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Mad Dragon posted:Impact sockets are actually softer than regular chrome sockets, so they don't shatter. Don't forget, impact sockets are also thicker than regular sockets, so clearance is often an issue. The Harbor Freight and other ultra-cheapo impacts are often significantly thicker than name brand ones, to try to compensate for poor manufacturing. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't.
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Mar 22, 2008 14:02
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devnull420 posted:Why go with air tools over electric ones? From what I can tell the air ones have more torque, and it seems like if you need a variety of powered tools air ones are much cheaper because all the energy comes from your compressor, so each tool is cheaper. The electric ones seem a little wimpier and have a smaller initial investment (also don't have to worry about running out of air), but if you need multiple tools could be more expensive in the long run. Is this pretty much it? Aside from the torque issue, pneumatic tools have a longer service life, and are smaller/lighter for their power. Electric motors generate a ton of heat, especially under load. Pneumatic tools stay cold (literally). Imagine an electric die grinder or cutoff, running 22k RPM at 1/4HP or whatever.
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Apr 26, 2008 13:09
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poisoned pie posted:can anyone recommend me what sort of compressor I should be looking at for painting a car? I'm going to start with laying some killrust down, so any info on different spray guns and stuff would be useful also. Later on Ill be painting the car body from primer to base coat to top coat to clear coat. Heh, this is a pretty big question. Painting a vehicle is a massive pain, especially if you have any desire to make it look good. In general, you want a minimum 5hp (real hp, not peak) compressor that puts out at least 15cfm @135psi. The bigger the tank, the better. I don't know what comes standard on that size compressor, but I'm guessing 40 gallon. That would be OK, but 60 or 80 gallon would be ideal. With my 80 gallon tank, pumped up to 175psi, I think it only cycled once for every three guns (~1.5-2L) of material I shot. As for guns, DeVilbiss currently has a three-gun starter setup for like $150 that is a pretty good investment. It comes with a small regulator too, which is nice. As for a filter, something like this DeVilbiss unit will do a good job overall. At that point, you're looking at a little over $1k in hardware (plus whatever it costs to run 220V service for your compressor, if your garage isn't wired for it already). Figure at least $500 in materials after that for paint/primer/sandpaper. That is a low estimate, because a quality clear may run $350/gallon or more, and expensive colors aren't far behind that. You'll also need a bunch of sandpaper, with grits varying based on how much body work you are planning to do. 400 wetsand will be OK for prep before your color coat, depending on what is underneath. Are you going to take the vehicle to bare metal? Are you going to do a one or two stage paint (single stage is color only, two stage is a color basecoat and a clear topcoat)? Buy a decent, high quality basecoat. Just like house paints, the cheap color coats don't cover as well, and require more coats. They end up not looking as good, and you spend just as much because you have to use so many coats. Then you're out considerable time as well. For clearcoats, it isn't as much of an issue. I have had very good luck with PPG's cheaper Omni clearcoat. The quality of a paintjob is 99% dependent on the prep work. Can someone get good results with with a 2hp 40L compressor and a Harbor Freight gun? Sure, people probably do it all the time. Would I bother? Not a chance, but that's me. Aeka may have some input for you on painting with a smaller compressor. The actual spraying, while very messy, isn't terribly difficult. Really, it all depends on how good you want it to look. If you're starting with a clean vehicle with good paint already, and you don't need to do any body work, it isn't a huge deal. Add in bad old paint, or any body work, and things get very tedious, very quickly. CatBus fucked around with this message at 16:50 on Apr 26, 2008 |
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Apr 26, 2008 16:45
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. A list of stuff I should shop for to paint my car would be awesome
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Aeka 2.0 posted:I kept the garage door only open enough so that I could close it on top of a box fan at one side, I also cracked open the side door of the garage. The wind had to be perfectly still to do this. On that note, I ran four box fans, with the garage door sitting on them. The rest of the garage opening was covered with cardboard. Make sure you have a way for air to get IN with a system like that. I put those big, blue, cheap HVAC filters over the back of the fans to keep the blades from loading up with overspray. I also wet the floor with a hose to keep dust down. One other filter note. I also used a disposable water/oil filter at the gun. I don't know how much it did, but I never had a single fisheye or water issue. Which reminds me, clarifying somethings Aeka said about silicone lubricants. If you've sprayed WD40 or used Armorall in your garage in the last month or so, don't bother trying to paint. Here's another tip: Avoid painting after 4:00pm, and never paint at dusk. That is when the bugs *really* start to come out. Paint in the early morning, if you can. CatBus fucked around with this message at 20:27 on Apr 26, 2008 |
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Apr 26, 2008 20:24
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For the air ratchet crowd, try using a 1/4" air ratchet. I almost never use my 3/8" unit, but have *many* hours on the 1/4". Also, the 3/8" ratchets are broken bones waiting to happen. I have had a few situations where it has pinned my hand somewhere, or caught me by surprise and done some damage. The 1/4" is smaller, and lighter, which makes it easier to move around, and is perfect for all those torx, hex, and <15mm bolts and nuts. I rarely pick up my non-pneumatic ratchets anymore (except for 1/2" jobs). This is especially true for almost every job I have to do on my motorcycles.
