Small Shop Guys What is a tool you use frequently that is out of the norm

[Reebz]

Just curious what guys have that weld part time, side Hussle or beer money use that is out of the norm??? I imagine we all have grinders, band saws, radio and refrigerator.
I weld in my 2 car garage and space is very limited.
My magnetic drill has been very helpful as is my 20 ton press with the Swag Off Road press brake.

[SlowBlues]

These are some non conventional things I use:

Box fan with home air conditioner filters makes an excellent garage air cleaner.

A scissor jack, ratchet straps, bottle jack, and come along (these are probably pretty common).

Furniture style lifting lever (google), along with dolly/sliders to move really heavy stuff.

I love my tri-stand (usually for plumbers, found cheaply on craigslist type apps) as a very heavy duty base/stand that folds up nicely into the size of a set of golf clubs. I like the chain vise versions with either the lever or the screw tightening mechanism, use a piece of leather to protect metal from chain if so needed.

[whtbaron]

Some people might consider my railroad anvils out of the norm, but they are pretty standard in this crowd. I also have a large nut welded on a scissor jack so I can move things around in tight places with the impact (probably not recommended).

[12V71]

Some people might consider my railroad anvils out of the norm, but they are pretty standard in this crowd. I also have a large nut welded on a scissor jack so I can move things around in tight places with the impact (probably not recommended).

Scissor jacks are great for leveling stuff like irrigation filters and piping. Got a half dozen from late 90's Chevy pickups with nuts welded to the shaft. A ratchet and a 15/16" socket makes for easy fine tuning.

[VaughnT]

The hydraulic lift cart as a welding table. Raymond Head first turned me onto the idea with this photo of one of his power hammers under construction. Being able to raise or lower the work to get at a weld is great, but the cart is still a cart and can be used to offload the truck or move things around the shop. The older I get, the more I appreciate someone else doing the heavy lifting!



Just saw that one of the big companies is now making a small welding table that is similar, but doesn't have much in the way of elevation capacity.

For more general stuff, I'd have to say that my belt grinders are probably the two most used and underrated tools. When I got my 2x72 grinder, I was gobsmacked at just how handy it was and still marvel at how I ever survived without it.

I need to get a mag drill, but lately I've been really curious about those metal-cutting circular saws for their portability.

[smithdoor]

A good host is big help.

Dave

These are some non conventional things I use:

Box fan with home air conditioner filters makes an excellent garage air cleaner.

A scissor jack, ratchet straps, bottle jack, and come along (these are probably pretty common).

Furniture style lifting lever (google), along with dolly/sliders to move really heavy stuff.

I love my tri-stand (usually for plumbers, found cheaply on craigslist type apps) as a very heavy duty base/stand that folds up nicely into the size of a set of golf clubs. I like the chain vise versions with either the lever or the screw tightening mechanism, use a piece of leather to protect metal from chain if so needed.

[psacustomcreations]

I love my tri-stand (usually for plumbers, found cheaply on craigslist type apps) as a very heavy duty base/stand that folds up nicely into the size of a set of golf clubs. I like the chain vise versions with either the lever or the screw tightening mechanism, use a piece of leather to protect metal from chain if so needed.

I also have a tri stand and with the chain, you can hold odd shapes .



Using pipe vises since you can make them any length you want.

Here is an idea I came up with a while ago to use my vise in a way similar to a carpenters tail stock vise.

[wb4rt]

A HF port-a-band in a Swag table to make a vertical bandsaw is the tool I’m most surprised at how often I use it.

[mla2ofus]

I too use the HF hyd lift table for lots of things, so many I can't name them all. For instance with a milk crate on it it supports 20' lengths of steel while cutting off pieces, to put lawn mowers and snowblowers on to get them up to a convenient working height, small engine welders, etc. It's just my little helper for heavy lifting which my 74 yr old back doesn't like anymore. I also have a swinging boom with a long reach jack for setting boom angle and a boat winch for setting heavy objects on the lift table. Since the lift table jack tends to leak under load I rigged up a chain setup on the scissor mechanism to hold the load for extended periods.

[Lis2323]

High lift pallet jack...






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[Lis2323]

Assistant or first aid attendant ....




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[SweetMK]

Assistant or first aid attendant ....




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OK,, after that ,, I got NOTHIN' !! ` . ~ ~

[whtbaron]

lol.... she'd make a good host for Smithdoor too. Odd how the over 50 crowd is heavy on jacks and hoists to lift things for us...my chiropractor would be impressed.

[Lis2323]

lol.... she'd make a good host for Smithdoor too. Odd how the over 50 crowd is heavy on jacks and hoists to lift things for us...my chiropractor would be impressed.

I dated a chiropractor a long while ago.

Pretty certain she couldn't give a crap...


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[RCcrawler]

Magnetic drill. I use mine, more than my drill press. Any steel over 1/4" thick that needs a hole bigger than 7/16" (my smallest annular cutter) i use the mag drill. Plasma table is probably out of the norm too

[Reebz]

All great Ideas. If you have pictures that may help as well.

[whtbaron]

Oh we've got all kinds of pictures... glad to be of assistance...

[Willie B]

Sort of a rare project doesn't involve this.

[Lis2323]

Sort of a rare project doesn't involve this.

That's a nice looking TLB


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[farmersammm]

This probably sounds stupid, but the tool I use most, that you'd not even think would get much use....................A 6" 4R ruler. Get you one

[Willie B]

This probably sounds stupid, but the tool I use most, that you'd not even think would get much use....................A 6" 4R ruler. Get you one

What's 4R?

[Sberry]

Use the washer a lot.

[M J D]

What's 4R?

4r is the type of calibration. 1/64", 1/32", 1)16" and 1/8" increments. Usually a 6" scale type or a 12" combination square or ruler in 4r.

[Lis2323]

This probably sounds stupid, but the tool I use most, that you'd not even think would get much use....................A 6" 4R ruler. Get you one

When she was little my daughter used to
complain I had too many rules...




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[VaughnT]

The older I get, the less I bother with the blurred-out portions on the rulers. If it can't be made with the big hashmarks above an eighth of an inch.... it doesn't need to be made at all.