anyone else find buying tools addictive?

[levemircento]

over the last 10 years and more so in the last couple, I have found buying tools really addictive!

I went from never having the right tool for the job, having to make do, borrow [not a fan of that]

Nowadays, if I plan to do a job on my car and I know that I will need a special tool, I try to buy it in advance, I dont spend a lot and I have learned on occasion that if you buy cheap, you buy twice.

Sometimes the new tool has never needed to be used, thats just how it goes isnt it.

mrs keeps tutting when a new parcel arrives! but when she buys her crafting stuff so do I!

my most recent job, has meant I have needed to buy an Injector Seal Remover tool, and an injector seat reamer.


I think back to the first half decent tools I bought, I was probably about 20 and had been driving for nearly 3 years, my Dads tools werent up to much [he fixed his own cars too] and he didnt like me borrowing them, I bought a Halfords 20 piece 1/2" drive socket set, it wasnt much but it made a world of difference, I still have the ratchet! its outlasted lots, and some were far better makes!

So anyway, who else likes buying tools?


oh yes, I try my hardest NOT to borrow anything, and I try not to lend my tools out to anyone else, we have all been there havent we! by all means come here and use my tools, and I will even help, but I know that as soon as it goes out, it may never come back and if it does, sometimes not right or parts missing! or I will need it and cant get it back.

 

[AndyRKett]

I’ve been building my collection of tools for about 20 years, it’s only in the last 5 years I’ve been able to spend some decent money on good tools, but I do look after them extremely well, and a Halfords 1/4 inch socket set I bought in my early 20s is largely still in tact now.... I say largely because over the years I have made mistakes, I once told my father that he could use my tools when they were stored in his garage, que popping round to find a blow moulded case on the floor and not one of my set of well kemp screw drivers to be seen anywhere, a similar but less dramatic fate did come to a couple of odd pieces in my Halfords socket set.

These days I love buying tools and things to make other things, hence buying a 3D printer, I recently bought and router and orbital sander (both Makita) to help with building furniture. I build a potting table for my wife to use in the garden and am not looking around for another project.

When it comes to buying tools I may only need once I do think long and hard about it. For example when I was changing the fuel filter on my old 1.3 multijet mk2 punto there was a special tool needed to open the housing, which at the time was £70, there was no way I was paying that and so I found my own way in, to change the filter and close it again, I have had criticism for doing so some moron usually pops up on my YouTube channel and says the tool is only £20 why not just buy one... well it was £20 at the time and would I pay £20 for something I will only use once maybe twice in my life time..... well, no I won’t, I really see little to no point when that money could be spent on other things especially if I have the means to do a job without a special took.

I’m British and bodging things is what we do....

Anyway if you work on your own car, by a makita drill and some colbolt drillbits one day you’ll shear a bolt you’ll need to drill and this combo of fire power will get hyoid out of some tricky situations. Probably cheaper than some of the money spent on arts and crafts stuff, though seriously you house sounds like mine in that respect.

 

[portland_bill]

over the last 10 years and more so in the last couple, I have found buying tools really addictive!

So anyway, who else likes buying tools?

I've been addicted my whole life, still am. Still got all of the tools from my starter compilation at the age of 14. So that's 47 years. Latest ones arrived yesterday.

 

[DaveMcT]

I keep well away from the Aldi and Lidl power tool collections. They used to be "good enough" but today they really are pretty d*** good. Of course they don't have the cache of a big name but they do the job very well indeed.

The latest is a battery angle grinder from Lidl. It works with the 2AH battery but only properly does the job with the heavier 4AH. Why was I wasting money on that? The (very) not cheap Makita corded grinder had the spindle lock fall apart and trash the gearbox. It only gets DIY use so would have lasted no more than a few months in professional hands.

 

[levemircento]

have never bought power tools from lidl or aldi but in 2003 I bought a lidl combination spanner set and they have outlasted other, better makes.

 

[jimboy]

Yep me to, I've recently bought tools that I've not used I been collecting for nearly 50 years. I can't help it, it's a blokey thing I tell my wife.

