Contributor
Two things that are related...
- sub panel in the garage.
- paid the electrician who installed the sub panel to run conduit and four circuits....
Prior to that I'd been getting by with pretty much only one 15 amp outlet...plus the other circuit the freezer is on.
I can't begin to describe what a pleasure it is to have, power, lights and a space heater....all at the same time....
Contributor
I know it's a small thing, but sharp pencils and lots of them. Several years ago I bought a cheap electric pencil sharpener and a couple of boxes of #2 pencils. I've got them spread all over the shop and not hard to find one when needed. Now if I could only find a way to keep them from hiding behind my ear and ending up in the house after I come in from the shop.
Who knew your could have so much fun with such a small chunk of wood
Contributor
Dedicated adjustment wrenches for every machine. Used to be standard practice,before some genius figured out that you can get by with two adjustable wrenches in commercial shop.Walking is good for you,didn't your mom teach you to share? As an employee I have personally paid for a good number of them, it's not worth getting in bad habits to save a small amount of money. I buy cheap Chinese stuff of appropriate length and type . If only one end of it will be used,I cut off the one not needed. I color code the wrenches and their particular bolt head, then grind off the size markings. Makes it a little less useful to borrowers and thieves. This is a safety issue as well as one of necessary convenience.
Contributor
I do that in my shop too, actually. I have magnetic strips on every machine and every wrench necessary to work on it. It only costs a couple of bucks.Originally Posted by Mel Fulks
Contributor
Well one item is really kind of 'dorky', it's a set of metal stamps that punches numbers or letters in parts, best $20 I ever spent, cannot tell you how many times I penciled in the part number or letter then proceeded to plane it off with my trusty Smooth plane.. Glue-ups go so much smoother now..
Other item is a digital caliper, love the thing inspite it being the worlds biggest battery hog in the world..
Member
+1, I can start the day with a dozen sharp pencils in my apron and 4 hours later I'm without a pencil. I also like some #3's in the mix. I've also got a couple of old hand sharpeners mounted on opposite sides of the shop.
I don't usually go the dedicated wrench route, but I do take a black Sharpy and write the fastener size next to the fastener. That speeds things up a little.
Last edited by Harvey Melvin Richards; 10-08-2012 at 4:21 PM.
Member
The Eurekazone Smart Table. It's just been a really handy thing to have around.
Member
One of my little favorites is a set of transfer punches, they are cheap and I use them a lot more then I ever thought I would. I always have some holds I need to line up or something like that and I used to just use a pencil or scribe to make them and they would be close.
With the transfer punches they are now spot on and much easier to then with a scribe or pencil.
Sizes from 3/32" to 1/2" by 1/64" and that does just about anything I do.
http://littlemachineshop.com/product...ProductID=2031
The other little item that I just could not be without is the Calculated Industries 4019 calculator, I am just not that good with fractions with the little calculator it is a breeze, it was $19 when I got mine but they are a little more now.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014CL0LG/..._df_B0014CL0LG
Contributor
Accurate measuring devices (6 inch 1/32 -1/64 rule), small square, mechanical pencil and marking knife. Either those or blue tape to label everything (part, direction, etc...). Guess my controlling nature shows...
Shawn
"no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."
"I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"
Member
I know this is a weird one but by far my best investment in tools lately is to learn how to use Sketchup much more effectively. I haven't picked up a pencil or T-square for my projects in over a year now and when I make a materials list I have every cut and joinery mapped out completely and extremely accurately. I also know what the project is going to look like before I start so no more tinkering with the design as I go. Totally changed my approach to woodworking and greatly improved my final results. I actually now enjoy doing what I once hated which was drawing out my design and it now takes a fraction of the time to accomplish. I can also plan out a complete kitchen for a client in one night after getting the room dimensions and have the ability to show them a 3 dimensional view - from any angle they wish - so they can decide if they want to make changes before I start cutting the first sheet of ply. I have access to literally 100's of thousands of projects in librarys at the touch of a mouse click with many of them having all the dimensions and joinery already planned out which I can alter to suit my needs. When my dad and I were planning out the sprinkler system for our oddly shapped 1 acre garden I was able to bring in the google earth view of the garden make a couple of measurements to get the scale right and draw to perfect precision where to place the sprinkler heads and layout the pipes all done within a 30 minute session in the software. I'm still just scratching the surface with it's capabilities and use but I just love playing with it.
I still just cannot believe that program is free.
In Memoriam
X-cut sled.
Chops (with special fence) jig plate and plastic components to .001".
Also useful for close joinery, (example).
Components then are accurate enough to make jigs and fixtures.
Which in turn allow success in woodworking and plastic fabrication.
Member
My favorite tool is the one i found when i was actually looking for it! Now, where's that tape measure?
Member
That's why I have two tape measures. For some reason, only one can hide at a time.
Kirk
who also has at least a dozen pencils scattered around the shop...
Member
My favorite is still the Work sharp 3000.
I absolutely love having continually razor sharp chisels and planes. Best money spent.
[OP]
Member
I have two and I manage to always be looking for them. By the way, I'm not in love with either of my tape measures...anyone got any recs?That's why I have two tape measures. For some reason, only one can hide at a time.
Kirk
who also has at least a dozen pencils scattered around the shop...
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