Tools of the Trade?

[SPORK]

Hmm, I like tools. I'm sure you do too. However, I have a very short supply of them. That's where you come in! What do you consider the most important cost-effective tools to have around the gargre for all matters tool related? What deserves my hard earned cash?

:hitcher: Please school me in the way of the tool (no, not the whiney emo band)

[FROSTY]

2x philips -quality screwdrivers-1 large 1 small
1x flat blade screwdriver med
spanners ring and open ender 8,10,12,14,17,19
pliers flat quality
socket set 3/8 drive -10,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,24,27,30,32

[Dadpole]

T bar sockets.
Turn them around and you also have a wide range of hammers

[Waylander]

1 very large, very heavy hammer.

BTW lose the avatar, that thing is freaky....

[Pathos]

1 very large, very heavy hammer.

BTW lose the avatar, that thing is freaky....

Agreed on both, the hammer was the most used tool when fixing my bike.

Took about six hours on the tail and rear brake lever. . .

[marty]

this is mine >>

but i've got full sets of Snap On and Stahlwille at work too. All imperial though, so not much use on a Suzuki...

[Swoop]

WD-40 - if it dosen't move and it should - use this.
Duct tape - if it moves and it shouldn't - use this.

That's all I know about metal things. Give me wood anytime!

[heavenly.talker]

I have a minature kit that I carry with me on the bike that has the staples (short versions) and then we have the OMG lets get serious version at home.
Hubby has been teaching me to look after my own bike so I know what most of them do nowdays but still get the names confused occasionally.
In my minature kit I have
Spanners
Cresents
Hammer...although it looks more like a pick
Screwdrivers - flat and phillips
Allen keys
Pliers and wire cutters
and a small socket set.
Oh it also has a wee torch and some other random stuff I can't remember at present.
It all packs up into the size of a paper back (little fatter).
It came from super cheap on special so the quality isn't the best but will do the job nicely to get me out of trouble when I'm on the road.
Major repairs can then be done at home or at a garage.

[WINJA]

2 SETS OF ALLEN KEYS , LONG BALL END , AND REGULAR SHORT.
3/8 LONG T BAR TO GO WITH YOUR 3/8 SOCKET SET.

[Unit]

A 'Handy Man', in the Garage, travelling McGyvers on the road, smile a lot, look interested, agree with everything they say. :blink: :blank:

[WINJA]

I have a minature kit that I carry with me on the bike that has the staples (short versions) and then we have the OMG lets get serious version at home.
Hubby has been teaching me to look after my own bike so I know what most of them do nowdays but still get the names confused occasionally.
In my minature kit I have
Spanners
Cresents
Hammer...although it looks more like a pick
Screwdrivers - flat and phillips
Allen keys
Pliers and wire cutters
and a small socket set.
Oh it also has a wee torch and some other random stuff I can't remember at present.
It all packs up into the size of a paper back (little fatter).
It came from super cheap on special so the quality isn't the best but will do the job nicely to get me out of trouble when I'm on the road.
Major repairs can then be done at home or at a garage.
NOPE THERES NO COOKING STUFF THERE , RE DO YOUR LIST PLEASE AND MAKE US SOME EGGS.
CRESENTS WHICH I THINK IS SPELT WRONG IS A TOOL COMPANY

[WINJA]

PUSH IN DOG TURD PUNCTURE REPAIRS ARE A MUST

[heavenly.talker]

Scrambled or fried sir?

[WINJA]

Scrambled or fried sir?
BOTH , AND COFFEE TOO . ANY ONE ELSE HUNGRY RELAX SIT BACK LET THE WOMAN DO IT

[thehollowmen]

scalpels
I use um for everything both at work, and at home

I probably went through 25-30 of them yesterday making sex toys again...

[Skyryder]

A large coil of #8 fencing wire: New Zealands Duct tape.

Skyryder

[heavenly.talker]

BOTH , AND COFFEE TOO . ANY ONE ELSE HUNGRY RELAX SIT BACK LET THE WOMAN DO IT


Did you enjoy the feed master(s)?
I made it ...real...special :shake: with an old family recipe :blip:

[miSTa]

1 very large, very heavy hammer

Ya bet me to ya bugger :doh:

[Coyote]

3 of the best tools I own:

Rubber Mallet
Flexible Screwdriver
Pick-up claw

The flexible screwdriver is a must and everyone should get one, the pick-up claw is also good but doesn't get used much and falls apart all the time, and the rubber mallet makes your stress float away

[Swoop]

It is not a "very large, very heavy" hammer....
IT is a "percussion adjuster":rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SPORK]

Thank you guyses for the replyses. I love CRC 5.56 (or whatever. Wait a minute, isn't 5.56 a calibre? Equivilent to .223LR? Hmm...) And my adjustable wrench. Just got some ball-end allen keys. I have an imperial spanner set too (whoops).

