Author Topic: My favourite tool (Read 24191 times)

hatler · « **on:** 16 December, 2016, 05:57:58 pm »

Having spent a couple of days fettling recently it occurred to me that I have some definite favourite tools in my various boxes, chests, wall boards.

What makes them favourites ? Hard to tell really, it's an unquantifiable combination of feel, efficiency (both from a minimalist amount of material used in its construction and also how efficiently it converts your muscle power into a useful effect), precision, neatness for the task at hand, how often you use it, provenance, ooooo, and at least a few others. What I can't do is even begin to weight each of these factors in any meaningful way.

And the results ? The jury's still out, but when I come to a conclusion, I'll be sure to update this thread, and with photo(s).

And you ?

rogerzilla · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:01:55 pm »

Nigel Farage.

Oh hang on, that jumped threads.

Kim · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:02:30 pm »

Quote from: rogerzilla on 16 December, 2016, 06:01:55 pm

Nigel Farage.

I was expecting the chainwhip...

hatler · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:09:41 pm »

Poor show 'zilla. That was nearly four minutes before you assumed NSFW and derailed. Could do better.

bobb · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:16:13 pm »

My favourite tool is my Japanese saw rasp. It's simple and inexpensive, but a joy to use

Polar Bear · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:16:39 pm »

I have a Stanley screwdriver which has a shaft which pops out and reverses, and in each end is a bit with two different sized screwdriver heads. One end is for slotted head screws, the other for crosshead / posidriv. Even better, take out the screwdriver bit and there are two differently sized hex cross sections, perfect for such hex nuts as one gets on the back of rack mounted lights or the cable clamp nut on older mechs.

It's my number one go to screwdriver.

Polar Bear · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:20:13 pm »

Dad had a couple of different Stanley Yankee pump screwdrivers. They were awesome bits of kit which my bloody brother snaffled. He doesn't appreciate good tools, just hordes stuff and never uses it.

mmmmartin · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:31:24 pm »

My fave is the bike workstand i bought on eBay for about £35, it's been a really useful purchase. Made a big difference to working on the bikes.
Most recent advance was my falling asleep on the sofa after returning from seven weeks riding in Norway and waking to discover Mrs Mmmmartin and daughter had cleared all the junk out of the shed, making room for me to work on the bikes.
A very nice individual tool was the Park Tools cable cutter which I use very rarely but is a joy to handle and does a great job. I also have a rubbish cable cutter that was a fraction of the price of the Park Tool one and taught me a lesson in buying crap tools. So that was money well spent.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:40:56 pm »

My DK Random Wrench. It's sold for BMXers but is the ultimate fixie tool.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 December, 2016, 06:55:43 pm »

Has to be the double-ended adjustable spanner. Imperial at one end and metric at the other.

Torslanda · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 December, 2016, 07:28:00 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 16 December, 2016, 06:55:43 pm

Has to be the double-ended adjustable spanner. Imperial at one end and metric at the other.

In the same box as the left handed hammer . . .

I have a Snap-On-Alike ratchet screwdriver with bit storage in the handle. In the handle are 2,2.5,3,4,5 & 6mm hex, T20,25 & 30, #2 pozi & 5mm flat blade bits. Yes, the handle is that big.

I spend most of the day looking for it after putting it down 30 seconds ago.

robgul · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 December, 2016, 07:46:21 pm »

Hard to narrow it down to just one tool from what appears to be pretty vast selection spread across various genres (bicycles, woodworking, car maintenance, plumbing, building etc) - my top 5 (in no particular order, they're all great):

1 Stanley Pump Screwdriver (or Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver to be more accurate - the long one) - c 1980
2 Bradawl - c 1971
3 Draper brake/gear cable puller extra hand tool - c 2005
4 Set of Allen keys with "screwdriver" handles (these pre-date the T-shaped variety) from when I used to work on graphic arts cameras and small printing machines - c 1982
5 Eclipse steel square, was my grandfathers - c 1950

... that's 5 but the Ultrasonic Cleaning machine I bought last year is pretty useful.

Rob

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 December, 2016, 08:11:11 pm »

Makita cordless Li-ion 18v thingy. I'm wearing it out though

. I had a ni-cad equivalent but can't be bothered to replace the batteries. Bosch laser tape measure. Box of chisels, the best being a morticing job by Robert Sorby and a 1.5 inch bevel by R.M.E Huish of Fetter Lane EC4, (none of my chisels match).

Other than the above, which I carry around, my favourite tool is the one I need next. It's usually in France when I am in the UK or vice versa.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 December, 2016, 08:47:50 pm »

Ryobi cordless drill/driver. Had it for about 8 years. Mostly get used to drive screws but also to drill holes in masonry etc. Fantastic tool.

