Tool Lust

Every woodworker has probably had that moment when that shiny new tool caught our eye, and we began to salivate.   If only I had that new tool the quality of my work would be improved, my woodworking experience would be complete, my life would be enriched.

I’m guilty of this primal urge.   For me the most recent example was a 5hp shaper with a power feeder.   It was massive, it was powerful, it was the same color as my other machinery and would balance my shop and make it Feng Shui.   So, I purchased it, and used it twice, and finally sold it for half its cost.

Tools like so many other desires in life are often most pleasurable, most exciting, during the period in which we want, crave, lust, desire, and search for the best brand or model.   However, once obtained, the newness quickly wears off, and the tool becomes but another, taking up space in an already crowded shop.

So, what’s a woodworker to do when faced with this primal urge to chip flint?   Removing the emotion, and the primal urge to gather tools isn’t easy for most of us.   Most woodworkers are by its very nature, tool collectors.   But if your willpower is strong enough, you might just ask the questions:   Will the tool allow me to accomplish a task that I cannot do with the tools I already have?   Will it allow me to accomplish that task faster, and or at a higher quality level than I can currently achieve?   Do I really need to perform that task, or is it just wishful thinking that I would if I had the tools?   Can I afford the purchase without getting in hot water with my significant other?   Can I wait until next month before I purchase, to see if the yearning diminishes?   Am I being truthful in my answers to all the above? Good luck with taking any of my advice!   I’ve got my eye on a new CNC router and a laser cutter.   I’m a hobbyist, do I really need either of these tools?   Heck NO!   But they’re shiny and new, and I just know in my heart that my woodworking experience would be vastly improved!