TOOLS
What tools should I own?
This is a question that goes around and around. I have four rolling cabinets full of tools and can't remember using half of them. I have engine tools, air tools, hand tools, electric tools etc. I am going to list what I feel is the best setup for the money. I will list some real expensive tools and real cheap Harbor Freight junk as a blend of the two will fit the bill perfectly. I will then go into air tools and the like.
Basic tools you absolutely need:
1) Roll away
tool cabinet: Get off your butt and got to Home Depot and buy
yourself a nice big rolling cabinet. Or at least a decent lower
half where you can stick your tool box on top. You really need
to buy one of these as I used to waste ½ of my day digging
out tools from some storage area or looking for them in multiple
tool boxes.
2) Magnetic socket holders. Leslie makes a nice one for themselves
and for Snap-On. They are red and the sockets just drop in and
are held there by a big magnet in the center. Sold at Sears for
about $12.00 each. Get one for your 3/8" and 1/2" setup.
Forget those metal clip socket holders; they are useless.
3) Sockets & Extensions: Buy Craftsman. You can get a whole
set cheap on sale. Husky is nice alternative but their deep sockets
seem a little shallow to me. I also own Snap-On sockets and while
I like them, I just can't justify paying that kind of money. They
are perfect for aircraft repair people and professional mechanics
as the socket walls are real thin and can fit in any tight spot.
I also prefer 6 point sockets for strength and reduced slippage
off old bolts. Watch out for those Sears sets they are usually
12 point sockets (Slip = bashed knuckles).
4) Ratchets: Snap-on. They sell a 3/8" three pack of the
most important ratchets I know of for about $200.00. Ok, pricy
but worth it. The pack has a nice 3/8" flex head long arm
ratchet (my favorite), a standard ratchet, and a stubby one. S&K
has a nice one too with fine teeth but I don't like the on/off
knob on top. If you can afford only one top notch quality ratchet,
such as a snap on, do buy an extended handle flex head version.
It is the absolute best style ratchet to buy regardless of manufacturer.
You will be surprised by how much you use this one piece. I almost
never use a standard ratchet anymore.
Sears 3/8" ratchets are garbage, and so are the professional
versions. I own a Sears "professional line" extended
arm one and it just is junk, falls out of gear, clunky action,
yuk!
HOWEVER, buy Sears for a ½" set as you usually never
use these much (when you are dealing with 1/2" sockets it
is usually air tool time) and its good enough. The Sears extended
arm flex head ½" is pretty good and very handy even
though I broke one. I don't know why anyone would buy a standard
length 1/2" ratchet as it is really too short for the torque
of bolts that require that type of ratchet, unless you want a
workout.
5) Wrenches: Again for the money the Sears professional and Husky
polished professional ones are nice. The standard ones are too
short and cheap. Any Asian made wrenches are trash and if you
buy a set and you strip off a bolt head and mash your knuckles
you deserve it. Snap ons are nice and so are anything else made
by top U.S. manufacturers.
6) Screwdrivers: Harbor Freight Asian ones are ok. The ones I
am talking about are black and the tips are hardened. I buy those
cheap as I constantly lose them in junk yards.
7) Vice grips, pliers etc. Buy only genuine US made items such
as these, especially the vice grips. The foreign vice grips are
plain junk and unacceptable in my book. However, you can get by
with the foreign pliers as those are usually easily lost.
8) Breaker bars, hammers, chisels, punches, jack stands, floor
jacks, hack saws and other low tech items: Buy Harbor Freight
junk for these things. I prefer Taiwan over Chinese goods as China
is a subversive communist country who can't be trusted.
Electric tools:
1) Drills:
I prefer Milwaukee for the big ½" chuck size. It comes
with a handle you can screw on and is top quality. Expensive at
about $135.00 but worth every penny. This drill is strong and
can break your wrist if you're not careful. For 3/8" chuck
size I prefer Porter and Cable. Their quality is exceptional and
the drill at about $125.00 is worth its weight in gold. For cordless
I prefer the Makita line of drills but anything cordless can be
expensive after you buy chargers and battery packs etc.
