Tool gloat & offer

[tyrone shewlaces]

One of these days I'm going to have to figure out the disposition of all my stuff. It would be great if it could go to somebody who is new to the sport so will use it and grow. I'd be glad to help, even for free.
Short of that I would consider some organization. One possibility is a school, but at least around here I am pretty sure even if there was one to donate to these days, it would likely be wasted and squandered or even just stolen and sold off for pennies. However, another group taking hold these days in many, many locations is "maker groups". Some are better than others, but many offer machine tools for use by their members and are halfway decently equipped. With my load of crap they'd be very well equipped.
Anyway just a thought. Whether it's passing on the whole smash or just unloading surplus, you might look into the maker groups. If there is an active group near you, several people may benefit from the gems rather than just an individual.

[flylo]

I never ask for anything free or free help. If given anything I always "make it right". I grew up poor & also worked for everything but I'm a blessed man & thankful everyday. Also I believe in giving back, just because I had to struggle is no reason to make others do so. Also I don't believe in wasting anything. I feel sorry for those of you who feel different. Many of you know the doctors told both my wife & I last year to make plans for each other. She just had the largest tumor removed the cancer surgeon had ever seen & it was attached to more organs than she had seen. Two more surgeries to go for her & my mobility is about gone & I bet we have more fun than the lot of you selfish, unhappy, ungrateful old miserly grinches. Give it a try, help someone, give something away. You may just enjoy it, after all it's better to give than receive.

[Alistair Hosie]

Getting and giving tools is not quite the same as asking or being asked for them.They in my opinion are actually luxury items and if anyone wants to give then fine I have promised my eldest son everything I( have when I stop or croak it.I have already given him a lot but that is different what I have is there for my three sons and the know it.But asking is the cheeky bit imho I have a lot of time for you guys.Alistair

[justanengineer]

In ~45 years Im going to pass along my heirloom tools to the kids then have one big mother of an auction and anything that doesnt sell the hobby public is welcome to come pick up. My only request is 1. come shake the hand, I'll be up on the porch drinking beer and 2. post a couple pics of your new tools when you get home.

In the meantime Imma just sit here and soak up as much knowledge as possible from you fellas....

Thank you friend/relative for his generosity, I have no need atm.

[doctordoctor]

I just don't want to see his generosity abused & the things I didn't accept end up being sold.

I'm just curious..why is it when people give stuff away they dont want it sold? I've never understood that.

I've given things to people that couldn't afford it, such as turbos to broke kids who wanted to upgrade their car. Its never occured to me that I wouldn't want them to sell it. Why not? Sell it and buy something you'd rather have. Or use it for awhile, then sell it. Eventually it ends up being used by someone, so whats the difference?

Its even more important with machining tools. The real value you are giving someone when you give them a TOOL that would normally be expensive is that they can experiment with it for free. The value of the tool is sort of secondary. The last thing you want to do is make it so that if they learn that another tool is more appropriate or that they have no use for the tool, that now they can't sell it and get something that makes more sense. Then the tool really might as well have been thrown in the trash because it will just sit there unused.

[duckman]

I can appreciate the original post, I've been given things that I could never afford to buy and I use them, I've recently befriended a tech school senior and I give him things that he can't afford, my spare copy of machinist hand book, end mills, drills, and what ever, when I look at him I see myself 55 years ago and I know what he's going thru so I'm going to see that he gets what he can't afford and it makes me feel good. He is 1 of 2 kids in his class that the teacher lets do what they want, because they are so far advanced compared to the other kids, Colt has made his own steam engine, owns and operates his own Heisler steam engine at our club track. SO I BELIEVE WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.

[Alistair Hosie]

If it makes you feel good whey not send me your stuff and pay the postage to Scotland .I don't take no old crap though. for big Alistair it can only be very modern expensive, hardly used stuff, of the highest quality ,and dare I say original cost.That way you will not feel so much good as absolutely fantastic,And yes I know what your thinking as you read this you must marvel at my generosity towards my fellow men.That is wanting good right thinking chaps like you to feel ecstaticly happy. I hardly know you ! but still even though we are strangers ,I am just one of the worlds lovely nice generous , did I say nice guys .So don't bother to go out of your way thank me and ,smother me before all here with the kindest of words, unless you mean to do so of course with cash. Alistair

[flylo]

I don't understand that either. Once I gave a friend a motorcycle, he enjoyed it for a few years & asked if I wanted it back or what he sold it for as he was going to upgrade. I told him it was a gift not a loan so I didn't want anything. I normally give to people who don't ask but I see a need or young people getting started or people down on their luck.

I'm just curious..why is it when people give stuff away they dont want it sold? I've never understood that.

I've given things to people that couldn't afford it, such as turbos to broke kids who wanted to upgrade their car. Its never occured to me that I wouldn't want them to sell it. Why not? Sell it and buy something you'd rather have. Or use it for awhile, then sell it. Eventually it ends up being used by someone, so whats the difference?

