What tool have you used lately, and for what?

[FI_RElater]

Hammer drill with masonry bit,
for Tapcon screws
angle grinder with disk for metal
for removal of prior concrete nails
(multiple other tools)

demo plus reinstall of vapor barrier, insulation with overwrap in crawlspace of ex's house (massive effort: commercial cost would have been over $7k, as it was material cost alone was over $900)

 

[skipro33]

Pruners for dead heading spent rose blooms.

 

[Lorenzo]

In the past year I have been buying small power and hand tools like a madman. I lived in condos and townhouses most of my adult life, and only a few years ago bought my first house, on a third of an acre, and there are a ton of projects. I built a shed and got a lot of use out of the impact driver. And I'm not sure if it counts as a tool, but my most recent purchase--now that I have a shed to store it in--was a lawnmower. I had not mowed a lawn since I was around 16 years old. An almost 50-year respite.

 

[pjigar]

Last week:
Wire cutter, stripper, screwdrivers, sawzall, etc: Wire the new circuit and conduit to the outdoor main electric panel.
Shovel, Pick axe: Dig/bury electrical wire
Canoe: Install fountain and pond aerator in the backyard stock tank
Soldering iron: Fix the chewed wire harnesses in a car.

 

[Sorcerer]

In the past year I have been buying small power and hand tools like a madman. I lived in condos and townhouses most of my adult life, and only a few years ago bought my first house, on a third of an acre, and there are a ton of projects. I built a shed and got a lot of use out of the impact driver. And I'm not sure if it counts as a tool, but my most recent purchase--now that I have a shed to store it in--was a lawnmower. I had not mowed a lawn since I was around 16 years old. An almost 50-year respite.

Lawnmower is definitely a tool. We still have another month before the mowing season kicks in. I have to use a riding mower, push mower, weed wacker and a leaf blower. Usually takes less than 2 hours once a week so not a huge deal.

 

[Tetto]

DeWalt 10” miter saw for baseboard trim in bathrooms I’m renovating.

 

[Pointby2]

I needed to get into a tight spot so I had to order these.

 

[Sorcerer]

I needed to get into a tight spot so I had to order these.

View attachment 62941

Never saw those. I typically try to use a small ratchet with either the flathead or Phillips head. Pretty rare to find myself in those situations though.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

I needed to get into a tight spot so I had to order these.

View attachment 62941

Great tools! You don't use them often, but when you need one, they come in very handy!

 

[CO-guy]

My 8lb. sledge is called the BFH, while I just call my smallest hammer Fisher-Price.

My better-half did the framing during our remodel entirely by herself, including framing out and hanging more than a dozen doors. She also traded labor with other friends that were building, mostly swinging a hammer. However, she weighs barely 100lbs and so not any hammer would work for her. After test driving a bunch of different hammers, she settled on the Vaughan 19oz California Framing Hammer, which is still in our tool collection.

 

[Pointby2]

Never saw those. I typically try to use a small ratchet with either the flathead or Phillips head. Pretty rare to find myself in those situations though

I have a stubby screwdriver. It was too big. I have a knurled little nut driver and it was too big too. It usually does the trick.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

My better-half did the framing during our remodel entirely by herself, including framing out and hanging more than a dozen doors. She also traded labor with other friends that were building, mostly swinging a hammer. However, she weighs barely 100lbs and so not any hammer would work for her. After test driving a bunch of different hammers, she settled on the Vaughan 19oz California Framing Hammer, which is still in our tool collection.
View attachment 62944

That's a good hammer.

Being from the midwest, I tend to lean towards Estwing all-steel hammers. They've been made in the USA (northern Illinois) since forever. I got one as a gift when I was much younger and I still have it today.

 

[gamboolman]

I use my Leatherman everyday, usually afew times per day.

Also, I was given a Cordless Drill last year. Never thought I would l like it as much as I do - it is very handy. Although it does not have the Torque of a Corded Drill.

 

[gamboolman]

I have a stubby screwdriver. It was too big. I have a knurled little nut driver and it was too big too. It usually does the trick. View attachment 62943

This thread is costing me money - ha !

 

[Slim11]

I saw this on another forum and thought it was interesting.

