My Dad started me off with a 100pc Craftsman tool set and box when I was 12, and I still have many of those first tools today! Of course, I've added plenty to them in the past 23 years as well! I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Matco! When I worked as a mechanic at the Ford dealer, I bought more stuff from the Matco guy than the Snap-On guy by a long shot! Never had a problem with any of those tools, either! (Some of my fellow mechanics and even my brother in law like to flog Matco for their lack of 'status appeal' or whatever...but I notice that they can't keep their paws off of my big Matco screwdriver! The handle fits your hand PERFECTLY and even the Bozos who bad-mouth Matco end up using my Matco stuff over my Snap-On and Craftsman offerings more often than not!)
Prolly right on... just lack of advertising or something... Guess i'll have to track down the number for Matco
Any of you guys entertained the idea of a... LIFT? Wrenches to lifts... maybe I should just write away the next couple years of my life as years lived on ramen noodles... in an attempt to afford a cool stash of automobilia!
When doing overhead welding I use ear plugs. After hearing the inside of a ear burn too many times I learned this trick.Saftey First..
[ QUOTE ] What do you guys do for insurance coverage on these things? Yall must have a ton sunk into em... [/ QUOTE ] Normal home insurance won't cover more than a few bucks worth of tools. You have to catalog them and then declare them. They'll bump your cost a little, but it's usually worth it. And yep, I'm 34 and got my first tools at 3 years old. Still have some of them. Been pouring money into tools ever since.
WOW! ... I'll have to look into the insurance policy... Second, I'll need to figure out how to lift the roof! Unless i'm gonna lift a chop top...
[ QUOTE ] Normal home insurance won't cover more than a few bucks worth of tools. You have to catalog them and then declare them. They'll bump your cost a little, but it's usually worth it. [/ QUOTE ] modernbeat, brings up an IMPORTANT point. Most homeowners policies, as he says, don't cover more than about $1,500.00 (mine for example) for garage contents. THAT ALSO MEANS A PROJECT IN PROGRESS! To cover a car in your garage (not finished or carrying insurance) would be a total UNINSURED LOSS under your homeowners policy. Check with your auto insurance company; most will insure a "In Progress" vehicle. All you need to provide is an appraisal of the "Parts/pieces" that will be used. The policy will not cost as much as a "driver", because it is not on the road. (no liability needed) On the subject of tools, (which are insured) I was Proto tool sales rep. for a few years, so most of mine are Proto. But I "filled in" the blanks with a lot of Snap-On. I treated myself (Xmas present) to a Snap-ON "KD" series tool box. Holds almost everything.
I've heard about guys buying box's that are so big ya need a forklift to push em around... and a semi to move em from shop to shop! How well are protos built? Anything special about em? Are they built in house... or jobbed out?
Vices, It is important to get a good vice or several of them. I bought a great sheffield record vice at depot years ago on closeout for $30 bucks. This is a tip for those folks that don't have 1 inch plate for their workbenches, Even though my vice was securely attached to the bench the bench would want to flex or even rip out the bolts if I ever put alot of torque on somthing. My soloution was to get two 8 inch plates one for on top of the bench and one below drill a few holes and then bolt the vice down. Now when I really get some torque going I lift the other end of the bench instead. Also 1inch pony spring clamps, the ones with the orange handles not the cheap china black ones, are a must I use them everywhere. I also covered my bench with galvenized sheetmetal its great for clean up and sliding things around. Also for those that have a IKEA near you they have some cheap storage-drawer options for underneath your bench. Drawers I use a couple of these under the bench for drills taps and layout tools and another for my sandpaper and abrasive wheels. each drawer is a few inches deep and slightly bigger than a sheet of paper.
The man brings up an excelent point! Storage options for "stuff" The problem I have currently is finding room for power tools... they dont fit tool box's, they fall off of racks. Where can they get shoved that makes em "disappear" until needed?
... Hmm... Guess I should have futher clarified. For those of us lacking all kinds of space, what should we do with the power tools. (Kinda idiotic on my part to not say that... they can lay on a bench, or sit in a box... but for people with no room for either?!?!)
