What is your "most handy" tool?

[Matt Ocel]

O.K. I couldn't pick just one.

[Chris Holder]

This would be mine.:cool:

[Greg Cole]

I'd post a pic of my head, but the important tool isn't visible... ya know, the gray matter. It does design & layout, tells my hands what to do (fabricatrion), budgets $ I usually don't have to spend on tools I might not need.... :rolleyes:
Although I did actually crack my skull when I was a kid, so maybe some of it slipped out? If nothing else I have a little divot on my head to always remember it by.....
It's hard to pick just one tool as the handiest, as they're all damn handy when the need for it arises. I've found a few times a handy tool I need at a precise moment seems to be a tool I don't have?
In all honesty and a moment of seriousness :eek:, not WW'ing related per say... but a milling machine is as handy as anything I've ever used.

Greg

[Gary Ratajczak]

Fein Multimaster

Saved TONS of time on current remodel projects!!

[Ray Schafer]

My pull saw -- I am not sure which one it is ... a dozuki maybe. When I need a quick cut without any setup, I reach for this saw. It is so easy to use and quick, too! ... and only cost about $19 at The Borg.

[Jason Beam]

My most handy tool is the one I just used to finally get done with whatever it was I was fighing with at the time.

Runner up is the tool that can do what I need while I reach without getting up or letting go of some awkward assembly.

Third place goes to the tool I bought years ago and put somewhere, not to be seen again until just recently - then it gets put to work constantly until I lose it.

And fourth place is any tool that I have which does a better job than what my fellow woodworkers spent wayyyy too much money on.

[Greg Narozniak]

Got to be either my Apron that I wear in the shop. Pockets have Tape measure, Pencils, Small square. Huge time saver or my DC remote. So nice to just hit a button and the Cyclone powers up.

[Eric Larsen]

My set of machinist's squares. Life got much easier once all my tools were properly tuned.

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/27237-01-200.jpg

[jeremy levine]

O.K. I couldn't pick just one.

Your choices are spot on if I'm doing home repair. I have that exact micro-prybar

[Don Morris]

I'm with Gary on this, the Fein Multimaster. I'm amazed at how many times I find it is the "tool" I use. Did a major home renovation recently and happened to be talking to the contractor as he brought a new customer through the house to take a look at his handy work. The contractor and I were talking about the new model Multimaster has out. We both agreed the Multimaster is a much used "tool" and appropriately named.

[Mike Cutler]

Uhmm..... Pencil, or maybe my 6 foot Starrett machine rule.
I'm a simple type of dude.


That's a nice beehive tool on the left Matt. ;)

[Brian Tax]

I have often said that this is the best tool I have ever bought, maybe not a fine woodworking tool, but it has been indispensable for remodeling.

[Rob Blaustein]

My 4" sliding square (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=44279&cat=1,42936) from Lee Valley. I use it for so many different tasks and reach for it constantly. It's amazing how many things a precision double square can do. I used to use my 12" Starrett a lot but now use it mostly for tool setup and use the 4" inch LV one for everything else.

[Porter Bassett]

Cordless drill.

[Doug Shepard]

6" combo square.
Either that or the scissor type pooper-scooper.
Seems like I'm always reachin for one or da udder.

[Tim Thomas]

Cordless drill.

You know Porter, I was racking my brain trying to think of which tool I use the most, and you nailed it. I am fairly certain that there is no other tool I own that gets used more than my cordless drill. I use it all the time for repairs around the house and for woodworking in the shop. I even use it on a very low torque setting when wiring a lot of electrical receptacles. (I finish tightening with a screwdriver, but the drill saves a lot of time when you are doing dozens of receptacles/switches.) I've got nut driver attachments for it that helped me to put together my home gym and work on my truck. I'm fairly certain that if you took my cordless drill away I would have to close up shop until I had a replacement. It is just that handy.

[Jacob Reverb]

6" Starrett rule.

[Bruce Page]

The most used....:p

[Shawn Honeychurch]

1955 DeWalt MBF RAS. :)

[Shawn Walker]

My 4" sliding square (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=44279&cat=1,42936) from Lee Valley. I use it for so many different tasks and reach for it constantly. It's amazing how many things a precision double square can do. I used to use my 12" Starrett a lot but now use it mostly for tool setup and use the 4" inch LV one for everything else.


Same here.

[Rusty Elam]

Card Scraper, I wish all my tools were as cost effective as these. I think of how many scrapers I could have bought for that one Rotozip.........

[Matt Ocel]

Uhmm..... Pencil, or maybe my 6 foot Starrett machine rule.
I'm a simple type of dude.


That's a nice beehive tool on the left Matt. ;)


Unfortunetaly my class 5 driveway

[Jason White]

Festool DX93 "Deltex" detail sander.

JW


O.K. I couldn't pick just one.

[Ryan Hovis]

talking strictly hand tools, this little Simonds plane I got for $20 gets used every time I'm in the shop, posing here on some curly oak:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/hovisimo2/001-13.jpg

power tools, my table saw, duh.

[Clifford Mescher]

Card Scraper, I wish all my tools were as cost effective as these. I think of how many scrapers I could have bought for that one Rotozip.........
Card Scraper. Clifford

[Chris Rosenberger]

:eek:That is like asking me to choose between my kids.:eek:
All of my tools are my handiest.

[John Sanford]

Hmm, probably the handy tool I'm most fond of would be my 2lb Dupla double faced deadblow hammer.

Up next, and probably handier, would be my lost but fondly remembered DeWalt 12v cordless. Those two are the one's that I made the most $$ with.

Of course, the real winner for handiest tool in the shop goes to my workbench.

