This week we wrap up the series on tools and shops. I discuss my recent lumber run, tool collecting, and the age-old question of why stamp collectors don’t want to be referred to as “mailmen.”
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Dave,
My toolishness usually rears its ugly head, not so much in what I purchase, but when I purchase. My most toolish purchase was probably my Woodrat. I’ve played with it a bit in my old shop, but I was still mostly using the equipment I had then to do trim carpentry. My other toolishness manifested itself in my drum sander. Mind you, I don’t feel toolish purchasing a drum sander. Rather, I was a tool when it came to researching the one I bought. The problem is that, instead of the drum head raising and lowering, the table does. So, sand a bit, reposition all the infeed and outfeed, then sand a bit more, etc. Toolish, toolish, toolish!
“Toolishness”- New term coined by Dave on Feb. 15th 2008.
Great show. Lots of food for thought!
As you pointed out, this “toolishness” exists in all hobbies. When I built my home theater, I was always amazed at the guys in the forums who never seemed to FINISH the project. They were constantly perfecting their theater. And I found it hilarious that they never really watched movies in it, lol. But….that’s the way things go.
At first it seems like an odd phenomenon, but then you realize its really just a reflection of life in general. Why do we have Mercedes and BMW? Why do we buy 5000 sq. ft houses? Why is everything Biggie Size? We live in a society where excess is valued highly, and this is usually most obvious in the areas where we place our expendable income: our hobbies. We like fast cars, big screens, loud stereos, and powerful tools.
You made some great points about Norm. I always laugh when I hear comments like, “I could build a highboy too if I had all those tools!!” lol. One of the major disadvantages of living in a world of excess is the fact that a lot of jealousy will exist too. So its no wonder Norm’s well-equipped shop is seen as a negative against him. When in reality, he very rarely does anything that we couldn’t do by some less expensive means. But its pretty clear that some folks are focusing on the tools, and not the techniques.
We all enter the hobby or profession for our own reasons. And the modern woodworker is an interesting creature. Instead of starting in a dimly lit shop learning various techniques under the watchful eye of a stern but loving master woodworker, they are starting out behind a computer with a huge library of information and 1000′s opinions right out of the gate. Regardless of how they come into woodworking, I honestly feel that eventually every woodworker will long for something more. Whether its a new found love of hand tools or just a resolution for less talk and more action, it seems logical to me that most woodworkers will eventually want to go deeper. At least that is my hope.
Hey Dave:
Interesting………………..I guess my toolishness would be the opposite, way back in the day, Craftsman made an overhead router (late 70′s) that you inserted your preferred router in, separate tool; own machining area. At the time, our product line demanded the use of this tool, as I moved to larger pieces more cabinetmaking, the tool was in the way and became a tool top collector, so I sold it. Today I wish I had that overhead router set-up as I want to do smaller work. Made a sliding table and used it often to knock the heck out of the french dovetail with it. So I guess that would be reverse “toolishness”. Not into woodworking tools, except for a reason, but overspend on a sailing hobby.
The 50/50 machine/hand tools shop mention I found curious. In order to push the craft I believe it has to become more of a mix between hand tool and machines, not one or the other BUT……you don’t use the hand tools as they are traditionally presented. This is why we see so much arts and crafts, and shaker presented in magazines, and little contemporary unless its a cabinet on stand, editors don’t push there hand “tooling” for others to see. So the result presented to us is ….Oh so straight and oh so square.
I like your comment on if you’re a tool collector you’re a tool collector…….but you’re not a woodworker unless you build.