Millennial dads and DIY skills.

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ConstitutionCowboy

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I will never forget the first time I saw one of these signs at my buddies house. It was on his bothers tool box.
ideakougu_ss-792a

My dad said he might loan his tools, but only on the condition that he went with them.


I still remember the first time I walked into a snap on truck. I heard angels sing and then before I new it I was broke. I will loan tools to very specific people. I may ask for your drivers license and a credit card though.

I go a little further. I come along with the tool or tools. There will be an agreed-upon price with a half down deposit before work begins and the balance paid before the last screw, nut, bolt, or nail is installed. My tools are investments and I require an equitable return.

Woody
 

Glock 40

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My Dad had more tools than me. I have more than my son does. He will get all of mine. Remember my Dad getting mad when the neighbor would come over to borrow some tools. Dad had a girly calendar in the garage.

My son is learning to use mine as he gets older. Hopefully there will be a time when he comes to me to ask to borrow things as he gets older and starts building his collection. My hope is one day all my stuff will be passed on to him and he will use and cherish it as I have. Every tool I own I had to work hard to buy. I buy quality because it will be here when I am gone. If he doesn't want it and the wife sells it in a garage sale so be it. I got my use and enjoyment out of it for many years. Along with many people being blessed by those tools, as my father did with his.

One thing I started doing a long time ago was for wedding presents. My wife will bye something for the home. I will buy something to fix the home. I like to help young guys starting out with the basics mentioned in this article. It doesn't have to be a $35 estwing hammer but a good $15 hammer will last a guy a life time. Along with some basic screw drivers, measuring tape, box knife. All those things that will be useful as you are hanging pictures and doing small jobs.
 

ConstitutionCowboy

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Over 40 some years in the industrial maintenance business, we all had to supply all of our own hand and power tools up to the 3/4" drive stuff and then the company took over. The first year, all of my home tools went to work but they allowed us a tool account of up to $1000 a year to buy personal work tools, so always ordered one for work and one for home. Now that I'm retired, there are two huge multi level tool boxes packed full of pneumatic, electric, battery and hand tools. There might be 6 hammers in one of them. Ball Peen, Claw, Lead, plastic dead blow, Brass, and a 3lb. Peg boards in two shops covered in other tools. Three lathes, and all the tooling with them. Gonna be a heck of a tool sale when I croak.

THREE lathes? You're my hero. I've been making do with my Grizzly chinesium combination lathe/milling machine. I've made many modifications to it like eccentric bushings to take up slack and shims to eliminate play, etc., but I must admit it will do everything I need. I just finished making a boring head for it with it. Pictures attached. Yes, I am bragging.

Woody

Boring Head 003.JPG
Boring Head 004.JPG
Boring Head 005.JPG
 

sedona

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I have a 20Volt Dewalt drill that I use to use quite a bit.Last year I bought the dewalt blower that uses the same 20Volt batteries.I don't use the drill much anymore but the blower gets used a lot.
 

tyromeo55

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Snap on makes a great tool. Too bad their motto seems to put and keep every mechanic onto a payment plan to get them.


I'm a late GEN X'r too

When I was not too much past 16 I found myself needing a certain size wrench to repair a broke down piece of equipment one of dads guys had in a customers building. We paid the employee by the hour and there was no time to lolly gag to the house and get my tool box (xmas gift from dad somewhere around 12 yrs old). I went to the Wally World and bought the cheapest off brand set I could find. I remember exactly... $4 whole dollars. I worked as the older gentleman waited for me to do the repair not a clue as to what I was doing. I love those wrenches and still have/use them to this day.

lesson 1.. Ya don't have to spend a million on the best tools (not knocking ya if you do).
Lesson 2.. Every generation thinks that they are superior (work ethic, music, clothes ....) I assure you there are some pretty good ones in every age group (some pretty awful ones too)
Lesson 3.. Some of the smartest people I know are humble and never stop learning. I have been very fortunate to have quite a few of them in my life

OK I'll get off my soap box now
 

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So I don't have a cordless drill. The batteries were a PITA to keep charged, and they died, so I went with a corded drill and extension cord and never looked back. As infrequently as I need it, it's fine.

I do have about every hand tool I'd ever need though, and then some.
 

dennishoddy

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THREE lathes? You're my hero. I've been making do with my Grizzly chinesium combination lathe/milling machine. I've made many modifications to it like eccentric bushings to take up slack and shims to eliminate play, etc., but I must admit it will do everything I need. I just finished making a boring head for it with it. Pictures attached. Yes, I am bragging.

Woody
One South Bend, and Atlas for metal turning and a woodworking Delta lathe. All restored from junk. I love to refurbish old machine tools.
My 21" band saw is a 30's model and the floor mount drill press is a 50's vintage.
 

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