"Gino" wrote in message
...
On 29 Dec 2004 08:13:23 -0800, "WoodchuckCanuck"

wrote:

Dremel and all its accessories...especially the...cough cough..."router
table".

I couldn't live without a Dremel.
I even used it to remove the exhaust system from my 3/4 ton pickup.

That just ain't right. Exhaust systems are supposed to be taken off with a
combination of cutting torches and 4 inch grinders. It says so right in the
Bible. You are wrong Gino, just plane wrong...
--

-Mike-

"Gino" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 02:39:20 GMT, Patriarch

wrote:

Silvan wrote in
:

Gino wrote:

I couldn't live without a Dremel.
I even used it to remove the exhaust system from my 3/4 ton pickup.

How many cutoff wheels did YOU go through?


For about the same price, I bought a DeWalt low angle grinder and a
diamond
cutting wheel. You can cut a lot of stuff with that rig, and very
quickly.

Dremel stuff is too light duty for my Binford tastes.

But the Dremel is tiny.
It was the only tool that I had that could do the job.

Sigh..... this one's going to take a while. Gino... listen to me. I know
these things. Torches. Torches, Gino. They look really cool when they're
parked over in the corner, and you don't have to worry about tiny spaces.
With torches you can make spaces big enough to comfortably work in.
--

-Mike-

"the_tool_man" wrote:

Those little Veritas corner rounding planes - the ones bent from a
piece of steel with the little elliptical opening. Woodcraft sells
them for $14 apiece. They either split the grain
Yep. You have to be VERY careful about grain direction, since with no
mouth, this "plane" will split off more than you wanted pretty
quickly. And the grain direction on a corner can be tricky,
particularly when the grain on each adjacent surface is sloping in
opposite directions.

or require so much
pressure to work that my fingers get sore quite quickly.
Never noticed that. But getting the right angle can be somewhat
tricky.

Easier and
more consistent to use sandpaper or a router.

Easier yet, a block plane set for very fine cut, with very tight
mouth. Three or four passes at different angles gives you as rounded
an edge as you could ask for. (At least to these over-40 eyes, an
1/16" octagon is close enough to a 1/16" diameter circle.)
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

On 29 Dec 2004 08:02:38 -0800, "foggytown" wrote:

And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why the
hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.


B+D Electric Brad Nailer.
Stanley 55.
Delta POS Wet and Dry Sharpening Station.
1974 C10 Chevy.
Electric Socks.
PC Profile Sander.
B+D Spray Gun (w/ tire inflator).
Electric Gloves.
Minwax Touchup Kit.
PolyShades.
TOH Magazine.
Progressive Lense Eyeglasses.
Any reference book with "All About..." in the title.
Any book with "The Complete Guide To..." in the title.
Any article with "The Ultimate..." in the title.
Electric Hat.
AOL.
CTX Laptop.
Freud Carving Set.
Penco Guitar.
Anything sold by Ron Popeil (sp?)
Anything that says "Not Available In Stores!".
Religions that advertise in the backs of magazines.
Electric Ties.



Regards,
Tom.

"People funny. Life a funny thing." Sonny Liston

Thomas J.Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.)
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 02:44:00 -0500, Silvan
wrote:

Doug Winterburn wrote:

nifty dremel cutoff wheel ground almost all the way through the
compression ring and a little twist with a flat blade screwdriver popped
it right off. Whew, success!

That's about the only practical thing I use mine for too. That and turning
things that aren't into slotted screws. It's not useless, just mostly
useless.

I use the different size drum sanders often enough to keep my
dremel/sears "lil crafty" hanging over the bench.. nice when you want
a hole or opening just a bit bigger or need to debur something..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"foggytown" wrote:

And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why the
hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

Fun list. And shows very well that what is useful for one person may
be useless for another who works in a different style.

Mine are two that many here probably love:

My 6" jointer. Maybe I need someone to come help me with setup or
teach me how to feed wood to get good results, but I find I get much
better results, and more quickly and enjoyably with my old #8. If the
wood is badly twisted, cupped or bowed, I may use the jointer instead
of my scrub plane and #5 to get it close before bringing out the #8.

