timhunkin/tools

LATHE My favourite tool is probably my lathe, a 1969 Colchester student, because it is so solidly made. It came from Devonport naval dockyard The lathe has a nameplate depicting a globe surrounded by the lettering ‘The world turns on Colchester lathes’.		FILOFIX My most useful tool is probably my Filofix. Inspired by the craze for Filofaxes a few years ago, I put together a collection of my most useful hand tools in a similar sized leather pouch. The spectacle case (top left) contains a selection of nuts, bolts, fuses, crimp terminals and cable ties. I take it to London whenever I need to mend something and it seems to have enough tools for almost any job.

TIG WELDER
My other favourite tool is my Fronius Magicarc TIG welder. TIG welders are capable of tiny delicate welds, and many can switch from welding stainless steel to welding aluminium at a touch of a button. I'd tried a couple of cheap scratch start TIG welders and never got anywhere, so I eventually decided to buy an expensive one, and I've never regretted it. I could probably now produce good welds with my previous welders, but a good tool makes learning a 'knack' much easier and I still really appreciate its clever design.

I taught myself to use it by welding cubes of thin guage material.
1.5mm aluminium on the left and .5mm stainless on the right