Last year I put together an Ultimate Tool Gift Guide that included great non-gimmicky tools that offer unique functionality, great quality, or reliable performance. Some of these tools are also the kind that one would spend a gift card on, but not cash. Take a look at the gift guide and I’m sure you’ll see what I mean.
I have no shortage of fresh ideas for this year’s recommendations, but am thinking that a Reader’s Choice section might be a nice addition.
To help get your ideas flowing, here are two questions to consider:
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What would you get for a friend or family member that already has a large tool set?
Which tool, or tools, do you want to add to your own tool set, but cannot quite justify buying just yet because you don’t exactly “need” it.
fred
Thinking about some of my go-to woodworking tools and how I’ve seen others struggle with some run-of-the mill tools, I’d recommend folks looking at some of the following:
A high quality low-angle block plane – either Lie-Nielsen (I use a 60-1/2) or Veritas
A high quality smoothing plane – I use a Lie Nielsen 4B and a Veritas 05P39.01
A quality combination square – e.g. Starrett C33H-12-4R
A Track saw – I love my Festool TS 55REQ – but there are other less pricey options
A Festool Domino joiner – it changed the way I work – bought the Festool 700 – and use it with Seneca Woodworking aftermarket adapters.
I also highly recommend upgrading your table saw blade and/or your miter saw blade for fine cutting. I’ve been happy with offerings from Forrest, Tenryu and Freud. My ex-compatriots are also singing the praises of Freud’s new Pergo blade (D1216F etc.) – for cutting laminate flooring.
I recently purchased a set of Jack Clamps – from a company called Lowell Thomas Tools – and think that they offer some advantages – but some of my go-to clamps are Bessey SG8
If you are into wood carving and related crafts – and now using a Dremel – maybe take a look at: A Foredom – I use an SX series motor and a few different handpieces for most everything
I also can highly recommend Razertip Pyrography pens and power supplies.
I use hand carving gouges from Flexcut and Two Cherries and also use rasps/file that I like from Microplane (Grace Mfg.) and Iwasaki
A good set of gunsmith (parallel ground tip) screwdrivers is also something worth having. I bought mine as a set from Brownells (080-454-000WB)
If you do a lot with hot-melt glue – a quality gun (My wife loves her 3M 89445) it is something you may wish to try – This one is not as pricey as some – but be prepared for sticker shock – and the glue sticks can be pricey too.
John S
If I had the money and an actual shop space, the four things I would absolutely love would be: Hammer A3-31 planer/jointer, Hammer K3 Winner table saw, a Felder or Laguna band saw, and one of these workbenches:
Barth Vakuucar, http://www.martin-usa.com/products/vakuucar-vakuucar-xl/
RUWI Ergo-Mobil http://www.bruendler.ch/_pdf/ruwi-ergomobil_pro_typ.pdf
or Einemann MT1 assembly table http://montagetische.info/cms/front_content.php?idcat=10&lang=2
Now, dream land aside… a few random things:
Stabila level set (37524)
Bessey LC4 or LC8 clamps (to use with mft/3)
Betterley Una Gauge
pretty much anything woodworking related from Lee Valley 🙂
Bosch GAS18v vac
fred
I really like the look of the Betterley Una Gauge – and am very familiar with Betterley’s adaptations of PC routers which are mainstays in many cabinet shops. Thanks for the recommendation.
Allen
In my wood shop apron I have a Lisle automatic center punch. That thing is great on wood, not so great on metal.
HJE has a 4″ double square from Products Engineering. Very accurate and handy.
I have those two things with me at all times.
I have some headphones from Direct Sound. Made in Missouri, good price and very good noise reduction. MP3 compatible, very happy with them.
fred
Starrett makes a couple of different automatic center punches – I use their #818 – which is adjustable and does well on many metals.
Tom
I think that anything Wera is pretty much tool porn and would qualify under these parameters. The ratcheting screwdriver looks great, as does the regular multi-bit one. I like that you can pull the shank out and throw it right into a drill.
These are both just too expensive to justify buying, but would be most welcomed as gifts!
James C
I bought the non-ratcheting version as a B-day gift for myself after I had lost my old standby, a Klein 10-in-1. The Wera is great. It’s almost funny how over-engineered it is. I don’t think of it as gimmicky and it is certainly very well made, but it’s probably too much screwdriver for my needs. That being said, I think it would be a good gift for someone who appreciates high-quality tools.
Derek
Here’s a few of my favorite tools. Many of them I have ToolGuyd to thank for pointing me to
Knipex Cobra or Pliers Wrench
Felo screwdrivers and bit holders, I have a LOT of these now
Makita LS1018 Miter Saw, just got it but its a fantastic saw for the price $325 at Amazon. I really like the looks of the Bosch CM10GD but it is double the weight and price.
Diablo circular or table saw blades
Bosch 12V drill, impact driver and recip saw
GearWrench Flex Flare Nut wrenches, or really any of their ratcheting wrenches. Also their wobble/locking extensions are neat
Aircat impact wrench
Dewalt D55146 air compressor, big enough to run an impact wrench, small enough to carry up stairs, sort of quiet
Milwaukee 49-22-8510 Right Angle Drill Attachment Kit
Dormer A012 or A097 HSS drill bits, these are fantastic and I wish Amazon kept better stock
Gerber 22-41830 EAB Pocket Knife. I carry this or the 555 mini griptillian every day
Streamlight Knucklehead 90644, you haven’t covered it yet but it’s one of my favorite and most useful work lights. I also like the Joby Gorillatorch Blade but they don’t sell it anymore despite very high ratings. Then I have Nebo Redlines stashed everywhere
I’ve been impressed so far with Tekton for cheap mechanics / hand tools. They would make good stocking stuffers
Viair 85P is a great compressor to keep in the car. Plus it it really quick to top off tires
Other things I have been looking for:
Shopvac with good airflow and suction but sort of quiet and portable to use with 1 1/4″ handheld power tools. Something in the $100 and under range, I don’t want the super expensive contractor models. I’ve been looking at a Vacmaster VF408 and Shop-Vac 9650610
SawdustTX
The Milwaukee M12 lantern with USB charger. With a phone and tablet constantly in need of charging, and the frequent need to put quality light on a work area, this thing looks very handy, but not something I’d spend my own money on since I already have numerous chargers and flashlights.
