“The satisfaction of being able to do it yourself is one of the great bonds with the tools” says H.G. “Skip” Brack, who runs Liberty Tool in the US state of Maine. As a budding DIY enthusiast myself I’d completely agree. If I completely a DIY project after a lot of hard work, and usually at least a few failures, I feel a great sense of happiness and satisfaction whenever my eyes fall on that completed project in my home. You could pay someone else to do it, and indeed many will with our busy lifestyles, but doing the job yourself is going to teach you valuable tool skills that too few people have these days.
Of course, the fact that few people have these skills is why those who do have those skills are in high demand and get a lot of work in the first place. Learning the craft not only lets you do your own DIY but also opens up new opportunities for employment in the future. In an age where unemployment is rife, with cut backs and closings of thousands of businesses means that few of us are safe having a backup plan isn’t a bad idea at all. If you've always wanted to be independent and run your own small business then learning a raft of DIY skills is a good direction to go.
There's No Place Like Here: Liberty Tool from Etsy on Vimeo.
In this video, made by the online crafts store Etsy and accompanied by a blog post, Skip talks about how people who are able to use tools will play a major role in the future of a sustainable economy. The mission of the shop is to recycle old tools and sell them at affordable prices to local craftsmen, or indeed anyone who likes to get their hands dirty. Liberty Tool is a treasure trove for anyone even slightly interested in tools, and you've got to commend the guy for maintaining such a massive collection. It's people like Skip who are keeping the trades of old very much alive, but as with many areas in the retail sector the Internet now plays a large part in the choice of where to buy new tools. Are local DIY stores in danger of disappearing due to this?
Online retailer Toolbox.co.uk does try to be conscious of the fact that people need affordable tools in today's economy, especially if their livelihood depends on it. It's not the same experience as walking into a local tool shop like Skip's, but they continue to offer cheap high quality tools from top brands such as ROK power tools and DeWALT power tools. Scott Morris, head of marketing at the company, told us that professionals are a big portion of their customer base and it’s important that they get hold of low price tools quick in order for them to continue their work.
"We're massive DIY fans ourselves of course, and we get as excited about new tools as a child would with a new toy. We've grown up getting tools from local DIY stores, especially when the Internet wasn't around, so of course we wouldn't want to see these places vanish. I think there will always be a place for places where you can pop in and grab the part you need quickly, but then again there's a big need for a website like us where you can order the tools you need in bulk at competitive prices. Thanks to the myriad of ways that you can buy tools we think that it's never been a better time to get into a hands on profession. whatever service the customer ultimately ends up using" finished Scott.
Meanwhile, Skip will stay in his shop; collecting and maintaining tools from around the state and encouraging new generations to pick up a hammer and get to work.
Tools image by Ian Britton on Flickr. Used under a Creative Commons license.
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