What is the best tool you have purchased, for use around the house.

[PTsideshow]

I thought of this about 6:30am this morning, as I went to the basement and found that the main sewer line from the house backed up and there was a wet spot on the floor.

Now we had the green weenie tree nut that volunteered for the city, directing were the city should plant trees. Of course the idiot had them plant one directly over the sewer line running to the street. This was about 30 years ago, I had been having problems with roots and it clogging up since. About 5 years ago I decided that I was going to send the city a bill for the basement floor clean out I put in, The two sewer clean out machine I have bought over the last 30 years. And Add the home made sewer cam I made, from a harbor freight under water camera they sold.

Well long story short. I sent the city a bill for the machines and camera set etc along with a DVD of the roots,and photo's of the sewer machines.

I had dropped it off just before the crews wrapped up their work day, I also said my lawyer wanted to know where to send the bills to the city.

The next morning at 7:05am I was woken up to the sound of chain saws removing the tree. Seems the city attorney had his fill of complaints about the trees over sewer lines. And they now were to remove the as soon as the complaints came in.

Well that is the back story, I have a Ridgid K-50 5/8"snake dia. After renting machines that I had to repair, or untangle the snake before use! The other machine is a 1/2" snake one that wasn't up to much more than hair clogs.

The K-50 uses either the 5/8" 7 foot sections of snake, and I have twisted a couple over the 25 years, but they were my fault.  So i really like having it since I don't have to go find one to rent haul it home and lug it into the basement.

After 2 and 1/2 hours of pulling roots out it is back to free flowing! This was my fault as I haven't been putting the root killer in a regular basis the last year and it has been almost 3 years since I snaked the line.

But I am happy to say that the Rigid K-50 sewer machine has been the best tool I own for the house!

[Deko]

My wonderfull wife, No contest. 

Cheers Dek.

[John Rudd]

I sincerely have to say 'the best purchase' has to be 'Er indoors as Deko states.......

Without her I dunno where I'd be...certainly not here that's for sure 

[awemawson]

Probably my JCB3CX. Doesn't get used every day, but it does things other machines can't! Pulled three Leylandii out this morning before breakfast. They were 30 foot plus, with a main trunk of maybe 10". Cut down with a chain saw to maybe 5 foot, then wiggled and pulled. Like pulling teeth 

[ieezitin]

A 12 gage shot gun under and over made by Ithica,

It hangs on the wall with numerous others but it was purchased in the store with my son-in-law was present, i told him if i have problems with him regarding my daughter those barrels would be pointed at him.

they are still married, and the gun still resides on the wall.

Anthony.

[Lew_Merrick_PE]

My Victornox Champion (and its two successors) that lives on my belt.  It is rare for me to go 48 hours without using it to fix something or another.  As lousy as each tool on it is, it is right there within reach when something needs fixing.  Back in the 1960's (my Mountain Rescue days) I even cut a person out of a wrecked VW bug with the hacksaw!

My close runner-up is the small (ø12 mm X 100 mm long) LED pocket torch.  An amazingly bright light the lives in my left-front pocket.  It does a really good job of high-ligthing small parts that dive to the floor and the like.  It makes Machinery's Handbook text visible to my aging eyes.  And it is always within reach!

[Brass_Machine]

I have a few things that I like.

But like Lew, it has to be a little tool I carry everyday... a Gerber Curve.

I got it as a Christmas gift a year ago. I pretty much use it for one thing or another at least once a day.

[Fergus OMore]

I've a tool that was presented to me-perhaps 50 years ago, maybe more- to be used responsibly.
I've used it almost everyday and it is as sharp as it has ever been. In fact it is so good that I have never had to use another tool for 37 years.

Enough to say that it is a Sheaffer pen.

Norman

[sparky961]

So hard to choose, they're all so fun.... but I'd have to say my dust collector.  It's the unsung hero of the shop.  It makes working with the brown stuff much more pleasurable plus when your workshop is in the house if keeps the mess out of the rest of the house. 

This keeps the missus happy, which keeps me happy, so everyone's happy just because of a little dust in the right place.

Now why can't they make a metal swarf vacuum?  Maybe they already do?

[Stilldrillin]

Have to agree with Dec, and John.....

44 years ago. Mrs. Drillin cost 7/6d.   

If I remember rightly, she also paid the fee! 

David D