, I kept losing my tape measure. So I bought
another. I kept losing them. I bought another. A little better, but
still spent lots of time trying to locate that damned tape measure. then
one day I was at a surplus yard and they were closing out a line of tape
measures that went out of business. They came in bright colors, yellow,
orange, green. They were only a buck or two each. I bought the whole
box. I have never failed to find a tape measure since. And I bought some
more when I needed something bigger or better for a specific job.

Some folks think I have a tape measure fetish. I have them in the
kitchen, living room, office, my wife's sewing room and bedrooms. I have
a tape measure and a set of calipers in all the vehicles. And, of
course, a number of them in the shop.



You have a tape measure in the bedroom?

Never mind...




Story stick tape measure.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...59&cat=1,43513

With markings like,

1. Are you kidding?
2. Do you want something?
3. You are not there yet.
4. Too soon?
5, Your the man!
6. Master!

LOL

On 2/10/12 3:30 PM, Puckdropper wrote:
Pat wrote in news:jh3hs7$ta5$1@dont-
email.me:

Ok:

I have the world's largest collection of:

1.Caulk guns (metric ass load)

Those things are funny. You care for them, use them a few times and give
them a nice spot in a drawer or on pegboard and they disappear. You
think you've provided them with a good home, but off they go. (Any wrench
is glad to have such a home--why not a caulk gun?)

The ones I've kept track of often are the ones with a tube of something
in them, so maybe that's what the others leave to find. Once found,
though, they often hide with their tube and only pop up once you discover
their hiding places. Sometimes it takes years.

Keeping caulk guns is like herding cats. :-)

*snip*

Puckdropper

I had about a half dozen of the real cheap ones in a bucket. They were
all encrusted with tar or glue or whatever. One day, I through them all
and wondered why the heck I was buying $3 "disposables" and holding on
to them for decades. I went out and bought a very nice $13-ish caulk gun
that is a pleasure to use..... that is, if any pleasure can be derived
from using a caulk gun.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

The pressure rod grabbing mechanism tens to slip on the cheapies I have
bought. Some rough sandpaper to the shaft seems to alleviate this
burnishing problem for a few more uses before the garbage.


------------
"-MIKE-" wrote in message ...
I had about a half dozen of the real cheap ones in a bucket. They were
all encrusted with tar or glue or whatever. One day, I through them all
and wondered why the heck I was buying $3 "disposables" and holding on
to them for decades. I went out and bought a very nice $13-ish caulk
gun
that is a pleasure to use..... that is, if any pleasure can be derived
from using a caulk gun.

On 2/11/12 8:49 PM, m II wrote:
The pressure rod grabbing mechanism tens to slip on the cheapies I have
bought. Some rough sandpaper to the shaft seems to alleviate this
burnishing problem for a few more uses before the garbage.


I have found that the squeeze handle acts as a built-in pressure relief
by bending when you pull too hard. Problem is, it's not resettable.
Trash can. :-)



--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On 2/10/2012 7:07 PM, Dave wrote:
On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:44:05 -0500, Greg
My grout float sat after it's rookie job for quite a few years, but
eventually came out again. The torx screwdrivers are still waiting
though. I've probably used the Greenlee Naileater 3/4" drill bit and its
extension maybe three times.

Sounds like typical home owner affliction. Cheaper to do the job
yourself rather than hiring someone, but you need a specific tool to
get it done. That's it for the next twenty years until you have a
similar task to do again and then you don't remember where you put
that tool. If, you remember buying it at all.

I ask a lot of "for dummies" questions here, but I'm quite good about
organizing my tools. I have three toolboxes: electrical, plumbing and
general, plus a well organized wall of hand tools and shelf units for
power tools and supplies.

Should an unexpected need arise for that basin wrench, I can lay my
hands on it in a minute.

On Feb 15, 3:25*pm, Greg Guarino wrote:
On 2/10/2012 7:07 PM, Dave wrote:

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:44:05 -0500, Greg
My grout float sat after it's rookie job for quite a few years, but
eventually came out again. The torx screwdrivers are still waiting
though. I've probably used the Greenlee Naileater 3/4" drill bit and its
extension maybe three times.

