Tool meltdown blues...

Diverse reading this morning... Toolmonger discusses what's needed for the Zombie Apocalypse, Global Guerrillas points out some ways to thrive as things around us fall apart, and TechDirt makes a point...

I spent part of yesterday cutting up wood and discovered I have a problem with my big circular saw (not quite sure what) and my Dewalt tools are all dead as the last set of batteries are no longer with the living. A real bummer in that they are not old enough to be in such a sorry state and my belief is that Dewalt while raising prices has downgraded their quality...

While I am a little pissed about the current tool meltdown, as most boat folks know, having stuff cease to function always has a silver lining of being able to get new gear to replace that which no longer works and dump the old (the Number 3 Rippingille stove rule). Even a dedicated dumpster diving cheapseats like yours truly, will feel that tinge of excitement of being able to buy NEW TOOLS...

Actually, I have been thinking a lot about something of a tool regime aboard "So It Goes" as some of my tools just don't seem to be earning their keep of late and they do take up valuable space and a lighter boat would be no bad thing. This does not mean I'd be willing to trade function but more along the lines of taking advantage of some of the new smaller tools that have been cropping up over the last few years...

A good case in point would be my router (I have a Ryobi) which, while an excellent tool, is big, heavy, and a bit overkill for most boat jobs short of full scale boatbuilding. When I use it I tend to wish for a lighter palm router (bastard son of a laminate trimmer and a router) as it would be handier for most jobs and not take up an entire tool box like my Ryobi.

Much the same could be said for my circular saw... The minute I got my Dewalt cordless circular saw, my 7 1/4 inch circular became a seldom used piece of gear and mostly just sat in the locker rusting. Which told me that in point of fact a 5 1/2 inch circular saw would be a better match... The thing is, tools are so cheap these days that if I need a 7 1/4 inch circular saw for a project I can simply buy one for the duration...

Less as they say, can be more...

Listening to Muddy Waters

So it goes...