I want to get into welding shit and stuff (not actual faeces) so could someone point me in the goodest direction?

Muchos thankidos.

[Waylander]

When you gonna get that hammer? (http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2005models/2005-Victory-Hammer.jpg)

[SPORK]

When you gonna get that hammer? (http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2005models/2005-Victory-Hammer.jpg)
Oooh, the Hammer's pretty sweet, but the 8-Ball takes the cake. How'd you know I like Victory? Do people actually listen to my shit?

[Waylander]

Until you went on to the Harry potter fetish thing you have going on....

Only rememberd cause I like the Hammer aswell. Not so keen on the 8-ball. Fuckin thing always tells me to try again later.

[SPORK]

Until you went on to the Harry potter fetish thing you have going on....

Only rememberd cause I like the Hammer aswell. Not so keen on the 8-ball. Fuckin thing always tells me to try again later.
Nono sir, I don't like him at all. Only the fact he can't move his face properly. The Hammer's pretty wicked though. I hate HDs compared to Victory. I hope they become a big brand.

[Waylander]

They are a big brand, just not here. Reminds me, is there even a shop in NZ that sells them?

[tracyprier]

Welding.

Thanks to BOC not filling owner bottles :( it is a bit of a problem for the home handyman who can't justify the rental charges for their bottles.

There are small welding kits around now that use little oxy and propane bottles. These wouldn't be any good for heavy stuff but probably ok for lighter use.

Or you could just get one of those single-phase arc welders or even the little home MIG jobs.

On tools, as an ex-car mechanic I will pass on one piece of advise....

Don't buy junk. Now that doesn't mean you have to go and buy top-of-the-line stuff either (hey most of us can't afford to do that) but DO buy the best you can afford.... like stay away from the Warehouse for example!

You will never regret buying decent tools but you WILL regret buying crap.




Thank you guyses for the replyses. I love CRC 5.56 (or whatever. Wait a minute, isn't 5.56 a calibre? Equivilent to .223LR? Hmm...) And my adjustable wrench. Just got some ball-end allen keys. I have an imperial spanner set too (whoops).

I want to get into welding shit and stuff (not actual faeces) so could someone point me in the goodest direction?

Muchos thankidos.

[ManDownUnder]

I want to get into welding shit and stuff (not actual faeces) so could someone point me in the goodest direction?

Muchos thankidos.

Trademe... search on MIG. Easy to use, strong enough for all but specialised applications too.

edit - if you want to avoid gas bottle hire get the cored wire - it forms a slag on top which needs chipping off (never used it myself, but I hear its pretty good.)

[vifferman]

I think everyone's done a very good job of covering the tools you need. The only things that haven't been mentioned are an impact driver, an extendable magnetic-tipped screwdriver (I've retrieved a lot of bolts 'n' things from the black hole in the engine V), a pair of needle-nosed vice grips, and a big shifting spanner for odd jobs (like straightening bent footpeg brackets).

If you want to spend some money, a torque wrench is a good tool to have, but buy a decent one. I've got a cheap one that's only useful as a very large socket handle (it's about 65cm long) as it's so inaccurate.

[Coyote]

I've done a bit of welding at school (Heaps of MIG and Gas welding, a bit of TIG and Arc) and I'm looking at getting a welder for home in the near future. What are the things you should consider when getting a MIG welder, or are they all pretty much the same? Is there a minimum to what you should pay for one, any cheaper and it's not worth it? What about TIG welding?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Tools/Powertools/auction-41408964.htm
As far as I know that looks like a good deal

[ManDownUnder]

A bike stand... gotta have a bike stand for anything you do on the rear wheel, swingarm etc etc.

VERY useful. I went without one for years, and got one (a la FROSTY) and it ROCKS

[ManDownUnder]

I've done a bit of welding at school (Heaps of MIG and Gas welding, a bit of TIG and Arc) and I'm looking at getting a welder for home in the near future. What are the things you should consider when getting a MIG welder, or are they all pretty much the same? Is there a minimum to what you should pay for one, any cheaper and it's not worth it? What about TIG welding?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Tools/Powertools/auction-41408964.htm
As far as I know that looks like a good deal

All I can say is that they're pretty popular on TM and the prices can be high. Make sure you cost a new one before bidding.

Rollers can be wrong (wrong shaped grooves) or jam. Torch tips and gas shrouds can be worn, bit missing if it's a gas set up (regulators etc).

I know enough to be dangerous... anyone out there actually trade/sell these things? I'd be interested to talk to you too..

[jrandom]

isn't 5.56 a calibre? Equivilent to .223LR?

