What’s the first tool you grab when you’re heading out the door?  Did you pick up something special at the flea market this last weekend?

If you’ve got a spare moment, drop us a line via our Submit a Tool form and tell us about your favorite tool — other Toolmongers want to know!

Our friend Joe Brown over at PopSci sent us this bit of tool tech (from Digg) today — it’s the math behind square drill bits.  No, we’re not joking; there really are rotating drill bits that’ll drill square holes.

These bits are based on known as a Reuleaux Triangle — a triangle that looks like it’s been inflated to 10 psi and is shaped sort of like a guitar pick.  There’s lots of math involved, but essentially this shape can rotate within a square of the same width, though its center must follow a circular path in order to do so.

Early last century, Harry Watts created a patented system for drilling shaped holes by adding a gearbox in the drill’s chuck to allow his special bits to simultaneously rotate and revolve.  By changing the number of flutes on the drill and the shape of the gearbox, he created bits for drilling numerous shaped polygons.

Do any of you have experience with these?

Drilling Square Holes [Scott Smith] [via]
A Simpler Explaination [MathWorld]

Note: A commenter on Digg notes that these are also called “rotary broaches” and found some from Slater Tools (pictured above). [link]

Related:

• Toolmonger’s TV Tonight contributor Nick Carter wrote a great story for Make describing 14 ways to make square holes in aluminum sheet metal.
• We made square holes as part of our How-To: Add Rear Exit Handles to Your Truck post a while back.
• One of Nick’s methods involves filing, and this (among other reasons) is why you should have a good set of files.

Myself says: “I don’t know where it came from, but I neded up with an impossibly tiny — but quite powerful — disc magnet.  I think it’s about 2mm in diameter, but I haven’t seen it since I epoxied it into my screwdriver handle.  Highly recommended!”

Michael adds: “Try KJ Magnetcs for rare earth magnets that small.  I bought some larger ones from Lee Valley.  Very handy for sticking to tablesaws, drill presses, etc. to hold allen wrenches, chuck keys, etc.”

This came up in some comment discussion on the Micro Screwdriver Set below.  Check it out for more.  And if you’d like to submit your own favorite tool or shop idea, just use our new form.

KJ Magnetics, Inc. [Corporate Site]

This particular tool may not seems as exciting as a new anti-vibe hammer or a sweet high-tech cordless drill — until you’re trying to clean up the shop.  We have one of these in our shop, and it makes quick work of whatever crap we’ve managed to fling everywhere.

It’s the first one we bought, and it’s been going strong for a couple of years now.  Our guest in the last podcast said he’s been through a couple of different brands and keeps coming back to this one.  What’s your experience been?

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(Thursday, November 30th, 2006) Don’t miss Sandor Nagyszalanczy on DIY Tools & Techniques tonight.  Nagyszalanczy authored a book of beautiful tool porn, “The Art of Fine Tools,” as well as many other books and articles on woodworking.  Otherwise it’s some slim pickings.
 
All times are central.

• DIY Tools & Techniques: Antique Planes/Drill Accessories (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
• Classic Tractor Specials: “Johnny Popper People.” (RFD-TV, 7:00 p.m.)
• Ultimate Factories: M-1 Tank (National Geographic, 9:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Limestone Tile Entryway (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Sears currently has 30 tool items on sale for half price today and tomorrow.  Most of it’s pretty inexpensive stuff, but the list actually looks to include some useful tools.

Our favorite: The Craftsman Bolt-Out Damaged Bolt/Nut Remover Set for $9.99.  Read on past the jump for the full list.

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Rick says: “As for my favorite tool — That’s gotta be my ratcheting screwdriver…  Anytime something needs fixing, I grab that first to go check it out.  If a friend calls that they have a loose door, busted door knob, some electric problem, or that their refrigerator door opens the wrong way, I just grab that screwdriver and the figure what else (if anything) I might need.”

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Norman Sims says: “This wrench is made by a company called LoggerHead Tools.  One 8″ Bionic Wrench equals a set of 16 SAE wrenches.  In other words, it’s like having a set of 16 SAE wrenches all in one wrench.  I’ve seen all kinds of wrenches in my travels, but nothing like this.”

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In the same spirit as the Warranty Voider below, Myself sent us this find: “Small toys call for small tools.  Regular readers may have noticed from my comments that I’m into electronics, and many of my tools tend to run towards the small side.  This set of 4mm insert bits and a little spinner handle makes quick work of most jobs – and along with Velleman’s 33-piece 1/4″ security bit set opens almost anything.  (For the rest, there’s the Dremel.)  A similar set of Wiha 4mm bits goes for about fifty bucks, but you can have the Boxers for well under half that, shipped.  They’re surprisingly good quality for the price, though I don’t know where they’re made.  P.S. — If anyone knows of a ’stubby’ handle for 4mm bits, please share!”

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Most Toolmongers will recognize this as a Leatherman Squirt with some laser etching — but we’re pretty big MAKE fans and would go ahead and ante up for the etching just to show our allegience.  Why?

