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What is the most useful tool you ever made?

dougw

There are many great topics that relate to tools, and there are endless numbers of tools to discuss, but inevitably we run into situations where we don't have a good tool for the job and have to cobble a tool together to complete the work.

I make some little tool to do a specific job all the time, but I never stop to think whether it is a remarkable tool. I don't even document that  I made a tool.

I don't think we ever asked the question - what is the best tool you ever made, so I'm asking now. If you are like me it is going to take some time to recall something significant. In fact I am posting this question before I even have my own answer, but give it some thought. I suspect the answers will be interesting.

My most recent tool was just a wooden needle to apply ink to a 3D print - much more precise than a paint brush. I'm sure when I scan through some of my projects, I will come up with something better....

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  • Not quite the type of tool you probably thought of, but I made a PCB mill toolhead for my 3D printer, so I can quickly make adapters and other small boards, without having to wait a week for a proper PCB fab to do it.

    imageimageimage

  • in reply to vmate

    What's the white stuff protruding near the fan?

  • in reply to anniel747

    Referring to the picture on the left, it looks to me like a slightly oversized circular filter or gasket between the miller motor and the fan above it. And now, I'm REALLY guessing - The fan forces air down through the filter and motor, and then blows it down onto the workpiece to keep the milling tool cool. The two angled tubes, obviously from a Cyberman's helmet, suck the debris-filled air upwards to prevent lung cancer caused by breathing fibre-glass and copper nano-particles. The partially-hidden device at the back that looks as if it is bolted to the wall could be a combined suction device and a fibre-glass dust collecting unit such as a polythene or nylon bag with a very fine mesh - the centre picture shows it better. The picture on the right shows a perfect result, so well done anniel747! I'd be interested to read what you tell us!

  • in reply to anniel747

    It's a super high quality, space-grade dust filter. Definitely not washed and dried wet wipes, I'd never do that.

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