According to the latest survey on Knots, the user forum on FineWoodworking.Com, a majority of woodworkers spent $1,000 or more on new hand and power tools in 2007. And nearly one in five respondents said they spent between $401 and $800 last year. The graph below gives the details:

A total of 1,404 people voted in the poll, which closed on Feb. 26. The responses reflect the views of Knots users and may or may not represent the spending patterns of woodworkers in general.

A few respondents elaborated on their spending, with comments such as these:

“I’m setting up my shop getting ready for my retirement from teaching this year. In 2007 I spent at least $10,000 on tools. My wife already knows and approved all the purchases.”

“I suspect that the thousand dollar tag gets most through about the second week of January. It’s nothing to spend a grand on one tool anymore.”

“I spent about five grand last year to complete my collection of ‘essential tools.'” 

The poll is a thoroughly unscientific (but, we hope, thoroughly entertaining), part of Knots. There’s a new poll on the FineWoodworking.Com home page.

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