Gar's Tips & Tools - Issue #204

Access to tools, techniques, and shop tales from the diverse worlds of DIY

My Most Popular Tools —
Special Issue (Part 2)

And here are nos. 11-20 of the most clicked-on tools I have shared in this newsletter. Here’s Part 1 in case you missed it.

The Machinist's Bedside Reader

The Machinist’s Bedside Reader is a quirky, practical collection of shop wisdom and anecdotes. I’m thrilled to see this get so much love, especially because it’s from a small press publisher. If you’re a pro or hobby machinist, you need this book! Read my review.

Milwaukee Adjustable Wrench Set

I love when Todd of Project Farm does his product testing shoot outs, and cheap tools outperform (or at least match) their high-priced competitors. So, it was a real shocker when the $25 (at time of testing, now $35) Milwaukee Adjustable Wrench Set (2 wrenches!) performed remarkably well against a $136 Snap-On wrench. This result seemed to get your attention, too. Read my initial post.

Dreo Space Heater (2024 version)

This Dreo Space Heater was another Project Farm recommendation that lots of you checked out when I posted the Project Farm’s Ten Best Tools of 2024.

Kaverme Precision Tweezers Set

I spent so many years trying to do modeling with a pair of splinter tweezers. I felt like a fool for waiting so long before upgrading to big kid tweezers. These make all the difference for manipulating and gluing tiny parts, apply water transfer deals, laying down thread as scale cable/wire runs, and much more. Read my piece from Issue #201.

Jewel Picker

Like a Jedi mind trick for picking up tiny parts. After seeing one of these jewelry pickers recommended by several makers, I decided to get one and have not been disappointed.

iGaging IP54 Electronic Digital Caliper

A strong contender in the accuracy vs. affordability race. I’ve had one of these iGaging calps for years, reach for it on a regular basis, and have never found myself pining for a Mitutoya (OK, that’s not true, but that’s just out of tool fetishism, not actual need).

Fire Bricks

Almost 500 of you clicked on these fire bricks after I wrote about them, but unfortunately, the link was broken. Here’s where you can get a set of 4 bricks for your benchtop.

Mini Electric Drill Pen

I don’t actually own one of these mini drill pens, but it’s next on my list. Amazon currently offers it for $35. I recently got a mini cordless rotary tool for $17 and am loving that thing. Look for a review in the next issue.

Small-Tube Super Glue

Way back in issue #78, I confessed to the world that I was terrible at using super glue. I was buying expensive “pro” brands and quickly gumming up the nozzles and stabbing myself trying to open them. And half the time, I glue myself to myself (but that’s another conversation). It looks like there are other glue-challenged among you because lots of you have clicked on and bought these super glue 12-packs. This is all I use now.

Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Brush, Round #1

The finest brush I’ve ever used. Deserves every click it gets. As I point out in this piece, for miniature painting, you don’t need a drawer full of brushes in progressively microscopic sizes, you just need to know how to use a good brush like this well. At over $25, the Series 1 isn’t cheap, but it’s been my go-to brush for the past 15+ years and I’ve only been through two of them. This is a samurai sword for mini painting nerds.