Tools: Best Buys

[Chief_Wiggum]

Hey folks,

I thought this might be a good thread for everyone to share what they feel are their best buys for tools in a few price catagories. When I'm working on lights, I find some tools to be invaluable and can't believe I ever lived without them!

Hopefully, this thread will help those new addicts spend their money /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

$0.00 - $50.00:
<ul type="square">
[*]locking forceps with curved jaws
[*]set of small jewlers files
[*]toothpics for mixing epoxy, poking, prodding, and prying
[*]electronics/jewlery screwdrivers
[*]cheap DMM
[*]pin vise
[/list]
$50.00 - $100.00
<ul type="square">
[*]rotary tool
[*]qualtiy mill file(s)
[*]decent drill press vice to double as small parts holder
[*]quality set of drill bits
[*]bench power supply
[/list]
Over $100.00
<ul type="square">
[*]Metcal
[*]drill press
[*]lathe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
[/list]
I tried to list things in the order that I find to be most valuable. For example, if I were to recommend one item from $0.00 - $50.00 it'd be the locking forceps.

Please add! I'm interested to see what you guys are using in your shops.

 

[wasabe64]

How about:

0-$50
strap wrenches
leather patch (if you need to grip something in pliers/vise-grips)
Woodworkers clamps

All for holding aluminum while minimizing scratches/marring

 

[tylerdurden]

Under $50:

good set of tweezers
jewler's vise
bench vise
dental pick

$50-100
articulating desk light with full-spectrum bulb and magnifying glass

 

[Chief_Wiggum]

Man, time for me to go shopping /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Thanks, and keep 'em coming!

 

[chalo]

Under $50--
no-name dial calipers
automatic centerpunch
knife section smooth file
swivel blade deburring tool
t-handle taper reamer

Chalo Colina

 

[tylerdurden]

Cuticle clippers are good for flush cutting and are much smaller than regular end cutters. About $11 at any drug store.

 

[Darell]

* Step drill (Unibit) in various ranges
* Gaffer's tape (MUST HAVE!)

 

[Xrunner]

$0.00 - $50.00:
Worklight
Quetips
Alagator clips
Locking plires (like the medical/fly fishing ones)

$50.00 - $100.00:
Dremel w/ accessories

-Mike

 

[tvodrd]

$1-100+ A bench vise and a bench to bolt it to. (Then bolt the bench to the wall/floor. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Larry

 

[gadget_lover]

I just bought a set of boring bars from ENCO. I was prepared to wait weeks like I do with harbor freight. They got here in 2 days. The order was complete and the parts were in a bag that was then nestled in packing peanuts. That's the best
shipping method I've seen yet.


A set of 9 HSS boring bars with 3/8 inch shanks: $12. This will make some of my work much easier.

 

[tylerdurden]

I just got a pair of "Surgeon's Splinter Forceps" from Micro-Mark. These things are AWESOME. It's like a combination of tweezers and needle-nose pliers. My new favorite tool.

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=60720

 

[BIGIRON]

Simple emery board (for fingernails). 5 for .99 at the Dollar Store. Great for small filing and smoothing jobs. And you can do your nails when finished in the shop.

 

[pbarrette]

Hi all,

I find that some of the tools that I use the most haven't even been mentioned yet:

$0-50
-----
X-Acto knife - A must have, IMHO.
Mini pliers set - Like this one.
Soldering Iron - I use this one, but any should do.
Sandpaper - Multiple grits, 80-450. Wet/dry works best for me.
Rubber bands - Various sizes, widths.
Metal snips - Like scissors for cutting sheet metal.

I use the xacto and mini-pliers constantly. For the mini pliers, I often use rubber bands around the handles to grip delicate parts firmly in situations where self-closing tweezers just don't work and locking forceps would crush the part.

pb

 

[PEU]

[ QUOTE ]
swivel blade deburring tool

[/ QUOTE ]

last week I purchased in an local expo a deburring tool for $3, what a nice tool, I did not know the existence of this kind of tool.

Pablo

 

[tylerdurden]

Yes, an xacto is a necessity! I have three of them, all with different blades!

Micromark has the best #1 knife handle I've found for the money.