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 December, 2016, 09:41:14 pm »

Quote from: mrcharly on 16 December, 2016, 08:47:50 pm

Ryobi cordless drill/driver. Had it for about 8 years. Mostly get used to drive screws but also to drill holes in masonry etc. Fantastic tool.

My Makita is pants at masonry

I also have a corded Makita that I tried to drill rocks with and it just burns out the bits. So I bought a cheapo corded SDS rotary hammer that does the job effortlessly. Erbauer with a 3 year g'tee, when it packed they replaced it f.o.c.

Now on this one

2 year g'tee

canny colin · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 December, 2016, 10:43:55 pm »

Once upon a time when I was an apprentice , I was sitting in a shed getting my Bait ( lunch ) . When a horrid old ogre Said to me . " whats the best tool a tradesman can use " . I replied a stabila level or a whs /tyzac trowel . " No you f*cking dipstick it's your eyes & I can see your corner is pissed" , replied the old git with glee . Sure enough the foreman bricklayer was right I had inverted the gauge lath & was bumping up instead of grinding down . So now when the new blades say look at that old git taken a breather , they are wrong I am eyeing things up . Bloody amazing thinks your old "mince pies"

ElyDave · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 December, 2016, 11:21:07 pm »

Quote from: Polar Bear on 16 December, 2016, 06:20:13 pm

Dad had a couple of different Stanley Yankee pump screwdrivers. They were awesome bits of kit which my bloody brother snaffled. He doesn't appreciate good tools, just hordes stuff and never uses it.

My dad had some of those, got them from his dad, no idea where they've gone whether they were got rid of or not. I have some of his other old woodworking tools. I'll have to ask next time I see him.

I'll have a think about mine as I put my new office any gym together.

Kim · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 December, 2016, 11:23:15 pm »

My bicycle.

hellymedic · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 December, 2016, 11:39:10 pm »

My Leatherman Micra.
If I were more mobile, I'd nominate something more substantial.

But it's kind of handy to have sharp scissors, a good blade, three screwdrivers, a bottle-opener, tweezers and a file within reach at almost all times.

It lives in my bumbag, on the counter in front of me.

It also has the great advantage of not getting 'borrowed' by Partner!

Pedaldog. · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 December, 2016, 11:52:45 pm »

A good, solid and sturdy, set of mole grips.

andrewc · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 December, 2016, 11:55:37 pm »

Leatherman Squirt is usually in my pocket. It does lots of things adequately & saves me looking for proper tools.

Good quality ball headed allen keys are nice when working on the bike & my Shimano cable cutters impressed Torslanda...

ElyDave · « **Reply #21 on:** 17 December, 2016, 06:45:49 am »

I used to carry a Swiss Army or Leatherman in my pocket at all times, then the rules changed on flights and it's not worth the hassle any more. They tend to stay on the bedside table these days

T42 · « **Reply #22 on:** 17 December, 2016, 08:58:20 am »

Probably my General Tools pocket scriber, not that it has that much application for bikes apart from spreading the squashed ends of just-cut cable outers. Other than that it's good for marking centres, marking up wood for cutting, etc. For working on the bikes it's probably the 4-5-6 Y-shaped Allen key, at least that's the one I most often pick up.

PaulF · « **Reply #23 on:** 17 December, 2016, 09:02:39 am »

My home made bearing press: threaded rod, nuts, washers and the old bearings to ensure an even press.

Either that or my Decathlon cassette tool. Better than a chain whip because I can remove a cassette without skinning my knuckles.

Jurek · « **Reply #24 on:** 17 December, 2016, 09:36:02 am »

In reply to the OP, I don't think the jury will ever be 'in' on this one for me.

Way too many to choose from. I have them coming out of my ears.
My grandfather was a toolmaker for Metal Box. I inherited his tool making tools.
That was never going to end quietly....

If I had to choose, it'd probably be the tools I'd made myself. The satisfaction factor of using one of those, eclipses (did you see what I did there?) the satisfaction of using off the peg tools.
That could be a knife, with a specific profile, to make an otherwise impossible cut on a lathe.
Or a mould for casting, when I had to produce consistent multiples of something.
If it wasn't a tool that I'd made myself, a Bridgeport would be pretty close to the top of the list.
Or box-jointed pliers. They are a thing of beauty. And I would love someone to explain to me how they are made.
Or my riffler files.
Or anything made by Moore & Wright.
Or Mitutoyo.
Or.... or... or...
Y'see - I knew this would just end up as a list.
And that's before I've moved onto the tools I have in the kitchen.