# Unnecessary stuff that you can't live without



## 682bear (Nov 23, 2020)

Over the years, there have been a few things that I've looked at, or looked over, that I always thought 'ok, thats nice, but why would I ever need one of those'... then, after acquiring one (for whatever reason), I realized just how much I have always needed one and didn't realize it...

A few that comes to mind is: a Leatherman multi-tool, a motorcycle jack, a portaband saw, a sawzall, and a pallet jack.

I never needed any of these until I had one, now I can't seem to do anything without them...

Am I nuts? Lol!

Anyway, I just picked this up this morning...




My old jack died last week... I had bought it cheap off c-list about a year ago. I bought it for one specific job... but I use it surprisingly often, so I had to replace it...

Does anybody else suffer from this affliction?

-Bear


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## extropic (Nov 23, 2020)

Nope. You're the only one.


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## kb58 (Nov 23, 2020)

Agree, you're the only one. I get along fine with just a sawzall...


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## middle.road (Nov 23, 2020)

Never heard of this affliction that you speak of. Is there a cure? 

More and more I am hunting a pallet jack. I didn't pull the trigger during the auction earlier this month and have a tad of remorse.
I re-worked an engine hoist earlier this year and that is coming in handy.
Moving heavy items now-a-days, seems to require additional analysis.


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## DavidR8 (Nov 23, 2020)

kb58 said:


> Agree, you're the only one. I get along fine with just a sawzall...


Sawzall? That's the height of luxury!
Me, I make do with a sharp stick. Sure it dulls quicky but that's where my obsidian knife comes into play


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## NCjeeper (Nov 23, 2020)

Do ex girlfriends count?


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## tjb (Nov 23, 2020)

Ditto.  I have the same experience on loads of stuff - especially on the pallet jack.  A friend of mine has one that he brought over here to help me move my lathe and mill about a year ago.  He left it here because he didn't have much use or room for it.  I've used that thing more in the last year than he did in the last five.

He doesn't know it yet, but I ain't givin' it back.


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## kb58 (Nov 23, 2020)

tjb said:


> ...pallet jack... He left it here because he didn't have much... room for it.


Exactly


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## markba633csi (Nov 23, 2020)

A cheap 15 dollar HF angle grinder. Went for years without one, but wouldn't be without now.  Not only for grinding but for cutting too. Invaluable.
And my two bandsaws,  a 4x6 and a little Ryobi.  Great labor savers
I think my hacksaw is jealous
-M


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## Tozguy (Nov 23, 2020)

If you don't need one but can't do without then make sure you get a second one for backup.


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## hman (Nov 23, 2020)

O .. M .. G!  SING ME A SONG about getting a-hold of something "useless" and finding out how useful it is!  And even though I do make an effort to get rid of stuff I don't use, my shop keeps getting loaded-er and loaded-er.  Then a short time after I've dis-acquired something, I suddenly come up with a use for it.  Ya just can't win ... but it's a halava fun game.


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## 682bear (Nov 23, 2020)

About the Leatherman... I looked at them for years, but always thought there really wasn't any reason to carry that many tools everywhere...

In 1998, I began planning to build my house... we were planning to do most of the work ourselves. I decided it may be nice to have a multi-tool on hand, so I bought a Leatherman Wave off the Mac Tools truck at work...

I have carried a Wave everywhere I have went since then, unless I was flying somewhere. I have thoroughly worn out 4 of them, and I'm currently working on wearing out #5...

Can't function without it...

-Bear


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## markba633csi (Nov 23, 2020)

And then as John said in post #11 about getting rid of "useless" tools we segway into getting rid of "useless" stuff which then poses the question of "is it hoarding, or is it saving valuable stuff for future projects?" -- no wonder I can't clean up my shop space!   
-Mark


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## pontiac428 (Nov 23, 2020)

682bear said:


> About the Leatherman...
> 
> Can't function without it...
> 
> -Bear



The Wave is the best multitool ever.  If you ever work on vehicles for a living, the value of whipping out a pliers or cross-tip when your tool box is on the other end of the line is priceless, time after time after time!  I think I can rebuild an entire HMMWV with my Wave.


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## kb58 (Nov 23, 2020)

Dang you guys, you're an expensive date. Just bought myself a Christmas present, "The Wave."


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## Dhal22 (Nov 23, 2020)

kb58 said:


> Dang you guys, you're an expensive date. Just bought myself a Christmas present, "The Wave."



I'm headed to Amazon now........


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## sycle1 (Nov 23, 2020)

Yes I agree I never had a lathe, a mill, a sawzall, or a portable bandsaw before I came here, lucky for me I have plenty multitools, but a Pallet jack mmmmm! got me thinking!


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## twraska (Nov 23, 2020)

Forklift for us is used almost every day.


