What happens to my test and measurement devices if something happens to me?

[Oldtestgear]

I suspect that I am in a minority as I do not mind what happens to my test equipment when I am gone.  I will have no further use for it.  I do have some very nice equipment (new Keysight etc) as well as old (HP, Tek, Datron, etc) but I appreciate that it will be a pain to dispose of simply because of the sheer bulk. I am also fortunate that having bought the stuff over nearly 20 years it has actually cost me nothing except my time which is freely given to my hobby.  I have benefitted form company closures and some very generous donations of fun stuff.

My family will arrange for the lot to find a new home  -- if that is courtesy of a dealer expecting to make a profit this is fine by me. My family will not have the dreadful task of trying to maximise value at the cost of time spent which should be used for something more important. If it goes to recycling that would be a shame but may be the only option in a few years if the environmental lobby has its way.

The number of people interested in test gear does seem to be shrinking in the UK which will also restrict the interest. Better to enjoy now than worry about the future, just make sure your family has at least a few options for disposal.

Just my opinion!

[EPAIII]

A wife or relative selling it off for "not so much" may not be so bad. After all, it could just get thrown out by someone who has no knowledge of it at all.

I am getting there and have a plan in the back of my mind. I want to photograph the more valuable items in my "pile of junk" and add written description along with the price I paid for it with the date and a reasonable price that I think it might be sold for. That way whoever has to dispose of it will have some idea of what to do. The written description would help if they put it on E-Bay or some other on-line sales site. This information could be recorded on a USB drive and stored with my will as a codicil.

[tggzzz]

A wife or relative selling it off for "not so much" may not be so bad. After all, it could just get thrown out by someone who has no knowledge of it at all.

I am getting there and have a plan in the back of my mind. I want to photograph the more valuable items in my "pile of junk" and add written description along with the price I paid for it with the date and a reasonable price that I think it might be sold for. That way whoever has to dispose of it will have some idea of what to do. The written description would help if they put it on E-Bay or some other on-line sales site. This information could be recorded on a USB drive and stored with my will as a codicil.

Yes, except it may be better to put it on paper and store it in a "known place" with the many other important documents you have. If the ink is pigmented (not a dye) or plastic (toner) then that should not fade over time. The longevity of the information on a specific flash drive over decades is more questionable. Or store the documents on paper as well as electronically.

[RAPo]

But hopefully, the OP has some more years ahead, during which things change.
Make it digital and sign it digital. Is that accepted in court in your country?

[CatalinaWOW]

Different jurisdictions will vary.  In my case one of the difficulties was that many of the institutions involved wanted original signed documents.  Which could not be located.  Probably were in the keeping of the lawyer who had retired and disappeared quite a while ago.  If ease and comfort for your heirs is important to you quite a bit of effort is necessary to prepare appropriate documents in the quantity needed in your situation.

[duckduck]

The only way to ensure that it goes to people that will care about it like you is to give it away while you are still alive!

My address is:

234 Main St
Springfield, MO 90210

Seriously, though, put it in your will to make a post to the EEVblog TEA thread ( https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/ ). Someone will be round to collect it.

[SiliconWizard]

The only way to ensure that it goes to people that will care about it like you is to give it away while you are still alive!

That is true. There are usually legal arrangements that allow you to donate something while you are alive and still keep the benefit of using it yourself until you die. This way you get to keep your gear but are sure where it's going when you leave.
Be aware that if the value is significant and you're not donating it to your direct heirs, that may be a problem under some laws. So check that.

[GreyWoolfe]

Even though my health is good (mid 60's) I have started trimming things back, with the exception of the kill and maim tools for woodworking.  Mrs GreyWoolfe knows that my son gets first crack at all tools and he will help unload what he doesn't want.  He also gets all my firearms that she doesn't want to keep.  Unfortunately, there is no makerspace where I live to donate the TE to.  Most all of the TE was bought second hand and cheap so no big loss if she doesn't get much.  The kids will help her sort it all out.

At the end of the day, after you take away all the toys for playing with wood and DIY projects around the house, I don't have a ton of possessions, even my gun collection is small.  Most of the woodworking toys were also bought second hand and fairly inexpensively, so if the stuff has to be sold, there won't be much money loss.  I would hope my son decides to keep my prized possession in the garage, a Delta contractor's saw with a 52" right had cut.

Duckduck, I like your idea to post the TE on the buy and sell forum.  I will leave a note for doing that.

[xrunner]

The only way to ensure that it goes to people that will care about it like you is to give it away while you are still alive!

Yep I came to the same conclusion. My friends and in-laws don't have a clue - NONE - what all this test equipment is AND COULD NOT CARE LESS. I would not even not trust them to sell it to the right people.

The only way is to ship it to people who know it's true value and can actually use it. I'll probably start getting addresses from members here when the time comes and ship it out free!

[RJSV]

   My only 'treasure' trove is my (beloved) WOOD WORK tools; T-square / drill bits / Dremel tools, etc.

   Which reminds me to comment:
   Looking back through your work space, don't forget any other or associated tools, such as drill press, lathe.  There might be a treasure, such as a large planer, that is of value.

[nctnico]

Actually I'm far more interested in passing the family heirlooms on than test equipment that is dated. I'm quite sure my heirs are much more interested in those AND wood & metal working tools. One of the rare items in my collection is a children's wood working set with tools that are actually sharp. I hope that one day I can get one or more of my grandchildren interested in wood working using those smaller sized tools.

[CatalinaWOW]

Passing it on before you go is great advice.  Knowing when to do that is hard.  According to my financial advisor I have two to three decades left to plan for.  The actuaries say it is a decade or so.  And I have already lived a decade more than my father.

[tggzzz]

Without comment....



from https://vintagetek.org/dual-beam-oscilloscopes/