I need some advice from the Tnet Family...Off Topic.

[ImpurestStewart]

So my grandfather passed away about 6 years ago. He left me his shop full of tools(I haven't been in it but about 4 times since he passed). As most of you know, I lost my job and am freaking about it. Bills are coming and I am almost out of silver to sell. I am thinking about selling my Pawpaws shop/tools.

The thing is my father may disown me. I hate it has come to this point but I am truely depressed about it. I don't know what else to do. I am looking for a job and am having to drop out of school because of my medical issues. I love and miss my pawpaw more than anyone else I've ever lost. Him and I were closer than anyone else including my parents. He left me his tools and shop in his will but the shop is on my fathers property. I can't bring myself to go into the shop and move or take anything. It is all the same as the day he left for the hospital and never came home.

What should I do? He was a carpenter and woodworker. There are bandsaws,table saws,Wood Laves,etc.. It is so much to list. The building is a portable 48x60. In pretty good shape. What would you do? Thanks in advance.

IS.

[ArkieBassMan]

I can really relate to this. I am very close to my grandparents, and have been for all of my 41 years. I'm very fortunate that they are still with me and in relatively good health at ages 87 and 86. I get to spend time with them almost every day and cherish every second of it. At some point, I will inherit most of their "stuff". I have discussed this with the both of them on a few occasions, and every time their answer is the same. Basically they say, "We are leaving you this because we love you. Its yours to do with as you please. Don't let anyone - including other family members - tell you what to do with it. Its yours. Keep it, sell it, or give it away. Its up to you. Whatever you want or need to do with it is absolutely fine with us."

I certainly can't speak for your grandfather, nor am I even beginning to attempt to do so. I do know that in this same situation, my own grandfather would INSTANTLY tell me to sell his stuff and not even worry about it for one second. Also, for items that I won't have any practical use for (his car for example), I know he'd rather I sell it and put the proceeds to better use than to just let it sit and eventually become worthless.

I do think, and this is just my opinion so feel free to completely disregard it, that if you do decide to sell, you give your father the first chance to make the purchase. Also, another thing you have to consider is that once the item is sold and the money is spent, its gone forever. Personally, I feel I have pretty much everything I "need" from my grandparents in my head (NUMEROUS wonderful memories and life lessons they taught me) and my heart (they love I have for them and they for me). The rest is just "stuff". Thats my opinion anyway.

Hope this helps.

[ImpurestStewart]

I know there is nothing I can do to bring either of them back. If I could get enough money to pay off my truck and put some back for bills I'd be in much better straits than I am now. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't value you your opinion. Afterall, It is just stuff I have never used and probably will never use. I get depressed when I walk in there. Maybe I can just put an ad up. First person to bring me $8,000 can have it all.(There is atleast 15K worth of tools in it). Hopefully someone will get some use and happiness from it. Thanks Arkie.

[ivan salis]

gramps tools are special but --he left them to you -- there yours now --painful as selling them might be * you got to eat and get by some how ( you gotta do what you need to to survive )-- heres a ideal sell the stuff to your dad --that way he gets to keep gramps goods and you get the fiscal help you need --PS your dad might be POed gramps did not leave him the tools ( maybe he has gramp loved you more than me issues) , some folks are like that or he might see it as "selling gramps out" - not knowing your gramps , your dad , you and not having seen the situation go down in person, its hard to say what exactly what your dad is thinking - some folks get very attached to belongings of dead family and or freinds (like its a "part" of em )-- sniff ,sniff that was gramps favorite ----------(fill in the blank)----. and I'll never sell it. -- bottom line --it might be dads land but in the will --there your tools and you got the rights to em --if you got to go to your dads place to get "your tools" and dad drives you off -- you take a copy of the will -that shows the stuff belongs to you to the local cops and take them with you when you go to get em the next time (be sure to bring a big enought truck to get it in 1 trip and folks to make it fairly quick --as the cops do not want to be there all day long and hate to do this ttype of stuff )-- however be warned --I have seen more family and freinds turn on one another over inheritance "blood fueds" and never speak to one another again than I care to remember. --so think carefully and good luck.

[Dok Holliday]

Grandpa left you that stuff for a reason. Time for you to learn woodworking.

[ImpurestStewart]

Grandpa left you that stuff for a reason. Time for you to learn woodworking.

I have tried. LOL. It takes a skilled craftsman for it. It's not as easy as it seems.

[ivan salis]

carpentry is a good trade and a way to make money $ too --once the tools are sold the chance to learn a life long trade is gone --maybe thats dads thinking --it will provide you a trade / job for life .

[ivan salis]

all skills take time to learn -- i did not become a skilled professional cook - overnight --it took me many years to master my craft and i've still never stopped learning even though I'm retitred

[FreedomUIC]

I know there is nothing I can do to bring either of them back. If I could get enough money to pay off my truck and put some back for bills I'd be in much better straits than I am now. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't value you your opinion. Afterall, It is just stuff I have never used and probably will never use. I get depressed when I walk in there. Maybe I can just put an ad up. First person to bring me $8,000 can have it all.(There is atleast 15K worth of tools in it). Hopefully someone will get some use and happiness from it. Thanks Arkie.

NO! List everything you have, figure what the price should be as of this minute in time and then try and get 90%. Betcha you
will get it and then some. Gottcha in our prayers.