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=70236

BTW, this probe set is very useful for manipulating tiny bits while assembling:

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=20124

And the mini-vise is great, too:

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=80769

This 4-arm jig isn't as great as I had hoped, the arms are too hard to position accurately:

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=60682

 

[pbarrette]

Hi Tyler,

That knife is actually a clone of the X-Acto Gripster. I own the gripster and love it as well. Especially when cutting harder materials or using the knife to "bore-out" plastics, etc.

pb

 

[cue003]

wow, this is great info. keep the links coming. Now I know where to find stuff.

thanks

Curtis

 

[gadget_lover]

At this moment, Harbor Freight has a portable metal cutting bandsaw on sale for $57.49 It's item 47840-4mka. The bandsaw is variable speed and able to cut up to 4 inch stock. It weighs 15 lbs.

The blades to fit it are item 38757, $16. for a three pack.

I mention this because the Western Electric installers where I used to work used a similar bandsaw to cut ironwork, threaded rod, etc all the time. I don't have room for a full size fixed position saw.

Daniel

[ Edited to have the right part number and to add the following.]
You can still order this at this price by going to the harbor freight and select "order from printed catalog". I just tried it.

I used this for the first time last night. It cut through a 2 inch aluminum tube with 1/4 inch sides as if it was butter. A great buy for less than $60.

dan

 

[milkyspit]

Out of all the tools I've bought in the past year, I'd say the most useful (just a quick list, probably forgetting something!) have been...

Dremel w/attachments! Gotta have the attachments! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I even bored out the top portion of an Arc LS 2AA battery pack so a SF E1E head would fit. Man, that was painful! But it worked. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
--> Buying advice: Ebay for the Dremel itself ($30?), Walmart for the attachments. (Averages $5 a pop... sky's the limit 'cause there are literally DOZENS of attachments! Start with at least one cutting wheel, one sanding wheel, one grinding wheel, and one wire brush, then continue as needed.)

Unibit. Good Lord, thank you, THANK YOU McGizmo for turning me on to that!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif It slices, it dices... er, it drills all sizes of holes, and drills 'em cleanly. Even deburrs edges and puts a little chamfer on the edge of the hole if you like. It's terrific!
--> Buying advice: Wherever you can find it... but buy THE REAL THING. It's worth the big bucks (well, maybe $20) in this case.

Metcal. Maybe you don't NEED a Metcal soldering station, but the point is to get a good quality setup to do your soldering. I can tell you from experience that it makes a BIG difference vs. the cheap stuff! It turned this hack of a solderer into someone who could actually pass for appearing competent. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
--> Buying advice: Ebay, baby! Very roughly around $100. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DMM (Digital MultiMeter). My favorite is a Fluke 189 that I bought off ebay, but that one's expensive! For $30 you ought to be able to get something you really like. Even Craftsman has at least one nice one around that price in their product line. Make sure your DMM is capable of measuring 10A or more of current flow... I've found that's a good, quick test, because many of the cr*ppy DMMs can't handle much current.
--> Buying advice: Wherever you're comfortable. Sears Craftsman is fine, Circuit Specialists (online site) is fine. Ebay is ripe with used Fluke DMMs at a fraction of their original prices. Fluke is a great, dependable brand to have.

Small stuff. Too much to list! Get a good screwdriver. Home Depot sells a nifty little "Allway 2000V" one for something like $5 that's great because you can use the commonly-available hex-based bits in it, and it holds several in secure yet easily-accessible fashion in the handle. Get a good pair of small size needlenose pliers. Get some Vise Grips (locking pliers). Get a good pair of stainless steel tweezers with really narrow, sharp tips. Get a good hobbyist vise. On this last item, Sears sells a nice, all metal vise for about $30... looks like a rebranded Panavise.

That's it for now! Hope it helps someone. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[gadget_lover]

Currently on sale at Harbor freight for $6.99; 1 inch dial indicator, 2.25 inch diameter face. Item # 33675-2hfb

Also a handy tool for $12.49 Router speed control. Item number 43060-2hfb

thera re many other toys on sale /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Use the "order from catalogue" link to get this price.