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When I was pup, I remember my father saying; “DJ”,(that’s my mom), “if I had the right tools, I could build/repair/modify that _________.”(fill in the blank)
As a result, we, well OK…., mostly he, tackled everything from renting a backhoe so he could dig a drainfield to building a darkroom in our basement. All this, while persuing a career as a pharmacist,and drugstore owner.
Watching this, of course, instilled the notion that, given the right TOOLS, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!
So, this is an online tribute to my Dad. Without his influence, I might not have developed into the person I am today…….an incorigible TOOL JUNKIE!!!
Replies
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Alas it is a problem. What I want to know is how you blokes get it past your wives? Mine seems to be able to tell when I've bought something new.
*Mark, It takes years of subtle hinting and dropping ideas here and there. Then before you know it your wife will be telling YOU what she wants you to buy. It works, believe me. My wife thus far has told me to buy a torch set, Dewalt 12" compound miter saw, 2 Polaris 4 Wheelers, New Dodge Ram 4x4 extra cab, Massey Ferguson 165 Orchard Special Tractor, bucket loader for the tractor, Grizzly 3hp table saw, Milwaukee Super Sawzall. Our next purchase will be an 18' utility trailer because I was told "we're not going to look at that little trailer, it will only fit two four wheelers. We don't need a little trailer, we need a car trailer!" I just smiled and said "Okay dear, whatever you want to do." Then after the fact, forever, you have to say how grateful you are every time you do something that would have previously been impossible without the tool.It also helps if you can create a situation (take her to an auction) and allow her to see that the item is cheap, and even let her buy it!I am planning a tell-all book on the subject 8-).-Rob
*Rob I'll take a copy
*My personal secret to success as a tool junkie is indulgence. Since I have never been able to quell my habit, my wife of 16 yrs. (we've been together for 20) has taken up yoga in an effort to find at least her inner balance! Just bought a 14 ton Boom Truck with only a brief frozen moment. Gonna be hard to slip a Hummer by her though but I'm ready to try, all in the name of better business surely.
*Always show your spouse the cost of labor. When at the auto dealership, steer her into the garage and point out the labor costs up on the wall. When the plumber comes around, make sure she sees the bill. Show her that the parts were $1.50 and the labor was $65. Now that she's been prepped, point out how a $45 pipe wrench pays for itself the first time you use it instead of calling a plumber. If this works, keep upping the ante, and soon you have the table saw. The real challenge comes not from the initial acquisition, but from an upgrade. She may not appreciate the value of a stronger motor and more solid shoe on a new Skil saw, particularly if the motor on the old one still turns. This is why you should never clean the motor on a saw you hate and should probably even practice cutting bricks with it.
*How much was the boom truck? What kind?
*hehehe I just show up with the stuff in the van, and tell her she has to pay for it! She's used to it now! My last purchase: 99Dodge Ram, 4x4, with the cummings 24 valve diesel, flame red. Argh, argh, argh! Hey, she's the one that told me that my van was looking a bit junky!She was right.Blue
*It is all a matter of give and take. You know, you want a new snowmobile, you have to get her something she's not expecting a couple months beforehand. This doesn't have to be extravagant. In fact, I have had better luck with some little item that let's her know I am paying attention - like - last year I noticed the handle on her splitting maul was all taped up up near the head, so I took the time to put a new handle in it for her (and added one of those rubber rings to boot!). Another one that got real good results was the hand truck I got so she wouldn't have to carry the garbage down to the end of the road anymore. You know - just special little things like that can make a marriage glow!
*Blue, 1995 Ford F-800, 33,000 GVW, single axle, with the 230 horse, 15,000 miles on it and 1500 hrs., 14 T Simon Stinger with double jib, 114' reach! Been leasing a truck like this for the last 2 years on and off and it suits my purpose quite well so I bought one of the lease units for 60k. For what I do (Panel Fitting) this tool is indespensible. We travel quite a bit and are currently investigating a 24' trailer that will be set up to suit our needs. Looks like we will have to get a stripper and fit it out ourselves but that is part of the fun! The Hummer will be the support vehicle. Did some work for this rich guy nearby that is thinking about selling his low mile 95 to me for 30k. How can I resist? Already have the Dodge but the wife always seems to use it to go to Yoga.Which brings up the point that I am curious about. I personally like a nicely setup operation and feel that the cost is paid for by the quality of work that emenates from it. Does anything suceed like success? I know that when I see someone elses scene roll by that is looking good I am impressed. I realize there is never any excuse for shoddy workmanship no matter how much is spent on the tools and machinery. I just feel more pride in my operation when surrounded by the good stuff, though the stuff I used to get where I am today was not exactly what you would call high budget.Oops, gotta go order a new chainsaw while my credits still good. Just remember, friends don't let friends buy Asian tools!
*Oh, the tenderness! Let me hazard a guess -- you've been married at least 15 years? It usually takes a while to become so practical. :)
*I am jealous! I've been casually looking around for a similar boom truck. It sounds like you are getting a pretty nice deal. I've foundsome interseting stuff at http://www.traderonline.com/cgi-bin/ads/clickthru.html?link=www.traderonline.com/merch/index.shtml&page-grp=1&cust-id=10300&campaign=leader-2.Blue
*19 and counting...you know that old custom of saying "rabbit" first thing, first day of the month? The only time in my life I did it it went like this...me-"rabbit...rabbit...honey! I remembered!" her-"happy aniversery" me-"uh-oh". Oh well, when you give these thoughtfull gifts, you gain a little margin for error.