Sounds like typical home owner affliction. Cheaper to do the job
yourself rather than hiring someone, but you need a specific tool to
get it done. That's it for the next twenty years until you have a
similar task to do again and then you don't remember where you put
that tool. If, you remember buying it at all.

I ask a lot of "for dummies" questions here, but I'm quite good about
organizing my tools. I have three toolboxes: electrical, plumbing and
general, plus a well organized wall of hand tools and shelf units for
power tools and supplies.

Should an unexpected need arise for that basin wrench, I can lay my
hands on it in a minute.

It sounds to me like you don't have enough tools. You have enough
tools when you cannot organize them or remember you even have them.

wrote in message
...
On Feb 15, 3:25 pm, Greg Guarino wrote:
On 2/10/2012 7:07 PM, Dave wrote:

Should an unexpected need arise for that basin wrench, I can lay my
hands on it in a minute.

It sounds to me like you don't have enough tools. You have enough
tools when you cannot organize them or remember you even have them.

OR... there are no kids, or fathers, or wives, in the house that use
tools...

John

Yep, same feeling here.
Given time he'll start collecting all sorts of do dads.
Many will be necessary... for what??? who knows.
Many will be looked at.

And some will actually get used.

8))))))


On 2/16/2012 9:57 AM, wrote:
On Feb 15, 3:25 pm, Greg wrote:
On 2/10/2012 7:07 PM, Dave wrote:

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:44:05 -0500, Greg
My grout float sat after it's rookie job for quite a few years, but
eventually came out again. The torx screwdrivers are still waiting
though. I've probably used the Greenlee Naileater 3/4" drill bit and its
extension maybe three times.

Sounds like typical home owner affliction. Cheaper to do the job
yourself rather than hiring someone, but you need a specific tool to
get it done. That's it for the next twenty years until you have a
similar task to do again and then you don't remember where you put
that tool. If, you remember buying it at all.

I ask a lot of "for dummies" questions here, but I'm quite good about
organizing my tools. I have three toolboxes: electrical, plumbing and
general, plus a well organized wall of hand tools and shelf units for
power tools and supplies.

Should an unexpected need arise for that basin wrench, I can lay my
hands on it in a minute.

It sounds to me like you don't have enough tools. You have enough
tools when you cannot organize them or remember you even have them.

In article , says...

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:07:26 +0000, Edward A. Falk wrote:

If everybody on this list fessed up about the drawer full of "magic"
tools they bought and rarely, if ever used, we would have some pretty
interesting threads on "my last dumb ass purchase".

OK, I'm in:

Dremel kit. Nothing wrong with it, but I've almost never used it.

Incra jig. Played with it, even wrote software to generate custom
templates. Didn't like the results.

Mine was the Ryobi detail sander AKA hand buzzer.

Porter Cable detail sander. While Porter Cable makes some excellent
tools that's not one of them. On the other hand the rubber profile
thingies that came with it are occasionally convenient for hand-sanding.
On the gripping hand I could have gotten the rubber profile thingies for
15 bucks from Lee Valley.

On Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:09:58 +0000, Edward A. Falk wrote:

In article , Edward A. Falk
wrote:

(Me, I finally decided it was time to get a biscuit joiner rather than
cut them with a router.)

Aaaand, I went and bought a cheap one on eBay. A PC 557 for $50.

However it needs work; I've ordered the $30 worth of replacement parts
it needs to get back to snuff, but the biggest problem is that the
external moving parts are just not moving freely enough. My first
impulse is to shoot it with WD-40, but two of the parts are plastic and
I'm slightly worried about spraying petroleum products onto plastic.

Any suggestions? I guess I could scrounge up some silicone spray
somewhere in the house, but I thought I'd ask other people's opinions.


As long as it is not in a area that would transfer to the wood, you might
try a little bee's wax on the parts. There are many types of plastic and
WD-40 may not do any harm to the plastic you have.

Paul T.