Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
OK, I am learning to understand a little about winter and why this board slows down so much this time of year. I have a little space heater in my shop, though, so I am still doing the little bit I can despite the onset of tax season and still many issues leftover from our move here.
Anyway, while I was working on a few small steps, I thought of posting about a few of the tools that I really like. I thought it might generate some discussion and suggestions. Keep in mind that I am a CPA and not a guy who has worked with tools all his life. So, my purchases tend to be Harbor Freight and probably reflect being a rank amateur!
First up is my admittedly cheap "China - I mean Chicago - Electric" cut-off tool. Yes, I took the guard off and realize that isn't the safest plan. But to get into tight spots - an almost constant need - the guard just doesn't work. I wear thick gloves and thick eye shield and/or a face shield. Also a mask since more metal dust flies around than what I would have thought.
I like this tool because it is small, light and the only solution to many rust-frozen on bolts and screws. I am not very professional, but I am slowly getting more precise with it. I have always used the cheap "Warrior" wheels. They desolve very quickly and the idea of them breaking apart led me to try a more expensive Milwaukee wheel you see here. I have only used once, so the jury is not in yet. However, it seemed to work a lot better and held up well. Harbor Freight does sell a better line of cut-off wheels, so I may try them next time.
Next in line are these specialty pliers:
These are HF's Doyle "Water Pump" pliers. They are a knock-off of some really fine tools made by Knipex. Still, for the price (especially after 20% or 25% off for which they ARE eligible) these things perform very closely and represent a great deal. They are solid and feel like good quality to me. All of my Doyle pliers seem to me to be a significant cut above and should not be confused with low-end plier sets HF shows for next to nothing in their ads.
These things really come in handy for gripping bolts that are too rounded for sockets and other applications requiring a strong grip.
Another tool that is needed often, of course, are screw drivers. I have a few sets, but these two are my favorites:
The Stanley "FatMax" screwdrivers get little respect as being just "homeowner" grade. All I can say is that they have the best hand feel of any that I have used. Then there are these Harbor Freight "Quinn" screwdrivers. Don't confuse these with the large set they sell of Quinn. This set is a little bit better and alleges to have diamond reinforced points. Again, you pro guys will probably be laughing. They are lightweight, but I still like how the feel and - the main thing - they work better on rusty screws than any other screwdrivers I have tried. That is probably their #1 virtue.
This better Quinn set does not include a large straight or Philips screwdriver. You can remedy that with this pair of Doyle "demolition" screwdrivers:
These are pretty stout screwdrivers. Their big selling point is that they have metal caps so you use a hammer to drive them. The flat one can pop off stuck caps, etc. Another use is to try and deepen the lines in an old screw head. I admit I haven't had a lot of experience doing that, but these would have the heft to try it.
Sometimes you just want to use a "regular" set of pliers. These Doyle pliers are the nicest I have ever used. Way better than my old Made in USA Craftsman. I think they are actually comparable to offerings from MAC and Snap-On, but I am not an expert. They feel very solid and tight but are still maneuverable.
I am hardly any "mechanic" but I have accumulated a few sets of sockets. I tried a cheap flat organizer from HF and hated it. I really wanted the type shown below, but even at HF the price slowed me down. I found these at Rural King. I love how they work. Easy to see what you are getting. Some complain that the little prongs can break. I am sure that is true, but I try to treat things like this with some care. I like them.
Sockets need wrenches. I have a few all relatively inexpensive ones. I don't think grill restoration warrants Snap-On or even HF's knock-off "Icon" wrenches. I personally really like the Pittsburgh PRO coated wrenches. I have several. They don't scratch your grill parts and are easy to grip. I have a 3/8 one with an impact rated 7/16 socket that stays in it. It gets the first call on my Weber disassembling and assembling.
I have several DeWalt 20 volt cordless tools. They are OK, but I am not sure I wouldn't have been better off with a different brand. But I am in too deep with batteries and chargers to switch. One recent purchase that I really like - even though it has limited grill applications - is this small size saw. It worked like a charm cutting my pegboard - a type of job where it excels - and it can handle small boards, too.
