What tool saves you the most time?

[Phillip Gregory]

As a father of four I have limited time in my shop. I was curious what the community's finds to be the biggest time saver on projects.

Having more than one tool to do a specific operation so you don't have to break a setup. I don't have duplicate tools, but having a radial arm saw and shaper in addition to a cabinet saw largely means I do not have to break setups to crosscut something when I am set up for dadoing, ripping, rabbeting, etc. My shaper also has two spindles so I rarely have to break a setup on it either as I can generally use the "other" spindle.

I have a hunch that a HVLP spray setup would probably save me the most time as shooting lacquer would be grossly faster than brushing or wiping on varnish, but unfortunately I don't have such a setup...yet.

[Matthew Carver]

Having more than one tool to do a specific operation so you don't have to break a setup. I don't have duplicate tools, but having a radial arm saw and shaper in addition to a cabinet saw largely means I do not have to break setups to crosscut something when I am set up for dadoing, ripping, rabbeting, etc. My shaper also has two spindles so I rarely have to break a setup on it either as I can generally use the "other" spindle.

I have a hunch that a HVLP spray setup would probably save me the most time as shooting lacquer would be grossly faster than brushing or wiping on varnish, but unfortunately I don't have such a setup...yet.

I like that idea, its why I have two drills. Pilot hole and drive.

[Leo Graywacz]

I like that idea too. That's why I have 8 drills on site when installing cabinets.

[Phillip Gregory]

I like that idea, its why I have two drills. Pilot hole and drive.

I regularly do that, except I try to drill all of the pilots I can with my drill press and use the portable drills only for things I can't use the press on. If I need to use two handheld drills, the 1/2" corded keyed-chuck DeWalt runs the pilot/countersink and the cordless inexpensive (newer, ~10 year old) Porter-Cable keyless drill-driver with the clutch drives the fasteners. I love to hate the Porter-Cable but it is too handy despite its significant limitations to really hate it too much.

[Jim Andrew]

My life involves lots of tasks, as my farm takes a lot of my time, and bigger machinery always helps get the needed task finished quicker than your old machine. So, over the last several years my farm equipment was upgraded, bought a skid steer and attachments, which is the most fun piece of equipment I have, my latest addition is a Hustler Fastrak mower, which really has speeded up mowing at the farm yard.

[Mark Hockenberg]

Jim - I used to pay one guy to mow my sod area around the house and another guy to mow my 5 acres of field grass. The guy that did the field kept doing damage so I replaced both contractors with a Hustler Super Z 60". It's the first mower I've ever owned and it's a blast to mow now!

[Dueane Hicks]

My commercial grade waffle maker................oh, tools.