There are a lot of cool tools out there that some of us might not be aware of. These are the slick little (and big) doo-dads that minimize and/or eliminate manual labor and deliver great results. Since I'm a self-proclaimed Jack-of-all-trades & master-of-none, I really dig cool tools. I'm gonna start this thread and hope that others with cool tool ideas jump on board to share with the rest of us that are bustin' our humps by doin' it the hard way.
Here's mine for today...
We've been installing 3/4" hardwood flooring. Since it is existing construction, we have to cut off the bottoms of all the door frames so the flooring will slip underneath and yield a nice finished look. Complicate that with the fact that our door frames (jambs) are 3/4" solid oak. I thought I was onto something big a few years ago when I had a similar job and bought one of these and one of these. They work OK, but it can be a bear cutting that solid oak stock.
So, I'm yakkin' with my buddy at work and he asks me how my flooring project is goin'. After I complain a bit about the PIMA cutting the bottoms off the oak jambs, he asks me if I've seen the vibratory saws. Huh? He says that it's loosely based on the saws that doctors use to cut off casts without cutting up the skin underneath. Apparently, Fein tools nailed the patent 7 years ago and marketed the saw for about $500. Well, the patent is up and all the tool companies are marketing their knock-off's. In fact, Harbor Freight Tools has their model for about $40 and guess who took a chance...
I just put it to work on the bottom of the last door jamb; my first time using the tool. YIKES! Whoa, where have you been all my life? I put on the moon shaped cutting knife, laid down a scrap pc of flooring next to the door jamb as a height guide, laid the bottom of the blade on top of the scrap and flipped the switch. It wasn't quite the "hot knife thru butter", but it was pretty danged close and only took a minute. In fact, I hit a finish nail and it buzzed right thru it. This thing rocks!
Here's a Youtube vid of the Fein model.

Hay tedders.

How much is the Fein Multimaster?

My vote is for the Rotozip, what a cool tool. When I installed the wood burning stove last year it made cutting a circular hole in the sideing a breeze. I've used it with a metal cutting head to cut off bolts that were longer than I wanted. Great all around tool that should be in everyone's garage.

ditto the Rotozip
I used it the first time for cutting the outlet and ceiling junction box holes in drywall a couple years ago. Nobody told me that there's a special bit for cutting around plastic boxes, so I hacked up a few during my learning curve. It defo takes some gettin' used to in order to blindly follow the box outline, but when it works, it works great.

How much is the Rotozip?

Brettski:

If you do anything with metal (steel OR aluminum) a plasma cutter is really nice. I've been eyin' this for a while.
Plasma Cam

That would making things like this easy! While it isn't that apparent in this pic, the detail that is in this is amazing! the Quail, the horns on the sheep, the flowers on the Yucca, etc.

I second Brettski's choice.

A personal favorite is my air powered ratchet. Sure makes working on my army of wheeled implements a lot quicker and easier. I'm waiting for prices to drop on battery powered ratchets.

I just got a 12v pump from HF, and that puppy puts out some water. At 39 bucks, it's hard to beat. I use it to pump water from plastic drums, because I have no electricity at my barn.

esshup:

Is this Fernando & Lorenzo's place?

How much is the Plasma Cam, the air powered ratchet, and the Lomas Ranch?

Randy....ever feel like you're sittin' in the back row of Sotheby's without a paddle?

I feel like a reporter from the Sacramento Bee asking
a political candidate a relevant question.

PS - B'ski, how much are one of those paddles?

I wonder what happened to Tedders...?

Prices being equal, I'll take the ranch.

Plasma Cam is around 5K, the ranch I have no idea. I was driving NW of San Antonio and drove past it. I thought the entrance was pretty neat, so I had to take a pic. I don't know if you can see in the pic, but the detail that was cut into the steel is fantastic. The beard on the turkey, the needles on the catcus, etc. It's probably 12'-14' wide.

I'm not positive but somehow I think that is a slam on California.

