When is enough ... enough

[Mike Davis]

Changing lanes for a second,do ya'll know what the most valuable sq ftg is in a residence?It's the FP.Yup,clear space.

What is FP? I think of front porch and fire place.. not sure if either of those...

 

[Lowlander]

Fp= floor space

 

[BWSmith]

Fireplace is in fact just space.

My point is,more often than you'd think,space itself is more valuable than the stuff in it.If you're engaged in making something,generally an assembly area pays it's way.Spray booths,and loading docks fit this as well.

If someone is a hoarder....fine with me.We have to look at a much broader picture at our shop.We don't want or need anymore sq ftg.If we did,I'd build it...and can make probably more doing just that vs utilizing the expansion.Some folks may not see it that way..fine with me .

 

[Lowlander]

Interesting! I've always wanted to get rid of the fireplace in my house and the humongous soaker tub in the master bath to make the home more functional. Dead space to me.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

He's a man who enjoys what he does, isn't hurting anybody else, and isn't criticizing all of us for the way we choose to set up our workshops or how we choose to spend our money. I don't know him personally and wouldn't presume to judge him crazy or any of the other negative things being said here. If you wouldn't choose to set up your shop that way, fine, no one is asking you to. Let's get back to the "great society of woodworkers" that has always prided itself on sharing, camaraderie and appreciation for the craft and those who practice it. Just my two cents and probably isn't worth that.

 

[MDWine]

I love pictures of a shop... any shop... even those that are not woodshops (but I like those the most).
I can't criticize him on the use of the shop, or what he has... it is HIS shop, no mine, HE has to use it and remember where stuff is... so it doesn't bother me at all. I do wonder how he finds stuff, and how big his projects are... all of those practical use questions.

Anyway, I love shop photos!!

I love it, but it seems I'm a bit weird.

 

[scsmith42]

http://woodgears.ca/workshop/jacques/

After looking at this site a friend sent along thinking how impressed I would be I just couldn't help thinking this is just tooo much. Truthfully, I couldn't keep up with all of the stuff in that shop.

My first thought after looking at all the toys was: What does he make? I'm only guessing but I think he spends most of his time making new storage gadgets for his things and doing repeated inventories to keep up with what he forgot he already had.

dan

What an awesome shop! He's my new hero! LOL.

 

[Tarhead]

You have to feel bad for his family after he dies or no longer can get around. What a job it would be to clear that out, especially if he didn't leave a detailed inventory with labeled equipment and a child or close friend who would have an idea of what the stuff is and an estimate of what it's worth. Definitely an extreme example of Tool Acquisition Syndrome.

This Meme I saw a while back is for Dan and Mike:wwink::

 

[danmart77]

You have to feel bad for his family after he dies or no longer can get around. What a job it would be to clear that out, especially if he didn't leave a detailed inventory with labeled equipment and a child or close friend who would have an idea of what the stuff is and an estimate of what it's worth. Definitely an extreme example of Tool Acquisition Syndrome.

This Meme I saw a while back is for Dan and Mike:wwink::
View attachment 21230

I have been to Gene's shop many times years ago. Believe it or not Winterthur curators called on him to borrow molding planes that were used on the original pieces.

I don't know what figure his planes went for exactly. I did hear there were lots of folks from SAPFM and other period builders wanting what was on the shelves.

Dan

 

[Hmerkle]

I have been to Gene's shop many times years ago. Believe it or not Winterthur curators called on him to borrow molding planes that were used on the original pieces.

I don't know what figure his planes went for exactly. I did hear there were lots of folks from SAPFM and other period builders wanting what was on the shelves.

Dan

I saw that Meme too Dan - I even commented on it on FB.

What is REALLY cool?
I own one of Gene's planes! No, seriously - and 1852 Rabbit plane (anyone who was at the Klingspore Extravangaza this past weekend saw it...

