Have you ever built a tool?

I’m going to blame Tony @turbomacncheese for this thread, but following on from a discussion elsewhere, it occurred to me we are all tool builders of one form or another - isn’t that what a CNC machine is after all?

Here are a few of my earlier efforts, from a time when making tools to do a job was far cheaper than buying them, and I did have a series of concave and convex planes as well. I think these are all that remains as I used to make planes and mallets and carvers mallets and reamers and goodness knows what else but gave almost all away after they’d done their job so they’d be used. (I still have 15 or 20 planes so I didn’t leave myself short!)

The scribe was made by a friend complete with brass inlay where it counts. In those days we often made tools for one another.


Twenty or more years since that lot was made, I’m still at it. This is this week’s effort - a tablesaw setup jig and a thin strip jig (to give to my son-in-law) because I’m happy using a stick with a screw in it to do both jobs! :rofl: :rofl:


So there’s my lot for now.
What have YOU got??

Cheers!

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Ohh I have made a few:

Swing arm bearing/bushing drivers for my YFZ450 (lets me drive them to a specific depth easily)

Boring head that is .0005" diameter per division and much more compact than my other one


Extra deep socket for the output shaft nut on a ford ranger transmission

Hex adapter for the steering stem bearing nut on a YFZ450

Rotary broach made from plans (used it for the hex in the dial for the boring head)

Spindle wrench for my mill since mine didnt come with one

7/16-40 tap for the threads in the head of the boring head

And a fixture plate for my rotary table

I am sure there will be more made as time goes on.

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I made my own tongs when I had a forge.

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If 3D-Printed counts, then yes: Printables

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I’ve made a few knives, carving scoops and such. Right now I’m making a christmas gift that is totally on the opposite side of the spectrum from the v1-world:

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