We use laser and waterjet cutting at work on a regular basis. We have found that there are so many small shops that have popped up over the last 10 or 15 years that have this equipment, it is more cost effective in the long haul to just sub the work out. You should see the 6 axis lasers rip up a piece of steel. It is amazing.

I went to FabTech last year and the waterjet that they had there was pretty cool. I never thought that water and abrasive could go thru that thick of a piece of steel. I was impressed!

If any of you guys are interested in getting something done like this for a gate or sign for your Pondrosa give me a shout. As Bski says their are a lot of us small fry out their with a water jet. The amazing thing is software you can take an image or photo and it will translate it into a profile line art for cutting.

That sign is amazing. It's good to know that you do that type of work Rocky!

Not new. but my 18 volt sawzall is very handy. You can buy many blades dirt cheap from HF. I cut pvc, metal, wood, trim tree limbs when I am a little scared to try using a chainsaw on the ladder.

Ridgid makes a new 18 Volt Lithium Cordless Drill/Impact Driver that is SWEET. I use that impact drill to fasten any size screws, lags, and bolts! I wont go back to using a regular cordless drill.

Agreed, Burger...the sawzall is my preferred WMD.
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Nate makes a great point. My Drill/impact drivers are corded, but I learned about 1/2 way into my dock projects that they are the bee's knees for using a spade bit to bore thru green treated lumber. Particularly thick timbers.

Just got a Lincoln gen welder. It's a 4KW generator with 120 and 240v plugs. The welder uses 1/8" rods. Very compact unit (160#), Robin Subaru engine is very sweet, arguably the best industrial engine on the market. I was very surprised at how smooth it welds. I dare anything to break now!

All I can say is wow! Any idea what it would cost to get a sign like that made?

Brettski,

After 14 months of riding the fence, I pulled the trigger today and purchased my coolest tool to date.....a 60 ton Edwards ironworker machine. Do I really need it??? No. But do I feel cool? Yes. I am having buyer's remorse but I'll get over it in about 3 months. Got a sweet deal on it from a listing on Craig's List. It's a 2007 model with only 3 months of use on it. It looks 99% brand new. The guy loaded me up using his Cat front end loader. I currently have no way of unloading since my NH TC33D will only lift 700lbs. This puppy weighs 2400lbs!!!

I guess I will have my neighbor bring his JD over and unload it for me. Of course, I will have to put up with him slamming my "cute little blue tractor".

Qual-Craft 2601 wall jacks. Add 2 x 4 x 16' + 3/4" x 48" pipe and kiss that back truss goodbye! I found 'em on Ebay for a bargain.
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This wall section is 2 x 6 framing, 9' tall x 20' long.
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Oh yeah...one hunk of hefty rope comes in handy, too.

Oh, sure, do it the easy way.

I never knew those existed!

I didn't either. Kinda seems like cheating.

Yeah, I guess they're ok, but will they drink copious amounts of beer in return for their help??

Ever use a palm nailer?
We have a number of galvanized joist hanger brackets to install for our garage/apartment project at the pond. When discussing the project with another trusted DIY’er pal from work, he asked me if I had a palm nailer. I was aware of the tool, but did not own one nor used one. I assumed it was one of those specialty items that one used to sneak in those occasional nails that are in an inaccessible area where a hammer cannot swing. He tuned me up.
He just happened to have a Craftsman that he received as a gift, shortly after he had already purchased a Porter Cable. He sold me his Craftsman for $20 and I think it may have already paid for itself.
Knowing that I had to pound in all those galvanized nails for my joist hangers, he said the palm nailer is the way to go. Man, was he right.
I had to install 17 brackets. Each bracket required eleven 10d nails at each side. Check this out.

For those who don't want to spring for a plasma check out
http://www.rodmanandcoinc.com/rodmanandcoinc.com/category367e.html?UCIDs=1307321%7C1307322

I bought one back in '98. Very handy and can be used with a cordless drill. It makes tight radius burr free cuts with no heat input fairly quickly depending on your drill speed.

You know it's a cool tool when you drive way more nails than it needs.