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I have a Brownell's gunsmith Magna-Tip screwdriver with an O-ring collet in addition to the magnet which makes the interchangeable bits very secure in the shaft with almost no wiggle at all. I'm looking for a ratcheting model (any manufacturer) that has this type of feature. The only thing I...

I use small tools almost exclusively and have to make many of them because it's such an obscure field of work--woodwind musical instrument repairing. Here is the screwdriver I use hundreds of times a day for screws going down to 0-80 as shown in the picture. I made it from scratch to fit my...

Has anyone used this stuff on their ratchets? I've used it for years on dead centers when machining, and recently saw some references to it from engine builders. I disassembled and lubricated a couple of ratchets with it and it works great, so far. It really quiets things down, and stays...

A lot of BIG tools shown on this thread. Here's a little one. Needless to say, musical instrument tools appeal to a very small audience of offbeat folks, but what the heck? The black wrinkle finish fixtures for centering the clarinet joint between centers and the little support jack are the...

Here's one of my favorites: a Los Angeles 5429 Proto

Cutco, the kitchen knife people, make a very tough pair of scissors/shears that can cut a penny in half--I've seen it demonstrated and done it myself. Model 77 JJ made in Olean NY. They are also very cool in that they can be cleaned in seconds by taking them apart.

I bought this Jet vise about 35 years ago, and it has been a really fine tool. Made in....wait for it....France! It was quite expensive as I remember, not a whole lot less that a Starrett, and even now has almost no play at all. If this is the one you're looking at, I highly recommend it. At...

I repair musical instruments--specifically high-end clarinet and oboe. I've been doing it for 38 years and still really enjoy what I do. The craft allows me to really invest in hand tools and design new tools since it is such a small world and there aren't tools available for certain jobs. On...

Very creative and nicely done! How did it run when finished?

I've been using my EMCO Super 11 for about 20 years and it is still very accurate and reliable. Made in Austria. I was lucky to get a showroom demo model with dual metric/English dials, but a Mitutoyo digital readout made that a non-issue. They are pricey, but you're asking about high...

Oh, man--mild steel. I was ready to head for the hills if anything got out of hand with wimpy aluminum.

Jeez, are you planning on repairing bridges or doing some ship building? That there is a manly tool! :thumbup:

Brownell's is a gun smithing company that sells a Magna-Tip set with interchangeable tips and handles: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=501/Product/MAGNA_TIP_reg__STANDARD_SETS_No__1__No__2___No__3 It is a PITA to have to fiddle around with the tips, but they fit really, really well.

At least he made you happy! I'm having to work a bit to find a 5449 "LOS ANGELES" Proto 1/2" ratchet. There are plenty of "Professional" and a few "MFD USA" out there, but I'm looking for the specific ones made between 1951-56. At least that's how I am interpreting the Alloy Artifacts info...

Here's a little gizmo I machined out of aluminum to mount a cycling computer on my recumbent trike. The upper part with the tube and flat side (the computer is strapped to it) is an eccentric turning--one piece. It is attached to the main plug with the two visible stainless flathead screws and...

Here's a little guy that is really precise--a G.Boley watchmaker's vise. In the background, a Boley watchmaker's lathe, updated with modern drive system. I use it about a hundred times a day.

Here's my first post, folks--what a hoot to find a group of like-minded enthusiasts! I snagged this a couple of days ago, and with a minimum of clean-up it came out nicely. Now, a 1/2" matching mate would be great. I can see a ratchet collection in the works, and I plan to actually use them.