More Power. I have a tool problem.

Discussion in 'The Lounge Bar' started by von Poop, Aug 1, 2020.

  1. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Oooh-errr.

    I've an increasingly worsening tool-buying problem.
    Quite possibly to distract from the book-buying problem, as I may actually use the tools.

    Can't be alone here.
    Come on, inspire me with good/weird tools.

    Best power tool I ever bought:
    Worx multitool.
    Whim purchase, with no idea of just how useful the things are.
    Beaten the crap out of it for 2 years, dropped from height multiple times, and it keeps doing things that would be ridiculously difficult with anything else.

    IMG_20200801_231616996.jpg

    I may also be a little in love with impact drivers & Kreg jigs. :unsure:

    While writing this, I ordered a dremel extension shaft as it's 'cheap' on Amazon.
    Deary me.
    Now continuing the highly confusing business of where to start with welding.

    #NotWW2ButSoddit
    Favourite tools?
    Shiny DIY jobs?
    Tool talk.
     
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  2. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    My philosophy is that there is no tool like an old tool. I don't find myself drawn towards modern stuff. I buy spanners that I have ten the same size of, because I like the feel of them. I'm slightly fascinated by Norton toolkits too. :rolleyes: ..This may not be what you meant.

    Tools Joined Complete 2.jpg
     
  3. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    I always thought my tool problem was down to my age
     
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  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Exactly what I mean.
    General tool fetishism.
    Got an old adjustable spanner like that made by Grandad during (very early) R Signals training.
    Or so the legend goes..

    IMG_20200802_112739822_copy_1200x1600.jpg

    Sure there was a name for them.
    Recall a fine page on adjustable spanner history. Probably posted by you.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2020
  5. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    We used to call the ones like that with jaws that remain parallel monkey wrenches vs Stillson or pipe wrenches. Made obsolete by adjustable crescent wrenches.

    Here's the top corner of my workshop. Pales in comparison to Rich Payne's

    upload_2020-8-2_8-0-33.png


    upload_2020-8-2_8-1-27.png

    upload_2020-8-2_8-2-37.png

    upload_2020-8-2_8-3-45.png
     
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  6. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    They've always been Stilsons to me, but yeah, slip-joint pliers have definitely replaced them for most things.

    Was massively cynical about some adjustable ring spanners from Wilko of all places.
    The other half, tired of my dithering, bought them for me & they've proved brilliant for work needs & lightening the tool bag a bit.
    Sure Rich would be appalled, but I really don't do much spannering & when the impact driver won't reach they're great. Far better than normal adjustables.

    IMG_20200802_130926995~2_copy_1354x1034.jpg
     
  7. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    For casual tinkerers you can't beat Harbor Freight Tools. I don't know if they ship outside of the US though. I just got a 2 ton floor jack for $30. I have a drill press, grinders, dremels and lots of odd and ends from them since they have a retail store very near me

    Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
     
  8. gash hand

    gash hand Well-Known Member

    Thought you might like to see a set of King Dicks, made when Britain did engineering and Whitworth ruled

    upload_2020-8-2_17-2-5.png
     
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  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Never fail to raise a smile.
    My brother has a King Dick liberated from working around her majesty's dockyard which is about 3 feet long.
    Which may sound like the beginning of a limerick, but isn't.
     
  10. gash hand

    gash hand Well-Known Member

    Really a dockyard 3 feet long? some dockyard some dock what was it for , canoes?
     
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  11. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    I read the thread title. Viagra is the answer. :sleep:
     
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  12. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    "Fetishism". Some of it is, and some isn't. I don't collect old woodworking tools but if I look under the bench, it does seem that implements with ash handles are drawn to me...I don't actually find myself doing much woodwork these days but I used to play around with honing angles and cap irons. I just seem to be comfortable surrounded by old things and if I can use them now and then, so much the better. Most of these are family items but unfortunately, with two daughters, it's probably going to stop with me. They have never stood beside a grandfather trying desperately hard to anticipate which tool would be required next.

    DSC_0001.JPG

    ...and as for spanners...My tool cabinet has an anti-tilt device which luckily prevents my wife viewing them all at once...These are some of the Whitworth examples. This is probably about 20%

    DSC_0003 b.jpg
     
  13. gash hand

    gash hand Well-Known Member

    You have a dazzling array of tools in your armoury Rich. Do you find yourself just opening the drawers to have a good look at your tools?
     
  14. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Who wears drawers around the house these days ? :blush:
     
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  15. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Is that a massive screwdriver front & centre of the first pic?
    Nice to see somebody else owns a webbing stretcher. Bought one in a charity shop recently, still in packaging for a quid... I may even use it one day. :unsure:

    Things I like most in that shot are the marking gauges.
    Whatever clever bastard invented those gets my respect on a regular basis. A stick, some pins, and a locking block - keeping our world ordered in an almost invisible way since god knows when.
     
  16. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    Impressive, although it bears some similarities to Jeffrey Dahmer's workshop.
     
  17. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Interesting - none of your hammers are ball pein so I guess you weren't inclined to metal work - particularly riveting
     
  18. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    And those nail-pulling pincers...
    I use them every single day at work. (lots of pallet-recycling creation of strange stuff etc.)
    Had a volunteer in recently. In his 50s, but had never used them before. I mean... really.

    Some strange things built/modified recently because of sodding covid. 'Pods' for punters to book into.
    IMG_20200724_150624198_HDR.jpg 116669304_1667810090044636_4814384147603841227_o.jpg 116687310_1670008773158101_856262484304683684_o.jpg 116058972_1667811853377793_3997371448572758970_o.jpg


    They're his woodworking gear, Robert. You don't think a runner of a 1940 motorcycle is inclined to metalwork!..

    On hammers - mate bought a £130 hammer recently. I laughed, then used it. Stopped laughing.
    He builds lots of stud framing - I too would eventually buy that hammer if I had to do that day-in day-out.

    Riveting.
    F-ing riveting.
    Crushed/snapped 3 cheap pop riveters this year.
    Cracked & bought a half decent one. Night & day.
     
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  19. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Strange that you should mention rivets. I count them :unsure:...and "Ball-Payne" was one of the less rude nick-names that I attracted at school. The ball-pein hammers are indeed stored elsewhere along with the copper hammer, the hide hammer, the punches and rivet snaps and sets.

    I'm even attracted to bifurcated rivets if they're in nice tins.

    Rivet Box 2 (2).jpg
     
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  20. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Yes, the largest screwdriver that I own. I have no idea what its intended purpose was. It looks as if the manufacturer was T. Grosvenor and it has been owned by a tradesman named Hough.

    The upholstery thing was a phase but the stretcher came in handy when my favourite armchair ritually disembowelled itself. I wondered actually if anyone would recognise it :)

    I bought the mortise gauge new but the old marking gauge is a hand-me-down. It is a thumbscrew type though so can't be that old, I assume. It's such a damned useful tool even just for finding centres.

    ...and pincers of course...always knackered and sloppy but do the job in the end ! How can anyone not have used a pair ? At the age of five, I thought they were called 'pinchers' and was convinced they were an implement of torture for use on younger brothers !
     
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