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What’s one tool you own but never use? We are asking e14 in our Join, Share & Win Competition

Hello Everyone!

Firstly, I would love to wish you all a Happy New Year!

We’re back with another AskE14 question, and this one’s all about your tool stash! We all have that one tool tucked away in a drawer, gathering dust because we never seem to use it, or maybe you bought it for a project that never happened, or it just wasn’t as useful as you thought.

Here's the question:

What’s one tool you own but never use, and why?

Is it something you regret buying? Something that looked cooler than it turned out to be? Or maybe something you think you should use more often, but never do?

Competition Details

You'll have to be a member of the element14 Community to join in and take part in this “Join, Share & Win” challenge. It's simple, all you have to do is:

1. You need to make sure you are Register or Login
2. Then answer the following question by adding a reply or commenting!

What’s one tool you own but never use, and why?

The Community team will then select the best 4 answers to win the UNO R4 Arduino!

Entries close 1st February, so don't wait!

This month, we are giving away:

UNO R4 Minima

Terms and conditions

PDF

The Winners

E14Alice will be reaching out to you soon to confirm contact details

Top Replies

genebren 2 months ago in reply to genebren

Not always considered a tool, but one that I can't work without, mechanical pencils. I have quite a collection of mechanical pencils, from a variety of manufactures, both used and new (some still in their original packaging). They vary from new to vintage, cheap to expensive. My favorites are the Pentel Kerry, Pentel Graphgear 500. Kuru Toga and the Rotring 600.
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embeddedguy 2 months ago in reply to embeddedguy
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me_Cris 2 months ago

I bought a cheap automatic wire stripper (a copy of another better-known brand) in the idea that I think it's more useful when you're working with a lot of wires or creating an electrical network, and I have to be honest, I haven't used it much but it's also a bit problematic because it damages the multi-wire conductor by breaking the core. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up on the automatic wire stripper.
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beacon_dave 2 months ago in reply to genebren

I still have a Rotring 'Trio Pen' 0.3 0.5 0.7 mechanical pencil but it hasn't been used in a long time due to CAD software.
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DAB 2 months ago

I have bought a number of tools over the years that sit still in their boxes.

The latest was a digital caliper I bought for 3D printing, but since the printer did not produce good enough prints, I have kind of lost track of where I put the caliper.
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beacon_dave 2 months ago in reply to DAB

The two I have, tend to eat batteries in standby, so only get used if I have a lot of measuring to do in a short space of time.
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colporteur 2 months ago in reply to beacon_dave

The calipers I have do some the same thing. I don't have a supply of the small battery on hand so I have resorted to removing batteries when stored. Such a pain when all you want to do is a quick measurement but you have to assemble the tool first.
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beacon_dave 2 months ago in reply to colporteur

I made the mistake of buying one which has the battery cover screwed on. So not such a quick slide off and pop the battery in/out between use.
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colporteur 2 months ago in reply to beacon_dave

OUCH! Mine is held in with tabs that I have a fear of breaking. I tried an extension cord to eliminate the battery drain. Felt to much like wielding a trouble light:)
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beacon_dave 2 months ago in reply to colporteur

That's actually why I went for a more rugged looking one. Some of the ones I had seen had rather flimsy looking battery covers.
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