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Jul 2, 2008 12:01
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frozenphil posted:Agreeing with this. A compressor that can keep up with the demands of sandblasting an entire vehicle will run you tens of thousands of dollars; then you need to purchase the actual sandblasting stuff. If you try to use one of those little spot blasters you will want to kill yourself after the first hour it takes you to blast a quarter of a fender that you just warped to poo poo from the heat. I'll have to disagree here. You can get a 15hp IR unit, pumping ~50ACFM @175PSI for ~$3.5k. Pretty much anything over 7.5hp is going to be three phase, ruling out many residential users, but that isn't the argument. The price is WAY less than tens of thousands of dollars, and I guarantee that no professional, let alone portable professional, setup requires more air than that. I've done a few hundred hours of blasting using my 7.5hp unit (single phase), which is pushing 26ACFM @175psi, and it can catch up like I'm not even using air, when I'm sandblasting. I'm not saying the guy should do it himself, but it's certainly not out of the question to buy a decent compressor that can put out WAY more air than you will ever use. CatBus fucked around with this message at 00:01 on Jan 14, 2009 |
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Jan 13, 2009 23:58
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Just something to think about for those planning to buy a tool kit package: Check the list for the kit, and don't waste your money if they pad it with 12pt sockets. 12pt seems to be the standard for cheap socket sets, though they are inferior to 6pt sockets. There are *very* few 12pt bolts, and if you come across one, just buy that one socket. 12pt box wrenches may have more angle options, but that isn't true for a socket (since you can ratchet to any angle you want). PS: Don't bother with 12pt box wrenches either. I'm guessing 12pt sockets and wrenches are more common because the tolerances don't have to be as tight, so manufacturing costs go down. Manufacturer may be down, but frustration and rounded bolt costs go WAY UP.
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Jan 16, 2009 03:00
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Thanks Craigslist! $150 for a Blue Point four drawer tool cart. The thing is impressively heavy duty. It weighs a ton, and the casters are massive, with grease zerks and everything.
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Jan 25, 2009 04:58
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Hypnolobster posted:Anybody have recommendations for a 6" DA sander? I'm going to be stripping down my Beetle this winter/next summer and I'm going to take it down to bare metal. If you're going down to metal, an 8" geared orbital sander works WAY better than a DA, though you may wish to use a random orbit sander to finish the job. The 8" sandpaper is quite a bit more costly, but it's worth it. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-328B-Geared-Orbital-Sander/dp/B0002SRNOQ I wouldn't even actually bother with a DA. Get something more comfortable, and controllable, like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-4151-6-Inch-Vacuum-Pnuematic/dp/B00004XOT6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1252118042&sr=1-1
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Sep 5, 2009 03:36
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Hypnolobster posted:Should I go up to 8" when I'm sanding a car that's nothing but big huge curves? There are almost zero flat spots on the whole car. I'm pretty resigned to having to either blast the fenders or just sand them by hand. Stripping paint with a 6" DA is an incredible pain in the rear end (depending on how thick it is). I would personally go the geared orbital sander route, because it just works so much better for removing material, and it is less likely to remove metal than a grinder with a sanding pad. Those 3M abrasive fiber wheels are slick, but crazy expensive for a big job, and they don't work too well on thick paint jobs, in my experience. Plus, it seems like it would take forever to do a whole car with one.
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Sep 7, 2009 23:58
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Splizwarf posted:What you're looking for is a 20% off coupon. I have a couple floor jacks already, one of which is pretty nice, but I caved in and grabbed this one tonight. It's a pretty good price. Thanks for sharing the coupon!
