When someone asked me recently what I’m into I didn’t have answers. Existential crisis aside, what are some good hobbies/interests for someone in their mid thirties to pick up?
When someone asked me recently what I’m into I didn’t have answers. Existential crisis aside, what are some good hobbies/interests for someone in their mid thirties to pick up?
I second woodworking. You can absolutely spend a shitton of money on tools, but you really don’t have to. Start with a cordless drill and a circular saw. Then a plunge router. Then a table saw. If you’re looking to build furniture, get a planer, then a jointer eventually. Bandsaws are nice, but a jigsaw is a better beginner purchase for curves.
Get stuff used off FB marketplace, craigslist, OfferUp, or auctions. Estate sales are fantastic for used tools, I got a shaper with about $2k worth of tooling for $40. Most of my tools are from marketplace or auctions. New, they’d easily be over 10 grand, but I’ve spent maybe $2.5k total over five years of slowly accumulating stuff.
Resist the pressure to build stuff to sell. Everyone around you will push you to monetize your hobby, but you don’t have to. It’s ok to spend money to help you do something you enjoy. (If you want to sell things, great, but don’t do it just because people say you should. It really sucks the fun out of it)
For the shaper, did you get that at auction? Are these like eBay auctions you’re taking about?
Yes, got it at an auction. Not ebay auctions (although I guess you can, but then you’re on the hook for shipping), search for auctions or estate sales in your area. Typically, my area has a couple a month across a few sites.