It is smart and it isn't, there is a reason second-hand tools can be cheap. The problem is that when you are on a project, you need the thing right now, I am s

It is smart and it isn't, there is a reason second-hand tools can be cheap. The problem is that when you are on a project, you need the thing right now, I am sure the author could have found what he needed for a fraction of the price second-hand, be he also wanted a working washing machine. Not spend a couple of weeks with dirty laundry waiting for the right tools to arrive. The local hardware store is expensive, but here, it is worth it. You can avoid this problem by planning ahead, but it requires knowing in advance what tools you will need, and the answer is essentially "everything". That's how you find yourself with a home workshop. If you want a home workshop, that's certainly the right thing to do, but it takes space and a bit of investment, even with good deals. And you may find yourself with tools you will never use. I know, my father left me with a bunch of quality tools he got for cheap. I am grateful for it, even though I didn't use most of them (he didn't either), some of them turned out to be useful, and the unused ones may find some use later. But it is also a good thing that I have a place for them, because that's a lot of stuff.