The Topic of the Month for May 2017 is; the must have tool in your shop. Please share the odd tool or jig which you made or purchased, that you couldn't get along without.
My disc grinder! I use it for so many things, blades, guards, fittings, handles, the list goes on and on. Best purchase I've made for the shop.
Bob
Probably a plate/jig I designed to hold my blades while I mill in the guard shoulders.
That really is a tough question.
Karl B. Andersen
Journeyman Smith
Aside from the obvious ones. My foredom tool. I use it for so many things from guards to matching buttcaps to stag contours.
Brion
Brion Tomberlin
Anvil Top Custom Knives
ABS Mastersmith
Yes, the usual basic tools. But I have one grinder attachment that has really helped me to speed up my work. I would really hate to do without the rotary platen.
My radio
I'm not sure that I couldn't do without this one but I re-purposed an antique drill into a twisting jig that's very handy:
Surface plate and a height gage would be mine. I use them on every knife I make to find center of the blade and also center of the handle once that is ready to be shaped. An easy to see reference line make keeping your blade straight so much easier then eyeballing it.
|quoted:
Probably a plate/jig I designed to hold my blades while I mill in the guard shoulders.
That really is a tough question.
Karl--Mill in the guard shoulders? Now that sounds interesting. You don't happen to have a video showing how you do that, do you? I've learned a lot from your videos.
I haven't ever thought of using my mill for that purpose, but it makes a lot of sense.
Steve
|quoted:
Karl--Mill in the guard shoulders? Now that sounds interesting. You don't happen to have a video showing how you do that, do you? I've learned a lot from your videos.
I haven't ever thought of using my mill for that purpose, but it makes a lot of sense.
Steve
No videos. Sorry. But I've certainly done many WIPs that show the process - I think. 
Karl B. Andersen
Journeyman Smith
|quoted:
No videos. Sorry. But I've certainly done many WIPs that show the process - I think.
Karl--OK, I'll look for them on your website. Thanks!
My "must have" tool in my shop (besides the usual) is the work rest on the belt grinder. I don't see a lot of folks using the rest to grind flats, but I took a class recently where the instructor insisted everyone use the work rest and it was revolutionary for me. I can do an ok job without the rest, but I do far better work using the rest.
Steve
Don't know it counts as a"tool", but I would have to say a workbench. I recently built a new one in my garage with a really solid top, the right height, and a lot more storage and hanging space. The difference in ease of work between this one and the old bench that was there when we moved in is night and day.
Blue painter's tape. How did anyone survive without this?
Joshua States
www.dosgatosforge.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg
https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71
Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.â€
Last month I got a tool cutter/surface grinder I've only used it on a few things but it's so easy compared to what I was doing. It's been such a fight to get things flat on the flat platen and disc. I had been saving everything to take to a friend's.
Gilbert
I have a surface grinder that needs to get finished rebuilding, and a small bench lathe I need to get going. Building a new workbench for the lathe. When I get these up and running, the only thing I need is a heat treat oven. Oh, and a 2hp motor and vfd for my grinder. Oh, and a.........I guess the guy that dies with the most toys wins!