*I tell the wife she should buy me the table saw I've been eyeing, only $2000. While she's thinking about this, I go buy a bunch of hand power tools. Then she goes to town buying new dresses, so I gotta' start planning for the next "payback".
*Blue, Have had Traderonline bookmarked for 2 years, any self respecting Auto/Truck/Tool/Machinery junkie cannot resist a classified ad! First, to see if you can find what you are looking for for a really good deal due to the misfortune of other junkies, then after the big purchase to see if you could have gotten a better one! Gotta go read the Shopper on the throne, it's Thursday!
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Fellow junkies... , tractors, boom trucks, Hummers are all well and good, you know. But me thinks this probably represents the more advanced stage of this wicked addiction. People in this phase are generally considered beyond help,and are refered to as EQUIPMENT JUNKIES!!!! No 12 step program here,folks, at this point the lust for BIGGER and BADDER tools is out of control!!!
It's hopeless, there is no known cure.
By the way,do they sell HELICOPTERS at Home Depot?
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Young Bob you've got that wife of yours well trained, splitting wood and taking out the garbage.
What's your secret?
*Albert, you know how they say "opposites attract"? Well, in this case it's true, she's a hell of a good woman. Yesterday I noticed her choker cable is getting frayed, right near the bell. Think I'll get her a new one, those things hurt when you hit your hand on them.
*If they sold helicopters at Home Depot, the blades would be out of track and balance, the tail rotor would be a non-stocked option, and the battery wouldn't be strong enough to hover.
*Cure, who wants a cure?
*A friend is buying a Cat D-2 to dig a pond. Then he asks if I would ever have a use for it. I say "Hell Yes" and he says OK then I'll keep it afterwards! Now we have to come up with a triple axle trailer. Is this what is referred to as "escalation?"-Rob
*Speaking of good deals, I just bought a brand new 98 dodge ram 2500 with the covered 8' stahl utilty bed on it and a 5.9. Got it for $22,721.00 out the door!As for the tools, I usually try the look how much money I will make with this new tool..it will increase productivity etc...I am also utizing my wife's desire for a new kitchen. Cabinets cost so much, I could save a bundle and just buy the woodworking equipment I need & the lumber and make them myself. Besides honey, Then we will have the tools for other jobs. I figure a planer, bandsaw, good tablesaw, drill press and scroll saw should do the trick. I may not need them all but she doesn't know that.For the most part, I usually just sneak a new tool in here and there and just let her yell at me.Pete Draganic
*Tool Junkie??
Joseph FuscoView Image
*Joe, nice shop and nice page, but it took awhile to loadWith time to kill, Brian
*Tool junkies?????????I know that this is not about be? To many tools? How can that be?As far as trucks go a real tool man will make his own. 1987 chevy with 454 (lots of upgrades) with rail injection, Gale banks turbo upgraded R-700 tranney, air locker rear and air ride supenion erg....erg....erg....erg....
*Brian,
Joseph FuscoView Image
*hey Joe - I'm impressed, powermattic, powerfeed, sweet! Does it just look that way, or are the ceilings kind of low? Tell me about that indoor dust collector - do you still get some crap in the air? I am jealous - no doubt.
*young bob,
Joseph FuscoView Image
*Yup - This is "escalation" - But I don't think it's escalated far enough yet. Don't you need a $25,000 dump truck to pull that triple axle trailer ? Why not a scraper to pull behind it ? How about a Snap-on 3/4" socket set to work on the dozer with ? Maybe a $1,000 laser level set for shooting grades ? Pardon me, I gotta go take a cold shower............
*You 'da man Bill!Blue
*nice score - green? - yb
*I think it was George W. Carpenter who posted in "Sawdust Hazards" last week that putting blower OUTSIDE really improved air quality in a shop he once worked in. That's where mine is (because of noise origanally) and I do notice a lot of fine dust surrounding it. Have you designed your new space yet? Please share thoughts and thought process. - yb
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How do you spell that? Remember that it is always important to maintain a good buzz but leave the table saw off.
*Is ANY job too small if it requires the purchase of a new tool?
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Sadly I had started to think to myself "Well now that we would have the trailer that would mean I could haul the tractor, which would make the 3 pt hitch mount backhoe more versatile....."
-Rob
*Interesting...i veryinteresting...I buy the tools, my husband buys military collectibles; like any loving couple, we trade off:"You want that Enfield rifle, hon? Well, you know, the belt sander has just about had it... but, hey, what's a belt sander? We don't really need tools in order to repair/improve the biggest investment we have ever made in our lives..." Guess who got what, heh.Of course, it works both ways:"Didn't you just buy a couple of vise grips? How many vise grips can one personi useat a time? And didn't you just get a new belt sander? We're gonna have to go into contracting just to pay for all this stuff! Youi knowI'm under the gun at work... I just need a little relaxation... I sure would love a new antique rifle to clean... sigh..." Guess who got their rifle.Actually, I've found, no matter what the addiction, er, interest is, you can usually turn someone on byi sharingthat interest. My husband now wants a table saw. Oh, well, I guess I'll let him get it. ; )I wanna knowi whouses the hand truck to take the garbage down the road...Patty, who now has an interest in military collectibles...
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When I was pup, I remember my father saying; "DJ",(that's my mom), "if I had the right tools, I could build/repair/modify that _________."(fill in the blank)
As a result, we, well OK...., mostly he, tackled everything from renting a backhoe so he could dig a drainfield to building a darkroom in our basement. All this, while persuing a career as a pharmacist,and drugstore owner.
Watching this, of course, instilled the notion that, given the right TOOLS, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!
So, this is an online tribute to my Dad. Without his influence, I might not have developed into the person I am today.......an incorigible TOOL JUNKIE!!!