.223LR is not a caliber. .22LR and .223 are, though. Beware, however, of the differences between NATO standard 5.56mm cartridges and sporting .223s - although identical in terms of bullet size and cartridge shape, I've heard rumours that they leave the factory loaded for different chamber pressures.

Unlikely to be an issue in most guns, but if you're using milsurp 5.56 in your grampop's first-edition cheesemetal-receiver'd something-or-other, bear it in mind.

[Motu]

I've done a bit of welding at school (Heaps of MIG and Gas welding, a bit of TIG and Arc) and I'm looking at getting a welder for home in the near future. What are the things you should consider when getting a MIG welder, or are they all pretty much the same? Is there a minimum to what you should pay for one, any cheaper and it's not worth it? What about TIG welding?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Tools/Powertools/auction-41408964.htm
As far as I know that looks like a good deal

That's a pretty good welder for a reasonable price,but don't go gasless,it makes a crap weld,and one of the advantages of a MIG is any dickhead can do a nice looking weld.Don't go much bigger than 150 amp,that's the mistake I made,after working on the upper end of a 140 amp MIG for years when I got my own I went to a 200amp - but it's working in it's lower range for panel steel and exhaust tubing,it's hard to get the right ampage and the wire feed is super sensitive,by the time you've got it set up for a good weld you've already done it,and it looks crap.German or Hungary is quality,Italian or Asian is crap.Quality units also run a standard handpiece setup,which disconnects from the unit with a twist,this allows you to run different liners for alloy etc.

As I'm a proffesional with a monster tool kit I wouldn't have a clue what you need - quality is best,but not totaly nesesary...I buy heaps of cheap tools,it just depends on what I want at the time.We lose a lot of tools,and the odd customer takes a fancy to something - so it's a real shame to lose a prized tool,also if the tool sees so much use it has a short life,crap will suffice.

[SPORK]

.223LR is not a caliber. .22LR and .223 are, though. Beware, however, of the differences between NATO standard 5.56mm cartridges and sporting .223s - although identical in terms of bullet size and cartridge shape, I've heard rumours that they leave the factory loaded for different chamber pressures.

Unlikely to be an issue in most guns, but if you're using milsurp 5.56 in your grampop's first-edition cheesemetal-receiver'd something-or-other, bear it in mind.
My mistake, that's what you get for posting just before midnight (although I prefer posting after midnight). Dunna ye worry, only have a standard plinker .22, and the trusty Lee Enfield .303.

And Moto, considering you = master, could you please point me in hte way of exactly what I should be interested in in terms of welding? Any specific type better/easier? What's most cost efficient? Thaaanks

[madboy]

I've always liked the idea of expensive tools. I have an expensive(ish) 3/8 & 1/2 socket sets, screwdrivers, allen keys and ring/open end spanners.

But I've also got cheap powertools. I figure you can go through a lot of $15 drills before you justify the $400 De Walt one (or even a $200 Ryobi). Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a flash one, but money talks. Interestingly I haven't destroyed the $15 drill yet, and that's with 4 years of trying!

You'd be amazed what you can buy in a shit-kit from the Warehouse for $40. If you use the tools correctly (yes - correctly!), it can last a long time.

If it has a surface, like a screwdriver or allen keys, then the flasher ones are almost always worth it.

As for welders, I have a MIG. Haven't used it in a while, can't remember which friend I lent it to, and don't know what size it is. But if anyone in Wgtn is buying a TIG, I need a new aluminium gate - I'll supply the beers ;)

[marty]

working on aeroplanes, most shite tools are just that - shite. they break, damage expensive equpiment, and are only good for modifying and re-engineering! we have lots of specialist gear - really small 12 point (try 1/8, 5/32 and 3/16 (that's 3mm, 4.5mm and 5mm heads) and often need wobbly sockets to get to them. a snap-on ratchet screwdriver at $150 each is a must have, as is a snap-on cresent. i've got a king chrome 1/2 drive set, and a set of 1" to 2" powerbuilt spanners, but they don't get abused too much.

the tool kit in the gargre is just king chrome for the house/car/bike/bikes

i spent $10k on tools last year.

[riffer]

Air compressors are good too. I got one when I rebuilt the gargre after the fire. I also got impact wrench, dremel, air hammer, and socket wrench tools.

And if you are feeling rich, a decent torque wrench too. I picked up a nice Facom torque wrench from Trade Tools in Alicetown ($300) which does a nice job. Facom supply tools to the Ferrari F1 team.

Mitre 10 sell a 3/8" socket set (Fuller Pro) for about $190 which is pretty good quality (made in Quebec, Canada).

Circlip and longnose pliers are handy too. One word of advice - NEVER use an adjustable spanner when you have a ring spanner - even the good ones have a bit of movement in them and can damage parts.

A race stand is a must.