Post the tools you have and love. Hopefully we will learn from each other and find some we NEED to have :)

[tinfoil hat timmy]

Me: ''Oh look. A Bladeforums tool thread. Neat. I think I'll take a look.''

My Wallet: ''This will end well.''

 

[Hickory n steel]

Thanks to Hickory n steel ,
I got my Cahapman set+ today.
Excellent quality tools!
View attachment 2550470

Fyi, with a philips bit in it the PR-13 ratchet can double as a spinning top and it spins extremely well.
That's not a joke, but on a more serious note you can spin hex screws in quickly then lock them down.

Btw the bit PR-13 and all the extra driver handles I have are why I changed cases multiple times.
I started with their most basic case that has no bit racks, then bought the case you have, finally outgrowing that case ending up with the orange case I currently have so I could take out all the bit racks I don't need and have room for all my handles.
I just may outgrow that eventually in which case I'll look into getting one of their awesome tool boards.
That time may come sooner or later, because there are some long hex bits I need.

https://chapmanmfg.com/products/tool-board-test

 

[Gress]

Fyi, with a philips bit in it the PR-13 ratchet can double as a spinning top and it spins extremely well.
That's not a joke, but on a more serious note you can spin hex screws in quickly then lock them down.

Btw the bit PR-13 and all the extra driver handles I have are why I changed cases multiple times.
I started with their most basic case that has no bit racks, then bought the case you have, finally outgrowing that case ending up with the orange case I currently have so I could take out all the bit racks I don't need and have room for all my handles.
I just may outgrow that eventually in which case I'll look into getting one of their awesome tool boards.
That time may come sooner or later, because there are some long hex bits I need.

https://chapmanmfg.com/products/tool-board-test

Thanks for the tips.


I like the flexibility the bit racks design provides. Making them different colors is good idea too.
I am good with my yellow box for now

 

[Gress]

That one is my favorite for all the computer and other small jobs. Thinking of expanding it to fill in empty positions in the box. USA made.

 

[Hickory n steel]

That one is my favorite for all the computer and other small jobs. Thinking of expanding it to fill in empty positions in the box. USA made.
View attachment 2551767

Have the acetate handles started to smell like puke yet ?

 

[Sharp Steel]

That one is my favorite for all the computer and other small jobs. Thinking of expanding it to fill in empty positions in the box. USA made.
View attachment 2551767

We used to use those kits at a manufacturing job many decades ago. The black handle Torque Amplifier on my set was a sloppy fit and the screwdrivers would fall out of it all the time. If you kept rotating the driver a bit before putting it in the amplifier you could reach a spot where it would hold for a screw or two before falling out again. Xcelite had sets of nut drivers like that too.

 

[Gress]

Have the acetate handles started to smell like puke yet ?

How do you know?

 

[Gress]

We used to use those kits at a manufacturing job many decades ago. The black handle Torque Amplifier on my set was a sloppy fit and the screwdrivers would fall out of it all the time. If you kept rotating the driver a bit before putting it in the amplifier you could reach a spot where it would hold for a screw or two before falling out again. Xcelite had sets of nut drivers like that too.

My use is obviously less heavy
And I just ordered a 1/4 nut driver to compliment it with 1/4 nut heads set.

 

[Gress]

The bigger the better, right?

 

[Sharp Steel]

My use is obviously less heavy
And I just ordered a 1/4 nut driver to compliment it with 1/4 nut heads set.

You needed the amplifier after a bit because those tiny handles would cause hand fatigue. Especially trying to torque a number 2 Phillips head screw with that plain handle.

 

[Hickory n steel]

My Grace screwdrivers are another tool I find indispensible, you just can't go working on any guns or vintage airguns with regular taper ground screwdrivers.
Most slotted screws on vintage fishing reels also have straight cut slots, so I prefer to use parallel / hollow ground gunsmithing drivers on them as well.

I numbered the handles and made a rack for them.

and recently I decided to shorten them all by about 1.5", I wanted them shorter for greater control to reduce slipping and causing scratches...etc.

I like them much more now, and I never really needed the length much before so I sacrificed very little.

 

[Hickory n steel]

How do you know?

Western Forge/ Craftsman, Vaco, and Xcelite are notorious for their stinky outgassing Butyl Acetate handles.

 

[Gress]

My Grace screwdrivers are another tool I find indispensible, you just can't go working on any guns or vintage airguns with regular taper ground screwdrivers.
Most slotted screws on vintage fishing reels also have straight cut slots, so I prefer to use parallel / hollow ground gunsmithing drivers on them as well.

I numbered the handles and made a rack for them.

and recently I decided to shorten them all by about 1.5", I wanted them shorter for greater control to reduce slipping and causing scratches...etc.

