Okay Gang, help me buy my husband a cool tool for Christmas! We’re hiring a contractor to remodel our newest home purchase, but there is always something we do ourselves – usually demo. He has reciprocating, miter, wet saws, pancake air compressor with brad and finish nailers (that was last Xmas’ gift), all sorts of specialty items, power washer, platform and mult-hinge ladders, you name it. What’s left?
Personally, I’d like a garage organizer but him using that is as likely as him getting rid of his countless numbers of baseball caps!
What tool can’t you live without, now that you have one?
Replies
60' boom lift, or telescoping forklift.
If he hasn't been that good this year, a Fein Multi-tool is always a winner or a cordless impact driver (My 12V. Makita is a keeper, but there are other good ones).
All FABULOUS suggestions! I knew I asked the right guys. The census seems to be the impact drill and the Fein Multi-Tool. I like the CD on using the miter saw, too. (The most "cussing, swearing and throwing" I've ever experienced was during the crown moulding project!)
I couldn't possibly list all he has as HE is the one his friends come to borrow from! He doesn't really have a favorite brand - he just buys the top-of-the-line in whatever category. He has a couple of routers and bought himself a huge bit set already. The air compressor has been the best gift ever (Porter & Cable). One day in the tool section he pointed out the compressor and said, "Pancake air compressors open up a whole new relm of tools to buy!" Other than the nailers and a paint sprayer, I can't think of anything else to hook up to it. It came with a 17-piece set of valves and little attachments.
Thanks for the great ideas. You guys are the greatest. By far the BEST resource I have found for all my project questions. I hope Santa brings each of you a 60' boom lift AND a telescoping forklift!
BG
"Pancake air compressors open up a whole new relm of tools to buy!"
Just a quick thought to add to that - Does he do any mechanical work on cars/trucks?
If he does, he might like an impact wrench and sockets.The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided. [Casey Stengel]
Does he do any mechanical work on cars/trucks?
Thankfully for our cars' sake, no! ;)
But, thanks for the excellent idea.
Here is a good stocking stuffer to go with the CD's
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DCBLW/qid%3D1100212239/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-8342216-8496926
Starrett 505A-12 ProSite Protractor
I agree with the impact driver. Once you go impact you never go back. Mines Milwaukee!!
Impact driver, 4.5" side grinder, electric hand planer (not the old fashioned Stanley #4 type), laser level.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Kreg pocket hole jig. Pro set. About $130.
BG, if he's interested in finishing out your remodel, maybe the two dvd's "Mastering the Miter Saw" by FHB contributing editor Gary Katz. You can find it at auction here http://quittintime.infopop.cc/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=auction
Whole heartedly agree on the Fein Multimaster and the Kreg jig, the impact driver if he drills alot. He might get a bunch of uses out of the angle grinder. A random orbital sander or a bosch jigsaw rounds out a shop with usable tools. Does he have a table saw? Bosch, PC and Default have nice HD portable saws capable of wide rips.
There's always the gift certificate, a bottle of wine and the weekend with you.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
18v cordless kit from Bosch or Dewalt.
or DW you say....
Turn in yur milk bones and go stand in the corner...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
I wouldn't buy one, but it is still an option....
and I think I'm going to get that yellow belt sander I mentioned...
but thats it...
This time
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
12V impact driver, makes 18V cordless drills almost obsolete.
what a fun question! -[where did he find you? I think my girlfriend
should spend some time with you!]- I'd havto agree about the impact
driver. makita has a deal right now where if you buy the 12v
or 14.4v impact driver, you get a free cordless. Another idea is a grab
bag of clamps, extention cords, construction calculator, nice hammer,
drill bits, a few rolls of double-stick tape, etc... I know it sounds
'kinna boring but I know I would really love that. does he have router?
if not that would be a great gift, if he does you could get him router
bits.
Edited 11/11/2004 4:58 am ET by skyecore
Add Sears triple head contour hand held sander
" What tool can't you live without, now that you have one? "
Absoluty, a stocking stuffer for under 35 bells
A Gomboy Folding Japanese Saw from Highland Hardware.com
So Handy, and the little bugger will cut a 2x4 in about 8 pulls when a sharp blade is in it. New blades are almost as much as a new saw, but with care, they last a LONG time.
here is the link..
