Normally, I don't get too emotional about equipment, but last night the hardest working tool in the shop finally reached it's limit after 17 years. Call me mushy, but it's hard to look around in here and not think of all the signs and projects that involved the saw.
Nearly every sign and post I ever had to cut. Decks and house repairs. A doll house for my niece. I built this shop with it and every wall has a memory.
Over time, it became an extension of my arm. I got used to the weight, little nicks and scratches I used for a guide while cutting, just the sound of it. There's been many battles fought and won together and I don't have the heart to chuck it in the trash, so I'm just gonna hang it up on a nail on the wall as I always have and leave it there, rust, scratches, beat up power chord and all.
I just picked up the new kid at the hardware store...time to crack the box open and introduce him to the his new home.
Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I know how you feel Ray . . . Ya break-in a new tool and like 10 or 12 years later it just quits! Argghh.
just like my good ol' faithful jig-saw which died recently . . . R.I.P.
Gotta GREAT used one tho' - a super heavy-duty and heavy thing twice the size of the old one for $23 bux at the pawn shop!! (Shop-owner used to go to high school with my daughter and knocked $10 off
It was the only jig-saw of the several they had that actually had the 'housing' that holds the blade . . . lol
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
...and you thought the "Free Hugs" video was touching! This has me all misty-eyed. You don't just get over the loss of a long time tool very easily. My condolences to you Ray; call me if you need to talk.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
AH, you'll get over it, trust me on this one... as youngster was first time I had to go thru something like that and for awhile it bothered me terribly, but time healed things and I'm ok today and the pain is gone...story goes like this: as a child I didn't have alot of friends, so I adopted a watemelon, we had great fun until one day, bullies opened it up and it spilled out on to sidewalk and seeded to death in front of me, terrible thing for a KID to go thru, so I can feel your pain........
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ahh Ray, I feel so bad for ya. My 8 1/4" Milwaukie(sp?) is 27 yrs old. She's been dropped off of roofs, left out in the rain, been thru so many cord surgeries I've lost count. She built my home in '85, my shop in '01. She's heavy, it's tough gettin blades for her; but she glides effortlessly thru anything I ask of her. She's never hurt me tho she is older than blade brakes. Someday I know I'll have to get another saw, but I'll never be able to replace her. The mere thought has tears puddling in my eyes
-------------------- Bill Dirkes Cornhole Art LLC Bellevue, Ky. Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are. Posts: 591 | From: Bellevue,Ky. US | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Speaking of saws, I just replaced one of my oldies.
Hitachi has a new model chop box that is rather nice!!! 12' compound miter slider with a zero rear clearance and laser and digital read out. Most accurate saw I've used that wasn't in a picture framing shop.
Don't know of anything that will replace my Skill 77 on construction sites, but in the shop, this new Hitachi and a panel saw almost cover all the needs.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6714 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
I just passed my Skil 77, purchased in 1975, on to my son. I've used it to frame dozens of houses and countless other jobs. The only repairs have been brushes, a switch and replacement of the power cord, as it kept getting shorter over the years.
I bought myself a new Skil Mag 77. It's quite a bit lighter than the old 77, which is a good thing for my worn out elbow. I doubt it will last like the old one: too much plastic.
-------------------- Eric Barker Rosewood Design LaGrande,Oregon Posts: 107 | From: La Grande, OR | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey, I've got a Craftsman circular saw that's 23 years old now. It has sounded like it's ready to explode for the last 5 years, but it's still working.
"Old faithful" was a Skill and after lasting that long, I was looking for another just like it. Call me crazy, but when something performs well, I tend to stick with it.
Cool part is, as I was heading into the hardware store, a customer pulled in behind me with a $40 payment...Got the same saw, safety trigger and all, for $39.99.
It was a good day. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I know how you feel Ray.... I still have my Fathers old Milwakee circular saw....I am pretty sure its at least 17 yo ... i would certainly miss old Milwakee if it died... my condloenses on your loss.
-------------------- Ken McTague, Concept Signs 57 Bridge St. (route 107) Salem MA 01970 1-978-745-5800 conceptsign@yahoo.com http://www.pinheadlounge.com/CaptainKen
---------------------------------
"A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?" Posts: 2425 | From: Salem, MA | Registered: Apr 1999
| IP: Logged |
![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic