The Periodic Table of Tools
A photo-rich “Periodic Table of Tools” poster and website, modeled loosely on the chemical periodic table, is drawing both admiration and criticism. Many appreciate it as an artful catalog and a way to learn tool names, while others fault its loose taxonomy, perceived bias toward woodworking and DIY, and tenuous claim to “periodicity.” The creator defends the layout as a carefully considered but necessarily imperfect analogy to the real periodic table, emphasizing that it’s an art project constrained by page counts and visual storytelling rather than a definitive tool taxonomy.
Overall Reception
- Many commenters find the project visually striking, fun, and nostalgic for makers and tool enthusiasts.
- Others are irritated or disappointed, especially by the “periodic table” framing and the categorization choices.
- Several people explicitly frame it as an art project rather than a rigorous reference, which softens some criticism but not all.
Periodicity and Organization
- Recurrent complaint: it looks like a periodic table but isn’t “truly” periodic; perceived as a “grab bag” laid out in a familiar shape.
- Specific criticisms:
- Saws lumped too coarsely; “big saws” ignores type and use.
- Columns mix unlike concepts (e.g., “saw teeth,” “air pressure tools,” and a specific brand of wrench).
- Confusion about why wrenches and drills are spread across groups.
- Defenses:
- Columns group broadly similar functions; rows trend to heavier/more powerful tools.
- Attempts to mirror chemical-table structure: metals vs non-metals diagonal, measuring tools grouped like lanthanides/actinides, heat tools as “halogens,” hammers vs things-you-hit-with-hammers as neighboring groups.
- Some placements are admitted compromises driven by space, counts, and “what sparks joy.”
Tool Coverage and Bias
- Several note omissions or odd placements: profile gauges, fixed gauges, concrete tools, router tables, shapers, jointers, impact drivers, various sanders, bike tools, and specialized items like slide hammers or Burke bars.
- Perceived bias toward home woodworking/DIY and random antiques; some engine and concrete/masonry tools are missing or underrepresented.
- Some users quibble over specific classifications (e.g., bung hole auger vs reamer, pliers in actinides, vice grips as essential vs “arsenic of tools”).
Usefulness and Audience
- Some see it as a discovery tool: helpful for learning tool names and realizing specialized tools exist.
- Others warn it’s a poor starting point for understanding trades or tool taxonomy.
Design, Format, and Commercial Angle
- Multiple users say it works better as a large poster; on small screens it feels cluttered and overwhelming.
- Some criticize it as “buybait” or clickbait; others are unbothered and treat it as a neat workshop/“man-cave” poster.
Meta-Discussion and Humor
- Thread includes playful digressions (e.g., “periodic table of periodic tables,” vice-grip debates, novelty toothpaste, Tom Lehrer references).
- Several note the broader trope of “periodic table of X” and complain that most such tables—including this one—overuse the scientific aesthetic without matching its rigor.