Show off "that tool I bought because Someday I'll need it!" (And did!)

Outlawmws · Jul 1, 2016

Let's try this again...

Not sure this hasn't been done; I checked the "show me" thread and the sticky for stickies, and tried to search, but... :dunno:

So I often buy a tool "Because I'm sure I'll need it someday!" And eventually it comes true. So this was a recent one and I DID need it last week. Could I have done it with something else? Sure! but where's the fun in that? :evil:

The tool in question for the thread launch, was a pair of parallel grip pliers and heavy cutters from Sargent. They are the biggest pair this style I own, and I think the biggest I've seen. 8" (Most I see are 5 or 6")

Anyway I needed to first cut this lock off a short chain it was on which was also attached to the tongue of my new (to me) mini trailer. Then I also cut the chain off the trailer.

It was about all the cutters could manage, but they did manage it! :rocker:

So what tool(s) have you bought and (much) later found a use for?

Ole Slewfoot · Jul 1, 2016

I have childhood memories of playing with my Dads Seargent pliers, marveling at the perfect action. That might be the start of my tool problem...

PBCampbell · Jul 1, 2016

I have a couple pair of those someplace that I inherited, but a smaller size and schollman(?) brand. From what I gathered they were popular for fishing way back when lead core and steel line trolling was the best thing going.
I'm like you and have bought many tools anticipating a future use or because it would have made a past job go so much better. I look forward to this thread and I'll see if I can add some content soon.

Al Borland · Jul 1, 2016

I have a pair of Robogrip pliers...
Has ANYONE found ANYTHING they are good for???

gdpolk · Jul 1, 2016

Al Borland said:
I have a pair of Robogrip pliers...
Has ANYONE found ANYTHING they are good for???

I use them all the time making knives to clamp down on mosaic pins in handles and turning them to align them properly before the epoxy cures. For that job, they are literally the best tool I've ever seen. Sure vise grips work as tongue and groove pliers, but neither of those work as well at that task as the large RoboGrips.

If you don't like yours I'd sure love them. I used RoboGrips on all of these. I'm just a hobbyist knifemaker. I have a "real job" that pays the bills and use knifemaking, wrenching on cars, and bumming in the garage as my down time to relax at the end of the day.

Here was the first knife I built, a skinner for myself:

One I made for my father, my second knife:

And a more recent pair of matched father and son knives for one of my best friends and his son:

cgrutt · Jul 1, 2016

Those are awesome knifes and sheaths. Nice work!

As far as tools I bought because I would one day need them? Where to begin, where to begin

I'm more of a buy a tool for a job I'm working on that I'll probably use only a few times kind of guy. One that I bought because I thought I might need it was a Wood Rat router system. Pretty cool actually, bought it about 10 years ago and haven't used it yet. But I will one day!

Looks like this, absent the router (stock photo)

WWShop · Jul 1, 2016

A jigsaw. I used it once.

Outlawmws · Jul 1, 2016

Nice knives GD!

Finky198 · Jul 1, 2016

My most used, and kinda random Craigslist and eBay buys were my Hilti TE-70 and Snap on 12lbs slide hammer kit, do i need them? Probably not but there fun :evil:

of course there's tons more...

When I first got it I used it to chop ice in the drive way lol, I didn't use it on any masonry until last year digging the foundation for our shop addition...

Saw it on Craigslist and had to buy it was to good to pass up. It sat for quite some time. It now get used all the time from body work puller/pusher persuader... Idk what I would do without it now. I used it a few days back to pull the carrier out of a diff 1 hit popped it free.

reader2580 · Jul 1, 2016

We had a set of those parallel jaw pliers at work. I could have taken them when we moved offices, but I had no idea what I would ever use them for. These did not have the cutter on the side.

jeejay · Jul 1, 2016

Got a few different types and sizes of air hose, both to see which was all around most useful (for light duty mobile work), and to have back-up hose around if I needed that immediately. Ended up liking the small air brake line (nylon 11 tubing) to work with, it isn't coiled but has some memory, so it's easier to wind by hand than other straight hoses, most compact, and lightest weight. Also used some of the 3/8" rubber hose to configure my own tire gauge with a standard chuck (it ***** in just enough air to make the chuck seal from the inside, or a little more if I want to drape it around my neck, I've found that method makes the tool last much longer than gauges with slotted chucks, and eliminates the check valve so it works in both directions, putting a little air back in a tire if it's lower than the last one I checked, whereas ones with the valve have to be zeroed to read lower pressure... probably nothing new there, more like an older non idiot-proof way that works better if you know what you're doing, and that's what tpms sensors are for anymore, I'm working with other equipment though). Later used short sections of the polyurethane hose as sleeves around steel grid wire so I could tighten brackets on there (the hose made it a very tight clamp). My extras don't have to be used as air hoses after all.

It's good to have stuff laying around to experiment with (within reason), therefore I don't return everything that doesn't work out for whatever reason I bought it. A couple other parts I got to play with were a strut-pump coupler for aircraft wheels, and flexible stainless steel valve extensions (which were on clearance at the auto parts store). Didn't need the extensions at the time, and the coupler had to be tightened on the tire valve with a wrench to seal (it's for much higher pressure inflation), so I wasn't likely to use it much on standard tires, however when I tightened it onto an extension, I could then thread that end onto a valve, and use the coupler for engaging or disengaging its core depressor, so air won't escape when I turn it. I call that the "skeeter flater" (looks like a mechanized mosquito).

