Not engineering I know, but my most indispensable tool is a spokeshave, an absolute pleasure to use.

Dennis

You can use a dead centre as a spot drill, handy because you know it's always spot on

I made one from a centre with a carbide tip, ground away half of the tip so it was a bit like a half centre and it spot marks/drills anything you want in seconds, then follow up with a normal drill

For me, a good solid workbench with 2" thick oak worktop. I use it for metalwork, wood work, repairs etc etc. I also have a piece of hardboard the same size to protect the surface sometimes and a piece of thick cardboard I use when stripping an engine down. Yep, a good workbench that is free of odd jobs, bits and pieces and general rubbish.

My most used tool is probably my digital caliper.

Thor

• A 1" long rule marked in 16ths and mm, chopped off the end of a totally unreliable woodworking square. Brilliant for any small but non-critical dimension because it will fit in between chuck, work and tool.

• The tommy bar that works with various chucks etc.

• Long handled 5mm allen key. Fits most things on lathe and mill. Don't force it, but allows fine adjustment and reduces strain.

• Slightly pointed screwdrive that works on flathead and small posi/phillips screw heads (should I admit this?)

• Small gas torch (Aldi cook's blowtorch)

• 11.5mm slot drills – cheap for the size and great for general purpose milling

Neil

Books and the abilty to read and understand what there trying to teach me.

G'day .

# 1 workshop equipment is a bar fridge to keep your superglue in and for shrink-fitting components.

It also has other uses.

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

* Danny M *

a 6" vernier callper with a clockface for the readings( metric and imperial)- got cheap from Proops many years ago as the clock face had a slight crack in it. Lives by the work bench. Use it more than any other one I;ve got,for both wood turning and metal work.

If I want it more accurate I use a Mitutoyo which lives by the Boxford. Also a 150mm flexible rule .

Plus of course the collected wisdom of Peter Wright and G Thomas!

Regards Ian

Reading glasses for workshop use…

Maybe that's just my age showing. Failing those, I do regard my 14lb sledge as a stress relief toy, and my graduated adjustable spanner vernier calliper is used for everything under 6" long. Got it from Screwfix when they only sold mechanical ones and it's as good now as it was when I bought it. Never have to change a battery either.

Regards,

Richard

I have one of those but it seems to be getting heavier now

Russell.