My PC plunge router. Nothing philosophical here. I know that a router
can be useful, particularly mounted in my table. But I find that FOR
ME, I hardly ever use it. It has pretty much sat in its box since I
got a great deal on it a year ago when HD was closing them out.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 16:23:12 -0600, Duane Bozarth
calmly ranted:

Larry Jaques wrote:
...
B&D belt sander. This one is over 30 years old and has seen about
3 hours total work in that time. ...

Is it the 735 3x24 by any chance? I'll be more than happy to pay you
for it plus shipping...I have worn two out and can't find anything
currently made that I like for balance anyways near as much...

Newp, it's a 7447, a primarily plastic 3x21" beastie.
Balance? Bwahahahahah!


Unfortunately, the particular gears that are worn are no longer
available to repair mine...

Check over on rec.crafts.metalworking. Maybe someone there is bored to
tears and will make them for you to fend off the boredom.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:51:32 -0500, "Norman D. Crow" wrote:





"Silvan" wrote in message
...
Gino wrote:

I couldn't live without a Dremel.
I even used it to remove the exhaust system from my 3/4 ton pickup.

How many cutoff wheels did YOU go through?

Get the larger (1 1/4") fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheels, they work
great.

I love those.
But they are costly little suckers as well.
I bought 3 kits boxed in nice wood cases just to get the 8 cutoff wheels in
each.
The 80 piece kit was cheaper than buying the 8 disks alone.

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 09:40:39 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:


"Gino" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 02:39:20 GMT, Patriarch

wrote:

Silvan wrote in
:

Gino wrote:

I couldn't live without a Dremel.
I even used it to remove the exhaust system from my 3/4 ton pickup.

How many cutoff wheels did YOU go through?


For about the same price, I bought a DeWalt low angle grinder and a
diamond
cutting wheel. You can cut a lot of stuff with that rig, and very
quickly.

Dremel stuff is too light duty for my Binford tastes.

But the Dremel is tiny.
It was the only tool that I had that could do the job.

Sigh..... this one's going to take a while. Gino... listen to me. I know
these things. Torches. Torches, Gino. They look really cool when they're
parked over in the corner, and you don't have to worry about tiny spaces.
With torches you can make spaces big enough to comfortably work in.

My SO doesn't allow me to play with fire since the time I lit up the neighbors
fence while killing weeds with a tiger torch.g

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 17:35:51 -0500, Silvan
calmly ranted:

foggytown wrote:

And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why the
hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

Interesting thread. I can think of a lot of contenders for most useless.
However, the tool that clearly takes the cake is the first hand plane I
ever bought, quite a long time before I ever really settled down with the
notion of trying to make interesting things out of wood. I think I bought
it to trim a door in an apartment.

Ditto my first hand plane. It was a jewel from India via the HF store.
I hated that thing for years until I learned to Scary Sharp(tm) it.
It was my first practice iron for the process and I'll be damned if it
didn't teach me how to perfect the technique. After that, I used it a
few times, primarily for taking paint off doors and such. It's a great
toolbox plane and needs to be sharpened after each use, but I wouldn't
abuse my other fine planes to the crap I use this one for. (Y'know,
door trimming, nail finding, the occasional hammer, that kind of
stuff.) It is, however, the only -new- iron plane I've ever bought.
All the rest are wood or old arn. No aloonimum or plastic, please.


I can come up with other tools that really aren't very useful. My hot glue
gun hasn't been seen since I don't know when, and I don't really miss it.
My Crapsman router and table is a tool the use of which is best studiously
avoided.

Ah, yes. The venerable Crapsman routah table. I need to sell mine.
I have no idea why I didn't leave it in the garage at the last house.
Alyouminium top, sheetmetal legs, and not drilled for my B&D routah
pattern. Hey, I know: I'll put it on Ebay and MAKE A MILLION!


My cheap Delta scrollsaw is a close second to this plane for most
useless, poorly-conceived purchase, but even that stupid space waster has
proven sort of halfway useful at least twice. No, the plane wins, hands
down.

My B&D jigsaur is a close second to the belt sanduh.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 01:12:24 GMT, "Bullwinkle J. Moose"
calmly ranted:

Does the Ronco Popeil Pocket Fisherman count?

