Tools/Spares you bought but never use
Discussion
Similar to 'Tools you wish you bought sooner', but the opposite. Counting spares in there too since I can't be the only one who has accumulated spares which I needed once and never needed again. A few come to mind:
Cotter pin spares kit - various sizes. Needed to replace one once, a kit was only a bit more than a small pack of the appropriate size. I think I've used maybe 4 from the kit in the past 10 years.
Rivet kit - Used to repair a broken one on some leather saddlebags once, never to be needed again
Rivet gun - As above
Circlip kit - Needed to replace one off a motorbike shifter linkage. Not touched the kit since
Hand pump - Used to drain a motorbike tank once. Don't recall using it since then
Cotter pin spares kit - various sizes. Needed to replace one once, a kit was only a bit more than a small pack of the appropriate size. I think I've used maybe 4 from the kit in the past 10 years.
Rivet kit - Used to repair a broken one on some leather saddlebags once, never to be needed again
Rivet gun - As above
Circlip kit - Needed to replace one off a motorbike shifter linkage. Not touched the kit since
Hand pump - Used to drain a motorbike tank once. Don't recall using it since then
I have loads of stuff that rarely gets touched.
The thing with the spares kits is that you have them on hand when you then need one - even as a close-enough bodge - compared to the hassle of needing one item then having to ID the size then order one (or 50 MOQ) and get it delivered.
The kit boxes are cheap and even if it's only once every few years that I touch a specific one I still think it was a great idea getting them when I did. I still add new ones to the stack if something different appears that looks like it might become useful.
Same with various tools that get acquired because they look like they might be handy, then sit, then suddenly become a really useful thing to have to hand. Even if it's only once, it still feels better than *not* having them.
It's a bit like buying Festool or whatever; might be a bit of a waste of potential *but* when you need it it's easier than having something cheap that won't work so well/easily.
So I'm not going to count it as a bad thing. Except for stupid things like the mortar gun that don't get touched because they're basically f
king useless...
The thing with the spares kits is that you have them on hand when you then need one - even as a close-enough bodge - compared to the hassle of needing one item then having to ID the size then order one (or 50 MOQ) and get it delivered.
The kit boxes are cheap and even if it's only once every few years that I touch a specific one I still think it was a great idea getting them when I did. I still add new ones to the stack if something different appears that looks like it might become useful.
Same with various tools that get acquired because they look like they might be handy, then sit, then suddenly become a really useful thing to have to hand. Even if it's only once, it still feels better than *not* having them.
It's a bit like buying Festool or whatever; might be a bit of a waste of potential *but* when you need it it's easier than having something cheap that won't work so well/easily.
So I'm not going to count it as a bad thing. Except for stupid things like the mortar gun that don't get touched because they're basically f
king useless...I’ve got a mitre saw still boxed that I must have has for 10 years. I could have used it but a. The job is usually small and b. I forget that I’ve got it.
Also got a big socket set that I got from Halfords but I get my car serviced at a garage and my bike is under warranty so that doesn’t get worked on either.
Acuity30 said:
Similar to 'Tools you wish you bought sooner', but the opposite. Counting spares in there too since I can't be the only one who has accumulated spares which I needed once and never needed again. A few come to mind:
Cotter pin spares kit - various sizes. Needed to replace one once, a kit was only a bit more than a small pack of the appropriate size. I think I've used maybe 4 from the kit in the past 10 years.
Rivet kit - Used to repair a broken one on some leather saddlebags once, never to be needed again
Rivet gun - As above
Circlip kit - Needed to replace one off a motorbike shifter linkage. Not touched the kit since
Hand pump - Used to drain a motorbike tank once. Don't recall using it since then
Great, I also have every single one of those things and they have all been little used apart from the rivet gun which was used to attach the skirt to a hovercraft many years ago. Cotter pin spares kit - various sizes. Needed to replace one once, a kit was only a bit more than a small pack of the appropriate size. I think I've used maybe 4 from the kit in the past 10 years.
Rivet kit - Used to repair a broken one on some leather saddlebags once, never to be needed again
Rivet gun - As above
Circlip kit - Needed to replace one off a motorbike shifter linkage. Not touched the kit since
Hand pump - Used to drain a motorbike tank once. Don't recall using it since then
Pipe bender I used for a pipe to the garage sink 8 years ago.
Massive circular stone saw I used in an old barn about three years ago (have a plan to use it again next year though).
Will have a look when I get home but likely many more.
Also agree that mortar guns are useless
Got a Teng torque wratchet for quite a price when I was in my early 20s to torque up pinion bearing with the intention of doing more work in the engine bay.
I used it once and it's sat in its box since. At the time I was deciding between a dirty cheap one and the more expensive. Got the more expensive one of course.
Various brake discs, spark plugs, glow plugs, filters that I bought for older cars that I never got round to fitting before I sold it.
I also have about 6 sets of roof bars for various cars I used to own.
I used it once and it's sat in its box since. At the time I was deciding between a dirty cheap one and the more expensive. Got the more expensive one of course.
Various brake discs, spark plugs, glow plugs, filters that I bought for older cars that I never got round to fitting before I sold it.
I also have about 6 sets of roof bars for various cars I used to own.
Usually end up buying tools which would have made a job much easier, after the job is finished. With the idea that next time I do it it'll be better.
But then don't ever do the job again.
Also paint sprayer comes to mind as just generally being useless for most applications, will stick to rollers.
But then don't ever do the job again.
Also paint sprayer comes to mind as just generally being useless for most applications, will stick to rollers.
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