Just wondering

[meika123]

I am amazed at what I have been observing. What do you guys do for a living? You must make a ton of money, or you married well-or both.
All I see is Powermatic, Unisaw, Ricoh, etc. How do you guys afford such expensive toys? I am not even allowed to say those words in my house.

Dave in NC

[DavidF]

Originally Posted by meika123

I am amazed at what I have been observing. What do you guys do for a living? You must make a ton of money, or you married well-or both.
All I see is Powermatic, Unisaw, Ricoh, etc. How do you guys afford such expensive toys? I am not even allowed to say those words in my house.

Dave in NC

It's an North Carolina Woodworker phenom called "Woodguy disease" that actually divorces the user from the reality that they can't afford the tools they buy. The equipment they have bears no relationship with the ability to pay for it Hang around long enough and you'll go the same way - beware

Note - doesn't apply to us all - yet!

[sediener]

Gotta get you a sugamomma... or find one who never looks at the bills.

- Steve

[christopheralan]

I am a carpenter 7am-3:30 pm and a woodworker from 5:00-close at home. I am with ya on this one. I do this crap for a living and I can only get some of the low-end stuff...

On the other hand, I am George Jetson when I pull out the wallet in front of SWMBO...

[Travis Porter]

Hmmm..... I work in the telecom industry. Wife and I started way late with kids so we are a bit more financially stable than if we would have had kids in our early 20's.

I do not have wood guy disease as bad as some, but I am much worse than others (DavidF being an example of one that I am worse than). I would like to iterate that although I do spend some change on toyls, we don't go out a lot, and for the most part, we are home bodies.

Now as for money, my cashflow is getting ready to go in the toilet after we start paying for private school in August.:

[DavidF]

Originally Posted by Travis Porter

Hmmm..... I work in the telecom industry. Wife and I started way late with kids so we are a bit more financially stable than if we would have had kids in our early 20's.

I do not have wood guy disease as bad as some, but I am much worse than others (DavidF being an example of one that I am worse than). I would like to iterate that although I do spend some change on toyls, we don't go out a lot, and for the most part, we are home bodies.

Now as for money, my cashflow is getting ready to go in the toilet after we start paying for private school in August.:

Yeh, but when I read that you may have an 8" jointer for sale I almost weakened It can be frustrating sometimes having to analyze and justify each and every purchase, and I mean ALL, but it generally means that a) I really do need it and b) I buy the best value for money I can get. Still, did I say it was frustrating??? I didn't buy the pen making stuff I talked about last week because in the end it came to $60+ just to essentially make 3 pens. So called it off for another time.

[Gotcha6]

Working in construction all my life all I can say is that the cobbler's children often go barefoot. I too married a little later (22) & had my kids a little later (29,32) than most. I also am pretty much a homebody & don't have to have a new car every 3-5 years. I get more pleasure most of the time in doing a fixup on an older tool than flashing the plastic - not being critical of those who do. It stimulates my mind more & I feel like I learn a little something in the process. But like most of the guys here, when I go into WC or somewhere like that & the clerks ask if they can help I just have to say, "No, just drooling." I bet most of the guys on this website probably assembled their own computers to a certain degree. It's just an innate curiosity about how things work & a refusal to depend on any technology for which we don't have some fundamental understanding.
I hope no none that visits this site shirks their duty to their family to keep up with the Joneses here. That is not the spirit of this site. I'm sure everyone on this site that would rather see you working with tools you can afford & enjoy than go into debt and create a financial stress that detracts from your creative pleasure derived thereto.
FWIW

[Badabing]

I sometimes wonder myself how I can afford some of the tools I have The truth is that I don't spend money on anything else. I mean at all. Nothing. All my pocket money goes towards tools, wood, or supplies for my shop. I sell a lot of older stuff off to get new tools too.

We are homebodies too. You'd be surprised at much you can save if you don't leave the house

[JackLeg]

My Powermatic table saw(Artisan) is almost 20 years old, I think. Bought it at the old WW show in Charlotte. Moved 3 times since then. My belt sander, drill press, and jointer are older than I am, and I'm 63! (Circa 1938 Craftsman)

When I bought them none of them had electric motors on them. They came out of an old WW shop in Stanly County and were all run by a water wheel! You should have seen that set-up!

I'm now retired, after paying a LOT of dues on the road for over 35 years. I've collected as I went, but, I admit I have been able to pick up a few newer tools recently. As some of these folks have heard me say before, I am very blessed.

[Larry Rose]

I don't hunt, play golf, fish, have a boat, fast cars don't intrest me and I'm much to old to be a womanizer. My children are all grown and the dog doesn't ask for much. After my wifes first husband, she doesn't care if I buy the occasional tool. My tool collection has taken me 35 years to get and the only other vice I have is the occasional (unless you ask LOML) shot of scotch or a frosty cold one. Come to think of it thats usually when I decide I need another tool.........hmmmm

[meika123]

Originally Posted by Larry Rose

the only other vice I have is the occasional (unless you ask LOML) shot of scotch or a frosty cold one. Come to think of it thats usually when I decide I need another tool.........hmmmm

You better watch that Scotch (Rhyme??) It'll get you every time. Especially the single malt I drink.

Dave in NC

[Sully]

I don't have any high-end stuff either, but I've acquired a lot of decent items on a tight budget. For me, I buy stuff when I can get a bargain on it, even if I don't have a specific application for it at the moment. I don't think that's classic WGD, although it is a closely related syndrome.

Case in point, I bought a molding cutter head and several dozen cutter profiles (for a tablesaw or RAS) two years ago. I got them for pennies on the dollar. They been sitting in the box since then. But I have a project coming up that will require them. You can get a lot of decent tools for cheap if you are patient and buy when it is available rather than when you need it. And more often than not, you might actually make money on it if you resell later. Of course, one's budget has to allow it.

I'd have a lot nicer tools if my kids just didn't eat so much. But then again, I wouldn't trade my family for the nicest tools in the world.

J
PS: Just because I'm cheap doesn't mean I wouldn't love to have a shop full of Powermatic Gold.

[JackLeg]

Originally Posted by meika123

You better watch that Scotch (Rhyme??) It'll get you every time. Especially the single malt I drink.

Dave in NC

WHOA now! SINGLE MALT scotch??? I've seen some of that stuff that would've bought a table saw!!!

[Travis Porter]

Originally Posted by Gotcha6

Working in construction all my life all I can say is that the cobbler's children often go barefoot. I too married a little later (22) & had my kids a little later (29,32) than most.

We had our kids even later. My first child was born when I was 38, wife was 41.

Like others, I don't hunt, fish, or go out much except to buy tools. Again like others, I have been buying tools now for many many years. I am in upgrade mode more so now than acquisition mode.

[Ray Martin]

Train robbery and cattle rustling help with the bills

Ray