Tools we should all have.

Captain Lyerly wrote:All due respect to Victorinox, Gerber, et al., but "that's not a multi-tool... THIS is a multitool...


Chas.

Nice...

"Look, an obvious distraction"

Well, it was worth a try.

Z.

A.G.Morgan wrote:and the biggest, meanest drill press you can find.

In my opinion, you do not have a decent workshop if you do not have a drill press. I got one for Christmas a couple years ago (when I still rented) I kept it in a little outdoor storage box, and took it out when I needed it. And let my say, it is the difference between the shitacular and the awesome. (I could never have done my goggles nor my sword without it.)

TehZorch wrote:I've found that clamps or a vice of some sort can be the difference between a nice clean attempt at drilling a hole/cutting something and a project wrecking disaster

I am of the opinion that one can never have too many clamps. The availability of clamps of every different size strength and variety can make or break a project.

Rev. R. Farrier

Clamps are all well and gppd, but I would never be without a crystal lift, or a staking set..

Cheers
Harold

It's really quite an open ended question and really depends on exactly what you're intending to do, however I'd suggest that the following would be a good starting point for most things.

Basic toolbox.

-3/4" drive metric socket set
-Set of metric spanners
-Set of screwdrivers
-Set of micro screwdrivers
-Allen keys
-Torx drivers
-2lb and 1/2lb engineers ball pein hammers
-Steel retractable tape measure
-Engineers pliers
-Long nose pliers
-Side cutters
-Knife
-Assorted G-clamps
-Cordless drill
-Dremel type tool
-Mole grips
-Electric multi-meter
-Soldering iron

Metalwork

-Steel ruler
-Scriber
-Center punch
-Engineers square
-Set of assorted good quality files
-Set of needle files
-Set of Cobalt HSS drills
-Assorted G-clamps
-Rolls of emery paper
-Set of small EDM type oilstones
-Angle grinder


Workshop

-Pillar drill
-Bench grinder/polisher
-Sturdy workbench
-Engineer's vise
-Stick welder

For those of us unfortunate enough not to have a vise, I recommend getting something like the B&D Workmate. I have one which my parents gave me more than a decade ago, and after much abuse and one or two running repairs, it still gives good service whenever I need something held. (Before I had the Workmate I relied on the 3rd world technique of holding the workpiece with whatever limb wasn't busy doing something!)

a few winters back I bought a biggish toolbox for my sister. big plastic affair with wheels at one end and a fold out handle at the other. you could haul it about like a suitcase on wheels.
the top had a sort of vice setup very similar to the black and decker workmate, but not nearly as robust.
the good thing about the box was you could sit on it while working on stuff in the vice.
the bad thing was constantly getting up to open it and get out another tool.
very handy for apartment life as long as you have a bigger closet somewhere.

I suppose you could just throw a top on it and use it as a coffee table if you lacked the storage space!

A flameproof top. We used to have soapstone that we salvaged from a laboratory but it was too heavy to move. We wish we still had it. To substitute, firebrick (careful salvaging this, as it may have been associated with asbestos)

A shock resistant top or mat for cutting with razor, rotary knife or exacto, pounding eyelet holes, etc. I got mine at Tandy years ago.

A thick flannel top or mat that can fasten to the table, and remove for washing, for sewing and ironing.