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Dec 11, 2009 02:47
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I doubt that transmission dolly is going to work with the 1.5ton jack. That thing is a tiny little toy, compared to the 3 ton jacks. I finally opened the box on mine, and it is about 1/3 the size of my 3 ton (although it is easier to move around, obviously). It seems like a good portable jack, but I wouldn't want it as my only shop jack.
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Dec 24, 2009 18:12
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I bought the manual tire changer, and motorcycle adapter. They were on sale for $49 each, plus my 25% coupons, so it ended up like $80 total. Hopefully it doesn't suck too badly for motorcycle tires, and maybe it will even work for car/truck tires... Let me know how you like that air hose reel, since that was next on my list.
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Jan 2, 2010 01:12
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RealKyleH posted:Cobalt 118* if theyre used often, HSS 118* if theyre used in your garage now and then. Bright/plain/normal/uncoated finish should be fine. 118* has always been the standard, but it seems like much of the new stuff is 135*, with a split point. I'm not arguing against your suggestion, just commenting on a current general trend that will affect availability.
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Feb 11, 2010 03:23
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RealKyleH posted:Good to know,when you say general trend do you mean in machining in industry or for whats in hardware stores for general purpose? I bought a set of cobalt bits in Dec., and in searching around, all of the mainstream brands (Irwin, Bosch, Milwaukee) seemed to only be available as 135* split point. I don't know what the specialty machinist brands are doing.
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Feb 12, 2010 00:28
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You can get an appropriately sized arbor, and use a Rotozip as a die grinder (or so I'm told- I use air).
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Mar 14, 2010 04:34
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ab0z posted:That miller 180 is what I was recommended to buy by a guy who is a machinist/metalworker for a living. The local airgas place had it for the same price as online, so make sure you call the local suppliers before ordering it. I was just checking the 180 out at Airgas today, and they have them on sale for $768 or something.
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Mar 19, 2010 21:39
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ab0z posted:dang, I gotta get on that. I was quoted $1000 or so, including a spool of wire and a bottle. I forgot what the breakdown was for price on each item but it was close to that. $1k sounds about right with a gas bottle and wire. They quoted $175 to lease a 300 cubic foot bottle for five years, with $80 refills (or $200 to buy an 80 cubic foot bottle, with $35 refills).
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Mar 19, 2010 22:47
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FormulaXFD posted:I have a Millermatic 145 and I'm thinking about buying the Aluminum MIG attachment. Any of you guys bought/used it? I'm curious how good the weld quality is with it. All of the professional welders I know hate it and claim TIG to be the only way to weld Aluminum, but they also spend their days using TIG welders. Keep in mind that you have to switch the whole kit over to use the spoolgun. Everything below the Millermatic 212 (?) only has one in/out, so you need to switch gas, pull the MIG wire, connect the spool gun, etc (or so I was told). That is major incentive to go with a dedicated TIG setup, or get a 212 for $$$.
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May 27, 2010 03:48
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meatpimp posted:Harbor Freight for like $8 or something. The PERFECT tool for those damned phillips head screws that hold rotors to hubs. I broke every tip in the Harbor Freight impact driver in one day. I have a Matco one (or Mac, maybe) that hasn't broken a tip in years of use.
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May 29, 2010 04:25
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frozenphil posted:Air ratchets seem like such a great idea until you actually use one. I'll pick up a regular ratchet instead of the air ratchet 99 times out of 100. What I'm saying is try one out before you plop down a couple hundred dollars on a tool you may not like much, especially for a lovely setup for a tool you may not like much. I have the opposite opinion. I use my 1/4" air ratchet 99 times out of 100 (though rarely the 3/8" bone breaking machine). I am so spoiled, I get annoyed when I have to turn something by hand.
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Jun 4, 2010 19:32
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Slung Blade posted:I have a unit similar to this from mastercraft, the canadian tire brand. I have a Blackhawk version. In my head it's super useful, but I haven't made use of the handle twist feature too often. The ratchet is really nice though, and I use it all the time.
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Jun 10, 2010 17:11
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I would guess the weight of the wrench isn't insignificant, but apparently doesn't affect your results, so who knows. Cool setup, and it eases my mind a bit about my cheapo torque wrenches, so thanks!
