What is the Difference Between Collecting and Hoarding?

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,398]

I thought this would be a fun thread. What is the difference between "collecting" and "hoarding"? Is there a fine line between the two? I am looking for your opinions.

 

In speaking about the wheel horse line of products, I believe when someone buys everything they can with no intentions of using the item nor any plans of selling it and just to have it to say they have it is considered hoarding. On the other hand when someone buys a item to to use it, show it or resell it then I would consider that a collector. 

[AlwaysLookin80 1,308]

i tell myself I'm collecting, but I feel like I'm hording. Now that I brought everything home from storage last week I've realized I need to concentrate on certain models and let some go. 

[benji756 341]

nice collection you have there, what year is the ford truck?

[Don1977 604]

5 minutes ago, benji756 said:

nice collection you have there, what year is the ford truck?

 My guess is a 1971 or 1972.

 

 

[cschannuth 3,817]

Just now, Don1977 said:

 My guess is a 1971 or 1972.

 

 

Bump side so it could be a little older than that. 

[slammer302 2,156]

I noticed collectors take car of what they have hoarders just let it all sit outside and rot and never sell unless it's for a hefty price. My dad bought his 551 from a guy like this and it was sad to see all the WH's rotting out side. I kept his number for awhile and called time to time trying to buy a lawn ranger he had and needless to say the lawn ranger is still there. Too each their own I suppose

[953 nut 57,904]

28 minutes ago, J.A. said:

I've realized I need to concentrate on certain models and let some go.

I would take that 1054 off your hands;     but,    that would make me a hoarder!               

[857 horse 2,581]

I just like um.(Red tractors).....and my dog likes old trucks and me............ So,he gets to argue with the wife...lololo

Gonna pass on the topic....    its all perception and it can become politics....

2 things i hate to bruse,,,,,,feelings and my tomatoes.............

 

                   

and these are my buddys,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,dancin fools..   lololo

Edited August 17, 2016 by 857 horse

[can whlvr 993]

I concider myself a collector where my wife thinks I'm a horder,she cant understand things like keeping blown engines for parts,but I cant understand 10 purses either

Edited August 17, 2016 by can whlvr

[AlwaysLookin80 1,308]

1 hour ago, benji756 said:

nice collection you have there, what year is the ford truck?

1968, 43,000 miles 

52 minutes ago, slammer302 said:

I noticed collectors take car of what they have hoarders just let it all sit outside and rot and never sell unless it's for a hefty price. My dad bought his 551 from a guy like this and it was sad to see all the WH's rotting out side. I kept his number for awhile and called time to time trying to buy a lawn ranger he had and needless to say the lawn ranger is still there. Too each their own I suppose

That's why all my stuff stays inside 

[Johndeereelfman 309]

I don't know yet what category I fall into, but I know one thing for sure, and that is I won't show this topic to my wife!    I'm pretty sure I know what her answer will be. 

 

I have a large "collection" but I don't feel like that makes me a hoarder. I pretty much stopped buying tractors a few years ago when the round fenders were all collected. My personal feelings about these two subjects is this:

 

Hoarders have a condition that can't be controlled. A hoarder will buy just for the sake of spending money, however most hoarders want everything for little to no money. They also don't have intentions or goals of restoring or repairing a tractor, has no real interest in going to a show, and nine times out of ten, don't even know what he has. They just like to accumulate whatever they can, because they enjoy seeing clutter. If they want something in particular, they don't care about how much money they spend on a piece, aren't concerned about originality or condition, and will more than likely die before the piece is ever sold or given away. Hoarders don't usually have their items covered, and their junk usually just sits where ever they decided to unload it.

 

Collectors can stop buying when they know there are other things that are more important. Collectors also have a goal in mind whenever it comes to purchasing a certain piece. They intend to restore, repair, or just get their latest investment running. Some collectors will take their prized pieces to a show, as this gives the collector a sense of pride. Yes, some collector garages are cluttered, however most collectors can't stand to see it for very long. A collector not only knows what the tractor is that he recently bought, but could probably tell you the serial number, the year, and be able to name every attachment that was made for the tractor. Collectors do their homework or research on a certain piece, and know what the value of the tractor is worth.  A collector will sell if the price is right, and in most cases, a collector will be willing to help out another fellow collector if needed or can. Collector will also take care of their stuff, usually tucking it away in a garage, shed, or home built lean-to. 

 

So with this all said, how do each of you look at yourselves now? Does this make the decision of which group type you are any easier? 