I end up using tilt lock chucks most often, but thread-on are useful at times (I've got a little collection of about every type available, good for multi tasking to have hands-free tools in this case).

Boilerhouse · Jul 2, 2016

I have to check through the shop every once in a while to ensure the tool that I should buy 'cause some day I'll need it.... that I don't already own.

speed bump · Jul 2, 2016

Big pipe cutters. I think I have at least two and they randomly save the day about once every 6-12 months.

Outlawmws · Jul 2, 2016

jeejay said:
It's good to have stuff laying around to experiment with (within reason), therefore I don't return everything that doesn't work out for whatever reason I bought it.

Sounds like you need to post in this thread:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117174

crewchief888 · Jul 2, 2016

i'm probably in the minority here, but i dont buy tools that i dont have a use for, "just in case i need it someday"

i have more than enough tools/toolboxes already, in addition to fab/welding gear, and woodworking/'round the house DIY stuff.

:beer:

Empty Pockets · Jul 2, 2016

Crazy as it seems, it was about 35 years ago, recently married, and money was tight, I saw a tap and die set on sale at Sears. I bought it. My wife (now ex-wife) gave me an earful, as I would never use it.

I came home from work one Saturday, and she informed me that the freezer had quit working. It was a 1950s vintage Ben Hur chest freezer. After a little trouble shooting, the fan that blows air across the radiator had quit.

After making a few phone calls, we drove to the ONLY appliance parts store in the area, He had a fan, the correct size, and shape but the mounting holes were wrong. Wife Insisted that we simply buy a new freezer.

We took the fan home, a few minutes with the drill press, then tapping the holes, and 30 minutes after we got home, the freezer was freezing again.

I made a production out of pointing out the tap and die set saved a freezer of food, and she never said another word about my tool purchases (although sometimes I could see that she wanted to)

Outlawmws · Jul 2, 2016

crewchief888 said:
i'm probably in the minority here, but i dont buy tools that i dont have a use for, "just in case i need it someday"

i have more than enough tools/toolboxes already, in addition to fab/welding gear, and woodworking/'round the house DIY stuff.

Yeah Chief, maybe now; but I bet in the past... (and a higher odds bet you still have that tool you bought before you needed it!) :see:

mike7 · Jul 2, 2016

These come to mind. They've since paid for themselves several times over.

toolaholic · Jul 2, 2016

Finky198 said:
My most used, and kinda random Craigslist and eBay buys were my Hilti TE-70 and Snap on 12lbs slide hammer kit, do i need them? Probably not but there fun of course there's tons more...

When I first got it I used it to chop ice in the drive way lol, I didn't use it on any masonry until last year digging the foundation for our shop addition...

Saw it on Craigslist and had to buy it was to good to pass up. It sat for quite some time. It now get used all the time from body work puller/pusher persuader... Idk what I would do without it now. I used it a few days back to pull the carrier out of a diff 1 hit popped it free.

I did the ice thing with a Milwaukee v18 rotary hammer.

jeejay · Jul 3, 2016

Outlawmws said:
Sounds like you need to post in this thread:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117174

Right, I dump out miscellaneous cans looking for hardware, and usually find something useful in there (kind of surprising).

softailgarage · Jul 3, 2016

gdpolk said:
Here was the first knife I built, a skinner for myself:

One I made for my father, my second knife:

And a more recent pair of matched father and son knives for one of my best friends and his son:

Bitchen knives, how do you load them?

Where do I start Outlaw? That has been my #1 excuse for buying tools I dont have a need for but want them anyhoo. Eventually the need arises...and I'm prepared, HA

crewchief888 · Jul 3, 2016

Outlawmws said:
Yeah Chief, maybe now; but I bet in the past... (and a higher odds bet you still have that tool you bought before you needed it!)

not really, ive always been the buy stuff if/when i need it.

i rarely buy much of anything anymore, occasionally i run across a good price on something at a pawn shop or flea mkt, and if i have cash i'll grab it.

:beer:

bwringer · Jul 3, 2016

Finky198 said:

I've also got a big nasty slide hammer setup (not nearly as nice as yours) I bought on sale one day just because it was cheap.

It may be crappy and Chinese, but at least it's heavy. And it sure is effective when an almighty sundering thwack is your only hope.

gdpolk · Jul 4, 2016

softailgarage said:
Bitchen knives, how do you load them?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Outlawmws · Jul 4, 2016

You showed them with all the Ammo... :lol:

gdpolk · Jul 4, 2016

Outlawmws said:
You showed them with all the Ammo...

Ah. Well that makes sense. Dumb move on me. 165gr ballistic tips. They were hanging out on my furs anyway so I pushed them in a line for the picture. It seemed to fit given they are all woods blades.

LMS · Jul 5, 2016

mike7 said:
These come to mind. They've since paid for themselves several times over.

Okay I'll bite - what is it?

mike7 · Jul 6, 2016

LMS said:
Okay I'll bite - what is it?

Cable operated, flexible hose clamp pliers. For those hard to reach places.

My Old Tools · Jul 6, 2016

This thread ain't big enough to hold them...

rodsnratfinks · Jul 6, 2016

mike7 said:
Cable operated, flexible hose clamp pliers. For those hard to reach places.

One of the most useful tools ever.

torqueman2002 · Jul 6, 2016

rodsnratfinks said:
One of the most useful tools ever.

x2!

Show off "that tool I bought because Someday I'll need it!" (And did!)

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