What - non Festool - tool / workshop related gizmo/stuff did you buy today?

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I try to cull out publications in the shop because otherwise it starts to look more like a library and less like a shop. 😵‍💫 However, here's the only other piece of reference material that I thought was worth hanging onto over the years...a Machinery's Handbook from my first Engineering class in college.
 

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I guess this is "Bragging rights night". Usually it's about a tool/project/car/motorcycle/watch/firearm/artwork/house/garage/lake home/airplane/boat/gold bullion or maybe your wife. :) :) :) But tonight we're bragging about publications. 😵‍💫 Oh well...I'll bite. :)

Seriously, considering the vast amount of STUFF McMasters sells, their web site is one of the easiest to navigate. It's 10 times easier to find something than the Festool website.
No doubt the Tree Huggers would object to the McMaster catalogs. We would get a new catalog about 4 times a year when I still worked. There might have been some changes from catalog to catalog, but if so, not apparent. A 30 page supplement probably would have accomplished the same.

From Google AI:

The most recent printed McMaster-Carr catalogs had around 3,300 to 3,700 pages, with specific versions like Catalog 113 having 3,728 pages and Catalog 106 having 3,280 pages
. McMaster-Carr has largely shifted to an online catalog model, so there is no single "current" physical version, as printed editions are no longer actively produced and distributed like they used to be.
 
I try to cull out publications in the shop because otherwise it starts to look more like a library and less like a shop. 😵‍💫 However, here's the only other piece of reference material that I thought was worth hanging onto over the years...a Machinery's Handbook from my first Engineering class in college.
They're still printing this book!

I was given my father in law's copy many years back, it's from around 1948 from memory but still full of good info.
 
In journalism school (Syracuse University) I had to take a course on typography taught by a professor with a strong printing background.

He was hired by Sears to examine their in-house printing operation to see if there was a way to reduce their catalog printing costs. He spent a week on-site reviewing all aspects of their printing operation.

In his summary recommendation he said that there were several areas where there could be increased efficiencies, but all required a significant capital expenditure, for a fairly small return.

Instead he recommended that they build an air-tight room with an efficient dehumidification system. He thought that they could reduce the weight of the catalog by 2 or 3 postage rates (ounces). That they should quickly deliver the catalogs from the dehumidification room to the post office because they would re-absorb the moisture and regain the weight.

And that was what Sears ended up doing. By the time the catalogs were delivered, they would have regained all the lost weight.

But Sears let it be known that they were disappointed with the recommendation, because they hired him as a printing expert and not a shipping advisor.
 
I was enjoying several of my favorite members (FOG Pals) and getting valuable info and the admission of Catalogs we covet and hadn’t realized we had for so any years, but/and refer to …every so often someone punches in with something out of left field that I try to put into context (maybe its the years) and just can’t understand what it has to do with what’s being talked about and maybe it’s me…but I struggle with the stories they want to tell of their past and what the post is actually about
 
I ended up getting a used DeWalt 16ga shop vac. Saw it on Marketplace for $30 and was hoping the seller was right when she linked me to the Stealthsonic version. Sadly, it's not - just the plain old shop vac. It had worked on their farm so it wasn't clean but after a lot of elbow grease, the vac cleaned up nicely. I'd still like to lower the noise in the shop and Lowes has the 12ga Stealthsonic on sale for $129, so I still might end up getting that and adding the HEPA filter and bag.

The pic is after I cleaned it up.
 

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I ended up getting a used DeWalt 16ga shop vac. Saw it on Marketplace for $30 and was hoping the seller was right when she linked me to the Stealthsonic version. Sadly, it's not - just the plain old shop vac. It had worked on their farm so it wasn't clean but after a lot of elbow grease, the vac cleaned up nicely. I'd still like to lower the noise in the shop and Lowes has the 12ga Stealthsonic on sale for $129, so I still might end up getting that and adding the HEPA filter and bag.

The pic is after I cleaned it up.
I dunno dude, $30 isn't cheap enough for one of those jet engine noise level dusties in my book!

That's the problem with using Festool extractors, you get used to not having to scream to be heard when running these cheaper beasts in the vicinity.
 
I dunno dude, $30 isn't cheap enough for one of those jet engine noise level dusties in my book!

That's the problem with using Festool extractors, you get used to not having to scream to be heard when running these cheaper beasts in the vicinity.
I know, I know. I took a chance on the off-chance that it would be a stealthsonic and came up short. Right now, I'm looking for videos to show the internals of the Stealthsonic to see if I can modify this one.
 
