Dream Tools--What do you yearn for?

[PathfinderNC]

~A saw that cuts straight
~A screwdriver that doesn't slip
and
~A hammer that doesn't bash my thumb

 

[rdungan1918]

I have a pretty complete wood working shop that has given me a lot of pleasure even though my skills never progress beyond moderate. Not sure if it qualifies as a 'machine' but these days I would love to have a quality photo slide scanner and photo quality printer. Have thousands of slides from my father and myself that are history but, I'm sure, will be discarded by my children after I pass over.

I have a Epson v750 that works well and wasn't too expensive. I have had it for years so they may not make that model now. The hardest part is cleaning the slide. Amazing much dust gets on the slide even while it is boxed up.

oxed up

 

[Cruzatte]

Cruzatte, I pm,d you.

Got it. Sent you a reply. Thanks.

 

[Captjoel]

I would just like to have the knowledge required to operate all those fancy machine shop machines! My kid brother who retired out of the Navy as a machinist and now has another 18 years working as a master machinist for the Navy as a civilian contractor will be my instructor in another 2 years when he retires and moves close enough! I may be too old and feeble by then, but at this moment the learning bug still bites me.

I do OK with my inherited Craftsman Bandsaw from the late 50's from my grandfather and a very cool homemade vertical 1" slack belt sander put together by my late Father In Law. That machine is priceless to me!

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I would just like to have the knowledge required to operate all those fancy machine shop machines! My kid brother who retired out of the Navy as a machinist and now has another 18 years working as a master machinist for the Navy as a civilian contractor will be my instructor in another 2 years when he retires and moves close enough! I may be too old and feeble by then, but at this moment the learning bug still bites me.

I do OK with my inherited Craftsman Bandsaw from the late 50's from my grandfather and a very cool homemade vertical 1" slack belt sander put together by my late Father In Law. That machine is priceless to me!

I took machining classes at my local community College at 50. Worth the time.

 

[Sean E Bug]

power tools scare me. but a slow speed grinder would be nice and a power engraver looks like it would be easy to use.
I would one day love to get set up to make barrels but have no time, space, knowledge, or money for that.

 

[1BadDart]

A lathe larger than my 9" South Bend, something with a 48" bed and 1 1/2" through hole.

 

[Packrat]

I retired 20years ago, the only thing I missed was my milling machine and lathe, so many projects that I did.

 

[Billy Boy]

Always wanted to get a small metal lathe an/or milling machine. Just don’t have room to set them up now.

Had to sell my Bridgeport mill, and Atlas lathe when I moved into town. Replaced then with mini lathe, mill. They are almost useless the way they come. I put tapered roller bearings on the spindles of lathe, replaced the compound rest on lathe with block of A-6, put on a bigger chuck, replaced plastic gears with metal, added digital caliper ‘DRO’, its useable now. Mill was converted to belt drive, put angular contact bearings on spindle made power table feed from windshield wiper motor and , locked colllume w/ 3/8 plate. They are useful now.

 

[deerstalkert]

20 or so years of wear and tear removed from this old body.
with the knowledge and experience gained in those same years left intact.
mechanical tools i lust for? a lathe and the knowledge to fully utilize it. with a mill for desert.

 

[colimr]

Does adding a mill to my list seem greedy ?

 

[Capnball]

Like most on this forum, I've built a few ML'ers over the years. With some of the basics, (bench, vices, lighting, files, gouges, sharpening stones) I go out there and get them when I need them. It's the price of entry. $20, $30, 40 isn't a budget buster (usually), but some of these things (or systems) are pretty dog gone expensive. It becomes a question of; "can I really justify the purchase price of $XXX with what I'm going to do with it? Will I use it enough?" Or, "if I get it, will that motivate me (or my domestic situation allow it) to use it enough?"

What are your dream tools that you are either saving for, or, wish you had? I can name about 4 that I wish I had, but am wrestling with the above. In my case, most are powered systems, (like a Lindsay pneumatic engraving set up) but not everything is.

A good leather sewing machine. I've been doing all my stitching by hand. These 63 year old fingers really do alot of complaining on belts and such.

 

[garypl]

A good leather sewing machine. I've been doing all my stitching by hand. These 63 year old fingers really do alot of complaining on belts and such.View attachment 158175

I stitched one belt by hand, decided to never do it again and bought a nice leather stitcher and never looked back

 

[new2bp]

More than the tools I want the skills abd know how to use them

But I am a mechanical dummy. On the other hand, math and logic and programming in a variety of languages is trvial for me so it kinda evens out in the end

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have a Epson v750 that works well and wasn't too expensive. I have had it for years so they may not make that model now. The hardest part is cleaning the slide. Amazing much dust gets on the slide even while it is boxed up.

oxed up

Thanks, I'll look into it.

 

[Nobody85]

I always wanted a traditional large forge with overhead bellows. When I was a kid we had a blacksmith’s class in school. Always enjoyed getting up early on winter mornings and smelling the coal burning as I was walking to class. We only learned how to make traditional tools, S-hooks, and maybe an axe head or two but it was fun. I’d probably have an electric fan as well as the traditional kind really wear you out and I’d be working by myself for the most part.

 

[Rich44]

No matter what your adventures, having a well equipped workshop is a satisfy goal to reach. But unless you are flat out lucky, it takes a life time of searching and going to auctions to build it up. And your expatiation's should be if you just had one more tool I could do this. I just love making things. So my life has been given to acquiring tools, sharpening my knowledge and skills, and also earning my wages working as tool and die. So you might think I'm set now, but not so. I desperately need one more tool. I need a complete set of "Memory" so I can find a tool I need. I have been looking 2 days for a 3/8 acme tap that I know is in the shop. My Dad had only hand tools, and only a small amount. But yet it seemed he could make just about anything. I should have handcuff myself to him and found out how to make so much with so little. Well I got to get back looking!

 

[colimr]

I figure by the time I get my tool dream wish filled Ill be too old to use them but my Grand kids will have a head start on their list and they can use and pass on all I have taught them to theirs .My kids (their parents ) on the other hand couldn't build a burp to save their souls

 

[Rich44]

Found the Acme Tap, Top draw of my tool chest. Instead of putting with other taps, I put it in the top draw so I would not loose it. I think I will put it with the special taps so I can find it next time, feels good.

 

[oldwood]

A most wonderful tool I added to my m/l stuff , is a hand held Power hack saw. I have bad old neck and shoulders , and a regular hand held hack saw almost did me in. This electric cutter , is a dream to effortlessly cut off gun barrels. Wish they were around 20 yrs. ago. Other day I needed to cut some rebar. Effortless , and quick.........oldwood