The tools were another matter. My beautiful, wonderful wife, allowed me to go a little crazy and buy some tools I've always wanted and we can really put to good use around here. She has a list, she tells me, of projects that said tools are supposed to be used on.
I've kept within a $300 tool budget, and I had some very specific things I wanted. A reciprocating saw, cordless drill, and cordless power saw were at the top of the list. I also needed some more advanced hand tools, specifically for wood.
I found the whole smash at the pawn-shop in Portland Maine, plus two batteries and a flashlight in a once-opened box. The tools had never been unpacked. I suspect maybe the thing was ganked from Home Depot.
Nice porter cable set = $180 at the pawn shop. Was priced at $220, but the pawn-broken let it go for $180 without batting an eyelash. Same exact set was at $319 at Home Depot today, so I feel pretty darn good about this find.
Next I needed a bunch of other stuff, like a set of wood chisels, decent sized drill bits for wood (like 1" holes) more paint brushes, and some clamps - big ones for working with large boards. Other odds n ends.
So I set off to the Cascadia fleamarket, Maine's equivalent of Old Paris in Oklahoma City (Cept here it's all outside). It was guys day out with dad, so the boys were along. Andy made it through the whole trip, and then yarked in the car on the way home. But that's another story...
The flea market had everything I needed, except for one clamp - and there were two of them when I first walked by! Dammit, always buy when you see a rare tool at the flea market cheap, especially if it's EXACTLY what you're looking for! Anyway, I got one for $6, had to buy the other for $18 at Home Depot. I also picked up a cheap vice for the finished bench at Home Depot. I needed a bigger one, but keeping under budget... This'll do till later.
Total cost - $76 at flea market and the second visit to Home Depot
