What is the most invaluable tool you own?

I was going through my "yard bags" the other day in an attempt to condense four bags into just one for my trip out to the salvage yard. When I finished, I realized that many, if not MOST, of the tools I had chosen to go into my primary bag were tools that I had made myself to perform a specific task at one time or another, and then along the way found other uses to which they were suited.

A great example is the hubcap pry-spoon I found in the trunk of a newer model Benz. Initially I grabbed it out of the trunk because I needed an extension to remove a tough exhaust manifold bolt on a Buick 300 V8. When I was done, it got tossed in my tool bag. I forget exactly why, but I ended up grinding the edge of the spoon to about paper thin on the bench grinder. Now, I use it all the time. I can use the beveled edge to get behind stainless trim, and the wide flat edge makes it easy to pop it off the mounts without damaging the trim. I also use it to gently pry intakes free after I've taken out all the bolts. I just position it on the edge of the gasket and tap it in. A slight push downward, and 'POP'... mani is free.

Some of the other tools are store-bought, obviously. I'd be lost without my Craftsman 19.2V impact wrench, my Snap-On ratcheting stubby screwdriver, and my Irwin 90-degree wire cutters. Can't forget about the Wiss M4R metal snips with dual edge, which prevents crimping the sheet metal by removing a strip of steel while I cut, or the extending 3/8" drive ratchet with the pivoting head.

So I got to wondering... What tools do you most covet? What interesting tools have you MADE to perform a task, only to find it had a million more uses? What one tool would you be absolutely lost without?

 

phillips screw driver or a hammer would hate to lose either

 

my ears.

and pliers

 

The internet.

 

Bfh.....

 

Look lower.....

 

Bridgeport !

 

my brain? NO WAIT!! COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I actually picked up a NICE BFH the other day... Can't say I was shopping for one, but when I saw it I had to have it. It's made by Dead-On, and I believe it is actually intended to be used in framing. I haven't framed shit in YEARS, so I didn't get it for that, but it does have a bottle opener...

 

Duct tape

 

Too much mythbusters,,

 

Has to be my electric drill, assortment of screwdrivers, hammer, and port-o-power!

CB

 

My health
My family.
My dogs.
Shop towels.
Hammers.
Gas torch set.

 

the HAMB....

 

Leatherman!

 

my 1/2" impact wrench

my LOOOOOONG mac tools pry bar

12v dewalt 3/8 impact driver (i use this sh!t on everything!)

 

My VISA card

 

glock. to protect everything else that's important to me.

Russ

 

My hands....

 

Yep!

 

My big hammer. It fixes everything except electrical problems.

 

the bandaid , no matter how carefull i am ,i always manage to lose some skin

 

Hit harder.

 

I have a Snap On electric screwdriver with a 1/4" adapter and a my 3/8 electric impact, I use them everyday all day long. my mobile coppressor is nice too when I can get my truck to stuff in the woods.

 

I agree.

 

1) Welder
2) Grinder w/ cut off discs
3) Pick hammer

 

pepsi.

 

Webb mill, logan lathe, and miller plasma arc.
also Snapon and proto pullers.
Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time

 

The key to my shop.

 

Lathe by far. There are lots of tools I love and wouldn't want to be without but I could use something else to do the work of just about any one of them without making the job too much harder but I would be hard pressed to duplicate what I do on my lathe with any other combination of tools.