Favorite workshop tool

[Digit]

If you've got an army surplus type store near you the type warn by tank crews are very good and dirt cheap. They are made by Racal.

Roy.

 

[dandude]

Cheers Digit, i actually know someone who owns an army surplus store - will get on to him in the morning....

 

[andycktm]

Just make sure you don't get the one's with the swastika on :lol:

 

[Digit]

If you draw a blank DD let me know and I'll check out my local to see if they have any still, and if so, the price for you.

Roy.

 

[dandude]

Just make sure you don't get the one's with the swastika on :lol:

would that make me a bad guy ?

Cheers digit - will let you know

 

[OPJ]

So, one power tool or machine then?

I really like my Makita 3612CX router, but I'd have to go for the Axminster AW106PT planer-thicknesser after all the fuss I've had trying to get it set up properly, thanks to Axminster themselves, I now have a very accurate and well set-up machine that I simply couldn't do without! My hand planes are for finishing, not stock preparation! :wink:

Power tools can be used to cut curves or saw a straight line, but haven't seen any reasonably-priced power tools which could attempt to replace the planer and thicknesser combination.

It's also on a mobile wheel kit, so I could hop on and ride it down the drive, just as the flames reach the disregarded can of WD-40 and I'm propelled forwards at 60mph! :wink:

 

[MrJay]

There's nothing irreplaceable. The Bench would be my favourite thing, and also the most costly; but it'd take a while to rustle up some extra man power to help move it - it's not really a practical proposition in an emergency. That and I can't say I'd object too strongly to the idea of having to make another. What power tools I have left can gladly burn - in fact I think I'd be running around making double sure that they were in harms way - horrid noisy/dusty/inelegant things that they are. I've some really nice hand tools, all lovingly restored and whatnot but it's just stuff and there's plenty more where they came from - I suppose the saws would be the hardest to replace and the ones that you build a kind of rapport with; I might be tempted to go back and grab some of them if there was time after rescuing my bicycle.

I'd soon start over.

 

[IanW]

There's nothing irreplaceable.

...... I've some really nice hand tools, all lovingly restored and whatnot but it's just stuff and there's plenty more where they came from -

.......I'd soon start over.

Hmmm - you're more optimistic than I MrJay! While it's true, any man-made thing can be remade, it doesn't help that you may not be able to remake it, for various reasons. I've got quite a few old tools that would be exceptionally hard to find replacements for. (Certainly at prices I could afford, even if the insurance were to cough up the necessary, which they are exceedingly unlikely to do. If you read the fine print on most 'replacement' policies, they are quite specific about how far they'll go on 'replacement!) And you simply cannot replace the sentimental value of having the old pot's 5 1/2 that he used on the job back in the 1930's (which also works exceedingly well, too, with its new aftermarket cutter...).

Nothing I have that plugs in has any sentimental value (not even the tablesaw I scrimped & saved to buy, now going into its 30th year of faithful service - would LOVE a new & better one!), so I agree with you that they'd be the last thing on my mind.....

I dunno if I'd have the strength of character to start over!

Who started this horrible, depressing thought anyway?? - It's got me lying awake at nights trying to work out my strategy in case of fire.. :shock: :shock: :wink:

Cheers,
IW

 

[Anonymous]

Many seem to have missed (ignored?) your caveat

(not including your hand tools)

I would of course not leave the LNs in there, but if it were a powered tool I had to save, then the Charnwood W750 bandsaw - its nearest to the door :wink:

 

[White House Workshop]

All the tools can be replaced, but I'd grab the box of unique pieces of wood that lives under my workbench - rare, exotic or simply gorgeous small pieces of wood that I haven't found a use for, yet (ebony, blackwood, black bean, kingwood, redheart, some truly ancient black black walnut, and so on).

It's hard to say what my favourite tool is, all the same. The table saw gets a lot of use but is nothing special. Same with the other power tools. I might be tempted to grab the box of chisels my father bought for me about 40 years ago.......

 

[Rknott2007]

i think i'd grab my set of jack rabbit drill, drivers and my osbourne mitre gauge, american tools would be alot more hassle to replace!

Rob