Here is what I posted on FB;

A Note on Molding Planes With the Owner’s Mark EEL. – Hyperkitten Tool Company Bloghyperkitten.com I have a Skew rabbit plane with the "EEL" mark on the heal of the plane. I bought it from Ed Lebetkin. (the infamous tool shop over Roy Underhill's shop in Pittsboro NC.) My plane is dated 1825 on the toe! The EEL mark stands for Eugene (Gene) E. Langdon. Mr. Langdon was a famous furniture maker from Pennsylvania specializing in 18th century furniture. Mr. Landgon passed away in 2011 and the contents of his shop were consigned to auction. http://hyperkitten.com/blog/2012/08/19/a-note-on-molding-planes-with-the-owners-mark-eel/ I will try to take a picture tomorrow and edit this post...

A Note on Molding Planes With the Owner’s Mark EEL. – Hyperkitten Tool Company Bloghyperkitten.com I have a Skew rabbit plane with the "EEL" mark on the heal of the plane. I bought it from Ed Lebetkin. (the infamous tool shop over Roy Underhill's shop in Pittsboro NC.) My plane is dated 1825 on the toe! The EEL mark stands for Eugene (Gene) E. Langdon. Mr. Langdon was a famous furniture maker from Pennsylvania specializing in 18th century furniture. Mr. Landgon passed away in 2011 and the contents of his shop were consigned to auction. http://hyperkitten.com/blog/2012/08/19/a-note-on-molding-planes-with-the-owners-mark-eel/

A Note on Molding Planes With the Owner’s Mark EEL. – Hyperkitten Tool Company Bloghyperkitten.com I have a Skew rabbit plane with the "EEL" mark on the heal of the plane. I bought it from Ed Lebetkin. (the infamous tool shop over Roy Underhill's shop in Pittsboro NC.) My plane is dated 1825 on the toe! The EEL mark stands for Eugene (Gene) E. Langdon. Mr. Langdon was a famous furniture maker from Pennsylvania specializing in 18th century furniture. Mr. Landgon passed away in 2011 and the contents of his shop were consigned to auction. http://hyperkitten.com/blog/2012/08/19/a-note-on-molding-planes-with-the-owners-mark-eel/

A Note on Molding Planes With the Owner’s Mark EEL. – Hyperkitten Tool Company Bloghyperkitten.com I have a Skew rabbit plane with the "EEL" mark on the heal of the plane. I bought it from Ed Lebetkin. (the infamous tool shop over Roy Underhill's shop in Pittsboro NC.) My plane is dated 1825 on the toe! The EEL mark stands for Eugene (Gene) E. Langdon. Mr. Langdon was a famous furniture maker from Pennsylvania specializing in 18th century furniture. Mr. Landgon passed away in 2011 and the contents of his shop were consigned to auction. http://hyperkitten.com/blog/2012/08/19/a-note-on-molding-planes-with-the-owners-mark-eel/

 

[BWSmith]

Rene Geraurd (sp) memetic theory...if memory serves explains some of this.

An example;guy builds his own shop,big shop.He does it all,concrete masonry,wood.He uses it for a long fruitful career.To some,it may be an object of desire?The builder,however see's it as a means to an end?

With time,space and stuff becomes a burden.I'm there now,some days too wore out to walk 75' from one end to the other.Come tax time,really get tired of it.

Create your own space/stuff....not based on what somebody else has done.Coach K's book(required reading in sports world)goes into this,defining success.But look up memetic theory too.

 

[danmart77]

Not to be a smart a$$ but if you google eugene langdon you will not find info on eugene landon. It might help if you want to look further at his long and productive life as a furniture builder/teacher.