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## 7milesup (Nov 23, 2020)

sycle1 said:


> Yes I agree I never had a lathe, a mill, a sawzall, or a portable bandsaw before I came here, lucky for me I have plenty multitools, but a Pallet jack mmmmm! got me thinking!



I bought a used pallet jack on an auction for $80.  Same as the one 682bear posted.  I think I had one job for it.  Wouldn't be without it now.  Even made a wood scrap box (I do woodworking too) that I can move around the shop with the pallet jack.


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## Nogoingback (Nov 23, 2020)

I bought a hand truck years ago during a move.  I don't use it a lot, but when you need one they're great.
Wouldn't be without it.


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## hman (Nov 24, 2020)

I've always been a Gerber user myself - appreciate how it's a much faster pair of pliers than the Leatherman.  But I kept hearing good things about the Wave, so I bought one a couple years ago.  That first one was so !!(%$)^^!! stiff, I couldn't use it - even after lubricating, then exercising EVERY moving part a (counted) hundred times.  Sent it in to the factory and they replaced it.  The new one is also a bit stiff, but liveable.  I now have a double holster on my belt (double magazine pouch) and carry both tools.  Does anybody here know how to spell "NERD"????


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## AlanB (Nov 24, 2020)

One friend of mine used to like to loan me tools because he could find them easier than when they were lost in his piled full garage.


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## Lo-Fi (Nov 24, 2020)

_Most_ stuff in my shop falls into this category 

Do I need a horizontal attachment for the Bridgeport? A high end Japanese rotary table? Do I need a mill, come to think of it? A TIG welder? Noooo. But I absolutely cannot be without 

Something that I didn't think I'd need, but has paid it's way many times over already is the hydraulic Porta Power kit. Man, that thing is handy. I only bought it on an eBay deal because... We all know why: just wanted it!


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## ArmyDoc (Nov 24, 2020)

Lo-Fi said:


> _Most_ stuff in my shop falls into this category
> 
> Do I need a horizontal attachment for the Bridgeport? * Yep, yes you do.*
> 
> ...


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## Lo-Fi (Nov 24, 2020)

Thanks for the chuckle, @ArmyDoc !!

I've almost run out of major stuff to purchase for the mill. Slotting head (that I've literally no immediate use for what so ever) aside... 

Surface grinder is next. Maybe a horizontal mill... And a shaper. And a bigger shed. Hmmm, CMC plasma table...

Are you "a machinist" when you admit you have a problem? I bought a Delapeena honing machine the other week. I have no room and no requirement. I've never seen a hobbyist mention such a tool, let alone own or use one. But I get offered things, and it's impossible to say no... #facepalm


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## Tozguy (Nov 24, 2020)

Kinda makes me wonder what Susan-in-SF is up to these days.


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## carlquib (Nov 25, 2020)

I'll add overhead crane to the list. I got by for years without one, but the equipment kept getting bigger and heavier. I don't know how I did without for so many years. I'll second the forklift. It doesn't usually run very long but it is used almost every day for something.


Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk


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## Armourer (Nov 25, 2020)

A pallet jack is definitely on my to buy list, but the only reason I haven't picked one up is I don't have the storage space for one! The best tool I bought would be my Bobcat. With out it I wouldn't of even been able to unload my lathe and mill from the trailer to start machining! It has also be so handy around the farm. Best investment I have made, minus my lathe and mill!


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## brino (Nov 25, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Me, I make do with a sharp stick.



Yeah sure.......and TWO surface grinders, TWO punch presses, and whatever else was in your "deal of a lifetime" :

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/machines-i-just-lucked-into.88703/post-797609

-brino


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## DavidR8 (Nov 25, 2020)

DavidR8 said: 

           Me, I make do with a sharp stick.       



brino said:


> Yeah sure.......and TWO surface grinders, TWO punch presses, and whatever else was in your "deal of a lifetime" :
> 
> https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/machines-i-just-lucked-into.88703/post-797609
> 
> -brino


But...but....that post was before the stork landed at my house...


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## hman (Nov 25, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> But...but....that post was before the stork landed at my house...


The cited post was from YESTERDAY.  So I guess congratulations are in order for _today's_ happy event!  Best to your wife and child.


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## DavidR8 (Nov 25, 2020)

hman said:


> The cited post was from YESTERDAY.  So I guess congratulations are in order for _today's_ happy event!  Best to your wife and child.


Sorry, I was totally unclear...
The sharpen a stick comment was before I got the deal on all the machines... 
(and no baby here...just a couple of metric tonnes of cast iron on its way!)


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## hman (Nov 25, 2020)

OK, got it.  Maybe you should have said "crane" instead of "stork" (keeping it in the bird family, eh?)


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## DavidR8 (Nov 25, 2020)

Indeed!
This kind of crane.


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