Nicest shop made tooling?

[Jim Estes]

Over the years I have made several of the hand tools that I use every day in my shop. To include, (2) identical 6"x6" sine plates, (2) identical electrode blocks (like 3R or Sunspot), large angle plates, V-blocks, 1-2-3 blocks, 1/2 blocks, parallels, and a large planer gage.

I also made a set of matched parallels 1" x 2" x 18" with bolt holes for mounting on a cnc machine. They were A-2 and were precision ground to within 0.0002" over the entire length. Too bad they were for the shop I used to work for. Which reminds me I need to make a set of those for myself.

I admire all of the guys who have the time to spend making tools just for the sake of making their own tools. I haven't had the time to do that in a lot of years.

Jim

[Chuck Reamer]

Well lets see here, 1-2-3 blocks, V-blocks, several sets of parallels, precicion vise, 5 axis work stop, hardend wedges, fly cutter, small alluminum hammer, tap handle, trammels, brass and aluminum punches, lots of plastic file handles.

[Jim Estes]

The hammer you mentioned reminded me of a hammer that my father-in-law made in trade school over 30 years ago. It was all stainless steel, ball peen style, with a cap on the handle that was threaded and you could store stuff in the handle. He had given it to his uncle, who passed away a few years ago. When his wife passed last year, they had an auction and sold all the personal property. I saw the hammer in a box of junk tools, and I instantly knew what it was and I had to have it. I must have given away the secret because that box of junk cost me $40 and the only thing I wanted was the hammer that noone else knew anything about.

Jim

[Mcgyver]

I spend a lot of time there, well mores tools than tooling to be precise. Universal pillar tool with drill head, graduated leadscrew handle for lathe, 24" sheet metal roller, 24" finger brake, copper tube straightening mill, precision tube bender (for small dai tube & radius bend), sensitive drill press table, T&C univise, V block drill sharpening head for univise, all kinds of bits and pieces and currently a spot welder and lite cnc machine