What is your favourite tool?

[Farmer Dan]

Aside from a good beer glass my Atlas 618 lathe.  It can make the parts I need to fix other things that are broke.

[danedg]

A pair of 12" right angle needle nose pliers. Harbor Freight. I keep finding a new use daily and keep them on the Eldorato...
Along with a bamboo chopstick. Indispensable!

[JJ]

My favorite tool...when it does work or fit..."Beat it...beat it good!!" (LOL) 

[SeanF]

Metal cutting band saw - so nice to be able to render clean, straight cuts through steel & aluminum.
Magnet on a stick - I work in a fairly crowded garage, so when a fastener flies away, it usually stops rolling in some inaccessible place.
Patience - Knowing when to take a break & think about the best way to do the thing that currently needs doing.

[Lannis]

In Chinese culture, you will gain more respect from not using the right tool or no tool at all to accomplish the same task.

THAT explains a few things I'd wondered about .... 

[toaster404]

Usually, a nice walnut handled smaller wood chisel from England, part of my great grandfather's kit.  A goodly number of his tools are in everyday use in our violin workshop. 

In newer bike type tools, I have some silly racheting box end wrenches with 4 sizes on each.  I am constantly using these!  Had no idea I'd be so naked without them.

On historical, I have my grandfather's SU carb wrench.  Will never use it, but it's there.  And I use his stamp to mark things I've worked on.  Same mark as on numerous racing engines and bike engines of the 1930s, and on many Merlin and similar engines in the difficult times of the 40s in the UK.

[Farmer Dan]

Metal cutting band saw - so nice to be able to render clean, straight cuts through steel & aluminum.

You should try a power hacksaw, very slow cutting but mine will cut almost as clean and straight as my mill.

[Steph]

Ratchet screwdriver

[johnr]

other primates grab different tools from us with their arm length, is that the reason why monkey, gorilla and etc. evolved differently?

I heard it is the orientation of the thumb that separate us.

Yep. The opposable thumb and the fact that other apes have a strengthening bit in their jaw (I believe)  are some times the only way you can tell the difference.

[john fish]

What are a couple of those names so we might look into it?

http://fillauer.com/Tools-and-Equipment/carvers_arbors/Trautman-Floor-Carver.html

Trautman Carver.  Although it's traditionally called a long arm router (by me, anyway).  Still made in USA.  Quite expensive, but almost unbreakable.  It is used extensively in the Orthotics/Prosthetics industry.  If you ever see an O & P shop going out of business, it is always worthwhile looking to see what is for sale. All kinds of weird tools that can be very useful.

With a little practice, one can make straight lines, or complex curves, in plastic/wood/metal.

[john fish]

And the ultimate cult tool for a cult bike.  :) 



Still use mine quite often.  Wish they were still made.

[Bill Hagan]

My own favorite tools seem to involve damage control, and, especially, finding AWOL fasteners, e.g. ...
 








Bill