Tools you always had but never used

[Garcky]

Speed handle, spark plug gap tool, and since getting a 20v 1/2” impact: 1/2” air impact.

I still use speed handles a lot. I'm old, though. For some jobs in the home shop, it's the fastest tool for the task. I don't have a lot of cordless wrenching tools. So, I'm still grabbing a speed handle any time I have multiple fasteners to remove or install. I only use the 1/2" drive one for wheels and driving lag screws. The 3/8" one gets used the most. The 1/4" one I use whenever I have to assemble knock-down furniture. A set of long, 1/4" drive ball-end hex drivers makes short work of those assembly jobs, especially where there are pocket holes with a hex fastener.

 

[finn]

Bob Vila adjustable pliers. My mom saw them on Tv and decided I needed them.

Dual blade circular saw. I fell for the advertising.

Saw blade setting tool. Probably my grandfather’s. I didn’t even know wat it was until last year when someone posted a picture of one. Had it probably forty years.

3/8” air ratchet. Slow, clumsy, and no torque. I think my new M12 Fuel high speed will end up on the list. Bad purchase.

Bent screwdriver. I’m not coordinated enough to use them, and I probably have five.

Harbor Freight 4” grinder. I hate that thing.

Keyhole saws with replaceable blades. Probably from the early sixties. Useless, and dull. Why do I still have them? Brace and bit and coping saws from the same era are higher quality, but obsolete.

corded drills. I use the Milwaukee hole hog, and Bosch right angle and hammer drill occasionally, but have maybe six others dating from the mid sixties through the nineties that haven’t been used in a decade. Corded circular saws will be on the list prett soon.

Dremmel and Dremel clones. Have three and use them maybe once every three years.

Pancake compressor, Brad and trim mailer, sheathing stapler, and roofing nailer. Never use them anymore. I’m past that. Still use the $9.00 Menards stapler sometimes, though. Flooring nailer fits here too.

32’ extension ladder. I’m not going up that high anymore.

Stihl 046 chainsaw. Bought in need of a rebui, did that, used it once and decided it’s more saw than I can safely handle. A man has to kn his limitations. STIHL O41 special. It’s too hard to start. I suspect it needs to be resealed, but parts are getting scarce, and it has little value. Four circa 90s Homelite saws. Run them for an hour, work on them for two hours.

 

[dnschmidt]

In my case it's a super nice Laguna (made my Miber in Italy) 16" bandsaw. I think I've got all of 10 minutes run time on it.

 

[dnschmidt]

Harbor Freight 4” grinder. I hate that thing.

What this actually is useful for is sharpening tungstens for TIG welding.

 

[superspec]

If it’s in this drawer I never use it

 

[steel 35]

Cheap Import's
yea Im working on that too.

 

[dchawk81]

Cheap Import's
yea Im working on that too.

Shouldn't this be in the dating thread?

 

[brownbagg]

air impact, I use mine on most daily

 

[disston]

I don't have any tools I never used. Just because I have never used that 9mm wrench doesn't mean it's not performing a function by being there and filling a place in the set.

 

[Garcky]

I don't have any tools I never used. Just because I have never used that 9mm wrench doesn't mean it's not performing a function by being there and filling a place in the set.

Good point!

 

[dchawk81]

I don't have any tools I never used. Just because I have never used that 9mm wrench doesn't mean it's not performing a function by being there and filling a place in the set.

OCD Eye Twitch Prevention is very important.

 

[Jim C.]

I hate these! Yes, the adjustable wrench. I must have at least a dozen of them in different sizes, and made by various manufacturers. I have no idea where they all came from over the last several decades, but I have them and NEVER use any of them for any reason whatsoever. I might use one if I had to sacrifice a tool that I knew for sure would be totally destroyed after using it for some kind of tool suicide mission. Other than that, I don‘t even remotely see myself ever using an adjustable wrench.

Jim C.

 

[Old Donn]

Found some more I forgot about. A Toptul three piece swivel head ratchet set, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch, all in a neat, metal carrying case. They've ridden the bench long enough, putting them in the game next week.

 

[dchawk81]

I hate these! Yes, the adjustable wrench. I must have at least a dozen of them in different sizes, and made by various manufacturers. I have no idea where they all came from over the last several decades, but I have them and NEVER use any of them for any reason whatsoever. I might use one if I had to sacrifice a tool that I knew for sure would be totally destroyed after using it for some kind of tool suicide mission. Other than that, I don‘t even remotely see myself ever using an adjustable wrench.

