by Steven D. Johnson
Racine, Wisconsin
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Follow-Up – Justifying New Tools
It seems we struck a very familiar chord with woodworkers across the country in our May 2010
issue of
Wood News
with the article
Justifying Your New Tool Purchase
. Apparently convincing a
recalcitrant spouse of the need to buy a new tool is a universal "opportunity."
Some woodworkers are just tepidly testing the waters with their significant others, still
experimenting with different methods to achieve their goals, while others are obviously experienced
in the battle for tool-buying bliss and have developed repeatable systems.
Robert, from Michigan, suggests that it is simply "easier to ask for forgiveness than
permission." Hats off to Robert, but in my house, I might only get away with this gambit once... if
even that.
Mauricio in Puerto Rico has a unique and creative twist on the "espionage" method of simply
hiding a new tool purchase from his spouse. In addition to using all available means to "hide" the
purchase, he has also "trained" his spouse that entering the workshop could be dangerous. She might
get hurt, or she might distract him, and he might get hurt. Noisy machines and flying woodchips, I
am sure, add to the effect, so over time Mauricio's wife has learned to just stay out of his shop.
How convenient!
One method I have tried in the past is what I refer to as the "drip water torture" method of
continually talking about the new tool I need until finally my spouse gives in and says something to
the effect, "If it will shut you up, just go ahead and buy it!"
John, has a great spin on this technique. He affixes a catalog picture of the tool he wants to
the clock face and repeatedly asks his spouse "What time is it?" Sooner or later she is bound to
ask, "What is this picture?" at which point John can explain all the neat new things he is going to
be able to build for her once he gets that tool.
In addition to the principles of 5S, Seiri (sort), Seiton (straighten), Seiso (shine), Seiketsu
(standardize), and Shitsuke (sustain) outlined in "5S Your Workshop for Efficiency, Comfort, Safety,
and Fun," I learned another nugget from Japanese culture that helped me throughout my career.
Nemawashi is a word that roughly translates as "the process of laying the foundation for change in a
gradual manner." The word literally means "digging around the roots" and refers to a method of
transplanting a tree by gradually preparing it for the move. Japanese gardeners insert a shovel
shallowly around the roots of a tree, wait a while, then, over time, make progressively deeper cuts.
Gradually the roots of the tree turn toward the trunk, heal from the cuts, and eventually, the root
ball becomes self-contained and free from the ground. The transplant can then proceed without the
trauma normally associated with sudden and dramatic change. In business we used Nemawashi to
represent the techniques used to prepare employees for change by gradually laying the foundation.
When change finally did occur it was not traumatic.
It appears that Bob in Pennsylvania adapted Nemawashi as a tool-buying method. Over a long
period of time, Bob gradually loosened screws on kitchen cabinet hinges, door pulls, and drawer
slides. He did this so gradually, just a quarter turn of a random screw periodically, that his
spouse assumed that the kitchen cabinets were literally falling apart from wear. Fed up, she went
cabinet shopping, but after incurring significant sticker-shock, asked Bob how much it would cost if
he were to build the cabinets. Way less than half price was the answer, but he would need a few new
tools. Is it necessary to elaborate how this ended? Tool-buying nirvana, of course! At one point
Bob's impatient wife asked him why he had not ordered that new power planer yet. Nice job, Bob!
Jim follows a negotiating strategy with his spouse. "I would really like to make that for you,
but I need a new [name of tool] to do the job." This seems to work for Jim, but he offers a
cautionary note for us all — "When you get your (new) tool, you really need to deliver!" Good
advice.
Chester in Texas seems to have reached tool-buying détente with his spouse, and has a system.
Anything she desires to be built first gets a quote from a contractor. Then Chester works up a
price for materials to do the job himself. Of course he can build it for less, so he automatically
gets half the savings to use for new tools.
One reader has apparently gotten all the tools he needs (is that really possible?) because he is
going to adapt some of the methods in our article to justify a new Harley Davidson motorcycle!
We want to thank everyone for their input and encourage you all to keep justifying those new
tools!
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