The Hard Part of Downsizing-- My Tools

[corky52]

Sitting here sorting and evaluating my tools, far harder than I thought it was going to be.  I have the remains of several businesses worth of tools, many are very specialized and near irreplaceable, but also likely of little use in the future.

What was the hardest part of downsizing for you?

Corky

 

[Howiet]

I'm sitting here in the same boat.  A career and a lifetime of tools plus some that were my dads and grandfathers.   I may just put them  in storage. Sentimentality can get expensive.

 

[karl]

Tools for me as well.
Sentimental stuff - like my Dads weapons and truck are tough too.

 

[GrantRobertson]

Think of it this way: Tools are meant to be used, not sit in storage. Find someone who will really appreciate them, use them, and take good care of them. Then, either give the tools away or sell them at a deep discount.

I sold most of mine to a friend who used them to build his own house.

 

[LeeRevell]

I'm sitting here in the same boat.  A career and a lifetime of tools plus some that were my dads and grandfathers.   I may just put them  in storage. Sentimentality can get expensive.

Same here.  I have my own tools, and those of my late father.  He was a big-time DIYer, and so I have a lot of large heavy power tools that I will likely never use.  Gave one large overhead miter saw to a friend, have another friend going to take the Jointer/Planer.  I am keeping the floor-type drill press and table-top router.  Have a boxfull of drills and jig saws too.
In time I will start putting together complete tool kits of the hand tools, and selling/giving away what I don't need.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

You have to ask yourself the same question you ask about anything else you own:

"Am I ever going to use this again?"

If you are tentative about van dwelling, if you are not sure if it will work out or not, then perhaps it makes sense to carefully store them away in a storage unit for awhile.

Perhaps, somewhere down the road, you can establish a base where you could set up a shop and have electric and water connections for your van.

But once you are sure you will never use them again, you should sell them and use the money as a special treat - perhaps a trip to Hawaii or Italy or something like that.

Regards
John

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Btw, my father was also a huge DIYer, and built the house I grew up in.  I still have the hammer he used to build it, and will take that with me on the road, because everybody needs a hammer, right?

My brother will get the rest of his tools.

Regards
John

 

[Willy]

I CAN'T afford to pay someone else to do repairs/maintenance on my rig and need all my tools.. just gotta figure out how to haul them around. ..Willy.

 

[highdesertranger]

I too have this dilemma. while I carry more tools then most people, I have way to many to carry all. hopefully when I go full time I can talk my sister and brother-in-law to let me stock there shop. the rest will get sold, this will be hard because I believe one should not sell gold, silver, guns, and tools. highdesertranger

 

[Milk Hauler]

Tools on my bigrig going coast to coast.

1/4 Dewalt impact gun
1/2 Dewalt impact gun
Impact sockets 1/4 bits
Stanley 1/2 chromium sockets
Knipex Cobra plies
Ratcheting wrenches sae and metric
Vise Grips Gorilla Tape
12v Tester light
Fuses

This combo is my absolutely bare minimum. I had a whole 10x20 storage unit full of mostly sentimental items and tools. Once I decided to give most of my possessions away to the truly poor, I never felt more liberated in my life.

I live in a semi truck, but I'm rich n spirit. I'm glad 2000 lbs of tools aren't keeping from living the simple life.

I've learned in a jamb, most auto part stores will lend you all the tools you need provided you don't leave the property.

 

[Milk Hauler]

Corky, sit down and inventory what you have. I had brand new tools I didn't even remember buying. I learned that if it's been more than a year since I used it, then I can live without it. Getting over the fear of 'what if" was a tough one for me.

 

[cdiggy]

Giving up tools is very hard to do. I have a step van so all my tools fit (barely). It would suck to have to choose what to give up.

 

[Bdog1]

Last move I gave up all my free standing tools ( drill press, table saw router table) in favor of portable units. You can still accomplish the same thing, for the most part. (My table saw is now a skill saw screwed to the underside of a sheet of plywood.) Now for the bad... Mig welder & tank? Compressor? .....

 

[corky52]

I have a lot of duplicates to sort out, then I'm down to general purpose tools and specialized tools, that's where it will start to be tough.  I'm lucky in that I have a fair amount of room for tools in my TransVan as I rebuilt it with storing the tools in mind.

I'm planning on keeping all the 18v Ryobi tools I have, the hard part is things like toners and crimpers, meters and scopes.

All the freestanding stuff is going!!


Corky

 

[Willy]

It's the specialty/heavy duty tools that weigh me down. 3/4" drive stuff, ball-joint remover/installer, engine stand.. stuff that might see limited use, but a lifesaver when needed. ..Willy.

 

[MikeRuth]

I've been a wrench all my life. This is definitely a problem for me when it comes time to pack it up. I currently have a storage locker with crap in it that i need to sell, then I'll have more room and I suppose I'll keep it and store away tools etc, I can't part with them. Weather it's for my self or for someone else I know I'll be doing something sometime and need them.

In just converting my van and I have used all of my electrical tools, oxy acetylene torch, bench grinder, drill press, bench mounted vise, saws all, hand grinder and the list goes on. No way I could do this with out them.

When it comes to traveling I'm not sure how I'm going to decide what to have on the van. Obviously basics to handle possible problems. My van knock on would is in excellent condition and low mileage but that's going to change with more time on the road.
I have visions of maybe even becoming a bit of a mobile solar repair guy. After learning how many folks have installations that are junk, I'd enjoy helping others get them right. Now working on engines and chassis not so much anymore.
had enough of greasy hands.
Definitely a tough choice for my self.

 

[masterplumber]

Like many of you, I've worked with my tools all my life and I can't imagine getting rid of a lot of them. I did give a bunch away a little while back, as I live in the Black Forest, CO area and had friends lose everything in the fire 2 summers ago. So I gave some all the hand tools I had multiple of. Right now I have a house and work full time, although I'm probably going back to being self employed very soon. I hope as time goes on to downsize and travel much more - maybe even full time in the winter months. I think I will always have a shop someplace though, even if it's on remote cheap land. Working with tools gives me too much joy to give that up, and I don't think that will detract from my sense of freedom.

 

[TucsonAZ]

I do everything myself, I don't even want to think about giving up my tools! I have a 40 foot freight container full of them, nibbler, wiggle, crown, brad, framing and finishing nailer, press, 3/4" drive sockets, welders... the list goes on and on and on and thinking about not having them doesn't make me happy! That doesn't even include all the stuff I have fabricated like crank hold tool and jigs. Right tool for the right job, I spent too many years trying to work on my cars with nothing but a hammer, vice grips, and and adjustable to ever be in that spot again!