# What's the Most Useful Tool in Your Shop?



## Jamesis (Dec 9, 2018)

What's the Most Useful Tool in Your Shop?




 

For me it is without a doubt my Digital Calipers.
Gets used 5 or 6 times a day.
Oh sure, I got plenty of rulers and tape measures,
but when I want accuracy I grab this baby.

How 'bout you? What do you find most useful in your shop?

James

Reactions: Like 3


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## Lou Currier (Dec 9, 2018)



Reactions: Funny 3


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Dec 9, 2018)

What is that? I've met a lot of people who don't have one!

Reactions: Agree 3 | Funny 2


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## Karl_TN (Dec 9, 2018)

My wife likes to say I'm best 'tool' in the shop, but I unsure if she means this as a compliment or slang for fool.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 5


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 9, 2018)



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## Tony (Dec 9, 2018)

Since I'm a serious person I'll say my Rockwell 14 bandsaw.

Reactions: +Karma 1


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## woodman6415 (Dec 9, 2018)

Tony said:


> Since I'm a serious person I'll say my Rockwell 14 bandsaw.


I would think your step stool Mr serious

Reactions: Agree 1 | Great Post 1 | Funny 7


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## Tony (Dec 9, 2018)




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## rocky1 (Dec 9, 2018)



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## rocky1 (Dec 9, 2018)

Kind of a toss up between the cutting torch and the 20 ton press honestly. The new porta power is quickly closing on the #3 slot and I've only used it 3 times. But, there I'm defining "useful" in the tense of making the impossible, possible. 

Most frequently used... 

Air Compressor
Big Hammer
Big Vice
Caliper
Bandsaw
Delta Cordless Impacts and Drill 

And, that's in no particular order.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jamesis (Dec 14, 2018)

Tony said:


> Since I'm a serious person . . .



*A Serious Man*

Reactions: Funny 1


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## TimR (Dec 14, 2018)

Tough call...
I'd have to agree my 14" Jet Bandsaw gets a lot of varied use, but I'd be remiss if I didn't include following:
- Dewalt 18V Hammer Drill/Driver
- Dewalt 18V 1/2" impact wrench. I got this about a year ago and didn't realize how useful till I started using during home construction to drive timber screws and even just Phillips pan heads for shelving when driving into studs. Somehow, issues with buggering up the screw head using the drill/driver go away when using same bit with the impact.


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## rocky1 (Dec 14, 2018)

I noticed that with the little DeWalt impact driver I bought too Tim. It runs the screw down tight, and about the point where it would normally torque up out of the head with a normal screw gun, stripping the head or the screwdriver bit one, the impact kicks in, and the screw simply goes in! For as long as you want to hold the trigger, the screw goes in!! There is NO stopping it. 

Really have a lot of control with it however, if you don't squeeze the trigger hard, it just kinda slooooowly eases it in, but it doesn't torque out like the old screw guns and cordless drills used to. By the same respect however, I was bolting a tool box up under one of the trucks with it, and twisted a quarter inch socket adapter I've had for years like a candy cane, before snapping the 1/4" drive end off.


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## TimR (Dec 14, 2018)

Definitely something to be said in favor of more costly impact rated sockets and adapters.


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## FLQuacker (Dec 14, 2018)

I've got an older 12v DeWalt impact we used when we kart raced...yr or so ago got the dreaded flash sequence the battery was toast...funny I had 2 and I swear there's a date chip in em. Got 2 more charges and it went bad. Cheapest I can find as replacement is like $60! Dang


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## rocky1 (Dec 14, 2018)

TimR said:


> Definitely something to be said in favor of more costly impact rated sockets and adapters.



That one came out of a screw driver set, but I've used it extensively on hand tools, and in cordless screwdriver... Never had an issue. Bought 2 - 1/4" and 
2 - 3/8" DeWalt adapters to replace it. 