Its even more important with machining tools. The real value you are giving someone when you give them a TOOL that would normally be expensive is that they can experiment with it for free. The value of the tool is sort of secondary. The last thing you want to do is make it so that if they learn that another tool is more appropriate or that they have no use for the tool, that now they can't sell it and get something that makes more sense. Then the tool really might as well have been thrown in the trash because it will just sit there unused.

[PStechPaul]

Interesting replies in this thread. I can understand the disappointment and even anger if I would give something to someone and found out that it was abused or sold for beer money or trashed, but then again it IS a gift and worrying about its eventual disposition is rather counterproductive. I have given away some electronic equipment such as an antique HP signal generator to someone who was going to use it in some sort of multimedia show featuring a 1950s retro theme, and in return he gave me a somewhat junky electric guitar and loaned me his small amplifier. When he later came by to take back the amp, he told me that the project was abandoned and he didn't know what became of the electronic equipment. It made me sad to think it may have been trashed, but with some effort I "let it go" so that it no longer bothered me.

Some of the more negative replies remind me of those who consider themselves conservatives (or libertarians), versus those who are liberals or progressives. The conservatives seem to be overly concerned about money, accumulated material wealth, what is earned by hard work, and lamentations about progressive taxation being equivalent to stealing. They are also extremely critical of governmental "handouts" such as welfare, Social Security, Medicare, and similar programs, and call for strict accounting and requirements for welfare recipients to assure that none of it is wasted on what they consider luxuries.

Liberals, OTOH, seem less concerned by such preoccupation with materialistic concerns, and look more at the more emotional and spiritual affects of publicly funded largesse. They recognize that keeping the general public healthy, happy, and monetarily wealthy enough to buy what they need (and even what might be considered luxuries) is important for the general "welfare" of the people as proscribed in the Constitution, and since they spend most of what they receive, it is actually beneficial to the economy AND to the capitalists who oppose such programs and want to keep ever more wealth locked away in their bank accounts and portfolios where it does little good except for other wealthy individuals.

See the discussion here: http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums...-125193p9.html

and here: http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums...107026p54.html

[mattthemuppet]

ooh, I really wouldn't start wandering down that path Paul. Therein lies no joy or happiness of any sort.

[danlb]

Jim, the sentiments in the OP are great. It's nice that you are thinking of others.

I don't give away much, but when I do it's always a 100% gift, no strings attached. When I give a person something, it's with the hopes that it will somehow add to their lives. If the way it helps them is to sell it and buy beer, then so be it.

I'm blessed in that I have more than I need. I try to spread it around now and then.


Dan

[flylo]

It's like motocross, if you don't fall down once in a while your not going fast enough & yes I've got burned a couple times. Once I gave a friend a hit & miss engine he had to have to restore & promptly sold for $800. Then I was given a nice big Bridgeport with DRO & power feed which I was going to give someone who I thought was down on his luck & needed it who promptly demanded a new vice, new collets, vfd & so on then stole my mig welder. You never know for sure.

[J. Randall]

Interesting replies in this thread. I can understand the disappointment and even anger if I would give something to someone and found out that it was abused or sold for beer money or trashed, but then again it IS a gift and worrying about its eventual disposition is rather counterproductive. I have given away some electronic equipment such as an antique HP signal generator to someone who was going to use it in some sort of multimedia show featuring a 1950s retro theme, and in return he gave me a somewhat junky electric guitar and loaned me his small amplifier. When he later came by to take back the amp, he told me that the project was abandoned and he didn't know what became of the electronic equipment. It made me sad to think it may have been trashed, but with some effort I "let it go" so that it no longer bothered me.

Some of the more negative replies remind me of those who consider themselves conservatives (or libertarians), versus those who are liberals or progressives. The conservatives seem to be overly concerned about money, accumulated material wealth, what is earned by hard work, and lamentations about progressive taxation being equivalent to stealing. They are also extremely critical of governmental "handouts" such as welfare, Social Security, Medicare, and similar programs, and call for strict accounting and requirements for welfare recipients to assure that none of it is wasted on what they consider luxuries.

Liberals, OTOH, seem less concerned by such preoccupation with materialistic concerns, and look more at the more emotional and spiritual affects of publicly funded largesse. They recognize that keeping the general public healthy, happy, and monetarily wealthy enough to buy what they need (and even what might be considered luxuries) is important for the general "welfare" of the people as proscribed in the Constitution, and since they spend most of what they receive, it is actually beneficial to the economy AND to the capitalists who oppose such programs and want to keep ever more wealth locked away in their bank accounts and portfolios where it does little good except for other wealthy individuals.

See the discussion here: http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums...-125193p9.html

and here: http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums...107026p54.html

You are liable to get this thread locked, best to keep your politics to yourself here.
James

[PStechPaul]

Yes, sorry, I got a bit carried away with those comments. But it does seem that some people do not even believe in altruism and are suspicious of those who do. I was just trying to explain why there have been such diverse comments about giving something freely and trying to hang onto some sort of ownership or control over what has been given.

[mattthemuppet]

I don't think think there's any point trying to divine why people do one thing or another - they have a right to their opinions and as long as they're not inflammatory or offensive leave them to it. It's more important to have the confidence in oneself and ones opinions than to worry about the rightness of others.