What's the handiest gadget in your shop?

[bob]

Some of the small pleasures in life are, for me, gleaned from gadgets that actually function. Small things with no downside.

Around these parts that would be a set of four architech's paperweights. Leather bean bags, actually more like leather discus' [or would that be disci?], filled with shot. Indestructable, always handy, and for holding a masked image in place while you register and hinge, nothing is better.

What's in your shop?

 

[Bill Preston]

Lettering brushes.

bill preston

 

[Dave Drane]

Border marking gadget.

 

[PMG]

My hands,if it were not for them,,all these other lil gadgets i have would not be worth a thing!!!!

 

[Derf]

a 10 yr old 4" Wallpaper Roller....

 

[Dave Stacey]

I love my corplast slitter (when I can remember where I set it down!)

 

[Fred Weiss]

The thin line fluorescent light that sits beside the blade of my paper cutter. It makes a much easier job of trimming out lettering after it has been masked. Especially when they're tightly spaced.

A close runner up is the velcro edged squeegee that won't mar unprotected vinyl if it needs additional rubbing down.

 

[gtjet]

An application tape roll holder we made that is just a round 1.5 inch diameter pipe mounted to one end of our work/weeding/cutting table, it is 5 foot wide, we put masking tape, magnetic material and laminate on it and it works great. Just roll out what you need and apply. For magetics we just scoot the cutting board closer to that end of the table, it has a ruler on it, so cutting mags are a snap.

 

[Baz]

The mini fridge and the tv tuner card in one of the computers thats hooked up to the satelite dish ... this way i can practically live in the shop ... The coro knife and the velcro tiped squeegees are nice to

 

[PGSigns]

The wife, she likes to weed!
Jimmy

 

[Marlene]

My arm. It fits just right into the tube of a roll of transfer tape and I'm my own tape application roller.

 

[signgirl]

lol, same here! I can paper one swipe up too 24 inches bt being able to slip my arm in the roll!

 

[ENTDesign]

Hard to pick only one tool....I really like my Exacto retractable knife. It has a narrow blade which is easy to swivel when cutting curves to fix @#$@#$, helps weed, and clicks open and closed like a ball point pen so I don't keep stabbing myself accidently with it. I also am partial to my grommet setter. In the early days I would waste 20 minutes hand setting grommets. The coroplast cutter is also wonderful.

 

[Bigdawg]

Not to be too corny - it would have to be my husband. He is the king of "trash to treasure" and builds whatever he needs to make the job easier. And Jimmy - you got a good woman there if she likes to weed!!! Keep her!!

 

[James Chrimes]

My digital camera. Take a picture of the customers vehicle or building, impose their lettering or sign over it and instant sale.

 

[xtremegraphics]

My new Pen. It sure makes out nice invoices :0)

 

[signage]

Computer

My computer, cuts the vinyl, creates/prints invoices, orders inventory, tracks inventory, sends out invoices, and it doesn't ask for a raise!

 

[O.T.P. Signs]

an old laminator that i have turned in to a transfer tape aplication thingy...saves time and no wrinkles!

 

[Bly]

my Italian espresso machine - no contest the most important machine in the place :Australia

 

[GregT]

One of my best gadgets is the exacto knife. Coffee machine is a close second