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TVP45
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Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/08/2008 2:53 PM

I just realized that I got through the weekend without asking a dumb question, so I'm stuck with 26 points to give away and only a sensible discussion to do it with. So bear with me.

Lots of times, students and young engineers aren't aware of some of the really handy tools out there, so they end up doing things the hard way for years. Then one day, some senile ole codger in the end cubicle says, "Wal, when I was at Biloxi Yard during the war, we used...." and it turns out there's a $10 tool (or gage) (or reference table) that is just the ticket.

So, what really handy tools do you own, have you seen, or used that not many people know about? Here's my start. It's a surface finish comparator. If you shop around, you can probably find one under $10 US. All you do is run your fingernail over the gage, then over the metal piece you're checking, back and forth till you find one that feels the same. I've had one for maybe twenty years, and can usually get it within one class. Lots of people make them. Here's one:

http://www.1gg.com/html/body_surfvisual.html

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The Prof
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#84
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 12:45 AM

Always thought it was Einstein. I can not find the quote attributed to anyone other than him.

Having said that, one can imagine Feynman saying something like that, or in fact -

"If I could explain it to the average person, I wouldn't have been worth the Nobel Prize." (RF)

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#66

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/10/2008 8:09 PM

The keychain beercap opener an instant way to make friend

Oops should be off topic

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bwire
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#69

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/11/2008 6:43 AM

a church key

soft jaws for the vise

tubing/hose clamps for temporarily blocking flow

calipers

caulking tube cut-offs for holding portable tool electrical cords

a line level

a plumb bob

a jewelers file

a small quantity of Teflon powder and a balloon

a ball of twine

to name a few

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The Mechanic
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#70

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/11/2008 7:14 AM

ITW (Illinois Tool Works) Components and Tools publishes a very useful Trigonometry Tables and Involute Functions booklet. It fits in a shirt pocket. It covers right and oblique triangles and shows how to solve for sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, cosecant, side opposite, side adjacent, and hypotenuse. The last section in the booklet covers gear formulas, involute function, gear measurement, and involute tables.

Illinois Tool Works Co., 3700 West Lake Ave., Glenview, IL. 60025
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#128
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/18/2008 4:05 PM

Hello The Mechanic:

Just to say have a wonderful holiday!

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#72

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/11/2008 8:36 AM

A small 4" - 100mm steel ruler with a slide for depth measurement. The cheap type that some salesmen give away. Definitely not a quality measuring device but very handy and compact. Beats carrying around a caliper.

Fits right in your plastic pocket protector. HA!

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#91
In reply to #72

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 11:22 AM

Hello gdevine

I agree that little pocket rules are the cat's meow for quick measurements. Mine is 6" - 152mm and only 1/4" wide. Is very flexible so it bends easily to measure length of small curves and it does fit perfectly into my "plastic pocket protector" along with a pen, mechanical pencil, 3 small screwdrivers and a double-ended "tooching" stick. LOL

Now the other device on the left was also indespensible for me. It is an electrical panel door key for use on "Rittal" cabinets. Now alot of our machinery was from Germany so this was a very handy item.

It just so happens that the handle end also doubles as a bottle opener. A coincidence? I think not. Now That's a perfect combo.....Beer and electricity.....

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#92
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 11:25 AM

Oops! My bad...should have been "off-topic"

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#93
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 11:28 AM

I think not. Beer is a useful tool.
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#95
In reply to #93

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 11:48 AM

...and in my circle it's also a very "well known" tool and is probably used waaaaaayy too often....

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#74

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/11/2008 11:23 AM

By the title of this post and many others............a spell checker.

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#75
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/11/2008 12:03 PM

..... GOOD ONE!

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#77

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/11/2008 3:11 PM

and

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#78

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/11/2008 6:56 PM

How about this saw setter. I used to set then file all my Dads saws.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.....................

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#85
In reply to #78

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 9:12 AM

babybear,

my dad and now my brother operate the sawmill........ those tools are still used.

