I personally hope this thread turns into a total girlzone, because I think we all know there's nothing hotter than a woman who knows her way around a tool.

← tool

I love my multi-speed hammer drill, my electric sander and my jigsaw (although I've not used the jigsaw for anything other than practice - yet).

I also know how to drive a tractor (complete with brush hog) and am a great shot with both rifle and pistol.

omg, Dremel is a CULT!

No, really - my husband has fixed/made a million billion things with his Dremel, and I approve. He's my oopsiepoopsie Dremel slave.

Dremel tools are gateway tools. I'm surprised mine still runs, I've abused it so badly. It led to the purchase of a drill, a jigsaw, a sander, a router, another drill, a planer, another sander, a jointer, a tablesaw, a biscuit joiner, a reciprocating saw, another router, another sander, a band saw, a drill press, another drill. I think that's all the power tools.
I should just take a picture of my shop - that would be easier.

I bought a Dremel when I first got into circuit bending, primarily for drilling pilot holes for switches, jacks and potentiometers, but I've since found at least fifty other uses for it. I love it love it love it.

I got a Dremel a year or so ago. I didn't know what I'd do with it, and now I don't know how I ever did without it.

I lost my shop in my divorce ten years ago--nice table saw, small band saw, router table, jointer/planer, and an awesome workbench and pegboard. The worst was the wood--I had an 18-inch wide, 8-foot long, 2-inch thick purple walnut board, several wormy chestnut planks from an old barn, and assorted rough-cut oak and cherry boards. I'm sure it's all just collecting dust.

I still use the Black and Decker drill I got for college graduation 20 years ago. That was before B&D tools were crap--it's a monster, solid as a rock, though I should replace the cord.

I've already almost started a fire with mine. Perhaps it's overkill to use it to cut cardboard?

I use my Dremel to trim my dog's nails.

mrmoonpie, I must say that bit of story made me really sad. I can't imagine taking my husband's tools out of spite, no matter what he might do.

When I left my first husband (no, I've only had two!), I only took my clothes, my books, and the art - which could basically be construed as belonging to both of us, but I was the one who researched and bought them, and it was only about three pieces - which I still have, so not investment items, though they are "real" art and continue to increase in value, but it will still be a long time (after my death) before they ever equal all that I left behind, including a daft car, all furniture and appliances, etc., not to mention all the money from the both of us that he squandered on drugs and gambling, for years. But damn, you have to be cold to take someone's shop. It's like taking someone's books. Totally mean.

I use mine around the Holidays to teach my kid about other traditions.

No wait. . .

awww. I remember when I first got my Dremel... I don't use it as much as I was sure I would, but a few times a year it gets a major workout. Often around Christmas.

hee danf. serendipity. This year I used mine to make a Solstice linoleum stamp. That didn't work very well. But it was the ink, not the stamp, it seemed like.

I got a dremel for Xmas. I'm still figuring out what to do with it, but I did carve a nice shop sponge for my Dad as a thank you. I'd really love to find a website with PHOTOS of all the damned micro-bit things that come with them so I can figure out if I'm using them right. The manual that came with is a little short on details.

I also know how to drive a tractor

Kickass. I learned to drive on a tractor.

Last weekend, my friend's Rock Band controller broke. I wanted to take it apart and fix the little strum bar. "But," he said, "I don't have a screwdriver."

What a sad little man. I've got 6 screwdrivers, plus an electric drill with screwdriver bits. I've got two different hammers and a hand-saw. All this, I store in a tiny corner of my downstairs closet. And yet, this dude doesn't have a single screwdriver?

No screwdriver? That's blasphemy to my geek sensibilities! I always have a slotted and a Phillips so I can work on computers. Right now they are in the form of a Leatherman.

I've never used a power tool, although I've heard a lot about Dremels since I started dating my boyfriend. Does a soldering iron count? Because I want one. If only to melt the solder into a big silver ball, let it cool, and melt it again (my favorite thing to do when I took microcomputer repair).

I have owned more tools in the past, but these days I sit back and, between my boyfriend and Home Depot, let Nature take its course.

I love a Dremel. It's like a Leatherman--very rarely the ideal tool for the job, but, surprisingly often, more than enough to get it done.

A Dremel says 'Well, I'm not 100% equipped to do the thing, and I'm not an expert by any stretch, but, sure, I'll take a stab at it,' and that's a-okay by me. That's how I fix stuff. It's the American way.

