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Tools you waited too long to acquire

slow-poke

slow-poke

Ultra Member
I'm sure we have all experienced this to some extent, you get a new tool and then use it way more than you anticipated, to the point you wonder how you did without it. So what tools do you own now that you wish you had acquired sooner than you did.

For me this applies to most of my tools for example mill, lathe and welder. However the top three that I waited too long for are:
1) horizontal band saw
2) regular bandsaw
3) bench mounted belt sander.
 
Portaband.

Going along with Xyphota, the propane unit heater I instaled in the garage shop extended my working season year round, so it obviously wins. Nothing else I own has contributed more to completed projects than that.
 
Convertible Band Saw - Hack saws SUCK!

Upgraded my Lathe - The old girl taught me lots but ......

A BP Clone size mill - Even with side bearings a drill press is not a mill

Milwaukee M12 tools - I have 20V stuff but the 12V stuff is sooooo much handier! I even dedicated one to a chuck key driver for my collet chuck!

Porta Power Hydraulic Set - Just wish I had a wench like @Brent H has though....

Overhead Crane - I have needed one for 50 years but waited till I moved to actually get one and make it my own.

BFIG - Big Fn Impact Gun. Dewalt 20V. Used an Air Impact Gun for years. Got the dewalt and never used air for that job again!

Kubota UTV with Dump box - kids all wanted one when I got the farm. I said NO WAY. PICKED rocks by hand with a tractor bucket for 5 years. Then realized how awesome a dump box UTV would be. Kids were right, shoulda got one the day we moved!

I'm being silly I guess. But I don't think there is an end to that question....

If I had to pick just one, I'd pick the bandsaw. Hack saws REALLY REALLY REALLY suck. I always knew that, but now I REALLY KNOW THAT!
 
slow-poke said:
I'm sure we have all experienced this to some extent, you get a new tool and then use it way more than you anticipated, to the point you wonder how you did without it. So what tools do you own now that you wish you had acquired sooner than you did.

For me this applies to most of my tools for example mill, lathe and welder. However the top three that I waited too long for are:
1) horizontal band saw
2) regular bandsaw
3) bench mounted belt sander.
Click to expand...
all of them

seriously.
 
Or just the latest tool! Here we have the noga double sided sheet metal deburr tool. It makes short work of smoothing sharp sheet metal edges.
 

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Janger said:
Or just the latest tool! Here we have the noga double sided sheet metal deburr tool. It makes short work of smoothing sharp sheet metal edges.
Click to expand...
That's exactly why I started this thread, I'm tool crazy and want to know what I'm missing. The simple Noga deburring tool is fairly new to me, and I use it all the time now. I just ordered this fancier double sided version. Thanks.

Keep em coming
 
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6.5 Fan said:
Battery powered tools, around the farm they are indispensable.
Click to expand...

Agreed. My answer is the cordless drill. I've had one for a long time now, but was definitely late to the party and wish I done so a lot sooner. The years I spend driving screws by hand or raising the knee on the mill!

Adding more stuff on the same system (Makita which I hold in high regard) its grown; drill, bandsaw, flash light (now have three, they are great!), sawsall type saw, angle grinder, impact gun etc. Love this stuff while their corded brethen gather dust.
 
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Chicken lights said:
1- 8 point sockets
2- tap sockets
3- a Dillon press
:D
Click to expand...

These are good!

It's funny, for the first 10 years of tool ownership I thought 16 point sockets were brilliant. Why would anyone ever buy 8! Then my muscle mass caught up with my body size........ :oops:

I am very late to the group that has tap sockets. Its hard to believe I didn't know about them earlier. Ya, they fit the OP's question perfectly. Wish I bought them 60 years ago. At least I can claim ignorance. Can't do that for a band saw. That's just plain stubborn cheap stupidity.
 
thestelster said:
Vertical/horizontal metal bandsaw. Hundreds of hours, and thousands of calories could have been saved if I had bought one 30+ years ago!!
Click to expand...
I could not agree more, Sawzall is a great tool but it has its place and that was my primary metal saw before getting the 5x6, I had no idea how handy these are, I use mine almost daily, for some chunk of metal, sometimes even just to chop a foot off a wood 2x4 without making a sawdust mess. The savings in cutting fees at local metal mart adds up quickly.

susquatch
"I am very late to the group that has tap sockets. Its hard to believe I didn't know about them earlier."

I thought too often it sure would be handy if they made square sockets, I even resorted to using a couple of 1/4" sockets front to front, but that only works for one tap size. I just ordered a set ( I'm also claiming ignorance ). Thanks for the tip, the next time I need one, I will smile and remember your hot tip of the day
 
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