--- Peter B  wrote:
> Greetings all,
> I have been reading "oldtools" for some years now
> and decided to join up.

SNIP

> > I really would like to be able to use my workbench
> and lathe and drill 
> press without
> having to clamber over boxes of books and tools to
> get to where they are.
> 
> Please help me, do I have a problem?
> Should I attend my local "HA" group (that's
> 'Hoarders Anonymous')?

> ......."Hi, I'm Peter and I have a problem".
> Is there a cure out there or am I on that slippery
> slope?

Welcome Peter!

On the issue of hoarding:  You may want to check out
the recently published book:  “Ghosty Men: The Strange
but True Story of the Collyer Brothers, New York's
Greatest Hoarders, An Urban Historical”  by Franz
Lidz.  It is a story about two men who, by the ends of
their lives had packed a dozen grand pianos,
refrigerators, stoves and other interesting stuff into
their uptown New York apartment.  They even an
unassembled Ford Model T in their basement!   However,
in addition to being a mystery, It is also a
cautionary tale: At the risk of giving away the
ending, I believe the moral is that it is OK to hoard,
but avoid hoarding newspaper and unreinforced
concrete. 

But hoarding tools?  What's the harm in hoarding
tools?

Regards, 

Jim Michaels in ST. Louis

> Medication perhaps or therapy?
> Please advise.
> 
> 
>
______________________________________________________________
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Hi Peter,

It seems no one is willing to address your perceived problem of hoarding, so
I'll chime in.  Having been a member of this list for oh so many years, and
listening to others question what they col, er, um, accumulate, it appears
there is no cure.  No medication will soften the need to acquire a new tool,
blodget, burfl, whatever.  So my advice is to relax, enjoy and indeed revel
in your new-found freedom and indulge your passion.  It is indeed a slippery
slope, but the ride is at least interesting and at best rewarding.  Have
fun!

Bruce Z.
Kearney, MO

Peter wrote:
> Please help me, do I have a problem?
> Should I attend my local "HA" group (that's 'Hoarders Anonymous')?
> ......."Hi, I'm Peter and I have a problem".
> Is there a cure out there or am I on that slippery slope?
> Medication perhaps or therapy?
> Please advise.

______________________________________________________________

i thought it was all about "Bruce" in oz...

and maybe a "peck" of peters?

bill
felton, ca

On Mar 14, 2005, at 12:52 AM, P J McBride wrote:

> Peter says
> < I have been reading "oldtools" for some years now and decided to join 
> up.
> I live in the state of New South Wales, Australia>>
>
> Of course you are in Australia, you are a Peter...
>
> welcome aboard, especially on behalf of all the other Aussie Peters...
>
> Peter Evans,
> Peter Williams,
> Peter Marquis - Kyle,
> Peter Huisman,
>
> Peter McBride,
> In Melbourne, Australia...wondering what collective noun for Peters 
> might be???
> A Rock of Peters ???
> Hope I missed no other Peters

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Bruce wrote:

>It seems no one is willing to address your perceived problem of hoarding

I did so offline. I'll repeat the essentials for the edification of the group.

When the "essential junk" gets in the way of "enjoyable work", yes 
there is a problem. Peter mentioned that he would like to get to his 
workbench and tools without climbing over stuff, so I think there is 
a problem there.

I'm in the midst of correcting an 11 year old accumulation of junk 
which rendered my "office" or "study" an unusable, unwalkable-in, 
pile of crapula. A lot of what's there is actually trash - either 
obsolete paper, or things saved for projects that are simply never 
going to happen, or things that seemed like a good idea at the time, 
but probably were not. The non-trash has been well hidden, so I can 
never find anything that's in there, or even get to it past other 
stuff that's in the way. I'm removing everything, sorting out the 
trash, and organizing what's left. After which, I might actually be 
able to USE the space for something, and find things I have when I 
want to use them.

-- 
-Lawrence H Smith, Librarian/Computarian for Buxton School and Woodworker
-lsmith@s...      Cats, Coffee, Chocolate... Vices to live by.

______________________________________________________________

Greetings all,
I have been reading "oldtools" for some years now and decided to join up.

