I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's whole
life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the folks who
lived that life.

I walked down a long sloping driveway to a big garage. I walked into it and
saw a wonderful shop. All the tools have been presold. This old guy worked
in his shop until almost 90. The table saw had been removed and a couple
other pieces. BIG windows on two walls of the shop. It was bright in
there. Lots of shelves built in to the rafters and on the walls around the
shop. Lots of drawers and work surfaces down two walls.

The most interesting thing about the shop were all the OLD tools. There was
an old Dewalt radial arm saw. That is the only thing I recognized. Very
old, obscure equipment was the rule in this shop. Everything was well
maintained and operational. All with brand names I never heard of. Drill
presses, a sharpening station, sanding machines, down draft tables, and at
least 5 machines that I had no idea what they were. And a number of old
machines, with big wheels (drive pulleys) made of cast iron. I think they
were belt driven. Again, no idea what they were. I would have loved to
talk to this guy and have him explain to me what all this old, operational
equipment did. It is a little sad that I never got to find out about it or
him. Life goes on, I guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly disappearing. I
enjoyed it though.

Lee Michaels wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's whole
life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the folks who
lived that life.

I walked down a long sloping driveway to a big garage. I walked into it and
saw a wonderful shop. All the tools have been presold. This old guy worked
in his shop until almost 90. The table saw had been removed and a couple
other pieces. BIG windows on two walls of the shop. It was bright in
there. Lots of shelves built in to the rafters and on the walls around the
shop. Lots of drawers and work surfaces down two walls.

The most interesting thing about the shop were all the OLD tools. There was
an old Dewalt radial arm saw. That is the only thing I recognized. Very
old, obscure equipment was the rule in this shop. Everything was well
maintained and operational. All with brand names I never heard of. Drill
presses, a sharpening station, sanding machines, down draft tables, and at
least 5 machines that I had no idea what they were. And a number of old
machines, with big wheels (drive pulleys) made of cast iron. I think they
were belt driven. Again, no idea what they were. I would have loved to
talk to this guy and have him explain to me what all this old, operational
equipment did. It is a little sad that I never got to find out about it or
him. Life goes on, I guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly disappearing. I
enjoyed it though.



Reminds me of my shop. The tools are not that old, but -I- am. I
find nice little jigs with wing-nuts and holes and markings and
wonder--"what the hell did I make that to do?". One day I found a
piece of heavy wire formed into a twisted 'S" shape with a large end
and a small end. I thought about it all day before I remembered. It
was made to fit over a bolt on top of my 1" belt sander to hang my
flexible shaft motor on. Pretty soon I'll be wondering what that
machine with the round blade in the middle is for.

--
G.W. Ross

It is better to die on your feet than
to live on your knees.

"Lee Michaels" leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's whole
life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the folks who lived that life.

Again, no idea what they were. I would have loved to talk to this guy and
have him explain to me what all this old, operational equipment did. It is
a little sad that I never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on, I
guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly disappearing.
I enjoyed it though.

Seen it dozens of times ... widow, selling husband's shop tools just a few
short years after he finally realized the shop of his dreams.

Makes you want to do with what you got, and appreciate it while doing it.

--
www.ewoodshop.com

The walk through someone else's shop, when that someone is no longer able
to be in his shop, is one of the most bittersweet experience we, as
woodworkers, can have.

Deb

In article ,
says...

The walk through someone else's shop, when that someone is no longer able
to be in his shop, is one of the most bittersweet experience we, as
woodworkers, can have.

Not just woodworkers. Someone I know is selling her father's '40s
truck. It wasn't running, I went over to get it going. It was in her
father's basement garage. All his tools and so on were still there.
I'd never met him and now I wish I had. His tools and the condition of
his truck say that he's somebody who was worth knowing.

J. Clarke wrote:
In article ,
says...

The walk through someone else's shop, when that someone is no longer
able to be in his shop, is one of the most bittersweet experience
we, as woodworkers, can have.