There are certainly other critical tools like a vice, drills, etc. These are just some that came to mind that I thought I would share. So what tools do you like - and why?
Anyway, while I was working on a few small steps, I thought of posting about a few of the tools that I really like. I thought it might generate some discussion and suggestions. Keep in mind that I am a CPA and not a guy who has worked with tools all his life. So, my purchases tend to be Harbor Freight and probably reflect being a rank amateur!
First up is my admittedly cheap "China - I mean Chicago - Electric" cut-off tool. Yes, I took the guard off and realize that isn't the safest plan. But to get into tight spots - an almost constant need - the guard just doesn't work. I wear thick gloves and thick eye shield and/or a face shield. Also a mask since more metal dust flies around than what I would have thought.
I like this tool because it is small, light and the only solution to many rust-frozen on bolts and screws. I am not very professional, but I am slowly getting more precise with it. I have always used the cheap "Warrior" wheels. They desolve very quickly and the idea of them breaking apart led me to try a more expensive Milwaukee wheel you see here. I have only used once, so the jury is not in yet. However, it seemed to work a lot better and held up well. Harbor Freight does sell a better line of cut-off wheels, so I may try them next time.
Next in line are these specialty pliers:
These are HF's Doyle "Water Pump" pliers. They are a knock-off of some really fine tools made by Knipex. Still, for the price (especially after 20% or 25% off for which they ARE eligible) these things perform very closely and represent a great deal. They are solid and feel like good quality to me. All of my Doyle pliers seem to me to be a significant cut above and should not be confused with low-end plier sets HF shows for next to nothing in their ads.
These things really come in handy for gripping bolts that are too rounded for sockets and other applications requiring a strong grip.
Another tool that is needed often, of course, are screw drivers. I have a few sets, but these two are my favorites:
The Stanley "FatMax" screwdrivers get little respect as being just "homeowner" grade. All I can say is that they have the best hand feel of any that I have used. Then there are these Harbor Freight "Quinn" screwdrivers. Don't confuse these with the large set they sell of Quinn. This set is a little bit better and alleges to have diamond reinforced points. Again, you pro guys will probably be laughing. They are lightweight, but I still like how the feel and - the main thing - they work better on rusty screws than any other screwdrivers I have tried. That is probably their #1 virtue.
This better Quinn set does not include a large straight or Philips screwdriver. You can remedy that with this pair of Doyle "demolition" screwdrivers:
These are pretty stout screwdrivers. Their big selling point is that they have metal caps so you use a hammer to drive them. The flat one can pop off stuck caps, etc. Another use is to try and deepen the lines in an old screw head. I admit I haven't had a lot of experience doing that, but these would have the heft to try it.
Sometimes you just want to use a "regular" set of pliers. These Doyle pliers are the nicest I have ever used. Way better than my old Made in USA Craftsman. I think they are actually comparable to offerings from MAC and Snap-On, but I am not an expert. They feel very solid and tight but are still maneuverable.
I am hardly any "mechanic" but I have accumulated a few sets of sockets. I tried a cheap flat organizer from HF and hated it. I really wanted the type shown below, but even at HF the price slowed me down. I found these at Rural King. I love how they work. Easy to see what you are getting. Some complain that the little prongs can break. I am sure that is true, but I try to treat things like this with some care. I like them.
Sockets need wrenches. I have a few all relatively inexpensive ones. I don't think grill restoration warrants Snap-On or even HF's knock-off "Icon" wrenches. I personally really like the Pittsburgh PRO coated wrenches. I have several. They don't scratch your grill parts and are easy to grip. I have a 3/8 one with an impact rated 7/16 socket that stays in it. It gets the first call on my Weber disassembling and assembling.
I have several DeWalt 20 volt cordless tools. They are OK, but I am not sure I wouldn't have been better off with a different brand. But I am in too deep with batteries and chargers to switch. One recent purchase that I really like - even though it has limited grill applications - is this small size saw. It worked like a charm cutting my pegboard - a type of job where it excels - and it can handle small boards, too.
There are certainly other critical tools like a vice, drills, etc. These are just some that came to mind that I thought I would share. So what tools do you like - and why?
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