[ QUOTE ] I've heard about guys buying box's that are so big ya need a forklift to push em around... and a semi to move em from shop to shop! [/ QUOTE ] Mine stands five feet high, is four feet wide and has 21 drawers. With all the drawers full, probably weighs in at about 2400 lbs.! Rolls around on 6 inch castors. It doesn't get moved very often, but when I do have to move it, it moves fairly easy. (just don't get it on a sloped floor!!) [ QUOTE ] How well are protos built? Anything special about em? Are they built in house... or jobbed out? [/ QUOTE ] Protos (were, don't know now) made in US. Their "thin wall" deep sockets were the best on the market. (ask C9) They stand up to anything. I have never broken a Proto tool, so I can't speak for quality nowdays. Snap-On on the other hand... well just don't use their screwdrivers for pry bars!!
[ QUOTE ] The man brings up an excelent point! Storage options for "stuff" The problem I have currently is finding room for power tools... they dont fit tool box's, they fall off of racks. Where can they get shoved that makes em "disappear" until needed? [/ QUOTE ] I have "DEEP" drawers attached to the underside of one of my benches. Takes care of the power tools. Then there is some shelving under the drawers for the power tools that come with their own boxes.
Didnt think about attaching em to the underside of a workbench... So proto's good stuff too... To many choices out there
This is a picture of my 47 year old roller cabinet toolbox. I trade it for a pair of doors and 1/4 panels for a GTX that I paid $75 for 15 years ago. It is a bit awkward to roll around, but I am working on making it self powered. In the meantime, it can hold all my handtools, most of my powertools, plus most of the many small parts and e-bay fodder I got. Everyone should have one of these toolboxes.
mr57, I like that tool box! Trouble is it might take some time to "retrieve" something on the bottom! On the subject of DRAWERS. I bought an old two drawer lateral FILE cabinet (used office equipment store) for $50 and built a base out of 3/4 inch plywood (open at the front so I can store a floor jack under the cabinet) that raises the cabinet to work bench height. Bolted two thicknesses of 3/4 inch plywood on top of the cabinet, and mounted my bench grinder and belt/disk sander on the top. The drawers happen to be for microfiche film (half the depth of a regular file drawer) wich gives me four drawers. I store all my sand paper and grinding supplies in the cabinet. They have swing down covers on the front of the cabinet which keeps the crud out.
Now theres an idea.. filing cabinets to store power tools... Hmmm, now I have another place to look <Evil cackle inserted here>
What do you guys think about just having a couple sets of impact sockets for use with ratchets an air tools? Might be a little bit less of a hassle when it comes to breaking em!
I'm a professional mechanic and 90% of all my shop tools are Snap-on. For my home shop, which is pretty complete in itself, I couldn't see buying a whole set of Snap-ons, but I have had good luck with SK. If I know that if I'm going to be using a tool a lot (3/8 ratchets and such) I'll get a Snap-on. Ingersol-Rand air tools are what I use both at my professional shop and home shop.
One of the reasons I like ingies... is the sound. They sound like a hotrodded harley in comparison to some of the others... sounding like a moped. Something comforting when you can "hear" performace...
[ QUOTE ] What do you guys think about just having a couple sets of impact sockets for use with ratchets an air tools? Might be a little bit less of a hassle when it comes to breaking em! [/ QUOTE ] True, you could get away with just impact sockets. But when it comes time to reach in a tight place, the impact sockets have awful thick walls as well as being only 6 point. Plus most of them are made out of "softer" material and wear out faster. Try taking a set of header bolts out on a SBC with one.
I also like to keep an assortment of "expendable" tools around. The kind of cheap stuff that you can buy USED at flea markets for pennies! That way, when you gotta grind, bend, or saw a tool in half to make it fit a specific odd job, you don't mind doing it! Wrenches are the common victims here, but you will find yourself needing to modify other tools if you keep at it long enough!
Hey... if ya need to make a tool... a hammer could prolly fix the problem first! I hear ya on the header bolts... I rounded the living daylights off of the manifold bolts on mine... Pulled the engine, couldnt pry the manifold off... took a hammer an wacked it into smivereeenies!
