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Tim Bancroft

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Out in the garage and got thinking about the tools that I own that are the ones that I have that I enjoy using or use the most. 

Be good to see what other Forum users like the best out of their tool box.

So my mine (at the moment) are:

1. Two Bonney imperial AF spanners (the long 9/16 & 5/8 combination spanner is useful for stubborn driveshaft bolts) and a Halfords 1/2AF ratchet ring spanner.

2. Snap on ratchet screwdriver

3. Sealey magnetic rechargeable torch (This was recommended to me by Dave Kent of this Club and Forum...its excellent)

4. Kielder3/8 drive impact driver (A new addition and just excellent)

I have a bit of a thing for decent tools, buy cheap, but twice! The Kielder impact driver was not that cheap, but its proving to be invaluable. Spotted the 'Bad Obsession Motorsport' chaps using one and thought, if good enough for them, well, it must be good!

Lets see yours!

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I must admit to buying some cheap stuff over the years but the stuff that's lasted the best is some late 60s stuff from my Dad! He worked for a company called Garringtons I think and the 1/2 drive sockets he gave me have been excellent.

I acquired a set of King Dick spanners in my early years, I think he may have bought them for me too, these have been excellent.

The tool I've really enjoyed using is the Eastwood sand blaster cabinet - cracking bit of kit that I was given for free, having languished for several years unassembled in a mates work place. He liberated it from the skip when they moved workshop and no one knew what it was. It's been great, let down only by a cheapo compressor that I need to fix - leaky emergency valve and dodgy cut off! That will part of the next phase of the garage revamp - plumbed in air and the compressor in a sound proof box.

One thing I've struggled with over the years is trolley jacks - the TR6 and Vitesse are both very low and need a low entry jack, the Halfords one I had for years gave up and started to leak so my wife bought me a Sealey one for a birthday present a few years ago and now that's started to fail - fluid seal failure I think,   leaving you with a jack that tops out too early after ever decreasing elevation. One day I'll find a decent one that's got a low snout and isn't too heavy.

The tools I like the most are the ones I've made myself to do specific jobs - like brass push pin (a sort of drift) for getting the circlips out of PI injectors. I struggles until I made this out of a throttle spindle.

Reminds me - I need to use this for your injectors Tim! I just need to find the ultrasonic cleaner to do a proper job.

 

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I have a battery powered ratchet that I love. You have to loosen the bolt/screw if it sits too tight but it it is great as it is barely bigger than regular ratchet and all you have to do is push a button and you can get the bolt/screw out/in.

It is really good if you are alone and you have to hold a nut on one end and undo a bolt from the the other.

I was a bit surprised when I started my restoration how hard it was to find one.

They seem to only be made in country that rhymes with mynah and they were fairly expensive. Luckily someone was selling one unused on eBay and I got it for 30€.

I also bought a car trim removal tool set for like 6€ and it made taking everything off a breeze (including the windshield/screen).

 

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Oh goodness, how can I look any of the tools in the eye and have them know that they aren't my favourite?

The angle grinder would win, for its unparalleled ability to turn metal into sparks, but it nearly bit my thumb off, so it's in the dog-house... The welder is pretty special, and it's amazing how many jobs become welding problems - until you burn through a glove and leave your hand permanently scarred... The humble chisel is a noble beast - until you slip, stab yourself in the thigh and end up in front of your landlady with your trousers down while she straps you up... The cordless drill is very good, but I seem to end up putting holes in my hands, and the versatility of battery power means it happens anywhere...

I'm kinda leaning towards my set of palm ratchets. At least they haven't tried to kill me. Yet.   

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7 hours ago, James said:

I really like my Britool extra long spanners and cordless Makita 1/2" impact gun.

Plus probably the much maligned Eezibleed.

I have tried so many times to use an Ezibleed. It currently ranks alongside a set of "Easi-out" thread extractors as "worst tool of the millenium"

I have come to the firm conclusion that any tool that's called Easy-Anything is just a complete load of rubbish. Sorry!  

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52 minutes ago, Ian Perry said:

I have tried so many times to use an Ezibleed. It currently ranks alongside a set of "Easi-out" thread extractors as "worst tool of the millenium"

I have come to the firm conclusion that any tool that's called Easy-Anything is just a complete load of rubbish. Sorry!  

I've never had an issue with it except when it didn't come with the right cap.

It's such a simple device assuming you get all the connections tight and don't use full tyre pressure.

Was happy to have it when bleeding the Lockheed brakes on my 2000 the other week.

