Tools I should have bought a long time ago... (1 Viewer)

[e9999]

was doing some saw maintenance today and I was thinking (yet again) that I should have bought my little arborist top handle chainsaw a long time ago...
Echo CS341 34cc with a 14" bar. That one is a real pleasure to use and the first one I'll go for if at all remotely suitable... So much nicer to handle than the big mothers... And if kept sharp will take care of a surprisingly large number of tree jobs. Safer for smaller jobs too.

Some of yours?

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I feel the same way about my poulon 10" lectric saw...for me, it is going to be an AIR COMPRESSOR- a real one, with some tools...and a parts washer.

 

[PAToyota]

I spent a long time swinging a hammer before buying my first nailgun.

 

[FJ60Seth]

IR electric impact gun is the coolest tool I have.

 

[KLF]

The most useful tool I own is my Makita 18V impact driver.

 

[Bambusiero]

I did a number of radiator fills and cooling system flushes with nothing, and then finally got an official "SPILL-FREE Funnel" radiator fill funnel kit, NAPA pn 77-4000. It's saved a ton of hassle for re-filling and getting air out. Well worth while.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I would have to say my Dewalt impact driver is the best tool I own. Use it for everything from wood projects and working on vehicles. All those years of stripping screw heads using a drill were a waste of time. I haven't picked up an air tool in years since I went all cordless. Now I just need to finish off the upgrade from 18v to 20v lithium.

 

[Jetboy]

I have an 18v DeWalt version of the same thing. By far my most used tool around the garage. The only time I ever get out an air tool is for tires.

One other tool that I use a lot is a corded drill. I had sort of forgotten how nice a corded drill is for drilling a bunch of holes. For tasks like running wiring the cordless drills just don't quite keep up. For $25 a cheap HF drill is something I should have bought a long time ago.

The 3rd is my CNC table. I'm about $800 into it and I can't believe how useful it is for making everything. I cut plasma on it. I router wood parts. I have a full 4x8 cutting area. It's kinda expensive in one sense, but it's half the price of a Delta unisaw that you'd find in a lot of wood working shops and it does so much more. It's even cheaper than just a hinge boring machine. Want cabinet boxes? No need to measure them out and cut on a table saw, then drill all the holes. I can just push go and it will cut all the panels, drill all the shelf pins, route all the hinge mounts, and I can even mark the drawer slides so I just line up with my small notch and have perfectly flat level drawers. It's a tool I would have a hard time doing woodwork without anymore and it's surprisingly low cost if you can fab a table yourself. The rest is basic off the shelf stuff. I can't believe I built an entire sailboat without it - it even came with full DXF files for CNC cutting all of the parts. It literally may have shaved a year of time off (weekends and such, not actual full time work).

One more: A good quality set of wire crimping pliers. I always bought the cheap wire pliers and the good set is well worth the $15 more.

 

[e9999]

Hot damn, that little saw (OP) is something else. I just took down today a 30/40 foot dead Leyland cypress with 7 or 8 trunks. All of it with the little Echo arborist saw. It was like going through butta! That thing was buzzin'. Nothing like a shower of clean sharp wood chips to get your spirits high!

 

[Weedhopper]

Husqvarna makes a little T 435. I use it for everything. The trees I cut in the woodline are about 10" diameter and it has no problem with that.

It's like having a sword in your hand.

 

[e9999]

yup, it's just uncanny how good they feel compared to a full size one.
Equally amazing is the difference a really really sharp chain makes. What a pleasure. Worth every bit of the minute or two I take to touch it up before refueling.

 

[KLF]

Another tool that I wished I had bought long ago: oscillating multi-tool.

These seem silly and worthless, until you have one. I've used this thing way more times than I expected. Extremely use for demo and renovation work. Every body makes them now.

 

[PAToyota]

Bobcat skidloader and mini-excavator…
CNC plasma table…
Pneumatic nailguns…
Pneumatic impact…
Double compound mitersaw…

 

[Patineto]

For years I look at "Radial Arms saws" as obsolete, clumsy and super dangerous and I was (I'm) totally right but they are also incredible very precise work horses..

The cast iron time with "PIllow bearings" are my favorite, today I have three, two I'm making into somethings else) crazy quality for very little money..

Mine those not have the Base, usable art, I will make a dinning table lamp out of it..

 

[Patineto]

Another tool that I wished I had bought long ago: oscillating multi-tool.

These seem silly and worthless, until you have one. I've used this thing way more times than I expected. Extremely use for demo and renovation work. Every body makes them now.

Oh no you wait until you get a "Good one"...

I have the original Fein (To much freaking money if you ask me) but the one I used the most (for home use, but HARD) is a Makita cordless with the fein adapter for the blades.

Now they have a toolless changer, very tempted, the 6mm allen bolt does not work that well on the older version.

 

[KLF]

Mine is an older corded Sonicrafter, I think the first model they came out with. It was a Xmas gift from my wife, I remember thinking "WTF am I gonna do with this thing?" Now I want a better one, I use it all the time. Maybe the Makita since I'm heavily invested in their LXT line. Yeah, that 6mm wrench seems to walk away from me all the time...

 

[Chris FJ80]

Snap on F80 ratchet
¼" ratchet, sockets, extensions
Ratcheting screwdriver
Wobble extensions

 

[Corbet]

For me most recently it was finally buying a bandsaw. Cutting metal all the time with a chop saw sucks. No airborn dust and way quieter.

 

[Tapage]

I have a Dewalt 18V grinder .. but it's not relative to the brand actually, it's most coz the cordless .. that's the real deal for me not only in grinders, but all kind of tools ..

Dremel / Drill / Drivers / Lights / Soldering Iron / and recently ( not with great success ) I tried Dewalt 20V string trimmer I was so happy not need to pull rope to start it .. sadly the 20V wasn't up to the task ..

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I have a Dewalt 18V grinder .. but it's not relative to the brand actually, it's most coz the cordless .. that's the real deal for me not only in grinders, but all kind of tools ..

Dremel / Drill / Drivers / Lights / Soldering Iron / and recently ( not with great success ) I tried Dewalt 20V string trimmer I was so happy not need to pull rope to start it .. sadly the 20V wasn't up to the task ..

I have the 40V Ryobi weed eater and it still takes two batteries to do the normal work around my property. Like you said still better than pulling rope.