Tools that are junk, IMO

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have and use all of these tools as well. My aviation snips rank right up there with my hunting equipment. Go ahead and try to pry them from my cold fingers. If it were not for Karl Klenk we might be corresponding in German.

[mike stenson]

we might be corresponding in German.

I wouldn't have an issue with that.

(makes reading felders technical doc easier, but talking to their support harder)

[Thomas McCurnin]

Every tool has a time and place. I won’t go through the list an argue my point, but every tool on the list has a time and place for being the perfect tool for the job. You may not use some of them, but each has its place.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have and use all of these tools as well. My aviation snips rank right up there with my hunting equipment. Go ahead and try to pry them from my cold fingers. If it were not for Karl Klenk we might be corresponding in German.

My pocket screw rig is a 3/8 spade bit. I have not seen my contour thing-a-ma-jiggy in years.

[Ron Citerone]

The tool I expected to use a lot and turns out I rarely use is a biscuit joiner. Nothing against them just don’t feel a need very often. I’m sure some people use them a lot. Will keep it though.

Every junk drawer deserves a 4 way screwdriver. 😉

[Edward Weber]

Every junk drawer deserves a 4 way screwdriver. 

I'm sure this could be another thread but I don't, won't ever, have a junk drawer. This goes for the kitchen as well as the shop.

[andrew whicker]

I don't think there is a day of woodworking when I don't use my squish clamps (as I call them)

Also not sure what the replacement is for ROS...

[Bernie Kopfer]

Every tool has a time and place. I won’t go through the list an argue my point, but every tool on the list has a time and place for being the perfect tool for the job. You may not use some of them, but each has its place.

Well said!

[Cameron Wood]

Wow I can see this topic really taking off.
My turn on the runway.......
IMHO just about any tool that is marketed as a tool that can do several jobs is junk. Tools are made to address a specific function. When that focus is blurred so is the effectiveness of the tool. I could go on and on but pictures are worth a thousand words .............
On the other hand not all multi tools are really junk one example I would offer is a true swiss army knife , a true brand letherman . Even then each individual feature is somewhat compromised in size or broad reach of function.
Anyway off to Harbor Freight to get some of those multi tool time and money savers
calabrese55

Attachment 511334

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I agree with this, except for the ever-present Swiss Army knife, and I carry a Gerber multitool, which is used almost 100% as one hand operable collapsible plier.

[Jim Becker]

The tool I expected to use a lot and turns out I rarely use is a biscuit joiner. Nothing against them just don’t feel a need very often. I’m sure some people use them a lot. Will keep it though.

Like you, I still have me biscuit joiner...a Freud 102. It rarely gets use, but when it's the right tool, it's the right tool. I think the last time I pulled it out was actually to make a few groves for splines...

[George Yetka]

- 4 in one screwdrivers. A good ratcheting screw driver can be great (wera and mac are the 2 I own and love. I have separate screwdrivers for prying) the 4-1 were great when i was in the trades
- Quick grip clamps. Bessey extra heavy I just upgraded to are up to the task
- Random orbit sanders. Cheap RO sanders with cheap paper will cause this. I remember as a kid my fathers entry level bosch with 10 cent paper doing this.
- Contour gauge. Never used one
- Electronic stud finder. rarely use one but magnets or the franklin
- Straight cutting aviator snips. Agree though I hate using lefts or rights also
- Bent claw hammer. Id rather have a pneumatic and a pry bar
- Pocket screws. quick and easy for cabinet stretchers is the only time I really use them.

Theres plenty I think of as junk now but did the job just fine for me before finding my way to better stuff.
Light duty F clamps(deflect way too much), Bosch palm router(couldnt hold height), Paslode(never charged/gas always empty), Home depot/Lowes( I used to love going there and tool shopping but now I know you cant get great stuff there just some good stuff), low end compressors (too loud to use in the garage. I bought a grex cordless to avoid the sound after a couple years)

[George Yetka]

I'm sure this could be another thread but I don't, won't ever, have a junk drawer. This goes for the kitchen as well as the shop.

Where do you keep your junk?

My wife hates the junk drawer in the kitchen. She prefers the junk on the counter because "Messy drawers drive me crazy"

[Bradley Gray]

My wife prefers her junk on the counter.

[Dave Sabo]

Like you, I still have me biscuit joiner...a Freud 102. It rarely gets use, but when it's the right tool, it's the right tool. I think the last time I pulled it out was actually to make a few groves for splines...

Interestingly enough , ELU (Swiss co. gobbled up by B&D for their routers and biscuit joiners) had a version of their joiner that was purpose built for exactly that.

It had several part #'s

DS140
2278
3380

and was also available (may still be) in DeWalt livery as the DW685

Good ol' Norm even used one on very early episodes of the NYWS.

https://offerup.com/item/detail/646665912

[Jerome Stanek]

I agree with this, except for the ever-present Swiss Army knife, and I carry a Gerber multitool, which is used almost 100% as one hand operable collapsible plier.

That is why I carry a Gerber I can open it with a flick of the wrist Unlike the Leatherman that my buddy carries