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Tool Shed Tips
This is a list of favorite tools and products
any driveway/garage mechanic should own (or be aware of). Remember, they who die with the most
tools wins.
This is linked from my (Vision Home Page).
If you have inputs to this page .... PLEASE email.
I will update this for fellow Owners (Vision
Riders Group).
Last Update May2001
©Dave "Leather" Draper JET_AV8R@CSI.COM
Over the years of do-it-yourself "driveway mechanics"
some products and tools become indispensible. Basically, you
should have these in your workshop. No one list is complete,
and this is a growing as others provide more feedback. I hoped
to turn you on to some stuff you may not have or heard of. Send
me ideas to add. Let's face it, there's always one more tool
you need.....
In No Particular Order
- Digital multimeter
- Yeah, you gotta have one of these. Look for one that has
an audible (tone) when checking continuity. That way you can
tell a circuit is good without having to see the meter (when
you're on the other side of the hood).
- Cutoff Tool (also known as hand-grinding wheel)
- This is a high speed (10,000+RPM) tool normally used for
grinding or as a "cut-off" tool. Muffler ships use
these to cut old mufflers apart. Find one that can be held and
turned on/off while holding in one hand (assume the other hand
is holding your work).
This is the most used tool in my shop. Replace the grinding wheel
with a cutoff wheel found any (including Home Depot). The Arbor
hole size must match obviously so think of that when you buy
the tool. Anyway, things you'll use this for are unlimited but
include:
Cutting bolts off, cutting bolts to size, cutting angle iron
stock, shaping materials like wood & plastic, cutting pvc,
cutting basically anything..... Except for rare cases I never
touch a hack-saw anymore.
- Electric Belt Sander
- I recomend at least a 4" model (I have Sears). Forget
the file. Can use this to grind down just about everything. I
keep a 80 course belt on this all the time for cleaning up cut
bolts, etc...
- POR-15
- This is a paint which bonds to rust into a ceramic finish.
This stuff is AWESOME. It has been huge in the past amoung auto
resoration garages (look in a Hemmings magazine). You can't buy
this in stores but can directly from them. Get a slightly better
price if you go thru a dealer on the net. They have their own
thinner but acetone seems to work ok. If you paint something
exposed to sun you must top coat with normal paint. P.S. When
you use this stuff, DON'T get it on you or anything else you
don't want painted. It really is hard to get off!!
- PB-Blaster
- The ultimate penetrant and better than liquid wrench.
- Boeshield T-9
- Developed by Boeing to prevent corrosion in aircraft parts.
This is sold a good marine stores in white spray can. Leaves
a clear wax-like film on parts that resist moisture. Great if
used regularly on metal and rubber engine parts.
- AntiSieze Compound
- There are many I bet but the stuff with a cap bruch that
looks kind of like graphite powder in copper grease works great.
Bottom line, whenever you rebolt anything put this on and it
WILL come apart again someday.
- Loc Tite
- Of course, you may not want some nut/bolt to come apart and
this is the stuff to use. They have about 5 different grades
from (its never coming apart again) to less. So make sure you
have the right stuff.
- Impact Driver
- This is the simple hand-held hammer driven screw-driver you
get a Sears. Comes with several bits (flathead and phillips).
9 times out of 10 the screwhead you botched up trying to unscrew
a slightly frozen bolt would have come out if you had JUST USED
THIS TOOL.
- Invisible Gloves
- You can find this at most good autoparts stores. Its like
a hand cream, only this stuff you put on before you work on the
engine. I guess it coats your skin and crevices with some type
of oil (or somethhing) that the grease won't stick to. Later
(if you've used this stuff regularly), all the dirt and grease
will come right of your hands. No need to look like a grease
monkey if you don't have to.
- Acetone
- For cleaning metal before painting or carb parts this is
the ultimate stuff. BUT, don't get near painted surfaces, plastics,
or rubber parts. Toxic so don't get on skin. Evaporates very
fast so use a resparator also.
- Gumout Carb Cleaner
- For cleaning carb parts with rubber and plastic this is the
stuff.
- Copper Grounding Wire
- Go the electrical section of Home Depot. Buy like 10-20 feet
of bare copper grounding wire. It about 1/8inch thick and you
can bend it around. Cut into 2-3 ft length. This stuff is perfect
for hanging parts with (you want to spray paint or just get out
of the way...). Cloths hanger work too, but are to thin to hang
anything heavy with.
- Respirator
- Spend the money and get a good one with replaceable "carbon"
filters designed for paint fumes. Its like smoking. Won't hurt
you now.... but 20 years from now !!!??... Bottom line, you should
not be able to "smell" what you're working with (paints,
thinners, cleaners, resins, etc...)
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