Have you "paid" for your tools?

[Eurekan]

I believe my jointer and thickness planer alone have paid for most of if not all of my shop. When I think of the price differences in finished to size vs 4/4 alone and the number of bf I've put through those it's really worth it.

[Bill Wilson]

Woodworking is somewhat unique, in the sense that it's one of the few hobbies where the output of your hobby is almost always for someone else's benefit.   I suspect that most of the projects most woodworkers make are not necessarily just for their own enjoyment.  In that respect, you can't compare woodworking to golf, for example.  Your round of golf benefits no one but you (unless you win a bet and make enough to take the wife out to a nice dinner
  ).  With that in mind, while I haven't ever made a dime from my woodworking, I suppose I could say that my tools have paid for themselves.  I couldn't begin to quantify that, because I just don't keep track of such things, but I do sometimes remind the wife that I could have taken up dirt bike riding or model airplanes as a hobby.  

[Rodneywt1180b]

I don't know that my woodworking tools or the shop I keep them in have paid for themselves other than in enjoyment value.  My carpentry, plumbing, and electrical tools certainly have though in money saved by doing the work myself.
Rodney

[TDKPE]

I guess it depends on how you measure it, but I think my stuff has paid for itself. I put no value on my time, as it's a hobby, and I might be watching the tube if I wasn't in the shop, so that time is a write-off anyway. The ability to do something that needs doing NOW!!!, like repairs, and especially plumbing, has probably paid for my tools and machines a couple of times over. Built-ins, furniture, outdoor projects, and entire room gut and rebuild projects (down to the bones, including bathrooms) and even my large office in the basement (soundproofed) - I can't imagine what that all would have cost if I paid a pro.

My kids will inherit my modest shop. And since most of my machines are vintage, and restored with elbow grease and little money, they're worth more than what I paid for them, and then some.

[goaliedad]

I have not spent crazy money on my equipment, so yes- I have paid for it.
Commissions, pieces given as gifts, some for our own use. Plus, I have avoided spending ten's of thousands of dollars on therapy, so yes, it has been a very good investment

[Bit_Fiddler]

I've probably paid for my tools if I were to add up all of the stuff I have built vs. purchased. Not sure how to put a price on the value of building something and getting away from work that woodworking brings me... Seems like several other folks use this hobby as a diversion as well....

Not sure I will ever be able to "pay off" the shop building I had built, but I enjoy the Heck out of it - one heck of an improvement over the shared space in the garage. REALLY nice to just set down whatever you are working on and turn off the lights rather than putting most everything away so the cars can get inside.

[elinourrumming]

IF (I wish I could claim WHEN) I've finished the house rehab, yes, I will easily have paid for all my tools in what I've saved. But it's a crapshoot as to whether or not I'll get it finished...

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Not yet. I spent several years building up my shop. We're house shopping, and in the near future, I'll be able to put those tools to use to build things for the new house.

I bought ALL of my stationary tools used, as in, my oldest tool is a 1920 jointer. I have maybe $1500 in all my tools. Maybe.

[toolmiser]

I guess you also have to ask what "paid" means?  It does provide mental health, and keeps your mind active.  Also when I was younger, I used to spend a lot of time in bars, both wasting time and money.   I can't say whether woodworking or my tools was the solution to that, but I bet I am more productive in my shop than a bar.  

I also think most people have some sort of "thing that they like to do", it could be cars, golf, etc., and they aren't cheap either.

I also get a lot of self pride from my projects, I know people are surprised at my talent or work.

[sawdust703]

This discussion can be looked at many ways, if you get honest with yourself. I drove a truck OTR for 35 years, until my health gave out. When my Sawbones decided I could no longer drive, my bride decided I needed a hobby. We started buying wood tools a little at a time. That was 24 years ago. We've built our humble little shop up to include about every wood tool I'll ever need.

Being self taught at this, I read every book I could on the tools we bought. Books on wood. Books about finishing, etc. I bought tools as I needed them for a project. I have some that were gifts, given to me, etc.

Woodworking is what I do now. It keeps my mind & hands busy, even if it's just sittin' down to the scrollsaw & cuttin' somethin'. Honestly, yes, my tools are paid for. On the mental side of it, many times over! They have kept me from goin' to the sanitarium!