On being Grateful!
I have to have certain things to do my job or I can't do them. I sell wood and sometimes that requires me to cut it and plane it to a customers specs.
I have a table saw that I inherited from my dad. It has been extremely reliable. It was made during WW2 I believe. It has some little things about it but I adjust for them. It has a bent arbor having gone through a fire about 20 years ago but I feel that I am grateful to have it just the same. My dad built alot of homes with it and I have shipped lumber all over the world that was cut with it. Even though I foolishly cut off my thumb with it, the saw has sentimental value. If you don't pay attention it will make you pay for that like it did me.
Next I have an old Rockwell jointer also made about the same time. I can no longer buy knives for it and when I worked in the woodworking shop, the moulder operator make me a set for free. He never charged me a penny. I believe in Karma and he later gave me a $5 bill and asked me to make his pick for him in the weekly football poolso I did and he won! This jointer also came from my dad who used it to build hundreds of kitchen cabinets over the years. It also has some things about it that I had to learn in order to get it to do what I needed it to do. Things like, using a stick to lift the motor slightly upon startup so the belt can start turning. But I am grateful that I have it.
Next, I have a planer and this is the second planer I have had. It came from Home depot.. It gets alot of wear and tear. The wood that I normally plane makes the high speed knives go dull in a hurry. I use to send them out to get sharpened, costing me hundreds of dollars but I learned how to sharpen them myself using a simple bench grinder, also inherited from my dad. I don't do as good of a job as a professional maybe, but it does the job satisfactorily. I am grateful to be able to grind my own knives.
The next tool I have is a small air compressor. I use it to blow the sawdust off the wood and out of the machines particularly, the planer. I have repaired it more then a dozen times and because It is small, I hate waiting for air sometimes but I am grateful to have it.
I buy the cheapest laptops they make. from walmart. I don't need the best. Sometimes I wish it was faster or could do more but I am grateful to have it. I know someone here who uses her computer to work out of her home. It is an older used computer. She is grateful to have it.
Alot of times I have wanted something bigger or better of faster but I didn't really need it, so I didn't buy it because if I did, I would have felt guilty when I already had what I needed.
God Bless!
I have a table saw that I inherited from my dad. It has been extremely reliable. It was made during WW2 I believe. It has some little things about it but I adjust for them. It has a bent arbor having gone through a fire about 20 years ago but I feel that I am grateful to have it just the same. My dad built alot of homes with it and I have shipped lumber all over the world that was cut with it. Even though I foolishly cut off my thumb with it, the saw has sentimental value. If you don't pay attention it will make you pay for that like it did me.
Next I have an old Rockwell jointer also made about the same time. I can no longer buy knives for it and when I worked in the woodworking shop, the moulder operator make me a set for free. He never charged me a penny. I believe in Karma and he later gave me a $5 bill and asked me to make his pick for him in the weekly football poolso I did and he won! This jointer also came from my dad who used it to build hundreds of kitchen cabinets over the years. It also has some things about it that I had to learn in order to get it to do what I needed it to do. Things like, using a stick to lift the motor slightly upon startup so the belt can start turning. But I am grateful that I have it.
Next, I have a planer and this is the second planer I have had. It came from Home depot.. It gets alot of wear and tear. The wood that I normally plane makes the high speed knives go dull in a hurry. I use to send them out to get sharpened, costing me hundreds of dollars but I learned how to sharpen them myself using a simple bench grinder, also inherited from my dad. I don't do as good of a job as a professional maybe, but it does the job satisfactorily. I am grateful to be able to grind my own knives.
The next tool I have is a small air compressor. I use it to blow the sawdust off the wood and out of the machines particularly, the planer. I have repaired it more then a dozen times and because It is small, I hate waiting for air sometimes but I am grateful to have it.
I buy the cheapest laptops they make. from walmart. I don't need the best. Sometimes I wish it was faster or could do more but I am grateful to have it. I know someone here who uses her computer to work out of her home. It is an older used computer. She is grateful to have it.
Alot of times I have wanted something bigger or better of faster but I didn't really need it, so I didn't buy it because if I did, I would have felt guilty when I already had what I needed.
God Bless!
Replies
Bob, you are something else. In todays throwaway society, no one wants to fix anything and here you are with tools that are from WW2 and you care for them like they are your children. You know, theres something to be said for a man like that. Good for you buddy being grateful like this really means something I hope you recognize that fact and give yourself a great big hug because you deserve it!
It is nice to know a person who appreciates what they have! May all your tools stay in grand working order.
I have some old tools but I\'ve had to replace some of them. The ex had a bunch of junk that wouldn\'t work for this farm. I had to buy a tractor and I plan to keep it forever. Riding lawnmowers come and go but you get what you pay for. This last one has lasted over 5 years. Push mowers get used up quickly on this farm.
My old horse died at 32 and I miss my old friend. Zee is now 18 and I have bought another horse to ride while Zee gets partial retirement. I value the old things in my life. The antique cast iron beds, the marble topped washstands. The old oak refrigerator and the old barristers bookcase. I haven\'t bought new furniture in 15 years. There is beauty in old wood pieces and enamel ware.
The only thing I splurge on is a new truck. I do like a nice running truck.
I try to keep things forever. I can tell you love the woodworking equipment you got from your dad. There are memories in those old things that make them worth keeping.
Nice post Bob!
Wow! So interesting and heart warming. The treasurers from our parents are so special.
This is a very nice entry Bob, Very true that most of the time we wish for the best when what we have suits us well. Made me realize why throw an outdated stuff when it is indeed of use.
Nice thoughts, as always. Bless your heart my friend :)
Really, you made me think of this for some reason :) Thanks!
KR I acually thought of a few more things when I stopped writing. Thanks!
Joyce, I hate throwing things away that may have a use for me someday. Thanks
Thanks Viv
Thanks Trish, I have the cheapest riding lawn mower that John deere makes, its called the L100. Last year it blew a head valve and I fixed it myself, what I could fix that is. I had to take it to a machine shop to have the valve reset. It runs beautiful now! I was so excited when I turned the key and it started! I think I have had it for about 10 years, not sure but its my second rider and I only have to mow an acre.
thanks coreen, now you know the sentimental side of me :)