Most useful tool you overlooked at first

[the gypsy]

paint roller spinner to dry roller or paint brushes. Originally thought it was a waste of money, but once I used it I was sold.

 

[cyato]

My Blaklader Bantam work pants with built-in knee pads. Should have bought them the first day I saw my buddy wearing them. Plenty of pockets for all of my stuff and saves my knees/legs from pain.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

42" wide shop broom.... $68 and worth it.....but it don't fit in my tool box..

 

[fury9]

http://www.reedmfgco.com/index.html?screen=plastic_pipe_fitting_reamers

 

[dtt454]

drill doctor
cordless impact
gear wrenches

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Leatherman tool. Never thought I would use one enough and figured the attachments would be cheap and useless. Then my brother was going on about his so I bought one. That things saves me more time walking to find a knife or plier or phillips screwdriver. I wear it on my belt all the time as long as I have a belt on.

 

[Rezeppa]

Open end Crowfoot wrenches have saved my *** multiple times when I never thought they would. I had a grease line came loose on a Sumitoma (crane turret) and 36" of extension and an 11/16 crowfoot saved hours of tearing things.

deadblow ball pein hammers
i can swing a normal hammer pretty hard; but put a dead blow in it and i can smash the hell out of it with no stress

This is something I defiantly overlooked and then the guys i work with kinda joked around about them (we have at least 75 ball peen hammers running around the shop) then one used one and it was all over no sore shoulder when concrete pump breaks down in the middle of a job.

 

[F-Bobby]

Ratcheting Wrenches. I dont know how i went so many years without them.
Thumb Drivers
A snap on fh80. One of my more recent purchases. Wish i had one years ago instead of my ****** craftsman ratchet.
My battery powered driver.

 

[Caterpillar Cowboy]

SO hard carbon scraper. 10x better than a normal hardware store putty knife.

 

[cchracer77]

1. Nebo "Larry" led light - freaking amazing size of an ink pen as much light as a full size drop light, stick it on motorcycle down tubes doing engine work

2. cordless impact

3. locking extensions - no more hunting for dropped sockets

4. 16" long needle nose pliers

5. proto palm control flex ratchets

 

[gearhead9056]

1. cordless impact, I love mine so much I made my dad buy one for the farm

2. rolling tool cart, I hate walking back and forth between a vehicle and my box

3. flex head ratchets

4. flex head ratchet wrenches

5. air grinders, always seem to have better power and fit into tighter spacers than my electric ones

 

[richfinn]

Nitrile gloves (my hands look almost human nowadays)

LED flashlights (I can see)

Dc Current clamp (easy life)

 

[texchappy]

Bump for even more ideas.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

cordless impact 1/4in and 1/2in drive. just got the dog bone rough rider and i love it so far. i have always hated creepers but not this one

 

[SKAutomotive]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012S9A5U/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Paypal me a beer for making life easier. You're welcome.

 

[fred d]

Cordless impact driver
Had a friend with one years go

Now I have 2
18v dewalt an. 12v Bosch

 

[kerryt1]

1. Impact driver, how did I ever function without it?!
2. Tool belt, huge time saver. Or the kind that goes on a 5 gal bucket...both great
3. Oscillating tool, so useful
4. Kreg pocket hole jig.
5. Ratcheting wrenches, believe the hoopla

 

[trexdoink]

A set of 6 point combo wrenches. I didn't think I'd like them, bought them by accident but they are priceless to me now.

 

[AmericanPreferred]

Internet connection, and a digital camara, by far.

 

[Haveblue]

Tool cart..it was great for a home toolbox, but took it to work, glad I did, it saves a lot of time. stylus pro flashlight, Gerber multitool found in my yard, hangs in a leatherman pouch I got on Amazon.. that also holds a small tire guage, small sharpie, and extra lighter for heat shrinking. Unused portable Waterloo box with tray scored at the pawn shop for $15. Anything you have on hand to properly get the job done. I used to be paid by the hour, but now im on flat rate..it will make you really think about anything that will save time.

 

[1953mercury]

A cordless 3/8 impact. Price kept me away until now (a friend and I made a deal). I do a lot of automotive work and maintenance on my fleet of vehicles. Just changing the differential fluid on one truck involves pulling off about 30 bolts and then putting them back on. So long manual ratchet!

Next time you take out those 30 bolts, drill a hole in the bottom of the housing or the diff. cover and weld in an npt bung and that job will become soooo much easier. Mike

 

[98ssuck]

A flashlight