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What happens to your equipment when you die?
- Thread starter NickWheeler
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- Jun 20, 2007
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Well the first thing they will do is get together and look at a $2000.00 grinder and say, "well Dad said he paid $200.00 for this, so I suppose if we get a $100.00 out we will being doing good"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thus is the price we pay!
Seriously I would hope if the wife didn't need them or the money from them. My kids would get them. My daughter would not be too impressed but my son would. Although I am not sure if he would use them or not.
I look at it this way if the wife were to sell all of it for whatever she could get out of it then she would have some money out of it!
I look at it this way. You see what ever we leave behind the toys, etc. those type of items, "are the least of what I worry about leaving behind and I hope that is not what I am remembered for, but for the things from the heart"!
Thus is the price we pay!
Seriously I would hope if the wife didn't need them or the money from them. My kids would get them. My daughter would not be too impressed but my son would. Although I am not sure if he would use them or not.
I look at it this way if the wife were to sell all of it for whatever she could get out of it then she would have some money out of it!
I look at it this way. You see what ever we leave behind the toys, etc. those type of items, "are the least of what I worry about leaving behind and I hope that is not what I am remembered for, but for the things from the heart"!
tattooedfreak
Steel mutilater is more like it.
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My father has a shop full of woodworking equipment, he said between me and my brother in law, look at what we want, then sell the rest. I doubt there will be anything left over lol..
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Thanks for your thoughts guys
I've seen VERY tight knit families crumble apart, when fights break out over a lost parent's possessions-- just like Doc said about his grandmother.
My biggest concern would be ease of getting rid of it all for my loved ones (whether they need the $$$ so they sell it, or just give it away). I like the idea of getting to know a young person and gifting some, or all of it, to them.
My grandpa was a very serious wood-worker and had a 36'X48' shop full of equipment when he died (I was only 3 months old). Dad had ALWAYS been told, "You'll get this stuff someday son..." The only thing my dad got was Grandpa's radial arm saw.
Something like that would be my second biggest concern!.... The family that's still left standing, not following through with your wishes.
Thanks again for your thoughts guys!
I've seen VERY tight knit families crumble apart, when fights break out over a lost parent's possessions-- just like Doc said about his grandmother.
My biggest concern would be ease of getting rid of it all for my loved ones (whether they need the $$$ so they sell it, or just give it away). I like the idea of getting to know a young person and gifting some, or all of it, to them.
My grandpa was a very serious wood-worker and had a 36'X48' shop full of equipment when he died (I was only 3 months old). Dad had ALWAYS been told, "You'll get this stuff someday son..." The only thing my dad got was Grandpa's radial arm saw.
Something like that would be my second biggest concern!.... The family that's still left standing, not following through with your wishes.
Thanks again for your thoughts guys!
Fred.Rowe
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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- May 2, 2004
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- 6,848
Thanks for your thoughts guys
I've seen VERY tight knit families crumble apart, when fights break out over a lost parent's possessions-- just like Doc said about his grandmother.
My biggest concern would be ease of getting rid of it all for my loved ones (whether they need the $$$ so they sell it, or just give it away). I like the idea of getting to know a young person and gifting some, or all of it, to them.
My grandpa was a very serious wood-worker and had a 36'X48' shop full of equipment when he died (I was only 3 months old). Dad had ALWAYS been told, "You'll get this stuff someday son..." The only thing my dad got was Grandpa's radial arm saw.
Something like that would be my second biggest concern!.... The family that's still left standing, not following through with your wishes.
Thanks again for your thoughts guys!
Nick,
You make a good point here; I have seen families move from sibling love to never speaking again over some real or imagined slight. I have personal experience in this.
Having those you leave behind, after your death, with all your wishes known by all is a wonderful parting gift.
Fred
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- Dec 8, 2005
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- 1,239
Well my wife will get everything if she wishes to pass stuff around that is on her, the one thing I do is make sure she understands the actual value of the items in the shop so she will not be ripped off trying to part with the stuff.
Most likely she will sell it all off to you all and move to Tuscany or some other fancy place LOL.
Most likely she will sell it all off to you all and move to Tuscany or some other fancy place LOL.
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Something like that would be my second biggest concern!.... The family that's still left standing, not following through with your wishes.
Thanks again for your thoughts guys!
That's where the will comes in.
It doesn't matter a damn what you were told if it's not written down.
( kinda applies to all contracts)
and
It's up to you to appoint a person and alternates that you can trust to carry out your wishes.
