Most Obscure & Useless Tool

[Marty Funkhouser]

Whats the most obscure, use-once-in-a-lifetime tool you've bought? Extra points the larger, more cumbersome and difficult to store. Bonus points the longer you've had it without use and further bonus points if its survived house moves and still hasn't been used.

[Drive it fix it repeat]

Im looking forward to this topic already. Sure I've got some fairly pointless tools at home if I have a think about it.

[clockworks]

I bought a bandsaw when they were on offer at Aldi about a year ago. Still not unboxed it yet. Not really obscure, and I'm sure I'll find a use for it one day.

The most obscure and useless tools that I know are people...

[StuntmanMike]

Boris?

[StuntmanMike]

StuntmanMike said:

Boris?

Ah, reread the OP! Tool you bought!

[colin_p]

I bought an SIP spot sandblaster gun about 25 years ago.

At the time I bought it, I tried it with various blast media and it never worked. I've got a suitable large and capable air compressor before anyone asks and not it is a spot blaster.

Every five years or so when rummaging at the back of the garage I come across it and think, "Ooo, i'll give it another try".

It never works and probably never will.


The only other tool I can think of that has consistently failed to do its job every time I've used it is an impact driver. This is the thing that is supposed to undo tight screws and things when you belt with a lump hammer.

[S13_Alan]

colin_p said:

The only other tool I can think of that has consistently failed to do its job every time I've used it is an impact driver. This is the thing that is supposed to undo tight screws and things when you belt with a lump hammer.

Not even removing those annoying little screws you get holding brake disks to the hubs? It's the only time I've used one, but was the ideal tool for it.

[anonymous-user]

I have a 3.5mm Allen key that, as far as I know, has only one use

[QuartzDad]

Karcher steam cleaner about ten years ago, think I intended to clean an engine bay. It's still in the box in the corner of the garage reserved for "it'll come in useful one day, mark my words" items, it's next to the mahoosive snow shovel and full size poker table.

[Morningside]

Long reach Torx T15 screwdriver to open a Apple Mac 512K to repair it.

[kambites]

For me, it was probably a plasterboard hoist for lifting 8x4 fireproof sheets up so I could screw them to the ceiling joists in the garage. Massive wobbly ungainly thing which I used for a couple of hours tops, but I can't see how I could have done the job on my own without it.

[tertius]

I have a Ford cylinder head bolt socket - the triple square 12-pointed thing, I bought it when I had to change a camshaft on a Ford Capri in 1989, used it that once ... it is still in my toolbox.

[gazza285]

My old man bought a shaping machine, it took up a massive amount of workshop space for about ten years, in that time I have never seen it being used, or indeed any evidence of it being used. Went up one day and it had gone...

[Wings]

Electric car polisher, purchased for me and i used it once.

[Dogwatch]

Wings said:

Electric car polisher, purchased for me and i used it once.

+1

The toasted sandwich maker of motoring!

[Tango13]

Wings said:

Electric car polisher, purchased for me and i used it once.

Can you polish petrol and Diesel cars with it too?

I bought a set of crow foot spanners and used only one of the set once to fit a starter motor and they've been sat in my toolbox ever since.

[ARHarh]

S13_Alan said:

colin_p said:

The only other tool I can think of that has consistently failed to do its job every time I've used it is an impact driver. This is the thing that is supposed to undo tight screws and things when you belt with a lump hammer.

Not even removing those annoying little screws you get holding brake disks to the hubs? It's the only time I've used one, but was the ideal tool for it.

had one for 30 odd years, not used a lot but it has saved the day on plenty of occasions.

[SlimJim16v]

Those sucker handles for fitting glass etc.
I used them to help fit perspex screens in a shop last week.

[Johnnytheboy]

A 40mm core drill bit I bought to drill one hole in my garage wall.

Used for I suppose 5 minutes and cost 20 quid.

[Voldemort]

Profile gauge. Never used it: learned how to scribe instead.