Here's a good option for storage....do you have a local "thrift store"? You know, the ones that take all the donated stuff and sell it...Salvation Army...Good Will..etc. You can find filing cabinets, shelves, etc. dirt cheap. For example, last Monday I got a four drawer filing cabinet, about four feet tall, wide drawers, (Steelcase) for $6.98, one corner was dented slightly. Also got a cabinet with one shelf in it, heavy duty stuff, about 4' by 4' for $4.88. Still had the "IBM" tags on it...was a little rusty from sitting out in the rain. The lighter 2 drawer ones are even cheaper, but they are not quite as sturdy. Also, I've got an old refrigerator, one of the "rounded top" ones, for storing paint and supplies in, it was free for hauling it off. It will look cool if I ever get time to paint it. The trick to cheap storage is knowing where to look. A lot of time it's who you know also...I've got a friend who works at a major university...he came by a while back with a truckload of 4' by 4' framed pegboard, it was being trashed as part of a dorm renovation. He gave me the whole truckload...same guy also brought me a load of 3' flourescent lights that were being trashed as a part of the same renovation. Brian
Have a couple of thrift stores... That brings up another thing in my mind... you know the canvas tool rolls? I wonder if anyone sells high grade cavnas or denim in low quanity amounts at a decent price! I'd be willin to learn how to sew... prolly swap over to seat cover manufacturing a lil bit more then my stapling skills!
Finally, a little tech I can offer a useful(?) comment on! On the subject of (cheap) tools, and storage ..one of my favourites is a Steelcase desk! From the fifties-early sixties (not seventies!!). I mean the ones with the REAL linoleum tops, not Formica. Standard issue in a lot of offices and some schools. You can still find them in used office eqpt and maybe old business liquidators. CHEAP. Got mine from an insurance office closing. Some have rounded tops, with a (beautiful to me) deep green lino covering and aluminum corner castings. Mine just has a flat covering and a wrapped steel edge. They make great workbenches (except for the height if youre standing). Use as a second one, or for the basement. Theyve got lots of big and little drawers. Mine has a drawer big enough for ½ drill, 4 grinder and hand jig saw. Strong as hell (but they resonate with a big boom if youre hammering!) Not sure, but Ill bet mine is 16 gauge steel. (Seventies stuff is like foil!) The top is reinforced underneath with box section beams and covered with a soft to parts easy clean linoleum. (Probably flammable tho.) Nice to sit at for small parts work. Clamped a cheapo task light to the back ledge. Ive got a 5 Record vise mounted to the top (and thruone of the box sections below). I used ½ channel iron underneath the third bolt furthest from the jaws. Havent bent the top yet. Mine has a typewriter returnon one side of the knee hole (also lino covered). It has two big legs that support it. Easily supports a ford 3 speed tranny. Also, the thing comes apart easily if you gotta move. Top comes off, and the drawer sections separate (with the drawers still inem). Only likely snag is the (heavy) screws holding the deck on. Mine needed a (Robertson) square head number FOUR I think. (Finally found one) Or you could use the ¼ shank of a tap (my first solution). Also, got a low steel office cabinet with a formica top. Happily supports a flathead block, with giant storage inside. Here's from their '57 catalog. Finally, a coupla chunks cut from one of those plastic kitchen cutting boards make great soft jaws for your vise. Just drill and countersink and screw them in in place of the hardened originals. Easy to swap in and out. Just make sure to really counter sink those screws. The plastic will compress a little.
Now thats a slick desk... What I'm working with now is a steel table top an some pipe bolted to the wall of the basement. Not sure how much weight it can hold, but it does need a new coat of paint! I'll have to grab a cutting board an make some soft jaws... thats a great idea!
For work surface. My elbow height work bench has a soft clean layer of cardboard and a flourescent light under the kitchen cabinets 2' above it. My big work table is topped with a sheet of 1" MDF. It gets a fresh coat of outdoor house paint (Coincidently it matches my house) every couple months when it gets dirty. Next shop project involves an epoxy floor coating. TZ
The Jalopy Journal
