Thread: Most satisfying piece of equipment to use

While we are talking about shapers, I was driving to Bendigo last Thursday & a car & trailer past me going the other way, being nosey I looked in the mirrors & blow me down if it wasn't a shaper on board. Must be real common in this part of the world.
tinkera.

Of all the tools I would like, a small shaper rests right on top of the list; Unfortunately they're as rare as rocking horse doo doo. Prices seem to be rising out of all proportion for their age and what they are. I just couldn't justify it. But you never know, one day I just might trip over one where the owner thinks it's just scrap and of no use now we have mills.

Originally Posted by Abratool

I wish you would stop tempting me Phil.
Ive convinced myself I do not need one, no I do not need a shaper, but then again it would be nice to walk past, stop & stare, & watch the reciprocating ram in motion.
regards
Bruce
And Shapers are great for removing metal quickly with low price tools, yep, I know.

Apologies Bruce, I can't help myself.
Plus it cuts gears better than a.....

Phil

[QUOTE=th62;1669961]Of all the tools I would like, a small shaper rests right on top of the list; Unfortunately they're as rare as rocking horse doo doo. Prices seem to be rising out of all proportion for their age and what they are. I just couldn't justify it. But you never know, one day I just might trip over one where the owner thinks it's just scrap and of no use now we have mills.[/QUO

The shaper is very under estimated in its performance.Working right set right they are a treat.I get lots of lookers at the baby ones and always have a small job in progress set up.Just made a chuck tool out of 2 hex bms,4''long and a square on 1 end machined on the shaper for undoing 3 and 4 jaw screwed chucks.a hole in the middle for a tommy bar.When I crank up the 1/4 inch hot circlip maker with its un selective landing spots that's another story.Tooling is cheap long lasting a lick with a slip stone by hand some times[tool stopped].It is a 24 inch cut.Other feature is you can set a cut going and do some thing else. A mill never.too expensive to bust a cutter if you are poor.Mill tooling costs. A shaper, vice and some tee bolts a chunk of hss and away you go.
So with that it is true so many were scrapped were sneered at and beneath most machinists to use 1 when there was a shiny new mill there to use.It never ceases to amaze me that home machinists haven't bothered till of recent times to take up the advantage of these great machines.Was told to me by an old old crusty crafty old school engineer that the motion was replicated of a man with a file at a vice.He also taught me how to use 1 too.He used to call files ''a ,,,,,,,? poor man's milling machine.Posted for your enjoyment.John.

I have had a 0-1" Mity mic for about 32 years. At the time I used it hundreds of times a day at work measuring a constant stream of centerless ground parts as they came out. I would have to say I have worked out how to use it. It also is a nice tool to use.

The one thing that annoys me is that when the Govt cut import duties back then the company had a clearing sale on a weekend and someone went around and pinched the cases out from under all the mics in the factory to include with mics in the sale!!

Dean

I'll second the one about the little Tough brand pedestal drill. I bought one almost by accident and its a bloody sweet little thing to use. Its still deadly accurate (I think its about 1950's vintage) and its just one of those old silent running smooth unguarded, non OHand S compliant machines. I missed out on a Waldown a couple of weeks before I got this one and I am not sorry I picked this one up. I am having a look at another one tomorrow. Geeez the wife says, how many of those things do you need? I tell her its not for me, I will get it shiny and new again and pass it on to someone I know appreciates it. (Whoever that may be)


regards

Old Hutcho

Having dodgy wrists and hands, I was transformed when I first tried out a 12V battery operated drill for screwing, it was an epiphany.

These days I now run an 18V unit and with it's combination of silky smooth power and ergonomic shape, combined with the little LED light pointed at the item being screwed or drilled, it's pure bliss to use.

Mick.

Originally Posted by Optimark

Having dodgy wrists and hands, I was transformed when I first tried out a 12V battery operated drill for screwing, it was an epiphany.

These days I now run an 18V unit and with it's combination of silky smooth power and ergonomic shape, combined with the little LED light pointed at the item being screwed or drilled, it's pure bliss to use.

Mick.

I will second that. My cordless drill is an 18volt GMC. I have 2 the same now with a total of 4 batteries. I have repacked the original 2 batteries with metal hydrides. The first drill has done a huge amount of work over many years from stainless screws into a caravan being resealed to tek screws in the house roof to replace the nails. I have used it for hours on one battery for this purpose. I did the same on a previous large house with my big corded drill and the difference is fantastic. No cord to drag and much lighter to carry. I paid $70 for the first one but the replacement batteries cost 3 times that. I wish I had tried EvilBay then. These batteries are far better tho.

Dean

A couple of months ago I purchased another chain saw, on a friends advice.
Its a small top handle Shindawa 269TS, used it a number of times & again today.
Its a little winner & a pleasure to use. Its got a 10" chain bar with a fine pitch chain, so it does not tend to "grab" like my bigger saw.
Can be used one hand, & great for cutting up small firewood.
But then again I like all chainsaws !
regards
Bruce

Originally Posted by Abratool

A couple of months ago I purchased another chain saw, on a friends advice.
Its a small top handle Shindawa 269TS, used it a number of times & again today.
Its a little winner & a pleasure to use.
Bruce

Mmmm, nice.

In addition to a big mutha, I've got a Stihl 009L with 14" bar and that's a little honey as well.

That Shindawa stuff is rated pretty highly by all accounts. Most of the time the smaller chainsaws do just fine around the house.

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Mmmm, nice.

In addition to a big mutha, I've got a Stihl 009L with 14" bar and that's a little honey as well.

That Shindawa stuff is rated pretty highly by all accounts. Most of the time the smaller chainsaws do just fine around the house.

Rob

I have a 100cc Husky with a 28inch bar and the smallest Stihl available. Guess which one I prefer to use.

Dean

Hi,

I had some garage time this weekend (I must of been good to the missus), used my lathe, drill press, hand tools (files) and shaper.

Using the shaper again was great, definitely my favourite tool to use. Saved me about 2 to 3 hours of filing and it and the finished product was straight as well.

Ben.

OF course I love being able to have the right tool on hand to select, when a job appears, but I have to say that the most satisfying item to grace my bench recently is a $4 steel saucer with a powerful magnet in the base. Not only does it stay in place but every nut or screw or bolt I put aside while the job is being done never goes missing or gets swept off the bench accidently. Of course I've always had a little tin to put fasteners in while disassembling a project, but now there's no way I loose anything. I can't believe something so simple and 'obvious' hasn't appeared on the market before now.
Brian

Originally Posted by Briangoldcoast

OF course I love being able to have the right tool on hand to select, when a job appears, but I have to say that the most satisfying item to grace my bench recently is a $4 steel saucer with a powerful magnet in the base. Not only does it stay in place but every nut or screw or bolt I put aside while the job is being done never goes missing or gets swept off the bench accidently. Of course I've always had a little tin to put fasteners in while disassembling a project, but now there's no way I loose anything. I can't believe something so simple and 'obvious' hasn't appeared on the market before now.
Brian

I used a DIY version of one of those at work in the 1970s, it was just a magnetic stainless plate with a magnet in the middle and it was very useful to store lots of small fixings and steel parts in. I bought one a few years ago to use at home but I have now relegated to the back of a cupboard because I don't like the way it magnetises everything that came into contact with it because the parts then attract metal filings and swarf that abounds in my shed. These days I just use a plastic box with adjustable size sections that I stash stuff into while a project is underway.