Our friend Phillip Torrone over at MAKE says that while there are larger Leathermans out there, this is his favorite; it’s perfect for cracking open cases (and voiding warranties) on the fly, and lives on his keychain.   And he’d have lots of experience. 

MAKE’s motto: “If you can’t open it, you don’t own it.”  Words to live by.

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For the pros out there — or the DIYers who’d like to have a couple of sweet tools in their kit — Snap-on’s holiday 10% off sale continues with items swapping in and out of the “sale bin” pretty regularly.  They’ve added a few more true hand tools in the latest round, including a 3-piece quick release ratchet set — 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ drive — for $92.66.

Current 10% Sale Items [Snap-on, warning: temporary link]

Myself says: “From the ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ files: Two socket drive sizes on one ratchet handle!  It really needs no further explanation.  I’ve seen these wtih all sorts of brands on the handle, and most of them have been well made with a 72-tooth mechanism, minimal reverse torque, and positive action from the direction switch.  One I played with in the store needed obnoxiously high reverse torque to freewheel, so this might be one you want to shop for in person rather than online.  On many models the head comes apart with Torx screws, too, so you don’t even need snap-ring pliers to clean and lube the mechanism.  (If you get the Astro Pneumatic Version, don’t get attached to the yellow grip — it won’t be yellow for long!)”

The version pictured above is made by Titan and available at Northern Tool, though as Myself said, there are lots of brands available.  Prices vary wildly, with the Titan clocking in at around $10 and the disassembleable versions discussed above running $100 or more.

Street Pricing (Various Models) [Froogle]

(Wednesday, November 29th, 2006) It’s a new Mythbusters tonight (at 9:00), as well as a bunch of other fun stuff to watch.
 
All times are central.

• DIY Tools & Techniques: Outfeed Support/Router Techniques (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
• Chop Cut Rebuild: Down and Dirty (Speed, 6:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Cooling a Six-Pack (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: A Unique Dream Part 2 (Speed, 9:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Firearms Folklore (Discovery, 9:00 p.m.)
• Junk Brothers: The Banquette and the Dresser (HGTV, 10:00 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Lincolns, Strippers and Bentleys, Oh My! (Speed, 10:00 p.m.)
• Hammered with John & Jimmy DiResta: The Novelty Mailbox (HGTV, 10:30 p.m.)
• I Love Toy Trains: “Great Layout Adventures.” (RFD-TV, 11:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Myself says: “My local Performance Tool only carries two Olfa cutters, and this is the one I’ve tried.  At first blush it seems like any other cutter, but like the Knipex pliers, there’s something just a little different.  The balance is better, the grip is easier, the business end is sharper.  I didn’t realize how sharp until I went to strip the jacket off some LMR-400 and the blade went right through the shielding and nicked the center conductor.  Well then!  I have a new way of prepping cable.

“There’s nothing revolutionary about the Olfa — it’s just a set of small improvements that add up to something head-and-shoulders above the common utility knife.  Sometimes it’s hard to justify the extra cost of a premium tool, but when it’s only a few bucks — and it’s something you use every day — I think the difference is well worth the expense.  (This is, by the way, exactly the same justification I use for the Knipex pliers.)”

Looks sharp!  Street pricing starts around $6.

The L-1 Heavy Duty Cutter/Knife [OLFA]
Street Pricing [Froogle]

Note: If you’d like to submit your own favorite tool find, just use our new form.

Clamping and gluing projects with more than four sides is a lot like trying to nail Jello to the wall.  It moves.  It slides.  It comes apart.  And that’s just while you’re trying to get the clamps on – to say nothing of whether or not they hold in the correct position.  When you’re in for that kind of gluing/clamping roller coaster ride of fun you might reach for a Merle clamp. 

It’s a type of band clamp (or “web clamp” depending on which school of thought you subscribe to). The band can be expanded to a 69” x 69” and can squeeze down to 2-5/8″ x 2-5/8″ providing secure and even gripping power across all the joints.

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Over the last few years Black & Decker has vastly expanded their line of Workmate folding work tables to include all sorts of specialty versions — like this model that has wheels and can serve as a hand truck.

Heck, we use our ancient plain Workmate a ton in the shop — you can see it in many of our testing photos — but the idea of wheels sounds even better.  My only complaint about the one we have is that sometimes it’s a bit heavy to lug around.

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Have you ever found yourself reading Toolmonger and thinking, “Why don’t those bozos write about this and such?  It’s the best tool in my shop!”  Well, now you can tell us about it, and we can pass it on to Toolmongers everywhere.

You’ll notice a new graphic in the center sidebar labelled “Submit a Tool.”  It links to a short form you can use to tell us about your favorite tool, a new find, a deal you’ve come across and want to share, or anything else you think would interest other Toolmongers.  If you’d like credit for your find, be sure and include your name in the form.  And, if you trust us — and you should — you can include your email address.  We don’t publish the address, but it helps us if we’d like to ask you additional questions about the tool you submit to provide better coverage.

We’ve been scouring our shop, our friends’ shops, our friends’ friends’ shops, and the web for tools that might interest you, and we’ll continue to do so — but we’re really looking forward to seeing what you’ve found!

Submit a Tool [Toolmonger, of course]