Greetings and many thanks GGs for your wit, wisdom and
genuine entertainment. This year I turned fifty. I am a GIT
and I think I have a tool problem.
	First a little background. In all these years I never
really figured out what I wanted to be when I grow up. I have
tried the following occupations in about this order. Landscaper,
auto mech., house framer, finish carpenter, college student
(mech. Eng.), electronic eng. (audio design, rf design, fiber optic),
mechanical designer, database admin, SQL programmer, IT mgr. I've
had my own business for the last 3 years. I am a very fast reader
who is addicted to history, an information junkie. Besides the
couple hours a day on the net I read about two to three books
a week. I don't sleep much.
	Most of  my woodwork up till this year was rectangular stuff
with tailed tools, mostly carpentry. Last January I wanted to try
something different and signed up for a class with Michael Dunbar
to make a Sack Back Windsor chair in June. He made the mistake
of sending me a suggested tool list. I decided to get all the tools
on the list. You people talk about a slippery slope. I missed that
after the first step it was more like going over then edge into
an abyss. As I have been falling every time I reach out to stop
my fall my hand comes back with another tool.
	Here is the list so far.
These were inherited from my father. A 1960s era Stanley #4, 9.5
and 60.5 blocks, these have Hock blades and were my tuning
practice. A Dunlap 5tpi rip saw, D23 12tpi xcut, D23 8tpi xcut,
PA Saw Co 14" back saw xcut, D7 8tpi rip. A 24" Stanley SW cherry
Level and plumb. A 10" Stanley Handyman brace with Irwin adj bit
and countersink and screwdriver bits. A machinists chest with a
bunch of tools including taps, dies, Starret combo sqr, 24" straight
edge, micrometers, calipers, dividers. Various hammers for wood,
metal, shoes and concrete. Some really bad craftsman chisels.
	Here is what I have acquired in various places in my tumble
this year, all rusty nothing minty.
 Stanley #4.5, #5.5, a #7 cut to a #6, #8 all type 7, #605, #605.5
and a #18. Sargent #408 VBM, #409 VBM. Millers Falls #9C. A J.
Denison toteless screw arm plow. Two MF #2 eggbeaters with LRCW,
one MF #2A eggbeater. Six ratchet braces from 6" to 14" swing, Stanley,
Millers Falls, PS&W. Two 10" Fray Spofford braces. One 3 tray
Stanley Jennings pattern auger bit set #100 fine thread. A bunch
of assorted Irwin and Jennings pattern bit from 1/8 to 2 inches
With both fine and coarse threads. Stanley #95 and #97 wheel and pin
gages. A Lossee Wrench Co. 14" carpenters saw vice. Twelve various
Rusty hand saws awaiting cleanup and sharpening. One Jackson 10"
closed handle back saw. An awesome Spehar dovetail saw (no rust).
One Plumb broad hatchet.
	Actual chair class tools.
A Ray Larson Gutter adz, scorp, 9" draw knife and 9" pommel knife.
A Fred Emhoff spoon bit set and tapered reamer.
Crown Plane Co. travisher and compass plane.
Pfiel 35mm #3 gouge.
Woodjoy Tools Big Shave. Some scrapers.
	My brother was living near The Japan Woodworker store and got
this amazing pile of stuff for my  birthday. He felt sorry for me
cause all I could afford was old rusty tools.
One dozuki, ryoba, single edge hardwood xcut. Some Matsumura white
steel bench chisels from 1/8" to 1". A 1/4" and 3/8" Matsumura
mortise chisels and a 3/4" paring chisel. A set of Norton water
stones, a Veritas honing guide, and a Nihon Kebiki (double knife
white oak mortise gage.
	I have also got a pretty complete library with most of the
Taunton Press books and various titles by Charlesworth, Krenov,
Wearing, Sloan, Odate, Blackburn, Frid, Pye, Whelan, Lee, Norbury
And Dunbar.
	I have the following unfinished projects.
Two Sack Back windsors. Two wooden spoke shaves. One Bugbear
Bow saw. Tool cabinets and second bench.
	I know I missed some tools but I am dizzy from writing this.
I am here to seek consuling and therapy. I apologize for being so
long winded and promise not to do it again.
Thanks,
Greg Benulis