Christmas gift ideas for the woodworker

UncleJoe

Joe
Senior User
I was thinking of asking for the ISO tunes - does anyone have them / use them? (A little higher than the $50, but if they are no good, they are no good at $50 or $100!)
I have the ISO tunes and love them. Now I feel funny in my shop if I don't have the ISO tunes in and the safety glasses on. Thankfully I found The catseye safety glasses at FastCap with the built in readers. Lets my old eyes see rules and fine details better.
 

marinosr

Richard
Corporate Member
On the off-chance I need a tool (unlikely at this point) I've asked for things that are hard for me to justify the purchase price to myself, but sure are nice to have. Coming to mind:

1. Tite-mark marking gauge
2. Proto toolbox
3. Veritas combination plane (forever grateful to my wonderful wife)
4. Starrett square
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
On the off-chance I need a tool (unlikely at this point) I've asked for things that are hard for me to justify the purchase price to myself, but sure are nice to have. Coming to mind:

4. Starrett square

I've been buying Starrett rules, squares, center heads, bevel heads, and other precision tools since 1984. The price keeps going up but I keep finding good deals on used and usually like new tools. I paid $50 for my 24 inch Satin Chrome rule and they list for as much as $178 on Amazon now. But, I find good used for $35-$60 fairly regularly.
 

ashley_phil

Phil Ashley
Corporate Member
this thread reminded me of one I did last year about battery powered chain saws. https://ncwoodworker.net/forums/index.php?threads/battery-powered-chain-saws.66196/page-2

Update on the 18" electric greenworks one I bought. I've used it one time, like I said originally I don't use one much. It worked like a charm. Probably had to run nearly 300' of drop cord to get to where i was working and still ran fine and no issues. I highly recommend it for the casual user.
 

patlaw

Mike
Corporate Member
I've been buying Starrett rules, squares, center heads, bevel heads, and other precision tools since 1984. The price keeps going up but I keep finding good deals on used and usually like new tools. I paid $50 for my 24 inch Satin Chrome rule and they list for as much as $178 on Amazon now. But, I find good used for $35-$60 fairly regularly.
Just last night I noticed how often I use my combination square instead of my Woodpecker square. Each has its best use. Since I add enough error to projects, I don't need to squares to add more. My understanding is that Starrett makes the best, so I'm going to have to get one.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Starrett, Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharp, and Interapid are all great quality, especially the older stuff.

One is never enough.
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
Like most woodworkers I'm love the smell of a new tool when you open the box. I also love the price of used or reconditioned tools. I will buy a used tool from another woodworker. Don't like 3rd party deals. As for recons, here is my take. When you buy a new tool it has gone down an assembly like. Each station adds a part or two. When a tool is reconditioned a technician takes the tool apart, inspects it, replaces parts as needed and reassembles it. For all practical purposes this is now a hand made tool. It may be even better than a new one.

Pop :cool:
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
This is a true story!
I like giving gifts more. For instance, a few years ago, I bought a cement mixer, one of the really good, heavy duty and well used models, at a farm auction. When I got home I asked my wife to help me get it out of the truck. "What is this thing?" she asked. "It's your birthday present oh love of my life!" I replied. That was a gift that keeps on giving, she never fails to express her gratitude for such a thoughtful gift, every year on her birthday. Funny, she's never really used it, but I've borrowed it many times myself. It's just so much better to give than to receive.:):):p:D:D
 

pcooper

Phillip Cooper
Corporate Member
I have a set of those and haven't mastered getting the "ear straps" positioned so they don't fall off my ears! Have found that they don't seem to block much more external sound than plain old wired Apple ear buds. Maybe just me, but wish sometimes that I would have kept my $60 in my pocket.

Just my own impressions....

Wayne

I have the ISO pro version, and don't like them. They fit my ears ok, but won't stay connected to my phone, even with it in my shirt pocket or laying within 10 feet of where I'm standing. I don't even have to move around for them to drop off. Company says to repair, did that over and over, with two different phones, no better. I have piddled with them long enough that I cannot return them now, maybe I'll find something they work with eventually. My goal was to be able to listen to tunes while working or mowing the grass on the rider, but no worky worky.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Feel the dilemma .......... Gotten down to just getting one gift for each of us and one shared gift we all get to enjoy as a family. This lowers the hunt and besides .......Aren't we all defined by the tools we have already........... not by anything that is just an extra "cool tool" ?
 

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