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Technical Most time saving tool you have added to the arsenal?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Roothawg, Dec 10, 2020.

  1. Maybe not a tool.....but my last back surgery was at about 40 and I'm way passed warranty at 65....back then I was a 135 pound weenie throwing top loaders around and now with my belly at about 160. Sent Santa a letter for a two post - and although I have them - I don't use my power tools too much preferring to listen to the click click click of my ratchet or the dang as I slip off and bang my skin off......have been wearing gloves more lately when I'm in that predicament of removal..........
     
    Joe Blow likes this.
  2. My 2 stage 60 gallon QUINCEY air compressor. I never have to wait for air when sandblasting, bead blasting painting or using my air tools. Easily paid for itself in the first few months.
    Second would be my air tools. Never have a dead battery.
     
  3. Gary Addcox
    Joined: Aug 28, 2009
    Posts: 2,528

    Gary Addcox
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    And, by the time you finish with chiropractor services, you could probably afford a 2 post ! I'm right with you. A motorized creeper could help a bit.
     
    Bbdakota likes this.
  4. spanners
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 2,073

    spanners
    Member

    The most time saving tool in my arsenal- my memory. I just wish I could remember where I put it.
     
    61Cruiser and VANDENPLAS like this.
  5. LOU WELLS
    Joined: Jan 24, 2010
    Posts: 2,754

    LOU WELLS
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from IDAHO

  6. I'm always amazed at how fast a set of fenders and a hood will come off when using an air ratchet.
     
  7. cfmvw
    Joined: Aug 24, 2015
    Posts: 977

    cfmvw
    Member

    1978 Kubota B7100. Besides the usual tractor duties, it's also been used for drivetrain swaps, a height-adjustable workbench, and general moving stuff around that is heavier than I am.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  8. v8flat44
    Joined: Nov 13, 2017
    Posts: 1,211

    v8flat44

    My phone......when time is short i just call my friend John,who has EVERY tool & let him do the job....
     
    Turns likes this.
  9. earlymopar
    Joined: Feb 26, 2007
    Posts: 1,608

    earlymopar
    Member

    A Bulls Eye Pick
     
    stanlow69 likes this.
  10. pigIRON63
    Joined: Nov 25, 2019
    Posts: 825

    pigIRON63
    Member

    One of the best tools I have found is the H.A.M.B. There is a lot of knowledge on here. You can have a shop full of tools, but without the know-how, they are useless.
     
    vtx1800, clem, reagen and 9 others like this.
  11. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,286

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My 2 post asymmetrical Rotary lift, without a doubt. I have de-bodied a dozen or more cars in the last 10 years in my residential garage without assistance. How I survived without it, I have no idea.
    upload_2020-12-11_11-36-50.png
     
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  12. Not to be a wank, but I'm gonna say google & youtube. Great for doing something the first time, or just to find a better way than how I've done something historically. I used to be one of those guys who'd waste 4 hours on a 15 minute task, break something, or injure himself before he'd ask someone 'how do...'.
     
    Chicster, Tman, j hansen and 7 others like this.
  13. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,173

    Budget36
    Member

    I need to get a lift for sure, but to the original question, I’ve bought a lot of stuff that probably hasn’t really paid for itself , but for convenience I’d guess would be a time saver as well. I have two lathes ( I’m not even a wart on a machinist ass) but being able to make a bushing/spacer/etc on a weekend or after work saves a lot of time not having to run to town to get it off the shelf, not going to a shop and having it made. I’ve a 400$ spot welder I used one time, saved me taking the panels in, and coming back to get them. A plethora of other stuff I have as well that gets little use, guys come buy and see it collecting dust and tell me I should sell things if not using it, I smile and say “ I still might need it next year”.
    Yes, I’m the knucklehead with 3 drill presses, a couple of bench grinders, several hand grinders, etc. all set up for different things.
    I’m not trying to die with the most “toys in the shop” but I hate wasting time going to town for something I’m working on. Hell, every now and then I go to a place that sells hardware by h the pound and fill up bags of different sizes. Gotta keep them bread trays full;). Same with pipe fittings, etc.
    Someone that has knowledge will score big time when I pass away. Lol
     
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  14. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    A welder, I couldn't believe how I'd survived without it., Clamps, I must have 80 of various sizes, the new battery operated tools that make tedious shit easy, a good vice, sanders, got two of those, makes shiny stuff to weld easier, angle grinders, got six, various sizes, two chop saws....I could go on. I started my first car in a carport with a portable box with $5 tools in it, pliers that wouldn't grab my dick, wrenches that would open if pulled hard, I can tell you, good tools are a lifelong investment, great way to have neer do wells hang out in your shop. Just don't lend anything out, been there done that.
     
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  15. GEZSFRK
    Joined: Jul 19, 2013
    Posts: 72

    GEZSFRK

    My best addition so far 5048663A-7D1D-409A-8A81-71ED1517639E.jpeg
     
  16. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348

    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus

    I`ve got a cheap version for making circles with a pencil .Uses a wood dowel. Used it today for a measurement and laying out where to drill 2 holes. .
     
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  17. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,522

    Roothawg
    Member

    I need one of those. I never knew the technical name. Thanks!
     
