Lifetime of Commercial Tooling Vs. Home-made

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Hi,

I've put this on the "tea room" as i thought it only appropriate considering the subjective nature of the topic.

So i'm sure everyone has got a favorite tool that they made themselves. Worn and slightly battered from alot of use, like a center punch or custom tool holder, or maybe even bigger like a home-made milling vise.

I was just pondering on how wonderful it is that we're able to do this and how i've noticed all of the things, no matter how simple they were, just kept going on and on for years, i don't think i own a single home made tool that i've had to throw away.

So is this really just subjective nonsense or has anyone else noticed this trend, is it that these tools are treasured more or is there something innately better about their manufacture and material quality? considering these things are one off's usually, we can pick and choose what we want on them.

And yet in antipathy and contrast, i've owned some seemingly nice looking tools commercially made that don't last five minutes,

i've got a little bit of a bugbear with tapping wrenches for example, unless you own a really good make or older well made one, the quality of the body is quite brittle, i've broken probably two or three over my short lifetime on earth, so i decided i had enough, couldn't find anywhere at the time that made a decent one, so i made my own.

Now i probably tap holes as brutally as i did with the commercial ones, but my home made one hasn't broken yet, can anyone imagine themselves really thinking about preserving the quality of your home made tool whilst in the middle of tapping? of course you don't you just want to tap that blinder.

So what i'm getting at is this isn't a subjective incident, since i'm giving both the home made and commercially made tool the same amount of abuse really.

i may have wandered off slightly there but i just wanted to give an example of how our feelings for our own treasured tools are not always personal but actually real reflections of the appreciation for their quality.

Michael W

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Various sizes of toolmakers clamps, cyanide hardened and made 62 years ago!

[Michael BriggsParticipant @michaelbriggs82422]

Never broken a tap wrench irrespective of quality.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

but my home made one hasn't broken yet,

Michael W

Posted by Michael Walters on 21/03/2016 13:32:57:

but i seem to have developed an expertise for breaking HSS taps on a regular basis,

Michael W

.

Well you will not because you keep snapping the taps themselves. …………. Chain, weakest link etc, etc.

Nick

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

I am not so sure that the home made stuff is treasured more, It just does the job so why change.

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

Posted by Michael Walters on 16/04/2016 20:55:39:

Hi,

I've put this on the "tea room" as i thought it only appropriate considering the subjective nature of the topic.

So i'm sure everyone has got a favorite tool that they made themselves. Worn and slightly battered from alot of use, like a center punch or custom tool holder, or maybe even bigger like a home-made milling vise.

I was just pondering on how wonderful it is that we're able to do this and how i've noticed all of the things, no matter how simple they were, just kept going on and on for years, i don't think i own a single home made tool that i've had to throw away.

So is this really just subjective nonsense or has anyone else noticed this trend, is it that these tools are treasured more or is there something innately better about their manufacture and material quality? considering these things are one off's usually, we can pick and choose what we want on them.

And yet in antipathy and contrast, i've owned some seemingly nice looking tools commercially made that don't last five minutes,

Michael W

Frequently tools are home made for a special job because commercial items can't be purchased, so there is no alternative.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[BarrydrumParticipant @barrydrum]

As an apprentice in the sixties one of the first things I made was a simple drift out of gauge plate. I was taught how to harden and temper it and it is still used in my home workshop on a regular basis.

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Ok, so you got me Nick G, hands up, with the long view of history you caught me making a silly contradiction, like all of us are destined to, fair enough. But it's not all about me, it's nice to hear some of the memories some people have of the first tools they made are still going strong today!

Michael W

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I still have a number of purpose made tools for repair and maintenance of the Austin Seven I sold in about 1970. They are still in good condition because they haven't been used since although at least one has been converted for other use

Russell

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

The first tools I made, probably 20+ years ago were a three lobed countersinking tool and a 60 degree threading tool for the lathe, both from silver steel and they certainly aren't the best in the world. Now fair enough, I haven't used them that much, but they do the job when required.

I've also got a tool which was made for either a Maxi or a Montego, can't remember which, but it's at least 17 years ago. It consists of a two parallel 3mm pins set about 20mm apart, in a base onto which is fastened a 200-250mm long T-bar handle – all silver soldered together. Crude, but simple, and luckily, the pin size and spacing also manages to be correct for some adjustment devices on my lathe.

I've also got an axe. It came from my Dad's, and I rather suspect it came from his Dad's as Grandad was a Journeyman Blacksmith. It consists of two pieces of shaped steel welded together along the blade and from the look of it, probably by heating and hammering together as I can't see any evidence of anything being added to it. The handle end also looks as if it might have been welded, Anyway, it works quite well. Age? You tell me but Grandad died in 1951, and whilst I have memories of him in the late 1940's, I have no memories of him doing any blacksmith work. Which makes me wonder just how old it is?

Peter G. Shaw

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

Still got most of the pieces I made in the late sixties at apprentice school, LETG, at Hinckley College as was then. The most used a 12 inch long screwdriver, silver steel shank with heavy steel milled handle. Not re-worked the flat end in all this time and it's the one I go for to remove stubborn screws.

Howard

[BC ProfParticipant @bcprof]

Still use the Tailstock Die Holder I made at an engineering Evening Class ( remember those ??) in 1982.

Councill put the fees up after for the second year , number too small , so the course folded .

College site is now a housing estate .

Brian C

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

During my five year engineering apprenticeship I made a tap wrench, a pair of V blocks and clamps, a die holder, a complete three drawer tool box, this involved sheet metal workand riveting and I dont mean pop rivets, a centre punch and scriber, pin punches, sine bar and test bar and a few other items, apart for the tap wrench, which got stollen from my car along with a complete toolcase full of tools, I still have all of the above with my name and apprentice no etched on them.

Martin P

[davebParticipant @daveb17630]

Quality tools are nice to use be they commercial or home made. Quality = suitable materials and design with appropriate finish. I have a lot of old tools, some antiques which get regular use. I knew the previous owners of some of these and always say a mental thank you when I use their tools. Many of these tools are steel and prone to rusting, I clean them with a wire wheel and give them a coat of beeswax furniture polish, I helps to prevent rust and makes them much more pleasant to handle.

Dave

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