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http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5286
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.Â
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Edited 11/11/2004 8:06 am ET by SPHERE
Lee Valley has a decent Japanese saw ... non-folding ... with a generic plastic handle ... for less. And it's a neat saw. When you need to make one or two cuts, it's a whole lot faster than even pulling out a cordless saw, and quieter.
Interesting idea on the extension cord. Buy a 50 ft 12 ga cord with a 3-way end. Kind of a wierd gift, but very useful and decent quality.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
yeah but, this little guy fits real well in a tool bag..for up on a ladder or smidgin a fascia board. Also protects the blade.
right on about the cord.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Interesting idea on the extension cord. Buy a 50 ft 12 ga cord with a 3-way end. Kind of a wierd gift, but very useful and decent quality.
You can never have too many 12ga extension cords.
jt8
other pnumatic tools for his compressor? does he have a framing nailer? Im not sure about north-cal. but here in oregon we havto use round-head nails, so make sure to get him one that shoots the right nails.. if in doubt, get a full-round-head nailer.
A gift certificate to a local massuse (sp?) is a thoughtful gift for anyone, anytime.
A ticket for a (Mariners) spring training vacation package will make the gloomiest February worth living through.
Got the massage gift certificate for our anniversary (still hasn't used it). And, he and his Dad go to Mariner's Spring Training every year!
Like I said, hard to shop for!
Got the massage gift certificate for our anniversary (still hasn't used it). And, he and his Dad go to Mariner's Spring Training every year!
You bought him a massage certificate and you still haven't used it yet?! That's about like a guy buying his wife a set of new ratchets. :)
jt8
LOL!
Get em one of those new 'Paulbeesquare" from ronco. every xmas tree should have one.
???
Buy the man a real hammer......................
http://www.douglastool.com/"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Cords, a bit prosaic, are a good idea.
A small time contractor, a one man shop, got a gift from his wife.
1 - 100' #12 extension cord
2 - 50' "
4 - 25' " with a three-way end.
All high-quality commercial-duty cords in the same bright green color.
Shortly after Christmas he was asking what it meant: 'What was she thinking?', 'Is she trying to tell me something?' He wasn't displeased just perplexed.
After he got back to work following the holidays he started praising the gift idea. He got rid of his collection of dangerously worn and abused cords and enjoyed always having the right cord for the job and enough to keep all the power tools plugged in at once. A big time saver.
I was glad to see the old cords, some with stranded copper sticking out of slits and breaks, off the job. I find it funny, in a scary sort of way, that people who keep their tools and truck in immaculate condition roundly neglect the extension cords and resort to lamp cords and cord caps that you have to jiggle to make work. Somehow there is always money for a new tools while the cords that feed them limp along with a bit more tape. Sometimes not even electrical tape.
I like the cord idea, too. I can never find one in the garage the right length I need. Plus, with two homes - one in remodel - things are never at the house you need them! It would be a selfish gift that he would like.
I've resorted to buying my own tools and hiding them so I can find things I need. I may need to buy two sets of each and hide one!
FYI - I got him the cords in prep for our next project. HD sells a heavy duty 100' with a 12' extension with the 3-way outlet you mention. I also bought the 50' and 25'. The 12' can be used in all of them!
I'm still getting other little stuff, but my Mom needed an idea for him and is springing for either the Fein or a Dremmel with all the attachments.
Happy Holidays -
BG
cool! good decision! (by the way, tell mom to get the fein)
-->
measure once
scribble several lines
spend some time figuring out wich scribble
cut the wrong line
get mad
Not being a 12-step level tool-a-holic like the rest of you, what is the difference between the Fein and the Dremmel? Is Dremmel the DIY tool and Fein the Pro? The triangular head of the Fein looks ackward to work with...is it?
