Damn, this came out longer than I'd figured. If you've gotta respond to it, do us all a favor and learn how to snip first. Out in the shop last evening, and had occassion to use one of my favorite handy tools. Magnet on a string. Got me to thinking about some of the handy, and inexpensive, things it'd be hard to do without.
NOTE: I differentiate inexpensive from cheap. To me, inexpensive means not high priceed, but works, sometimes better than the expensive stuff. Cheap, to me, means won't do the job, might even break first time you use it, and is not necssarily inexpensive either. I often buy inexpensive tools, I look them over first, and so far they've usually lasted - the exceptions are when one of my sons "borrows" a tool, and I never see it again - one more reason to buy inexpensive. One of the benefits of painting my tools yellow is they don't use the tools, let alone walk off with them.
Magnet on a string. From one of my kids old speakers. Not the ceramic type that can shatter. Just the thing if you spill a batch of nails or whatever on the floor, especially if you've got a batch of sawdust on the floor. Works behind tool stands usually, may have problems if the stand is metal. Great if you drop a screw or nut under the car, toss it out, pull it back with the string. Doesn't work on non-magnetic bolts, etc.
I used to use one of t hose metal compasses for drawing circles and arcs. Always a PITA. Found a plastic version in an o ffice supply store for about $1. Works great, especially using one of those cheap plastic Pentel type mechanical pencils in it.
El cheapo plastic Pentel type mechanical pencils - I say el cheapo, but I've used them for years and they're all still functional. I can get them for maybe $1 or $2 for a dozen or so. Beats the Hell out of sharpening a pencil, plus the line size is always consistent. I've heard people calim they wear out fairly quickly, but I don't think so. When the lead as about used up they don't work well, that makes people think they're worn out. I've foud that they have spare leads under the eraser, usually 3. Replace the lead and they work great again. Mine are all 7mm lead size, and sometimes it's not real essy to find replacement leads. No prob. It's actually less expensive to buy a dozen new pencils, with their spare leads, then it is to buy a pack of replacement leads, plus you wind up with more total replacement leads. Stupid isn't it?
Extend-A-Hand. Or whatever they call 'em. They're those things that you squeeze the handle and the other end grips. I've got a bad back and bending over is not a joy. This thing lets me pick up some fairly hefty stuff off the floor without beiding over, and then haveing to suffer with the getting back up part. I got a case of them, so they only came to about $2 each, including shipping - buy one at a time and they usually run from about $8 to as much as $20, each. Ratchet screwdriver. These are the inexpensive plastic ones. You can find them for $1-$2 if you look around a bit, and they normally come with various spare bits. I've got some in my vehicles, in the house, in the shop. The handiest one I've got has a T-handle. With a little adapter you can use sockets with them. Not high class, but great for a lot of things.
Baby sledge hammer. Apparently th is was originally a full size sledge hammer that someone cut the handle to about a foot long, for whatever reason. I think this may have come from my dad. I use it as a hammer on occassion, but more often use it as a weight when gluing pieces together. Much more useful in this short version than it would be full length - I can't think of anything I would have used it for full length.
More speaker magnets. I've got two on top of my drill press. They stay in place with no problem at all, and I've got severl chuck keys and probably at least a dozen drill bits of various sizes up there. No danger of any of it dropping off. They're heavy magnets, and as long as you lay them on a horizontal surface they'll stay put. Sometimes they'll stay on a vertical surface, but don't count on it, they're heavy.
Ammo boxes. I picked up 10 .50 caliber ammo boxes awhile back, for a good price. Spray paint 'em yellow, store stuff you don't use often, and set 'em on a shelf. Label 'em with a marker and amazing the space that gets freed up.
Magic markers. I mark my ammo boxes with them. And my patterns and jigs - any special cutting info, what the pattern is for, and so on. That way I know immediately what it's for and anything special I need to know - and that means I don't have to remember anything, and possibly forget something vital. No need to think is always good.
I've got a batch of inexpensive tape measures in various places, bathroom, El Camino, beside the couch, etc. As you all should know, tape measure vary slightly, one from another. So these aren't really usied for measuring, but when I'm thinking about a project, they let me see just how much a foot, 18 inches, 2 feet, etc., actually is. But, if you use the same tape measure for all the measuring on a project, you get consistency, which is the same as accurate. Me, I normally use a aluminum yardstick on my projects.
Waxed paper in the shop. Put it under something being glued up and if there's any drips it won't stick to whatever the piece is resting on. Alternately, I dust some sawdust down. You do understand I do this with things I'm not trying to do "nice" with.
Roll of paper towels. Along with a plastic jug of water, mosten a towel, and wipe of excess glue. Or wipe off your face.
Plastic clothes soap containers. I generate these on a regular basis, and they're one of those things I feel like it's a crime to just toss them, but can't figure out what to do with 'em. Well, fill them with sawdust, toss a couple in your car trunk, and forget them. Until you get out in the winter and can't move on packed snow, or ice. Then sprinkle a couple of handfulls in front of your tires, it shouldn't take much, and get some traction to get you moving.
None of this stuff is rocket science, and there's probably more I do I haven't recalledt. This is just to get some of you thinking a bit. I'm sure some of you can come up with stuff I've never thought of. It's all about exchanging ideas, and passing information along. I'm pretty sure this'll draw out a comment from one or more of the Buttercups, with nothing to contribute except some sort of snide comment. So, Buttercup, in advance, up yours.
JOAT It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax