Tool Tools you acquired that are useless

[whydontu]

@slow-poke started a great thread on Tools you waited too long to acquire, I think it’s time to delve into tools that looked good but immediately got put in the crap drawer.

I‘ll start:

Dremel Saw Max SM20. Thought it would be good for those times I need to do a quick cut on small bars, advertised as able to cut anything. Maybe, if you don’t mind getting one cut per $3 disc. And what were the designers thinking, an abrasive disc to cut wood? Every time I tried, it set off the smoke detectors. Oh, and the discs are a weird size, only made by Dremel.

And the blade guard is plastic and starts to melt if you try to cut metal. But it’s not too big a deal, since a blade only lasts for two cuts of 1/4” steel rod, so the blade guard cools down a lot while you’re changing blades. (Every three minutes.)

The only saving grace is I bought it second hand, so I didn’t throw away $150, only $60 and another $20 for blades.

 

[Susquatch]

I was gifted one @whydontu. Mine came in a cordura Dremel Bag. The bag is covered in dust so thick you couldn't open the zipper if you tried. A very good sign of how much I use it....

It's a useless piece of crap. But my dad gave it to me so it is gunna stay right where it is till they put me under.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Drill doctor. I bought one for around $30 at a Rona closeout sale. While it "works" it's extremely finicky on alignment. One could theoretically make one that worked great, but when you run it through the beancounters, and try to make something for the consumer market, a lot of the technical details required to make something that actually works, get lost in the spreadsheets, and you end up with a useless tool that looks the part, but won't do the job.

 

[Susquatch]

Drill doctor. I bought one for around $30 at a Rona closeout sale. While it "works" it's extremely finicky on alignment. One could theoretically make one that worked great, but when you run it through the beancounters, and try to make something for the consumer market, a lot of the technical details required to make something that actually works, get lost in the spreadsheets, and you end up with a useless tool that looks the part, but won't do the job.

^^^ this.

This is the exact tool that first came to my mind when I thought of useless tools I have purchased. I was going to mention it in my previous post too.

I have read many reviews that actually rate it well for small drill bits. But that hasn't been mmy experience at all. My drill Doctor works good enough to drill holes in wood. But I barely works in brass and steel is a non-starter. My problem is that i never learned how to sharpen a drill bit by hand so I stubbornly cling to pipe dreams like the drill doctor. My dreams never come true.

I'm all ears to anything that actually works besides a trip to my local jobber for a nice Dormer.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Sharpening small drills is all muscle memory and timing. When I bought mine, I was drilling hundreds of #36 holes for 6-32 screws a week (for toolmaker buttons). I thought it would be handy and helpful, especially for the price, but was pretty much useless in practice. I just put more effort into getting better at sharpening the little drills, and got pretty good at it. There is a limit though. I can do down to about #43 (4-40 tap drills), but it might take me a try or two to get it right. Anything smaller I buy in pack quantities .

IMO the secret to sharpening the little guys it to use your fingers as special use fixtures.... If you squeeze pretty hard you will indent your finger tips to the shape of the drill, and it will allow you to perfect index the drill 180*. The rest is just keeping yourself as rigid as possible with elbows tucked into your sides to repeat your presentation to the grinder. A lot to type out, probably better suited to a new thread, or a quick video to explain it better. We'll see if my voice comes back in the next couple days. Back to about 70% energy levels today and improving. I could do without the dry coughing though......

 

[cuslog]

I bought a cheap ($28 IIRC) electronic edge finder from Amazon. Totally useless. needs a 20mm collet, takes some strange batteries I'd never heard of. About 6" of stick-out of the collet and over .006" runout that far out.
Should have known better.
Oh... and the ball on the end is 10mm so offset is 5mm -- another conversion if you prefer to work in Imperial.

 

[PeterT]

Ever notice how the useless tools are still there after 20 years, but the missing hex key or socket driver from a favorite set never got found & the blank space drives you crazy??
The issue of missing socks has been solved (black holes) but they should start putting some research effort into valuable missing shop items.

 

[140mower]

A few years back I decided to treat myself to a cordless grease gun. Being as the only grease guns I had that were worth owning were Lincoln's, I figured that was the way to go..... Biggest tool disappointment ever, charge the batteries on a Friday and by the time I would go to use it on Monday, the damn battery would be dead, even if it was still in the charger. So, I would charge and grease as quick as possible and still I could only get one greasing out of a charge. Not too long into ownership the grease whip buggered up and wouldn't pass grease anymore. Yup, proprietary fitting on the gun end of the hose...... Was just chucking up a piece of metal to make an adapter when a buddy stopped by, after chatting for a while he mentioned that he wanted to buy one of those one day if they came on sale..... Needless to say, I took the metal back out of the chuck, closed up the case and said "Merry Christmas" even though it was July.......
A few years later I got brave again and bought a Milwaukee grease gun, that has been worth every penny......

