How Old Were You When...

[JPG]

Danged shame they didn't make it to last...

Nor the parts to replace the 'worn out' ones!:rolleyes:

[robinson46176]

I voted.
I was 46 when I bought my first one new (1988) after wanting one badly for 28 years.
It was a 510 and it is still about like new. My current shop full (soon to be 9) is me setting up for a retirement part time business that I can operate on my schedule and walk away from when I want or need to. I may have more money in that 510 I bought new than I have in all of the rest I have bought including a stack of them in a storage shed I have all put together. The used ones are an awful lot cheaper but I will have to say that there is just something special about buying one brand new.
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I have an idea for a poll. A lot of guys have owned SS's and sold them and bought more. I have to wonder what the reason for selling was?

[JPG]

I voted.
I was 46 when I bought my first one new (1988) after wanting one badly for 28 years.
It was a 510 and it is still about like new. My current shop full (soon to be 9) is me setting up for a retirement part time business that I can operate on my schedule and walk away from when I want or need to. I may have more money in that 510 I bought new than I have in all of the rest I have bought including a stack of them in a storage shed I have all put together. The used ones are an awful lot cheaper but I will have to say that there is just something special about buying one brand new.
-
I have an idea for a poll. A lot of guys have owned SS's and sold them and bought more. I have to wonder what the reason for selling was?

Not everyone has a BA..storage shed!:D

[mickyd]

Mickey D, this was a good thread to revive. Looks like it was from when the forum was in it early stages. My answer was 26-35 but I actually did not put it to use until age 44. I purchased my 1955 Greenie from a guys wife who used to be a client of mine. I did HVAC work for them. When I did service work the man was always making something on his SS and we always talked about the MK 5. This is where I first learned about the MK 5 system. One fall when I was sent on a service call for they guys heater ,the Mrs answered the door which was unusual. It turns out the guy had passed away. After doing my work an chatting with the Mrs, she asked if I would be interest in purchasing the MK 5 as she stated" You guys were always talking about that thing whenever you where here". I was reluctant at first as I had no where to set the machine up. I ended up buying it from her and put it into storage in my brothers unheated garage. Well before you know it 15 years had passed, put my daughter thru private school and college, and my brother was moving and I had to do something with the SS. Well my budget allowed for a 10x20 workshop. Now that the daughter was on her own I had some money to play with. Once I got the MK 5 in my shop and I started to inspect the machine I realized just what I had. I decided to fix it up and learn as much as I could about my new toy. I ended up doing a complete restore and I must say during the entire process I could feel my old buddy who's MK5 I was restoring by my side every step of the way. By the end of the restore, I was bitten by the SS bug for life. That's my story and Im sticking to it:D ----Dave ---- Thank You Mr Hargraves:)

GREAT story Dave. I really enjoyed reading it. It's funny how we go through the seasons of our lives. What was so important to us in the past isn't now and what wasn't important at all in the past is now. That what makes throwing things away so difficult. You won't use it today but......

[beeg]

That what makes throwing things away so difficult. You won't use it today but......

BECAUSE it seems as though that IF and when ya finally TOSS whatever. You NEED IT the day after the trash pickup.

[baysidebob]

Bought mine in either 98 or 99, not sure which, I would have to check. Then it seen very little usage for several years, due to things beyond my control. Now my kids think I am out of control and buying to many tools. But I hope when I finally retire I should have full complement of tools to play with. Or that is my plan anyway......Hope it works out......Yep I voted.....

[easterngray]

When I was a boy my grandfather had a basement workshop equipped with a Mark V - at age 45 I finally got a 500 and restored it, then I built the back yard shop. I am having a great time with my Mark V and only wish I had more free time to spend in the shop. I have a 9 year old daughter that has her own shopsmith shop apron, 8 oz. hammer and use of all the hand tools in the shop - she knows not to touch any of the power tools without dads supervision. She regularly tells me how much she loves our time in the shop. I hope her interest continues - we are certainly making memories now. In that she is my only child, I hope that someday she owns the old 500 and remembers using it with her dad.

[rolands]

Beeg, you are so right. It sits in your way for 20 years, then you have moved it for the last time and throw it out and bingo, you need the darn thing to fix something. I can't tell you the number of times I have done that.

[2manband]

I'm in the 26-35 age group. I purchased a used SS 510 shortly after buying a house last year, and it's been invaluable for a lot of projects around the house. I don't have time to do as much "recreational" woodworking as I'd like, but the SS does get used just about every weekend for some household project or another.

[rkh2]

I bought mine new (510) when I was 47 years old. I had wanted one ever since I saw a demo at a county fair in Calif and then again after I moved to TN and saw demos at Lowes and a shopping mall. I have always enjoyed woodworking and did mostly things with hand tools and portable power tools, so when I finally could afford one I took the plunge and never regretted it. That was in 1993. After it arrived, I put it together and did all the alignments and tried out the different functions in the SS Study course and then because of my job at GM at the time, I was always working OT and never had much time to use it. A couple of years before I retired from GM, I took some turning classes at Woodcraft and got into using it for mostly turning. Now finally I am starting to really use it for other projects and hope to have many more years use out of it. I since upgraded to a 520 and spent a bunch getting add-ons. I have a son-in-law in his early 30's that has his eye on it, so it will continue getting used in the future. Also have 3 grandsons whom I plan on introducing to woodworking as they get old enough. Well that's my story so now I better vote in the poll.