Inherited Tools, what should I do?

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Backtobasics

Backtobasics

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Father in law passed away around the first of the year.
Son went through and took a few, left me the rest.

Old boy was a mechanic back in the day, had a lot of stuff, much of it quality Made in USA stuff, in several quantites of each.
I have some Craftsman stuff, but much is Made in China stuff.

I am in the process of sorting it, adding to my existing setup, cleanign, etc.

My question is this. Do I keep a set of 1 or 2 of each and get rid of the rest? Should I hoard all the good stuff, even if it makes 3-4 of each item, or keep it at 1 or 2, and let friends have the option of looking through the rest to augment their toolboxes?

What should I do with the China stuff? It is not ALL the "$8.97 for 500 pieces", some were decent sets that have held up ok.

I am leaning towards a couple of each item and letting friend have a pass through. After that, the rest could go on Craigslist, as a lot or assortment, for a few bucks?
 
Keep at least two sets put those in your main tool box. You always could use two of the same sizes.
Then get a small carry around tool box and put some of the remaining tools in it to be more portable so you can just throw in the trunk on your car.
 
I say share the wealth, keep a set or two of the good stuff then let other family or friend have a go at it.
If theres anything left after that, then craigslist it.
 
Keep what you need to work with. I take some of my extra stuff and make a travel tool box, if I go on a trip I can just grab it and throw it in the truck, without having to pull stuff from the stackable boxes.
 
keep the stuff he had and set yours to the side for a garage sale, chances are if his lasted this long they were of good quality and were taken care of
 
Take your time and go through everything very carefully.

1. Separate the stuff into high quality and lesser quality. (Unlike others, I don't necessarily think foreign stuff is automatically low quality.

2. Go through the higher quality stuff and keep everything you either don't have, or don't have a double of, and replace any of your low quality tools with these higher quality tools.

3. If you have any high quality tools left, create a tool kit for your truck or car.

4. If you still have any high quality tools left, put them together in complete sets and sell them on craigslist and use the proceeds to buy more tools. :cheers:

5. For the lower quality tools that you already examples of in your higher quality set, put them aside and sell them, if possible, on craigslist, buy more tools.:cheers:

6. For the lower quality tools left keep them and use them and replace them as they break, and buy replacement tools. :cheers:

Regards,

Joe Dokes
 
Donate some tools to a high school shop program or tech school.
 
TXDart said:
Donate some tools to a high school shop program or tech school.
Click to expand...

they usually use brand new tools for the most part from what I have found unless it specialty tools, I guess the liability of injuries is not worth the savings in using old tools
 
Fill your box with the best tools you have, take extra and make a travel box, then the others decide if you need to keep them or sell, give away

They might make someone that is starting out a nice gift, Some kid might have the ability but no money to buy them

Keep the hobby alive
 
Take out every 1/2" and 9/16" wrench and socket and squirrel them away.. experience talking here lol..

Grant
 
Keep the good stuff from the father in law. It wont hurt to have a second
set of everything. How many times do you need the same wrenches on a
project? I have two sets of standard wrenches and two sets of metric.
Same with the sockets.
Keep them for the memory of him.
Sell off the rest to your buddies who really need them. But cant afford the
high price stuff. It got you going. It will get them going.
Just gave my stuff to my son in law when I got my disabilty. Brought all
my good tools home. Someome will get them when I go.
 
Keep a couple sets of the good stuff and one set of the cheap stuff in case you need to "customize" a wrench so you don't end up grinding/bending.cutting the good stuff.
 
I would keep them all. I am a firm believer in not getting rid of tools. Oh and if your Craftsman tools are made after about 1987, they are made in China, regardless of what's stamped on um.
 
..a set or two for the garage, a set for your basement workplace and a set for your travelling tool box..
 
I keep all tools, purchased and inherited. You never know when you might need extras. I put them in my will.
 
OneOfMany said:
Take out every 1/2" and 9/16" wrench and socket and squirrel them away.. experience talking here lol..

Grant
Click to expand...

You want some of ours? I swear I could open the box, without looking, select a wrench at random, and it will be a 9/16. 19/20 times that will happen. That's how many we have compared to what's left.
 
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