Do you have a good Gadget tool......?

[Bill Huber]

There are a lot if different type gadget tools out there, you know the ones I am talking about. They just are not the tools that you found in a shop a few years ago and they look kind of funny at times...

You kind of feel funny when you sucker in and buy one.... but then you find that its a really great thing to have and you like it and use it a lot.

I have 2 of them that I really like at use a lot.

The first is the 3-Dimensional Square.
I don't use all the features of it but it is so nice to bring lines around a corner and also have the little wing out of the end that helps keep it flat on what ever you are checking.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=72063

The next is a center ruler I got from Rockler, I use this little ruler all the the time. Its a good metal ruler for general work but the really nice thing is the centering. Just measure the item and then on the bottom scale go to the same measurement and that is the center, nice and fast.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=4978&filter=rule

So do you have a gadget tool that you really like and use a lot.

90312

[Dave Lehnert]

The center ruler rocks!


I like my spring loaded center punch. Pick them up on sale at Harbor Freight for like .99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/00600-00699/00621.gif

[Doug Shepard]

The first is a set I got for Christmas a couple years ago. I put it on my wish list as I thought it would be nice to have. Now I wonder how I lived without them cuz I'm constantly reaching for them.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=54892&cat=1,43456

Then there's the Incra 3" Tiny T-Rule
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10841
I've only ever sen the 3" ones at Hartville, and between the 3", 6" & 12" ones I have the 3" gets far more use than the others. Very handly little gadget.

[Lee Koepke]

The center ruler rocks!


I like my spring loaded center punch. Pick them up on sale at Harbor Freight for like .99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/00600-00699/00621.gif


one of them HF gems ..... I got one too and use it alot.

[Jim Kountz]

You kind of feel funny when you sucker in and buy one.... but then you find that its a really great thing to have and you like it and use it a lot.



Well for me its a (gulp) Kreg Jig. I would be one to rant and rave about them being cheesy cheater ways of joining wood. I fought gallantly for the mortise and tenon over pocket screws. Then...........I bought the Kreg Master Kit. Whoo Boy was I ever wrong!! I love this thing, I still go traditional for some things but for face frames on kitchen cabinets and such its the berries man, great tool!

[Mike Heidrick]

Whiteside brass setup bars. I love these things.

http://www.hartvilletool.com/shared/images/products//medium/R9800.JPEG

[Greg Hines, MD]

I bought a GripMaster about 10 years ago, now called a Z-vise. I don't use it that much nowadays, but I used to use it all the time. You can use it for holding all kinds of things, from small items to, as they said in the infomercials years ago, something as big as a mast.

http://www.advmachinery.com/default.asp?pg=products&grp=56

I was disappointed in the rise in cost. When I got mine, it was nowhere near the prices that website quotes, but if you can find one at a garage sale or someplace, I would grab it.

Doc

[Greg Sznajdruk]

I bought a GripMaster about 10 years ago, now called a Z-vise. I don't use it that much nowadays, but I used to use it all the time. You can use it for holding all kinds of things, from small items to, as they said in the infomercials years ago, something as big as a mast.

http://www.advmachinery.com/default.asp?pg=products&grp=56

I was disappointed in the rise in cost. When I got mine, it was nowhere near the prices that website quotes, but if you can find one at a garage sale or someplace, I would grab it.

Doc

Greg:

I bought one of these at a garage sale for $10. It is useful at $10 but $400 not.

Greg

[Kurt Strandberg]

I bought a GripMaster about 10 years ago, now called a Z-vise. I don't use it that much nowadays, but I used to use it all the time. You can use it for holding all kinds of things, from small items to, as they said in the infomercials years ago, something as big as a mast.

http://www.advmachinery.com/default.asp?pg=products&grp=56

I was disappointed in the rise in cost. When I got mine, it was nowhere near the prices that website quotes, but if you can find one at a garage sale or someplace, I would grab it.

Doc

I bought one of them, maybe 20 years ago, I still use it for holding long boards to drill for dowels before glue-up

I wonder what I paid for it back then?:rolleyes:

[Greg Hines, MD]

Greg:

I bought one of these at a garage sale for $10. It is useful at $10 but $400 not.

Greg


I would agree. I would get another one if the price was right, but anything over about $25 would be too much.

That said, it did come with a great number of attachments that made it more versatile.

Most of the time when I use it these days, I use it with the lower jaws up, for holding boards flat on my workbench.

Doc

[Jim Becker]

The next is a center ruler I got from Rockler, I use this little ruler all the the time. Its a good metal ruler for general work but the really nice thing is the centering. Just measure the item and then on the bottom scale go to the same measurement and that is the center, nice and fast.

Yes, a center guide ruler is great to have. Mine is 24" and I love to have it handy at the bench.

[Dave Lehnert]

I bought a GripMaster about 10 years ago, now called a Z-vise. I don't use it that much nowadays, but I used to use it all the time. You can use it for holding all kinds of things, from small items to, as they said in the infomercials years ago, something as big as a mast.

http://www.advmachinery.com/default.asp?pg=products&grp=56

I was disappointed in the rise in cost. When I got mine, it was nowhere near the prices that website quotes, but if you can find one at a garage sale or someplace, I would grab it.

Doc

I remember Harbor Freight and the like use to have a knock off of that vice. Wish I had purchased one at the time. Like to have one but not at that price.

