Tool Review - Stage Junk's Ultimate Focus Tool

I'm sure anyone who's spent much time doing theater beyond a purely community level has run into these guys. I came across their booth last year at USITT and saw their offerings. I quickly placed an order for my own tool, the 'ultimate focus tool.'

Here's a photo I shot with my cell phone not long after receiving it. It's got my name and everything.

This is a tremendously awesome tool for anyone who does any significant amount of time with lighting. It's machined from aluminum, so it weighs just about nothing. I shortened the fancy purple cord it came with so it'll hang from my wrist without being so loose it might fall off.

Being aluminum, it is now showing some signs of wear, but I don't doubt it'll last for a good number of years to come, and I won't mind replacing it in the event it does eventually fail.

They also now manufacture a ratcheting version of the tool, which I've also had the opportunity to play with. I was thoroughly impressed with it. It's heavier, but probably lighter than any of the ratcheting lighting wrenches I've used in the past, plus the addition of a steel toolface means wear is more or less eliminated.

The continuity checker is a lifesaver. I don't know how much time in pulling bases it's saved me, but it's probably a lot. It speeds the troubleshooting process very appreciably. Plus it's a dead simple design that can easily be repaired at home.

There's not really a whole lot to say other than, "If you do a lot of lighting hangs, get this tool."