I have two I just want a pebble finish one.I do have that part number on a ratchet, but it’s a little newer than the Plomb pebble.
-Don
What’s your holy grail tool?
- Thread starter pandapike
- Start date
I still have a hammer that a GJ member made probably 10 years ago. It's never been used.
Iluvbeer
Well-known member
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
I used to clear lots in Mass back in the 80’s, we had a skidder that would pull a damn building up a muddy hill..lol That thing was amazing.
My first thought was a no.1 (for $10) to complete the set.My original Holy Grail was a Stanley #1 woodworking plane, just because they were rare and often spoken of, but I stumbled across one as part of a package deal. Bought two big tool chests, and it was part of the deal. Spotted it in the little bitty CL picture at the bottom, and guessed that it was a #1 or #2, so drove an hour plus the Sunday after Thanksgiving to get it. An as found picture first, cleaned up and parts replaced at the very bottom.
The newest Grail is a Stanley GunMetal #42, like this, but I want it cheap, like I got my #1
STANLEY MILLERS PATENT NO. 42 Gunmetal Combination Plow & Filletster Plane - 92941 - AS OF MAY 16
Clean and fine. You can still make out the “MILLERS PATENT JUNE 28, 1870” on the handle. Full set of 10 cutters. The wrap-around-fence fit is a little awkward so it may not be original or one of the rods could be wonky.www.jimbodetools.com
Then I remembered the Monarch 10EE machinists lathe.
I don't have the space or the money or the skills to justify one, but I want one.Well done on your score. It gives me hope as I continue to trawl through endless classified ads that my unicorn does exist.
ratcheted
Well-known member
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ratcheted
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MushCreek
Well-known member
I did just pick up a 'bucket list' tool, if not the Holy Grail. I finally caught a deal on a Delta/Rockwell wood/metal bandsaw. Last year, I restored a straight wood cutting saw, so I might just leave this one set-up for metal. When the weather warms, I'll do a full resto on it.
I have a few bucket list tools and the list changes from day to day depending on what I see. I can go from not knowing a tool exists, to immediately wanting/needing it, in mere microseconds.
I will say that one of the tools that is consistently on my list is a Tektronix 4-plugin 7000 series scope, preferably something like a 7854 with a ton of plugins. Not as useful as it was when it was introduced in 1977, but it's still a fantastic scope and an amazing piece of engineering designed and built by Tektronix back when they were still a manufacturing powerhouse in the oscilloscope market.
But the REAL bucket list tool would be the 7J20 optical spectrometer plugin for the 7000 series scopes. It is thought that only 40 or so were built, and the only one that I know of still in operation is at the Tektronix museum. It allows you to measure the wavelengths of light pretty much in real-time. I absolutely do not need it, but I want it anyway.
(Actually, I could've used it a few years ago when I was researching germicidal UV lights. That project dried up but I've wanted an optical spectrometer ever since.)
I'd also like to get my hands on one of the old Tektronix Engine Analyzers, which used a 560-series scope in an early attempt to measure all sorts of engine parameters. It's way outclassed today by something like a Picoscope (or the HScope app that I have on my Android tablet), but it's a cool, unusual, and rare piece of history.
I will say that one of the tools that is consistently on my list is a Tektronix 4-plugin 7000 series scope, preferably something like a 7854 with a ton of plugins. Not as useful as it was when it was introduced in 1977, but it's still a fantastic scope and an amazing piece of engineering designed and built by Tektronix back when they were still a manufacturing powerhouse in the oscilloscope market.
But the REAL bucket list tool would be the 7J20 optical spectrometer plugin for the 7000 series scopes. It is thought that only 40 or so were built, and the only one that I know of still in operation is at the Tektronix museum. It allows you to measure the wavelengths of light pretty much in real-time. I absolutely do not need it, but I want it anyway.
(Actually, I could've used it a few years ago when I was researching germicidal UV lights. That project dried up but I've wanted an optical spectrometer ever since.)