Edited August 17, 2016 by Johndeereelfman

[ACman 7,630]

2 minutes ago, can whlvr said:

I concider myself a collector where my wife thinks I'm a horder,she cant understand things like keeping blown engines for parts,but I cant understand 10 purses either

 

 , I consider myself a  preserver of quality , finely built , pieces of  Americana   !!! Mostly Horses of course  . Just today one of my cousins told me I need therapy . I told him I belonged to Horseoholics Anonymous ! 

[russellmc301 600]

i know a few hoarders and its true i can tell you what atachments can go on my 400 and my a-100 and all the others stuff you said.

[JoeM 7,928]

When it comes to tractors, it collecting.........having anything else is hording!

see that was easy!

[AlwaysLookin80 1,308]

Ok, whew , I'm a collector then . 

[Walt 339]

I don't fall into either category I'm and owner who uses mine for it's intended purpose. I also use it like any other thing I own as a teaching tool when doing a repair I try to have 1 of the grandkids help me. This helps them learn the proper way to use various tools that I own.  I will say that I do keep checking CL to see whats out there for sale in my area even though I have no intention of buying another. And I love reading many of the threads on red square that give me knowledge about these tractors that may help me solve a problem in the future. So I guess I have caught some kind of Wheel Horse bug.  

 

Edited August 17, 2016 by Walt

[daveoman1966 3,807]

By definition:

When you have all your 'stuff' hidden in a shed, or even off-site of your domicile, it is called 'collecting'.  When your wife finds it, that's when it becomes 'hoarding'.

 

 

[elliot ness 1,916]

I say what every make a person happy, so be it. I have a lot of tractors, and I like them all.For me it's about the hunt the chase and finally home with or with out one. Fact is I made a trip of 8hrs for an old sears yesterday, but it has a great loader on it. [ a Simpson built loader of Canada] and all the great folks I have met buying these old irons, well that is priceless.

Edited August 17, 2016 by elliot ness

[Ken B 3,165]

Its a well known fact that a hoarder will typically NEVER sell a thing, not even a pile of junk as its just to mentally painful for them. Most times, money means nothing to a hoarder, they hoard because there is something that triggered it, sometimes good, sometimes bad. So, I'd say that anyone that is willing to sell things at reasonable prices is probably not a hoarder. They may be simply stashing a few things away in the hopes of makin a few bucks. Funny thing is more often than not if they didn't stash the things away that they did the stuff more than likely would have wound up at the scrap yard. I've come to realize thru many years of observation that collections look quite different from one guy to the next. Personally speaking, I'm neither.....

[953 nut 57,904]

9 hours ago, Johndeereelfman said:

I know one thing for sure, and that is I won't show this topic to my wife!    I'm pretty sure I know what her answer will be.

[Retired Wrencher 5,648]

I feel as long as some one takes care them instead of rotting and rusting away in a field or a back yard. And enjoy them. Because They are part of our Industrial history or Americana. Some people say I wish they could talk I fell the same way. It`s the story behind them and the chase.

[JoeM 7,928]

I like the part about meeting people when out buying. Like the time I drove out to the middle of nowhere in OH, to my surprise, the seller was a 13 year old kid! The high light was when his parents saw the PA plate on my truck, as it turns out, they used to live in the town just over the hill from me. Talked a lot about what is going on back home!

I really can say I have not had a bad Wheel Horse experience. Some buys are better than others, but over all folks that own these machines are pretty cool.

[clueless 3,111]

If you've lived with the same women for more than 25 years, just ask her she'll tell you which one you are.

[wh500special 2,249]

There's a fine line indeed.  I have traits from both.  I have a bunch of stuff that I viewed as "keepers" but I have also bought and sold scores of them through the years.  A few regrets on letting hard to find things go, but none of them took any emotional pieces with them.

 

But the difference in collecting vs. hoarding kind of reminds me of the difference between a church and a cult...a church is where you go on sundays; a cult is where other people go on sundays.

 

Eye of the beholder and wildly subjective.

 

Steve

[grnlark 489]

I don't think I'm a hoarder but maybe a collector with hoarder tendencies. The difference for me I guess, is that everything has a price. I have stuff I say I would never sell, yet if the right cash was in front of me it would be gone. I go back and forth all the time if I should just sell everything and do something different. The problem I have, is that the stuff I say is "not for sale" is stuff that I don't think would be easily replaceable if at all. Folks that know me, know that aside from WH's I also like the small three-wheeled Hillers. Who else has 13? And who else has every production color they came in (even a 1 of 1 baby blue)? In reality they are useless. They sit in my garage under covers and occasionally see a show. But I thoroughly enjoy walking into the garage and seeing them all lined up I have to admit - so maybe that is a bit of a hoarder. Lol. The real problem though is when you collect many makes and models and get a few crown jewels in each category - then space becomes an issue. That's where I am now.