Best Buy

[GBusardo]

I bought a digital caliper last year at HF for about 15 bucks. I cannot believe how often I use this tool around the shop. I had been using a dial. I am really curious if anyone has bought an inexpensive tool, say under 25 bucks, and don't know how you got along with out it.
Thanks

 

[Dario]

Barrel end trimmer

 

[stevers]

Home made pen press, (had been using quick clamps) made for under $10. Best move I'v made in a while.

 

[beamer]

Engineer's squares (3" and 9"). Use 'em constantly.

1"x30" HF belt sander. Does more than I ever thought.

Fractional dial caliper. Beats my digital because it's fractional, and analog. I still use my digital when I want thousanths. But when I want material thicknesses or dado depths, I reach for the dial - analog tells me better when I'm getting close.

Irwin Quick Grip clamps - too weak for big stuff, but amazing for when I am out of hands. Great for holding stops or fence extensions.

$12.99 HF tap and die set. MAN i tap a lot of holes for a woodworker. Jigs, replacement parts, tool enhancements, shop-built tools. I tap something at least once or twice a month.

$7.99 HF 18ga nailer. Cheapest POS, but won't die. Use it for all sorts of quick holding needs.

$2 spring-loaded keychain cable thingy. It holds my chuck key for the drill press. It's ALWAYS in the same place and NEVER gets lost.

Spring clamps ... handy little buggers. I just never have enough, though.

My shop is full of little useful stuff like that ... everywhere you turn, there's a cheapo item doing tons of work for me

 

[pmichris]

I know this doesn't fit the dollar range but a Drill Doctor. My father passed away this summer and I was given all of his tools (16 foot Penske truckfull, he was an Industrial Education Proffessor at UW Stout) and the one tool that I did not think much of at the time I was unloading the tools was his Drill Doctor. Now I do not know how I got along this far in penturning/life without one. If you do not have one you probably have no idea how dull your drill bits really are. If you get one I am surer you will be impressed with the difference the make. IMHO

Chris

 

[GBusardo]

Thanks for the replies, i especially like Beamer's chuck key holder. I stupidly bought a set of brad point drill bits. I assume they can't be sharpened.

 

[TBone]

Originally posted by GBusardo
<br />Thanks for the replies, i especially like Beamer's chuck key holder. I stupidly bought a set of brad point drill bits. I assume they can't be sharpened.

Yes they can be sharpened. Just won't be brad point when you get through. []

 

[jedgerton]

I've got a $15.00 light duty vise from HF that I use as a pen blank vise. I replaced the metal/rubber jaws with some 1x3 red oak with v-grooves for holding the pen blank. Its not as pretty as the famous ones offered for sale here but it sure works good for $15.00.

 

[wdcav1952]

Gary,

Tommy is right, albeit a bit brief. [] When your brad points get dull, flatten the tip with your bench grinder, and then convert them to 135 degree split points with your Drill Doctor.

The best purchase I made is shown in the picture below: [)]

<br />

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Gary,

Tommy is right, albeit a bit brief. [] When your brad points get dull, flatten the tip with your bench grinder, and then convert them to 135 degree split points with your Drill Doctor.

The best purchase I made is shown in the picture below: [)]

<br />

Man, they would have to get pretty darn dull before I would do that. When brad points get dull, I just stroke the inside of the cutting edges with a diamond file. Doesn't take long and we are back in business.

 

[wdcav1952]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776
<br />

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Gary,

Tommy is right, albeit a bit brief. [] When your brad points get dull, flatten the tip with your bench grinder, and then convert them to 135 degree split points with your Drill Doctor.

The best purchase I made is shown in the picture below: [)]

<br />

Man, they would have to get pretty darn dull before I would do that. When brad points get dull, I just stroke the inside of the cutting edges with a diamond file. Doesn't take long and we are back in business.

Sorry Frank, but I assumed that everyone read Gary's post. Since he said that he "stupidly" bought a set of brad point drills, I took it for granted that it was obvious that he did not like said drills. That is why I made the comment that I did. If you like brad points, sharpen them to your heart's content. []

 

[DocStram]

My HF under $15 favorites:

The digital caliper, for sure.

HF Nitrile Gloves ... 100 for $8.99

Magnetic 75 watt magnetic base light ... on sale for $5.99. The kind with the movable, extension arms. Just bought several of them. A GREAT deal.

Of course, the HF Punch Set.

The orbital hand sander that they sometimes give away for $5.99.

Air Compressor fittings ... dirt cheap and as good as any you'll find.

The HF Sand Paper ..... kidding. It's the only thing I ever bought there that is garbage.

I know it's over $15 but .... their 14inch Bandsaw with the riser block. An economical solution to the $800 Bandsaws.

 

[GBusardo]

I really didn't know I could sharpen the brad points. I am going to give it a go tonight. I seem to be able to drill blanks easier with my regular metric bits I bought one at a time.
Thanks again, there are some good ideas posted

 

[bob393]

A transfer punch set.