Tools you waited too long to acquire

[FatherWes]

My experience has also thought me to not trust temperature measurements using IR guns on shiny metal, especially stainless or aluminum, but bearing races too. Spray a tiny spot of black paint on the surface and measure off that.
@chickenlights highlighted the other, more correct way of dealing with different surface finishes: adjust the emissivity.
I always found it easier to spray the black dot than remember what emissivity to use.

 

[Chicken lights]

@Chicken lights - Mcgyver is right (as usual). The laser is just for aiming.

Why do you say the laser is only for aiming?

While the exact temp might be extremely important when your baby has a fever, it really isn't that important when you are measuring the temperature of a bearing by measuring the metal next to it.

True. But for chasing cooling system problems, it's going to be accurate enough, if I'm looking at 180* spots then find one hose that's 0*, that's a big enough gap to isolate the problem

 

[Chicken lights]

Have you considered a thermal camera instead? FAR more useful than a little laser thermometer. I have the Seek Reveal Pro - really good bang/buck for a 320x240 sensor. I rarely grab my cheapo Canadian Tire laser thing anymore.

No, I haven't, but I would happily borrow yours to give one a try

 

[Susquatch]

I dunno but it made sense to at least go middle ground, away from the cheaper ones

I read the article. It is many pages long and only focusses in on emissivity. I choose to agree with their comments but disagree with their recommendations. Consumers is not always right. For that matter, most pots radiate a significant amount of heat themselves which means they WILL BE Slightly cooler. It might be an insignificant point with a pot of boiling water, but other examples would produce radically different results. Eg, why can you hold the metal pot handle? Shouldn't it be 212 too? The answer is that balance I mentioned earlier. There are many many factors that affect heat transfer. It's an entire course in an engineering education and that's only an introduction.

I do agree with @FatherWes. But when it matters I've always used tape instead, and it usually doesn't matter.

Why do you say the laser is only for aiming?

The laser doesn't play a role in measuring the temperature. It only shows where the device is aiming. Other sensors in the instrument do the actual measuring, not the laser (s).

True. But for chasing cooling system problems, it's going to be accurate enough, if I'm looking at 180* spots then find one hose that's 0*, that's a big enough gap to isolate the problem

RIGHT ON! THIS IS EXACTLY MY POINT!

 

[SomeGuy]

No, I haven't, but I would happily borrow yours to give one a try

If you're nearby, I'd happily bring it by for you to try out.

Wow. I searched on Amazon and thought, yeah, I can afford that. Then I realized I was looking at the price for the screen protector! $729 .... don't need it that badly

The FLIR One devices that use your phone are more affordable...but yeah, thermal cameras aren't cheap. Anything under $1000 is considered cheap, most higher end FLIR standalone devices are thousands.

 

[Susquatch]

The FLIR One devices that use your phone are more affordable...but yeah, thermal cameras aren't cheap. Anything under $1000 is considered cheap, most higher end FLIR standalone devices are thousands.

If @TorontoBuilder was active right now (he is on sick leave), he would be all over this.

For those who need to know how temperature varies with location, these devices pay their way. They work great to find places where your home is losing heat or how well your duct system is distributing heat, but they are inherently expensive.

If you happen to have one, I can imagine many many uses. But, I'd rather spend that kind of money on tooling.

 

[Chicken lights]

Eg, why can you hold the metal pot handle? Shouldn't it be 212 too?

Hear me out- most pot handles are insulated to attenuate the temperature of said pot contents

Those of us in the know, like your lovely bride, also have a couple tricks such as using an oven mitt or a dish towel to help pick up said hot pots

 

[Chicken lights]

If you're nearby, I'd happily bring it by for you to try out.

Which end of Canada are you in, again?

I would be interested in seeing the difference, between the two devices . Thanks

 

[SomeGuy]

Which end of Canada are you in, again?

I would be interested in seeing the difference, between the two devices . Thanks

South Western Ontario sir.

If @TorontoBuilder was active right now (he is on sick leave), he would be all over this.

For those who need to know how temperature varies with location, these devices pay their way. They work great to find places where your home is losing heat or how well your duct system is distributing heat, but they are inherently expensive.

If you happen to have one, I can imagine many many uses. But, I'd rather spend that kind of money on tooling.

Since I do way more than just machining, and it was a gift from my wife lol, I don't mind having one. Good for automotive troubleshooting, home insulation as mentioned (has been great while I finish my basement to find spots that need attention), electronics stuff too...