Only if it entailed a trip to the ER and you have pics of
the nurse's reaction to WHERE the fishhook stuck you.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 00:37:12 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
calmly ranted:

Not aimed directly at the last poster but just a general observation:

It's amazing how many of us hold onto stuff we'll never (again) use. Many
times, the plaintive cry is, "But it's worth more than I can get out of it."
Wrong. It's worth exactly NOTHING sitting unused on your shelf. If you
sold it to someone, that would accomplish two things: 1) give a disused
piece of equipment new life, and 2) put a few bucks in your pocket which you
could use to buy wood for a new project.

A couple of my friends have been teaching me that lesson. They refer
to the tools/etc. I own as "sunk costs". You've already paid it and
you'll never get that back. Anything you get for it is money in your
pocket, so just DO it! On the shelf, unused, it's worth nothing, as
you stated.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 02:56:29 -0500, Silvan
calmly ranted:

And hey, speaking of useless, SWMBO's vacuum cleaner is USELESS. I swear I
can get the floor clean faster raking the carpet with my bare fingers and
putting dog fur and other miscellany in the trash by hand. What a piece of
crap. No wonder she never uses it.

Have the local Goodwill and Salivation Army stores keep an eye
on a Hoover vac for you. It'll be under $50 and they can nearly
suck chrome off a doorknob. they're a good investment, and some
come with the original $1,200 worth of attachments, like a carpet
shampooer, car washer, house painter, etc.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 23:09:05 GMT, mark wrote:

"Dave Hinz" wrote in message
...

Oh yeah, got one of those too. Also as a gift. Also from SWMBO...
I used it to cut some round cuts on tile (toilet flange), and the tile
got into the front bearing and it squeals like a pig now.

That's funny -- here's a tip for you from someone who hates to throw
anything out. I had it in my hands, on the way to the trash, because mine
squealed exactly like yours. Then I thought, "what the hell, it's only 4
screws. The least I can do is see what makes it tick, then cut the cord off

OK, what is it with us people and cutting off cords from stuff when we
toss them? Have any of us actually _used_ one of these cords? I also
have a rack of hanging cords, the NEMA-standard computer plug type cords,
because every time I toss something I keep the cord. Yet, new purchases
always come with a new cord. What the hell am I (are we) thinking?

if it's nothing obviously wrong. So...it wasn't the bearing. The squealing
is caused by the little white finned cooling fan slipping down on the shiny,
polished (yeah, good move) shaft, and contacting the plastic housing. I
clipped mine completely out, and the tool works fine now.

Ah. Thanks, I'll try that the next time I excavate the shop down to where
it might be.

I have no idea
what I will EVER use it for, but I did see some kind of cut-off sheel
attachment that looked marginally useful....but probably not. But i didn't
throw it out.

Of course not. That Simply Isn't Done. Which explains my shop.

Dave Hinz

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 18:52:28 -0700, Mark & Juanita wrote:

Funny thing is, that doesn't always happen. I had one of those Wagner
paint drip squirters a number of years ago.

The roller-hollow-handle type, or the "buzz to make your whole arm numb"
type? (got both).

A while later my wife asked him whether he had
a chance to use it yet; he replied, "oh yeah, it works great!" uh-huh.

Maybe it does. If you get the paint watered down _just right_ (that
v-shaped drip stick vs. time thing), it doesn't suck, but the spray
pattern is horrible. Compressed air and a good Binks is the way to go.

Now we'll just use some glue to hold things in place until the brads dry

I just noticed what that actually says.

Dave

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 01:12:24 GMT, Bullwinkle J. Moose wrote:
Does the Ronco Popeil Pocket Fisherman count?

No, I think those are stipulated to be useless before you buy them. I
_think_ the topic here is things which were surprisingly useless?

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:37:10 -0800, Larry Jaques novalidaddress@di wrote:
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 01:12:24 GMT, "Bullwinkle J. Moose"
calmly ranted:

Does the Ronco Popeil Pocket Fisherman count?

Only if it entailed a trip to the ER and you have pics of
the nurse's reaction to WHERE the fishhook stuck you.

Wanna share your story here, Larry?