Knowing my Mom, she'll get him the one with the most attachments and buy them all! (Not bad to have a tool freak MIL that likes to buy stuff!)
indeed not a bad thing.. i assume youre talking about the fein multimaster but im not sure which dremel tool your thinking of but i assume you mean the detail sander. The fein is nice because there are many usefull atatchments such as flush-cut saw attatchment, and yes it is a quality tool.i havent used the dremel but i havent heard any thing good about it. Hopefully somone will speak up who's used it before.I think what i would look into if i were your mom is the bosch 1278vsk mini belt sander, much more aggressivehttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000223H1/qid=1102533986/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl60/104-1640982-1008714?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846-->
measure once
scribble several lines
spend some time figuring out wich scribble
cut the wrong line
get mad
.
do we get a gift for helping? i could sure use some stuff..
You'll have to ask Santa. I can only deal with one hard-to-shop-for guy at a time!
This looks very cool! Our new home has a 1/2 acre of overgrown trees and bushes that he's dying to take a wack at! This looks handy to hang on his belt for impromptu pruning! Plus, it would be great for those small cuts and places a large saw can't get to.
Thanks for the link, too.
Everyone has offered some good sugestions, but none of us really know what he has and/or wants. So 2 suggestions come to mind.
First, ask his friends. Maybe he's borrowed a tool from them recently and said he wished he had one. Or he may have mentioned to one of them that he really would like to have something.
Second, take some clues from what he has AND says about his tools. If he has mostly one brand of tools, that's probably his favorite. Stick with what he likes. If he swears at his cordless drill and regularly throws it up against the wall, it may be time to get him one of those.
We, too, born to freedom, and believing in freedom, are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We, and all others who believe as deeply as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees. [Franklin Delano Roosevelt]
Here's a few of my links from my tools folder in my favorites. Trust me I'm a guy whose wife thinks has everything. And this is a very small list of the stuff I still want and can use.
http://www.fastcap.com/prod.asp?page=3rdhand
http://www.medfordtools.com/occidental/systems/5087.html
http://www.miterclamp.com/index.htm
http://www.medfordtools.com/occidental/systems/5600.html
http://www.garrettwade.com/jump.jsp?lGen=detail&itemID=106619&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&iProductID=106619
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/tool.html?id=975
http://www.tajimatool.com/shopping/2inkrite.htm
http://www.vetopropac.com/home.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009OLI7/qid=1084071394/br=2-3/ref=br_ts_slwth_th_3/103-5384440-1985423?v=glance&s=hi&n=553256
http://www.mcroseleathers.com/default.htm
http://www.jackrabbittool.com/index.html
Who Dares Wins.
Another thought. You might want to go in the direction of something else un related to what he does all the time. Fly casting lessons? It's the unique things I always cherish.
Who Dares Wins.
That's a nice folding saw, but I don't think it's meant to prune trees. I suspect the teeth are too fine. There are similar pruning saws available.
Maybe a gift ceretificate from Lee Valley Tools.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Then I'll avoid it as he uses whatever is at hand sometimes for the current job. It's cruel to tools, but he does it anyway!
Cool..I am so glad ya didn't say get him a hooker.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
No but you can pick something off that list and mail it to me. You think Im trying to help? Just dropping hints for you guys.Who Dares Wins.
Excellent resources, Gunner. And I too am glad you didn't suggest the hooker. They are way too expensive here in NorCal ;} I will work through your list when he's not looking over my shoulder. And for the record, he's not in the trade just an avid DIYr. However, he spent his college summers working as an installer for a meticulous, German cabinet maker with eyebrows that make Andy Rooney look well coifed.
We've got the fly fishing thing covered. MIL has a place in Sun Valley, ID and one year got us his-and-hers handmade grafite rods! (I can hear you all drooling!) We fish less now that we have a 3 year old, but most excursions included me getting the largest rainbow and him crumbling at how many times I snag branches with my line! We're not long before the family can do that together.
Tx - BG
I have a lot of tools, but some that I went without for a long time, but then took the plunge and wondered "why did I wait so long?"
One of these is a Honda powered Pressure washer with "Cat" pump. I bought it for a big deck renovation for a customer about 5 years ago and now use it frequently, from deck and concrete cleaning to a once-a-month scouring of our parrot's cages, cleaning the algae off DW's deck pots and uyard furniture in the winter or blasting the mudsicles off my truck (we live down a couple miles of gravel road).
