Reply To: Buying Woodworking Tools is Becoming Stupid
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And I’ll add thrift stores.
If you are in a larger city in the USA, there will be a Goodwill outlet store. These are when the stuff that hasn’t been selling in the regular stores goes to die. After that, it goes to metal recycling or gets shipped to the third world.
Stuff gets thrown in 4×8 bins and you sort through it. You pay by the pound.
($1.69 a pound for tools)
I haven’t found a router, but Great old saws can be had for $3 and a cleanup and sharpening. Occasionally you’ll find a plane worth saving.i got a type 8 #4 from there once that’s my favorite smoother for under $5. It needed a tote.
90% are junk. But once in a while…
And it is by far the best for picking up odd little Companion pieces to tools.
In the bottom of the bins you’ll sometimes find cutters, yankee screwdriver bits, Irwin and Jennings bits, chisels, more hammers than you can carry — all kinds of goodies for pennies.
Success rate is low, but it’s on the way to a board store, so I try to stop in every week or so. It’s like playing the lottery and pretty cheap entertainment.
I’ve been known to buy old furniture there just for the forged hardware on it, and have recycled the hardwood it’s mounted on.
Hand forged chest hinges, handles, and lock for $5. The chest was black walnut.
- This reply was modified 6 years, 8 months ago by Larry Geib.