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 17:22:32 -0800, Larry Jaques novalidaddress@di wrote:

(Disclaimer: I was in Searz to return an old broken Crapsman tool
which they no longer made. I finally settled on a $15 gift card
from them. It took me 3 months to get to the gift card ting and
to find something to purchase from them. I settled on a long-sleeve
shirt and a philips/flat screwdriver blade.)

I'm gonna play the "take back b0rken sockets" game in the next week
or so. Someone _gave_ me a 5-gallon pail, half full of "my asshole
brother's tools". There are sockets in there that are split, some
smushed (how the hell do you smush a socket?), and a ton of duplicates
to what I already have, but enough new ones to be nice. I'm not sure
what they'll say about the collection of crap, but I'm going to try it.

Anyone heard of a socket exchange, so I can turn these duplicates into
sizes I don't have but need?

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 19:08:37 -0800, Gino wrote:
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 02:39:20 GMT, Patriarch
wrote:

Dremel stuff is too light duty for my Binford tastes.

But the Dremel is tiny.
It was the only tool that I had that could do the job.

I have a Dremel with a flexi-shaft (think 'speedometer cable in a sheath'),
and that sucker can get in to _very_ tight places. I use it maybe once
a year, but when I need it, there's nothing else that will work.

Oh yeah, got one of those too. Also as a gift. Also from SWMBO...
I used it to cut some round cuts on tile (toilet flange), and the tile
got into the front bearing and it squeals like a pig now.

That's funny -- here's a tip for you from someone who hates to throw
anything out. I had it in my hands, on the way to the trash, because
mine
squealed exactly like yours. Then I thought, "what the hell, it's only
4
screws. The least I can do is see what makes it tick, then cut the cord
off

OK, what is it with us people and cutting off cords from stuff when we
toss them? Have any of us actually _used_ one of these cords? I also
have a rack of hanging cords, the NEMA-standard computer plug type cords,
because every time I toss something I keep the cord. Yet, new purchases
always come with a new cord. What the hell am I (are we) thinking?

You need to get a lathe and make some lamps.

Actually I _have_ used a couple of these cords for original electronics
projects and repairs, but I've got a shoebox full of them and I made a
concious decision last year to stop saving them. Like you said, new things
come with them. Like you didn't say, new things these days wear out faster
than ever, so there will always be a supply of cords. But it just doesn't
feel right to throw away something that's still functional, no matter how
useless it might be.

- Owen -

Tom Watson wrote:
snippage of a rather good list.



Add, sea monkeys.

UA100

Dave Hinz wrote:

OK, what is it with us people and cutting off cords from stuff when we
toss them? Have any of us actually _used_ one of these cords? I also
have a rack of hanging cords, the NEMA-standard computer plug type
cords, because every time I toss something I keep the cord. Yet, new
purchases always come with a new cord. What the hell am I (are we)
thinking?

About 3 minutes after cutting a new extension cord to wire up a 4' light
fixture in my shop I realized I could have used any one of about 20 spare
computer cords... Ah well, it's just money...

-- Mark

foggytown wrote:
And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why
the hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

I have 4 nice routers, all 1/2" & 1/4", but all 4 different! DW 621, PC
plunge, DW fixed base, and PC D-handle.

I wish I wish I wish I wish I'd have been smart enough to have at least two
of the routers the same, so the jigs would be interchangeable and fence
settings the same etc.

Sometimes I'd be willing to trade 3 routers for 2 more DW 621's. ;-)

-- Mark

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 17:35:51 -0500, Silvan
calmly ranted:


foggytown wrote:


And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why the
hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

Interesting thread. I can think of a lot of contenders for most useless.
However, the tool that clearly takes the cake is the first hand plane I
ever bought, quite a long time before I ever really settled down with the
notion of trying to make interesting things out of wood. I think I bought
it to trim a door in an apartment.


Ditto my first hand plane. It was a jewel from India via the HF store.
I hated that thing for years until I learned to Scary Sharp(tm) it.
It was my first practice iron for the process and I'll be damned if it
didn't teach me how to perfect the technique. After that, I used it a
few times, primarily for taking paint off doors and such. It's a great
toolbox plane and needs to be sharpened after each use, but I wouldn't
abuse my other fine planes to the crap I use this one for. (Y'know,
door trimming, nail finding, the occasional hammer, that kind of
stuff.) It is, however, the only -new- iron plane I've ever bought.
All the rest are wood or old arn. No aloonimum or plastic, please.