Great tool....about $6-700 for a good one. Less for a used rental, or one to be used lightly.
What is a cat pump? Do you stick something up the poor kitty's rectum?
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Well, I suppose you could do that if so inclined.
Actually Cat (not Caterpiller) is a manufacturer of high quality pumps that have an exceptional longevity record with portable pressure washers.
They add a little to the cost, but are worth it, as with any upcharge for a quality tool.
buy him a fishing pole so he can get out of the contractors way. lol
Trust me - I want him out of the way, too!
In his defense, he demo'd our entire fireplace - chimney down to the pad - by himself with an electric jackhammer in one Saturday. Then he put a Velox skylight in the hole and recycled all the bricks which now are used in our landscaping and as a new front entry. He has his moments...
Get him the garage organizer.....youll be doing him a big favor.
blue
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
So, who's going to get him to put everything away?
Seriously, what is the cure for someone who uses his workbench as a dumping ground?
Well, you could put it away, he'd think he lost it. Reminds me of my daughter forever...........did anyone see where?...............where you left it dear.
Make him do this for a living...........he'd have to know where it is or it'd cost him money.
Paint those halo's on the shelf or board on the wall, might convince him it's not put away.
No smooch'in till you put those tools where they belong.
There are ways.
Best of luck.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
I think the halo idea is great. We should be done with the new bath portion of the project by February (his birthday) so I'm going to save the garage organization for then. (We're stealing one corner of the very large garage for another bath. It's creating the perfect corner for his utility sink and workbench-storage wall.
I have a girlfriend who does all those fancy stencils in her house. I think I can get her help on this project and perhaps it will motivate him to put things away!
Thanks!
We'll see, bad habits are hard to break. Best of luck.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Maybe I should just opt for sorting bids like I do for my son: power tools in the yellow bin, hand tools in the red bin, small mis-matched things in the green bin...
;)
Buildergrrl, the key is having adequate storage facilities. Everyone dumps their stuff on the workbench...because there's no place else to put it!
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
IMHO any of the 'Leatherman' line of pocket tools makes a fine gift. A bit over $100 for the top titanium models down to about $20 for the mini-pliers or scissors.
The smaller 'Juice' line and scissors, about $25, are great for office folks who do better with smaller tools and ones that will disappear into purse or pants pocket until needed.
The original 'Leatherman' at about $55, renamed PST I and II with the II having a nice pair of folding scissors that are great for moleskin, are middle sized. Large enough for real work on a homebuilding site but still small enough to fit into a pocket.
I have one of these. It was my all purpose unit always on hand and good as knife and on-the-spot tool. Mostly this smaller unit gets used when I dress up. The black leather case discreetly sitting on a black belt and often under a jacket.
More recently I have purchased a 'Wave', about $70. The knife blades are easier to deploy. Simple and as fast as take tool out and flipping the blade open with a thumb in one smooth motion. This unit is nice and it has become my every day companion. I kind of feel naked without it. It is slightly larger than my 'original Leatherman' unit. Too big to slip easily into a pocket unless your trying to impress the ladies.
There are other brands. Gerber has a following but IMHO lacks functionality. SOG has a fine reputation but never strikes me as getting as 'right' in form and blades I need as Leatherman. Surely a judgment call on my part. Many think SOG is the cat's-meow.
An advantage with these units is that what they lack in 'gee whiz, knock-your-socks-off big dollar gifts they make up in everyday utility. A day doesn't go by without me using mine at least once. This brings the gift giver to mind with every use. Additional attention and love can be expressed if the tool is engraved with the name of the owner or a special message. An easy job for a good jeweler.
Tip: If the receiver is likely to use the tool on the job with coworkers present try to keep any obvious engraving to something he or she will not get laughed off the site for. Most of these tools have engravible interior areas that can contain, in a reasonable privacy, potentially embarrassing pet names or sentiments. Engraving also lasts longer on interior spaces.
Pocket tools are not high profile gifts, unless the receiver is a highly discerning sort, but they are good and can act as a solid second to another gift. Often two smaller gifts are better than one large one.
Be well. I'm sure he will love whatever you chose.
Cordless set... 18v Bosch...
SDS drill...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!