[Dewey Torres]

Mine is like this but has 4 prongs on the end.

I have:

-pulled rings (and other items) out of the sink trap
-unclogged the sink(s)... grabs hair good:D
-got things from behind heavy appliances without moving them
-retrieved my arbor nut about 1000 times:rolleyes:

You can put a rare earth magnet into the claws and find metal items in a pile of sawdust! (don't ask:rolleyes:)

PLUS HF has it for $1.99

Top that!

Dewey

[Lloyd McKinlay]

I have a couple sets of different lengths of bar gauges. Easy to make and they work exactly as advertised. A great way to check square, especially those of us who occasionally mis-read a tape measure, and very useful for getting an inside measurement.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32585&cat=1,43513

[J. Z. Guest]

For me, I have three favorites:

1) Dowelmax
2) Kreg K3 Master System
3) Incra 6" T-rule

I used Dowelmax yesterday to ensure an accurate edge-edge glue-up, and it was very nice to not have to sand down a joint line.

[Bill Huber]

The center ruler rocks!


I like my spring loaded center punch. Pick them up on sale at Harbor Freight for like .99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/00600-00699/00621.gif

I have one of those and never thought about using it on wood, I guess I will have to get it out and use it.

[Bill Huber]

The first is a set I got for Christmas a couple years ago. I put it on my wish list as I thought it would be nice to have. Now I wonder how I lived without them cuz I'm constantly reaching for them.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=54892&cat=1,43456

Then there's the Incra 3" Tiny T-Rule
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10841
I've only ever sen the 3" ones at Hartville, and between the 3", 6" & 12" ones I have the 3" gets far more use than the others. Very handly little gadget.

I like those and I think I will just have to order a set, they are cheap and I know of many times I would have loved to have something like that.

[Bill Huber]

Yes, a center guide ruler is great to have. Mine is 24" and I love to have it handy at the bench.


I see Rockler has a tape in 12 and 25 foot that do the centering like the ruler.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1256&filter=Center%20point

Where did you get your 24 incher?

[Michael McCoy]

One of my most used aids is the Veritas Saddle Square.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=44836&cat=1,42936,50298

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, I think of 'gadget' as something small and unusual. I have a tool I used to use repairing home telephones to get the wires in the receptacle into their proper slots. But I find uses for it every day in the shop. It is the size of a ball point pen, and has two wire ends on it, a pocket clip, and a pop on cap to cover one of end. One side the wire is straight out the end, the other side has the wire bent into an 'L' shape. I've never seen them available at stores, and have no idea where this one was purchased at. But it sure is handy at times! Jim.

[Bill Huber]

Well, I think of 'gadget' as something small and unusual. I have a tool I used to use repairing home telephones to get the wires in the receptacle into their proper slots. But I find uses for it every day in the shop. It is the size of a ball point pen, and has two wire ends on it, a pocket clip, and a pop on cap to cover one of end. One side the wire is straight out the end, the other side has the wire bent into an 'L' shape. I've never seen them available at stores, and have no idea where this one was purchased at. But it sure is handy at times! Jim.

I bet you can find it here.

http://www.specialized.net/ecommerce/shop/seriesmaster.asp?series%5Fid=Wiring+Spudgers

[Lee Schierer]

It's not small, but my B&D workmate still sees lots of use. Mine is the original aluminum frame version. Best of all for a small shop, it will fold up when not being used.

I guess my number two choice would be the Pentel .7mm mechanincal pencils. They make fine lines all the time like a really sharp penci. I hve 7-8 in my shop and I can usually find one. I can't make a project without them

[Michael Panis]

$5 at Lowes

[Charles Wiggins]

A depth gauge I bought from Rockler
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11307

90505

[Bill Huber]

A depth gauge I bought from Rockler
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11307

90505

I had one like that then I broke it and got a Wixey depth gauge and never looked back, the Wixey is really nice and easier to read.

[Jim O'Dell]

Yes, Bill, they have one that is very similar. Called a release tool under wiring spudgers (:confused:). Thanks! Now I know what to call it! :D Jim.

[Bryan Parlor]

My favorite is a ruler stop from lee valley. I use it and a mechanical pencil for almost every measurement.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=53825&cat=1,43513

Bryan

[mark page]

Does an official Budweiser beer can coolie count? Or an official Weber/Ducane smoker temp gauge count? If not, I would have to say a TS Aligner, but for the price I paid, I would not count it as a trinket purchase, but do find it invaluable at times.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
- Laser level.
I bought a cheapo B&D on closeout at Lowes for a whopping $10.00 complete w/free cordless screwdriver (orig $39.95).
Marvelous tool! Makes hanging a drop ceiling stupid-easy.

- Yankee screwdriver <-- classic gadget. My grandfather had the thing mastered (w/flat blade). I never did get the hang of it.:confused: The bit always seemed to walk off the screws when I used it.

[Kevin Davis]

I recently picked up this little gizmo. Not only is it great for truing your TS, MS, Jointer but it is great for getting an angle from something to reproduce or a drawing and then transferring it to your TS. It has some strong magnets on it that make it handy to check angles and then just attach it to your saw via these magnets. It is compact. Rockler sells it: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19669&filter=wixey



file:///C:/Users/Kevin/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg