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Cool Tools Kit Awards 2020

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Hello Community, and happy March to all of you!

 

Some of you might be thinking to yourselves - what is Cool Tools? Isn't that a bit familiar? And indeed it is. We ran a fun campaign nearly two years ago to talk about awesome tools as a sneaky way to get you all to show us your work benches (check out the original post here: Cool Tools Bench Awards 2018.) We originally thought about doing this annually, but last year we got caught up in an endless winter here in the Chicago offices that left us wanting anything but to think about the cold. However, now that we have experienced our first actual spring day, we have de-thawed, and we're excited to bring you the Cool Tools Kit Awards 2020!

 

What is the Kit Awards?

 

Previously, we asked the Community to share their work benches but now we're curious - if you could only have one kit for the rest of your life - let's call it your desert island kit - what would be in it? Is there a particular tool that has outlasted all others? Is there some indispensable piece of equipment that, if you were to lose it, would be cause for tearing out your hair (as if sorrow would be made less by baldness?)

 

In the comments below, we want you to tell us about your desert island kit - show us in pictures or video, go into as much detail as you want to tell us what would be in it and why. If you don't want to talk about an entire kit, pick out one of your Cool Tools and describe it under categories such as:

 

  • Oldest Friend (tool that you've had the longest)
  • The Most Reliable (the tool you use most often)
  • Weapons Rack (the tool that you'd proudly put on display if you had to)
  • Dream Tool (a tool that either you don't believe exists, or for whatever reason you've never purchased)
  • Or, make up your own category to talk about a tool that you think everyone should have in their kit!

 

What's in it for me?

 

We're giving everyone on the Community through the end of March to leave comments on this post for a chance to win some great tools from our revamped Multicomp Pro line (like the ones below) as well as from others by some of our great partners like Flir, Fluke, Knipex, Klein and others.

 

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

 

 

Then, every Friday in April we'll be picking some winners from the comments below to win prizes. All you need to do is tell us about your desert island kit or one of your favorite tools. To make it even more fun, our Multicomp Pro team has agreed to put together a great prize pack to whoever comes up with what they think is the coolest of the Cool Tools Desert Island Kits! So have some fun with this and leave your comments below. You have all of March to get in your comments, so no need to beware the Ides.

 

We're so excited to see what you all come up with!

 

Want another way to get your hands on some of these Cool Tools? Check out out the RoadTests & Reviews space where will be launching RoadTests for some of these items. Apply for the first one here: Cool Tools 2020: USB Soldering Iron

Attachments:
imageCool Tools Kit Awards 2020.pdf
  • in reply to dougw

    The best I can guess is reading glasses, but I know that wouldn't apply to the younger people here. And you already ruled out microscope.

    I was thinking maybe pencil and/or notepad, but you poo-poo'd that idea.

    I thought maybe screwdriver, but then you would have said "set" instead of "one".

    I think Frank might have won it there with the ruler / measuring tool.

  • The Most Reliable

    I have three of these. One on hand at all times.

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    If I was on a desert island, this would be my tool of choice. Kershaw Leek 1660 Ken Onion Design ($40).

    If I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me "can I use your knife"......I could retire.

    One of my favorite tools is this wire wrapping tool.  I still use it to make quick connections without having to solder/unsolder wires.

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  • in reply to dougw

    OK, I will take one more guess.  Maybe a digital caliper or even a ruler.

     

    Edit: the ruler I use has all sorts of helpful things on it like wire size, component footprints, imperial and metric scales, screw hole sizes, etc...

  • in reply to kmikemoo

    Great guesses, but at home I have mostly gone paperless. All my notes are on my computer. I find the better organization and easier searchability outweigh the higher risk and sometimes lack of convenience. And I can read my computer writing...image

    So no cigar yet ...

  • in reply to dougw

    Notebook is a good guess. Perhaps a pencil?  Or in my case pencil and eraser.

  • in reply to dougw

      I'm going to guess your Engineering notebook.

  • The Unsung Hero Category

    There are a few tools I use all the time, like my DVM, my soldering iron, my tweezers, my stereo microscope, my vise, my drill press, and my xacto knife; and then there are tools I use for long periods of time, like my 3D printer, my camera and my computer. But there is one cool tool I use more often than any of these indispensable tools. I wouldn't say it is my favorite tool, but I do like it a lot and I use it for a wide variety of electrical and mechanical tasks - every day, often many times per day. I heartily recommend everyone invest in a good one, you will never regret it. You might argue that a DVM or a soldering iron is more important, but this tool is right up there in importance as well as frequency of use and it will improve your performance in many situations. It prevents costly mistakes, saves time and may even make your work products look better. It truly is an unsung hero.

    Well, what is it?