Here's examples of the imaging off the camera:

 

[Susquatch]

Hear me out- most pot handles are insulated to attenuate the temperature of said pot contents.

Exactly! That's why I chose to use it as an example. Insulation is just a substance or a construction with a low rate of heat conductivity.

Those of us in the know, like your lovely bride, also have a couple tricks such as using an oven mitt or a dish towel to help pick up said hot pots

She is an expert at how to hold a hot handle.......

FWIW, I don't get to pick her pots. She would kill me if I bought her one without her input.

It was really only intended to point out the flaws of only looking at one aspect of heat transfer the way that consumers did in that article. It is a very complex subject. One can spend 4 hours in an engineering class room twice a week for 4 months and only begin to know how much one does not know.

 

[CWret]

My 5 yr old Can Tire thermometer was on for half price. It’s been good for me and still working just fine. As Susq said - its mostly the relative (comparative) number that counts - like when i used it to measure the running temp of my compressor - then installed a fan and saw a significant temp reduction. (see my post #s 33 &34 in the thread “my compressor tank has a leak”)

 

[Chicken lights]

South Western Ontario sir.



Since I do way more than just machining, and it was a gift from my wife lol, I don't mind having one. Good for automotive troubleshooting, home insulation as mentioned (has been great while I finish my basement to find spots that need attention), electronics stuff too...

Here's examples of the imaging off the camera:

Dumb question- well two, you can take still shots with your camera? It's not just a live view on a screen?

Edit- what's the top end temp range? I saw like 30* C in the vid, can it do like 250*F?

 

[SomeGuy]

Dumb question- well two, you can take still shots with your camera? It's not just a live view on a screen?

Edit- what's the top end temp range? I saw like 30* C in the vid, can it do like 250*F?

Yes, you can take static images, connect via usb to a computer to offload. It doesn't do video, some of the FLIR ones can.

Goes from -40c to 330c so pretty wide range, but not like you're going to get accurate temps on a burner or torch.

 

[CWret]

Another option is Tempilstick.
These are like a crayon that melts at a set temperature. Rated at +/-3% accuracy. Mine are very old and from the back of the tool box (see pic). They are still available, a set of 20 (evenly spaced temperatures from 125 to 800 degrees F) at $390 from Canadian Welding Supply
We used these for temperature checks when pre-heating bearings.

 

[Susquatch]

And of course, there is always thermocouples! Not often very convenient, but quite accurate when used correctly.

 

[slow-poke]

++ on the Greenlee punches. I have a few, but need a couple more.


I recently picked up a tubing cutter, waited way too long for this one.

 

[whydontu]

++ on the Greenlee punches. I have a few, but need a couple more.


I recently picked up a tubing cutter, waited way too long for this one.
View attachment 37891

Pro tip: don’t let a recent technical school grad anywhere near these.

Me: high school dropout.

Grad: piece of paper defining his knowledge of all things instrumental and piping.

Me: only use this on plastic tubing

Grad: uses them to try to cut wire-reinforced hydraulic hose. Grad is 6’2”, 220 lbs

Me: off to buy a new blade. Sigh.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I've got one of those, that was awesome for doing pex plumbing. I've also got a nicer one at work for cutting plastic airlines for pneumatic fixtures. That one doesn't get loaned lol. Once you use one, you can't go back to the olfa knife.

 

[Canadium]

I bet some of you here will laugh but one thing I wish I had got sooner is my Picquic screw drivers. I used to avoid multi bit screwdrivers like the plague because all the ones I had ever used were cheap flimsy and awkward to use ... until I discovered Picquics that is. I find they help with the chaos in my shop because instead of several screwdrivers on my bench I only need one and they are a great design. The bits can even be used in my cordless drill which makes them double handy. And of course half the fun is that they were designed and manufactured in CANADA!!! Never mind the pale crappy American imitations by companies like Milwaukee. Those are probably patent violations or at least should be. I guess they know a good thing when they see one!

 

[slow-poke]

Pro tip: don’t let a recent technical school grad anywhere near these.

Me: high school dropout.

Grad: piece of paper defining his knowledge of all things instrumental and piping.

Me: only use this on plastic tubing

Grad: uses them to try to cut wire-reinforced hydraulic hose. Grad is 6’2”, 220 lbs

Me: off to buy a new blade. Sigh.

Some people can break a cannon ball in a sandbox with their bare hands.