Zeke
Well-known member
The Gear Wrench aren't good at the open end either, but the closed end is handy.
What are/(were) your most USELESS tools?
- Thread starter GarageWarrior
- Start date
I have one of those hanging on the wall, been hanging there for a long time, I'll go over to the shop if needed.^^^^ it works. Not fast, but it works. The harbor freight manual tire changer is NOTHING LIKE THAT but they do sell a manual bead breaker that looks like it would work.
You can still get copies of this one shown in the background here, but HF discontinued that exact style
slowtwitch73
Well-known member
Its the right size for collet blocks, but not the right tip for the one pictured.
Wouldn't work on a lathe if you're talking about L nose.. way too small
Be good for grooved lock rings as mentioned... rather have lock ring pliers.
Wouldn't work on a lathe if you're talking about L nose.. way too small
Be good for grooved lock rings as mentioned... rather have lock ring pliers.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
That’s a Blue-Point Tools USA NEW 3/4" to 2" Adjustable Hook Spanner Wrench AHS300
I use a OTC 4791 Spanner Wrench - 3/4" to 2" Capacity on my 5c collet blocks.
What size lathe do you have,? I’m sure you could get hook spanner wrenches on it from Amazon. That’s where I bought mine.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
Search. ebay 225246651390
eBay item “ Manual Tire Changer Swing Arm Moo with Duck Head / Duckbill Demount-2 Options”.
Sold by molechess. I bought the deluxe version which is about $165. The shipping was $25 (it ships from Canada)
I really like it. Some people make their own, but I decided to buy one. A friend of mine is a retired machinist whose tire machine is broke and was looking for a new one. He stopped by when I was doing my Jeep tires and used it to mount one of my tires. He liked it so much that he He took measurements of mine and built one that weekend.
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RivennHewn
Well-known member
RaisedByWolves
Well-known member
I actually used ours (Pin type, correct) and its smaller than that by 1" at least.
Kind of wish ours was bigger as its a ***** to tighten enough for milling.
chevy3100truck
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2013
- Messages
- 20
I have one of those as well - probably given it 15+ years ago and haven't once thought about using it lolA Ryobi detail sander. It was a gift from the in-laws. Best I can tell, it's supposed to just make noise, because it doesn't do anything else.
Billybaldwin3
Member
Sooooo many. I have an obsession. Oh look! A tool I don't have! Let's get it into the collection right away.
As of my thinking currently...
Most useless?
The 14 friggin adjustable wrenches I somehow own
And the scroll saw. This one maybe because it's more of a hobbyist tool, and I usually do remodeling and build furniture. Have yet to try out those round blades they make now, intrigued by the doors that opens. Luckily, no $$$ out of my pocket on this one. Random gift from my dad. But that also means I can't just give it away/sell it.
RaisedByWolves
Well-known member
Revisiting this, I would have to say the NIP/NOS piston ring groove scraper/enlarger tool I bought 20yrs ago.
I go to antique engine shows and see these used selling for good money, so when I found this one NIP for unbelievably cheap I snagged it.
No friggin idea when I’ll ever use it, but I have it at the ready.
Might be time to pass it on.
I go to antique engine shows and see these used selling for good money, so when I found this one NIP for unbelievably cheap I snagged it.
No friggin idea when I’ll ever use it, but I have it at the ready.
Might be time to pass it on.
oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
I find them very useful. To mar up and round off fasteners that talk back to me. Teaches the other nearby fasteners that I mean business!
These gimbal palm ratchet things. Thought they would be useful & I had to have em. Used one of em once & that was it. After using it I can't think of any reason to use em over my ratchets. I won't sell em cause I think I may have a need for them one day but I don't think I will ever see that day. They just sit in the back of a drawer.
Speaking of ratcheting, ratcheting screwdrivers. No pics cause I don't own any (well I do have a stubby Snap-on but I don't feel like digging it out). They're just not for me I guess. Whenever I used someone's I just put it in the locked position. Quicker for me to use a fixed blade screwdriver. Maybe on screws that are rusted & don't turn freely after loosened but I rarely encounter that.
Ratcheting tap handle. Absolutely useless for me, more than a ratcheting screwdriver.
Speaking of ratcheting, ratcheting screwdrivers. No pics cause I don't own any (well I do have a stubby Snap-on but I don't feel like digging it out). They're just not for me I guess. Whenever I used someone's I just put it in the locked position. Quicker for me to use a fixed blade screwdriver. Maybe on screws that are rusted & don't turn freely after loosened but I rarely encounter that.
Ratcheting tap handle. Absolutely useless for me, more than a ratcheting screwdriver.
Besides the usual suspects in my Drawer of Shame, I'm probably the only one on the forum with a set of Craftsman ReFlex, flex head crescent wrenches. I vaguely recall Bob Vila shilling them on Craftsman TV commercials, but I can't remember what the advantage was/is with the flex head design. In my defense, they were a gift. They went straight from the package to the tool chest drawer, pristine and unused ever since.
chris142
Well-known member
I need it for my tractor?
chris142
Well-known member
Or 7/16
Good idea! But then I might not be able to get to my actually useful tools.
oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
Drawer of Shame! I love it! Now I want to assemble a drawer of **** tools to use as loaners to neighbors I don’t like!
Oh so you want pliers, huh?
CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
Kinda surprised myself but over the years I’ve discovered that my 1/4” and 3/8” hex bit sockets are basically useless for me at work. The bulk of a ratchet and the socket are a lot and I find myself reaching for my t handles or regular hex keys. I have also twisted a lot of the hex bit sockets as they don’t seem to be as strong as the keys. My1/2” hex bit socket sets are a hell of a lot more use.
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bwringer
Well-known member
Our office is in a building that's almost 110 years old, and most of the walls are still plaster and lath, reinforced with horse hair.
When installing the network wiring and trying to cut openings for the ethernet boxes, we were stopped cold by this remarkably tough material. It's like concrete, yet tougher, reinforced with ancient strips of iron-hard oak.
After a few trips to Lowe's, we found that the only thing that would make the slightest headway for cutting openings for the ethernet boxes was a Rotozip with carbide bits. Each expensive carbide bit would make it through about three or four boxes.
For the 12+ years since then, the tool has lain untouched. None of us have needed it for an office or home project since. But when we needed it... we really needed it.
WAID
Well-known member
I've found they make surprisingly good nutcrackers. They adjust easily to a variety of nut sizes and seem to have good leverage and control to crack without smashing the meat.
rust in the eye
Well-known member
There seems little distinction between "useless", ones that require some finesse(Roto-Zip for example) and those that simply aren't used in the above replies.
Just about any "multi-purpose" or "fits all" tool I've ever encountered performs none of it's functions well and they are typically poorly made too. TV pitchmen somehow convince enough of us though.
Wrenches and screwdrivers are pretty well evolved, no need for the next gimmick versions yet they persist.
The appeal of those pocket multi-tools/Swiss army knifes baffles me.
Just about any "multi-purpose" or "fits all" tool I've ever encountered performs none of it's functions well and they are typically poorly made too. TV pitchmen somehow convince enough of us though.
Wrenches and screwdrivers are pretty well evolved, no need for the next gimmick versions yet they persist.
The appeal of those pocket multi-tools/Swiss army knifes baffles me.
Blackmarket
Well-known member
Works great for getting water out of a wet distributor cap. Also excellent for wiping down greasy tools. Other than that…meh.
Gozo
Well-known member
I’ll put in a vote for the DrillDoctor. I had a bucket of dull drill bits that I was going to get around to sharpening. Saw the cool infomercial some years ago and thought “that’s just what I need”. It did a great job at taking kind of dull bits and making then totally useless. Had a lot of back and forth calls with the manufacturer and they sent me all sorts of adapters and holders, so I’ll give them a good grade on customer service. It sits on the top shelf where I put stuff I never want to see again, but too stubborn to just toss out. The dull bits get thrown away and replaced.
logixjock
Well-known member
That's all I have left also. I saw an electronic kit for my MF135 in the Steiner catalog the other day, thinking about just getting one and officially retiring the dwell meter all together.
Madjik Man
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One of the first flexible 3/8 extensions. It’s so stiff.
The thing may arc a total of 1.5*.
The thing may arc a total of 1.5*.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I think the Rotozip proves there's a way to make more drywall dust. I've taken to using a multi-tool with a razor thin blade. Still makes dust but you don't look like an extra from Scarface when you cut a hole in the ceiling.
I suspect none of you have a wrench bracelet (it's for really small wrists). If you do, I bet you've never used it. Son got it for me 40 years ago when he was 20. I'm leaving it to him in my will.
I suspect none of you have a wrench bracelet (it's for really small wrists). If you do, I bet you've never used it. Son got it for me 40 years ago when he was 20. I'm leaving it to him in my will.
Hmm...I've not had the same experience. I've found my Drill Doctor to be fairly useful.
However, I do find with some bits (mine are pretty much all cheap ones) that after they are sharpened the first time they don't hold the edge as well anymore
jblnut
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have a few adjustables .....
Al Borland
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2016
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- 1,598
It's called "Tools for Fools". Mine are in a box on my truck, but the home-game should work well out of a drawer...
Al Borland
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- Jan 20, 2016
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Mingia! Really bad mental pictures here...
Keep them away from angry wives...
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
Another thread got me thinking about my 1/4” roto-ratchet.
I bought it with the plain metal handle… which was a mistake. It is too slippery when the end is pointed out straight like a nut driver. It is still like new, because I never use it. So, I would say that it is expensive and useless.
Since it has been basically useless, I put some heat shrink on it tonight. I hope that it doesn’t rust under the heat shrink.
My 3/8” roto-ratchet has the comfort handle, and is great.
I bought it with the plain metal handle… which was a mistake. It is too slippery when the end is pointed out straight like a nut driver. It is still like new, because I never use it. So, I would say that it is expensive and useless.
Since it has been basically useless, I put some heat shrink on it tonight. I hope that it doesn’t rust under the heat shrink.
My 3/8” roto-ratchet has the comfort handle, and is great.
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I've got me a genuine thumbdetectingnutfcker. I got it back when I used to watch the crazy Canadian bumblefck a lot.
But yup useless cause I never really use any of my nut lathes. It's a cool conversation piece, well to post pics of on the interweb.
Generally Bluepoint tools aren't made by Snap-on. Bluepoint are usually tools made by others that Snap-on has the Bluepoint name put on & they sell em for their prices. You can usually find the OEM for Bluepoint tools pretty easily & of course cheaper.
I have the same one (Bluepoint) except mine has red handles. I suspect it's made by Klein. I've had mine for almost 20 yrs & use it often, used it quite a bit today actually. But really there's only one part of it that I use. The non-insulated crimper part that I modified to use for red & blue insulated connectors.