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sharkytm
Oct 9, 2003

Ba

By

Sharkytm doot doo do doot do doo


Fallen Rib

oxbrain posted:

Solder joints don't like prolonged vibration. NASA uses crimps for wiring, the military uses crimps for wiring. I'd hope they know their poo poo.

They do if you support them. I attach the joints directly under the deck (highest point from the bilge).

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AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma

BigKOfJustice posted:

Jumping back to this post, I went ahead and ordered the DCT4 from DMC today. Does DMC make any tools for crimping/disassembling weatherpak connectors?

Probably, I'll ask around tomorrow. You may be able to get a faster answer by simply calling them 8-4:30 EST.

PeaceFrog
Jul 27, 2004
you'll shoot your eye out.

RealKyleH posted:

Probably, I'll ask around tomorrow. You may be able to get a faster answer by simply calling them 8-4:30 EST.

If you find out I am also interested in them.

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!

Aceshighxxx posted:

I've said it before and I'll say it again; this

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45252

is BAD rear end for the price.

To bring this back up, I bought one for $33 today.

Splizwarf
Jun 15, 2007
It's like there's a soup can in front of me!

Rhyno posted:

To bring this back up, I bought one for $33 today.

Me too. :hfive:

Tomorrow: exhaust clamps. :jihad:

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!

Splizwarf posted:

Me too. :hfive:

Tomorrow: exhaust clamps. :jihad:

I have a bumper to paint so I think I'm gonna buy the folding sawhorses next.

grover
Jan 23, 2002

PEW PEW PEW
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:

RealKyleH posted:

There's a difference in "meeting the spec" and being qualified to it. Any idea what the spec number on the package was (e.g. MIL-DTL-22520 or AS22520 for hand crimping tools)? I can often lookup what companies are qualified to certain products.
Yeah, you've got to be careful about this. MIL-SPEC include both design and testing requirements. A lot of manufacturers will claim to build their [whatever] in accordance with MIL-etc, but don't actually undergo the testing process and thus do not actually meet MIL-SPEC. You can often tell this by the way their word their claims, like saying "designed to meet" instead of "meets." If they provide NSN numbers or GSA schedule information, it's probably legit. Otherwise, I'd ignore it as just more baseless marketing.

MIL-SPEC isn't necessarily any better than commercial; many are simply out-of-date. Others are overbuilt for unique military requirements; for instance ceramic and stainless steel fiber optic connectors designed to withstand the shock of torpedo hits that would shear off plastic connectors. Mixing the two has bad consequences- if you try to use a MIL-SPEC fiber optic connector on a piece of commercial-grade equipment, the stronger spring tension on the MIL-SPEC connector can break the plastic plug.

grover fucked around with this message at 10:59 on Apr 23, 2010

Splizwarf
Jun 15, 2007
It's like there's a soup can in front of me!

grover posted:

Mixing the two has bad consequences- if you try to use a MIL-SPEC fiber optic connector on a piece of commercial-gradde equipment, the stronger spring tension on the MIL-SPEC connector can break the plastic plug.

Do you have more stories like this? This type of stuff is fascinating, modern-day cautionary fables about unintended consequences.

I like stuff that works, stands up to excessive abuse, and does nothing but the thing it's made to do, so military gear is often attractive. I grew up believing that MIL-SPEC meant "best thing for the job / indestructible" but it seems that like everything else in life it turns out it's a case-by-case aspect-by-aspect basis. I bet even that type of analysis wouldn't catch what you're talking about; someone probably found out the hard way.

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma
A lot of the Milspec stuff in electrical Aerospace ends up being the standard in commercial aerospace because of the testing its gone through. The cost of liability and documentation in the commercial aerospace industry is huge but that's why we rarely have commercial airliners falling out of the sky. Also Id be wary of something being a Milspec tool/object if it doesn't specifically use the words "qualified to" and then a spec number they've been QPL'd for. "Meets or exceeds [spec #]" usually means "isn't [spec #]."

The reason its not the best thing for it is exactly like he said, designed for a specific application than assumed by non military to be for applications that its not.