I can come up with other tools that really aren't very useful. My hot glue
gun hasn't been seen since I don't know when, and I don't really miss it.
My Crapsman router and table is a tool the use of which is best studiously
avoided.


Ah, yes. The venerable Crapsman routah table. I need to sell mine.
I have no idea why I didn't leave it in the garage at the last house.
Alyouminium top, sheetmetal legs, and not drilled for my B&D routah
pattern. Hey, I know: I'll put it on Ebay and MAKE A MILLION!


My cheap Delta scrollsaw is a close second to this plane for most

useless, poorly-conceived purchase, but even that stupid space waster has
proven sort of halfway useful at least twice. No, the plane wins, hands
down.


My B&D jigsaur is a close second to the belt sanduh.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

I've still got that router table and router, from the Sears in New
London CT circa 1981. Had to replace the shaft locking mechanism
but it's pretty much permanently mounted with at 3/8" round over
bit in it. Only adjustments are when I want to knock less than
that off, and I drop the body a little father down. Of course
when I stopped at the parts place to order the parts I picked up
another router, with built in vac attachment and bag. It's been
OK for what little I've used it.
Joe

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 06:56:12 GMT, mac davis
calmly ranted:

On 29 Dec 2004 08:02:38 -0800, "foggytown" wrote:

And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why the
hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

For me it's a B&D "electric file" - basically a needle-nose belt
sander. It's a something that should be handy as hell but it's just
too damned vicious. Touch it to a piece of wood and you have instant
"**** - too much". I've never been able to get anything done with it.
Next?

FoggyTown
"Cut to shape . . . pound to fit."

reconditioned Wagner "power (yeah, right) painter"...
tried it for staining a redwood fence, it couldn't even do THAT!

Gift: deluxe wood burning set...
right! I'm left handed and never learned to double joint my wrist to
write upside down...
How the hell could I do wood burning, when even I can't read my
handwriting?

My neighbor wants one of those old woodburning sets. Want to get
rid of it, cheap?

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:26:30 -0800, Gino wrote:
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:51:32 -0500, "Norman D. Crow" wrote:

Get the larger (1 1/4") fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheels, they work
great.

I love those.
But they are costly little suckers as well.

True, but a set of 3 will outlast a whole "tube" of the brittle abrasive-only
ones.

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 12:17:18 -0500, Owen Lawrence wrote:
(Dave Hinz wrote

I also
have a rack of hanging cords, the NEMA-standard computer plug type cords,
because every time I toss something I keep the cord. Yet, new purchases
always come with a new cord. What the hell am I (are we) thinking?

You need to get a lathe and make some lamps.

Got one. Two actually, one for wood, one for metal. Need to dig out
the russian olive & see if it's ready maybe?

Actually I _have_ used a couple of these cords for original electronics
projects and repairs, but I've got a shoebox full of them and I made a
concious decision last year to stop saving them.

How's that working out for you?

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 17:41:22 GMT, Mark Jerde wrote:
Dave Hinz wrote:

OK, what is it with us people and cutting off cords from stuff when we
toss them? Have any of us actually _used_ one of these cords?

About 3 minutes after cutting a new extension cord to wire up a 4' light
fixture in my shop I realized I could have used any one of about 20 spare
computer cords... Ah well, it's just money...

Mark. I have to wire in about a half-dozen light fixtures in (guess
where) my shop, and you just answered a question for me. Thanks for pointing
out what I should have been able to see. Seriously, I was going to hardwire
them but the boxes I hung are for outlets, so it wasn't going anywhere.

Dave Hinz wrote:

Thanks for pointing out what I should have been able
to see. Seriously, I was going to hardwire
them but the boxes I hung are for outlets, so it wasn't
going anywhere.

Glad I could help. ;-) Every time I turn on the lights and see that wasted
extension cord I think, "dumba**".

-- Mark

On 30 Dec 2004 18:15:57 GMT, Dave Hinz wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:26:30 -0800, Gino wrote:
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:51:32 -0500, "Norman D. Crow" wrote:

Get the larger (1 1/4") fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheels, they work
great.

I love those.
But they are costly little suckers as well.

