What are/(were) your most USELESS tools?

[junkman104]

Noid lights.

Handy to have for diagnosing no-start. Not a used often tool.

 

[mygarageone]

I have a set of stubby wrenches that are 10+ yrs old and never been used... Not sure what I was thinking..


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Yea most times they are worthless . I bought a set of the gear wrench ones to carry in my classic mustang for emergencies . They take up little room and they were on sale . Probably because they are not much use for serious wrenching.
I didn't want to take my good set every time I went for a extended cruise.

 

[junkman104]

With out a doubt the Mitytvac brake bleeding kit. Best part of it was the vinyl tubing that came with it.

No but it makes fixing vacuum 4WD systems easy and checking vacuum switches ect.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Wagner paint sprayer and the power roller. Never got the sprayer to work. Spent more time cleaning the roller than it normally takes to paint a large room.

 

[gungatim]

I'll second the wagner power sprayer...wastes too much paint and takes longer to clean than to paint by hand.

I use my mityvac all the time, diagnosing vacuum fittings/systems on corvette, brakes, etc.

and 9mm is for French vehicles...if you work on old Solex mopeds you'll know how valuable the 9mm wrench is...

Etorx sockets- I bought a set in the late 80's for removing pulley or balancer or something on a Dodge as well...haven't used them since.

But I do disagree on the ratcheting gearwrench, Have 3 sets and use them all the time. don't miss the reverse at all, just flip them over.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I used the heck out of my dwell-tach "back in the day" along with my timing light !

I should put it in a box with my distributor wrenches, drum brakes retainer pin/spring tool, spring tool and drum brake resetting gauge. I should throw my Craftsman pneumatic ratchet in there also.

 

[theoldwizard1]

1) Manual Tire changer: I used to work in a car shop and was used to doing my own tires. However manual tire changer was a giant pain to use. Instead of sweating for half a day, I found that dropping tires off at the tire shop for $40 is a much more productive use of my time.

That will get a pair mounted and balanced around here.

 

[aka Larry]

That [$40] will get a pair mounted and balanced around here.

Must be nice. Around here it's $80 on the low end and higher in some stores.

 

[Super Mech]

Dual cut saw. Man I had to have that thing when I saw it! Waste of money.

 

[FOWLER]

Handy to have for diagnosing no-start. Not a used often tool.

Multi meter will do the same thing minus the light show I soon realized lol. Bought a set when I was an apprentice 25 yrs ago the older techs just laughed. I keep them in my box as a reminder

 

[mygarageone]

I used the heck out of my dwell-tach "back in the day" along with my timing light !

I should put it in a box with my distributor wrenches, drum brakes retainer pin/spring tool, spring tool and drum brake resetting gauge. I should throw my Craftsman pneumatic ratchet in there also.

Well just hang onto them , they will soon be relics and worth more than when new.

 

[Kevin54]

This:
Roto Zip

This works better and is more accurate:

The Roto-Zip is very hard to control doing drywall - too much torque. It's OK if you have a hard border to guide you, but watch out if you're trying to do something freehand.

I forgot about Roto-Zips. I bought one a long time ago, and then my dad bought me one a year or so later. I tried using it around a couple of outlet boxes. Butchered the hell out of the drywall.

Tripple square sockets. Used maybe 2 or three times. That and 9mm sockets. I have not once used one. What are they supposed to fit anyway???

What is a "Triple Square Socket"? Isn't that just a 12 point?

 

[NUTTSGT]

I bought a Snap-On scraper that uses a razor blade. I've seen other people use them but I think the blade is at the wrong angle and tries to dig in. Every time I grab it, I cuss the stupid thing and put it back in the box.

 

[Micscience]

Roto Zips throw to much drywall dust in the air to my liking.

 

[dankicksass]

What is a "Triple Square Socket"? Isn't that just a 12 point?

It's a Euro thing. XZN/triple square holds down the seats in VWs, for example.

 

[CheckeredFlag]

Shopsmith.......

That's too bad

I understand what you are saying about them ... it would be a pain to have to stop and reconfigure your tool setup before you start working on your project again, but for guys like me who have very limited shop space, something like a Shopsmith is my only option

.02

 

[ihrescue]

I bought a stud remover from HF that I didn't have good luck with. But a pair of vise grips worked well. In fairness it was a stubborn stud that required the typical tighten-loosen process with lots of Kroil. Other bad tops are the ease with which I break of tips off of blow guns rendering then useless.

 

[mygarageone]

The uselessness or usefulness of any tools like most things is dependent on the owner and how it works for him.
Most tools are not really useless , we decide what good they are to us. Some of us love certain tools and some don't.

 

[er3456df]

What is a "Triple Square Socket"? Isn't that just a 12 point?

Yes, but with 90* corners instead of 60*. Have one, got it in a box of other junk, never found a use for it. Almost didn't notice the difference.

 

[GarageWarrior]

That's too bad

I understand what you are saying about them ... it would be a pain to have to stop and reconfigure your tool setup before you start working on your project again, but for guys like me who have very limited shop space, something like a Shopsmith is my only option

.02

New Shopsmiths are pricey, but used ones are a good deal - found Mark V for a hundred bucks - makes a decent drill press and drum/disk sander. Have no need for it's table saw - RAS does everything I want.

