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IOwnCalculus posted:Oooh, I have that but in red and minus a few of the drawers in the middle. Nice set I haven't picked it up yet; they are on sale until March 15 so I've been putting it off because I'm afraid once I get it home I'll discover I don't have enough tools to fill it up, and then go on a drunken tool-buying binge at HF and Sears, leaving me bankrupt and soon homeless. Despite not being ball bearing, has it held up pretty well? I'm also now trying to decide how I can convert my 1 car garage, which was formerly a 2 car garage, back to a 2 car garage without giving up the extra room(s) created in the basement. The layout they chose down there is not the most efficient use of space, so I may end up moving a wall around to create a more useful area.
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Mar 6, 2008 01:09
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Kynetx posted:Much love for Harbor Freight. Most stuff is adequate, but the sockets and wrenches are drat near as good as Craftsman with as good a warranty. Sockets, I'll agree with you, but their wrenches are awful. My main gripe is their length; much shorter compared to other wrenches, but I find them hard to clean and they have a really cheap feel to them. Personally, I like my set of Husky wrenches. However, I do plan on getting a metric set of SK flank drive wrenches soon. My most recent visit to a local estate sale landed me quite the angle grinder. For a measly ten dollars, it has a 7.6 amp motor and came with a few nice accessories (wire cup brush, few cut off wheels, and a sanding disc). I had never used Kawasaki power tools previously but I'm very impressed.
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Mar 6, 2008 01:18
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Let's not forget the Craftsman Giant loving Screwdriver: Handy for drat near any job (other than driving slotted screws), and when it breaks from being used as a prybar for the hundredth time, just take it to Sears and get a new one for free.
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Mar 6, 2008 01:50
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Northern Tool has 8pc swivel socket sets for like $10. $20 for the most common swivel sockets has been an AWESOME investment. The cheapest ones I could find at sears were SK for $140 per 8. The only grip I have about them is it looks like the center part that it swivels on was made of 4140 and not some rock hard stainless steel so they will rust if you leave them out and have a very humid garage like I do. Its just very very light rust but considering the price and usefulness, Ill gladly sand them if they get to bad. EDIT: I cant find the chrome ones on thier site but they have them in stores. Heres thier comparison though,, IIRC Northern Industrial = Northern Tool The CR-V ones are even cheaper in stores. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AX7UI?smid=AF8EGQ3KRZQB6&tag=yahoo-tools06-20&linkCode=asn http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00919486000P?keyword=swivel+socket+set AnomalousBoners fucked around with this message at 03:07 on Mar 6, 2008 |
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Mar 6, 2008 03:02
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EvilDonald posted:One of these, in 1/2" and 9/16", is the single greatest wrench ever. I have a Craftsman one, but they don't show it on their site. They probably discontinued it, as it's not gimmicky. I got one in 17-19mm and I really like it as well. It feels really good to use since they don't use the blocky form factor that Craftsman's other wrenches use, it feels like a Snap-On wrench in that regard.
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Mar 6, 2008 03:28
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I just picked up a set of CV boot clamp pliers. Then promptly broke them because the metal on 19 year old Japanese cars beat the poo poo out of that made in China crap.
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Mar 6, 2008 04:05
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Beerios posted:Let's not forget the Craftsman Giant loving Screwdriver:  Stanley Demo Drivers, $10 for the pair at your local Lowe's/Home Depot. Sadly, that's the biggest they get -- there is one with a 1/2" tip (finally -- it wasn't out yet when I got those), but it's the same 10" long. Thicker shaft, though, so it might be worth buying anyway. Also pictured: three-pound hammer. Surprisingly useful in automotive work.  Here they are with my previous Giant loving Screwdriver, an 11" x 1/2" model from a Wal-Mart Popular Mechanics-brand set. Despite the naysayers' prediction of breakage and maiming, it's held up just fine for five years of hard use, including prying by hammering the tip into a small gap, then twisting the shaft with a Big loving Crescent Wrench. Square-shaft screwdrivers are awesome. (Edit: I'm pretty sure the Stanley ones are round specifically to prevent that sort of thing.) Chillbro Baggins fucked around with this message at 04:32 on Mar 6, 2008 |
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Mar 6, 2008 04:29
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Bad Angus! Bad!