Jim C.

I don't mind those so much except I have one that doesn't adjust for ****. It's a job smart I think from Tractor Supply. I bought it in a pinch when I was on the road and needed to fix an air line. It's basically useless.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I've never bought a tool that was not bought for an ongoing project. It kinda makes for a weird collection, but they all get used.

 

[finn]

I hate these! Yes, the adjustable wrench. I must have at least a dozen of them in different sizes, and made by various manufacturers. I have no idea where they all came from over the last several decades, but I have them and NEVER use any of them for any reason whatsoever. I might use one if I had to sacrifice a tool that I knew for sure would be totally destroyed after using it for some kind of tool suicide mission. Other than that, I don‘t even remotely see myself ever using an adjustable wrench.

Jim C.

I don’t really like them for mechanic type jobs, but they’re useful for a couple of narrow bandwidth jobs, like bending metal or working with galvanized pipe fittings including, but not limited to square head pipe plugs that typically don’t fit regular SAE wrenches, packing gland nuts, valves, etc.

I don’t really differentiate between cheap imports or so called quality brands, though.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

I have a buggy wheel wrench. Probably made in the 1890s. Have not used it yet. But, you never know when it will come in handy.....

 

[disston]

I hate these! Yes, the adjustable wrench. I must have at least a dozen of them in different sizes, and made by various manufacturers. I have no idea where they all came from over the last several decades, but I have them and NEVER use any of them for any reason whatsoever. I might use one if I had to sacrifice a tool that I knew for sure would be totally destroyed after using it for some kind of tool suicide mission. Other than that, I don‘t even remotely see myself ever using an adjustable wrench.

Jim C.

I have several very old ones. Some of these wrenches are better than others. Some of them don't change shape so much when you use them. But they do have a limit to how much torque you can use with them. Good, better, ones can do more torque. Some of my old ones have really thick jaws.

When I have to carry a lot of junk to a job and don't know just what I'll need an adjustable wrench will be in the mix.

 

[Eli D]

***** enhancement tool...Got a good deal from craigslist.

I bought one of those once turned out to be a magnifying glass, I use it all the time…for other things

 

[dchawk81]

I bought one of those once turned out to be a magnifying glass, I use it all the time…for other things

Her POV?

 

[seber]

24" Channellock pliers. I still have my Yankee screwdriver bought new in "61 and used the hell out of it for the next five or six years, then never again. Expansion bits and brace from the same era. These days, I just find the right hole saw. Also sliding T-handle and ratchet adapter.

 

[bwringer]

I inherited a lovely old Craftsman 24" adjustable wrench from my Dad's stuff.

I've never once used it on a fastener. It has been deployed a few times for bending metal. But mostly it just hangs there and looks cool. Dad may have used it on plumbing or something.


If you want truly useless, the winner in my garage would be this gorgeous, beautifully made right-angle low-profile screwdriver from Motion Pro, intended to reach carburetor adjustment screws deep in the bowels of motorcycles. It has a selection of bits, a nice detent system and markings so you can theoretically tell how far you've turned the screws, etc.

But in every instance I've tried to use it, it's useless. There's usually not enough clearance for the head. On the rare occasion you actually can reach the screws, you can't see or feel whether you're actually engaged with the screw, or whether you're actually turning the screw, or how far. Add in a running, vibrating engine and it's just completely hopeless.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Circular saw blade sharpener. Still nib and I bought it like 10yrs ago.

 

[unkqty]

offset screwdriver

 

[ecotec]

offset screwdriver

I never liked mine. Some guys love them. I carried it in my toolbox for 20 years and barely ever used it.

 

[Garcky]

offset screwdriver

I have four of them. Two are ratcheting and the other two are not. Phillips and regular. I don't use them often, but when I need them, there's one available.

 

[Bubba Fett]

I inherited a lovely old Craftsman 24" adjustable wrench from my Dad's stuff.

I've never once used it on a fastener. It has been deployed a few times for bending metal. But mostly it just hangs there and looks cool. Dad may have used it on plumbing or something.