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Jun 30, 2010 03:17
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RapeWhistle posted:What kind of creepers do you guys like? I just started what will be a lengthy project on an e30 and I realized I finally need to get one. I have the "rough rider" version, and it has its pros and cons. http://www.amazon.com/Dale-Adams-Enterprises-7031-Mechanics/dp/B00005A1KQ/ref=pd_cp_hi_2 Pro: Often actually successfully rolls over stuff Pretty solid construction Con: Can't fit under anything, ever. Want to fit under a Jeep on max height jack stands? Still scraping your nose. I would imagine the non-"rough rider" version is lower-profile, so maybe it's a better bet.
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Dec 8, 2010 02:24
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For those looking at welders, Toolking.com has reconditioned Hobart Handler 187 welders back in stock for $589. Hobart is made by Miller (though I am sure someone will nitpick that statement), and the reconditioned HH 187 is often considered across the internet to be the best deal going. They have been out of stock for a LONG time (since spring maybe?). http://www.toolking.com/hobart-500525a-factory-reconditioned-handler-187-mig-welder-a-stock?___store=default
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Dec 24, 2010 17:14
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Raluek posted:e: Anyone got any ideas what you're gonna use that 25% off any item coupon for on new years day? I don't think it applies to sale/clearance prices, but isn't that up to the cashier? What's the deal with coupon and sale prices, anyway? The coupon says no sale/clearance items. I have two of the 25% off coupons, and I am going to pick up two pairs of the 6 ton jack stands (The guy made it clear that it was one coupon per person, not per visit, so my wife will use one, I guess). The 3 ton jack stands are useless. I have no idea why I bought more of the stupid 3 ton this summer, since they are too short.
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Jan 1, 2011 00:17
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Rhyno posted:The 3-ton work great for low cars like my Escort. But I needed the 6-ton for my Jeep. Ok, that may be true. I have a Jeep, two Scouts, a pickup truck, and a CRV. The 3 ton jack stands are useless for me.
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Jan 1, 2011 00:24
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As an update, I just got back from Harbor Freight. For some reason, they DID take 25% off the sale price of the jack stands (sale price was $44, marked down from $55), so they ended up $33 per pair, which is pretty good. I'm psyched to have decent clearance next time I'm rolling around under my vehicles  As a related note, jack stands easily act as point loads, and it is a bad idea to place them on an unconstrained concrete surface (like a block not contained in a form), holes or no holes. Stacking items to support a vehicle is bad practice, in general, anyway. CatBus fucked around with this message at 17:57 on Jan 1, 2011 |
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Jan 1, 2011 17:53
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I ordered one of these this morning, and thought someone else here might be interested in the deal (4 piece Milwaukee M18 reconditioned tool set: $279 shipped): http://m.northerntool.com/northernt...oductName=false Hopefully it doesn't suck (I know it won't).
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Nov 25, 2011 15:19
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camino posted:I have this: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03473919000P?blockNo=5&blockType=G5&prdNo=5&i_cntr=1325228728797 I have this Craftsman one (well, last year's model, with the switch at the top of the handle): http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03473904000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 My main complaint is that the top has LEDs, so it can act like a flashlight. So, to turn it off, I have to click the power button three times. One click turns the big strip on. Two clicks turns the big strip off, and the "flashlight" LEDs on, and three clicks turns both the big strip and flashlight LEDs on. THEN one more click turns it off. Other than that, I never use it. I bought a good LED headlamp at an outdoor store, and I wear that for EVERYTHING now. That is my suggestion to everyone. I have used the cheap ones, but this is great because it uses three AA batteries, and runs forever (130 hours on the LEDs)!
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Dec 30, 2011 15:33
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I'm not sure how we continually have the discussion about breaking tools. I don't think I have broken anything in like 10 years (a Harbor Freight pitman arm puller that broke instantly. I am pretty hard on my tools, and they get used often. Maybe you guys should stop beating 3/8" and 1/4 sockets with hammers, and stop putting huge sections of pipe on them while you're at it. Buy an impact gun 
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Apr 8, 2012 16:08
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Harbor Freight finally has an OK deal on the nicer wheel dolly sets for moving cars. The coupon came via email yesterday, at $65 for each dolly (the coupon is good for up to four). Regularly $99.00, but $65 with coupon: http://www.harborfreight.com/1250-lb-capacity-mechanical-wheel-dolly-67287.html I went to my local HF and they had three, and wouldn't sell me the display model, so I just ordered the fourth online ($6.99 shipping). Interestingly, if I added four to the cart, the coupon only took $35 off the total. I couldn't find a way to make it work for all four without four separate orders (which would have been $6.99x4 shipping). Anyway, it worked out for me. Hopefully these are OK, because the alternatives are super cheap: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-1500-lb-capacity-vehicle-dollies-67338.html Or super expensive: http://www.eastwood.com/go-jak-rolling-car-jack-1-250-lbs-pack-1.html
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Jul 14, 2012 02:39
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Grr, the coupon didn't save correctly. Try this one:
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Jul 14, 2012 02:43
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I picked up a refurb Hobart 187 for like $600 shipped, with a factory warranty. The lower amp models are even cheaper. I don't know why anyone bothers with the knockoff units at the $300+ price point. I can understand for the $100-$200 units.