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Pfft, none of those qualify as Giant loving Screwdrivers. My dad has a pair, which have been hammered on and pried with for probably 30 years. The handles split long ago, so the back end of the metal portion is not only exposed, it's full on mushroomed. They are absolutely hideous and one actually has about a 30* bend from god only knows what - I suspect my dad must have had to use it to lift a goddamn house or something because nothing else has bent it.
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Mar 6, 2008 04:44
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IOwnCalculus posted:They are absolutely hideous and one actually has about a 30* bend from god only knows what Here are a few artsy macro shots of the bigass Crescent wrench I mentioned in my previous post, because everybody knows the shape of it. 12" model I got from my dad, it may have been his dad's.  
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Mar 6, 2008 04:56
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Delivery McGee posted:Give it time. There are a couple like that in my late grandfather's shop. I need to dig through there next time I'm at Grandmother's house, and claim my inheritance (and also take pictures for an awesome old tools megathread). I love my 18" Craftsman adjustable. I use it as a hammer just as much as I use it as a wrench. I used to keep it in my car for a "tire knocker"... AKA headsplitter.
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Mar 6, 2008 05:08
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sharkytm posted:I love my 18" Craftsman adjustable. I use it as a hammer just as much as I use it as a wrench. I used to keep it in my car for a "tire knocker"... AKA headsplitter.  Paint job inspired by this picture from the Warhammer 40k thread. 
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Mar 6, 2008 05:52
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Auto Darkening Welding Helmet from HF. Ive used it quite a bit and it works great. I can spend a whole day welding and not have any spots or anything. Instant flash to anything emitting any UV light. I bought it when it was on sale for either $39.99 or $29.99. Either way it was a great deal. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46092 Also HF's welding gloves. They work good. They were $5. They don't seem to have the ones I bought in their site, they are almost elbow length and brown.
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Mar 6, 2008 05:59
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Beerios posted:Let's not forget the Craftsman Giant loving Screwdriver: I wish I was at home, I need to take pictures of all our old cool tools. We have 2 or 3 of the big loving craftsman screw drivers, along with a really old MAC (I think.) screwdriver with a wood handle and a big loving hammer plate on the top. It's been through more hell that I dare contemplate. We also have a Van Dorn drill that's a good 38 years old. It's truly frightening. It only turns about 600-1200 RPMs, but it has so much loving torque, that if you get a bit stuck in metal, and you're putting all your weight onto the drill, it WILL turn your whole body, and the RPMs will NOT drop. It's a loving god like tool. I love it so much.
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Mar 6, 2008 06:22
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frozenphil posted:I used a Lincoln 110v welder pretty much exclusively on my Mustang project. I seriously doubt most people would ever need the beef of a 220v welder at their house. i have a 415v welder- that thing will quite happily stick 1" plate together.
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Mar 6, 2008 06:26
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 OEM brand Infrared Thermometer with LASER POINTER I don't really know why I bought this but now I know how hot/cold everything is. And it's always fun to play with a laser pointer. It's got some nice range, -31 to +689 F It was only like 20 bucks too.
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Mar 6, 2008 06:33
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Crazed_Capybara_Rider posted:
A good friend has one and it is lots of fun.
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Mar 6, 2008 07:14
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I don't know how useful it'd be on everyday car mechanics, but I use the poo poo out of this thing at work (sorry not pic, can't get to waffleimages from work). It's a mini-ratchet/hand tool/bit holder for small form screw heads, hex, spline, etc. Thanks to the extender handle, you can pretty much turn this thing into any screwdriver and the little ratchet has a 12º arc. Beats the hell out of carrying around a set of allen wrenches and 4 screwdrivers.
