Discussion - Favorite tool recently purchased and why

[Jason Clark2]

I suspect we'll see a lot of posts about Thompson gouges but here it goes anyway:

My recent favorite is a pair of 5/8" and 1" WoodRiver multi tooth drive centers (parts 149173 and 149174; Woodcraft's version of a Sorby Stebcenter).

At only $20 each they're quite a bargain and have come in very handy for spindles, hollow forms, and bowls. I do a fair amount of multi axis work and in the past have used a standard 4 prong drive center. My new centers provide much better grip and have proven less likely to shift, particularly when only 1/3 - 1/2 of the drive center is in contact with the wood because of the shifted axis.

So, what tool or tools have you purchased recently that has become a favorite?

Jason

[Tim Thiebaut]

My favorite most recent purchase is a EWT Ci3-h5 hollowing tool, as I dont have a rig setup for hollowing yet I have been useing hand held hollowers, and by far this is the easiest to use that I have tried so far, and the carbide cutter makes quick work of everything I have tried it on so far, Banksia pods (very hard and brittle), Big Leaf Maple, sugar maple, and Claro Walnut. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting a hand held hollower.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

My most recent useful tool purchase was a bark spud, which was mentioned on this forum a little while ago. Very useful to remove bark from your logs. Yeah, DUH. Proper tool for the job is always a good idea. Beats using a screwdriver, chisel, hatchet or what ever you used before. I got a cheapo model from Northern Tools. 20 bucks if I remember. You can buy a "good" one for 60 bucks. I had to do the standard chisel preps, flatten the back, (took a lot of work, but hey, I saved 40 bucks) sharpened it. Had some minimal finish, so I sanded it down and threw on 2 coats of tung oil. Did I mention I had saved 40 bucks? Looks good and works really well.
If you don't already have one, I'd reccomend it. And who has ENOUGH tools anyways?:)

[Brian Kent]

I am not (yet) a turner, but I'll answer because it applies. I am at a new home setting up a new garage shop, and so my tool purchased are preparation for future production.

1) Shapton stones. Sharpness changes everything.

2) Shop lighting. About 10 times brighter than before.

3) A better marking knife.

[David DeCristoforo]

Ah... that's an easy one for me. the "harpoon". A 5/8" Glaser bowl gouge. Oh, and the new Glaser screw chuck. The gouge is awesome and the chuck is every bit as good as the "old" one and perhaps even better due to the increased capacity offered by the interchangeable backing plates.

[John Keeton]

I am not (yet) a turner, but I'll answer because it applies.He! He! He! I have this sense we are about to snag another unsuspecting soul!!!!:D

It seems every new tool I get is my favorite!! So, for the moment, it is my new Thompson 5/8" V HOG! Just before that - the Jet 1642! And, before that, the....

Well, you get the idea!

[Jim Burr]

My Barracuda 2 chuck. 4 sets of jaws and a screw chuck...can't beat it.

[Jason Clark2]

I had an old Barracuda 2 and it only lasted about 2 years before screws started stripping and the pinions wore too much to be usable. Add to that the fact that the insert couldn't be changed when I upgraded my lathe and it went in the trash. I switched to Teknatool SN2s and I haven't looked back.

Jason


My Barracuda 2 chuck. 4 sets of jaws and a screw chuck...can't beat it.

[Lee Koepke]

Besides my Thompson gouge...I would have to say my smartphone. I can swipe credit cards with this thing at my shows

[David E Keller]

Easy for me... The VM120 chuck that I bought a few months ago. It's built like a tank!

[Bill Bulloch]

My Grizzly 16x36 Drum Sander. How did I do woodworking for 40 plus years without one?

[Wally Dickerman]

I haven't been buying a lot of new tools lately. That's partly because I have so many tools and accessories stashed away in my shop that some I've forgotten that I have until I run across them while looking for something else. I've bought tools only to discover that I have one I bought a long time ago. Old age you think?

My latest is an Axminster eccentric chuck system. It's an eccentric chuck and a spiraling system. I haven't had a chance to give it much of a test. Haven't tried the spiraling at all. I'll have to say that the directions for the use of this thing are just about the worst I've seen. I've ordered a book by Dick Sing that is supposed to give a few suggestions. I hope so. I've done a few simple things that I figured out on my own, but there are more possibilities that I haven't come up with.

[Jeff Moffett]

I'm thrilled with my new Kobra hollowing system. This is another "built like a tank" product with a well thought out design and custom made by two perfectionists.

[Jim Heikes]

My latest toys.......................A 5/8" Glaser bowl gouge and a 3/4" Glaser bottom bowl gouge...........'nuff said

[Michael James]

Trend AS pro. Im guessing about 5 extra yrs to putz. :)

[Pete Jordan]

I bought the Rolly Munro hollower. I have always wanted one and finally took the plunge.

[Bill Wyko]

I bought the Rolly Munro hollower. I have always wanted one and finally took the plunge.

