What is your most used tool?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

As a matter of interest is a marking or measuring instrument a tool? A quick search pulled up this definition of a tool.

A tool is, among other things, a device that provides a mechanical or mental advantage in accomplishing a task. Most tools employ some form of simple machine, or a combination of them.

A professional artist or even a housepainter would be extremely peeved if being told their brushes, etc. couldn't be deducted as "tools of trade."

No matter how accurate a bandsaw, tablesaw, or whatever tool you use, it'd soon prove to be pretty useless without appropriate layout tools. Including squares, rulers, pencils and scribes.

[masoth]

My constant companion and most handled tool is home made - I call it my "doubtabout".
We've all had the message 'Measure twice. cut once', well I use my doubtabout to ensure I have time to rethink all moves, and there is no doubtabout it having saved me much frustration and embarassment.

Make one, and try it. Mine is a simple lenght of dowel painted bright yellow with even brighter red ends. I hold it from the time I unlock my Playroom.

Edit: Sorry. I vote 'Other'.

[Driver]

I voted for hand plane without giving it too much thought. On reflection - and having read through the posts above - I'd still vote the same way.

I reckon that I would use one of my hand planes every time I do any woodworking. Even if I don't need to use a plane for the particular task I'm working on, I nearly always just put a piece of wood in the vice and take a couple of swipes for the sheer pleasure!

I reckon that, as with standing and/or leaning and staring, it is a Code of Practice requirement to do something useless and unnecessary every time a bloke goes into the workshop.

Col

[Simomatra]

Definitely the pencil for me

Cheers Sam

[Waldo]

G'day,

Tools I most use in progression are:

• ruler;
• pencil;
• square;
• bandsaw with dusty;
• jointer with dusty;
• face plate sander;
• sanding block; and
• paint brush.

and somewhere in between depending on what I'm doing:

• drill press; and
• lathe.

Yeah, I know it says hand tool but they're all held in your hand aren't they?

[RufflyRustic]

I reckon I use my handsaws more than anything else, but now that I'm starting to use planes, they are fast becoming a close second and maybe a first.

I just love darksiding away

cheers
Wendy

[doug the slug]

measure twice, cut once. DAMN:mad: get another piece

measure three times, cut once DAMN again:mad: :mad: get another piece

Measure five times, cut once

Gotta be the tape measure for me

[Sturdee]

IMO the workshop, the way it is laid out and organised to suit the working needs of its owner, is a tool in itself. At least in my case it is.

So I voted other.

Peter.

[Buzzer]

As a beginner woodie, I have been practicing my marking out/measuring, and I would have to say try square at this stage, with my chisels and hand saw a close second.

Looking forward to buying my first electron burner soon, hopefully at Brissy woodshow(not made my mind up what to buy yet!!)

[masoth]

Hey Doug. I've a mate who when challenged for cutting a length of steel too short replied, "It's my ****** steel, I'll cut where I want!", and this was not said with the intention of being funny.
The same bloke is sort of famous for saying, "The nearer we got, the farther she got away!"

soth

[DPB]

Veritas Saddle Square.

[Shedhand]

WHile I'm building the shed and stuff its my Wally 14.4 cordless and the Makita 24v for the heavy duty stuff.

[doug the slug]

Veritas Saddle Square.

Don i like the look of the saddle square. it looks robust and accurate, being solid and almost impossible to knock out of square. would be just the thing to eliminate parallex error when continuing a line around a piece of square or rectangular stock. where do you buy them?

Oh, and, um, err, i think you could improve even further on accuracy in marking out if you buy a good pencil sharpener

[DPB]

Doug, that's one of the reasons I love this tool. This is where I purchased mine. http://tinyurl.com/f2qnw They also sell a 45 degree saddle square.

[fred.n]

roughing gouge
turning it's so addictive, followed closley by the dust extractor???
I must remember.......start extractor?? start lathe?? lol