[John Thompson]

A corded 3/8 drill until... a week ago I purchased a Makita cordless 10.8 V 2 piece compact drill set they just introduced at IWF. I have basically worn the drill and impact driver out in a week tricking out a new TS and doing some fine tuning around the shop between projects.

Both fit in the palm of my hands and they pretty much haven't left there for a week.

Sarge..

[Mike Parzych]

Kreg pocket hole system. I get the most bang for the buck from it.

[Brian W Evans]

My 4" sliding square (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=44279&cat=1,42936) from Lee Valley. I use it for so many different tasks and reach for it constantly. It's amazing how many things a precision double square can do. I used to use my 12" Starrett a lot but now use it mostly for tool setup and use the 4" inch LV one for everything else.


Ditto. If I could somehow attach it to myself, I would.

[Per Swenson]

Slightly smarter then a bag of hammers, as loyal as any golden lab, and
strong like bull.

Per

[Bob Fraser]

Any one of a number of very good quality handbuilt knives that I keep handy on the workbench.

bob

[Dan Clark]

I have a bunch of "handy" tools that I use. The one that is most handy depends on the job that I'm doing, but they include:

- Festool C12

- Several Japanese pull saws

- Painters 6-in-1 tool like this one: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17462

- Festool CT22 vac

- Several Utility Knives

However, if "handy" means the tool that solves problems that keep me up a night... It would have to be my Fein Multimaster hands down!

On the downside, the Multimaster is expensive and the accessories are extremely expensive! And, the case is not too rugged.

On the upside, the Multimaster does things that no other tool can do or do as well. For sanding, there are better detail sanders (like the Festool DTS400 or DX93). But for cutting a hole in sheet rock, plunge cutting joists and studs, cutting through tile thinset or grout, polishing natural stone in a tight place, trimming the bottom of a door casing, and a whole bunch of uncommon tasks that somehow seem to commonly occur, the Multimaster is the tool of choice.

Regards,

Dan.

[richard poitras]

That’s easy the Sawmill Creek forum! :)

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Handiest?
Good question!
Lot's of candidates.

I'm going to go with the 15 foot 12 ga. extension cord I picked up a few weeks ago. I'd been using a 25 foot outdoor (18 ga. (?)) prior to that.
I was surprised how much more "life" it gives to a lot of tools.
I did some sanding in the driveway yesterday w/the ROS and could feel the difference.

Edit:

I'm changing mine after giving it more thought - that plus seeing an ad from Sears in this morings flyers.

My Irwin bar clamps are the handiest. The squeeze type ones.
I lost track of all the uses I have for those. Every thing from holding stuff in place to a make shift fence.

[David Tiell]

I just love this little 3" square. Fits the hand (and apron pocket) perfectly, and has measurements running vertically on the outside edge for blade/bit height setups. It usually sits next to my planer, because its just so easy to pick up and read a thickness quickly and easily.

Dave

[Glenn Clabo]

I'll second this one. If you do any remodeling...it's simply the handiest tool I own.

[Ray Schafer]

Where did you get that square! I want one!

[Ray Schafer]

Yeah, even though I said pull-saw, I have to admit, that I use my cordless drill in 50% of the things that I do.

[Tom Panks]

Actually..my Ariens Pro Snow Blower..without that I'd not be in my shop for 6 to 7 months of the year! How'd you like that to happen to you????

[Per Swenson]

I just love this little 3" square. Fits the hand (and apron pocket) perfectly, and has measurements running vertically on the outside edge for blade/bit height setups. It usually sits next to my planer, because its just so easy to pick up and read a thickness quickly and easily.

Dave

Ok I give up.

The last time I saw this square was at the Ridge carbide booth at the mid Atlantic show. He had them for spur of the moment sales.
I didn't buy one. Now I did the due diligence of the great gizoolge and just looked every where. No good.
So help a brother out. Where did you get it?

Per

[BOB OLINGER]

Cordless drill !!!!!!

[Dan Lee]

Ok I give up.

The last time I saw this square was at the Ridge carbide booth at the mid Atlantic show. He had them for spur of the moment sales.
I didn't buy one. Now I did the due diligence of the great gizoolge and just looked every where. No good.
So help a brother out. Where did you get it?

Per

Looks like Bridge City

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/Layout+Tools/AS-3+Adjustable+Square

[Steve Sawyer]

Ugh.

Whaddya mean by "handy"???

In terms of frequency of use, I'd have to say my draftsman's pencil - the kind with the big thick lead that you sharpen to a fine point with some kind of rotary sharpener. I probably use that ten times every time I'm in the shop.

In terms of "favorite" in that it works so darn well and in a multitude of circumstances, I'd have to say my Veritas Medium Shoulder plane. I reach for it at least as often as my block plane, though I just picked up a used Record 113 that just might supplant it as my go-to plane for those cross-, end- and nasty-grained planing tasks.

I'd also have to give a vote to my non-ruler layout tools. I've become highly dependent on my Incra Gauge, 1-2-3 blocks and brass setup bars. I find that I very seldom use a ruler for any kind of layout task anymore.

[Per Swenson]

Thanks Dan!

P.

[Kevin Groenke]

I just love this little 3" square. Fits the hand (and apron pocket) perfectly, and has measurements running vertically on the outside edge for blade/bit height setups. It usually sits next to my planer, because its just so easy to pick up and read a thickness quickly and easily.

Dave
[/URL]

That square would be even better if the head slid, if it was an inch longer and if it was less expensive. OH, I just described a 4" double square!... my second handiest tool. The handiest is a Panasonic 15.6v, 3.5ah, NiMh drill/driver.
[URL="http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=97344&stc=1&d=1222122159"] (http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=97343&stc=1&d=1222122159)

-kg