Tool collecting addiction

[diytoolbox]

Can tool collecting become addiction? Something that keeps going on even when one doesn't need more tools?
It could be problem, if the amount of tools piling up in the house, and cannot find where the tools are.
But if some tools turn up for sale, and they are something rare, desirable and useful for the buyers wood work, then
the buyer would still go ahead buying them, which can also cause row with his / her spouse?

Could this be real life case for some folks?

 

[Myfordman]

Yes it certainly can but easily avoided. Only buy tools for a project where you cant achieve the same end with tools you already have or you need duplicates in different locations - eg particular screwdrivers or multimeters. One in the house one in the woodwork shop, one in the metalwork shop, one in the car etc. If you feel you must have a newer version of a tool/machine etc then sell its predecessor.
I'm not against a degree of hoarding but leave that for materials, components etc that "might be useful one day" NOT tools.

 

[Sachakins]

Its a mindset,
If you think it as an addiction it is.
But if you call your house a museum, then you become a curator of tools and antiquities.
Depends on what side of the line you stand.

I'm a curator of equipment in my mind, but in others minds I'm a deranged hoarder of tools.

 

[worker]

What has helped me slow down my woodworking spend is keeping track of it. I write down every item I buy and seeing the current total makes me pause before purchase, especially as I make no money from woodworking.

That said, I will buy a tool if I need it and occasionally things that are nice to have. But keeping track of spending has helped me slow down and in fact sell a few items that were duplicating functionality.

 

[Sideways]

Think you're bad, the electronics guys suffer from this in spades.

Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) at the eevblog

 

[thetyreman]

I think in some cases it could actually be a genuine mental illness, but honestly it depends what you make and how serious you are, and if it makes somebody happy who am I to judge them? just watch some american pickers shows if you think you have a hoarding problem lol

 

[recipio]

I''ve always convinced myself that there is an optimum tool to do something otherwise I make a bodge of it. After thirty years I have drawers of tools - space has become a shrinking resource.