Landon

 

[JimD]

It's an interesting post. I think it is consistent with my idea that what defines how many tools you have is the size of the shop. There is often a reason to acquire another but if you do not have space for it, you find a way to get the job done without it. My only concern with the quantity of tools is that he comments on one or two tools that they aren't good enough to be useful. If they are not useful.... But as long as he has the space and the tool does something useful for him, I don't see why he shouldn't have them. I wouldn't want to be stuck with a 92 inch ceiling. I have just over 96 now and miss my 102 inch ceiling of the last shop. The thing I like the most is his comment that he has built a lot of furniture for his children and grandchildren. I'm still working on that but each of my biological kids has a couple bedroom sets and a kitchen table and chairs from my shop (and a few other pieces). The newer wife and step kids need things too now. But the house is consuming most of the time these days. But the shop still gets used for that.

 

[pickett]

All I can say is speechless, how is that said 1 man's something like that.

 

[Gotcha6]

For some folks, enough isn't enough. We have to have 2 enoughs. Unless we're pilgrims, we're all muckrakers of one kind or another. It's just a different quality of muck.........

 

[danmart77]

For some folks, enough isn't enough. We have to have 2 enoughs. Unless we're pilgrims, we're all muckrakers of one kind or another. It's just a different quality of muck.........

Hey Dennis
When I started this thread I never thought it would go on this long. Lots of interesting view points on a complicated subject. I would side step the characterization of being a Muchraker though...

I am in no way trying to expose any type of "corruption" in the way others go about stocking their shops. My intent was to comment on my situation and tools that I have in the twilight of my woodworking journey. I have a bunch of things I simple don't use much. Some of them were good at one point but now they are a little out dated for different reasons. I can be a hoarder and its hard for me to throw things in the landfill. I am much more apt to give something away to another person if I feel they will use it and then pass it on. Just me.

later

 

[Gotcha6]

I was only using the term muckraker in the context of John Bunyan's allegory. Nothing to do with digging up dirt on someone else. Goodness knows I've got enough of that to deal with on me......

 

[nn4jw]

Hoard

noun
1. a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc.:
a vast hoard of silver.

By that definition just having a bunch of stuff doesn't seem to qualify as hoarding, let alone a hoarding disorder.

I bought my first set of mechanic's sockets about 50 years ago. I still have most of them even though I've added more over the years. Do I have duplicates? Of course. You buy a bigger and better set you end up with duplicates. Is that a reason to toss the older ones? Not to my mind.

Screwdrivers - got them in the shop, in the house and in the car. Bet a lot of you do too. Never heard of a requirement to only have one of each type and size.

Of course, while I do have some old screwdrivers, many have been worn out, broken, lost, or loaned out never to be seen again. But screwdrivers are like teaspoons - no such thing as too many.

I bought a cheap Penny's saber saw in the 70's. Bought a better Sears scrolling saber saw in the 90's. Just bought a much better DeWalt saber saw this week. I'm pretty easy on my tools and now I have three saber saws. Do I need three? Of course not. As far as I know I'm not breaking any real or imagined laws or rules by not tossing the oldest ones. Will I use them. Who knows? That's a new saber saw about every 20 years. Hardly seems like compulsive buying, does it? Let alone "hoarding".

I could go on with more examples but you should be getting the picture. If you're 25 years old and just beginning to buy tools, then you're naturally just not going to have the number of tools that someone who started at 19 and is now pushing 70 likely will.

Some guys just hang on to what they've bought or acquired over the years. Others sell, trade, give away, toss in the trash or whatever. It's totally up to each person, so keep them or not it's up to you. No rules there. Those who disagree with your choices in this matter really don't matter in any real sense. Fortunately we don't all have to do things the same way.

 

[danmart77]

Man I feel better already after reading that reply. I must have 25 screw drivers all over the place.

thanks
Dan

 

[Mike Davis]

So, an antique tool chest full of old tools that I will never use, another tool chest that I made in case my son ever decides to become a wood worker, 4 wall tool cabinets in my shop full of tools that I use on the weekends, two Gerstner tool chests in the shop that hold seldom used tools, 4 tool boxes of mechanics tools, a librabry card file full of tools that are used maybe once a year, a glass front cabinet that holds specialty machinists measuring tools, and probably a few more I can't remember right now but go to when I need them like the plumbing tool box or the electrical tool box are not a problem?