What are your favorite gadgets?

[Sven Svensson]

@chopsaw , You just completely changed my garage fridge game. I’m too embarrassed to show you how I hang stuff. That is brilliant. I never would have thought of that. Time to break out the Dewalts and get building. Thanks for the idea. Wow.

 

[Sven Svensson]

There are a couple of things in the pic that I use a lot. The Vortex and the little analog timer.

@Colin1230 I have never heard of a Vortex before. It has almost 2000 five-star ratings on Amazon. I wish I had known about that years ago or at least before I gave away my Weber. That would have been a game changer. And you can get grates with a hole in the middle?

 

[Sven Svensson]

I should add one. Non-stick aluminum foil is completely underrated. It’s amazing. I use it all the time especially when reheating something or making Red Lobster biscuits with cubed sharp cheddar and bacon bits. When the cheese oozes out it bakes on the foil and gets crispy. Non-stick makes it effortless to remove.

 

[jcam222]

I love my oil sprayer. I went through several before finding one that works.

View attachment 522047

Where did you get it?

 

[one eyed jack]

I should add one. Non-stick aluminum foil is completely underrated. It’s amazing. I use it all the time especially when reheating something or making Red Lobster biscuits with cubed sharp cheddar and bacon bits. When the cheese oozes out it bakes on the foil and gets crispy. Non-stick makes it effortless to remove.

View attachment 522171

Thanks Sven. I never knew there was such a thing.

 

[Sven Svensson]

Thanks Sven. I never knew there was such a thing.

Just make sure you use the non-stick side. Only one side has it. If you ever foil a brisket or a shoulder/butt and it has stuck on the grate because of meat goo and when you pulled it off it tore a hole in the foil spilling the juice, lay this down and that won’t happen. Again, make sure you’re using the correct side.

 

[Colin1230]

Oops, that didn't work.

 

[one eyed jack]

Just make sure you use the non-stick side. Only one side has it. If you ever foil a brisket or a shoulder/butt and it has stuck on the grate because of meat goo and when you pulled it off it tore a hole in the foil spilling the juice, lay this down and that won’t happen. Again, make sure you’re using the correct side.

I gotcha.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Where did you get it?

Evo Sprayer on Amazon. The red ones on sale right now. Looking it seems to have gotten some bad reviews but mine works perfectly and had it a few years.

 

[chopsaw]

I really like the skill and quality you put into your projects. It's obvious that you have high skills. (We really need help in the boat shop. )

Thanks . I'm afraid I'd give a whole new meaning to " Went down with the ship "

Flex shaft carver.

I have a flex shaft carver , and a couple sets of carving tools . My Dad did carving , and was pretty good at it . The 3D stuff blows my mind .
I'm feeling motivated to make a spoon . Lol .

 

[chopsaw]

Non-stick aluminum foil is completely underrated. I

Yup . Use it here all the time , and it's an issue when I run out . Last year it was on the out of stock list around here . So now I have 4 boxes in the pantry and one in the cabinet .

 

[one eyed jack]

Thanks . I'm afraid I'd give a whole new meaning to " Went down with the ship "


I have a flex shaft carver , and a couple sets of carving tools . My Dad did carving , and was pretty good at it . The 3D stuff blows my mind .
I'm feeling motivated to make a spoon . Lol .

I look forward to seeing your carved spoons.

I'd be happy to offer my opinion on the most useful "burrs" I have found for flex shaft carving, if you are interested.

 

[motocrash]

These work great for larger concave work, they come in many styles and course to fine. They're for 4 1/2" grinders. You can weld a bolt on the end of a solid square, thread that into your grinder handle hole, and clamp assembly in a vise. Rotation away! You can see it cutting, much like a lathe.
My metalsmith buddy uses them to make cavities in the tops/bottoms of big logs set on the floor for forming all kinds of rough shapes before he gets the intricate work done. Think leaves and petals of flowers.

 

[thirdeye]

Another vote for the pigtail. I bet I have given at least 20 of them away. Before they sold to Jaccard, you could order left hand ones. I have not seen the lefties is quite a while

 

[Sven Svensson]

Here’s another most folks know about but it was a bacon game-changer for me. I make and gift a lot of bacon. Bacon bribery gets you everywhere. When I fry bacon I’m always bummed about the burned bits and how it curls and splatters. When I discovered baking bacon it turned out perfectly and never curled up. I think that’s why it’s called Bacon and not Frycon. I use a half sheet pan with a cooling grid in it, fits perfectly.

But here’s my twist. I put two layers of paper towels underneath when I bake it (350). Because I paid attention in my American literature class in the 70’s I learned that paper burns at Fahrenheit 451. Those paper towels make cleanup super easy. And here’s the added bonus. If you keep those bacon grease soaked paper towels in a ziploc bag in the fridge or even freezer, you can tear one off and ball it up for the perfect charcoal starter. It even smells great while burning.

 

[Steve H]

When I saw @chopsaw bow knife. I immediately ordered some of those blades and made one myself. He isn't kidding about how handy. And sharp. They are. Now I see a holder in my future! Great idea!
And I like the knife rack I recently made.

 

[Steve H]

My new gadget on its way!

 

[chopsaw]

My new gadget on its way!

LOL . I saw that the other day . That's that's awesome .

 

[Bearcarver]

These work great for larger concave work, they come in many styles and course to fine. They're for 4 1/2" grinders. You can weld a bolt on the end of a solid square, thread that into your grinder handle hole, and clamp assembly in a vise. Rotation away! You can see it cutting, much like a lathe.
My metalsmith buddy uses them to make cavities in the tops/bottoms of big logs set on the floor for forming all kinds of rough shapes before he gets the intricate work done. Think leaves and petals of flowers.
View attachment 522289

I used those things for some of my Bear Carving work.
They're very handy on my Side Grinder.

Bear

 

[1MoreFord]

Unlike Sven, I don't use paper towels in the bottom of my sheet pan under the rack. I collect the bacon grease in the pan and drain it into jars for storage in the fridge for future use.

I also love having a Jaccard around to tenderize tough cuts of meat. The 45-48 blade version; not the little 18(?) blade version.