A couple of weeks ago, my BIL appeared at a family thing and said to me, I picked something up for you.  He hands me a nicely refinished wooden box.  The one on the left in the first picture below is it.  You can see what I found inside.  I paid him and am happy!  
The box on the right is one I picked up last summer at a crafty “repurposey” store.  It needs a new part for the box but is otherwise quite complete as well.  Both are Irwin.

 Now the part about the hard truth...It seems that perhaps my flea market, garage sale, resale, auction and anywhere else“crawling”, as fun as it is, may be getting a little out of hand.   I am thinking I should maybe consider some right sizing of the tool pile for sanity sake if nothing else.  Or, maybe some therapy to gain control for my tool hobby (which I currently consider therapy) Is in order.

 To that end, I know I have been buying bit sets when I see them in a good price range and haven’t been paying too close of attention to how often I’ve done that.  That is on me!  Well, I went to the cabinet where I have been piling the drills and started unpacking.  In total, I counted 8 sets (or near sets) of mostly Irwin and Greenlee. There is Also 1 Jennings set.  It is short of the 4 smallest sizes and I am going to be on a mission to complete that set and restore its box as I want the fine threaded bits to use.  Did I mention the coffee can full of singles and one-offs?  
 

Not all are pictured, but the real burning question is how many brace bits do I need to be certain that I have My part-time shop needs covered?   Truth is, I have seen the same issue in the same shop, with planes, draw knives, spokeshaves, and chisels!  
 

Got some things going on in My life that have me pondering downsizing and organizing a bit.  I think I am getting closer to recognizing the error of my ways.  Now...how to decide what stays and what goes? 🤔  Anyone else have this problem?   😜

Edited July 26, 20205 yr by Bundoman

You may have a bit too many. I'd recommend you to brace yourself to chuck a few.

Edited July 26, 20205 yr by Gene Howe

Guess you'll have to take back all the nasty things you said about him 

 

Nice score!

Sweet, only thing my BIL ever gave me was a headache listening to all his whining about his back hurt. 

 

 

6 hours ago, Bundoman said:

Now...how to decide what stays and what goes? 

...Now when did I get this?  What is it? 

6 hours ago, Bundoman said:

Anyone else have this problem?

What problem..., I don't have a problem. 

 

..Let's see now if I remember correctly it's in that cabinet behind that pile of boxes that are being held up by those stacked machines that are under that stacked pile of wood. So if I move that there, and that over there I might be able to....

21 hours ago, Bundoman said:

I think I am getting closer to recognizing the error of my ways.  Now...how to decide what stays and what goes? 🤔  Anyone else have this problem?   😜

You sound dizzy from walking circles drilling holes with those bits.  Use your arms man, use your arms.  Hang on to everything just like the rest of us. 

Bundoman, for your shop, you only need one complete set, I'd side with the Jennings, that's it. The rest you can send my way.

Seriously though, if you are dead set on downsizing, like I have, one set is all you need. And again, I'd keep the Jennings.

 

6 hours ago, John Morris said:

dead set on downsizing

Dead set hasn’t happened but is a consideration.  I need to reduce things a bit but I find the hunting to be so fun and that makes it tough.  I think I will be purging some duplicate planes and drills very soon.  As I type this, I am staring at beer flat full of carving tools that I just brought home including nice grouping of Addis and a Buck gouges along with a couple small beginner sets.  Got a call from my folks at the resale that they were coming in and I could have first look.  Too good of a deal to pass and the Addis gouges fill some gaps in my primary set with great quality tools.   More overage....lol!  As for the bits, kinda leaning towards the Jennings and 1 set of Irwin’s.

Edited July 27, 20205 yr by Bundoman

23 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

...Now when did I get this?  What is it? 

What problem..., I don't have a problem. 

 

..Let's see now if I remember correctly it's in that cabinet behind that pile of boxes that are being held up by those stacked machines that are under that stacked pile of wood. So if I move that there, and that over there I might be able to....

Hey....I resemble that remark..

On 7/26/2020 at 7:05 PM, Larry Buskirk said:

...Now when did I get this?  What is it? 

What problem..., I don't have a problem. 

 

..Let's see now if I remember correctly it's in that cabinet behind that pile of boxes that are being held up by those stacked machines that are under that stacked pile of wood. So if I move that there, and that over there I might be able to....

...Well it wasn't there so...

...It's got to be in the cabinet that I ...just buried ...

...with all of the stuff I moved ...to get into that other cabinet. ......

12 hours ago, steven newman said:

Hey....I resemble that remark..

..Nice to know I'm not alone.