 

[DaveMcT]

Blame Wheeler Dealers and Goblin Garage.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Yup. I'm afraid it's an addiction with me too. I get great pleasure just looking at my tools all in their own specially assigned little location in my tool boxes. When I get them out to use them It's always like reacquainting myself with an old friend. I still have the original, big, German socket set - Kampmann - which I bought in college back in the '60's Whitworth and AF sizes so sometimes useful still, especially for hammering onto corroded nuts and bolts! The ratchet packed in years ago because I abused it but everything else is still in good working condition. Oh, I forgot, the ball bearing which retains the socket on the end of the long extension "pinged" off across the workshop sometime about 20 years ago. I just have to remember, if using that extension, that the socket might drop off the end! One of the Edinburgh library branches is opposite the Edinburgh branch of Machine Mart. I'm an avid reader and visit libraries frequently, can't go to this one without spending at least a half hour in Machine Mart!

My "serious" power tools are either Clarke Contractor or Black and Decker. I still have the second power drill I ever bought, a two speed Black and Decker in orange and grey finish. I recently stripped it and cleaned it all out rebuilding it with new brushes I bought on ebay and regreasing the gears with moly grease. It still runs fine. I also have a number of Lidl/Aldi stuff, including a humongous SDS plus job which can double up as a powered chisel. I bought a Lidl 3.5v li-ion screwdriver - on impulse whilst Mrs J was doing other shopping - which I thought was going to be a real indulgence and I might seldom use. Well, it's wonderful, I use it all the time on things like under trays and the like as well as around the house. Being Li-ion it keeps charge well so, unlike a lot of my other stuff with Ni-cads which are nearly always flat when I need them, it's always ready to go. The only real failure has been a Lidl 18 volt drill/driver. I used it to install plywood sheeting in my son's flat before putting down laminate flooring. The head bearing, under the chuck, broke up on the second day. Lidl were great, new one supplied without question. It finished the floor (best part of a day's use) but failed the same way next time I used it. Took it back again and swapped it for a mains circular saw which has given excellent service. I replaced the drill with a Ryobi one+ 18volt hammer drill driver which has seen a lot of use and is still going strong. The deal at the time was for the drill and a small circular saw. The saw is of limited use as it absolutely "eats" the batteries. Even with 2 fully charged I rarely get a job finished without waking up the Lidl mains powered one.

I don't tend to buy a tool without having a definite need for it and being able to see myself using it into the future. Some time ago I came across a video on you tube for Vibroshock sockets:



Having had endless problems over the years with corroded and seized up fixings - especially brake bleed nipples and track rod ends which this tool is particularly aimed at - I have been trying to justify buying the set. After some time I finally succumbed! I bought a branded version from a local Mac Tools van:





When assembled onto the air hammer it looks like this



And here's the business end of the socket - note how shallow the hex is? that's so the vibe force is transmitted to the bolt not whatever it's screwed into.



I had to strip the hand brake cable bracket from my Daughter-in-law's '08 plate Jazz a wee while ago. Tried a combination 12 point (typical Honda, it was a 12mm. Anyone else it would have been a 13) Not a hope! These bolts go through a thick part of the aluminium caliper and are open at the other end with the thread so plenty of chance for corrosion - especially electrolytic - to have built up over the years. I then tried one of my new Xi-on sockets. Oh dear, another recent purchase. It really got a grip but I was having to pull really hard and I was worried the bolt might shear. (even though I'd slaistered Plus Gas all over the place before starting). So I thought, an excellent opportunity to try out the Vibroshock. The idea behind this tool is that you let the air hammer shock the bolt itself (that's why the socket hex is so shallow) so loosening the corrosion and helping the releasing fluid to penetrate. After letting it rattle for a while you apply a turning force with the wrench handle which should then unscrew the bolt with only moderate force required. If it's not turning reasonably easily just let it rattle for a bit longer. I was quite sceptical about this and initially - say about 8 to 10 seconds of rattling quite gently - the bolt still felt solid and was resisting turning. I then, having gained some confidence in the use of the tool, pulled the trigger more tightly and let the gun rattle in earnest. I didn't time it but would guess after maybe 15 to 20 seconds - not a long time that's for sure - the bolt suddenly "gave" to quite moderate pressure on the wrench handle and undid easily. The second bolt behaved much the same. I honestly don't think there would have been any chance of getting these out just using a socket - they would have sheared. Can't wait to try it on some really badly rusted up bleed nipples!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Blame Wheeler Dealers and Goblin Garage.

