Tools you waited too long to acquire

B

Bandit

Well-Known Member
Many of the higher educated should have warning signs on them with years of hands on experience, and maybe a flashing lite. Don't get me wrong there are some dam smart people out there, but trying to get the book learning with some experience and the ability to listen is hard. Remember, as the saying goes, there are new improved idiots everyday.
The electrishin - it's not working, seems to be a programming problem! It's going to take a day to fix!
Me - it's not got a computer, how bout we fix the wire and replace the fuse.
Electrishion - don't touch that, your not trained, and what do you know about it!
I will stop now...".......
 
B

Bandit

Well-Known Member
Agree on the tubing cutter and the Picquic drivers too. I got a small Flir unit from Can. Tire a few years ago, about 350 bucks then, Color screen, load a memory card in it, was great for checking around windows, doors, check for cold spots in walls. Was interesting to go out side in the winter and scan the house looking for warm/hot spots, or from the inside when -20 or more outside. That's when you start to see the real problems. But has not been found so far after our move here.
Yes I have/had a set of Greenlee punchs, not seen them since the move either. Dam fine units.
 
M

Mcgyver

Ultra Member
Susquatch said:
I love moving. It's like Christmas for 20 years afterward as all your treasures slowly find their way to the light.....
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Its like that all time......picture a graph with time on the x axis. there is a line with a downward slope that is memory and one with an upward slope that is shop accumulations. Eventually its like Christmas everytime you open a drawer have been into for a few months.
 
StevSmar

StevSmar

(Steven)
Premium Member
historicalarms said:
months after you signed the insurance sign-off you are still going to use something that you realize "aint there anymore"
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I have a binder where the receipts and manuals of 95% of my tools go into. Providing my binder doesn’t get stolen too…

We’ve just purchased a camera system which also has a couple of indoor wifi cameras, it will be a relief to put one of these in my workshop when we have contractors coming in to do work. When we had the furnace etc. replaced in the spring I packed up all small tools, I still haven’t found all of them yet…
 
Susquatch

Susquatch

Ultra Member
Moderator
Premium Member
historicalarms said:
Break-ins can be the exact opposite , months after you signed the insurance sign-off you are still going to use something that you realize "aint there anymore"
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This is what sends shivers up and down my spine.

Best way to avoid that is good security.

But I think good records also help. Photos of tool drawers and each area of the shop and house also help jog memories.

Life was so carefree when I was 12.
 
StevSmar

StevSmar

(Steven)
Premium Member
Rulers and sliding combination squares which are metric on one side, imperial on the other.

Want imperial- turn the ruler over.
Want metric- turn the ruler over.
(50% probability it will be already be on the correct units…LOL)
 
StevSmar

StevSmar

(Steven)
Premium Member
Janger said:
A few reviewers on the Marks & Timberland sites pan these pants as not very durable and short lived.
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I’ve had them about 2 years.

Most of the kneeling down has been at the cottage in sand, so not very abrasive on the knees like kneeling on concrete would be.

I have caught them on something where it’s made the denim (canvas?) “scratch” a little, but nowhere close to ripping.

They can be a bit hot to wear.

I like how the waist elastic is a bit “exposed” so when I wear them without a shirt tucked in they seem less likely to slide down, not requiring a super tight belt.

So I think they are definitely more durable than wearing jeans. 50% more durable maybe? I wouldn’t go higher than saying 50% though.

I’ve heard good things about Helly-Hanson from coworkers, but have yet to find them.

The knee pads I fitted are from Helly-Hanson, they were cheaper than the Timberland ones and apparently don’t absorb water like the Timeberland ones. I purchased them from Amazon.
 
Susquatch

Susquatch

Ultra Member
Moderator
Premium Member
Janger said:
A few reviewers on the Marks & Timberland sites pan these pants as not very durable and short lived.
Click to expand...