But, try finding a good guy that has the skill to pound the blades correctly when brought in for a overhaul.

phoenix911

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#96
In reply to #85

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 12:12 PM

In this part of the world, India (and China), contraceptive measures (can we include them as tool?) is great boon to control the un-feedable population as well AIDS! A simple FL is a great tool in this respect.

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#97
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 12:13 PM

Just say "No."
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#105
In reply to #97

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Egninering Tools

12/12/2008 7:23 PM

'Just say "No." ... '

I try, but the nubiles still keep throwing themselves at me.

(bloke's allowed to dream, in't he?)

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#106
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Egninering Tools

12/12/2008 7:31 PM

Hello JohnDG:

Hey, carry on dreaming and throw a couple my way will ya? Oh, OK. I'M dreaming as well right?

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#98
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 12:15 PM

I'm very sorry, the subject is: Engineering Tools...

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#99
In reply to #98

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 12:27 PM

You may be right, but in the absence of such tools we may end up with more Engineers.
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#100
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 1:15 PM

first, you have to know how to use the tool to be effective.

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#101
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 3:36 PM

Hello phoenix911:

I only ever did the setting of small hand saws. But we also had a 'double ender' where 2 people each hold an end each? I never set the but it was set by hand with a modified pair of pliers. Well, two pair actually.........one for the large teeth, and a small pair for the small end teeth.

I know what you mean though. Those skills, unless handed down through the family are lost? Even on some of the large Mill saws they have machines to sharpen some of them. It is a very skillful job to be able to set and file a blade and see it work so much better than it did, and for a good while if taken care and not knocked. It is all, "oh, I'll get my black and decker out to do that rather than a hand saw now?

Thanks for the post. Have a great holiday!............

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#107

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 7:34 PM

Great selection of engineering tools offered up, but all off-topic. I wanted enginering tools.

A round of points for the house!

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#108
In reply to #107

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 7:44 PM

When inspecting hydraulic manifolds, the greatest tool (other than a good flaslight) is a clean unused long silver brazing rod. It's a no good thing when the machine shop forgets to machine out an internal port.

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#109
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/12/2008 7:44 PM

Hello TVP45:

I think I should have won that then, if it was to be won! As I am a terirble smeller!

I never actually niticed the spelling error..............

Very interesting thread!

Take care, and happy holidays!

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#112

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/14/2008 9:08 PM

The most important tool of all the brain!

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#113
In reply to #112

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/15/2008 1:11 AM

Whose?
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#114
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/15/2008 3:24 AM

Your own i hope.

you could borrow Einstein's but i heard there are pieces missing

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#115
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/15/2008 9:11 AM

Hello Epke,

you could borrow Einstein's but i heard there are pieces missing.

How are you?...........You know I think thats my problem. People talk to the bits (many bits) I have missing. Which could explain why I have not the foggiest idea what they are talking about? Especially on here!

Take care and have a wonderful holiday....................

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#121
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/15/2008 9:12 PM

I hope you are not missing bits becaus of Korsakov or Alzheimer!

Season greetings!

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#122
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/16/2008 10:29 PM

Hello Epke,

I hope you are not missing bits becaus of Korsakov or Alzheimer!

So do I !!!

Greeting to you also!

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#116
In reply to #114

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/15/2008 9:35 AM

Does it run Linux?

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#120
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Engineering Tools

12/15/2008 9:11 PM

You have to write a special Kernel to run it on Einsteins brain

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#119

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/15/2008 2:34 PM

A pair of sound powered phones with alligator clips on each lead are great for ringing out wires in a bundle. As long as they are not energized that is. You clip one lead of each phone to ground and you and your buddy park yourselves at separate junction boxes. He clips on one wire and you start going through them. When you hear his clear voice, you have found the wire. Mark each end and move to the next.

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#135

Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/18/2008 6:51 PM

Hi, TVP - is the new avatar a Christmas special?

If so, you must have some bad Christmas memories!

[Repeated here so that this post still makes some kind of sense when you change avatars].

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#137
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Re: Useful and Not Well Known Enginering Tools

12/18/2008 7:04 PM

Hello JohnDG:

Interesting Avatar. Think it could do with a few 'resistors' in the equation to stop the random flashing?

Take care and a wonderful holiday!..................

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