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Jul 24, 2012 21:11
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Haha, I didn't see the spool gun part. That seems like an OK price, but I would hesitate to spend that kind of money on a no-name welder. Really, swapping to the spool gun and a different gas is a hassle that isn't worth it for anything most of us do. I wanted a Miller 251 or whatever, but realized that the extra functionality and potential to maybe weld aluminum some time wasn't worth 4x the price. In short, a spool gun is nice in theory, but a dedicated TIG at a later date would be money better spent. Spend the cash on a solid welder first.
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Jul 25, 2012 01:44
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I will post this question here, since it is related to the current discussion. Around 2006 I bought an "AutoTap" scan tool with software: http://www.diagnosticinnovations.com/autotap.shtml It has a serial interface with a computer (I think they changed to USB right after I bought mine), and I no longer have any functioning laptops with serial ports. I emailed tech support, and they said this "may" work: http://www.bb-elec.com/product_family.asp?familyid=397 Is there any difference between that serial-usb converter and something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Adap...ywords=232usb9m or this: http://www.amazon.com/Aluratek-USB-...=I1UW0J1YOWYUZ0 I don't feel like dumping another $70 for the one at B&B (which happens to also be the place that responded to my tech support email), if there are cheaper options. Is the B&B converter functionally different than the others? I feel like I looked into this a while back, and there was some potential problem with using USB (like the converters couldn't do everything the serial port could). I don't remember. Thoughts?
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Jul 27, 2012 14:36
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sharkytm posted:Get a usb to serial adapter with an ftdi chip. I use serial data a lot... Dozens of laptops, dozens of usb adapters that sucked, and $400 pcmcia serial adapters. The ftdi chips are the only ones that don't suck complete rear end. That is exactly the advice I needed. Thanks! I will probably order this: Windows 7 Compatible USB Serial Adapter FTDI Chip RS232 DB-9 920K with TX/RX LED http://amzn.com/B004WLA4P4
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Jul 28, 2012 03:26
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Brigdh posted:That M18 set is looking very tempting for changing wheels/tires at the track. Does it have preset torque settings, or would I have to get a set of torque sticks? That looks like the same impact driver I have (I have the big batteries, though), and there is no way in the world it would budge a lug nut. It claims 1400in-lb, but that is optimistically ideal. I use mine on bolts all the time, and it frequently doesn't have the power. It has the hex 3/16" shank or whatever is the standard size. That is nuts. Would you try to remove a lug nut with a 1/4" ratchet? (I am guessing the answer is yes for many of you, given how often you break your tools). It's nice, but not for that application. I think I got a three piece tool set, with the drill, driver, and sawzall, and the big batteries, for $379 shipped refurb. CatBus fucked around with this message at 23:09 on Sep 24, 2012 |
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Sep 24, 2012 23:04
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Does anyone have any experience/opinions on wideband air/fuel ratio stand alone setups? I am considering this one: http://www.amazon.com/Innovate-Moto...=I2J9F7CSND977U I want it to tune the 1976 BMW 2002 I just bought. It was swapped to the 2002 tii mechanical fuel injection, and I think it might have a cam, and I want to make sure the fuel delivery is correct. I can't think of a better way (sniff the exhaust and look at the plugs I guess?).
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Feb 4, 2013 14:46
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InitialDave posted:What about using a Colortune? I had never heard of Colortune before, thanks for the tip! It is neat, but it doesn't look to helpful for off-idle tuning. At $70, I think I would prefer real-time hard numbers (unless there is some issue with the wideband standalone systems).
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Feb 4, 2013 16:21
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