True, but a set of 3 will outlast a whole "tube" of the brittle abrasive-only
ones.

I agree.
Those brittle *******s aren't worth the time to attach them to shaft. I never
use them except for detailing the copper and brass bits and pieces I use in my
box making.

Someone told me using two at a time works better but I've never tried it.

Dave Hinz wrote:

....
... sockets in there that are split, some
smushed (how the hell do you smush a socket?), and a ton of duplicates
to what I already have, but enough new ones to be nice. I'm not sure
what they'll say about the collection of crap, but I'm going to try it.

Anyone heard of a socket exchange, so I can turn these duplicates into
sizes I don't have but need?

They don't give a flip about what shape they're in or what caused it (as
long as it's Craftsman, not Companion or any of the other names) but
afaik they'll only exchange for what you got...

Can't hurt to ask, though, although I'd guess they'll not unless you get
somebody who just doesn't care...

Larry Jaques wrote:

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 16:23:12 -0600, Duane Bozarth
calmly ranted:

Larry Jaques wrote:
...
B&D belt sander. This one is over 30 years old and has seen about
3 hours total work in that time. ...

Is it the 735 3x24 by any chance? I'll be more than happy to pay you
for it plus shipping...I have worn two out and can't find anything
currently made that I like for balance anyways near as much...

Newp, it's a 7447, a primarily plastic 3x21" beastie.
Balance? Bwahahahahah!

Rats!!! The 735 was the metal casing, motor between the wheels
design...unfortunately, the geared drive shaft (which is the rotor) is
the weak link in that design as there's a real size problem to get it
all to fit in the available space...

Unfortunately, the particular gears that are worn are no longer
available to repair mine...

Check over on rec.crafts.metalworking. Maybe someone there is bored to
tears and will make them for you to fend off the boredom.
....

Hmmm....thanks for the thought...I'll give it a shot...

"Gino" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 09:40:39 -0500, "Mike Marlow"

wrote:

My SO doesn't allow me to play with fire since the time I lit up the
neighbors
fence while killing weeds with a tiger torch.g

SNORT!

I finished the back yard, hit a weed near the gate as I went to work out
front. Finished the front and went back to find the gate in flames. Garden
hose wouldn't reach that side of the house, but had plento 5 gal buckets
laying about. The chipboard used to patch the gate was very hard to put
out.

Some time later I was doing isolated weeds in the gravel when someone
shouted 'Hey, you can't do that in the city'. Was a fireman peeking over
the fence.

"Dave Hinz" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 01:12:24 GMT, Bullwinkle J. Moose
wrote:
Does the Ronco Popeil Pocket Fisherman count?

No, I think those are stipulated to be useless before you buy them. I
_think_ the topic here is things which were surprisingly useless?

Hey, that's the one I caught a boyscout with. And boy was I ****ed to see a
3 hook lure sticking out of my arm...

Huh. Am I the only one to bring home a shinny new toy from Harbor Freight
only to be put on the shelf next to the same item still in it's box?

When the heck did I buy that?

"foggytown" wrote in message
oups.com...
And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why the
hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

For me it's a B&D "electric file" - basically a needle-nose belt
sander. It's a something that should be handy as hell but it's just
too damned vicious. Touch it to a piece of wood and you have instant
"**** - too much". I've never been able to get anything done with it.
Next?

FoggyTown
"Cut to shape . . . pound to fit."

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 00:37:12 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
wrote:

Not aimed directly at the last poster but just a general observation:

It's amazing how many of us hold onto stuff we'll never (again) use. Many
times, the plaintive cry is, "But it's worth more than I can get out of it."
Wrong. It's worth exactly NOTHING sitting unused on your shelf. If you
sold it to someone, that would accomplish two things: 1) give a disused
piece of equipment new life, and 2) put a few bucks in your pocket which you
could use to buy wood for a new project.

Strangely enough, I'm starting to look at a whole stack of antique
hand tools that way. I have been accumulating them from various
sources because people know I do woodworking and I just might be able
to use grandpa's old chest drill or whatever. Frankly I have no
interest in doing woodworking that way - too much of what I do is, of
necessity, outcome based. I don't even have a place to display them,
so they sit in boxes scattered hither and yon between attic storage,
two sheds and the garashop. I don't feel right selling them, but...

