Discussion That One Tool You Never Expected to Love… But Now Can’t Live Without it!

[Jimsky]

I just ordered two vises .

Damn...I wanted to order more, but they are out of stock. How many did you order, Roger?

 

[RogerD]

Damn...I wanted to order more, but they are out of stock. How many did you order, Roger?

All of them and multiple back orders too .

 

[Dr Syn]

Well I like my 9" Titan Bandsaw

 

[Roger Pellett]

I can’t answer this because my work is so varied that a tool that I never use can be useful later on.

I have never been a fan of the Dremel type rotary tool. In about 1970 I received a Sears Lil Crafty rotary tool for Christmas. I quickly realized that it didn’t agree with me or I with it. It was too high speed for use with wire size drill bits and it could quickly damage wood, so I learned to work without it.

Over 50 years later I’m building a steamship with dozens of scratch built metal fittings made from various brass shapes and I find myself using the Lil Crafty.

Roger

 

[pebbleworm]

Something I picked up not knowing what it was turned out to be a "screw starter". Once I figured it out it ha become invaluable in well, starting screws, especially in hard wood. No splits, no cracks, and noticeably better than an awl or gimlet. I originally thought it was some kind of packing puller... Live and learn!

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Screw-Starter-Set-2/dp/B07QPHXB4C?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[Pete Leach]

I am not much into expensive tools. I use hand tools such as an XACTO(R) knife, sandpaper, tweezers, etc. Then I purchased an Ultimation Sander with a Repeater last year and I am not sure how I lived without it.

 

[Neil_jo]

Mini Veritas plane, sharp and adjustable.

 

[Philski]

I love this. As we know, for the most part, there is no correct answer to this question. While I completely respect Bryan's talents, I bought one of those 90-degree Dremel attachments, and I could not tell you where it is or that I have a clear memory of using it.

I would have expected more responses, but I have an idea, Jim. If you'd like to see a LOT of responses, ask, "What tools did you think you needed and bought and NEVER used?". I would guess this thread would still be getting responses to that question when Christmas rolls around.

This gives me an idea. I need to straighten out my shop, to better organize it logically, by function. I will ask myself the question for every item I come across: "Have I used this in the last 6 months?" Everyone, keep an eye on the tools, items "for sale" area of the forums , seriously.

One set of items I know will be on this list will be my Foredom, cable-driven rotary tools, including multiple handsets.... pennies on the dollar. These are great tools, but with my Foredom micromotor, they are completely redundant.

This brings me to tool quality questions. While not the topic here, some things just puzzle the juices out of me. Here's the question. Why do my no-name $30 calipers have "auto on, auto off" capability to extend battery life, and my $180 Mitutoyo calipers don't? Life is just full of mystery.

But I have tools I haven't used in 30-40 years! Why? Because I no longer work on cars/trucks. Things like ball joint separators, timing lights, dwell meter, torque wrenches....and much much more. It's just that I cannot make myself get rid of tools. Any tools. Maybe the auctioneer might soon enough.......

 

[rtwpsom2]

Maybe the auctioneer might soon enough.......

This is the way.

 

[RickNoyes]

I think I would have gone with violin scrapes if @RickNoyes hadn't gotten to it first. But here's one that surprised me how often it comes out of the tool chest. It's a set of broaches. They were recommended by David Antscherl in his instructions for the kits he design from Model Shipways. A quick twist and you remove any surface material from a drill cut, a very clean look. And they can be used successively to get the hole diameter just right. You'll find other uses as well. As a bonus, they are pretty cheap. I bought round and square ones for gentle to aggressive approaches.
View attachment 524145

I would like to put in a quick plug for a cheap jeweler's hand vise as well, another David Antscherl suggestion in a magazine article. It's great for hanging on to small parts while you file, cut, whatever. Dirt cheap too. When it comes to reducing the number of expletives used during model making, it's a force multiplier. I was an aspiring detail carver, but I have used this with way more stuff than that, surprisingly useful.
View attachment 524146

Bought mine today. Ebay australia for approx.$20. The old paws are gettin a bit stiff and this should help greatly for the fiddly bits. Thnks for pointing it out Glenn

 

[tossedman]

I am not much into expensive tools. I use hand tools such as an XACTO(R) knife, sandpaper, tweezers, etc. Then I purchased an Ultimation Sander with a Repeater last year and I am not sure how I lived without it.

View attachment 524661

I have one of these and love it. I'm often surprised when only a half turn or less does the job.

 

[tossedman]

STOOPID AI/SEARCH OPTIMIZATION!!!!! When Glen recommended broaches I went on amazon to get pricing but stupid amazon would return NOTHING but BROOCHES! No matter how I altered the search, even if I searched in specific categories like tools, it would take me back to brooches. I even went to google to look on amazon and it wasn't until like third or fourth page before I finally was linked to some broaches. I am so over AI and search optimization. /rant

Here's a link: https://eternaltools.com/products/watchmakers-smoothing-broaches-set-060mm-2mm
Search for "set of smoothing broaches".

 

[bowwild]

I have one of these and love it. I'm often surprised when only a half turn or less does the job.

I just received one of these Ultimations. I haven't used it yet, but the build quality is great.

 

[Tytis]

I am not much into expensive tools. I use hand tools such as an XACTO(R) knife, sandpaper, tweezers, etc. Then I purchased an Ultimation Sander with a Repeater last year and I am not sure how I lived without it.

View attachment 524661

The Ultimation disk sander looks really small and light. I have an older craftsman disk and belt sander that is effective, but takes up an enormous amount of space and weights all of 20 lbs. I may consider making a change to this smaller hobby sander.

 

[rtwpsom2]

The Ultimation disk sander looks really small and light. I have an older craftsman disk and belt sander that is effective, but takes up an enormous amount of space and weights all of 20 lbs. I may consider making a change to this smaller hobby sander.

I have a Proxxon disc sander that is small and light. It works pretty well. I kinda wish I had the Byrnes Model Machines one, it has a higher precision table, but I don't use the tilt on the table much at all.

 

[Rob444]

The Ultimation disk sander looks really small and light. I have an older craftsman disk and belt sander that is effective, but takes up an enormous amount of space and weights all of 20 lbs. I may consider making a change to this smaller hobby sander.

I have a proxon power sander that works extremely well and takes up little space. It costs about $40 less.

 

[Hoss6262]

Ok, so I didn't list these little Ibex finger planes as the discussion's title included, "one tool you never expected to love". I expected to love these and will love them forever. Worth their weight in gold, even though they're brass! They make precise and quick work of plank edges.

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[Kurt Konrath]

I just received one of these Ultimations. I haven't used it yet, but the build quality is great.

I have one also, had for 6 months, but I need to mount to a board to make easier to hold down, it moves when turning and one hand on handle and other on wood makes for fun time.

 

[tossedman]

I use a C-clamp to hold mine to the bench.

 

[Pete Leach]

I use a c clamp as well. I just didn’t show it in my photo. I do move it around a bit depending on the project.