AnomalousBoners fucked around with this message at 12:20 on Apr 23, 2010

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma

RealKyleH posted:

Probably, I'll ask around tomorrow. You may be able to get a faster answer by simply calling them 8-4:30 EST.

Wrong.

Turns out we do very little big time commercial automotive applications. The only thing we might have stuff for is Deutche's AutoSport Connectors which are a lightweight version of the M38999 connector series. I searched in our cross ref for the crimp tool and connector numbers I can fnid. If you have a specific Weather Pack part number I can let you know for sure but chances are, no.

If you know the dims of the Delphi I&R tool I could look up an equivlent based on that.

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma
T-T-T-TRIPLE POSSSST

A few pages back we were discussing torque multipliers and harbor freights annoying lack of a straight through style one.

Well:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=65058

PBCrunch
Jun 17, 2002

Lawrence Phillips Always #1 to Me
There is a lot of talk about electrical connectors here so I will ask a question.

I am looking for a MALE relay harness. It is easy enough to find a female relay harness that the relay fits into, I am looking for something that will allow me to easily relocate a relay to a more convenient location without cutting existing wiring and without the chance of mixing up the wiring. I am looking for these in the hundreds of units.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

PBCrunch posted:

There is a lot of talk about electrical connectors here so I will ask a question.

I am looking for a MALE relay harness. It is easy enough to find a female relay harness that the relay fits into, I am looking for something that will allow me to easily relocate a relay to a more convenient location without cutting existing wiring and without the chance of mixing up the wiring. I am looking for these in the hundreds of units.
If you want a reasonable quantity, then in that case it may be worth talking to someone about getting a simple mould made to make custom holders for off-the-shelf blade connectors from a different kind of connector block. You might even be able to patent it or something.

grover
Jan 23, 2002

PEW PEW PEW
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:
:circlefap::circlefap::circlefap:

PBCrunch posted:

There is a lot of talk about electrical connectors here so I will ask a question.

I am looking for a MALE relay harness. It is easy enough to find a female relay harness that the relay fits into, I am looking for something that will allow me to easily relocate a relay to a more convenient location without cutting existing wiring and without the chance of mixing up the wiring. I am looking for these in the hundreds of units.
May be cheaper/easier just to cannibalize a compatible relay for this.

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma
I assume you mean a 30/50A SPDT typical automotive relay harness? If so and if you cant find one cant you just crimp blade connectors on the end and label what they are?

An h4 plug looks like it may have worked is spacing was right but unfortunately theyre only three plug and the perpendicular ground blade is the third one.

AnomalousBoners fucked around with this message at 18:31 on Apr 23, 2010

Desterado
Jan 30, 2008
Question for all you guys.

I just purchased a starter tool set, and I have a BUNCH of sockets but no way to organize them. I have a tool box, it's a small portable one. Does anyone have any recommendations on what sort of stuff I should get to keep the sockets organized?

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma

Desterado posted:

Question for all you guys.

I just purchased a starter tool set, and I have a BUNCH of sockets but no way to organize them. I have a tool box, it's a small portable one. Does anyone have any recommendations on what sort of stuff I should get to keep the sockets organized?

HF has socket organizers that I use for like $4. Check earlier posts of mine in this thread about them.

Uthor
Jul 9, 2006

Gummy Bear Heaven ... It's where I go when the world is too mean.

RealKyleH posted:

HF has socket organizers that I use for like $4. Check earlier posts of mine in this thread about them.

Are you talking about these? I was always worried about holding the sockets in place while carrying a tool box.

Personally, I have a few clip rails from McMaster. Lets me take all my, say, 1/4" drive sockets with me if I don't want to carry the box and the sockets stay where I put them.

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma

Uthor posted:

Are you talking about these? I was always worried about holding the sockets in place while carrying a tool box.

Personally, I have a few clip rails from McMaster. Lets me take all my, say, 1/4" drive sockets with me if I don't want to carry the box and the sockets stay where I put them.

I meant this




...which seems to have disappeared from their site\

They need to be taped down and arent as portable as clip rails but personally I hated clip rails.

