Goat Tool Day 28
14How about a random collection of things that don’t really merit a whole day to themselves?
Automatic center punch.
A starting hole makes drilling a lot easier and more precise. The stone-age way is to whack a pointy thing with a hammer. I was going to call it the old-fashioned way, but automatic center punches were invented about 1900. The mechanisms vary, but the usage is the same, press down on the tool, and a some point the stored energy suddenly releases, and hammers the bit into the material. Harbor Freight, or just about anywhere, has cheapies for $5 or so, but I prefer something a little nicer like a Starrett or General Tools for $20-30.
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Badger Model Paint Mixer
This is pretty specialized, but I wish I’d found it decades ago. Model paints tend to settle out. Sometimes I’ve passively worked around this by storing bottles on their lids or sides. And I’ve just mixed them with a toothpick or tiny screwdriver. The Badger mixer is the same thing as a drill powered mixer for big cans of paint, just scaled way down. It’s powered by 2 AA batteries, and the mixer shaft just presses onto the motor shaft. Mine was about $13 from Amazon, but I’ve seen it as cheap as $9.
@blaineg Looks like an Ikea milk frother.
/image Ikea PRODUKT
It’s also powered by a pair of AAs. Price is about $3 in stores.
@narfcake It does look about the same, but that attachment looks way too big to fit into a paint bottle. Great price though!
Magnifiers are a wide field (with a narrow field of view).
For a head mounted magnifier, I started with one of these (well my first one was unlighted, but the same general design):
It works, but the LED light uses 2 AAA’s and it isn’t very bright even with new batteries.
Six months ago I got this Yoctosun from Amazon. It uses 3 AA batteries and is very bright. There are 6 interchangeable lenses and three points of adjustment for the lens. You can use the glasses-like earpieces or the headband. Much better than the first one, and well worth $16.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H8808H6/
Needle point tweezers with a magnifier and LED. These things are great for getting splinters out. $11 Carson makes a lot of nice magnifers, so you’ll see several more of them.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011WYMI2/
The Carson MiniBrite PO-25 & PO-55 magnifiers have sliding covers and LEDs that turn on when the cover is opened fully. The difference is 3x or 5x magnification. $7-8.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011X0PDW/
The PM-33, Pocket Magnifier has 6x, 4.5x and 2.5x lenses and an LED. 2 CR2032 cells. $7
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00524H98U/
The Carson FreeHand is a rimless 2.5x / 5.5x (spot) LED magnifier, that can be handheld, or folded into a stand. $13
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002R332T4/
How about a lighted pocket microscope? Carson MicroBrite Plus variable 60x-120x Power, and variable focus, $13.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LAX52IQ/
@blaineg You can’t beat a good bench loupe!
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B016LTTS8S
@PocketBrain No, but you can forget to put it on the list, even though you have one.
@blaineg @PocketBrain Who the heck solders while holding the board with one hand, up in the air? Never mind that all of his boards are unpopulated…
@tightwad Yeah, yet another ridiculous stock image. At least he isn’t holding the iron by the hot part. Where’s the helping hands???
The Joby Gorillapod tripods are flexible in several senses of the word. You can wrap the legs around things, the feet are magnetic, and they adapt easily to uneven surfaces.
They come in several sizes
For a while Joby made Gorillatorches, which are very handy, but they’ve all been discontinued. You can still find them, but the prices seem to be going up.
Alas, poor Yorick!
They are quite useful when working on computers, as you can see.
@blaineg I own that exact same black and red GorillaTorch. Batteries leaked, everything got corroded, the light no longer works and I have no desire to start taking it all apart to clean it. That’s part of the reason I bought these as a cheap replacement.
@cinoclav That’s a shame about your Gorillatorch. Leaky batteries are a pain. I seem to have had a lot of leaks with Costco’s Kirkland AA in the past few years.
If you have any inclination to try and rescue it, I’ve found these scratch brush pens to be great for that sort of job.
They come in brass, steel, fiberglass, and nylon. I got a three pack for under $10 on Amazon.
@blaineg Interesting little brushes. I may buy them for future endeavors but I doubt I’ll make any effort to fix the Torch. I found I basically never used it for the adjustable legs, only the magnetic feet. I haven’t really missed it much.
@blaineg Snakelight, anybody?
https://smile.amazon.com/Decker-BDCF4SL-Lithium-Ion-Rechargeable-Snakelight/dp/B00FRMSMQU
@blaineg @PocketBrain Heart light anybody?
@PocketBrain I didn’t know they still made the Snakelight. I’ve still got one of the originals, and a Snakefan too.
@blaineg I have an original snakelight, but it has been missing the battery cover since the 1990s. If I find the thing, however, I may have to attempt to print the battery cover now that that’s a thing.
Everyone needs a USB hub, so why not one that’s different?
The Cube-Works Self-Destruct USB 3.0 Hub is amusing, but there’s no way it’s worth $55. I got it as a GeekPoints freebie from ThinkGeek. The USB hub part works like normal. The “self destruct” requires that three switches be activated in proper sequence, then pressing the red button under the safety cover triggers a (frankly underwhelming) explosion.
It’s still fun to play with though.
https://www.thinkgeek.com/product/jujk/
@blaineg +1000 points for being a ThinkGeek geek, and +another1000 points for my favorite Looney Tunes quote. You get another 1000 points if you can do a decent Marvin the Martian voice.
“Oh, Gossamer…”
@PocketBrain I can do Marvin, but it’s not very convincing.
The stone-age center punch method has the advantage that it almost never hops or bounces, where you have to be a little bit careful with the spring loaded punch. (And also careful not to punch your palm since they tempt you into holding the workpiece in your hand. They do work OK for punching down air nails that didn’t quite go in all the way. Or is there a special tool for that?
@walarney Punching down nails is a great idea, I’d never thought of that. You might want a blunt tip for that. I imagine finish nail setting would be a good use as well.
I have seen automatic center punches used in lettering punch sets, and emergency glass breakers.
@walarney
Maybe a nail punch?
/image nail punch
@eonfifty
ಠ_ಠ
I have better luck not bending 22ga air nails with the spring punch.
@walarney
I’ve never tried one with nails, but I wouldn’t have thought the spring punches I’ve used would have any affect on even a tiny nail.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Is this month about over yet? I don’t think I can afford another week of @blaineg’s daily posts. Every day it’s been something new I wanted to purchase!
Today I was suckered in by the Yoctosun magnifier kit. What will tomorrow bring?
@ruouttaurmind you bought a magnifier? On the way home I spotted a pristine ‘17 Camaro. If it had been a stick with two sets of wheels, it might have followed me home!
@JnKL Keep looking, there’s one out there with your name on it!
@ruouttaurmind Now about my commission…
@JnKL Much as I’d like to have that car, my budget is glad I got off the hook with only a magnifier! And maybe another small purchase…
@blaineg When I win the lottery, I’ll hire you on at six figures to be my tool crib master.
@ruouttaurmind Deal!