Your most useless tool?

[mklotz]

What's the most useless metalworking tool you've ever bought for yourself?

I don't mean a tool that was unfit for its purpose, like a square that wasn't square, but rather a tool that looked like something you would find useful but turned out to be something that, for whatever reason, you don't utilize.

I'll start off with an example...

I love direct reading micrometers - the type that have a mechanical digital readout operated by gears from the spindle. Easy to read and no batteries to replace. Most of these read to 0.001" so, when I saw a Fowler import...

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=307-3239&PMPXNO=7549584&PARTPG=INLMK32

that read directly to 0.0001" I had to have one. Well, it never occurred to me what that extra digit of precision would cost me in extra turns of the spindle to move from A to B. It takes so long to adjust it that I almost never use it.

I've got some other examples but, before getting into those, let's hear from some of you about the tools you regret buying.

 

[solver]

Fret file is one that comes to mind. Shape is correct, but it's way too coarse for the purpose. When I bought it, finer grade wasn't available.

Occasionally I use it to smooth sharp edges on aluminum and brass.

 

[John S]

For me it was a co-ax indicator,
I spent that much time winding the table down, fitting the co-ax, locating centre, removing and winding the table up to drill or bore that it was time to put the clocks back.

John S.

 

[Philjoe5]

I bought a device that clamps to your mill spindle. It has an arm with two adjustable joints and on the end is attached a dial indicator. I wanted to use this to center the spindle over a round workpiece. Two problems with using this device for that purpose.
1. With 2 joints and a DI hanging off the end, it's almost impossible to tighten everything down so that the DI stays true while you're rotating the spindle
2. It seems that whenever I needed to rotate the spindle a certain amount the DI face is pointed away from me so I have to walk around the workbench to read it.

I'm sure some folks learn how to use this device and find it useful. But as I've said before, never underestimate the ability of this old f%4#2t to find a way to avoid something I'm not good at. And I did find other ways to accomplish this task that seem effortless to me.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[mklotz]

For me it was a co-ax indicator,
I spent that much time winding the table down, fitting the co-ax, locating centre, removing and winding the table up to drill or bore that it was time to put the clocks back.

Yes, John, I'm aware of your high regard for coax indicators from the discussion over on HSM.

You're absolutely right. I was given one of the Chinese knockoffs. (Since it cost nothing I couldn't use it as my example.) Not wanting bulging biceps with all the SYTs in the neighboring beach communities, I quickly abandoned it.

It's sort of handy for aligning the tailstock on the lathe but on the mill it's only useful for freeing the drawbar.

 

[putputman]

Marv, this could set a record for the longest post on HMEM, considering you have a lot of white haired toolmakers on the forum.

My latest (there has been a few) most useless tool is a "center scope". I have wanted this tool for the last 15 years. I remember using this tool on a Moore Jig Bore (100 years ago) and have wanted one every since. I finally bought one from an x-jig bore operator, and was just tickled to get it. I have a Bridgeport type mill and the first time I tried to use the center scope, I had to get a stool and practically stand on my head to use it. That was the last time. Since then, I use a "sharp pointed wiggler" and a magnifying glass and it is just about as accurate and much much easier to use.

 

[Blogwitch]

Marv & John,

I too have a coax indicator, and for me it is the best thing since sliced bread.

But, I did make shorter probes for it, and I do have a high speed power feed on the Z axis. Without that, I could see why you wouldn't like it much.

I still have hanging around the touch on edge finder with a battery powered light, it has a ridiculous 2MT shank. Find edge, then strip down machine to put your tooling in. Works great on mill/drills (not) when you lose register because you have to change height to get it out of the quill.

Yet again, I haven't managed to get rid of the optical centre punch, the one where the main body is a magnet so that it sticks to the steel sheet, then attracts every bit of ferrous swarf from about 6" away to jam everything up. 1 hour cleaning, 10 seconds to use, then another hours cleaning

Not to mention the Y shaped bar centre finder that has the scale put on with a 2" cold chisel and is about 0.020" wide, and nowhere near centre.

All as useful as an upside down tap (faucet) & all available free from myself, for the cost of the postage.


Blogs

 

[cfellows]

For me, it's my plasma cutter. It's a nice one, Lincoln Procut, will cut steel up to 3/8" thick. I paid over $1,000 for it maybe 5 or 6 years ago. I have used it exactly once and it was unsatisfactory for that task. It's kind of like a cure for which I have no disease! I figured some day I'd have a job to do and the plasma cutter would be exactly the right tool. I'm still waiting...

Chuck

 

[Deanofid]

Something I've had for many years, but can't remember using it more than once; A transfer punch set. I'm sure people must use these all the time. Just not me.

