Favorite Tool for mothers Day

I need to let my family know what to buy me for mothers Day. I am a
beginner and I have taken some classes. I have most basic hand
tools, little torch and a flex shaft. What should I get next? A
polisher, rolling mill, bench shear, a real bench, GRS Kit or what ?
Also what are your favorite attachments for the flex shaft? I
haven’t used mine to much because I was taught to do things by hand.
I appreciate your knowledge.

Sincerely
Kelli Cornwell

I would vote for a good hammer or two. My favorite is my two-ended
forming hammer, like number 112-408 in Rio (pg 210), though my first
beloved hammer is a small cheap ball peen that I reshaped and
polished.

If you want power tools, and not too much money, I love my Black &
Decker belt sander. It cost very little at the home center (c $20?),
and is intended for hand use, but it comes with a pair of clamps to
attach it to a surface upside down (with the belt up). Just use ear
protection.

I must say, though, if your family can be a bit more extravagant, a
bench shear is really nice to have, as is, of course, a rolling mill
or a buffing machine. I pretty much do my buffing with my flexshaft,
but I don’t buff much. A tumbler is very useful. It boils down to
what kind of work you do!

Actually, what you probably need most is a vent syastem, if you
don’t have one. I would put that top priority after a torch.

Have fun!

–Noel

Kelli, If I were you I’d go for the rolling mill. You can always hand
polish or polish with the flex shaft but the rolling mill, along
with a drawplate and tongs, frees you from dependence on your
supplier for small quantities of sheet and wire, that you have to
have right now. There are lots of other uses as well, which you will
discover as you go along. Then get the polisher. Jerry in Kodiak

I just bought a wonderful small rolling mill from Stuller. It’s
around $260. and does everything I need it to. Talk to Andy the tool
guy at stuller. He told me this is the one he sells to little old
ladies because of the ease of it.

Small tools parallel pliers, ring bending pliers, hammers, small
ultra sonic.

There is an endless list to what you need and want.

LaVerne

Hello Kelli, It’s probably too late as Mother’s Day is this weekend,
but I vote for a two spindle polishing machine WITH power exhaust
through a FILTER. Although you can polish with your flexshaft,
particulates are given off. You then have dirty air to breath and
nasty black stuff settles all over everything. Your lungs will be
happier if they don’t have to deal with dirty air from using your
flexshaft to polish. Have a good weekend & let us know what you got,
Judy in Kansas

Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
B.A.E. 237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhatttan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936 FAX (785) 532-6944

I’d pick attachments for the Foredom next. I could not live without
bristle disc sanding attachments. I get them from Rio. Have them buy
you $100.00 or more worth–it’s better than buying a smaller amount
at a time because you save so much. Also a set of drill bits for the
Foredom is good.

J. Sue Ellington
jsellington@cs.com