I live in the state of New South Wales, Australia.
Was born in a small country town where the main industry was cutting 
cedar (australian
red cedar)
My dad was a real blacksmith making anything from nuts and bolts for the 
local bridge
construction during the Depression when hardware was hard to come by, to 
the usual
horse shoes and plough (plow) blades etc., to leaf springs for cars and 
trucks etc.
Interestingly, just before he died in 1974, you could buy a cheap, 
imported, complete
spring set for less he was able to buy the steel to make an equivalent set!
These were very inferior to his handmade springs.
Guess thats progress for you, the throw away society!!

Anyway, back to the story....
I spent all my working career in the power generating industry.
Started as an apprentice electrician and then became an electrical 
draftsman which I did for
30 years.
Not so long ago about 150 of us were told "sorry, you're redundant".
So here I am, almost 54, unemployed, debt free and ohhhhhh sooooo happy!!!
Have all the time I want to follow the swap meet trail around the state 
plus auctions plus
garage sales etc.

I am divorced, raised my 3 offspring basically by myself so it is good 
to have a
break from the 9 to 5 lifestyle.

My main interest is metalworking/machinist tools but will buy almost 
anything of interest
given the opportunity.
Also collect older books on machining, woodworking, tool catalogues 
(catalogs) and
anything to do with steam power.
Oh, yes, not to forget the hundreds of vinyl records and about ten 
turntables
(gotta play the lp's on something).
Also have a 20 or so valve (tube) radios which may get restored someday.
And yes I do need a bigger storage shed....6 metres by 9 metres is 
barely adequate and
I really would like to be able to use my workbench and lathe and drill 
press without
having to clamber over boxes of books and tools to get to where they are.

Please help me, do I have a problem?
Should I attend my local "HA" group (that's 'Hoarders Anonymous')?
......."Hi, I'm Peter and I have a problem".
Is there a cure out there or am I on that slippery slope?
Medication perhaps or therapy?
Please advise.

______________________________________________________________

Ditto Peter,=0D
 =0D
Welcome aboard.=0D
And if I may be so bold.... Peter the name is =0D
popular - not common.=0D
 =0D
My tilt at the collective noun would be=0D
Peters .... A diverse collection of Rocks.=0D
 =0D
Peter (Huisman) in Perth=0D
 =0D
-------Original Message-------=0D
 =0D
From: P J McBride=0D
 =0D
Peter says=0D
<>=0D
 =0D
Of course you are in Australia, you are a Peter...=0D
 =0D
welcome aboard, especially on behalf of all the other Aussie Peters...=0D
 =0D
Peter Evans,=0D
Peter Williams,=0D
Peter Marquis - Kyle,=0D
Peter Huisman,=0D
 =0D
Peter McBride,=0D
In Melbourne, Australia...wondering what collective noun for Peters might
be???=0D
A Rock of Peters ???=0D
Hope I missed no other Peters=0D
 =0D
 

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Peter says
<>

Of course you are in Australia, you are a Peter...

welcome aboard, especially on behalf of all the other Aussie Peters...

Peter Evans,
Peter Williams,
Peter Marquis - Kyle,
Peter Huisman,

Peter McBride,
In Melbourne, Australia...wondering what collective noun for Peters might be???
A Rock of Peters ???
Hope I missed no other Peters

______________________________________________________________

Be very careful Bruce,=0D
What you are contemplating I have done many times myself. =0D
And every time I do this 3 issues invariably arise, swift as a=0D
striking viper.=0D
 =0D
1. Stuff kept for years but chucked out yesterday is required right now!=0D
2. Lookit all that room to put stuff I did not have room for before!=0D
3. Where'd I put my whatsit which I know was in the pile yesterday!=0D
 =0D
Same old merry-go-round.=0D
(Don't send money, send help)=0D
 =0D
Peter in Perth=0D
 =0D
-------Original Message-------=0D
 =0D
From: Lawrence H. Smith=0D
 =0D
Bruce wrote:=0D
 =0D
I'm removing everything, sorting out the =0D
trash, and organizing what's left. After which, I might actually be =0D
able to USE the space for something, and find things I have when I =0D
want to use them.

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