I know, I know. I took a chance on the off-chance that it would be a stealthsonic and came up short. Right now, I'm looking for videos to show the internals of the Stealthsonic to see if I can modify this one.
Does Dewalt offer a muffler/diffuser accessory? I had one on my Ridgid shopvac. I think it helped a bit.
 
Well after buying the Xtool F1 laser a while back I ended up putting my tax refund into the new F2 Ultra as I really want to do a lot of brass and copper engraving. While it's not as high power as I was hoping so jobs can take a while, I'm absolutely stoked with the results. They far exceed the quality I was hoping for.

I did the obligatory Aztec calendar on a 50mm blank, and it came out razor sharp on all the edges, the bottom cleared beautifully. Just sensational. My son in law works at a mint and he was blown away by the quality of just "mucking around"!
 

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I hit 'like' on an XTool IG post and have since been inundated with their ads, whether direct or indirect. They are very tempting, very. Thanks for adding to that, btw...
 
I hit 'like' on an XTool IG post and have since been inundated with their ads, whether direct or indirect. They are very tempting, very. Thanks for adding to that, btw...
Haha, happy to help Paul! I must admit despite the higher cost over cheaper generic units, the ease of use, and the way it works as a system is just superb. Very different to using a CNC though surprisingly.

But yeah with the ads they do hammer the point pretty hard and frequently.
 
Well after buying the Xtool F1 laser a while back I ended up putting my tax refund into the new F2 Ultra as I really want to do a lot of brass and copper engraving. While it's not as high power as I was hoping so jobs can take a while, I'm absolutely stoked with the results. They far exceed the quality I was hoping for.

I did the obligatory Aztec calendar on a 50mm blank, and it came out razor sharp on all the edges, the bottom cleared beautifully. Just sensational. My son in law works at a mint and he was blown away by the quality of just "mucking around"!
Well that's pretty impressive... (y) (y) ...especially laser.03. Have you tried using stainless yet? Is the power adjustable so you can use it on plastics?
 
I ordered the Bosch equivalent to the Planex. Home Depot had a special buy so it was less than $500. Of course, like other manufacturers, one piece of sanding net was included. I ended up ordering the Bosch sanding net and it is coming from Europe. Cost was one consideration as well as its ability to hook straight up to a 36mm Festool hose. I will be using my Dust Deputy cyclone along with my midi and its well reused bag.
 
Well that's pretty impressive... (y) (y) ...especially laser.03. Have you tried using stainless yet? Is the power adjustable so you can use it on plastics?
Thanks, I'm really enjoying using it. I haven't done any S/S yet as I'm still getting to grips with the infinitely variable settings to get a good result with brass. But it supposed to be able to engrave and cut S/S up to 1-2mm from memory. I have some blanks I might try to emboss this weekend. As it's a fiber laser I believe it can engrave plastics, but it's not ideal and can burn and create toxic smoke as a result, that's more a CO2 or blue diode laser requirement. That's where I'd use the F1 with the blue diode.
 
They do and it does come with it. I haven't powered it up since I basically soaked in soap and water to clean it. My Ridgid 16ga also has one of those diffusers, it still puts out 84dB.
@onecoffee I think you can absolutely justify $30 for having a vac you can suck up literally anything and not worry about ruining a good one like your midi…I consider this a win win !
 
They're still printing this book!

I was given my father in law's copy many years back, it's from around 1948 from memory but still full of good info.
It's so big now, that it doesn't fit in a proper old school machinist's box.
For those who don't know, there was a special drawer for it. They were the reference source back then. Mine is from the early 80s, long before any CNC related information existed.
 
Some time ago I became aware that there is a tool available for undoing the chip breaker screw on hand planes. I could see a lot of sense in it and wanted to purchase one but the prices of the few I could find online were beyond what I was willing to spend on it.

Then a couple of weeks ago I stumbled on this on Temu for 6USD and threw it in my basket not expecting much.I was wrong.
It turned out to be one of those Chinese purchases where you just can't believe what you got for your money! This is seriously well made and I hope the photo does it justice.

If you use a hand plane and currently unscrew your chipbreaker using the lever cap or an undersized screwdriver, I recommend putting one of these of your stocking filler list this year :)

EDIT: as requested links

TEMU

BANGGOOD

plane1.jpg

plane2.jpg
 
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