Last edited:
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This kind of question comes up every few months on the Machinists' boards, for much the same reason. The bottom line is, A) Have a trusted 'second' to help your widow or surviving family, B) have a list of major items, that at least gives a rough value at the time it was written, or better yet, details where you got it, how much you paid for it, and a rough idea of current (at the writing) market value (IE, what you could reasonably expect to get for it if you put it up for sale) C) have a rough list of what tooling goes with what machine, and D) have a real, live legal will that spells out who gets what, if you have any friends and/or family that wants it.
As others have said, even if your family is close and understanding, fighting over Grandpa's toys (or worse, money) can break even those bonds.
One of my lathes came from a widow selling her husband's gear. The old fellow had a small mill and a lathe, and both were well-tooled. The local college machine shop teacher came over to help her detail what was what, and what each item was worth. he and another fellow- who took nothing for themselves- spent a total of twenty-four hours cataloguing everything.
But she had both friends and family telling her things like "Oh, he'd have wanted me to have this!" and "but I'm an old friend, can't I pay X?" and so forth. She eventually got so frustrated she gave the mill to what was basically the next guy that happened along to ask about it.
Which made things worse, in that many of them started expecting that she'd do the same, to them, with the lathe.
She sold it to me (for a somewhat high but fair, considering the tooling) price in large part because I was some stranger in off the street, and agreed to pay her asking price without drama.
Now, the interesting thing about that is, right about a year later, I was attending an estate auction. The old guy had a blacksmith/welding/fab/repair shop, and his wife a little roadside trinket stand. He died of a heart attack, she apparently committed suicide hours later.
The only remaining family member was some sister in New Jersey (or whereever) who basically just said "sell everything, send me a check."
One of the many items up for sale... was that same mill.
Doc.
As others have said, even if your family is close and understanding, fighting over Grandpa's toys (or worse, money) can break even those bonds.
One of my lathes came from a widow selling her husband's gear. The old fellow had a small mill and a lathe, and both were well-tooled. The local college machine shop teacher came over to help her detail what was what, and what each item was worth. he and another fellow- who took nothing for themselves- spent a total of twenty-four hours cataloguing everything.
But she had both friends and family telling her things like "Oh, he'd have wanted me to have this!" and "but I'm an old friend, can't I pay X?" and so forth. She eventually got so frustrated she gave the mill to what was basically the next guy that happened along to ask about it.
Which made things worse, in that many of them started expecting that she'd do the same, to them, with the lathe.
She sold it to me (for a somewhat high but fair, considering the tooling) price in large part because I was some stranger in off the street, and agreed to pay her asking price without drama.
Now, the interesting thing about that is, right about a year later, I was attending an estate auction. The old guy had a blacksmith/welding/fab/repair shop, and his wife a little roadside trinket stand. He died of a heart attack, she apparently committed suicide hours later.
The only remaining family member was some sister in New Jersey (or whereever) who basically just said "sell everything, send me a check."
One of the many items up for sale... was that same mill.
Doc.
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Thanks for your thoughts guys
I've seen VERY tight knit families crumble apart, when fights break out over a lost parent's possessions--
Thing I have noticed about this is that the ones who already have the most are usually the worst about making issues and wanting the most. I have made it a point to keep out of it and be happy if anything comes my way. Fortunately in my family it has not been much of an issue.
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...not just equipment, but I have out of print knifemaking paperbacks that should be $20 , but are selling for $150 to $300 each.
It would be as shame for them to hit the trash or go to the goodwill because someone doesn't know...
and the flip side is true:
My mother has thousands of dollars of pretty glass dishes that I haven't got a clue about.
Some are long time family passdowns, some not.
I keep telling her to take photo, make a list, put the documentation in the safe, It won't happen...
It would be as shame for them to hit the trash or go to the goodwill because someone doesn't know...
and the flip side is true:
My mother has thousands of dollars of pretty glass dishes that I haven't got a clue about.
Some are long time family passdowns, some not.
I keep telling her to take photo, make a list, put the documentation in the safe, It won't happen...
Whatever you decide write it down and make several copies and put them somewhere safe. I would suggest using a standard form, getting a witness etc. Saying things like each of 3 sons will get a third of my stuff as they see to divide it can be very bad. Non-blood related spouses can become involved and just generally ugliness can ensue. So write it down and be specific, unless you believe you will be able to see the chaos you caused from on high and like that sort of thing. Good for you for even thinking about it ahead of time.
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I have a buddy Dan burke. He was going in last month for some kind of heart surgery. I put yellow stickys on all his shop equipment with my name on it when he was in the hospital. When he got home he called and asked what all that was about. I told him i figured if he went to heaven or wherever he was going his wife would see my name on the equipment and call. He didnt see the humor in it.