I'd also like to get my hands on one of the old Tektronix Engine Analyzers, which used a 560-series scope in an early attempt to measure all sorts of engine parameters. It's way outclassed today by something like a Picoscope (or the HScope app that I have on my Android tablet), but it's a cool, unusual, and rare piece of history.
Mike'smeatshop
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- Apr 1, 2023
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- 1,273
I just happen to be digging my dads stuff out today. I will have to find the books and start all over.
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four.cycle
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2758 Indestro Super 3/8" drive x 1/4" hex bit
senlow
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That must be a Paulding hammer.
don long
Well-known member
This little tool set is one that I chased down a couple months ago.
I used it to take apart my last small project and just love the feel of the tools in my hand
I used it to take apart my last small project and just love the feel of the tools in my hand
MP&C
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Blue Point ball-end hammer
Bloodee Knuckles
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- Apr 15, 2024
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And the lifts are portable on casters!? Interesting graphic for a headstone. So how did he....? Oh.I have pretty much everything that I could ever want and worked for but there is ONE tool that I would absolutely LOVE to own.
I would LOVE to be able to lift large RV's in the air for service without having to crawl around under them.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
My current "holy grail" tool is that one I just had in my hand and set down while talking to someone in the shop... it's gotta be around here somewheres....
By the time I finally find it, I'll have forgotten what I needed it for.
By the time I finally find it, I'll have forgotten what I needed it for.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I found it!
At least, I found a tool that wasn't where it should be. I now have no idea what I was looking for--nor why.
At least, I found a tool that wasn't where it should be. I now have no idea what I was looking for--nor why.
jskicet
Well-known member
My long handle 10mm wrench.
paulsomlo
Well-known member
Most of you are setting your sights too low:
grannyknot
Well-known member
Thats a beautiful hammerBlue Point ball-end hammer
NoahG
Well-known member
There’s two things I’d love to find organically, and not for big money:
A double head crescent wrench
A monkey wrench with a twisted handle.
A double head crescent wrench
A monkey wrench with a twisted handle.
I have a double head crescent wrench that needs a home. Shoot me a PM and I'll send a photo this evening. If you are interested, we can make a deal.
milkovich
Well-known member
Without exaggerating, it took me over a decade of keeping my eyes peeled to find either a Makita 2030 or a Hitachi F1000a (this machine) within driving distance and with perfect feed rollers. I already had a Delta planer and Craftsman jointer happily making sawdust, but when I had a VERY small shop, I REALLY wanted this combo machine and I guess that desire just burned itself into my DNA. I found it at an auction a few houses down from my first house across town. It definitely lives up to it's reputation as being noisy and underpowered but leaving a mirror finish on wood due to the high RPM of the cutter heads. It's also built like a brick outhouse and it's absurdly straight compared to typical Taiwan grade equipment like Jet/Powermatic. The feed rollers on this Hitachi F1000A were made out of a conventional material that doesn't disintegrate like the 2030 which have a 100% failure rate. I'd estimate that this machine weighs 300# or so, it's a little beefy compared to the old conventional consumer grade tools I had but I have to marvel at the attention to detail and the overall dimensional accuracy of a vintage(ish) 80's made in Japan tool, the accuracy required to get the "extension wings" to be perfect (at least to my straight edge) are beyond my comprehension, there's a reason other manufacturer's haven't offered that. Much like an old Rockwell machine, maybe they didn't know that you could pump out low quality, disposable junk as "consumer grade" and instead just made a small version of their industrial machines. I haven't had to replace anything besides brushes/belts/blades, but so far it has just taken a little Kroil and a lot of adjusting to get it up and going to my satisfaction. In the picture below, it took about 10 tries to get the knives perfectly set at .004 "in the hole" to completely eliminate the snipe. Hopefully that's not a bad sign of wear on the bearings or something.
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Mike'smeatshop
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Looks great. Can you adjust the front table?
milkovich
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yes, that's pretty easy. The adjustment of the cutter head to the outfeed platen looks like a nightmare though.