Okay:
Here's a good question. How many of you inventory your tools? I think some of you would be surprised by the count. For instance, I bet some of you would be surprised by how many cutters you actually have.
I think you would be surprised as to how many tools of all types that you were disatisfied with and never tried to make work, or to improve them in any way. Here's a good for instance.Me.I have at least ,based on lest count Nine(9) sprue cutters. Some have been damaged by other folks using them on hard wire and other places they shouldn't be used.
I modified four because they still were useable but in a different way. One has a set of jaws no longer than an eighth of an inch. What could that be used for? Cutting heavier more open spaced sprues.
I have over sixty paint brushes. Some quite old, they still work good thought. Some, when the tip is worn, get modified into angle tip line brushes and some actually get modified into Stumping and Texturing brushes.
Rulers become P.E.bending tools along with those dedicated to this endeavor. Old Box Knife blades also, They get the edge dulled slightly and then are also P.E. and paper handling tools. Got a ball point pen that's out of ink.? Does it fit nicely in your hand? Well, use it to creats creases in thin plastic fo making bends. Empty Gel pens work great for that too.
Yes, I have hammers, saws and the like. Saws from P.E. types that are thin as a piece of paper all the way to those with a 1/16 kerf. Hammers from a framing hammer to a teensy toy hammer I use to drive straight pins into plastic!
I only have six power tools. My Compressor, a Sanding Belt/Disc unit, My Dremel type tool and a comfortable sized Rechargeable hand drill. Last but not to be forgotten I have an adjustable heat Soldering iron and an Electric carving knife ( Yes,Gloria, I used it on the Turkey!). I take care of my tools and they take care of me. Oh,I forgot one. My Mattel-Vacu-Form. It still works great. I have it in the original box, with the original molds as well as two boxes of molds I have created over the years and the modified platens that they( The Molds) sit on.
I get tickled when I bring the box down from the shelf and someone says " How"?" It's not possible" . Then I show them the original seals and such that have worn out over the years. The handle shaft that was replaced etc. See, sometimes you have to make the parts yourself.