 

[SomeGuy]

One of these CTA tools knuckle spreaders...I was doing a lot of lowering springs on Mazda 3's which have a friction fit + pinch bolt front strut mount, was always a pain to hammer them out, so I thought damn perfect, knuckle spreader...most annoying and clunky piece of sh!t ever to use and didn't even really work.

Highly specific and a waste of nearly $100.

 

[slow-poke]

Interesting comments about the dremel tool. My first tool like this was A genuine Dremil brand, did not last very long. Then I think I had a Ryobi, and again brushes were gone before long. Then I picked up one for about 1/2 the price of the Dremel from Princess Auto, Powerfist I think, it's more powerful and has lasted a really long time in comparison still works like new. When I purchased the genuine one I thought I will pay a little more and get one that lasts, to your point I think the bean counters figured they can increase profit by having them wear out quickly. No more Dremel for me!

 

[SomeGuy]

Dremel type tools in general seem incredibly useless...they don't cut, sand, grind, drill or any other of those operations worth a shit. Like ya, you can cut a little 6-32 screw maybe, but I can do that with a pair of knips way faster without sparks.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I use my dremel rotary tool all the time. I've never understood the hatred towards them. I have two name brand dremels, but a no name princess auto special at work that I've had for maybe 16-17 years or more and has been "about to blow" now for going on 10 years at least. It's noisy, runs extremely hot, but still keeps chugging. I use it for things like splitting the points on drills (with a thin cutoff wheel), grinding hardened steel, and with burrs for aluminum. I have a dremel brand waiting in my toolbox for when the day comes it chooches no more.

At home I use them for carving, and multitude of other uses same as at work. It's not a one size fits all tool, but I wouldn't want to be without one. One day I'd like to step up to a foredom, but so far none has come across my marketplace searches as being a screaming deal.

A couple weeks ago my buddy bought me a 1/4" m18 straight die grinder. That thing is awesome. So far only used it with a 3" knotted wire wheel to try out, but it's quite powerful. It's like the dremels crazy uncle, but on steroids. I would like to try the m12 version. I'm gravitating more towards cordless tools a lot lately.

 

[PeterT]

Dremel style is all about being in the power/rpm band. They are incredibly useful tools, but they have limits. If more Umpf is required, its die grinder territory. But those are heavier & more limited on collet/tool shank size.

I've probably worn out a dozen Dremels over the years including replacing brushes & bearings. But I actually much prefer my Milwaukee M12. Dremel accessories fit the threads. I recommend the little 3 jaw chuck because shank diameters vary all over the map

Milwaukee M12 12 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless 32,000 RPM Lithium-Ion Cordless Rotary Tool - Tool Only

The 2460-20 is compact, portable and powerful. It's a cutoff solution for professionals and a cordless tool that delivers corded power. It features a high-performance motor, optimized electronics and a variable-speed dial. Maintenance contractors, elect

www.kmstools.com

Or if Santa is extra flush, consider one of these. Brushless motor, really light, very precise rpm control. But more selective to 2 primary shank sizes (which I've machined a workaround).
OK gotta run, I'm late for my Rotary Tool Anonymous meeting....

Strong 202 Micro Motor

The Saeshin Strong 202 45,000 RPM Micro Motor comes complete with a handpiece and it is reversible, allowing the user to use certain types of bits in either direction.

treelineusa.com

 

[Susquatch]

Sharpening small drills is all muscle memory and timing.

No wonder I can't do it. My head can't even remember stuff let alone my muscles......

As for timing, almost nothing in my body happens on time anymore. My wife has to give me "that look" two days before she wants me to do something....... even longer if hoochy isn't involved.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Teach the Wife how to do it

 

[Susquatch]

A few years later I got brave again and bought a Milwaukee grease gun, that has been worth every penny......

I have a Dewalt 20V. I hate it. Plenty of ooomff. Prolly too much ooomff. The relief valve always let's go before anything gets greased. Even worse, it squirts grease everywhere......

I exchanged it once. The 2nd one was no different.

Sounds like it's time for a Milwaukee....

 

[Susquatch]

Teach the Wife how to do it

I wanna watch you tell yours first......

Myself, I have no interest in a bowel perforation.

 

[terry_g]

A 9 mm wrench in a set and a 9 mm socket in a set and 7 mm allen keys and sockets.
What are they used for?
I used a 9 mm wrench once on the cable clamp on the derail-er one of my children's bicycles once many years ago.
The Cummins ISX-15 truck engine requires a special tool to set the Jake Brake clearance at 7 mm.
I used to use a 7 mm allen key like a thick feeler gauge to set them.

 

[Susquatch]

Dremel style is all about being in the power/rpm band.

My favorite Dremel of all was a Dremel Stylus.

Pistol grip, finger touch and finess up the wazoo. I LOVED it. For reasons I'll never understand it was discontinued. Very very sad day for me.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I wanna watch you tell yours first......

Myself, I have no interest in a bowel perforation.

You just gave me an idea for a youtube series......