Project....

[Rob Lee]

Tools - $1315
Lumber - $375
Hardware - $125
Trips to store – 11 in 13 days
Hours of labor - about 60
 
Price of similar floating wall unit on Wayfair $800

Why do we do this stuff again??

[Strokes77]

It's far better to just collect tools and not do projects.....

Which seems to be what I do...

[Bill_Houghton]

Just eleven trips?  Clearly, you've got a well-equipped shop.

The now-retired manager at our hardware store used to tell people coming in with plumbing questions that no plumbing project, no matter how small, can be completed without at least three trips to the hardware store.  I think the rule has general application way beyond plumbing. A couple of times, I was passing by as he was explaining this to a young person or couple. Watching their faces as they got introduced to reality was an added benefit of being in the store that day.

But, to get back to your closing question,
a) because it's fun,
b) because we get to make something that's more nearly what we want, usually from higher quality materials than what we'd get if we bought the ostensible equivalent,
c) because, if we just bought everything, we'd feel our ancestors, starting with our parents, over our shoulders, shaking their heads and sighing.

I didn't say "and" before reason "c" because I'm sure there are other good excuses reasons.

[Phil Thien]

Tools - $1315
Lumber - $375
Hardware - $125
Trips to store – 11 in 13 days
Hours of labor - about 60
 
Price of similar floating wall unit on Wayfair $800

Why do we do this stuff again??

Well if you're going to quit, may I have your tools?

[BloomingtonMike]

All of us have a line-item on tools purchased from Rob for project on our project list too.

[museumguy]

All of us have a line-item on tools purchased from Rob for project on our project list too.

Not me,
. But that's because I'm not a hand tool guy, I envy you non-corded guys sometimes.......and dream of belonging to the Rob Lee tool club.

[hbmcc]

They think my deck should live as long as the stuff in Wayfair, or Ikea. I see I now need to tear down the house to rebuild the deck per this iteration of the building code. It just wants flooring.

[barryvabeach]

Rob,  you make it sound like that only happens in woodworking.  Have a friend that is going deep sea fishing in a week.  $1,600 is rental for the boat for the day. The will leave the dock around 5 am and get back at 5 pm.   Most fish is best fresh, not frozen, so no matter how much they catch, they will likely have 1 to 2 meals of fresh fish per guy.  So that works out to about $200 per meal, just for the fish.  Of course I didn't count the cost of the beer.

[gjohn]

Tools - $1315
Lumber - $375
Hardware - $125
Trips to store – 11 in 13 days
Hours of labor - about 60
 
Price of similar floating wall unit on Wayfair $800

Why do we do this stuff again??

Because of a potentially fatal allergy to particle board and MDF??

[MNice]

Where did you buy the tools?????