Annual Co-op Fee or Buy Tools?
This isn't exactly a mechanical question but this forum seems like the best fit. I'm pretty comfortable working on my bike, I have a good number of tools, and I typically work on my bike at home unless I'm having major problems with something. Lately I've been learning how to build wheels but I'm getting pretty sick of paying an hourly fee at my local bike co-op. I rarely go into co-op but lately I've been spending more time in there as I've been learning and I don't have wheel building tools.
I feel like I have two options here:
First, I could shell out the $100 fee and get an annual membership to the co-op. The advantages to this is that I have access to all the tools, the expertise of other riders, a good workspace, and it's a social experience. The dis-advantages are that I'm constrained as to when I work by the co-ops work schedule, I have travel to get to it, and I have to shell out another 100 next year.
Second, I could purchase a trueing stand and some other wheel building tools. The advantages to this are that I could work from home on my own schedule and I could get some tools that would last me for several years. Disadvantages are that I loose access to the collective expertise of the co-op.
Does anyone have an opinion on this?