What Tool Did You Buy Today (or Recently)?

comments (14) June 21st, 2011 in Blogs

Justin Fink, Senior Editor

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For as long as I've been with the magazine, there has been an ongoing discussion in our Breaktime forum about everyone's latest tool purchases. Everything went in there, from a new pair of pliers to a new 12" sliding compound miter saw. It was a place for people to geek out with like-minded tool fanatics, to seek justification for their latest splurges, and to make recommendations to others.

I haven't seen this thread lately, though. So I think it's time to bring it back.

Join the discussion in our Breaktime forum (it's free), and don't forget to submit your reader reviews in our Tool Guide, too (also free)!

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Comments (14)

Leeco writes: Have wanted a planer but I have limited space. I was checking out a Dewalt DW734 at FAO and at 349.00 shipped I bought it. I could have gotten more top end units but wanted to make sure I'd get my use out of it first.
Posted: 7:21 am on July 2nd

maxandbetty writes: My youngest daughter, who just finished law school at 30, is getting married this fall. Dad promised her a plank over trestle dining table so to get started I just HAD to have a Powermatic mortiser. Was on sale at Amazon for $395 delivered. Works great. I just LOVE new tools.
Posted: 4:48 pm on June 29th

berferdt writes: needed today; a 4" long-test ball
Posted: 11:27 pm on June 27th

AK_Dragonfly writes: I needed a replacement battery for my array of 18v Ryobi cordless tools. I found they now carry a Lithium 18v battery replacement. Better yet, (and I also did purchase)a 12v vehicle charger for the 18v batteries - standard or lithium.
Posted: 3:06 pm on June 27th

driveway writes: A recent remodeling project required several buys, some were good but one was disappointing.
The Makita drill/driver/work light combo has been outstanding as was the Makita circular saw.
The Bosch hammer drill has been a reliable workhorse
The Harbor Freight/Chicago Electric multi tool worked about 4 hours before cratering.
This reinforces the old philosophy of "buy it right the first time."

Posted: 12:36 pm on June 27th

JFink writes: Wow...I've never seen or heard of the Bucket Ape before. I'm going to talk to Tom Meehan, our tile expert, about whether he's seen this tool. Seems pretty cool, does it do the job as described?

For those, like me, who didn't know about this thing, the website is www.bucketape.com
Posted: 12:05 pm on June 27th

JFink writes: Steve,
You read about that Husky organizer here, actually from me. Glad to hear you're finding it as useful and addictive as I did. I only have two right now, but I definitely have plans for more.
Posted: 12:04 pm on June 27th

jef_keighley writes: Friends:

I'm in the process of re-organizing my workshop and have planned everything out around the placement of my new dust collection system, but that is not my newest tool. No, my 'newest' tool, bought a couple of weeks ago, to fill out my shop layout design is an old 37-220 Rockwell 6" jointer, probably late 50s or early 60s vintage.

The machine sat in a local artisans shop used for years after it threw a too loose blade, chipping the edge of the infeed table, mushrooming the edge of the blade slot and snapping the blade guard in two. I paid $75 for the machine, took it home and re-worked the cast iron surfaces with emery, steel wool and WD40 to remove all the rust, then Top Coated it. I filed smooth the infeed chip, which doesn't affect the machine in any way. I swaged the mushroomed blade slot back into position and trued it with a file. I pop-riveted the blade guard whole, reinforced with by two 1/8" x 1" galvanized steel straps, at an approximate right angle, to straddle the fracture in the cast aluminum guard. I built a beefier base out of 1" plywood to replace the old inadequate one. I inserted a new set of knives, properly tighted, trued it up, turned it on, and viola...a damn fine little jointer for $75!

So, my 'newest' tool, a very happy find, was likely manufactured when I was still delivering Vancouver Sun newspapers on my bike.

Jef Keighley
Halfmoon Bay, B.C., Canada

PS. I was able to order a replica manual for the Rockwell jointer on line and found it to be a very useful reference.
Posted: 10:16 am on June 27th

FishSlayer writes: Oscar_mann - I'm with you! But one I will disclose is I bought a Bucket Ape for a moderate size job I had to do. Beyond my frustration with their website to find out information, I have to say for $40 it was a great deal.
Posted: 6:37 am on June 27th

oscar_mann writes: I would tell you but my wife might be reading this..
Posted: 6:17 am on June 27th

renosteinke writes: More by circumstance than intent, I just picked up the Graco cordless, airless paint sprayer.

There are a number of Graco models out, as well as a compact corded model (at half the price). The corded version also faces competition by a Harbor Freight version- at 1/10th the price.

You know, this is just the sort of tool that begs for FHB to write about. And, yes, include the cheap Chinese clone- pictures should reveal whether it produces- or not.
Posted: 9:18 pm on June 24th

stevecole writes: I recently bought a Husky organizer from home depot that was reviewed in Fine Homebuilding I believe. it was $30.00 and has two levels that are hinged. ( the top tray lifts up and back to expose the lower tray) the biggest advantage of this is that the small boxes where ya' keep all your goodies are removable. I bought one about a month ago and was so impressed I picked up a second one the other day. I had absolutely no problem filling it up and with all the bits and pieces I have in the shops ( enough to easily start a hardware store of my own).
I'm getting ready to pick up two more the next time I go to town.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who has a lot of little stuff from anchors to screws and specialty nails etc. It's really handy.
One of them is going to be used for when I take my RC trucks to the track.
Posted: 1:09 pm on June 24th

Amish Electrician writes: Not too long ago, I bought a house. Housing bust? Not for those of us who buy things the 'old' way, cash on the barrel.

To prevent further confusion, let all know that I am most definitely 'renegade.' No horse and buggy here!

The house will be lived in as I work. So, my priorities are a bit different. You might think the place has mold / asbestos / radioactive lead problems, the way I have everything tarped off. Every doorway has a sheet across it.

As for tools ... here are some purchases of THIS month:
1) A SMALL cordless circulat saw. A 5-3/4 Makita 18v Li-Ion, matter of fact. This is my first transition piece to Makita and away from DeWalt. With it I will be able to easily cut barely through drywall and panelling - important, since there are wires in the walls I can't turn off;

2) The folks at Shop-Vac just upgraded their vacation plans, since I bought both a 'drywallers' 10-gal. HEPA vac and their air filter. (For some reason, this vac doesn't officially have the EPA 'lead safe' rating, so it costs a LOT less. As best I can tell, HEPA is HEPA, anyway);

3) I'm making plenty of shelves and 'shop furniture.' So, I have bought the Bosch belt sander with the accessory base and fence;

4)Not as sexy, but I bought a tape gun to help me tape all those tarps in place; and,

5) A big T-handle wrench for the water meter.
Posted: 7:33 pm on June 22nd

DanMorrison writes: You mean I can't say here that I bought ANOTHER hammer last weekend?
I was building a shed, and 'letting' my kids and the neighborhood kids 'help' me nail off the subfloor and wall sheathing. Turns out I was one hammer short.
Not anymore.
Posted: 6:47 am on June 22nd

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