FLQuacker said:


> I've got an older 12v DeWalt impact we used when we kart raced...yr or so ago got the dreaded flash sequence the battery was toast...funny I had 2 and I swear there's a date chip in em. Got 2 more charges and it went bad. Cheapest I can find as replacement is like $60! Dang



Check Amazon for replacements. Picked up Chinese replacement for my 18 volt Dewalt impact for about $35 Wayne. It's bad ass! Honestly believe it is tougher than the original DeWalt batteries were.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## FLQuacker (Dec 15, 2018)

Not sure it's the most useful....but it sure is convenient!

FOB for the wireless a/c controller my dust system is plugged into.

$15 from Amazon...love it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Dec 15, 2018)

FLQuacker said:


> Not sure it's the most useful....but it sure is convenient!
> 
> FOB for the wireless a/c controller my dust system is plugged into.
> 
> ...



Wayne, can you give a little detail on your setup? I just got a air cleaner and think a wireless controller would be sweet.


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## rocky1 (Dec 15, 2018)

Tony said:


> I just got a air cleaner and think a wireless controller would be sweet.



The air is probably the cleanest thing in there!!!

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Arn213 (Dec 16, 2018)

Moisture meter followed by my measuring tape & calipers.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Blueglass (Dec 16, 2018)

Sandpaper


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## ironman123 (Dec 16, 2018)

Me

Reactions: Funny 2


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## FLQuacker (Dec 16, 2018)

Tony said:


> Wayne, can you give a little detail on your setup? I just got a air cleaner and think a wireless controller would be sweet.



Just got a harbor freight dust collector with hoses to my CNC and bandsaw. The device just plugs into the wall outlet and is switched on/off with the FOB. Leave the dust collector in the on position and control it with the FOB. Got a small shop and the dust collector is stuffed in the corner now...don't have to break my neck trying to get it on/off

I misspoke on the price...it's only $11

Building looked soo big...until I started putting stuff in it. WAS gonna be just my CNC room 16x12

Place is a mess! :)

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## DaveHawk (Dec 28, 2018)

The one that's needed at the time. I hate looking to see it I have something to do the job and find out I don't have one


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## Herb G. (Dec 30, 2018)

Probably my head. Without it, all the other tools are boat anchors.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## barefoot (Mar 31, 2021)

That's a tough one. Formerly it was my cabinet scrapers. I'm addicted. I have about eight normal ones and a half-dozen miniature and oddball ones with splines and weird profiles--something for every occasion. The new "most useful" thing might be the endoscope that I just bought (with a 3.5mm lighted camera end on it!) to sight down into guitars through the sound hole so I can see what I'm doing when my arm blocks my vision. Been needing something like that for a long time but haven't had a chance to use it yet. This one was "affordable". I hope it works. Twenty years is a long time to work blind, so this is very exciting to contemplate. But I have to wait because I'm reorganizing my shop and there's such a mess that I don't have the guts to pull out a guitar and try to work in the rubble. First things first. I want patience and I want it right now!

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1


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## DLJeffs (Mar 31, 2021)

The obvious answer is the big giant persuader like Lou (@Lou Currier ) said. But the more I thought about it the more I'd have to say my shop vac. I use that thing for all kinds of jobs and I use it all the time for one thing or another, and not just in the garage. Without it, clean up would take way longer and some jobs would be way harder.

Reactions: Like 1


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## David Hill (Apr 2, 2021)

Tony said:


> Wayne, can you give a little detail on your setup? I just got a air cleaner and think a wireless controller would be sweet.


@Tony --you can get a remote set up at HF. I keep the fob by my lathes-- my HF dust collector is plugged into the receiver part that acts as the remote on;/off switch. Works ok.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | +Karma 1 | Informative 1


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## pixeltim (Sep 19, 2021)

My brain.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Nature Man (Sep 19, 2021)

In general, my 20V Dewalt impact driver, which I use in so many applications. Woodworking specific, I would have to say my belt sander, which hogs wood off much faster than by hand. One day I plan to buy a drum sander, and that may eclipse the belt sander. Chuck


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## JonathanH (Sep 18, 2022)

Most useful:

Buffer - gets used almost every day
Disk sander - incredibly handy tool. Also used almost every shop day
Drill / Impact Driver - it is truly a rare shop day when this isn't used

Reactions: Like 2


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