If there were a good drill sharpener… Madam has decided to spend as much on a new coat I don't need as would buy a Tormek that I do!

Milling cutters, now I've retired I can't get them from work any more! had to resort to buying them, tried the ARC premium ones and now I'm a convert. Just got to get over the "I can't buy you that for Christmas" that occurs whenever I ask for a lump of cast iron or little bits of shiny metal scenario. Why do the family think I want a silly jumper or a car wash kit!

Buried in the words on seller's site. "because many chucks in China have false standards"

…..or drop hints that with an "XYZ" widget, I could spend more time in the workshop, whereas without one I would spend more time in the house instead. Might receive a positive response !!

£50 is quite a low limit for workshop tools.

Maybe some workshop fluids, cutting, rust prevention, cleaning spray, marking etc.

Perhaps a reference book of some sort?

Some nice scribers?

Swarf brushes?

There is a really good product called Eye-Muffs, which are ear defenders, with built-in eye protector 'glasses'. I have got a pair of these and they are really good; you can put it on and take it off very easily and quickly, and you don't have to put the arms of your eye protectors under the ear cups, which is uncomfortable and compromises the hearing protection. Eye-Muffs are made by an Australian company.

I think socks, jumpers etc are what people buy when they don't know what else to get you, so it's always worth dropping hints, and even having a Christmas present list. I keep a list of books, CDs, DVDs etc, that I would like to get. If asked, I can show the list to someone who wants to buy me something.

the 'I need this tool with impossible/unrevealed requirements' threads were a good source of inspiration for me.

+1 for Starrett, even some of their cheapest products are beautifully finished and most come in really nice little red boxes so that family like to give them as presents. I'm about to try and persuade my wife that she wants to buy me a no.18AA centre punch

Brian G

I would get the negative response – You spend too much time in there as it is!!

Having got a R&S spectrum analyser for my birthday and new mill for our annivesary I'm not pushing my luck for Christmas

Take it from me that does not work I am now at the end of redecorating the bathroom.

The up side is Her in doors has ordered some very nice presents for the workshop so there is a bright side having to decorate

My Starret small combination square from Amazon as linked to above in Jack's post arrived this morning, nicely finished with very easy to read graduations, Christmas present to self! I thought I would point out to any intended purchasers that the rule that comes with it is graduated solely in metric, not met/imp as shown on Amazon, doesn't worry me as I work in strange combinations of both, but might dissappoint true imperialists.

Reflecting on the Starrett tools i've bought over the years, it dawned on me that the Starrett micrometer that came with the basic toolkit given out when I started my apprenticeship in 1973 ( mic cost £16.50 paid back to the firm at 50p a week!, all our parents had to sign as guarantors) will be fifty years old next September, what happened there then?.

Edited By Dave Wootton on 30/11/2022 13:13:48

I have been thinking about buying a World of Ward divider for ages. A month or so ago I bought the ready to go one, it’s a wonderful piece of kit should have bought it years ago.

All set up on a home built kit rotary table from my fathers workshop, he used it for engraving clock dials.

One of these goes down really well for me;

Edited By Speedy Builder5 on 30/11/2022 15:00:07