 

[MP&C]

Cable stretcher:

 

[Big Bad Dad]

This:
Roto Zip

This works better and is more accurate:

The Roto-Zip is very hard to control doing drywall - too much torque. It's OK if you have a hard border to guide you, but watch out if you're trying to do something freehand.

AMEN to this ^^^^

 

[Big Bad Dad]

Why the hate for Robo Grips? Just easily adjusted channell locks, right?

 

[GYPSY400]

I bought a Snap-On scraper that uses a razor blade. I've seen other people use them but I think the blade is at the wrong angle and tries to dig in. Every time I grab it, I cuss the stupid thing and put it back in the box.

I hear ya on the wrong angle.. what I use is a plain ol' wood chisel.. either 1/2", 3/4" or 1" wide.. bought all 3 on sale for $10. I find they have more backbone, so you can really lean on them.




As far as useless tools go.. one that comes to mine is those damaged screw extractor things in a 3 pack.. I just eventually skipped that step and grabbed a drill bit.. lol

 

[finn]

I'll have to put in another vote for the Robogrip. Unfortunately mine were a gift from my dear departed mother so I'm having a problem getting rid of them.. It was probably the only tool she ever bought and she gave it to me as a birthday present.

I was checking in at the Toronto airport about 6 or 7 years ago and Bob Villa was at the next agent desk. It was all I could do to keep from grabbing the little runt by the throat and shaking him for suckering my mother into buying those Robogrips

Lucky I was able to retain my composure or I'd probably just be getting out of a Canadian jail.

 

[maven]

Multi meter will do the same thing minus the light show I soon realized lol. Bought a set when I was an apprentice 25 yrs ago the older techs just laughed. I keep them in my box as a reminder

Noid/test lights are quicker to use, and do something invaluable at a glance that a meter doesnt.....show if the circuits are capable of carrying load. Just because theres B+ and ground at the terminals doesnt mean the circuit will work under load.

 

[48RON54]

purchased a harbor freight transmission jack. used once and realized the car had to be like 3 feet off the ground and still come out the wheel well.

X2! I tried to sell my trans jack at a yard sale for $1 and still no biters! lol....its just easier to lower it on a regular jack then ease it down to the ground and just slide it.... I think mine finally made its way into the metal bin

 

[T-Mac]

I have a brother in law thats a useless tool-does that count?

 

[CheckeredFlag]

^
lol

 

[Bigplum]

Jigsaw , hate the ****** thing , blade always wanders , cuts a straight line on the surface whilst underneath a wobbly mess ,I even bought a expensive jigsaw thinking it would be better, still ****.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

I bought a Snap-On scraper that uses a razor blade. I've seen other people use them but I think the blade is at the wrong angle and tries to dig in. Every time I grab it, I cuss the stupid thing and put it back in the box.

Eric, that tool is AWESOME for scraping stickers off the very bottom of the inside of a windshield. Pretty worthless for any thing else.

 

[kazlx]

My lathe and mill are probably some of the last tools I would get rid of. Nothing better when doing custom and/or accurate stuff.

I think the tool I despise the most is my DeWalt metal cold cut saw. Crappy clamping and it just throws hot, razor sharp shards of metal everywhere. Takes forever to set up an accurate angle cut. Would trade it for a nice horizontal band saw or coolant fed cold saw in a heartbeat.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I hear ya on the wrong angle.. what I use is a plain ol' wood chisel.. either 1/2", 3/4" or 1" wide.. bought all 3 on sale for $10. I find they have more backbone, so you can really lean on them.

Eric, that tool is AWESOME for scraping stickers off the very bottom of the inside of a windshield. Pretty worthless for any thing else.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

 

[brownbagg]

a black and decker mini bandsaw, that piece was so worthless i threw it in the back yard and ran it over with the lawn mower for over a year. it was **** from the factory. i hated that piece

 

[the gypsy]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

Why not bend it to adjust the angle to your liking.

 

[Ray-CA]

This was the biggest pos I ever bought. Not only that, but I bought one for my FIL. Luckily for me, I've been married to his oldest daughter for 20+ years when I gave it to him or it could have ruined our wedding plans!

Ray

 

[Kev442]

purchased a harbor freight transmission jack. used once and realized the car had to be like 3 feet off the ground and still come out the wheel well.

I could not get myself to buy a jack for just one specific use, I bought an ATV/motorcycle jack instead. The bonus was that the car only needed to be 2 1/2 feet off the ground! Then again, I've only used the ATV jack twice since the transmission swap....

 

[zkling]

Wd-40.

 

[ICindrich]

Air powered grease gun on the drum. Haven't used it since I got my battery lincoln and everyone I've tried to give it to already has one collecting dust

 

[LS6 Tommy]

This:
Roto Zip

This works better and is more accurate:

The Roto-Zip is very hard to control doing drywall - too much torque. It's OK if you have a hard border to guide you, but watch out if you're trying to do something freehand.

Although I wouldn't use a Roto-Zip to do drywall work either, (a hand saw is fine for me, too) I'm not much of a woodworker so I don't have many cutting tools other than a few hand saws. When Sears had the complete kit for under $80.00 I grabbed one. I've used that thing for a LOT of oddball cutting jobs. Making round holes in plexiglass, finish trimming the Formica on my bar top/bar sink, cutting the ABS plastic sheet I used for extending the chute on my snowblower...


Here's my worst POS:

No matter how carefully you use it, the blade buckles & then that's it. Kaput.

Tommy