The following are five tools that I never want to see hit the market, let alone designed or even conceived. But, seeing what’s on the market now, these ideas aren’t as far-fetched as they seem.
- 100-in-1 automatic Dog Bone Wrench with laser guide. These new ones are bad enough.
- Central Machinery CNC machine for $500 – accuracy of ~1/4″ per foot!
- “12-in-1″ utility knife with laser.
- 6-in-1 expanding screwdriver tip, fits Phillips, slotted, hex, Torx, Robertson and Pozi-Drive.
- Battery powered pliers. We already have cordless power hammers, saws, screwdrivers, sockets, and wrenches. Pliers are next.
Can you think of any others?
Think of the hacking community that would develop behind a $500 CNC. Just look at the communities that have developed around the Harbor Freight mini and micro mills.
That’s true, but generally a lot has to be done to bring the mill up to specs. There’s a new version of the mill that’s available for maybe $200 more and incorporates some of the benefits aftermarket upgrades used to provide.
I considered building a small CNC a while ago and even started ordering up the structural parts. Once I realized how high the costs would realistically run, I put it off for a few years. (I can use the parts for other projects and if not, they won’t really go bad).
3D printers and small CNCs can be constructed for less money than ever, but a usable cutting/routing DIY rig is quite a bit more than $500 from what I’ve seen. Turn-key solutions are often double or triple the price.
How about a hammer with a LED on it?
A prybar with an LED on each side and a slide-out utility knife on the straighter side—these would be a real hit with those who have less than legal evening activities.
“Industrial strength”/”Mil-Spec” flamethrower for extra efficient clearing of larger areas of weeds or for getting rid of tree trimmings.
Not exactly a tool, but a garbage disposal built using parts found in a mulcher (hey, it could happen as there is a kitchen blender built using a 2-stroke engine).