What Do You Collect?

[jhart]

Afraid I'm in the same mode as Linuxrandal and Holbren. I seem to collect far more ideas and plans for stuff than I seem to find time to do them. One of these days........

[leehljp]

Coffee mugs, tools, wood but not fanatic about it, although LOML thinks I am about coffee mugs.

[jAngiel]

Tools and kids although I am just about ready to give up on the latter due to the high cost after the initial investment.

[lrogers]

Model helos and the stuff to keep them flying, 1/18th scale die cast cars and mirco brewery beer bottles.

[91FE]

I collect casino/poker chips.

[germdoc]

Handplanes and old tools. I also have a fairly large comic book collection from the 60's a friend of mine has been listing on Ebay for awhile without much success. Also about 700-800 LP's from the 60's and 70's, some of them fairly rare.

I wish I still had my GI Joes from the 1960's, now those would have been worth something! Unfortunately, a fire destroyed them.

[messmaker]

I have collected knives for years. I don't have any idea how many I have. The irony of it is I have dropped $50-100 for dozens of knives that I have never used to cut anything. I think and rethink the purchase of a good router or saw blade that cost way less and I may use all the time. Duhh.

[Rounder]

I used to be a knife and gun collecter, now I have pretty much gotten away from that. Well, except for flintlock rifles and smooth bores.

I do collect salts and cordial glassess.

Like most of the other posts: tools, wood, plans, ideas and the lack of time to put them to use.

[MoldnMaker]

I collect tools mostly, I've got tools I've bought still in the package or used once, but I just keep buying more. It is more an addiction than a collection. I even have most of my first tool set which is a mis-matched mess of old tools I picked up at yard sales and flea markets. Some of them are from the 1920's. When I moved from Canada to Tn everything I owned fit in a Large Samsinite suit case, an army duffle bag and a cheap red tool box.

I collect shot glasses too, but rarely drink, is that wrong.

[Bruce Cohen]

Hammers, flashlights and charge card bills (lots of the latter)

Bruce

[gerti]

I am male, so I collect everything!

[moc]

I collect carnival chalkware.

The more seasoned amongst us may remember that before stuffed animals and plastic junk, fairs and carnivals gave out plaster statues as prizes.

My grandfather (who came to the U.S. from Italy when he was young) produced these from the 30's through the 50's and I collect just his pieces. Though these were meant to be cheap give-aways, he took great care in the carving, molding, and painting of his pieces. In a room full of carnival chalkware, it is easy to pick out his pieces for the intricacies of the carving, the paint, and how well they hold together over the years. He was very innovative for his day (at one point the feds paid him a visit to see why he was purchasing barrels of adhesives used in the aerospace industry - apparently it helped cure the plaster more quickly and more durably to decrease breakage during shipping).

It's a real lesson in taking pride in your work and doing something well when that is not the norm. I think he was very similar to many of the fine woodworkers here, in that regard.

Unfortunately he saved none of them. Everything I have is from antique malls and flea markets and represent just a fraction of the designs he made. Before his death, I mentioned to him that one of his larger, rare pieces sold for over $450 on eBay - he told me, "we sold those big ones for a dime a piece if you bought 2 dozen." Ouch.

Clearly, I could go on and on... but I'll spare you all.

*moc

[onedash]

my biggest collection of anything is shotglasses.
Marine Corps and Packer stuff and a collection that hasn't grown enough is my guns and of course tools but there isn't a whole lot more I need now besides some cool days to get out and use them.

[Stick]

Ex-wives and support payments. swarf and burned welding rods? Broken tractor parts? Tons and tons of manure......no that can't count, at least that gets re-used.

[tung tied]

Collectible?

I collect airline airsickness bags (in mint condition).
One aspect I like about it is you have to procure them without purchase.
I've got them from all over the world, (mostly through friends). It gives them something to do on boring flights I guess.
Got some vintage ones like PanAm, etc.
I think airlines are moving to generic bags without logos because collecting these may be getting too popular/costly for them.