What tool(s) do you dream of someday owning? (realistic options...)

[Siress]

Pretty curious about this one. The machinist at my job has been surprised by the existence of some obscure tools I've suggested for jobs, and colleagues are regularly studying over something I've procured for a specific job.

Probably the best example I can think of in the paintball world is that of the smooth-jaw clamping adjustable wrench. I stumbled over one about two decades ago now and have been spreading the gospel among airsmiths ever since - touting them as a portable, hand-held machinists vice. The benefits being that you can get serious compression force and torque on objects without necessarily damaging the anodized finish. Vice grips for our fancy bits, basically - and who doesn't love getting a handle on their fancy bits.

We all have different walks in life and in the shop, so I'm curious - what are some of the tools y'all dream of having someday? Existing or not - as long as it's feasible.

[Levi]

Like an adjustable wrench had a lovechild with a pair of Vise grips. I have a pair of these I bought mostly as a gag about 10 years ago and found them to be incredibly useful for all the reasons you mentioned.

As far as my wish list goes... a CNC mill would be handy. I technically have one but its currently a project I need to finish. Either a laser cutter or water jet would be amazing. (A big one like 4kW laser or so). Various other metal fabricating equipment too. Also a decent mandrel bender for tube bending (roll cages).

I'm currently working on building an arsenal of body hammers, dollys, and other panel beating tools. Also working on learning the skills to go with them.

[Magageddon]

I'll get a lathe eventually, have a little knee mill already, but I think I could do a lot with a lathe that I can't do on the manual mill

As far as handtools go, a twisting wrench would be nice, basically just a big monkey wrench with smooth jaw faces with another handle welded onto the static jaw of the adjustable wrench. Very useful for doing twists on work pieces in blacksmithing. I have the wrench, I just need a welder now to make it happen, can never have enough tools

[superman]

I am currently after a cnc lathe. I pretty much know what i want and have the yellow light from the wife. Just need to find the right used one within a reasonable distance and it's a done deal. After that i've been thinking of picking up a laser.
I have been pretty lucky to have what i have in the garage currently. Tormach 440 mill, bridgeport, large manual lathe.

[DocsMachine]

What kind of lathe you after, Beardy? Like, actual turning-center sort of thing, or more like a Emco or converted Grizzly?

Personally- and thankfully- I have most of what I need. The only major tools I need right now, is a MIG and a TIG. I sold both my MIGs (big, older machines) back in '21 to help make room for, and to help pay for, the CNCs, and I just sold the TIG to a buddy. The original plan was to replace it with one of the new Miller machines, that has both in one suitcase-sized inverter unit. And that's still the plan, but the machine was something like $3500 when I looked at it in '21, and last I checked, it was up to $4600. Now, I got about $2800 for the other three machines in total, but that still means I gotta come up with $1800 now, not just $700.

Maybe later this summer, depending on how well sales do.

Doc.

[superman]

Leaning towards a tormach 15l but may fall short for the 8l. I feel comfortable enough with the controller that I could get it cutting chips relatively quickly. Down side on the 8l is the tool capacity is limited and they haven’t come out with a gang plate or collet closer. Though I know someone that is working on those. Hoping to snag a 15 l with turret and collet closer.

I did look into the gt75 I think it was that you have. They seem fast but I also want something that I can post to from fusion as I am using that to generate the gcode.

[DocsMachine]

I've been told that there's an F360 post-processor for the Omniturn, but I haven't tried it. I find it's quicker to just program the part in their somewhat simplified G-code.

Yeah, I was shooting for the 15L myself, but given the difficulty in finding a good used one, I was leaning toward new- and with even just a few bells & whistles, that was $30K. The Omni was half that, but it was also a pig-in-a-poke that I had to do some cleaning and repairs to.

Doc.

[cougar20th]

The current tool I seem to lusting over is a old Craftsman Spinner ratchet. But at 200-300$ which is absurd. I haven't been able to convince myself I really need it.

Because i know someone will ask this is what they look like.

[Sbrannam]

2 on ebay right now for 150 each. I use mine for taps

[Ecapnation]

I'd love to get my own SLS or MJF Printer..... Owning a FDM printer is cool and all but the other options just make hearty reliable parts.....I have many ides but outsourcing in the us is pricy and sending out to China is basically asking for some chicom copy cats of your hard work.

In simple old fashion tools? I'd love a dial-a-radius set up for my Logan lathe.

[Shaftski]

currently saving for an HPA booster.

i would love to have a large duplicator for copying gun stocks and other wood forms, but big $$$ and running out of room in my shop for something that big.

[Daltech]

Knipex flat jaw compression pliers. The business.

[Siress]

same here bud...same here. I slipped up and let the wife know how much they are by adding them to a wish list. I'll never be able to buy them now...

[cougar20th]

Are those the channel lock type pliers with flat jaws?

If so they are really nice but only for certain circumstances.

[Daltech]

Box joint greater than 10-1 pressure. The only way humanly possible to disassemble a WDP LED Ram from 1997.

[Roger7pball]

Box joint greater than 10-1 pressure. The only way humanly possible to disassemble a WDP LED Ram from 1997.

I must not be human haha

[Daltech]

I almost made one of those out of wood. 😅 I was concerned about the heat melting the jig after torching the item. Admittedly your 2 block jig method is superior.

[Roger7pball]

At $12, very handy to have.

https://www.amazon.com/Vise-Soft-Jaws-Vice-Pads/dp/B01FT2QTDA

[zinger565]

I would absolutely love a small hobby lathe that I could run delrin on.

A small mill would be great, but I wouldn't be able have it at my house, would have to go up north to the Father-In-Law's shop

[powpowpaintball]

Not paintball related, but I miss having access to a car lift. I went from a farm with multiple buildings, to a house with a one car garage, and now am in an apartment. All the downsizing has been been my goal and allows me to travel more frequently and also explore new hobbies, but living in a new area where I haven't met anybody with a lift or a decent shop yet has left me going to the mechanic for relatively basic repairs and has all my power sports toys in storage. I did an oil change and replaced a water pump the other week and it felt good to turn a wrench again.

[DocsMachine]

Not paintball related, but I miss having access to a car lift.

-I miss having access to a shop.

And by that I mean my machine shop is basically my two-car garage. One bay has a project car in it, that's been there for roughly a decade, and the rest of the shop has machine tools. I can no longer do any welding (other than TIG) or grinding in the shop- it puts too much junk and grit in the air. The machines are generally covered with cutting oil or way lube, and grinding grit in the air turns that into lapping compound.

That means, these days when I need to do any welding or grinding, I have to do it outside. And our "summer" is, at best, four months long. (It was snowing today, and snowed yesterday- about another inch accumulation, total.)

So if I need to do any MIG welding, grinding, or fiberglass/bondo work on the project car, I have to roll it outside, do the work, blow it off, and roll it back inside. During one of the six and a half nice days we get per year, during the four months of "not snow".

I mean, I need the machines a lot more than I need to weld or grind, but it's still a pain to do even minor work on a car these days.

Doc.