The best pants I have owned were carhardt camo dungarees. The heavy twill is tough and lasts a whole year. I buy new ones in October so they are thickest and heaviest for the winter. The camo gets dirty but nobody notices cuz the camo hides it. I don't generally crawl around on my knees much - and then mostly outdoors. But occasionally my bride has to sew on a knee patch or two cut from last year's pants. This past year I could not find the camo carhardts so I bought regular blue jeans. They only last a month. NOT HAPPY! This fall I might have to get regular carhardts and look as dirty and greasy as I actually am.
 
terry_g

terry_g

Ultra Member
I bought a pair of green Carhartt jeans years ago. I am amazed how long they lasted. They were on their last legs the button hole at the front was fraying badly and the button was pulling out of the fabric. I just could not let them go. I machined out a new button with washers that would clamp the frayed material and sewed some denim behind the button hole. I got another two years out of them. The fabric was getting very thin in places. I could not bear the thought of disposing of them so I gave them to a local second hand store. Someone is probably still wearing them.
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I bought this machine from Amazon.ca. $145.00 to my door. Its slow with the hand crank but has no problem with two 1/8" layers of leather.
I am going to make a new longer shaft for it and drive it with an electric motor one day.
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whydontu

whydontu

I Tried, It Broke
Premium Member
Truly marvelous and useful, and I have no idea why I never bought these before. Hook blade for utility knife. Should be called Amazon blades, nothing works better for opening boxes, and flattening them for recycling. Also does a great job stripping insulation, chamfering wood, cutting sheet plastic.
 

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David_R8

David_R8

Scrapper of metal
Moderator
Premium Member
Susquatch said:
The best pants I have owned were carhardt camo dungarees. The heavy twill is tough and lasts a whole year. I buy new ones in October so they are thickest and heaviest for the winter. The camo gets dirty but nobody notices cuz the camo hides it. I don't generally crawl around on my knees much - and then mostly outdoors. But occasionally my bride has to sew on a knee patch or two cut from last year's pants. This past year I could not find the camo carhardts so I bought regular blue jeans. They only last a month. NOT HAPPY! This fall I might have to get regular carhardts and look as dirty and greasy as I actually am.
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I might have to try some Carrharts as my last two pairs of Levi’s haven’t lasted kissing time.
 
Alawishes

Alawishes

Member
Years ago I bought a 4x6" horizontal bandsaw. That nagging voice in the back of my head said don't do this because you won't be happy. That voice was right -- I hated it. Fast forward a year and someone took it in part trade and I bought a 7x12" bandsaw at Princess. MUCH better saw! The 3/4" blade was infinitely better than the 1/2" of the previous saw, plus it has hydraulic downfeed and coolant. At this point the 7x12 has almost doubled in price so I'm glad I bought it when I did..... worth every cent.
 
J

JustaDB

Ultra Member
whydontu said:
Truly marvelous and useful, and I have no idea why I never bought these before. Hook blade for utility knife. Should be called Amazon blades, nothing works better for opening boxes, and flattening them for recycling. Also does a great job stripping insulation, chamfering wood, cutting sheet plastic.
Click to expand...
Been using these for years to cut asphalt shingles.
 
KeeponDragon

KeeponDragon

Super User
I finally broke down and purchased a cheap plasma cutter...I'm happy to have spent the extra few bucks to get one with pilot arc start.
Consumables are common amongst name brand machines...the included air dryer looks decent...
The fitting kit...well...that went right into the scrap bin...NPT means national pipe TAPER (this shout out to the folks in USA ;) ) not THREAD...sighs...the size of this thing is laughable...pretty sure the lunch box I carried in elementary school was about as big...
But I'm already making parts with it...setup was pretty straightforward...even with the instructions provided...I shouldn't knock the instructions too hard...they were more intelligible than some of the others I've seen...
 
Janger

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
whydontu said:
Truly marvelous and useful, and I have no idea why I never bought these before. Hook blade for utility knife. Should be called Amazon blades, nothing works better for opening boxes, and flattening them for recycling. Also does a great job stripping insulation, chamfering wood, cutting sheet plastic.
Click to expand...
On amazon it's the usual mishmash of weird brands and plenty o flakespot F grades on reviews. Can you recommend a source and brand @whydontu ?
 
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