Thread: What is your favorite shop tool ???

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Just for fun, I thought it might be interesting to hear what each of you feels is your favorite tool in your shop. I know the short answer would be "all of them", but each of us has that one tool that we feel we couldn't live without. I thought it might also be educational for the members among us who are just starting to build a tool collection, or who are thinking about what tool to buy next.

Since I threw this out there, let me start.

The tool that has surprised us the most is a metal cutting bandsaw we bought about a year ago. We use it almost every time we are at the shop to cut something, and don't know why we didn't buy one sooner. Ours is a horizontal and vertical version, so we can clamp metal into it and let the blade come down on it, or we can put the blade upright and use it like a regular bandsaw.

The quality of our work has gone up 300% since buying it, because each cut is exact and neat. Plus, it cuts tubing and flat stock in a fraction of the time we used to take with chopsaws or a hacksaw. Every cut is just like the one before it.

At first we looked at the ones Harbor Freight has on sale quite often, and they are fine, but we knew we would be using this thing almost every day, so my Kid bought one on the internet, and had it trucked in. It was a little more money, but it has been totally trouble free. But even the smaller, less expensive ones would be great to have.

This is truly a tool we comment on every time we use it, about how it has made cutting steel parts so much easier and more accurate. I would recommend one to anyone as a must have tool.

It would be nice to hear from some others about their favorite tool, and why they like it so much.


Don

A 4 pound hammer!!

On the order of the first tool mentioned. Plasma cutter and sawzall Best and most used in fabricating parts. Then the Mig Welder.

Welder, hammer, and grinder...

right now, probably my 3/8" air ratchet, makes light work in tight areas got a 14" chop saw but havn't really done much with it yet, bought it on sale when I didn't actully need it, I will use it for my Chevy when I put the fake dual exhaust in ( y pipe, I like the way the engine sounds as is but want the look ) I know the Flux wire welder I have will come in handy when I go to put in the 2 patch panals I need for my car ( rear quarter patches )

The beer refrigerator.

My tap system. But it may be the gun if I don't get these brakes working.

I bought a used Bridgeport milling machine right after starting my last project.
Best investment i ever made.
Jeff

High quality air compressor - the center on lots of tools, plasma cutter, spray painting, air tools , body work tools etc

Originally Posted by rped1

High quality air compressor - the center on lots of tools, plasma cutter, spray painting, air tools , body work tools etc

Werd! What he said!

My hands, without them all the rest of the tools would be useless, second is chr without you guys i would not know as much

CNC. It R more accurrrate than me.

Hands down, my Milwaukee Sawzall.

Surprisingly enough, my floor model drill press. For years I drilled all my holes with a hand drill, and never thought much about it. On my first wedding anniversary, about 18 years ago, my wife bought me a 16 speed floor model drillpress. It is amazing how much I use that thing. Oh yeah, I love my mig, and my torches, and---and---and---, but that drill press takes the cake!!!

Bridgeport, Lathe. MIG and TIG. Oh and a large hyd. bandsaw too.