A local  guy has a Domino machine for sale, includes extra bit and 300 Dominos.  In a Systainer.  "Never used"    I'm wondering who dumps that kind of money into a tool and then never uses it.  $1000

I seem to recall something like, "a fool and his money are soon parted."

If I look around I could probably find a few tools I bought but never used.  Nowhere near that kind of money though.

I've seen a number of people who I think of as "gentlemen woodworkers":  they have the tools, a spotless shop, the latest dust collection and ducting, and of course an air conditioned shop.  They go out once a week and sharpen a pencil.  I guess it's "whatever floats your boat".  I cannot deny I have some elements of this, expressed as this fascination with off brand factory seconds tools on Amazon, bought at half the "big name" price, and about half the time returned repeatedly (my record:  11 returns of the same product) until a good one is found, at which time it goes on the shelf, where I may forget its existence.  But it keeps me out of trouble.

4 minutes ago, PeteM said:

I've seen a number of people who I think of as "gentlemen woodworkers":  they have the tools, a spotless shop, the latest dust collection and ducting, and of course an air conditioned shop.  They go out once a week and sharpen a pencil.  I guess it's "whatever floats your boat".  I cannot deny I have some elements of this, expressed as this fascination with off brand factory seconds tools on Amazon, bought at half the "big name" price, and about half the time returned repeatedly (my record:  11 returns of the same product) until a good one is found, at which time it goes on the shelf, where I may forget its existence.  But it keeps me out of trouble.

If those are the qualifications, I'm no gentleman. 

I'm sure I have some tools that would be on the "wasted money" category, but like Dan I doubt ant of them approach that price. I can recall some non woodworking things that cost a lot of money and fit the wasted spending category. I think maybe most of us (just a guess) have bought some stuff that eventually we wondered "why the heck did I buy that?. Still, most all the stuff I bought got used a least a few times before I got to the point of setting it aside. To not try it all is a bit hard to understand.

I guess I'm also reminded of several people that I know.

 

One was many years ago a co-worker.   He is what I would call a "serial hobbyist."  He'd get into something and buy all sorts of equipment then half a year later decide to do something else and try to get rid of his equipment.  We only worked together for two years and I think he went thru seveal rounds of this.  I remember him selling photographic equipment and later sound equipment.

 

Another was a guy in the woodworking club that was so proud of his shop, he had all sorts of organization of hardware, tools, a downdraft table with vacuum and flow gauges, etc., etc., etc.  He did a cabinet once but went on and on for a couple of hours showing his shop.  I came to the conclusion that "I have a shop to build things, I don't build things to have a shop."

 

Another was an older guy and founder of the woodworking club.  He passed and I went to his estate sale. There were about 4 eight-foot tables of art supplies.  Most looked like they had been barely used -- tubes of paint still full, tablets of art paper with one or two sheets missing.  I counted over 104 sets of 4 C-clamps of various sizes.  I said to myself, "What was he thinking when he bought that 103rd set of c-clamps, 'I just need some more'?"   Likewise, he never showed anything that he had built.   But I might be guilty of this, I got a lot of clamps.  I bought out a guy's collection of assorted clamps for about $1 each.   I never run out of clamps, but there are times where I need to do glue ups in stages because I don't have any more of the one type and size I need for the project.

Got a friend like that. Embarks on a style of turning or decorating turnings or turning tools.All of this is first class equipment and supplies.  After a year or so he would sell everything for about half . Now he has sold all his turning and most of his woodworking tools and is into and I mean "into" train sets. Has a setup that covers his whole workshop garage. Great guy i just wish I could go into stuff like that.

Not sure about expending money on tools I never used, but I can sure say I've expended a ton of money on government services I've never used and never will.