A thought came up the other day when I was considering my mortality about
my "stuff." I then read a Pete Egan article about his going to an estate
sale that offered a life-times collection of a man's tools. Please
understand I am not planning on having to deal with this particular problem
anytime in the near-term and I am not suggesting the same of you...but the
question is
"What do you do with the large collection of tools you have accumulated
over a lifetime of work when you can no longer use them?"
I have spent way too much time pondering this question. I have a son with
no mechanical ability being a phychologist he wrenches peoples minds
instead of cars, a daughter who will only soil her hands with chocolate.
My one option is my new(est) son-in-law who has spoken of an interest in
racing and cars, but I've yet to see his toolbox... I'll judge his
worthiness by how he keeps HIS tools.
I've accumulated quite a collection,... it's almost scary sometimes when
I've realized that my garage has been unlocked for three days... With
welders (wire & stick ) torches/bottles, plasma cutter, jacks, lifts,
stands, every hand tool I could beg borrow or steal or buy... sometimes
times two....or three... pumps , parts washers, power tools... hell, I've
got more vise grip pliers than some have tools total... It's s
troublesome problem.... not even including the truck I'm trying to build
(or the dream of a truck). My one hope is for a grandson/daughter that
will appreciate this fortune. And not for it's monetary value alone. I
have tools that belonged to my granddad and dad and uncles that mean more
to me than the keys to a Snap-On truck...(nearly). Hopefully before I
leave this sorry world I can impart the appreciation of this "stuff" as my
wife calls it... to either the son-in-law or grand child... or perhaps a
more realistic view would be grandchild THRU son-in-law.
As a backup plan I hope to inventory this collection with a value attached
to each item so if I depart before my time, Peggy and the kids won't be
screwed over by some unscrupulous flea-market/yard sale thief when they try
to dispose of my lifes work.
As a backup/backup plan, Peter Egan's idea doesn't sound too bad... Egan,
who is childless, decided to leave all his stuff to " some youngster he
comes upon who has a rusty screwdriver in his pocket and maybe a worn-out
pair of pliers trying to work on a lawnmower engine; whose eyes light up
when he hears a motorcycle pass by or sees a set of wire-wheels flash in
the sunlight." I think he is too much of a dreamer, but it is an
interesting/disturbing question.
It's a shame that there isn't a master craftsman somewhere who teaches
young mechanics/welders/fabricators and who has a place that needs this
type of donation. I'd hesitate to leave it to a tech school or high school
shop. I would wonder if any of it would ever get off the
teacher/administrator's truck... it is perplexing...
your thoughts please, gentlemen ???? and no you can't have my tools now
!!!
john
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