Also, I've had a 2-3" mic for at least 15 years, and I can't remember the last time I used it in my home shop. Surely I must have used it... I don't think I'd notice if it was missing from it's drawer.

Then there's that .2-1.2" inside mic I have.. I was sure I needed it. Absolutely sure. But, I've been using bore gages for so long, that I instinctively reach for one when I need to measure an ID. I just plain forget to use the inside mic, and it's been sitting in it's case since I got it many months ago. Oh well, it will still be nice and new when I remember to use it.

Dean

 

[shred]

Yeah large mics are pretty much dust-collectors around here. A guy I ran into the other day had a nice set he was letting go cheap, but I just couldn't see needing them enough. I do like my Blake knockoff for picking up holes, though it is excessively tall. I have a crappy spindex I never use-- got it, liked the concept, it fell apart, so I eBayed some nicer used indexers of slightly different design.

But all those I think will be useful again at some point. There's a couple I go "WTF did I buy that for??" -- a weird round-stock-center-of-the-end-marker that doesn't work unless the stock is perfectly round, at which point you should have poked the end with a center drill already and, a combination square. All the old books highlight the combination square as the must-have ultimate marking-out tool, but I never use it for anything. The thread mic with a set of metric tips would be close, but it was so cheap at a garage sale I still think of it as a deal even though it just takes up drawer space.

 

[Maryak]

I've a feeling I've mentioned this before but it would have to be my cheap charlie chan compound,(x,y), vice. Used it once, too high for a drill table and too small in the hold down bolt area. Like most of us I was oh so sure, when I bought it, that it would be a marvellous addition to my tool collection.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[gmac]

+1 on the Charlie Chan XY vice.....but I just dodged the bullet by not buying the .0001 division caliper Marv was talking about, I saw that ad and was tempted.....thanks Marv!!!

I'm new to this so it's too early to tell if what I've collected so far is usable tooling or landfill....

Garry

 

[Twmaster]

Mine was the spindexer. I too was sure I needed it. Never saw the outside of the box until the day I sold it during my moving sale...

 

[mklotz]

+1 on the Charlie Chan XY vice.....but I just dodged the bullet by not buying the .0001 division caliper Marv was talking about, I saw that ad and was tempted.....thanks Marv!!!

I'm new to this so it's too early to tell if what I've collected so far is usable tooling or landfill....

Garry

That's the reason I started this thread, Garry. Expose novices to tools some of us have had second thoughts about before they go out and buy them for themselves. It also allows the novices to see that the oldtimers are perfectly capable of lapses in judgement.

Keep in mind, of course, that these assessments of uselessness are based on what type of work the individual does. One man's useless tool is another man's must-have. That's why we so often recommend that, beyond the essentials, you only buy tools as you really need them.

 

[mklotz]

Here's another one. This adjustable angle block

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?...PMKANO=249&PMKBNO=2114&PMPAGE=7&PARTPG=INLMPI

looked like something I *really* needed when I bought it. I may have used it once in 30 years.

Save your money. Buy a cheap enough sine bar to not worry about using it in mill setups.

 

[Ken Bartlett]

Funny you mention the adjustable angle block. I hinted and hinted(ie left catalogs with marked page around the house) for my wife to get it for my birthday a few years ago. I did get it, and have not used it once yet. Maybe just haven't come across a project that requires it yet, as I normally just use my trusty sine bar. Funny how the things you think you must have turn into dust collectors when you get them.

 

[mklotz]

Yeah, it looks so kewl, you just gotta have it.

The graduations are too coarse to permit accurate setting so you need to use something like a sine bar to set it. Might as well just use the sine bar. Plus its profile isn't low enough - the part sits too high in the vise to get a good grip.

 

[rake60]

My most useless purchase was this 0 to 6" mic set.

I did get a good buy on it from CME Tools, but the three largest mics have never been used.

I could have bought This Set and saved about $50.

I'm certainly not complying about the quality of the look alike mics. They are solid, have the feel
of their namesake and hold accuracy very well. I just don't need ALL of them.

Rick

 

[mklotz]

Unless you're doing some distinctly non-model engineering work, it's unlikely that you'll ever need to measure anything over 3" with micrometer accuracy.

HF and the other usual suspects often have their 8" electronic calipers on sale for very little money. If you feel the need to have >3" precision measuring capability in your shop, buy one of those. Remove the battery when you put them away else it will be flat when you go to use them again.

 

[GWRdriver]

An Adjustable Tilting Table . . . from Enco. I needed to mill and drill steam passages in a set of large cylinder blocks and an ATT was just the thing . . . until I decided on another way of doing the job. So my ATT has been used exactly zero times. As for the tool itself I have no compliants, for what it cost me I was pleased with its overall quality.