Best unexpectedly good tool you bought in 2015?

I did not buy it, but it was given to me as a gift, the 3M 6800 full face mask respirator. Really love this thing.

I've been working on a big demo job for 2 months, and at first I was using a half face respirator with separate goggles, and it worked terribly, the goggles constantly fogging and still getting a lot of dust over my face when removing ceilings.

Enter the 6800 full face respirator. From that moment I was fully protected at all times, with good breathing and good sight. Never knew it would make this much difference. Gotta thank the home owner for giving it to me.
 
Gooseend said:
Question. Anyone seen this problem before. Can't really see which part of the battery is stopping it going in fully. Hard to believe that there was only one badly moulded battery case that got through quality control.
Whatever, a great Christmas present to myself - the seller probably thought he had diddled me. [smile]
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First thing to check is to make sure there is not something stuck in the tracks on the battery. I have had that happen several times.
I put some lube on the tracks of the batteries, charger & tool if the batteries do not slide easily.

As for a tool I bought that was much better than I expected. That would be the ETS EC sanders. I purchased one because I would be able to use the sander with one hand. It has turned out to be the best sander I have ever used. I have only use my Rotex one time since I got the ETS EC. The Rotex was my primary sander before. 
 
For me, it arrived this morning from Santa and actually it was the
best thing I can think of this year. An Electric Pencil Sharpener!
Years and years crankin the ol Boston can now be put to rest.
Gathered up all the pencils around the house and sharpened them all.

Corky present but man what a game changer for me.  [tongue]
Gonna go hook it up to the CT Midi next.
 
Alex said:
I did not buy it, but it was given to me as a gift, the 3M 6800 full face mask respirator. Really love this thing.

I've been working on a big demo job for 2 months, and at first I was using a half face respirator with separate goggles, and it worked terribly, the goggles constantly fogging and still getting a lot of dust over my face when removing ceilings.

Enter the 6800 full face respirator. From that moment I was fully protected at all times, with good breathing and good sight. Never knew it would make this much difference. Gotta thank the home owner for giving it to me.
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[member=5277]Alex[/member] I have an old 6800 hanging in the shop, but they've been mostly replaced with two 7500 masks that are even more comfortable, if you can believe it. The silicone gasket is even softer. I have one setup for with organic vapor cartridges and the other for P100.

They're really game changing, and really inexpensive too for the comfort upgrade you get from the consumer level dust masks.
 
Kev said:
Cordless Metabo SCMS.

Awesome little tool for the money. Looking forward to using it a lot more [wink]
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[member=13058]Kev[/member] I bit the bullet on this on Christmas Eve after hearing all of you rave about it.

Metabo was running a holiday sale @ $100 off (the first holiday sale I've ever seen from them in the US), so it ended up being $461 USD shipped with a 6.2Ah LiHD. I get it in a week, I'm sure I'll be just as impressed.
 
sae said:
[member=13058]Kev[/member] I bit the bullet on this on Christmas Eve after hearing all of you rave about it.

Metabo was running a holiday sale @ $100 off (the first holiday sale I've ever seen from them in the US), so it ended up being $461 USD shipped with a 6.2Ah LiHD. I get it in a week, I'm sure I'll be just as impressed.
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[member=38144]sae[/member]

I'm certain you'll be happy with it.

The standard charger takes it's jolly time filling up the 6.2Ah's (though they last forever!) .. I'm considering the faster charger, on paper is says it's half the charge time.
 
[member=13058]Kev[/member]  I was wondering how long the Li-HD batteries would take to charge as the older 5.2 batteries take about 55 mins on the standard charger, I'm guessing Li-HD take about 75?

[member=38144]sae[/member] first thing you might need to do, is to take a look at making a new zero clearance insert as the original one is pretty wide for such a small saw.
 
[member=42735]DB10[/member] not sure, but close to 90 minutes from flat I think. I'll time it next time I fully flatten a battery. Well under an hour would be my preference these days.

My expectations have gone up since I went Stihl cordless for the garden and got their high end charger.
 
Grizzly 20" HH planer.  It's a beast!  Now I'm thinking about getting a Felder KF500 or 700.  Lord help me...
 
For me, it was the Laguna 14SUV bandsaw.  Awesome bandsaw with more than enough power to cut through anything you want with the right and sharp blade.
 
For me it would be my Woodpecker 600mm t-square. I initially thought the price was excessive for just a t-square but it's been at te foundation of everything I've done and is just well designed and made.
 
Veritas Mark II honing guide.  Easy to touch up chisels using paper on plate of glass.
Great video from Peter Parfitt on how to use.
 
Mafell Erika 85

Six months of research and comparison with Festool Precisio CS70
Multiple tool shows and demos attended
Bit the bullet at D and M's Kempten show, should have done much earlier
Accurate, stable, easy to use. At over £2K for the basic unit it should be good but this has exceeded all expectations.

I know this is a site dedicated to Festool but on this occasion, in my opinion, Mafell has a better product than the Festool equivalent
 
For me, two things....

My 26" Woodpeckers precision square.  Square is square and if you need 90* this is it.  Alignment, layout, if you need it square, this is my go to tool.

The second is my dust deputy.  It will pay for itself very quickly in bags and filters not having to be purchased. 

 
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