Christmas coming. What are some Xmas gifts for Woodworkers around $20 or so

[LCHIEN]

Christmas is coming soon. What are some around $20 gifts for the woodworker with a lot of stuff, but still likes gadgets and tools?

My first suggestion is a set of Gimlets

Ever have a picture frame to hang and two small screw eyes to install? Perfect!


They are useful for making pilot and starter holes when you just have one or two to make and don't want to have to get out a cordless drill and a drill bit and carry all that stuff. The auger tip pulls them in and the fluted bit clears the hole.

[LCHIEN]

Number 2. A Power monitor.
Easily check AC voltage, current and frequency of tools. Min and Max and real time power. Calculates kWh if you leave it plugged in for a while.


Shop around for best price; seen from 20 to 40 bucks.!!

[LCHIEN]

Center finders. Mark center of disks, dowels, rods, even finds mid points of ends of pieces of lumber. Cheap one is probably fine for disks up to 3"

Lots of choices on Amazon

[LCHIEN]

Digital rechargeable dial indicator 0-1"

[twistsol]

I like this. I have to pull the battery out of mine every time I'm done using it otherwise it will need a new battery next time I pull it out of the drawer. I have the same issue with all of my digital calipers.

[LCHIEN]

Unlike most of the dial indicators sold in the past this is a DIN (metric) not AGD (ANSI/ASME).
The stem is 6 mm not 3/8" and the tip is M2.5 not 4-48UNF So be warned.

[LCHIEN]

Set of 7 pcs Brad point drill bit set. Fractional 1/8" - 1/2". Don't get metric in the USA.
These are so useful for drilling accurately placed hole; the brad point in the center can be placed so accurately in the crosshairs of where you want the hole, drill press or hand-held.

[LCHIEN]

Veritas Saddle square from Lee Valley.com
This is so useful for marking wrap around lines accurately and quickly. I have both the regular and large... the regular is for working with 1-by material and the large is for working with 2-by materials I use the regular most. But you can use either in either circumstance pretty easily. About $20 each.

[LCHIEN]

LED worklight/task light. Extra long for the router table.

I love these. I have one on my drill press, one on my bandsaw and one on my router table. Great when you get older and need a little eyesight help!

[LCHIEN]

Small Japanese pull saw, just handy to have around to make quick cuts.

[leehljp]

I have a couple of the Ryoba pull saws (naturally ) the Veritas Saddle square, 3 or 4 center finding devices including the Taytools, and a set of Gimlets somewhere. I use all of them at one time or another throughout the year. I don't have the LED light but do have two Ryobi 18V lights (https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ON...660B/316630704) I use them for lots of lighting situations.

Excellent ideas. My most used measuring tool that initially was $20 about 20+ years ago: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...liding-squares Now $52! I have two and use them in many situations.

[LCHIEN]

Yeah I was going to put the LV sliding square on the list but it's a bit over the price range I specified.

[crystalsweet]

Christmas is coming soon. What are some around $20 gifts for the woodworker with a lot of stuff, but still likes gadgets and tools?

My first suggestion is a set of Gimlets

Ever have a picture frame to hang and two small screw eyes to install? Perfect!


They are useful for making pilot and starter holes when you just have one or two to make and don't want to have to get out a cordless drill and a drill bit and carry all that stuff. The auger tip pulls them in and the fluted bit clears the hole.

I consider gifting a set of specialty drill bits. For example, brad point drill bits are excellent for precise drilling in wood, or self-centering drill bits are handy for accurate hole placement.

[dbhost]

This is ultra cheap, and I never think to buy one for myself, but a spring loaded center punch. $3.99 @ Harbor Freight.



For a couple dollars more you can get 5 12" bar clamps to assist with the wood clamp addiction.



I need to replace mine now that the last 15 plus years have had their way with it, but a spreader / glue bottle. $12.00 I use the snot out of mine and eventually the plastic cracked but only after a good long time. I honestly wish the dispenser head just screwed onto a Titebond bottle...


Card scraper / burnisher set. This is cheaper than the set I have, no idea if it is any good.l have the Fulton set which runs for $30.00

[capncarl]

For the past few years HD and Lowes have had 2 packs of 10” saw blades for +- $20. Who doesn’t need a couple of new blades.

[dbhost]

What kind of saw blades could they be selling at 2 for $20.00?

[capncarl]

I believe the were Avanti Pro, 60 tooth

[leehljp]

AN item pictured below that I had never seen before until the Bit Height Adjustment thread came up. It sure looks interesting and is more than $20. It is in the lower $30 dollar range and looks very usable. I could use it for router height adjustment. See the second picture below with the 4 part picts, bottom left corner. It can even be used in the center section of the device on the flat side of the red part. I have to get me one of those!

It was described as a drill bit depth tool but has multiple uses beyond drill bit lengths.

[dbhost]

Going on my wish list. Bit / blade height setup is always such a pain in the tail... This could really help.

[dbhost]

Not woodworking per se, but VERY useful around the shop. Tire inflator with digital pressure gauge for topping off car tires, wheelbarrows, basketballs, whatever you need to have inflated to a specific pressure. $17.74 on Amazon right now.


Milton blow gun with safety tip and rubber nozzles. VERY useful for blowing out bowl turnings and other compressed air dusting tasks. And a bargain at $8.99. Priced around the range of the Walmart cheapies and a MUCH better unit.


Sanfu 25' reinforced Polyurethane air hose. I believe it was Loring that was complaining about his Hitachi hoses. Mine blew out so I tried the Sanfu as they were cheap. Haven't been able to kill it yet.


At $22.44 a little over budget, but 6" blast gate if your system goes that size. Mine stops at 5". My 5" blast gates are PowerTec and they are fine...


For $14.39 a 3" flip stop, sooo useful for making accurate repeated cuts. I LOVE my setup with the miter saw with this...


WAY too many to list here under the $20.00 price point, but take your pick of any of the massive variety of squares...

Wen 6.1 inch digital caliper. Everything I have gotten from Wen so far has been spot on.

[LCHIEN]

If your woodworker doesn't have one, a set of standard fractional brad point drill bits are wonderful tools.

A seven piece set costs between 15 and 20 bucks, and has 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16 and 1/2"

and has instead of standard bevel points a sharp center point for perfectly locating the drill center and spurs for cutting clean hole sides. A good way to improve the accuracy of wood drilling projects.