Single most useful tool in your shop

[Superduner]

Maybe the screwdriver could be used as a contraceptive by unscrewing the bedroom door handle?

 

[pgrbff]

The question refers to the 'most useful tool', not the most used. A pencil may be the most used but other than drawing lines, it's pretty useless (brainstorming required). Even when it is used it's usually in conjunction with some other tool, in addition to a hand, to control it.
No, the most useful tools are multifunctional. I bought a Bosch multi tool (one of those Fein type machines) and I've used it for all sorts of jobs which I never imagined. Nowadays I'm using my Dremel a lot on my current small scale projects. Although I use it a lot, I won’t include my combo woodworking m/c because it's just a collection of individual tools.
Brian

I've had a Fein since the 90's, it may be multifunctional but I doubt I have used it more than 5 times.

 

[clogs]

Oxford 225amp oil filled welder for metal.....
A super sweet 1" Stanley chisel for wood.....

 

[Jameshow]

Bahco square been with me since before covid!

 

[frankendoodle65]

Nobody's said it yet but for me it's probably the track saw! Can't make anything without cutting pieces to size first and I find myself using a lot of plywood and MDF. Sees a fair bit of use with natural wood projects too.
I suppose technically the pencil gets used more as every cut is marked up first, but as I'm always losing pencils I doubt any one individual pencil sees much use...

 

[Adam W.]

Sharp saw, I'm stuffed without one.

 

[LaurenceCarr]

Sliding compound mitre saw. Only ever bought one (Makita 10”) and had it for 20+ years. Had a huge amount of use.

 

[Alex H]

Black & Decker workmate - now 46 years old

 

[Doug B]

From my lungs point of view my extractors, I always switch one on before using my lathe, power tools or machines so definitely the most useful otherwise I’d not do a great deal in the workshop.

 

[ColinDeVelen]

Bench hook, although that may count more as a fixture than a tool. (As, presumably would the bench itself..)

 

[Fireburst]

Without a doubt my pencil

 

[SLM]

When I’m in a “shop”, I find my phone, set up with applepay to be most useful

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Probably a work bench, but I feel it should be a pice of safety equipment like respirator / ear defender or even a push stick.

 

[Shan]

I'll give a shout for my Mole grips or vise grips. Not so much working with wood but I'm metal especially. They can muller thing's for sure but for moving stuck nuts or the like they certainly work. Also gripping tubes or rods when using the angle grinder or drilling stuff. Come in handy outside as my vice is bolted to the work bench and can't always take thing's back there. They have taken some beatings over the years but still going!

 

[Pabs]

I'll give a shout for my Mole grips or vise grips. Not so much working with wood but I'm metal especially. They can muller thing's for sure but for moving stuck nuts or the like they certainly work. Also gripping tubes or rods when using the angle grinder or drilling stuff. Come in handy outside as my vice is bolted to the work bench and can't always take thing's back there. They have taken some beatings over the years but still going!
View attachment 151800

they look well used and well loved!

 

[Jameshow]

I'll give a shout for my Mole grips or vise grips. Not so much working with wood but I'm metal especially. They can muller thing's for sure but for moving stuck nuts or the like they certainly work. Also gripping tubes or rods when using the angle grinder or drilling stuff. Come in handy outside as my vice is bolted to the work bench and can't always take thing's back there. They have taken some beatings over the years but still going!
View attachment 151800

Must confess to not having a pair till last year 45years too late!

Dad always used them on car DIY as an extra pair of hands - far more reliable than I was!!

 

[Mike.R]

Top of my list of useful tools around the workshop would be a Japanese dovetail saw. I like how the blade is in tension on the cut stroke, the incredibly fine kerf and the speed of cut.

Years ago when the Dozuki was a rare and exotic beast here in the UK I spent a fortune on saws with blades hand scraped by Samurai sword smiths but these days I'm more than happy with the type that takes replaceable blades.... and these days the blades are available in ToolStation.

 

[Shan]

they look well used and well loved!

Pabs, well used & well beaten, loved, love to use them!

 

[Agent_zed]

Hammer!

As they say 'Everything is a hammer unless it's a screwdriver then it's a chisel'

 

[imageel]

Back in the day I cut my IT teeth on old school VAX 11/750 systems, these were considered 'mini's' - the main processor comprised of a rack just over 2 x the now industry standard 19inch wide rack and it supported similar half width racks for expansion boards utilising either MassBus or UniBus
expansion card cages.
I remember at one company watching a service engineer tapping the cards in one of the expansion racks with a rubber faced mallet and when asked what was he doing, he replied 'oh checking the mechanical margins'....