Tool, Power Or Otherwise, You Hardly Ever Use But Can't Live Without

[tinmack]

Okayyyy.....general discussion because it may be a power tool, stationary tool, or a combination of both.

What is the tool you own that you hardly use but when you do it makes owning it worthwhile?

In my case so far, that would be the Ridgid MaxSelect Caulk gun. I might end up using it once a year, maybe filling some cracks in the driveway, or caulking some silicone. Beats manual though.....Try doing 14 tubes of silicone like I recently did one Saturday afternoon....My finger hurt, can't imagine having an arm left if I used a manual gun....Well worth the money. Another example is my torque wrench which I might use for 10 minutes each year, yet I need it for those 10 minutes. Or the Husqvarna tiller that I bring out to do a planting bed for maybe 20 minutes each summer, yet the hassle of renting/transport outweighs the cost.

Let's hear about the tools whose cost-to-use ratio you really can't justify, yet when you need the tools, you can't live without them.

[oldslowchevy]

my jack stands, i used to do iol changes under jack only then one time when i got up to pee (why is it you never have to pee until you are in the middle of something?) and whe i came back the jack had turned over and the car was back on the ground, to this day i still wonder what could have happened. so for the $75 they cost i feel it is well worth it. but now i own 5 pair and my shop has a pit to do oil changes in, but yes i still think about what could of happened

[drtyhands]

My chainsaw,bought it almost 3 years ago for 1 tree.Havn't used it since.

[BadgerDave]

I have a few that would fall into this catagory so I'll just list the most expensive, Porter Cable 557 Biscuit Joiner. When I bought it I had visions of using it a lot more than I actually do.

[tinmack]

Ya gotta have a chainsaw....never know when you might have to cut down a tree, storm damage, prune a branch, do a favour for the mob......

Biscuit joiner comes in hand for Sunday brunch.....oh wait, you mean the wooden biscuit......I see.....:speechless:

[JimDon]

My Partner cut-off saw. Does a heck of a job chopping a hole in concrete floors or cutting out windows for basement exits. Yet with a metal cut-off blade will make short work of just about any scrap metal.
Jim Don

[Frankiarmz]

I have three big old commercial homelite chainsaws and even though I don't have anymore big trees on my property, I am surrounded by big'ems. Every couple of months I take them out put some 2cycle and bar oil and give them a few minutes run time. A close second and third sorry to say would be a big Ridgid table saw with herculift I picked up super cheap and my DeWalt 12" sliding compound. I just don't have any work for them, but they are growing old right here with me!:speechless:

[gear junkie]

I'd have to say a stihl rescue saw and a hilti te-76.

[smorris]

Let's see... A tool that hardly ever gets used, but I couldn't live without? I can't answer that. This is a family oriented forum. :eek:


I have a few that would fall into this catagory so I'll just list the most expensive, Porter Cable 557 Biscuit Joiner. When I bought it I had visions of using it a lot more than I actually do.

Oh, yea! I've used my P-C 557 once... Things like cylinder hones and carburettor syncronizers come to mind, too. The latest expensive tool would have to be a lift for the scooters. Saves my back, but doesn't get used very much, and takes up a lot of space. I usually just keep one of the scoots parked on it...

http://www.handyindustries.com/images/demo/airlift_lg.jpg

[BobR]

My tool that I have that I don't use very often (maybe once a year) is the recip saw that I have. It has come in handy everytime and I couldn't imagine trying to use some hand tool for the jobs i've used it on.

[Frankiarmz]

I'd have to say a stihl rescue saw and a hilti te-76.

You must be into fire and rescue with such an awesome piece of equipment? I've seen that saw in action and it's a life saver. If I'm right the chains are around $200.00 a piece, can they be resharpened like conventional chains?

[gear junkie]

I'm in the navy so I'm using they're tools(not on my civilian sidework). The rescue saw is based off the chainsaw but take the bar off and attach a 14" concrete or metal cutting blade.
http://www.stihlusa.com/construction/TS700.html

[garager]

Probably because I'm in the building trades and a woodworker for one of my hobbies, I just can't come up with one. I even use a hand saw from time to time, maybe the tool that gets used the least but at least once a year would be my tile saw.

[papadan]

My RoboLaser. Don't use it too often, but have to have it when I do. $350 remote controlled laser sytem with 500ft capacity. Make realigning a crane runway a piece of cake. LOL

[Pipestone Kid]

:D :D My lunchbox :D :D Sorry, I couldn't resist!! MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Gage Mc.]

Vicegrips