Not just woodworkers. Someone I know is selling her father's '40s
truck. It wasn't running, I went over to get it going. It was in
her
father's basement garage. All his tools and so on were still there.
I'd never met him and now I wish I had. His tools and the condition
of his truck say that he's somebody who was worth knowing.

Yup,, you can tell a lot about a man by the tools he keeps

On 9/16/2012 5:51 PM, Swingman wrote:
"Lee Michaels" leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's whole
life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the folks who lived that life.

Again, no idea what they were. I would have loved to talk to this guy and
have him explain to me what all this old, operational equipment did. It is
a little sad that I never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on, I
guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly disappearing.
I enjoyed it though.

Seen it dozens of times ... widow, selling husband's shop tools just a few
short years after he finally realized the shop of his dreams.

Makes you want to do with what you got, and appreciate it while doing it.



Go for it! Look at how old your dad is and how old your mother was.
You are much too crusty to do go much earlier than they did. :~0

On 9/16/2012 2:47 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's
whole life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the
folks who lived that life.

I walked down a long sloping driveway to a big garage. I walked into it
and saw a wonderful shop. All the tools have been presold. This old
guy worked in his shop until almost 90. The table saw had been removed
and a couple other pieces. BIG windows on two walls of the shop. It
was bright in there. Lots of shelves built in to the rafters and on the
walls around the shop. Lots of drawers and work surfaces down two walls.

The most interesting thing about the shop were all the OLD tools. There
was an old Dewalt radial arm saw. That is the only thing I recognized.
Very old, obscure equipment was the rule in this shop. Everything was
well maintained and operational. All with brand names I never heard
of. Drill presses, a sharpening station, sanding machines, down draft
tables, and at least 5 machines that I had no idea what they were. And
a number of old machines, with big wheels (drive pulleys) made of cast
iron. I think they were belt driven. Again, no idea what they were.
I would have loved to talk to this guy and have him explain to me what
all this old, operational equipment did. It is a little sad that I
never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on, I guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly
disappearing. I enjoyed it though.



We don't live forever, and it's good that someone is willing to buy the
old tools instead of scrapping them, but I get sad when I think that the
best tools are going into collections, never to be used again, just
gazed upon. Tools were made to be used, and unless they are worn out or
irreplaceable, it seems to me that it's a crime to just put them on the
shelf next to myriad other examples that are also languishing.

I hope that whoever bought those tools is putting them to their intended
use.

On 9/18/2012 6:45 PM, scritch wrote:
On 9/16/2012 2:47 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's
whole life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the
folks who lived that life.

I walked down a long sloping driveway to a big garage. I walked into it
and saw a wonderful shop. All the tools have been presold. This old
guy worked in his shop until almost 90. The table saw had been removed
and a couple other pieces. BIG windows on two walls of the shop. It
was bright in there. Lots of shelves built in to the rafters and on the
walls around the shop. Lots of drawers and work surfaces down two walls.

The most interesting thing about the shop were all the OLD tools. There
was an old Dewalt radial arm saw. That is the only thing I recognized.
Very old, obscure equipment was the rule in this shop. Everything was
well maintained and operational. All with brand names I never heard
of. Drill presses, a sharpening station, sanding machines, down draft
tables, and at least 5 machines that I had no idea what they were. And
a number of old machines, with big wheels (drive pulleys) made of cast
iron. I think they were belt driven. Again, no idea what they were.
I would have loved to talk to this guy and have him explain to me what
all this old, operational equipment did. It is a little sad that I
never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on, I guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly
disappearing. I enjoyed it though.



We don't live forever, and it's good that someone is willing to buy the
old tools instead of scrapping them, but I get sad when I think that the
best tools are going into collections, never to be used again, just
gazed upon. Tools were made to be used, and unless they are worn out or
irreplaceable, it seems to me that it's a crime to just put them on the
shelf next to myriad other examples that are also languishing.

I hope that whoever bought those tools is putting them to their intended
use.
Here here, I'll second that.

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
"Lee Michaels" leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's whole
life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the folks who
lived that life.

Again, no idea what they were. I would have loved to talk to this guy and
have him explain to me what all this old, operational equipment did. It
is
a little sad that I never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on,
I
guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly disappearing.
I enjoyed it though.

Seen it dozens of times ... widow, selling husband's shop tools just a few
short years after he finally realized the shop of his dreams.

Makes you want to do with what you got, and appreciate it while doing it.

When people tell me they want to take up woodworking when they retire I tell
them to start building their shop and buying good tools now while they have
a decent amount of discretionary income. It's also easier to learn when they
are younger... eyesight, steadier hands, self confidence, etc. are better.
All too often at my woodworkers club I see recent retirees frustrated and
struggling with their personal and financial limitations while trying to
learn basic woodworking skills...

This thread also makes me wonder... If people judge you by your tools will
they think I was really ancient when I die even if it were tomorrow...? My
oldest stationary tool is 107 years old, a Crescent 36" bandsaw made in
1905! My newest stationary tools are about 8 years old already and I don't
anticipate dying for another 30 years based on family history... ;~)

John

On Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:05:19 -0400, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:


"Swingman" wrote in message
...
"Lee Michaels" leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's whole
life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the folks who
lived that life.

Again, no idea what they were. I would have loved to talk to this guy and
have him explain to me what all this old, operational equipment did. It
is
a little sad that I never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on,
I
guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly disappearing.
I enjoyed it though.

Seen it dozens of times ... widow, selling husband's shop tools just a few
short years after he finally realized the shop of his dreams.

Makes you want to do with what you got, and appreciate it while doing it.

When people tell me they want to take up woodworking when they retire I tell
them to start building their shop and buying good tools now while they have
a decent amount of discretionary income.

That's exactly what I'm doing. I had a little setback last year (lost a job
and moved - well almost) but I'm back on the road now. The ten years before
retirement is also the time when people tend to have the highest discretionary
income. I figure tools are a good place to put it. ;-)

...

The worst is the tooling is often in a box that is sold and
the lathe or mill goes another way. So sad for both parties.

Martin

On 9/18/2012 10:12 PM, tiredofspam wrote:
On 9/18/2012 6:45 PM, scritch wrote:
On 9/16/2012 2:47 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:
I was driving home from the hardware store today and saw a sign for an
estate sale. Those things are often a bit sad. Because somebody's
whole life is boxed up and sold. Often without any reverence for the
folks who lived that life.

I walked down a long sloping driveway to a big garage. I walked into it
and saw a wonderful shop. All the tools have been presold. This old
guy worked in his shop until almost 90. The table saw had been removed
and a couple other pieces. BIG windows on two walls of the shop. It
was bright in there. Lots of shelves built in to the rafters and on the
walls around the shop. Lots of drawers and work surfaces down two
walls.

The most interesting thing about the shop were all the OLD tools. There
was an old Dewalt radial arm saw. That is the only thing I recognized.
Very old, obscure equipment was the rule in this shop. Everything was
well maintained and operational. All with brand names I never heard
of. Drill presses, a sharpening station, sanding machines, down draft
tables, and at least 5 machines that I had no idea what they were. And
a number of old machines, with big wheels (drive pulleys) made of cast
iron. I think they were belt driven. Again, no idea what they were.
I would have loved to talk to this guy and have him explain to me what
all this old, operational equipment did. It is a little sad that I
never got to find out about it or him. Life goes on, I guess.

It was nice visiting an old shop. Those things are rapidly
disappearing. I enjoyed it though.



We don't live forever, and it's good that someone is willing to buy the
old tools instead of scrapping them, but I get sad when I think that the
best tools are going into collections, never to be used again, just
gazed upon. Tools were made to be used, and unless they are worn out or
irreplaceable, it seems to me that it's a crime to just put them on the
shelf next to myriad other examples that are also languishing.

I hope that whoever bought those tools is putting them to their intended
use.
Here here, I'll second that.