[Bob N]

Thought it would be fun to take a little survey of our most used shop tool.

I was doing a quick honey do project today and at the same time thinking how rare it was that I worked in the shop without reaching for my most used tool which happens to be my DW 18v drill driver.

What is your most used tool?

 

[bobj3]

Hi Bob

I would say my Vac.,I'm always picking up something with it,chips,saw dust,cleaning the floor,etc..

I guess I need to add one, Corey got me thinking, I have a small screw driver in my shirt pocket all the time, it has a magnet on the top and a shaft that is phil. and for slotted screws,(flip type) I use all the time and I would be lost without, it's the 1st.thing I put in my shirt ever day just like my pen.
If it's not turning a screw or picking one up with the magnet it's cleaning my finger nails or being used as a small pry bar I use all the time..

Bj

 

[challagan]

Yeah... I think Bj is kind of is right... it get's to clean up after every tool I use. As for Machinery....

1. Table Saw
2. Router Table
3. Lathe
4. DP

As far as your most used tool Bob... I had to think about that but in the end...it is one of my least used if truth be known. I tend to use a hand screw driver over a power driver unless I need the power and torque .... like when hanging my cabinets due to needing to get a screw in quickly... I still ended up putting screws in by hand... with my long handled phillips... you get more torque that way

Corey

 

[Kevin]

I don't have my own shop but when I do woodworking i borrow my grandfathers. It's pretty hard to say i would use any other tool more than the router. I have been taught ever since I was young that if theres a job to be done it's most likely that a router is the tool for the job.

 

[challagan]

Well that's the message to be delivered isn't it Kevin....damn straight! Since joining this site I use my router 3 times what i used too. Got a new mini router table in the works using a palm router. Can't wait to get started on it!

Corey

 

[lrr]

For "major" power tools (i.e. not the cordless drill):

1. Radial Arm Saw
2. Table Saw
3. Router (table mounted)
4. Drill Press
5. Compund Miter Saw

I've had my RAS for 30 years, and my table saw for 3 -- so I just keep going back to the RAS. I seldom use the TS for crosscuts, the RAS is perfect for this, especially when working with long pieces of wood. And similarly, I never use my RAS anymore for ripping. Finally the CMS is used for all miter work (and hardly ever for crosscuts -- a good RAS is just to perfect for crosscutting).

If you don't have a RAS, you don't know what you're missing ...


But it has to be an old, well-made unit, or a new very expensive unit, like an Original Saw, or I guess maybe the high-end Delta. I wouldn't trust the newer Craftsman models.

 

[curiousgeorge]

I use all my power tools a lot but the handiest tool I own is a 4-in-hand file.

 

[harrysin]

Other than item #3 which I would change for Plunge router it's as if Lee wrote a post for me. I had to smile when I saw Bob's pics. under "radial arm router" because his RAS appears to be the same as mine, but Bob listed dust collection as his number one tool whereas Lee and me don't mention it at all, here is a pic. of my RAS.

 

[Tony Ward]

The floor vacuum, to sweep/vacuum the sanding dust.

If only I could find a use for bucket loads of sawdust I'd make a fortune!

 

[Rolf Maxa]

I would have to say it's my table saw, miter saw, and router, in that order.