I like them much more now, and I never really needed the length much before so I sacrificed very little.

Very nice. I like shorter shanks working on my guns too. And hollow ground drivers are a must even for changing the 1911 grips.

 

[Gress]

You needed the amplifier after a bit because those tiny handles would cause hand fatigue. Especially trying to torque a number 2 Phillips head screw with that plain handle.

I use the amplifier as needed. Just my use of the set is limited to small computer / electrical jobs like replacing a power supply for my desktop or fixing switches etc. I did not have failures, but I trust your experience it it's noted

 

[Gress]

Talking electrical and wiring, if you are old school like I and prefer wires over wifi, this is the tool I found indispensible for ethernet cat cables, phone lines, etc especially making cables. wiring and troubleshooting.

 

[killgar]

I showed some of my bit drivers, but not my driver bits. This is my "travel case", I like to be able to take my bits with me if I'm going to be away from home for awhile.

I searched high and low for a 1/4" bit case that was compact and had holes for the most bits, and I found this one (came with a cheap set of Chinese bits. Most of my bits are Wiha). It has holes for 35 bits, but there's room for other things- like 19 Wiha micro bits (in the plastic tube containers), as well as a few mini 1/4" bit drivers, and a micro bit driver extension. All held securely in place without stuff getting rattled around.

The case is about the size of my wallet.

I guess this would be considered a "tool", it's a tire inflater. It's one of my favorite tools because I built it, it's unusual, and it sees regular use.

I had a Campbell Hausfeld tire inflator that ran on a rechargeable battery, and after about 13 years the battery finally gave out. Instead of replacing the battery I wanted a plug-in AC/DC inflator. So I pulled the pump and motor out, built a bracket for the pump/motor, wired it to an appropriate AC/DC converter for a 12v motor, and rubber-mounted it all inside a mini ammo can, with aftermarket toggle switch, 60 psi gauge, a different valve chuck, and a handle I liked better than the original collapsible one. I've been using it for about nine years now.

What I really like about the pump C/H used with this inflator is that it's all metal. You don't see that very often these days on little portable tire inflators (if at all). Campbell Hausfeld built these pumps to last.

 

[Hickory n steel]

This Ryobi hybrid power 18v cordless fan has been one of my favorite power tools ever since I've had it the past couple of years.

performance is perfectly adequate, the convenience of using my power tool batteries is awesome, and unlike the Milwaukee it can just plug right in with any extension cord if needed.


Get one for whichever tool line you've bought into, but honestly as a DIY'er this fan would be enough to steer me to investing in the Ryobi line because I like it that much.
I don't know what the latest model is like but it's gotta be at least as good as this.

I would not be surprised if Milwaukee has learned something from Ryobi and done away with the adapter cord for theirs in favor of standard extension cord compatibility.

 

[Gress]

I showed some of my bit drivers, but not my driver bits. This is my "travel case", I like to be able to take my bits with me if I'm going to be away from home for awhile.

I searched high and low for a 1/4" bit case that was compact and had holes for the most bits, and I found this one (came with a cheap set of Chinese bits. Most of my bits are Wiha). It has holes for 35 bits, but there's room for other things- like 19 Wiha micro bits (in the plastic tube containers), as well as a few mini 1/4" bit drivers, and a micro bit driver extension. All held securely in place without stuff getting rattled around.

The case is about the size of my wallet.

I guess this would be considered a "tool", it's a tire inflater. It's one of my favorite tools because I built it, it's unusual, and it sees regular use.

I had a Campbell Hausfeld tire inflator that ran on a rechargeable battery, and after about 13 years the battery finally gave out. Instead of replacing the battery I wanted a plug-in AC/DC inflator. So I pulled the pump and motor out, built a bracket for the pump/motor, wired it to an appropriate AC/DC converter for a 12v motor, and rubber-mounted it all inside a mini ammo can, with aftermarket toggle switch, 60 psi gauge, a different valve chuck, and a handle I liked better than the original collapsible one. I've been using it for about nine years now.

What I really like about the pump C/H used with this inflator is that it's all metal. You don't see that very often these days on little portable tire inflators (if at all). Campbell Hausfeld built these pumps to last.

Love it!
The most unusual use of an ammo can I've seen.
I got a few of them. What's inside?- you guessed it right - it's ammo
The only mod I made is installing small padlocks.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I have seen somebody use an ammo can to create a waterproof case for filming under water with a video camera before.

 

[Gress]

I have seen somebody use an ammo can to create a waterproof case for filming under water with a video camera before.

Saving on a pelican case I guess
My vote goes to the tire inflator