Favorite Oddballs?

[RAdams]

I was just thinking about all the tools I have bought for my "hobby/Business". The ones i use all the time, and the ones in a box somewhere. It made me wonder what everyones favorite weird tool is.

When i say weird, I mean a tool you didn't know you needed till you got it, and now you can't live without it.. Or the tool you saw at a yard sale and thought "Hey, That would be handy for..." Or a tool that is sold for something totally unrelated.


I have a couple. First would be my slightly modded chainsaw file. I cut the tang off of it, and ground that end into an internal scraper of sorts. I use it to clean up the inside of the brass. It is used every day in my shop.

Next would be the HF punch set. I once bought a disassembly tool for a pen years ago. I was very disappinted in that tool. My punch set is AWESOME! I don't need it every day, but when i do need it, I am VERY HAPPY that I have it! Before i had the punch set, I would never dream of pressing a part into a bare tube. I did just that today!

 

[nava1uni]

Tools are great. The right tool makes the job easier, takes 1/2 the time to and much less stress.
I have an assortment of dental tools from my dentist that I use all the time, working on pens, taking things apart, doing inlay, grinding them to make new tools as needed. And as a second I would have to say my swiss army knife, which is always in use.

 

[DFerguson777]

That's funny....my dad has the same punch set (or similar) from HF.....I use it all the time!!!!! I tend to have to take things apart often.
-Denny- NC

 

[JimB]

One of my fovorites isn't really a tool - latex gloves. It saves me a lot of time not needing to clean finish off my hands.

As for real turning tools, LOML bought me a square nose scraper for $5 from one of the very experienced turners in the local club. It was at the annual holiday dinner a year ago and many of the turners bring in items for sale. The brand is worn off the handle and I'm sure it is not HSS. I'm sure it had many, many years of use before I got it. One of the old timers gave me some tips on sharpening it and using it. It is probably the 4th or 5th most used tool I have.