    You can probably guess, but if not, I am going to wait 24 hours before adding a picture to this comment....

    In the mean time, feel free to guess in the comments below.....image

    Congratulations your second guess was correct. My Mitutoyo calipers are butter smooth and incredibly handy. The exact model I have seems to be old and rare although it looks very similar to models with the same model number. I couldn't get half of my PCBs and 3D prints to work without this tool. It makes a huge difference in the fit and finish of everything I make.

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    Before you buy a caliper try it out and see how long it takes to adjust it to a precise number and how many times you have to wiggle it around to get the number. Many calipers have variable friction, too much friction, not enough friction (too sloppy) or sticky places. This one has remained perfectly smooth throughout its full travel for decades. I have lots of cheap tools that I am perfectly happy with, but for calipers I would really want something like this quality.

    Once you try one of this quality, you will want one. Treat yourself - you deserve it. It will save decades of frustration.

     

    (and no - I don't gain anything by plugging this tool image)

  • Well my tool collection started out during my Craft Apprenticeship training, where we made quite a few of our own tools as well as having a tool purchase scheme wth a local tool shop via the company. The vast majority of those tools have fallen victim one way or another, one that I do still have though is the cantilever tool box that I made by hand as part of my apprenticeship, in need of a serious repaint now!

     

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    I do still have a few tools that I purchased from my apprenticeship. A set of CK Box Spanners, 7, 8 and 10mm and a full set of Gedore open ended spanners.

     

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    Looking at all the post on storage boxes brought back the memories of the small tobacco tins I used to keep the smaller specialised tools in.

     

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    Back from this era are electrical and mechanical technical guide books.

     

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    Now this setup has been replaced with a Teng tools roller case. I started putting this together a fews year back, but then the role I was doing then became redundant, so I never finished off setting it up as I no longer needed such an array of tools.

     

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    Naturally I have a good selection of electrical tools, the most important is the live working set that are kept in pristine condition, if they ever get damaged they are immediately replaced. The current set is from Tolsen;

     

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    An addition to this I have kept for over 20 years now is a pair of large capacity Sibille insulated cable cutters still in reasonable condition.

     

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    The tool that I use pretty much on every job and so goes every where with me is my voltage tester and proving unit. Some of you will have seen my current configuration a while back; My new voltage probe has arrived.

     

    I have got through a multitude of these over the years, as they are not the most robust given the amount of work that they do. Again, their importance to me, its what allows me to work safe and keeps me alive, means that any issue with one and it is immediately retired and replaced.

     

    {gallery} Voltage Tester Gallery

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    New and used voltage tester pile

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    New and used proving units

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    Existing Fluke tester and proving unit

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    Backup Drummond tester and proving unit

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    Drummond unit in case

    The Fluke T110 I carry out in my tool bag. I do prefer this style of tester as it has a few more functions with it, the down side meaning that this requires a battery to function. So I have a backup in the car which is the modern version of the Drummond voltage tester, now manufactured by Martindale. This does not require a battery, but will only test for voltage. It also packs up conveniently into the bespoke case. The proving unit never leaves the case as the clear plastic front of the case has two holes that allow the tester to be used on the proving unit. Something that the Fluke set does not do, I even struggle to get the proving unit and tester all in the case with the Fluke.

     

    I also keep an extra tester in my desk at work, that is currently out of bounds for me, unless their is an emergency. This is an old RS Components / Steinel CombiCheck 3 and a Blackwood proving unit. Had to borrow some pictures from Google for this one.

     

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    This of course is all low voltage (less than 1000V) and at the sites we have the uprated version that will cater for the higher voltages. These are not very tool bag friendly though. My absolute favourite of this was the 11kV rated tester from the old power station donated by the old electrical engineer who worked there.

     

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    Naturally this is not used anymore, but the replacement, although digital, still has the same extended reach. 11kV jumps the same gaps today as it did back in 1936.

     

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    Kind regards.

  • in reply to genebren

    +1 for that screwdriver kit. I think the bits are a standard 4mm hex fit. All the bits from my Oria set also fit.

     

    Kind regards

     

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  • in reply to ankur608

    Lol yes my wife tells me all the time that a clean bench is the sign of a sick mind and how she doesn’t have to worry about me image! I guess I have that ADD that everyone talks about with usually 4 or more projects going at any one time.

    That article on the chickens was very interesting. I would imagine with large flocks it would make sense to have multi spectrum led would make sense plus keeping them as comfortable as possible to keep them producing. We started last year with 8 chickens, 6 ducks and 2 white Chinese Geese. We lost 3 chickens, 2 ducks and 1 goose. I bought my wife 16 chickens for her anniversary present last week since we can’t go any where. They are fun to watch!