Pex crimping tool. I ran pex for the first time the other day. The crimping tool couldn't have been easier to use. I was installing a long run in an uninsulated garage so freezing was a concern, which is why I ran pex.

Impact gun. I always wanted one but never had one. I finally purchased one last week. It's simply for removing lugs from wheels when I rotate tires. Completely unnecessary, but it sure makes things easier. I also am going to use it to replace hot water heater rod.

Electric sawzall. Finished up a deer blind in the woods the other day. Very convenient. I can see why most people are switching over to battery tools.

Pex will freeze also. So insulate it, or winterize it.

 

[Palmtree]

I was rebuilding our porch from scratch this week. At one time I had out 2 cordless drill- drivers with different bits. 2 cordless drills with different drill bits, a corded circular saw and a cordless circular saw for smaller cuts. Not having to constantly change bits or drills sped things up considerably.

 

[Slotracer]

I needed to get into a tight spot so I had to order these.

Used (too) many times for removing motorcycle float bowls without taking the carbs off the bike.

Today I used 12 corner clamps to glue three picture frames (I am of the opinion that one can't have too many clamps, of any and all styles). The past two days I used a table saw, router table, and miter saw to profile and cut the pieces for the frames.

Oh, also currently 3D printing pieces to connect the router table to a dust collection cyclone (also 3D printed).

 

[Lorenzo]

Pex will freeze also. So insulate it, or winterize it.

Will freeze but not burst.

 

[CO-guy]

That's a good hammer.

Being from the midwest, I tend to lean towards Estwing all-steel hammers. They've been made in the USA (northern Illinois) since forever. I got one as a gift when I was much younger and I still have it today.

Interestingly, I see that Vaughan's also an Illinois company (Bushnell).

Our general purpose hammer is an Estwing, but the vibration of an all steel hammer (or the dead feeling of a fiberglass/carbon shaft) weren't things her forearm and shoulder could tolerate for all day use. Plus the curved California handle provides some grip variety to avoid fatigue.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I trimmed a couple hundred feet of hedge with my Dewalt battery powered hedge trimmer yesterday. Don't have a hedge without one. Charging the batteries now for some chain saw work this week. Dewalt 20 volt. I haven't started my gas powered chain saws in the two years since I bought the electric saw.

 

[Slim11]

Will freeze but not burst.

What are the conections made with? Lol they bust. Thats why campers winterize them. Its all pex, but it breaks at the turns. And I have seen it burst many times, especially when run under a cement slab. It bursts. Trust me. May not be this year, but it will will eventually if left in freezing temps.

 

[zinger1457]

Installed engineering wood flooring in the MBR last week and went a bit low tech. Kept my miter and circular saw in the shop and used a Japanese handsaw to make all the crosscuts. It cut through the flooring like butter, took maybe 15 seconds for each crosscut, and didn't create the sawdust mess a miter or circular saw would have. Did use a table saw to cut the last row to width.

 

[statsman]

We had a faulty anti-siphon vacuum breaker on an outside faucet that needed to be replaced. By code, it had the head of the break-off screw removed for a "permanent" installation. A couple of neighbors received $300-350 estimates to have theirs replaced.

I had a coping saw that I used a few years back for a small project. The narrow, fine-tooth saw blade that came with the coping saw was unused. I used that blade to slowly cut a line in the middle of the headless screw, along with the outside of the old vacuum breaker, to create a slot for a flat-head screwdriver.

I sprayed some lubricant where the screw had been installed, waited a few minutes, and then slowly removed the screw, applying pressure to the screwdriver while doing so. The screw finally came out, I used some fine steel wool to clean the threads of the faucet, and I installed a new vacuum breaker, which cost $8.

 

[Sorcerer]

Pex will freeze also. So insulate it, or winterize it.

Yeah, it can certainly freeze. From what I read the rings are the weak point. I set it up that one end runs to an outside spigot. The other end of the PEX has a female spin connection, the same as what you find on a garden hose. When we get down to freezing again I'll have to disconnect it, drain the PEX I ran and let it sit till spring. That's how I plan in winterizing it.

 

[old medic]

Will freeze but not burst.

Less likely to but can blow a bad connection apart.