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We all have favorite tools. We have tools we love to use. How about the ones we are just glad we have at times when we could make do with others but don’t have to.
Here are two of mine that come to mind.
1. My 3/4″ drive B & D impact wrench. I forgave a hundred dollars of debt for it once. It would have cost $400. It will drive a 10″ lag bolt without a pilot hole. It will probably break 1/2″ bolts . I could easily live with a smaller one but am glad I don’t have to.
2. My 6# dead blow hammer. The most expensive hammer I ever bought at $70. It will move or straighten almost anything.
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Hi Mike
Here's a couple of problem solvers that I could work around not having, but prefer to have close by.
Deep cut Porta-band
Auto builder's level
Cell phone
Internet connection
5 ton toe jacks
30 ft. 2 ton chain fall
5 ft pry bar.
Paslode PowerMaster plus (I rarely work in wood)
At least once a week one of these tools turn a "major problem" into a minor inconvience
On a similar note. I just moved out of my favorite truck, and I'm still trying to cope with the change. It was a F 450 diesel, 11 ft. utility body, stuffed full of my tools, with a generator, gas engined air compressor, torches, and a 3200# crane on the corner. Put a 16' utility trailer behind it and I was set. Talk about feeling like you could handle anything the company threw at you!
Excuse the extra ramblin, its late, I'm tired, and I miss my truck!
Scott
*Mike,My Knack job boxes. Tools secure over night and you don't have to load and unload all those tools everyday. Only had one stolen. Lost big with that one.Line boring machine....all those holes!Porter Cable door planer...wouldn't hang a door without one. Beats the hell out of my old hand plane.Porter Cable lock mortise router. The day they stop making that, I'll retire.Cordless drill....God Bless 'em.Many, many more..too much to mention.The sawzall goes without saying.Ed. Williams
*Crow bar
*End nippersHey Mark - that "crow bar", is that a candy bar you carry around just in case you need it quick? I could use some of them on a regular basis! - jb
*My grandfather's hand planes--- they don't work any better then my new ones, but they sure do make me feel good when I use them.Bucket bosses--- just got my first one for Christmas, man those things are handy.Roof ripper--- Don't use it much anymore, but when did it saved me alot of backache.Dovetail saw--- I just seem to use that thing all the time.Vix bits--- gotta love 'em.Being a tool junkie this list could go on forever so I think I'll stop here.Richard Max
*Jim,you'd better see a doc. sounds like you got insulin problems.
*A couple of tools that I really love. Dewalt 1/2 drive impact wrench. I just framed a house with 45 HD10A's (a simpson holddown.) That equals 225 7/8" nuts to drive. this made this tool priceless. The other tool that is a joy for me to use is the paslode positive placement. As long as its around i'll never mash my thumb nailing those small teco nails again. A 1ton cable puller gets used often to align framing members that need some muscle. A just bought a bolt marker from roofframetool.com and was sold with the first use. Great tools all of them
*Two inch Slick. Coil roofing nailer. 5 in 1 painter's tool. Churchkey. Transfer Log Scribe.Power saws. Lastly, the original Fein Detail Sander w/saw blade.
*LJ Smith's baluster level/marker. Does this baby save time or what? And how 'bout the baluster drilling jig for dowel screws, and that nifty dowel screw installation thing? Zip, zop, zap, more time to take a nap.Ditto on the PC door planer, but I use it more for other stuff than I do on doors.The biggest router you can buy. And a couple of smaller ones.A cheap air hammer. Sharpen one of the chisles and you can hog off some wood. Magnetize a holder and you've got a handy dandy nail driver for joist hangers or other tight spaces, and it'll clean your teeth quick when you've had ribs for lunch.Just a tool of the trades, BB
*My Hart 17oz Woody, my wrist stopped hurting me when I replaced my old Estwing with this.My new Makita 12" cmpd mitre saw, beautiful machine.Senco finish nailer.My old Stanley low-angle block plane - Gramp you were right, these things are real handy.Rich, I agree, the Bucket Boss is just the greatest.Speed Square.Anything made by DeWalt, Porter-Cable, Makita, or Bosch.
*I really love the new Bosch rotary hammer 11236VS. It isa magic that you can hold with your hands.
*9.6V DeWalt cordless drillPaslode cordless finish nailerBucket Boss (but I need even MORE pockets!!!)Reciprocating Saw"Wonder Bar" pry bar Utility Knife with sharp, heavy duty bladesB&D Sandstorm 3-in-1 Sander
*I have a Hilti hammer drill that my father left me - it is 20 years old if it's a day. It still amazes me how tough that thing is and how fast it drills through stone. And, of course, Paslode finish nailer.
*Just got those little halogen clip-on-the-bill-of-your-cap lights. Use it to get into and leave houses now that it's dark in the morning and dark in the evening coming and going to work. Great for hanging doors and aligning reveals, etc., in darker areas - don't have to drag a big halogen around anymore, one more thing plugged into an already overloaded 20 amp circuit, kicking the breaker, yadda yadda yadda.American Designs miter saw stand. Got both 8 foot extensions, 2 flip stops, stick on tape that's very accurate. There's not a better one on the market today. Could still be using the one I built eight years ago (or an old door blank like some guys do), but wouldn't be as efficient.
*My Safety glasses. Six years ago I was rebuilding my blown down post and panel fence in England. Step one was remove the affected panels and posts. That was heavy work but simple enough. Step 2 was remove the concrete from the salvagable posts. No worries, just whip out the old 5lb sledge and whack away! The first few hits were: Aim,swing hard, and shut eyes tight just before the hit. Well, I finally decided to stop being a knucklehead and walked around the house and get my safety glasses out of the shed and wear them. The very next hit a 50 cent piece sized chunk of cement bounced off the lense! I be SOLD!
*Prazi Big Lug (most recent gadget/tool jones fix), Tweaker, Quick Grips, and for years now, a flip-around pilot/drive bit extension for my cordless. First ones my partner and I used were Makitas -- smaller than the ones I get now marketed by DeWalt, though curiously similar. Used to own a scenery company, and when we were just getting started, we couldn't afford air tools, so we drywall screwed/glued most every thing together. These days I find that I toe-screw framing when needed (still don't have a framing gun) and also tend to screw wall frames to existing joists in the basements I've been finishing because it's easier to do one-handed.
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We all have favorite tools. We have tools we love to use. How about the ones we are just glad we have at times when we could make do with others but don't have to.
Here are two of mine that come to mind.
1. My 3/4" drive B & D impact wrench. I forgave a hundred dollars of debt for it once. It would have cost $400. It will drive a 10" lag bolt without a pilot hole. It will probably break 1/2" bolts . I could easily live with a smaller one but am glad I don't have to.
2. My 6# dead blow hammer. The most expensive hammer I ever bought at $70. It will move or straighten almost anything.