Bodgit and leggit garage videos can be quite entertaining.

 

[DaveMcT]

For those of us without an air compressor, maybe an SDS power drill would deliver the hammering. It would be heavy (even a posh Bosch) but for those rare occasions it could get the job done - maybe.

It's interesting because the hammer force is going directly down the bolt. It's not a hammered twist/torque as you'll get from a garage impact wrench.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

For those of us without an air compressor, maybe an SDS power drill would deliver the hammering. It would be heavy (even a posh Bosch) but for those rare occasions it could get the job done - maybe.

It's interesting because the hammer force is going directly down the bolt. It's not a hammered twist/torque as you'll get from a garage impact wrench.

Thinking about the access problems I doubt if an SDS would be practical in most cases (maybe if you can get the component off and work on it on the floor or workbench?) and maybe not able to deliver a hefty enough vibration? I found I had to be quite "forceful" and "unleash" the air hammer to get those bolts loose on the Jazz caliper, but having done that they actually unscrewed quite easily. I think you might need to be careful and think about the possibility of fracturing the casting in some situations

Regarding how the tool works, yes Dave, you've completely "got it" about how the vibratory force is applied. Due to this I think it is likely to work best where the fixing is being directly vibrated against the thread which it is engaging with. So a bolt threaded into a hole in a casting where the vibrations will be felt directly down the bolt and into the threads in the casting, or maybe a nut screwed onto a stud, like the old head nuts on the "A" series BMC engines where again the force would be applied directly to the nut and therefore directly to the threads. Add in a copious does of Plus Gas (or your favourite "brew") and I think you'll be on a winner. Where I think it's less likely to be successful would be situations where you've got a bolt in an unthreaded hole with a nut on the otherside where the nut is corroded to the bolt. Vibratory forces applied to the bolt, or even to the nut maybe, in this type of situation will just cause the nut and bolt to vibrate in unison because there is no reaction going on between the nut and bolt as there would be in the situations described above. So, for instance, let's think about an exhaust fitting. An exhaust down pipe flange secured with a nut screwed onto a stud which is itself screwed into the casting of the manifold is likely to be a suitable candidate. An exhaust joint consisting of two flanges held together with a couple (or sometimes three) nuts and bolts would be a less likely prospect. But the nut and bolt scenario is often easily dealt with by cutting or grinding off the nut, or bolt head. You can't really deal with a captive stud in that way - although I've had considerable success with grinding off, or "slotting" the side of the nut to weaken it's hold in this sort of situation, Of course you can't do that it it's a bolt.

You also need to get your head round letting the vibratory forces have time to do their work. The whole idea is that the vibrations break up some of the corrosion and assist the release oil to penetrate. You need to resist trying to apply big turning efforts with the wrench handle too early - just let it hammer away until the Nut/Bolt can be turned with just moderate force. The "old trick" of working the nut/bolt back and forward - ie clockwise/anticlockwise - as it breaks free and applying more release oil and still vibrating it is a sound way to proceed. The wrench handle is not a ratchet so this is easy to do and, because it doesn't ratchet, I would guess that the designer of the tool intended it to be used this way.

The punch that is supplied with the set is a 3/8" drive but I've seen 1/2" available on ebay as a separate buy. I don't see anyone selling the special sockets in larger sizes though. However it does occur to me that you could pop a nut inside a standard impact socket and end up with a usable solution? I'm looking forward to trying it out with screwdriver/torx type bits in a 3/8 adaptor on things like drum retaining screws. I keep on thinking of other things to try it on!

 

[jimboy]

I have over the years toyed with purchasing a compressor, but I tell myself every time nah don't do it, came close though.

