Unusual but useful workshop tools

A bit of a boys toys subject but these have been a few buys I have found genuinely handy

ratchet spanners, do from 5mm to 25mm, imperial too

Compound snips for tin, brass etc, six quid and they chop through a multitude of materials very easily

(The non-compound types need two hands because they have such long handles and a fair bit of welly to use)

Edited By Ady1 on 18/11/2015 01:20:50

Got this at the weekend, in theory it makes broken hacksaw blades useful again but I haven't used it often enough yet to give a decent opinion

An oldie but a goodie, the cz metal bender

**LINK**

**LINK**

A Cree torch. Takes just one AA and lights up the whole damned park, an incredible bit of kit and great for searching dark corners in your workshop/garage

Solid aluminium construction, You can get 5 for just over a tenner at a well known site (yup that's right. 5)

Next to it is a duracell and a lidl tronic rechargeable AA.

The lidl one is only 1g lighter, you can get 4 for 3 quid when they are in stock, 2300mAh output

Edited By Ady1 on 18/11/2015 03:05:44

Adi1, glad to see they call them compound snips, they used to be called aviation snips. During WW2 I think it was Grumman that found some of their aircraft were falling out of the sky, it was put down to stress concentrators formed by the serrations that were on the blade of the aviation snips.

They do make life much easier than ordinary Gillbows.

Ian S C

Aviation snips, of course, come in lefthand, righthand and straight versions and I never felt able to justify the expense. However, I did indulge in a pair of the kind whose blades are at right angles to the handles (ie would be pointing down in Ady1's photo) which I find very comfortable to use. All these tools, unlike traditional tinsnips, rely on the serrations on one of the blades.

I use both left and right hand aviation or compound snips when I make tanks for he bikes, being left handed I find it easier to use the right handed ones, why? I think maybe bacause I got used to right handed scissors as a kid....

Shaun

Hardly unusual anymore but headband torch is so much better than hand held I never bother with the old fashioned style anymore. Who's ever got a spare hand?

I use blue tac and a pin to centre the mill over a centre punch mark or scribed cross, in use stick the blue tac on the end of the drill with the pin embedded, spin at around 500 rpm and with the back of the nail push the into centre, I can get pretty good accuracy with this method but I use a wobbler for real accuracy........

Shaun

Blue tack and pin. When I was an apprentice over 50 years ago we used plasticine (I still do) A very accurate way of picking up a line. ega; try MSC industrial supplies for aviation snips, when on offer I bought a set of three, LH/RH and straight for under £20

Ady 1

Just received four Cree head torches from CPC

The grandchildren will use them when they take the dogs out in the evening,

Incredible value at £1.50 each. (Including VAT)

Len. P.

Chris Evans 6:

Thanks for the tip. I must have a look at their website.

I use that type of pad saw, they are ok and the ordinary type - blade usually japanese style on that. Also a junior hacksaw. Same type of snips too although I have mislaid a large pair of the type tin smiths use, handles under the work.

A piece of steel held in the tool post with a few holes drilled into it for cross drilling with a hand drill. I have been looking for a sensible drill pad for the tailstock but all are too small really but have found one with a nearly reasonable V in it but will have to add a clamp myself. For flat stuff I have an adapter that allows me to mount a face plate on the tailstock or a chuck. Not much need with a milling machine about but the alignment of a lathe is generally a lot better than a typical cheaper pillar drill, so rounder holes.

John

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Not exactly unusual, but I have one of these sets and despite the plastic handle, it's excellent.

Neil

I have the wicks set and the CK one Neil. Not much difference really but suspect that the CK ends are a bit harder. I mostly use them on microscopes but they get used on all sorts of things. 2 holders is often handy for me.

I also have a set a little like this one

**LINK**

but no what look like nut spinners just a wide variety of ends to allow me to undo those things that they don't want us to undo. Not used much yet but seems ok.

I do have some nut spinners but rather ancient now so they don't always fit the nuts. They have the usual medium screw driver handle that the blades plug into so they can really tighten nuts up when needed.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 18/11/2015 20:17:18

I have a forth version of the aviation snips with two blades on the top, and a single blade that comes up between the other two, If you drill a hole, you can cut a hole out of the centre of a sheet of metal without distortion, and as you cut you get a 1/8" wide strip of metal from between the blades. Found it at a rubbish dump about twenty years ago, I used it once, very handy.

Ian S C

That sounds like a Goscut

I seem to remember them being heavily promoted for cutting Formica back in the '60s, which is why my dad had one.

Cheers,

Rod

good for hardboard too

I have a 'nibbler' that works like that. I cut a strip off the end of a 15" wide stainless steel sink/drainer with it so it would fit in a camper van. I think it took two days for my hand to regain normal function.

Neil