PBCrunch
Jun 17, 2002

Lawrence Phillips Always #1 to Me

RealKyleH posted:

I meant this




...which seems to have disappeared from their site\

They need to be taped down and arent as portable as clip rails but personally I hated clip rails.

I like the plastic clip rails that have a spring-loaded ball bearing inside each socket holder.

oxbrain
Aug 18, 2005

Put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip and come on up to the mothership.
The HF clip rails work OK and cost $1.

Brain Issues
Dec 16, 2004

lol

PBCrunch posted:

I like the plastic clip rails that have a spring-loaded ball bearing inside each socket holder.

The Lowes "Kobalt" brand clip rails are like this, I bought about 5 or 6 of them in different drives a few months ago and they've been great but they were kind of pricey. $4-6 each if I remember right. They're better than the metal clips because I feel like its easier to remove the sockets from this type.

PBCrunch
Jun 17, 2002

Lawrence Phillips Always #1 to Me
The metal ones suck because they are easily bent and then they don't hold the sockets very well.

The HF plastic ones suck because they don't have the spring-loaded balls to keep the socket secured to the rail.

Lowclock
Oct 26, 2005
Craftsman makes those little socket trays too, and they fit perfectly 1 wide in my portable tool box, and 2 wide in my huge rolling tool chest. They weren't too expensive, I think like $15 bucks for a set that covers about every possible size on 1/4" to 1/2" drive. Something else to check out if those Harbor Freight ones don't fit well for you. I freaking hate those little metal rail kind.

meatpimp
May 15, 2004

Psst -- Wanna buy

:) EVERYWHERE :)
some high-quality thread's DESTROYED!

:kheldragar:

I'm looking for new rails now. My tools hang on a slatwall, so the shelf organizers don't work for me.

Does anyone have experience with Ernst's rails? http://www.tiretoolsonline.com/18-A...01_p_28395.html

Jared592
Jan 23, 2003
JARED NUMBERS: BACK IN ACTION
Those look like slightly fancier versions of the Harbor Freight .99 rails, meatpimp. I have the Harbor Freight rails and they're certainly better than nothing.

That said, if they weren't so pricey I'd like to give these a shot, as magnets (HOW DO THEY WORK?!) seem like a good idea for socket storage.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00959373000P

These also seem like they'd be nice:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00941377000P?mv=rr

Jared592 fucked around with this message at 06:20 on Apr 24, 2010

Splizwarf
Jun 15, 2007
It's like there's a soup can in front of me!

PBCrunch posted:

The HF plastic ones suck because they don't have the spring-loaded balls to keep the socket secured to the rail.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96343

These do (every once in a while one doesn't have a spring, but I always have extras). I've been buying these, cutting them to the length I need, drilling a hole at the cut end (because there's no stop now) and running a ziptie through the hole as a stop. Often the cut-off part is useful too. I figure if I ever need to change the number of sockets or whatever I can just cut off the ziptie.

I need my rails to fit in a ~8" bag; also, putting my 1/4" metric sockets on a normal rail leaves 70% of the rail swinging in the wind and just seems retarded.

Comradephate
Feb 28, 2009

College Slice
If you hate money, these are boss.

http://www.mactools.com/Product/tabid/120/productid/327651/variantid/318410/Default.aspx

Otherwise, just get cheap metal clip ones, and plan to replace them when they get bent.

adnam
Aug 28, 2006

Christmas Whale fully subsidized by ThatsMyBoye
I've been slowly acquiring new tools to work on my car and I think I want to purchase torque wrenches (3/8" and 1/4"), a set of jackstands and floor jack (been making do with ramps/chocks since), and a set of deep-socket wrench for taking off/replacing my lugnuts on my wheels.

Would I be okay buying from Harbor Freight/local Autozone, or do you guys have any better recommendations?

Ericadia
Oct 31, 2007

Not A Unicorn

Just Another XY posted:

I've been slowly acquiring new tools to work on my car and I think I want to purchase torque wrenches (3/8" and 1/4"), a set of jackstands and floor jack (been making do with ramps/chocks since), and a set of deep-socket wrench for taking off/replacing my lugnuts on my wheels.