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Mar 6, 2008 08:13
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leica posted:I use a HF 5# plastic sledge filled with buckshot, about the same results I would imagine. It might even be less damaging than a lead hammer. I have the 3# black HF hammer. It's one of my favorite tools in the shop. For multi-bit screwdrivers, the double ended kind are the only way to fly: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3FU94. The kind that have a dozen tips hidden in the handle suck by comparison. Last night I filled some used #00 insulin needles with boat trailer wheel bearing grease and injected it into the wheel & headset bearings in my commuter bike. I also did the bearings on an old vacuum cleaner. I'll definitely be keeping a bag of those around the shop from now on. Finally, I have found an upside to having a diabetic cat! (The downsides are still winning though...)
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Mar 6, 2008 08:42
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Crazed_Capybara_Rider posted:
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Mar 6, 2008 14:29
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tonedef131 posted:Where did you get that for $20? I want one of those bad, the fact that it doesn't actually touch anything makes it twice as useful since you can also use it in the kitchen. Autozone, in with the OEM tools. So probably aisle two. I've been working there too long.And yes, they are pretty cool. I use mine for automotive a/c work. Oh and just as a regular laser pointer too  edit: miklm posted:Thanks. There goes yet another small portion of my paycheck. My luck the local HF won't have any in stock; they're terrible about having inventory here. They have this promotion in stores? I looked online and didn't see anything. That looks like a killer deal, I should go pick it up today. My tool storage situation is a sad sight. Dark Solux fucked around with this message at 15:10 on Mar 6, 2008 |
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Mar 6, 2008 15:08
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Crazed_Capybara_Rider posted:
EDIT: Oops, autozone it is.
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Mar 6, 2008 16:13
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Dark Solux posted:My tool storage situation is a sad sight. Same here. I've got a Craftsman Rally Box for the socket set, box-end wrenches, and suchlike, and a big plastic toolbox for the non-automotive tools (hammers, screwdrivers, Crescent wrenches, etc.), and a big sack of 18v cordless power tools*. Unfortunately I don't have room for one of those huge things (nor do I have $120  ).*This kit, in case you were wondering. It's pretty decent for the money. The one bad comment on that page is about defective batteries; I think they fixed that, and in any case, I've never had a problem with mine. Awesome drill, good circular saw, good-as-you-can-get-with-cordless Sawzall-type saw, and pointless flashlight. Mine came with a sander instead of the Sawzall, and I acquired the latter separately. No complaints from me -- the drill is badass, both saws will hack through multiple 2x4s with ease, the flashlight may be useful if you don't own a 6D Maglite, and the sander . . . sands well. Mine was all Christmas presents, but I'd gladly pay for it. Here's the original kit with a lovely little stepstool I built from scrap wood as a test (reciprocating saw not pictured; got it the following year):  Now I want to cut our dead Jeep in half to test the reciprocating saw. Too bad the apartment complex has rules prohibiting that sort of thing. Chillbro Baggins fucked around with this message at 16:28 on Mar 6, 2008 |
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Mar 6, 2008 16:22
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How long will a 2 gallon 115psi tank last for common tasks (compare a few if you need to)? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=94724 is going to be on sale this weekend for 60 bucks. This one has a 1.5 HP compressor. edit: I see some seperate 10 gallon air tanks--can you daisy chain with the compressor and effectively get a 1.5hp 12gallon compressor for like 100 bucks? editx2: er.. not sure if that's worth it if you can just get this instead: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90234 Delivery McGee posted:*This kit, in case you were wondering. It's pretty decent for the money. My mom has a similar set except instead of the sander it had a hand vacuum (pretty nice one too)... I've used the drill and it is indeed pretty drat good--makes me regret cheaping out on a HF drill because "I'll rarely ever use it". Big loving mistake--I'm not out much money but it was just dumb.
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Mar 6, 2008 16:37
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Dark Solux posted:They have this promotion in stores? I looked online and didn't see anything. That looks like a killer deal, I should go pick it up today. My tool storage situation is a sad sight. It is in the local store here in Alabama; I have no idea if its the same at the other Sears in town or nationally... They also have a smaller one w/o the intermediate drawers that's silver w/ the 80yr Craftsman 2007 Anniversary logo on it for like $89, but I think I'll get the bigger one for just a few more  Also, what about some wrenches?  1-7/16" to 2"  30-ton shop press My uncle was partners in a farm with an older guy, who previously was an engineer. When he passed away, my brother, uncle, and grandfather bought the whole farm operation including a few tractors, backhoe, and three shop buildings full of awesome tools like those two pictures. This crazy old guy had one of everything, and two or more of most things, and didn't buy cheap junk either. That's been nice to have access to for the past couple of years. Too bad I live 2 hours away from there now, but that's where we're working on my (future) SPEC E36 track car.
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Mar 6, 2008 17:25
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Speaking of Ryobi tools. I have one of every cordless tools made by Ryobi, except the new Lithium ion line. And I've been using them daily for the last 4 years. Here is a quick rundown on their pros and cons. Worst con: Batteries. The power output is far from linear, and once the battery is at 50% capacity or less, they drop amperage. They don't age gracefully as well, older batteries begin to loose charge after a little while. I still have batteries that are 4 years old, but they stay in the garage. Charging also takes much longer than advertised 1 hour. Also, continuous draw eats power like there is no tomorrow. Compared to other cordless tools on the market, the output of Ryobi batteries is just shameful. Best tool:  I use it to drive screws, lags, bolts, lug nuts, and drill through just about anything. The torque is great and it's smaller than a drill. Every carpenter I worked with have bought one to match their cordless tool collection. And while the Makita or Bosch impact guns have their advantages, you can't beat Ryobi when it comes to price. The rest: Due to lovely battery power delivery, every tool that is designed for continuous draw will suck balls after about 3 minutes of use. That goes for grinders, polishers, drills, vacuums, etc. They will work for some time if used conservatively in short bursts, but if you need to do anything for prolonged periods of time, get a corded tool. The worst thing is to not being able to finish cutting a sheet of plywood because you're out of juice. Special notes: The Ryobi Sawzall does not output 18v and whatever amperage it's supposed to. You can make it kick a hell of a lot more rear end by removing the voltage regulator and the safety switch. I've modified 2 so far and it's a night and day difference. The new Lithium-ion does not have this problem. Ryobi radio is loving awesome. For $29 it's small, rugged and has an audio jack for an Ipod or Stilleto. The cordless stapler/brad nailer sucks extra hard. Avoid at all costs. Conclusion: Ryobi is great set of tolls to keep in the garage for small home and automotive projects. Tools like sander, saw, grinder, vacuum, polisher are best when they are plugged in, and cheaper too. To put together a good kit I would get: The new Lithium-ion set, plus the above mentioned impact driver and a radio. Everything else you're better off buying corded.
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Mar 6, 2008 17:28
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Beerios posted:Let's not forget the Craftsman Giant loving Screwdriver: Last time I used mine, it stood in for a lost Class III hitch reciever pin so I could get my rig towed home from the track (VIR). 300 miles, end wrapped in duct tape so it wouldn't fall out. It showed one small scratch. Long live the Craftsman Giant loving Screwdriver!
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Mar 6, 2008 17:29
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ChiliMac posted:How long will a 2 gallon 115psi tank last for common tasks (compare a few if you need to)?
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Mar 6, 2008 17:31
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Nitrox posted:Special notes: Can you tell me how to do this? This is awesome, I've always thought mine was way under powered. Also, aren't the new lithium batteries interchangeable? I could have sworn they said you can use them on any Ryobi tools. If so, do you think it would be worthwhile to upgrade? I have almost every Ryobi cordless too, I was thinking about the impact, but you have sold me on it. Do you have the air compressor? I've been thinking of getting that also.
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Mar 6, 2008 17:55
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leica posted:Can you tell me how to do this? This is awesome, I've always thought mine was way under powered. I wish that I could post a picture of my saw, but it's rather simple. Get a toggle switch, like this one and about 12" of wire. Take the saw apart, remove one part of the plastic casing. Now you see 2 wires running from the battery into the safety switch, trigger and regulator and then into the motor. Cut the wires at battery and motor, leaving some slack. Remove everything in between. Now run a wire from battery straight to motor, and another batter>switch>motor. Mission accomplished. When you put it back together, the ridge on the casing should hold the switch very tight. If not, get a larger switch. Here is a crude drawing to help you understand it better. 
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Mar 6, 2008 18:21
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My mom got me the 2-piece Craftsman anniversary cabinet for Christmas this year. It're pretty nice, has a riser between the base and top chest, and it was really cheap before the holidays. I think she only spent like $45 on it. There aren't ball-bearing drawers or anything super nice like that, but overall it should last for awhile as long as you dont do stupid poo poo to it. That being said, Can anyone recommend a relatively cheap torque wrench? Will I need anything else besides the correct sized socket for my lugnuts? I own 4 jackstands and a hydraulic floor jack, but I want to be able to rotate my own tires and torque them back to spec. I've never worried about how tight I put poo poo on until I busted a wheel stud on my friend's Monte Carlo from my manly (wimpy) strength. BabyJesus fucked around with this message at 19:35 on Mar 6, 2008 |
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Mar 6, 2008 18:41
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Nitrox posted:They ARE interchangeable! If you can, avoid the old batteries at all. Cool. But are the lithium that much better? I know they charge faster, but do they hold it longer, and do they put out more power? My kit is still fairly new, so I don't think I'll need batteries any time soon, but if the Lithium batteries can help me part the Red Sea I may just invest in some.  Also thanks for the crude drawing. 
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Mar 6, 2008 18:42
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I love this thing: 10" adjustable with an over-centre clamp like a mole grip. Clamps up nice and tight so that unlike other adjustables, it doesn't slip off at inopportune moments. One of those things that you think looks like a really dumb idea until you find a use for it. VVVVV: I'm a Brit, so Stanley stuff is available in pretty much every tool shop. Cost about £20. (Yes, I know Stanley's American, but their stuff is sold everywhere here). In fact, they have a Zip Code search on their website for you: http://www.stanleytools.com/default...justable+Wrench InitialDave fucked around with this message at 19:07 on Mar 6, 2008 |
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Mar 6, 2008 18:43
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InitialDave posted:I love this thing: Holy gently caress, where did you find that awesome tool. That would have come in handy yesterday when i was removing the shock from my SV...
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Mar 6, 2008 18:58
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leica posted:Cool. But are the lithium that much better? I know they charge faster, but do they hold it longer, and do they put out more power? My kit is still fairly new, so I don't think I'll need batteries any time soon, but if the Lithium batteries can help me part the Red Sea I may just invest in some. Get the impact driver, you'll thank me later. Can anyone recommend me a good soldering iron? I would like to get a good cheap one if there is such thing.
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Mar 6, 2008 19:29
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Nitrox posted:Can anyone recommend me a good soldering iron? I would like to get a good cheap one if there is such thing. Last I shopped around, Hakko irons were still available drat cheaply and it certainly beats the hell out of the ~20 year old Craftsman my dad uses.
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Mar 6, 2008 19:38
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What is the difference between 12pt and 6pt sockets? I'm guessing 6pt would be less likely to round a nut and 12pt is easier to slip on a nut. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference in price.
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Mar 6, 2008 19:58
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:What is the difference between 12pt and 6pt sockets? I'm guessing 6pt would be less likely to round a nut and 12pt is easier to slip on a nut. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference in price. That is pretty much it. A 12-point socket can go on at more angles than a 6-point socket, but loses surface area against the hex as a result so it's more likely to strip or break.
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Mar 6, 2008 20:06
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Nitrox posted:Can anyone recommend me a good soldering iron? I would like to get a good cheap one if there is such thing. I just picked one up at Harbour Freight for 5 bucks and it works well, although I'm not a connoisseur of fine soldering irons, so I have no idea if it's worth it to spend for a good one.
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Mar 6, 2008 20:20
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Nitrox posted:They ARE interchangeable! If you can, avoid the old batteries at all. Can you beef it up/remove the safety while keeping the original trigger? The variable speed is a big thing for me. I'm satisfied (so far) with the power, but I'd love to take out that stupid-rear end safety button.
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Mar 7, 2008 03:41
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Can someone recommend a cheapie torque wrench? I'm not looking for much, I just want to be able to torque my lugnuts back to spec so I can rotate my own drat tires.
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Mar 7, 2008 03:51
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