Pete
I second the m12 lantern!
Also-
-rigid heated jacket kit( if the person isn’t invested in a battery system)
-the new 12v rigid drill+driver combo
-any dewalt hand tools
-a tape measure bogo set(Stanley or milwaukee)
-wool socks!
-the keter work table you just posted
-maybe a battery powered outdoor tool (hedge trimmer, sting trimmer, pole saw) I was looking at the black and decker stuff a year ago they seemed cool.
Matt Ryan
I would give someone a domino joiner (if i could afford to give that) or a set of wrenches to get into hard spots (pivoting, bent, etc…). I cant quite justify either of those for me.
Dennis
If I was buying a gift for somebody that had a large set of tools, I’d get them one of my favorites the Rockwell Jawhorse. If you’re buying one for the first time might as well get the Sheetmaster so you can hold a 4×8′ sheet. Or you can get the plywood jaw attachment for the standard model.
I’ve also become quite fond of the Milwaukee M4 Screwdriver, I find myself using it all the time.
I’ve gone away from using carpenter’s pencils and have instead changed to 2mm lead holders. They are like mechanical pencils, but as the name suggests they hold a piece of lead that is 2mm thick as opposed to .5mm of the standard mechanical pencil. I’ve also seen these called “Carpenter’s Mechanical” and “Cabinet Maker’s” Pencils. Save yourself the markup and just buy the kind engineers and draftsmen use. They go for about $10. I believe most of the good ones come out of Japan or Germany, Staedtler, Uni, and Koh-i-noor. If you want to hit the ground running with all the accessories, you can get this set from Helix.
I am a big fan of the Streamlight Protac line of flash lights. Small size, high output, Streamlight quality, all for a relatively low price. If you want to step down the price and output a little you can look at Streamlight’s MicroStream and StylusPro.
If I was adding something to my own tool set, I really want a band-saw. I’m just not sure which one to get yet.
jkrl
My wish list (and my wife’s “don’t need it” voice):
NWS Fantastico diagonal cutters – Probably the best cutting performance today – but big, bulky, and when do I cut spring steel?
Knipex Cobolt – Similar reasons to the Fantastico
Knipex 74-12-180 – Great diagonals, on/off spring – but expensive
BTW – What I consider to be the best diagonal for everyday use are the Bahco 2101G-145/160 – relatively small, comfortable, on/off spring. I have a second hand one – A new one would also meet my wife’s “don’t need”.
Anything Snap-on – the top of the list are the screwdrivers and ratcheting screwdrivers
A Wera Zyklop 3/8″ full set, including bit attachment.
A Wera Joker or Gedore 7UR full set of ratcheting wrenches.
A full set of Bahco or Irega (Channellock) adjustable wrenches.
A 10.8V (12V max) reciprocating saw (for the once a year I need to cut wood 🙂 )
Festool T15+3 with all the optional attachments, especially the offset driver ($$$$)
Metabo SB18LTX-BL – Powerful, fast, has a full power angle attachment – and costs…and when do I need to drill 1.5″ holes? And frankly, a 10.8V impact can handle big screws at almost efficiency and less kickback.
Festool/Protool PDC 18-4 – W drill that can literally leave a screw smoking?! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OWUBMxS5VU#t=1017) Who would not want it?
Jimmie
Tools that I might gift to a friend/relative with an extensive tool collection already:
* Consumables…such as good sandpaper/discs
* A good headlamp. Definitely.
* If they have a 3D printer, filament would probably be a welcomed gift
* If they’re a woodworker…clamps, a high-quality marking gauge, a good square, some calipers
* A variety of gloves: good mechanics gloves, supple sheepskin gloves for working in the yard, a box of nitrile disposables and maybe a pair of heavy-duty rubber gloves for dealing with chemicals.
* This might sound a little strange, but a large drafting triangle. Used with a pattern router bit and you can route dead perfect right angles in seconds.
* Another thing that might sound strange…some rare-earth magnets. A 3/8″ cylindrical neodymium attached to the end of a socket extension is a great tool for retrieving stuff that you’ve dropped in the engine bay. I also keep one stuck to my drill press to hold the chuck key.
* A fire extinguisher or two. Might sound like a lame gift but I’ve seen a lot of garage workshops that didn’t have one. It’s a gift you hope they’ll never actually use.
As you’ve probably guessed, I’m sticking to small, compact gifts. If the person already has an extensive tool collection, chances are available space is already at a premium. The last thing I’d want to do is give them something bulky unless I knew it would replace something they already have.
Tools that I’d like for myself but find it hard to justify for one reason or another:
* A drum sander
* A spiral head conversion kit for my bench planer
* A solder station with hot air
* A long-reach manual pole saw/pruner. Something in the 25ft range.
Yadda
I second the following items:
Rockwell’s Jawhorse.
Knipex Plier Wrench and/or Cobra Pliers
I also like the following:
Leatherman Rebar or if you want an upgrade Leatherman Wave.
Bessey Clamps
Storage Boxes – Obviously the better ones if you can afford them, but I would take anything useful in the storage box line.