  18. A chainsaw. :)
    But for the shop, it would be a toss up between the lathe and the welder.
    Bob
     
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  19. Happydaze
    Joined: Aug 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,903

    Happydaze
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    0.8 mm (so called super thin) cutting discs. Cut faster, cleaner, more accurately and with little dust than regular discs. And last longer too. Just need to treat them a bit carefully. Saves a ton of time in so many ways and for little additional outlay.

    Chris

    Chris
     
  20. Bought this tool to get me out of a real jam...Best money I've spent recently.....Trying to repair an OT rear axle to sell for a parts fund on my A coupe project... Can't be specific with details so as to not cause a ruckus amongst the powers-to be....But ,all you GM techs can identify with the problem caused by a broken cross-shaft lock bolt...
    IMG_0746.JPG
     
    SEAAIRE354, Jibs, VANDENPLAS and 2 others like this.
  21. pirate
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,024

    pirate
    Member
    from Alabama

    You should look at him as an investment. The more you can teach him on something worthwhile the better adult he will become and perhaps a good friend as you get older. There’s so much going on for kids to get in trouble with you should be proud he wants to hang around and learn something. Let him have more responsibility as he earns it and some words of encouragement wouldn’t hurt either.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2020
  22. topher5150
    Joined: Feb 10, 2017
    Posts: 3,338

    topher5150
    Member

    Nothing fancy like you guys have but very useful. I snapped a timing chain cover bolt. I tried oiling it, heating it, and even welded a nut to it nothing seemed to work. I went to Napa and they have this thing that looks like a drill chuck you attach to your ratchet wrench tighten it up and it popped right out

    Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  23. I like the cutting disks, but even with good care, I have had some shatter. Now, I am using either a Dillon MkIII (Cobra) torch to cut, or my plasma cutter. Both of these do a superb cut with no warping. Most of the stuff I cut is 1/4 or less, and the Dillon cuts that stuff like butter and barely leaves any slag. The best thing is, that I use the cutting torch with 4 lbs pressure, much better than my old Victor torch.
    Bob
     
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  24. I have never seen that tool. I am assuming that the screws are for centering the drill bit used to make the hole to insert the retractor.
    I will have to look for one, I have always used the mark I eyeball to center the drill bit, and it is a lot more time consuming . What I would like to have, is a drill bit that is hard enough to drill out the excractor when it breaks off inside the hole.
    Another thing I would like, is the secret to removing a broken steel bolt from an aluminum block.
    Bob
     
  25. I have a couple of different sizes of the stud removing chucks and clamps, and can count on one finger the number of times they have been useful. I have been placing a washer on top of the broken bolt, and MIG welding enough material on to screw the bolt out. This works well, but you need enough room, and have the material in a position where the washer will stay in position to do this. This is the best method I have found so far.
    I have seen a picture of a homemade device that burns the broken bolt electrically, but I have never felt the need to build one. I do have the instructions to build the unit somewhere, and would be willing to send them to anyone that is interested in building one.
    Bob
     
    Boneyard51 likes this.
  26. 0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Joined: Nov 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,782

    0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Member

    I been buying tools and equipment for 50 years to make the job quicker ,easier, and better. The most time saving one was the mini Fridge on the work bench, saves a ton of time walking back to other end of the shop where the big fridge is! Gives me more time to celebrate something going right! Or more time to shake my head and say what the F-----k when it dosen't!;) lol Larry
     
  27. spit6
    Joined: Apr 29, 2008
    Posts: 14

    spit6
    Member

    Impact wrench
     
    Roothawg likes this.
  28. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    No photo but a few years back I got tired of unplugging my power tools from the extension cord to plug something else and and bought a pair of good plug ins and one of those square boxes with the round corners and a metal face plate and built myself a quad plug in. Lowes has 24 ft rolls of 12/3 SO cord and a good plug in. I've probably got 30 bucks tied up in it and the box is welded to a piece of square tubing that is hooked to an old front wheel drive brake rotor. I'm another of those who has a batch of angle grinders each with a different disk on it and sometimes have two or three of them plugged into that setup at the same time and can swap back and forth without stopping.

    The HF 1-1/2 ton "racing jack" that the usually have on sale for a good price is one tool I'd hate to give up. I seldom use it to raise a car because I have a couple of bigger and lot heavier jacks but that little bugger gets in on a lot of projects to "Hold this and Lift that" It's easy to carry out to raise a trailer tongue to hook it up to the hitch on small trailers that don't have a jack but are just a tad heavy to do it by hand.

    I sure wish I had a hoist and a shop to put it in but I'll have to get the shop built first.
     
  29. Those are the cat's ass aren't they... I won one in a raffle, got another at a chinese auction, and bought two more. Light, low enough to fit under almost anything, and the 'quick pump' feature is real handy when it's waaay under something and you can't get much handle movement. I've got a 3T jack that I've had for years and it has given very good service but being all steel it weighs a bunch and is a drag to move around. Get it off the concrete and it turns into a plow....
     
  30. brigrat
    Joined: Nov 9, 2007
    Posts: 5,615

    brigrat
    Member
    from Wa.St.

    The best tool? My Laptop unfortunately!
     
    reagen likes this.

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