Router base with laser crosshair center finder
Also new hanging bags from Woodpeckers
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Dewalt 20v Max Pencil Vibrator:
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCE531B-Pencil-Vibrator-Bare/dp/B01I253U06
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We had used the Makita version - comes in at least 2 different lengths. These tools are good for small pours.
https://www.amazon.com/Makita-XRV01Z-Lithium-Ion-Concrete-Vibrator/dp/B00K194N0I
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Woodpeckers has announced their latest One Time Tool – they call PolyGauge SS selling for $89.99
Made in the USA from stainless steel. An accuracy of 0.008 degrees is claimed.
http://www.woodpeck.com/polygauge-ss.html
Just to compare – it looks a quite a bit like (but more precise than) the Veritas Poly-Gauge from Lee Valley that sells for $34.50 - made in Canada from aluminum-zinc alloy with a brass knob. An accuracy of 1/12 (0.0833) degrees is claimed
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/Page.aspx?p=32521&cat=1,43513,43553
I thing I’d rather have a MiterSet. Although this can do more than just set your miter gauge.
Did the pricing go up? I swear the MiterSet was just $50-$60.
Neat - hadn’t seen this before. Amazon seems to be adding $4 (for “free Prime shipping”) to what others (like Hartville) sell it for ($69.95) also including shipping in the price
Woodpeckers had also sold this set as a One-Time-Tool
Stripped Hex Socket Screw Remover Sockets
Cal-Van (Horizon Tools) has sets of sockets - that can purportedly remove Metric and SAE hex recess screws where the recess has been buggered-up. I’ve never seen these before - nor did I think that I ever needed them.
Metric Set:
http://www.toolfetch.com/calvan-alstart-439-stripped-bit-socket-set-metric.html
SAE Set:
Triton is my preferred manufacturer here in the UK. The plunge track saw is great and well priced here.
A tool I just discovered back when they had a Kickstarter Campaign nearly a year ago is the Dimide Clamp. I supported them on Kickstarter back then, but after it failed to meet the goal I was hoping they’d still find a way to launch which they just did.
They look similar to the Kant Twist clamps, but the screw is in tension instead of compression which should allow greater load since it won’t buckle. They’ve also shown themselves taking the clamp to 8,000 lbs of clamp load recently and it didn’t seem to plastically deform at all. Would be nice to have something I could use when I need to keep a part still. Am currently waiting to see if any reviews come around prior to purchasing though.
I recently saw this QualCraft item in use by a local contractor.
Look like it might be useful - not sure how new it is.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Guardian-Fall-Protection-Ladder-Rung-Step-2477/203759496
The December/January 2017 issue of Wood Magazine - just highlighted a few new (to me anyway) tools as being innovative:
A pocket hole machine was one
Just got an email from Amazon about these. Limited use, since they won’t fit into the deep recesses that a lot of hex/torx screws live in, but when you really need to access something at an odd angle, and a ball end key won’t work, they might be useful. They seem to have both inch and metric sets, along with a torx set.
Bondhus 00017 HEX-PRO Pivot Head Wrench Set, Includes Sizes: 1/8, 9/64, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 1/4, 5/16 & 3/8" (8 Piece), Chrome https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMILM8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sBqZBbD90HPEH
How long a time frame are we talking about? Do you mean since I started using tools at age 9? Or do you mean in some recent span of a few years or months?
Relatively recently, the QBit Oscillating tool blades that cut a gang box shaped hole in drywall or wood come to mind. So do those Swedish Framing Hammers with both a square head and a nail starter. The same company makes a “Jeweller’s Hammer” that I never knew existed, and yet when I showed it to my Mother, she said “Oh yeah! Your Grandfather owned one of those back in the 1950’s! He had to import it for his jewellery and watch making, and it cost him a few hundred dollars at the time!”
This list could go on for ages, because ToolGuyd and a lot of you (like @fred the apparent tool research encyclopedia here) have shown me tools I had both never heard of before, and never knew I needed until that moment. There was the extremely recent article about Estwing hammers with the magnetic nail starter, and that reminded me, in all honesty, if I want a 20 or 22oz hammer to go with my 16oz Stanley Anti-Vibe, I am genuinely considering the Estwing Ultra Hammer in the larger size, and the nail starter included. I’ve seen leatherworking tools on Tested.com that I never knew I needed until THAT MOMENT. A Leather Strip maker that is slipped onto your finger instead of held like a big, awkward machine? Need one!
So… Seriously… How far back do you want us to go with these tools we discovered?
When I started this thread - I thought that it might be a place for folks to post about some new tool that they had seen (at that moment) and thought might be of interest to others. Stuart over a ToolGuyd posts about many new tools of interest to him or ones that he thinks might have broad appeal to his readership. I thought that the Tool Talk Forum might be a place for folks (readership seems to hail from the 4 corners of the globe) to post about some less-than-mainstream tools.
While I’m at it - I looked at Edma - a French toolmaker - while looking at the ToolGuyd post about Malco:
They (Edma USA) have a new products page:
When I saw this, I thought of this thread. It’s a planer for small pieces that fits on your drill press: StewMac Safety planer. Though it is targeted to luthiers, I can see uses for it for others. I’ve started to make some small wood boxes for gifts, for instance.
Very cool tool and under $60.
https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Planes/StewMac_Safe-T-Planer.html
My barber dabbles in guitar playing and building. I’ve seen his stuff from StewMac - but I think that he complains that they may be overpriced resellers of items that are less expensive elsewhere. I’ve bought some items from them to use in inlay work - and I think that those items may have been exclusive to StewMac or at least reworked by them to add value.
The drill press planer that they sell - may be better or different than others on the market - but I don’t know. If you want one you might comparison shop with this one:
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Lee Valley started dealing in Luthier tools. I genuinely don’t know how they compare to what you’re looking at, but it appears to be a strange trend these days. Suddenly there’s more Luthiers joining in on these tool forums, and more tool companies are serving them.
Unfortunately, the search won’t let me post a link to the section on the Lee Valley site where all their Luthier tools are. But check Lee Valley!
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Nice comparison, Fred. Looks very similar but for less money, including the replacement blades. Dorian and Cagenuts, interesting about the move to luthier tools and Lee Valley. I couldn’t find the drill press planer on their site, though.
I don’t think they have one, @ktash. I just found it strangely interesting that Lee Valley is also, coincidentally, is starting to carry Luthier tools. This, I hoped, would interest those Luthiers among us readers here.
Also, selfishly, I thought someone else might notice this trend of Luthiers joining us among the Tool Users forums, and maybe think it as cool as I do.
I apologize for the confusion.
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