 

[DaveMcT]

Lidl and Aldi have some powerful ones at the moment. The smaller tools (disc grinders and die grinders) slurp the air like mad so you need the most powerful compressor you can get for a single phase supply.

 

[jimboy]

Lidl and Aldi have some powerful ones at the moment. The smaller tools (disc grinders and die grinders) slurp the air like mad so you need the most powerful compressor you can get for a single phase supply.

Ooooooooooh! I know, I really cannot justify these. My garage is several hundred yards from my house, it doesn't have electricity & I'd probably get more toys if I installed it in the garage, bur at the last shout the council wanted four figures to do the deed... I could afford it & life is too short & all that, but I can't justify this......

 

[DaveMcT]

How about this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/petrol-air-compressor/274032806488?hash=item3fcda0ca58:g:xHIAAOSwrL9dkjxb

Add an Aldi 1000watt inverter generator for lekky tools and you're sorted.

Actually a half decent solar panel on the roof and big leisure battery with 1000watt inverter would perhaps be a better option.

 

[AndyRKett]

May have just bought the digital scope that Aldi are currently selling on a deal for £40 expect me to be pulling out glow plugs soon to have a look at the pistons on the punto to see what they look like after 175k miles

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'm very fortunate to have a 30amp "cooker" supply into my garage which then comes off a separate switched box in the garage on a 15 amp fuse to an rcd socket. For many years I had a small output compressor on a big receiver which allowed me to do most of the things I wanted albeit often quite stop/go whilst I was waiting for it to build up again. Then I bought the "Hooligan" - people who read my posts will know what this is - and my old compressor was instantly rendered impotent. Once you get used to what air tools can do you just can't live without them so, after a lot of research and soul searching as to what I could justify spending I bought this:

https://www.ukhs.tv/Dakota-14-CFM-Air-Compressor

I was really dubious about the reliability, build quality and robustness of this brand but it was the best I could justify. - it's been absolutely grand! Probably made in the same Chinese/Far Eastern factory as everyone else's is. I also wanted a belt driven as I've heard a number of direct coupled ones running and Oh Boy, are they noisy! This one is really very quiet and certainly not a single comment has been received from neighbours. It runs fine from a 13 amp fused socket on a short extension from the utility room but trips the RCD in the garage on start up every time. I've been told I would be best to install a dedicated 16amp supply and I think I probably will as the supply into the garage is on thick (2.5?) wires from a 30 amp fuse on the main house board so a minimum of work would be needed.

The compressor comes set at 100 psi but the literature with it says it can operate at up to 150 psi. Probably set to 100 for maximum life. As I use it only intermittently I decided to adjust the regulator (an easy job) to 125 psi. I find this ideal with a 90 psi regulated supply to the tools meaning that the motor is not running all the time to keep up.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

May have just bought the digital scope that Aldi are currently selling on a deal for £40 expect me to be pulling out glow plugs soon to have a look at the pistons on the punto to see what they look like after 175k miles

Oh Andy, wish you hadn't posted that. I've been coveting these things for some time now! Do let me know how well it performs please.

 

[s130]

Well my birthday this month and my wife/other half is asking what I want. Always a good opportunity to satisfy two requirements.

Last Christmas was the digital colour endoscope/bore scope/ ......

Now I always buy tools I need and mother them. Kept indoors in a pucker tool cabinet. Always cleaned off after use, etc. etc.

I had to almost cry the other week as I needed to strip down an Al-Ko Euro Axle hub assembly on our caravan. These 32mm hub nuts are torqued to 300Nm / 220 ft-lb.

Torquing with a half inch torque wrench is at the absolute limit of a half inch torque wrench.

The real problem is when you come to undo such a nut. This requires a 3/4 inch drive socket set and bars. Due to settling and stiction well over 300Nm is required and 1/2 inch kit just flexes and bends.

So a few years ago I purchased 3/4 inch drive set. Shock / horror on the Al-Ko axle strip down I could not shift the hub nut. Also my 1/2 impact driver was to small for the 3/4 inch 32mm socket.