[CaptainRobin]

Morning, Arkie... just my two cents from an ole Southern Boy... once something is given/bequethed to someone, it is THEIRS to do with as they wish. I understand family may disapprove, but the stuff is YOURS. If I give someone something and they sell it, ain't no skin off'n me... I gave it to them. Hope the best for you.
Robin

[madwest]

A fully equipped shop might be something someone would "lease" from you.

There is more risk there than selling it all, but if you could find someone who could prove that they are insured and who would sign a waiver of liability, RENT the shop and all of the tools out as a package.

Otherwise, make an honest effort to involve your dad. Have him help you identify if anything should be kept in the family out of respect. Give him the chance to buy anything he wants below what you are asking/expecting from the general public. Explain that it is only out of necessity that you are selling. Ask him if he has any ideas on what you could do other than selling.

[spartacus53]

Otherwise, make an honest effort to involve your dad. Have him help you identify if anything should be kept in the family out of respect. Give him the chance to buy anything he wants below what you are asking/expecting from the general public. Explain that it is only out of necessity that you are selling. Ask him if he has any ideas on what you could do other than selling.

He may have "MAD" in his nickname, but he has a very reasonable option for you... I might leave out the last part of his option regarding ideas other than selling... I'm sure your parents understand the situation you're in, and you have to sell the tools to help get by in difficult times.

I would go with the majority of posts here, the tools are your to do as you please.

All the best whatever your decide

[Gilmore Happy]

"The thing is my father may disown me. I hate it has come to this point but I am truely depressed about it. I don't know what else to do. I am looking for a job and am having to drop out of school because of my medical issues."

First of all, you do whats right for you, it's your life. Why should you have additional stress because your dad MAY disown you. I believe honesty is best policy. Talk to your dad and communicate with him you're stressed about bills, job hunting, and you need money, so you are thinking about selling the tools. Trust me, even a decent father DOES NOT want to see his boy struggle. He might even help you out right now, or suprisingly say what alot of the guys on here have said about the tools, that grandpa left them to you, and you have to do what you have to do. Trust me, talk to your dad, and give him credit for being able to understand where youre at currently. Most successful men understand the struggles in life, thats why they are where they are, and can level with those who are currently facing problems. Talk to your dad.

[AGCoinHunter]

Some good ideas here. Obviously without work you will always struggle to get ahead. I agree, start learning the woodworking trade. You have the tools make use of them. Find someone you can rent the shop to in return for an apprenticeship. Its time to reinvent yourself. Grandpa has given you the tools, now go out there and make use of them. Liquidating them will only bring you temporary fulfillment. What are you going to do in 3-4 months when that money runs out? I feel for so many thousands of people in your shoes but you have an opportunity here, grab it and run and don’t look back. Best of luck to you!

[Frankn]

IS, I got to go with Dok & Ivan. I think your grandpa knew you better than you know yourself. He gave you a gift that will keep on giving. If you sold it ,it is gone and the money for it will soon be gone. Tools pay for themselves. Wood working isn't hard, but it takes practice. You are young and you are thinking young. That is, jest getting out of your immediate problem with no thought of the future.Maybe it's time to look for a partner that knows woodworking and start up a money making business. How about your dad? Didn't he pick up any knowledge of woodworking from your grandpa?You could always use the tools as collateral for a business loan. When you keep selling things to pay bills, you will eventually run out of things to sell. Frank

[packerbacker]

He didn't leave you that stuff to take care of until he gets back. If it was your grandmother and she left you a knitting shop would you be expected to learn how to knit? If he left you a car, would you have to keep it forever? He left this stuff to you for you to use to do with whatever you please. I'm sure nothing would make him happier than knowing that leaving you that stuff helped you through hard times when you needed it most. I'm a grandpa and I know how I would feel. I told one of mine, years ago, that if I were to leave her a pocket watch and, some time later, she was offered $1000 for it, to take it and we'll BOTH be smiling.

[Frankn]

Packer, that doesn't always work. one of my children was having a hard time getting along because her rent kept going up. So I gave her 5ac. to use as collateral to get a loan to build a home to solve her problem. She turned around and auctioned it off for $30 and spent the money to pay all her bills etc. She is back to square 1 living in a mobile with with another couple. Frank

[FarmerChick]

if you are not at all interested in woodworking, then sell. It is not your path in life, then don't head that way if you interest is not there. Sell the tools.

An inheritance is stuff. You PICK ONE OR TWO items that will remind you of good times with your grandfather. Keep those. The rest is just things. And don't list cheap. You put them up for a reasonable charge and don't belittle his things by just 'getting whatever'. Get the most you can.

Our family is not tied to stuff. We keep momentos/keepsakes/pics but would never be tied down to things just because a family member owned them.

best of luck to you. sounds like rough times. I hope things get better!

[packerbacker]

True Frankn, you can give someone enough money to get out of a jam but, if they don't spend it wisely, it's on them. You did all you can do.
It would be a shame to hold on to this stuff 'til it rots or, even worse, lose it all in a fire or get it all stolen. My gradfather and great grandfather both worked for the Ithaca gun co. many years ago. Together they built one of the first single-trigger double barrel shotguns to come out of there. The gun ended up getting passed down to one of my sons. So now he had a shotgun built by his great grandfather and his GREAT, Great grandfather. It was stolen.

[CaptainRobin]

Lots of good replies to this topic... thing is, Arkie, it belongs to YOU. It is your responsibility in life to do what YOU want to do. If'n you ain't interested in woodworking, sell it. If'n you're intersted in learning carpentry, then learn. I'd be careful about leasing and liability... a "release of liabilatiy" statement ain't worth squat. Hope the best for you.
Robin