2) Reciprocating saws: These are great to cut up a car or for
house remodeling. Buy American for these things. I owned a Harbor
Freight "Chicago" Chinese made one that I bought last
minute at their local store as I had to cut up a fender for the
inner support at a salvage yard (my Porter and Cable I accidently
left at my parents house, 1000 miles away when I moved). I used
it for like 1 hour at the salvage yard in which the blade retaining
head broke off and hit me in the face. Serves me right for buying
that junk but I bitched up a storm at the store when I returned
it.
The Milwaukee "Sawsall" is the standard but I feel the
Porter and Cable is much better. I have used one to cut up a few
frames and remodel a few houses and it has worked flawlessly for
many years and has never broken. It is about $175.00 but worth
every stinking penny. The Milwaukee costs about $165 and Sears
sells a substandard one for $115.00. SPEND THE MONEY!
3) Grinders / Sanders: For portable grinders buy Milwaukee or
something good. You can put cup style wire brushes on these and
they are great. For bench top grinders buy some Taiwan thing as
they are good enough and cheap. For portable non orbital sanders
Craftsman makes a real decent 4.5 amp 6" disk size one for
$49.95. It is great for rust/bondo removal but don't expect to
smooth out your bondo repair; you will need a DA (Dual Action)
sander for this and preferably an air version too.
4) Welders: If you plan on welding body panels go get a wire feed
welder. For the home user I prefer Lincoln's Weldpack 100. It
is great but pricy at $399.99. You can get an Italian version
for $289.00 but pay the money for this quality U.S. made piece.
For $100 more you can buy a MIG kit for it. For stick welding
buy any buzz box cheap as it doesn't matter.
Air tools
Air tools are the best tools to own. What is frustrating is that almost all of these things are made in Japan, Taiwan or China and have U.S. corporations labels on them. Very few air tools are U.S. made and those that are are usually super heavy duty commercial versions and very expensive. So these are my picks:
1) Impact wrench: I prefer the 1/2" Chicago Pneumatic and
Ingersoll Rand. I have a CP and it has worked fine for many years.
Get a good wrench as it is your mainstay for suspension work and
is usually the most popular air tool you will use.
2) Impact hammer: I love these things. Buy the best one you can
afford as you will use it more than you think. I like Ingersoll
Rand for these.
3) D/A Sanders: Taiwan is ok, Ingersoll Rand makes a nice one
too. If you want to do serious body work than buy a snap on or
other top notch commercial unit.
4) Paint guns: Matter of taste, I like DeVilbiss. Buy a good US
made gun for top coats and a Taiwan $24.99 special for primers
/ primer surfacers as you don't care if they spray well or if
you ruin it by accidently leaving some epoxy primer in the gun
overnight and it hardened up.
5) Impact Sockets: Taiwan. These are good enough for the regular
guy. Wear protective eyeware as these things can shatter.
6) Air hose fittings: USE ONLY TOP QUALITY U.S. MILTON FITTINGS.
I like the brass female hose quick disconnect from this company
and the male steel fittings on the tools. Do not go cheap here
as it will cause you misery.
7) Compressor: I like Quincy if you have the cash. DeVilbiss is
ok (makes Sears too), Campbell Hausfield is ok too but their air
tools are junk. Sears (DeVilbiss) sells a decent one but their
one piston direct drive, portable compressors are BS and extremely
noisy. Coleman is now selling a "quiet" compressor with
top notch looking components so that may be worth a look.
Buy a compressor of at least 30 gallons (portable) or 60 gallons
(non-portable). If you do body work then go 60 gallons. Most 60's
have a separate motor and a nice big dual piston air pump. This
is the ticket as you need plenty of air to paint and to run those
DA sanders.
8) Air cutoff wheel & air saws: You need these things badly.
The small air saw is great for body work and the cut off wheel
is cool too for cutting anything. Buy good Taiwan stuff or American
for these.
9) Blow guns,
etc: Milton makes a slew of little air blow guns, tire inflators,
and lots of other junk all under $10.00 each and lots of fun to
own. Check out a catalog and you will be buying lots of these
little things.
10) Useless tools to buy: 3/8" butterfly style air ratchet,
needle scaler, 3/8" air tool impact sockets etc. You think
you need them and then you realize they are just a waste of money.
I can't remember the last time I used a 3/8" impact socket.
Well those are my opinions and if you follow my advice you will have a dynamite tool setup for reasonable money.
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