# Question Of The Week... (2022 week 21)



## ripjack13 (May 22, 2022)

*What is your favorite unusual tool that most people probably do not know about?*





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**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks, wood spinners, and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
“Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

Reactions: Like 2


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## Mike1950 (May 22, 2022)

probably my dumpster- gets used more than any other and saves so many trip to transfer station

Reactions: Like 3 | Funny 2


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## Tom Smart (May 22, 2022)

Dental pick. Find myself reaching for it for all kinds of things.

Reactions: Like 4


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## Arn213 (May 22, 2022)

I would not call this unusual, but it is an older version that I was fortunate enough to have procured it from a well known luthier in the acoustic/classical guitar industry- his name escapes me right now, but he even wrote me a note stating that he had a hand in the design of it. It came in it’s original case, it is made with brass fittings with the rarity being the body was made out of solid Brazilian rosewood with multiple cutter blades or single as an option. This is a “purfling cutter” tool which is use to create a groove in the “old school way” seen mostly on violins, archtops jazz box, acoustics, classical guitars etc. These are used to create grooves typically in perimeters of an instrument so you can inset and inlay mop (or any shellfish), wood species, multi-laminate motifs or even just a grove then colored with India ink to help further highlight the shape of an object. These are great for small boxes.

The blade assembly will allow you to have a single or double blade (space between them) and adjust the depth of cut. This is great for tight spaces or delicate areas.

Photo’s are not mine and shown for visual reference.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 7


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## 2feathers Creative Making (May 22, 2022)

I have a thing for hand tools. The old bridge forth cast iron nail puller is probably the item most used of my odd tools. There is also a scorp(chair makers style not so much bowl), cooper's axe, adze, hewing hatchet, hewing axe, and froe. If I had to pick just one, it would be the hewing hatchet. Multipurpose tool.

Reactions: Like 5


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## Brink (May 22, 2022)

My Stanley 113 compass plane

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 10


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## Sprung (May 22, 2022)

I don't know if it would be considered a tool, but one item in my shop that sees a surprising amount of use is a small block (about 3" x 6" x 1 1/2") of osage orange with a piece of leather glued to one face, with the rough side out. I originally made it to help steady a tobacco pipe as I shaped and sanded it. It's come in very hand to help me hold small parts in place to work on them - especially parts that would be impossible to clamp while working on them.

Reactions: Like 8


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## woodtickgreg (May 22, 2022)

Woodticks pallet breaker! This thing has scored me so much free wood. My tablesaw outfeed tables are made from wood I sourced with this tool. I know many places that have good 5/4 hardwood pallets

Reactions: Like 8 | Way Cool 4


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## 2feathers Creative Making (May 22, 2022)

woodtickgreg said:


> Woodticks pallet breaker! This thing has scored me so much free wood. My tablesaw outfeed tables are made from wood I sourced with this tool. I know many places that have good 5/4 hardwood pallets
> View attachment 227252View attachment 227253View attachment 227254View attachment 227255View attachment 227256


We use a 'duck bill deckwrecker' at work all the time when replacing old decking. It has on occasion found its way into a pile of pallets. Especially the hot tub pallets. Hard to pass up 110 inch 2x4 for free.
By the way is that maple as curly as it looks? Image 4 from top...

Reactions: Like 3


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## woodtickgreg (May 22, 2022)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> By the way is that maple as curly as it looks? Image 4 from top...


Yes, and that's what I was after. You wouldn't believe what wood I have found in pallets.

Reactions: Like 1 | +Karma 1


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## 2feathers Creative Making (May 22, 2022)

Oh, I have seen a few, as a trucker, you oughta get an eyeful! We see a few nice ones usually in imports, flooring and such like.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Jonkou (May 22, 2022)

If you do production work consider making durable jigs to increase speed and accuracy. Made these back in the 90s and have used them 1000s of times, oil lamp jigs for making consistently sized blanks. First function of both is locating where the blank will be on the wood, can move around to avoid defects, align grain, etc. Use rectangle jig to mark 2 1/2” thick after one face is flattened.





Line up the jig centered on the grain and mark centerline on the face edge and thickness on end grain, same on other side then connect the marks.







Lay circle jig on the face and mark the circle cut line. This wood is not fully dry so using a pen compass riding on the edge of the jig to add a 1/4” which allows for shrinkage. If the blank was dry would trace the jig right on blank face.





Cut out the blank with a bandsaw staying outside the lines. Plenty of room for shrinkage, seal and stack it to dry.

Reactions: Like 5 | Way Cool 4


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## ripjack13 (May 22, 2022)

Great idea John. I have a few of those myself.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mike Hill (May 25, 2022)

Gosh - I feel inadequate!

But used to use this a lot more than I do now. Put together 100's if not 1,000's of frames with it. Also use a Yankee Drill quite a bit.

Reactions: Like 5


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## woodtickgreg (May 25, 2022)

Mike Hill said:


> Gosh - I feel inadequate!
> 
> But used to use this a lot more than I do now. Put together 100's if not 1,000's of frames with it. Also use a Yankee Drill quite a bit.
> 
> View attachment 227331


I've got one of those somewhere, I think mines a Stanley. I bought off someone on this site but I can't remember from who?


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## SubVet10 (May 26, 2022)

Paperclips and a sharpie. I try and reuse every scrap of sandpaper I can.

Reactions: Like 2


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## DLJeffs (May 26, 2022)

Any long slender piece of scrap, shaved down to a chisel point - used for removing glue squeeze out underneath clamps,etc. Also, Q-tips, or as they're called in Australia, cotton buds. Stick them in your mouth to wet with saliva, then use to remove glue residue in tight cracks and corners. Note: one time use, unless you like the taste of Titebond.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 4


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## 2feathers Creative Making (May 26, 2022)

DLJeffs said:


> Note: one time use, unless you like the taste of Titebond.


Should we ask how you came by this little gem?

Reactions: Funny 2


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## ripjack13 (May 26, 2022)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> Should we ask how you came by this little gem?


You never ate glue when you were a kid? Ha

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## 2feathers Creative Making (May 26, 2022)

ripjack13 said:


> You never ate glue when you were a kid? Ha


No. We were poor. Best we could do was chew the dry rubber cement that was on the lid and around the threads where we kids wiped it so it would dry...

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Mike Hill (May 27, 2022)

ripjack13 said:


> You never ate glue when you were a kid? Ha


naw--- just spread it on my palm, let it dry and then peeled it off ----- that was a real thrill for Lil Mikey!

Reactions: Funny 3


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## DLJeffs (May 27, 2022)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> Should we ask how you came by this little gem?


You know how there's cotton wound on each end of a Q tip and sometimes you get busy flipping and rotating things and you sort of lose track of where you are???

Reactions: Funny 2 | Informative 1


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