In the end I had to reluctantly resort to using a metal club hammer to strike/shock the 3/4 inch drive bar to initially release/free the hub nut.

Point to note. The hub nuts are metric fine thread and DEFORMED. So once cracked it is still very hard effort to progressively remove the nut.

So point of this post.

Simple. Those of us that buys tools respect them as our saviours and treat them with utmost care/respect so when one if forced to "abuse" a tool it is very very painful.

My experience also revealed some extremely information. With 3/4 inch drive we are talking big torque values. Just the socket and drive places an offset leverage that can stress the socket and nut flanges.

Next time I have to crack these nuts I will actually put a short extension drive bar between the socket head and drive handle and then place a simple scissor jack under the extension bar to remove the horizontal twist and lever effect on the socket.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The real problem is when you come to undo such a nut. This requires a 3/4 inch drive socket set and bars. Due to settling and stiction well over 300Nm is required and 1/2 inch kit just flexes and bends.

So a few years ago I purchased 3/4 inch drive set. Shock / horror on the Al-Ko axle strip down I could not shift the hub nut. Also my 1/2 impact driver was to small for the 3/4 inch 32mm socket.

In the end I had to reluctantly resort to using a metal club hammer to strike/shock the 3/4 inch drive bar to initially release/free the hub nut.

Simple. Those of us that buys tools respect them as our saviours and treat them with utmost care/respect so when one if forced to "abuse" a tool it is very very painful.

My experience also revealed some extremely information. With 3/4 inch drive we are talking big torque values. Just the socket and drive places an offset leverage that can stress the socket and nut flanges.

Next time I have to crack these nuts I will actually put a short extension drive bar between the socket head and drive handle and then place a simple scissor jack under the extension bar to remove the horizontal twist and lever effect on the socket.

Quite a few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to buy a 3/4 inch set from a small garage that was, sadly, shutting it's doors for good and they have been invaluable for the occasional situation where needed. More than saved me the money I paid for it.

I agree completely about the relationship you form with your tools. It's quite ridiculous really because they are only bits of metal, but I know every little chip and deformation on every tool and the familiar "feel" when in use - It's really weird if you have to replace one or find yourself perhaps helping a friend and using his tools. They always feel just not quite "right". I keep a very lightly oiled cotton cloth which all my tools get wiped with on their way back into the tool chest after use.

When you first start to apply the sort of forces 3/4" stuff allow it does present new challenges in how to manage them. Just for illustration, here's a picture of my "heavy duty helpers":



The length of scaffold pole is just over 3 ft long and when slipped over the end of the 3/4 drive breaker bar next to it give a very usable lever around 4.5 ft long. There's not much that will resist that! Before I bought the 3/4 stuff I had the wee 1/2" "T" bar (on the right just above the scaffold pole) and the smaller breaker bar on the top right (a Britool bought just when I was starting in the trade - late '60's!) Then I bought the bigger 1/2" with the 3/4 adaptor, I had hoped that was going to be the answer but actually it's been a bit of a disappointment - not on the smaller stuff it's really intended for, like super tight wheel nuts, but if you're going to use it on big stuff, or the likes of Honda crank pulley bolts (which are renowned for being really really tight) all it does is "spring". 3/4 is the way to go on that stuff or a very powerful rattle gun if you want to stay with 1/2"

Your idea of supporting the drive with a jack or similar works well - I tend to use an axle stand with a block of wood - maybe more stability than a scissors jack? I have several wooden blocks of different thickness to bring the bar level with the ground. This method can be very useful when tackling the likes of drive shaft to gearbox flanges and crank pulley bolts as you can stick a nice long extension on the socket so your breaker bar (or whatever) is outside the confines of the car's bodywork so you can really "lean" on it. At the risk of sounding patronizing can I just say, for those not used to dealing with very tight stuff, never pull up towards your face with the tool. Always bare down on it. Then, if it "gives" unexpectedly, you won't smack yourself in the face with it. Guess how I know that?

PS. D'you like the new trainers? Mrs J got them for me as a "surprise" a couple of days ago. I knew she loves me.