If you want truly useless, the winner in my garage would be this gorgeous, beautifully made right-angle low-profile screwdriver from Motion Pro, intended to reach carburetor adjustment screws deep in the bowels of motorcycles. It has a selection of bits, a nice detent system and markings so you can theoretically tell how far you've turned the screws, etc.

But in every instance I've tried to use it, it's useless. There's usually not enough clearance for the head. On the rare occasion you actually can reach the screws, you can't see or feel whether you're actually engaged with the screw, or whether you're actually turning the screw, or how far. Add in a running, vibrating engine and it's just completely hopeless.

Looks awesome though.

 

[darkzero]

Speed handle ratchets. Got these new off the truck early 2000s. I think I used the 3/8" once & can't ever remember using them again. Heard they were discontinued & will sell fast on ebay but I still have no interest in selling them.

 

[darkzero]

Genuine Thumb Detecting Nut Fucker

If I need to bang on something I'll grab a real hammer. Adjustable wrenches, I never use em.



Same goes for these, the Top two. Thought they would be useful but I've never used em yet. The 4" Craftsman I totally forgot I even had, found it in my room a couple of yrs ago. The little Craftsman on bottom I'm pretty sure is just a toy or something like that.

 

[darkzero]

My very first & only HF Icon tool. Back when I got this, the only Icon tools out were the torque wrench & this.

It's got two positions for the collar. The first position can't be used with flip lug nut sockets. I machined a third groove in the center of the two. Still don't use it, not for my own vehicle anyway.

 

[kra_z_vic]

I can honestly say that I have never used any of these. Yet I still keep them.

 

[bwringer]

Same goes for these, the Top two. Thought they would be useful but I've never used em yet. The 4" Craftsman I totally forgot I even had, found it in my room a couple of yrs ago. The little Craftsman on bottom I'm pretty sure is just a toy or something like that.

I made my own crappy thin-jaw adjustable with a flap disc and a crappy no-name adjustable wrench, and I use it whenever I need to change fittings on air lines and air tools. For some stupid damfool reason, the hex on air hoses and air tools is often too thin for a normal wrench or adjustable.

 

[Benny Franklin]

I have a set of metric crowsfoot wrenches I've never used. Acutally the only time I've needed a crows foot wrench was changing the ICP sensor on an early 6.0 Powerstroke.

I use my 3/4 and inch drive stuff, my go thru socket set, and my adjustable wrenches all the time. There's no way I could live without my ratchet wrenches or my flex head ratchet wrenches


I will say I rarely use my air impact or air ratchet and just reach for the cordless ones

 

[darkzero]

I made my own crappy thin-jaw adjustable with a flap disc and a crappy no-name adjustable wrench, and I use it whenever I need to change fittings on air lines and air tools. For some stupid damfool reason, the hex on air hoses and air tools is often too thin for a normal wrench or adjustable.

Good idea & I know what you mean. Not too long ago I fixed a used air hose reel at my buddy's shop. I had to use one of those stamped steel open end wrenches that come with die grinders or other air tools.

At home I'm not sure I've had that problem with my air hoses. If I did it wasn't not often enough for me to remember & I'm not sure what I used if so. I have them stamped wrenches for die grinders too but don't recall using them on my air hoses.

Well hopefully I'll get to use the green one for that.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Genuine Thumb Detecting Nut Fucker

If I need to bang on something I'll grab a real hammer. Adjustable wrenches, I never use em.

That's a nice cordless impact wrench.

 

[WillyBoy]

I have a set of metric crowsfoot wrenches I've never used.

I've had metric and fractional for about 50 years and I've never used either. Just the other day I just discovered the metric set at the back of a dusty shelf, still in it's original Craftsman vinyl sack.

 

[OGJordan]

I’m with you on Vice grips. I have at least 20 pairs from various auctions and estate sales. And in 30 years of working on cars I probably have used them 10 times AT THE MOST. Strangely I use adjustable wrenches (especially the small ones) all the time

 

[Kuma601]

Craftsman 45307 auto adjust-locking pliers. At the time I thought they would see use but in some 30 years, maybe twice with disappointing results. It is either to tight or not firm enough.

 

[bb29510]

atlas metal lathe, craftman radial arm saw, five gallon bucket of 1/4 craftman sockets

 

[Jure]

9/32 Plvmb extension and 9/32 breaker bar.