Retirement

Ryunker · Nov 16, 2024

So have lived my life in the mechanic world started in 1980 as a looser in the bodywork field out of high school, spent a decade or so in aviation maintenance and repair, few years doing semi truck service and the remainder in automotive, decade in transmission shops and the rest in general repair with a focus on electrical and computer systems.

Enough about that, what I did not see coming is parting ways with the tool boxes, and mega repeat of tools. Sent two snap on carts to the local dealer and sold. Left now with a 21 drawer master series snap on box taking up a needed parking space in the garage, winter approaching as well.

In other posts "paint shop prison" noted our '71 mach1 is still at the paint shop and yes after roughly 18 months it is making progress so it needs a spot in the garage.

I have found myself transitioning from a tool hoarder, trying to get to an average retired home owner at the ripe age of 60.

Put the big box on marketplace, yup someone is coming tomorrow to get it from like 3 hours away. Today spent huge time and effort trying to empty it. What a huge f'in mess. Loose tools etc.. in buckets and crap all over the floor.

So anyone gone thru this transition? How did you deal with it?

Sheriff41 · Nov 16, 2024

I remember 60...

If you're retired and in your home long term, you don't need to have all your tools in a tool box anymore. You can check out garagejournal.com for ideas how others have arranged their garages to maximize space.
You could put your more common tools - combination wrenches, screwdrivers, nut drivers, etc. - on the wall and get a smaller tool box and chest for your other tools and equipment. You can take your time and put together a wall arrangement that works for you.
You can also assess your tool collection and sort out those tools you don't think you'll ever use again and sell them off to someone who will. I know if you're like most of us you can convince yourself you'll need that widget adjuster sometime in the future. It's tough to part with tools.

Congratulations on your retirement!

cv_72mustang · Nov 16, 2024

I wasn't a mechanic but I was an engineer with tons of books , etc etc. Dump it all after a few years in retirement. I gave myself a few years and then one day I said to myself 'I'm never going back to that life and it's time to move on, tough to say "hey your past skills served you well" it's time to move on. It's a process. Enjoy your new adventure.

Update: I forgot to say - I dislike the term 'Retirement ' maybe called it 'something new', or whatever else.

Spike Morelli · Nov 16, 2024

I'm 70 years old now, working at The Blower Shop, working with superchargers and kits, and enjoy it. I will, I'm sure, retire eventually, but no plans currently to do so. I have the big roll-away tool cabinet we all aspire to have. There are two drag boats in the garage , they are historic but not competitive today, but irreplaceable. There's the Mach 1 ( garaged just for winter time ), spare Hemi, 2 327 Chevys and a 289 Hi-Po. The walls are covered with drag racing history, posters, parts, and girls with wardrobe malfunctions. There's steel storage cabinets, and a big workbench. My wife has her "craft-room" where she sews and paints, it's a woman's world in there, decorated as only a girl can. But, out in the garage It's what I'm interested in, what I've always been interested in. My wife and I plan to stay in this house until we die. We've lived through the end of Rock and Roll bands, they don't exist anymore, Can you believe it???? Like Rock and Roll, everything in my garage is represents earlier days, like a 3-d photo album. Much of what I have, you can't buy again. My garage isn't a "Man Cave", it is a haven and a celebration of a lost culture that I am a part of. I think if the day comes that I ever were to just sell it all off and lose the ONLY room in the house that is mine, I might shrivel up and die.

The Heff · Nov 17, 2024

I have got this happening to me next year. I will be 64 and will be made redundant at work after 25 years service, the package is very very good, so I'm looking forward to driving my finished 17 year old restoration project, a Supercharged 73 Mach1 around all next summer. We have a 5 bedroom 2 storey house built last year in Cebu, Philippines, and I will have to sell my Mustang before I leave the UK. I cannot take it out there, it costs too much, and we live next to the beach, so she will just rust away. I plan on getting a speed boat with the sale of the car, ( I would love to have one of your drag boats Spike ) and of course I will be taking as many tools out there as I can, and build yet another Workshop with Aircon, a must as temps reach 45degrees Celsius, you cannot work in that heat. So Ryunker , have a happy retirement and at our age, grasp life and do what ever you desire, while you can, before its too late.

Ryunker · Nov 17, 2024

Tool box was sold today, tens of thousands of dollars of tools ended up in a bunch of 5 gallon buckets along with two 4' shelfs full of yet more crap.