Would I be okay buying from Harbor Freight/local Autozone, or do you guys have any better recommendations?

AFAIK Autozone tools are basically overpriced HF tools. The HF torque wrenches are okay if you don't expect precision. If you want precision (money grows on trees!), I recommend Cornwell or Snapon (or Mac, Matco, S-K.. etc). You'll also want a 1/2" drive torque wrench if you plan on torquing down your lug nuts.

The HF aluminium floor jacks are great. Their jack stands are okay. Sears has a set with a jack, stands and a creeper that occasionally goes on sale for pretty cheap, that is worth looking up.

Also want to echo other sentiments in this thread: A new tool megathread with a huge set of FAQs would be great.

havelock
Jan 20, 2004

IGNORE ME
Soiled Meat
I got my jack stands and jack from Sears for only a bit more expensive than HF. I don't care whether they were good quality, I had a mental block with buying the cheapest tool when it was something that would potentially be supporting the entire car above my face.

laymil
Sep 13, 2005

so it goes...

havelock posted:

I got my jack stands and jack from Sears for only a bit more expensive than HF. I don't care whether they were good quality, I had a mental block with buying the cheapest tool when it was something that would potentially be supporting the entire car above my face.

Generally, the Harbor Freight jacks are of significantly better quality than Sears crap. This is especially (anecdotally) the case with aluminum jacks.

Ericadia
Oct 31, 2007

Not A Unicorn
As far as Sears goes, avoid the aluminum and the 4-ton Craftsman Pro jack at all costs. Their 3-Ton service jack is probably their only decent jack. Their 4-Ton pro jackstands are pretty good. A lot of their lower capacity stands are absolutely terrifying (like 9 pieces spot welded together).

daslog
Dec 10, 2008

#essereFerrari
Couldn't get my son's rear struts off his car on Sunday because I had no heat. Even the 24" Breaker Bar with a cheater pipe on it failed. So I finally bit the bullet and got a good MAPP gas torch.





Instant on, fits in tight spots, and also useful for plumbing.

DJ Commie
Feb 29, 2004

Stupid drivers always breaking car, Gronk fix car...
I got a $17 propane torch kit from Home Despot, it worked alright until I found a box of MAPP cylinders, now its much better.

ASSTASTIC
Apr 27, 2003

Hey Gusy!
Anyone used the Harbor Freight HPLV guns before? Any opinions?

MATLAB 1988
Sep 20, 2009
Have I posted about my Subaru XT yet? Here are pictures of my Subaru XT. POST POST POST.

ASSTASTIC posted:

Anyone used the Harbor Freight HPLV guns before? Any opinions?

They are fine for a DIY-grade auto paint job. I think it's much easier to do the prep yourself and pay to have the car sprayed than setting up a paint booth and buying guns/accessories.

A somewhat useful review here:
http://www.purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/HVLPspraygun.html

Many people will use the $10 purple non-hvlp for spraying primer, then just throw that gun away when done.

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!

MATLAB 1988 posted:


Many people will use the $10 purple non-hvlp for spraying primer, then just throw that gun away when done.

Did exactly this. It's not even worth the trouble of cleaning it.

City17
Dec 3, 2006

Ericadia posted:

avoid the 4-ton Craftsman Pro jack at all costs.

I own one and it has worked flawlessly for 5+ years now. It's one of the few floor jacks you can buy that will get the wheels of a higher sitting SUV off the ground.

Of course I'm sure as I post this the jack is in the garage weeping fluid and about to explode in a ball of fire.

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Ericadia
Oct 31, 2007

Not A Unicorn

Landshark posted:

I own one and it has worked flawlessly for 5+ years now. It's one of the few floor jacks you can buy that will get the wheels of a higher sitting SUV off the ground.

Of course I'm sure as I post this the jack is in the garage weeping fluid and about to explode in a ball of fire.

"At all costs.." may have been a bit too drastic. My experience with them only goes back to the 2008 and up models, of which I've seen 5 completely blown. They probably are okay with good maintenance.

Speaking of weeping fluid, I need to get a new bottle jack. Anyone have recommendations?

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