For You, What is a Beater Tool?

[Stew Denton]

Hi All,

For Jims post, the various posts made me realize that not everyone defines a "Beater Tool" like I do.

For me this is just a question about how we look at things, it is only about one's opinion, so there is no absolute "true" answer on this, only opinions and how we view things.

To me a beater tool is one that doesn't look very nice anymore, may have broken and repaired parts that look really poorly done, may be very badly pitted, a saw plate may be bent a bit, it may be hard to adjust, a wooden handled hammer may have a badly damaged handle, etc., etc.

It is all about appearance or being easy to adjust. It has too work well, or have the potential to work well otherwise it is trash or broken down for parts. It may be one that still works OK, but may be nearly worn out. It may be one that works OK for the task it is relegated to, but of only fair quality at best, for example my old Dunlap (maybe a #3) plane that will eventually be a scrub plane....it will be OK for that, but won't ever be used as a smoother.

A beater is not new cheap junker tool, that tool for me is just trash.

What is a beater in your mind?

Stew

[Jay Aubuchon]

For me, a beater is a tool that I am willing to abuse in ways that may damage or ruin it. Typically because I am going to have a limited set of tools with me and will make do with them, even if they aren't the right tools for the job.

[Joe A Faulkner]

Similar to Jay Aubuchon, beater tools are tools that can be abused and if lost or damaged, I don't much care. Sort of like a sacrificial fence, or push stick or piece of scrap wood that you use for test cut. They are very useful, just not necessarily very dear. I have some rental property. From time to time I have to do some demo work, refurbishing or serious cleaning. I have an old $4 set of chisels with those nearly indestructible yellow plastic handles. For fine wood working they don't hold an edge for very long, but for scraping glue squeeze out, there perfect. I've used these to scrape dried flooring adhesive off of concrete slab, or scrape baked on crud off the side of a dirty oven, to pry up a bent nail. I've used them to chisel out around a screw where the screw slot or phillips slot has been so damaged that the only way to remove the screw is to get vise grips around the outside. They've been used to scrape paint, caulk, calcium deposits, rust and more. Sometimes the best tool for the job is back in my shop and not on the job site, so having some of these beater tools in my tool chest comes in handy.

I also carry an old steak knife in one of my tool boxes. I can't tell you how often I've reached for it to cut something.

[steven c newman]

I'll stay out of this one....reasons were given in JK's thread...

[andy bessette]

The tool in my avatar.

[Jim Koepke]

Similar to Jay Aubuchon, beater tools are tools that can be abused and if lost or damaged, I don't much care. Sort of like a sacrificial fence, or push stick or piece of scrap wood that you use for test cut. They are very useful, just not necessarily very dear.

Pretty much the same for me.

Kind of like in areas where the roads are salted in winter. Many folks have a 'beater' car for the salty days so their nice car can be saved for better weather.

Most of my beaters are actually very good tools, they just aren't the ones that feel the most comfortable in my hands. Some are a bit doggy. There are no worries about dropping them in the river or getting lost in the wooded areas. If my neighbor borrowed one it wouldn't bother me if it didn't come home. If a neighbor, friend or acquaintance needed some chisels, there are enough to make a mixed brand set to get them started.

jtk

[Dom Campbell]

I just posted, then deleted, in the other thread, as more appropriate here:


For me the distinction is not about how much tools cost, but rather the sentimental value one attaches to said tool.

A beater tool, to me, is one that I will turn to for the quick and dirty work, or tools that I don't mind if they are kept in less than optimal, razor sharp, perfectly rust free condition. That said, they will soon get sharpened, and fixed up again.

For example, I have 4 Baileys (4, 4 1/2, 5, 7), all similar condition (and similar price), but 2 I bought re-furbed, and 2 I re-furbed myself - the sentimental attachment I have to the planes I fixed up is much higher, while the others I tend to use as beaters.

The same in a set of chisels - one where the bevel was way out of whack, and took hours of hand grinding, compared to the one that was perfect out the box - I feel like I place more value into the one that took the time, versus the other - we have developed a relationship, if you were.

Maybe I am too romantic, but that's how I look at my tools.

For me, I would never loan a tool to someone if I expected to use it in the future - beater tool or not - and would rather do the work for them. Luckily my friends and family know this, and therefore there are no fallings out


On the beater/good tool distinction - one needs to be careful to get their money's worth out of a tool. No point buying bling for it to sit unused (unless you are a collector), they can handle all what we can (reasonably) throw at them.

[Jason Martin Winnipeg]

My beater tools tend to be anything I bought from Home Depot, as well as any old tool I get that can't be fully refurbished for one reason or another.

[James Pallas]

In most cases I don’t have “beater” tools. I own many tools and usually have the appropriate tool for the work required. I don’t lend tools in most cases. If I do it is with a clear understanding of the fact that if you damage it you replace it. I tell the person what the tool is worth up front. Many times the tool is just handed back to me. Family members have decided that it’s easier to go to HF and buy it. I decided this long ago, the work is not for me so I should not bear the cost. I will use my own tools to help if I think it is required. I have found this keeps the peace with family and friends.
Jim

[Rob Luter]

Tools with plastic handles that I use for rough work.

[Derek Cohen]

My beater ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[steven c newman]

Beater tool...
IMAG0001.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

I have some beater chisels and a block plane. I use these for glue removal mostly. Not sure what other kind of rough work there is that is not better accomplished with a “proper” tool.

Maybe that’s it: Beater tools for me are woodworking tools I use for materials other than wood?

[ken hatch]

I sometimes have folks over to "help" them make something like a workbench or other things. I have chisels, saws, and planes that I let them use. Not because they are bad or rough tools but I know the tools are tough and can survive some less than good technique. An example being the new Stanley 750 chisels, while they are not my favorite chisel to use, the 750's are almost as durable as the plastic handled ones and the iron is very strong. With planes I also may go in a different direction than most. I will not let guest workers use my Stanley planes but instead will give them "the much better" LV or LN plane to use. Same with saws, while I can not repair a kink in a LV saw they are common enough and cheap enough for it to not matter. If closely supervised most workers will not do too much damage and usually it is just a case of taking iron to the grinder to repair damaged cutting edges or using the first aid kit to fix the effects of cutters sharper than they are use to.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

or using the first aid kit to fix the effects of cutters sharper than they are use to.

LOL! When there isn't an injury, it is kind of funny to see a person's reaction when they discover 'sharp' is something way beyond what they thought it was.

jtk