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 20:38:45 -0500, "Bill Stock"
wrote:


"mark" wrote in message
...
A rotozip tool. How can they even sell one? Why did I buy one? I thought
I could use it to rough out some sheetrock electrical socket holes, but it
was pretty crappy.
This one gets my vote. Created so much damn dust, I was back to my drywall
saw in a flash.

I bought the $19.95 HF clone. I use it every time I do drywall work
with a good guidepoint bit. It is, without question, one of the
absolutely essential tools for hanging drywall at anything but a
casual amateur level. Every professional drywaller I know uses one and
I would have killed for such a tool back when I was doing it
professionally. The dust is a pretty minor thing when you compare the
speed and accuracy issues.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

My POS is a little shelf pin drilling jig called the "gizmo 32" (
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=4376 ) It is a small jig
with a fence and base that had two guide pins and two drill bits. In
theory, the jig was chucked into a drill and drilled two shelf pin holes at
a time, Then the jig was moved until the guide pin engaged in one of the
holes and the process repeated. Although a good idea, the guide pins are
not tight in the holes drilled, therefore, the hole spacing can vary. Dummy
me, thinking this thing was a great invention, went right into drilling
holes for the shelf on a finished ambrosia maple case with out trying it out
on a practice piece first and the holes on either side of the case ended up
3/8" off after drilling about 20" worth of holes. Even after practicing on
some scrap after the fact, i wasn't able to make the holes line up any
better than 1/4". The damn thing came in a plain box with NO instructions
from Woodcraft, and it will be returning there shortly. The thing has
potential to be a good jig, but needs MUCH more refinement to be
ccurate. --dave


"Mark Jerde" wrote in message
news:CaXAd.12303$tG3.10815@trnddc02...
foggytown wrote:
And now in a burst of refreshing honesty we're all going to admit to
the most useless, waste-of-money, unnecessary, white elephant, "why
the hell did I ever buy that" tool in our arsenal.

I have 4 nice routers, all 1/2" & 1/4", but all 4 different! DW 621, PC
plunge, DW fixed base, and PC D-handle.

I wish I wish I wish I wish I'd have been smart enough to have at least
two
of the routers the same, so the jigs would be interchangeable and fence
settings the same etc.

Sometimes I'd be willing to trade 3 routers for 2 more DW 621's. ;-)

-- Mark

On 30 Dec 2004 16:53:11 GMT, Dave Hinz wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 01:12:24 GMT, Bullwinkle J. Moose wrote:
Does the Ronco Popeil Pocket Fisherman count?

No, I think those are stipulated to be useless before you buy them. I
_think_ the topic here is things which were surprisingly useless?

You know, the Pocket Fisherman gets a lot of bad press, but as long as
you didn't expect it to act like your $100 rod/reel, it was OK.

My dad received one for Christmas one year and didn't want it, so I
carried it around in my trunk and used it every once in a while when
I'd be out somewhere and decide to go fishing without having to go
home first to get my "real" rig.

I never had to try reeling in a 10 lb. speckled trout with it, but it
worked fine for light-duty work. Caught a few bass, crappie, and
catfish with it.

Only real (reel?) problem I had with it was trying to get new line on
the reel was frustrating.

MP
Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

"Joe Gorman" wrote in message
...
snip
I've still got that router table and router, from the Sears in New
London CT circa 1981. Had to replace the shaft locking mechanism
but it's pretty much permanently mounted with at 3/8" round over
bit in it. Only adjustments are when I want to knock less than
that off, and I drop the body a little father down. Of course
when I stopped at the parts place to order the parts I picked up
another router, with built in vac attachment and bag. It's been
OK for what little I've used it.
Joe

Don't know which table y'all are talking about. Family gave me one for b'day
about 8yr. ago, the "professional" model. I mounted it on a permanent
platform. The more I learn here, the more I wish for something better, but
it has served me adequately. Someone said it wouldn't accommodate their B&D
router, same here, as that's all I had @ the time. I marked, drilled &
tapped the B&D base to mount it in the table. There is another way though .
.. Sears makes a "universal adapter" plate for the table so it will accept
other routers.

--
Nahmie
Those on the cutting edge bleed a lot.