Dremels are nice, but for a real rotary tool, it's hard to beat the Proxxon.

I feel your wood shop pain Mr Moonpie. I'm finally getting my basement wood shop to where it's really nice, and I'd hate to lose it. Good thing I'm not married then.

When I was in the wine business, one of the things during harvest that was relaxing and meditative was dumping the pomace in the vineyard with the tractor/manure spreader.

My parents and brother's houses are Ryobi. All the way.

No selfrespecting bicycle mechanic would ever be caught without a Dremel. Most cable cutters are crap, and if you ever have to deal with that old-skool 'wound' cable housing (or the new-skool spendy aluminum billet kind, either) you'll know that Dremels are the win.

eek I'll see your Proxxon and raise you a Sawzall. Got one o' those too. It ain't rotary, mind, but it'll get the job done.

we have 2 shops, an indoor bike shop (basement) and an outdoor home and garden shop (garage). The basement shop includes a 4' tall rollaway mechanic's toolbox full of my ever-growing pile of arcane bike tools, stuff like 3 or 4 of his grandfather's antique hammers, and every power tool, part and bit known to god or bicycle geeks.

/grew up driving combines, tractors, manure spreaders, trucks, trailers, harrows, forklifts, mowers, BUSH hogs [sorry jan, your Brit is showing] and doing the associated repairs thereof.

I have a big yellow tool box full of regular non-powered tools and a little grey box that has tools for working on my computer. Yes, I know how to use them.

The only power tool I have is my electric toothbrush. Yes, really.

The mister is slowing re-building his collection of power tools, thanks to a divorce.*

*I could go on about this but I'm the one that's bitter, not the mister. He's much better at forgiving than I am. It's one of the few times I really wish there was a hell.

I don't use my Dremel all that often because, like box said, there's almost always a better tool for the job. Back when it was all I had, though, it was a godsend. Now I mostly use it for the cut-off wheels on those occasions when, you know, I need to cut something off.

My favorite tool is pretty boring -- my cordless drill. I don't know why I love it so, but I do. The Sawzall is pretty fun too, but one really doesn't get a chance to use the Sawzall all that often. Legally, at least. (I recently learned that there's a rash of catalytic converter thefts in my town, and that the Sawzall is the thieves' tool of choice. Interesting, no?)

I use my bandsaw more often than my table saw because it's easier (and not under a pile of junk). I don't get to use the planer all that often (it's also under a pile of junk), but when I fire it up the whole neighborhood knows it. The router is also fun, but its services are needed only rarely. (Also, under a pile of junk.) The lathe, which is under a pile of junk, mostly just takes up space right now. I realized that I'm not very good at turning, even though it's fun. I'd like to make bowls, but I haven't yet figured out how to cut them off and have a flat bottom. I might try it again, if it weren't for the pile of junk.

BUSH hogs [sorry jan, your Brit is showing]

Out here in the Northwest, they are BRUSH hogs.

yea danf, but not in Ohio, which is where I was raised and likely where jan is referencing her terminology.

/whips out Sawzall, steals mudpuppie's CC

I realized that I'm not very good at turning, even though it's fun.

'pups, I dunno much about that kinda woodworking cos I am more from the brute-force-&-duct-tape school of digging postholes, splitting logs and whaling post-and-beam barns (back) together with sledgehammers and comealongs when the cows tore shit up, but is it tremendously frowned-upon to just cheat, leave a little extra lip, then use a plane or sander to finish the base?

It's not frowned upon, lfr, it's just nearly impossible to make a totally flat surface that way. Regardless of your intentions or the steadiness of your hands, the edges will end up rounded.

This thread is getting me all kinds of ready for writing steamy Valentine messages. Thanks for the fodder, girls!

A pissed-off Mecha woman with a power tool.

I'd be ascared eidie. Very ascared.

*looks at Dremel*
That's not a tool
*gestures toward table saw*
This is a tool!

My favorite tool is my 6-in-1 screwdriver. It's super useful.

When I got my dremel I thought I would use it all the friggin' time but I really only use it a couple times a year.

I used to work in a repair shop for industrial tools. We used our dremel all the time. I loved it. The BF just got one for Christmas with a set of 200+ accessories. I think the only thing he's done with it is open memory card that I got for Christmas. The dremel kicks ass when it comes to the impossible 'clamshell' packaging that so many things come packed in these days.