Dropped $200 on a portable forge and it sat in the truck bed for 6 months before I finally used it

Bought one of those little propane forges from Northern Tool thinking I'd be making custom shoes on the go. Thing just sat there taking up space. Finally used it last week to heat up a bent clip and it worked fine. Got a few other farriers asking about it now. Anyone else buy gear that collects dust before you actually need it?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_baker16d ago

Gotta call it like I see it. That's more of a planning problem than a gear problem. You knew you needed a portable forge months ago, but you didn't block out the time to actually fire it up until a bent clip forced your hand. That's the difference between buying for a project and buying for a wish. I've seen guys drop serious cash on hydraulic trailers or custom anvils, but they never set up a dedicated spot in their shop. Then the tool just becomes an expensive paperweight. Making a schedule or a deadline for your new gear would've saved you six months of truck bed space.

thomasgonzalez16d ago

My buddy Mike bought a welding rig two years back for a side project he swore he'd finish. It's still sitting under a tarp in his yard because he never set aside a weekend to actually use it. That forge sitting in your truck bed for six months sounds like the same deal to me.

samrodriguez16d ago

Used to think it was all about having the right gear first, then finding time later. Your buddy Mike and that welding rig story really hit home though. It's so easy to convince yourself you'll get to it once the thing is sitting there, but life just gets in the way. I've got a plasma cutter in my garage that I bought for a truck project two years ago and it's still in the box. Never even plugged it in. Seeing it laid out like that, buying the tool without the plan just turns it into a lawn ornament. Definitely making me rethink how I approach future purchases.