How's that working for you? I've been considering one myself. My latest tool would have to be the Tormek ts-100. This little jig allows me to duplicate my Elsworth grind perfectly in just a few seconds. Makes sharpening a real pleasure.

[Greg Just]

My Jet 1642 lathe - I love the electronic speed control and it sure beats the old Delta

[Jack Mincey]

Like Jeff I am a very happy new owner of the Kobra Hollowing system. It is opening up the ability to hollow large forms as quick as I do forms half the size free hand. It is built like a tank as Jeff said.
Jack
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00244.jpg

[Hilel Salomon]

Too many to note.... but I see Glaser on this thread. Have you folks bought the Hi-tec glasers? Are they making them?

Hilel

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I see Glaser on this thread...Are they making them?..."

Yes they are making them.

http://www.glaserhitec.com/

So far, I'm really happy with the stuff I have gotten from them.

[Pete Jordan]

How's that working for you? I've been considering one myself. My latest tool would have to be the Tormek ts-100. This little jig allows me to duplicate my Elsworth grind perfectly in just a few seconds. Makes sharpening a real pleasure.
I really like it Bill! It works like the videos.

[John Hart]

I bought some sandpaper.

[Keith E Byrd]

My NOVA DVR XP - awesome machine -
getting ready to by a couple of gouges from Dave! A great lathe combined with what I hear are great tools and a learning and trapped in the vortex turner -no telling what will happen in my basement!

[Scott Hackler]

The second to the last tool I bought, recently, was a NSK Presto high speed rotary tool. The latest tool I bought was a replacement turbo cartridge for said tool after I wasaccidentally supplying the tool with double the max psi and ruined the original turbo cartridge! That little act of stupidity cost me an additional $139!

[Richard Jones]

McNaughton Center Saver for me. Not only does it save wood, it saves me time as well, as it cores quicker than I can hollow, plus lots less to clean up. Since I stress reclamation practices, I feel like it is a great addition to my tools.

Rich (now for that hollower..........decisions.........decisions..... .......) in VA

[Rich Aldrich]

+1 for the Trend AirShield Pro. I don't have the breathing issues I had before (nothing serious yet, but I didnt want it to become something). When the battery is low, I do not finish turn until it is charged. Then one of the vendors had batteries on sale for 1/2 price, so I bought a spare and eliminated this problem.

[Nate Davey]

It's a toss up between my Trend AS Pro, same reasons as Rich, and my remote control starter for my vac.

[Pete Jordan]

I bought some sandpaper.

Wow John!

What grit?

[John Hart]

Wow John!

What grit?

40 Pete!! It's great!! I don't even need tools anymore!! :)

[Michael James]

40 Pete!! It's great!! I don't even need tools anymore!! :)

That would be approximately 2x gooder than my 80, eh?

[Alan Zenreich]

Ok, I don't know if this will be my 'favorite' recently purchased tool, but it's the most 'recently' recently purchased addition to the shop (if you don't include the paper towel holders I installed today).

The photos show a new little portable air conditioner that I added yesterday to my lathe room. It's 8,000 btu, with a single vent hose. A garden hose going into a 5 gallon bucket collects the condensate.

My lathe room is 10x12 feet with 6'5" ceilings, in my basement. The room's walls are concrete block, and I'm venting it through an opening that also houses an exhaust fan that I installed a few years back to vent anything coming out of the Paragon heat treating furnace. So, I did a quick piggyback onto the exhaust fan cover.

It remains to be seen if I'll like this unit. My basement stays relatively cool, but humid. This morning's reading was 73 degrees, with 72% humidity. I ran the unit for a couple of hours and the humidity is down to 61%, and there was about a gallon of water in the bucket.

I've just started another test, putting the unit in dehumidifier mode (and disconnecting the vent hose so it vents back into the room, per the unit's instructions), to see if the humidity will fall faster than when in cooling mode.

I had to move some electrical outlets before installing the unit. I put an inline switch on the in-wall exhaust fan (in addition to a chain activated switch on the fan), this way I can leave the vent open without the 8" fan turning on.

Those who have visited my shop know I'm pressed for space, and have LOTS of tools/toys installed about the shop. It was a challenge trying to figure out where I was going to put this piece, but a little creative juggling got the job done.

By the way, I don't play favorites with my tools, out of concern that it may create jealousy (nor do I give them names).

I don't anthropomorphize my tools because they don't like it when I do. <vbg>

[Karl Card]

I think the last "tool" I bought was the 10 pack of square blades that are made for a Byrd head. However they work good on my Ci1 easy rougher and are alot less expensive. Went from around 14 dollars apiece to less than 3 bucks apiece.... The only thing I could see in the difference is I had to hold the easy rougher at a slightly different angle but once I got used to that it was nice... Oh and I did just get a new to me radial arm saw, gave 100 bucks for this nice piece of machinery, it is an older craftsman and seems to work great.