Thread: What's your favourite tool that isn't a plane?

No doubt that's a hard request, to pin down your favourite tool. Pmcgees' pair of pincers is as all truckies will tell you, the absolute ducks nuts for removing nails from tyres and are an essential part of your kit. But no, not that, and nor is it a brace although I am quite fond of this tool. So I have decided that my favourite (two) tool(s) is the crowbar and shovel.
The reason behind this ridiculous choice is simple. You can give yourself a good physical workout digging holes to plant new trees and shrubs, posts for the vege garden or grape trellis.
When I was working one of my major occupations was setting up and operating mobile concrete plants in isolated areas in the Pilbara. Often trenches had to be dug to bury cables, water pipes and the like where traffic occurred, so out with the trusty crowbar and shovel and get to it. If you had a crew with you, you could impress them by not being scared to take on the crap job which a lot of them avoided like the plague. But the fact is, digging a trench doesn't take a lot of mental prowess so while you're digging you can also be thinking and planning the tasks ahead.
So they are my favourite tool, but as I think about the subject over the next day or so is it permissible to change my mind?

Geoff.

Hey @Boringgeoff,

Your story reminded me of fun times as a young bloke. Way back then my favorite shovel was a Plumbers 'Rigid' brand post hole shovel. It had an excellent shape for breaking ground. Anyway, give me a shovel back then and I'd have dug you a hole 6 feet deep, just to show you how good I was.
Hand me a shovel now and you'd better duck cause I'm likely gonna try and take your head off with it and put you 6 feet under.
How times change....

Originally Posted by Boringgeoff

...as I think about the subject over the next day or so is it permissible to change my mind?

Sorry, all responses are absolutely binding for eternity. It's like a favourite colour - once you pick one, you are stuck with it for life.

Flap disc on a grinder, cleans up those edges beautifully.

Hi All,
Well, I have a leaning towards my Draw Knives. Far to many, but one can't help one's self. Had some real good buys. One I bought from the Sun. Camberwell Market, Vic. for $15, & it was in such excellent nick, I just had to shake the sellers hand & thank him.
It is almost my Favourite Draw Knife.
Don't get to use them much, but when I do, it is heaven.

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi All,
Well, I have a leaning towards my Draw Knives.

Ah I forgot about my draw knife. It's like a spoke shave on steroids!

In reality, my favourite (and go-to tool) during nearly every woodworking project is an el cheapo, break-off, plastic handled razor knife. It's excellent for gentle paint/glue spot removal, scraping, marking, sharpening pencils and a million other small but essential secondary tasks on any job. In contrast with this, I have just about every woodworking tool known to man (ancient and modern), most of which are single purpose items and irregularly or never used. There is one laying handily on every bench. I don't even rack them. I even love the clicking noise it makes when you extend the blade.

My Engineers Steel ruler. It's measuremnts don't change (I just have to read it right).

Without it nothing would get made to the dimensions that are required.

The following is part of a post in a chisel forum, but I thought I'd share it here too... (Edited slightly)

I agree with your comment about the two cherries chisels. They are good value for money. I just don't like the feel of them in my hands. I'm just becoming more and more pernickety every day..... I like my chisels to have a bit more heft.

My favorite chisel to use is my boatbuilders slick. It's blade is around 75mm x 350 mm. It has enough heft to drive itself. I never strike it. It is crazy sharp. Once you get comfortable with it's size, it's extraordinary the work it will do and the fine tolerances that can be achieved. It often does the work of plane, chisel, spokeshave, adze, scraper, etc...

It puts a smile on my dial, every chance I get to pull it out. BTW, I made it myself to a plan in Woodenboat by [Edit: My Bad: Harry Bryan is the Slick Designer] Doug Hylan. I love his work too.