How you have helped me

[Lindas]

I thought to write this post because I wanted everyone to know how grateful I am for the help to date and perhaps it might bring more understanding when people like me contact ukworkshop in the future.

I was very upset when I contacted ukworkshop and there was the suggestion that I might be trying to make sales subversively. At the time of contacting I knew nothing about e..y. I had heard of it of course. But I had never even been on to its website. So I had no idea what it was or that there were selling fees. Of course ukworkshop couldn’t know this and my ignorance was really astounding. You fantastic people have taught and give me so much.

You taught me about e..y. How to look up the sold prices. Then you identified my things and I could then look them up. I now have an e..y account and can watch things. I opened and have used once a PayPal account. I am getting some lessons to start selling on e..y. It seems very complicated to me. No laughing now.

Then you made me laugh. I had a lovely time in the post about the fire ladder part. It’s very sad and lonely sorting through family things. Our dead grandfathers things, my dead brothers things, our poor dad who is unable to use his beloved things.

And to follow on from laughing you gave me your support and kindness. Truly this has been so wonderful for me. I hope you can get a sense of my gratitude.

Then you taught me about tools. I know I have learned so much from you. The person who identified the Ulmia 348 - I would never have managed that on my own as it’s maker badge had been lost. There is so much to list here and once you begin to learn things you can’t recall what you didn’t know but take it from me I didn’t know much.

Next you gave me encouragement to keep going with the sorting. You said what was of value and what not. I am so glad my sister and I decided early on to do this ourselves and not to go down the dealer clearance route. I feel we have given good respect to our family possessions and to Dad.

As yet I haven’t had the confidence to offer anything on the market place but aim to with a members help soon. Until the saw sharpening post where a few people have asked for some of these I haven’t sold any of Dads things from any of my posts. And as yet no saw sharpening files have been sorted, branded and checked for dispatch to those 2 people.

What is the learning from all this? Is it that some times some people will come to ukworkshop who are very lost? Could there be something for them to read through so that they understand ukworkshop to avoid confusion. I don’t know because in the end my own misunderstanding at the beginning although upsetting for me at the time actually brought kindness and support and help that I wouldn’t have got had my membership not started out with the confusion it did.

There is a lot left to do and I love to read the posts and learn so I am not saying goodbye just yet.

Linda

 

[Lindas]

How to use an image resizer app - that's another thing members taught me!

 

[Garno]

There are some very helpful and kind people in this forum and it is good to see some of them helping you out. I have been helped out numerous times now and am grateful for every bit of advice given to me.
I wish you the very best of luck for the future and remember to give yourself plenty of time to allow for healing.

Garno

 

[Lindas]

Thank you Garno, that's a lovely message

 

[Trevanion]

I've cleared a few houses now and one of a serious hoarder, it's a seriously daunting, time-consuming, and draining task to undertake which I think most people here know and understand the feeling. Some of my most prized and sentimental tools, however, came from a woman who wanted to clear out her husband's shed in the garden after he got serious dementia and had to be put in a care home. I never knew the man but he was an airforce engineer who took up model making in his retirement and made these lovely Romany wagons (gypsy caravan) models. None of his tools were of significant value but I kept a few of his engineering tools such as dividers, calipers, rulers and other pieces as they all had his name engraved into them along with Ministry Of Defence/Royal Engineers markings on them which make them that much more interesting and historical to me. I do use them quite often especially in layout and whilst I never met the man I kind of feel a connection with him through the tools if that makes any sense, it's one of those warm fuzzy feelings and I very much enjoy using them. He has since passed on, but his spirit and name is living on through the tools, I just hope Mr. G isn't too angry up there that I'm not using his tools to the same precision he was in his job :lol:.

The whole thing with the "For Sale" rules is a bit of a difficult one, to be honest. I think on the whole the moderators don't mind at all if someone genuine like yourself comes along asking for help with identification and advise on what things are and what to do with them, and the members are more than happy to and enjoy helping help people like yourself with tasks like that as you've seen . The problem is it's the other people that ruin it for the genuine ones, just as I write this someone who just joined has posted "Where to sell loads of gear" asking how to go about selling loads of commercial equipment for the highest price, on the one hand, sure everyone wants more money for what they've got as it's just human nature... On the other hand, this guy really is only trying to take advantage of the forum for his own personal gain without being a contributing member. Perhaps it should be added to the rules that "While new members cannot post in the for sale section, they are more than welcome to post items on the forum for identification and advice" or something of that nature, just to help not to deter people like yourself whilst at the same time trying to keep all the advantage-takers out.

 

[Lindas]

It was good to hear about the tools from the former engineer you enjoy using Trevanion. Perhaps people will feel like that about dad’s tools.

Now I understand about fee avoidance it is very understandable that ukw don’t want odds and sods selling. It is a community not a market place.

Thank you for your kind words

 

[Lons]

The very sad side of sorting and disposing of your relatives beloved tools is something that can't and shouldn't be avoided Linda but a task not to be underestimated so it's understandable why many take the easy option of a bulk clearance.

I had a good friend who was a tallented wood carver, had previously owned a small business and passed away 5 years ago. His workshop hadn't been touched for a couple of years due to his illness and was a mess, I sorted it all out for his widow over a few days and bought his bandsaw and some carving chisels for a fair price but her family persuaded her to sell the lot to a dealer without my knowledge. She got £1700 in total from them when I think the true value was at least £10,000. :roll:

I have an overwhelming amount of "stuff" and would be distraught to think my family went down that route so I've started listing & cataloguing my tools with approximate values and that has shown me just how time consuming and difficult it is.

I applaud you for doing what you have done and hope that at least you got a little comfort knowing you have done your best to respect their lifelong collection of tools and gained perhaps a little insight as to why they were treasured.
Best wishes to both of you
Bob

 

[Lindas]

Thank you Lons, what a lovely reply. It really made me realise that it is the people who have helped that has been the important part. We are making good progress with Dad’s beloved Oliver wood turning lathe going to its new home on Sunday. Strangely enough to a former woodwork teacher as was Dad.