I get people might not like it because it's a bit more faffy to clean out and setup etc though.

 

Edited by James
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9 hours ago, James said:

I've never had an issue with it except when it didn't come with the right cap.

I had one years ago, when they came with a broad selection of caps, and they were all the wrong ones. I think the Lockheed brakes on the 2500 was the only car I ever did manage to use it on successfully.

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before retirement in 2009 most of my tools that I bought were not 'the' best but OK.

Now retired I can afford a little more.

The Bosch battery screw driver is wonderful for taking the tedium out of little screws.

I have a cheap (McAlister) cordless drill to see how I got on with these new fangled things.

The bl**dy thing just goes on and on - will I ever need to upgrade to a better one.

Because of lockdown, money used for touring has been building up. So, I couldn't resist the TIG welder when a silly job beckoned. (E-Tech TIG160 hmmmmm)

I have an ex-US airforce socket set - 1/2" drive BlackHawk 1950's vintage - via father-in-law's nieces husband.

But my go to tool is a hammer - a tinbashers hammer for gently telling metal where to go. It feels right.

 

Roger

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My favourites fall into 2 distinct categories:

  1. Frequently used and just make life a little bit better every time
    (Decent set of combi spanners and sockets!)
  2. In-frequently used, but make an impossible job possible (specialist tools)
    (Brake pipe flaring tool!)

But I think the one that's provided best value for money is the cheap digital vernier caliper:
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No more struggling/guessing the size of anything, bolts, metal thickness, etc etc.

 

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On 04/05/2021 at 20:44, Ian Perry said:

Oh goodness, how can I look any of the tools in the eye and have them know that they aren't my favourite?

The angle grinder would win, for its unparalleled ability to turn metal into sparks, but it nearly bit my thumb off, so it's in the dog-house... The welder is pretty special, and it's amazing how many jobs become welding problems - until you burn through a glove and leave your hand permanently scarred... The humble chisel is a noble beast - until you slip, stab yourself in the thigh and end up in front of your landlady with your trousers down while she straps you up... The cordless drill is very good, but I seem to end up putting holes in my hands, and the versatility of battery power means it happens anywhere...

I'm kinda leaning towards my set of palm ratchets. At least they haven't tried to kill me. Yet.   

 

palm ratchets.jpg

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Having given it some thought, I’ve concluded that despite only being used a couple of times a year, my favourite tool has to be the air powered grease gun.

Maybe a strange choice, but you can’t beat the satisfying sound it makes - and the fact that you KNOW you’ve greased those parts when you use it.

FE2040F8-669C-4BC3-B9F9-D238F4A59C9E.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 07/05/2021 at 22:59, npanne said:

Having given it some thought, I’ve concluded that despite only being used a couple of times a year, my favourite tool has to be the air powered grease gun.

Maybe a strange choice, but you can’t beat the satisfying sound it makes - and the fact that you KNOW you’ve greased those parts when you use it.

FE2040F8-669C-4BC3-B9F9-D238F4A59C9E.jpeg

There's nothing quite like the knowledge that you've greased your nipples thoroughly 👩‍⚕️ 

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On 07/05/2021 at 19:05, Beans said:

In my case that is this small ¼" drive socket set from Gedore (#20 EM; 4 - 13 mm).
Bought it when I started the restoration of 't Kreng in 1994, and seen a lot of action since.225253637_2010-08-01Waterpompverwijderd.thumb.jpg.7054cefaa731c16186bfcc6eb3ef1386.jpg551704767_2010-09-05_09Boltunderneaththermostathouse.thumb.jpg.a0ad4257cc43e8527de8cea38f2225aa.jpg

That bloody bolt is a right pain to get to... 1/4 is the only way to go

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I have bought a lot of the Halfords modular tray sets and yes, they do get used in anger as intended. It is my for "proper" tool set. My previous tools have been assembled piecemeal over the years. I've also invested in a couple of DeWalt cordless impacts. There's the DCF899 (AKA "The Beast") and the DCF887 which is handy for the smaller jobs.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Craig, I have 2... one pretty much identical to the one you posted a link to and it's GREAT. BUT I keep it in the "measuring tools" drawer of my tool chest and use it only for true precision measurements.

The second one I got was a Chinese ebay special, less accurate but only about 6 quid, that one is on the work bench and used for more day-to-day stuff like measuring thread sizes/drill bits etc. 

That way I'm not worried about dropping/damaging the decent one but I always have one to hand for more everyday use.

(I've checked the measurements 1 against the other and they tally up nicely)

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