The Tool Thread

[NorCalAthlete]

You guys asked for it...

Here's a place to discuss everything from snowblowers to impact sockets. Essentials, nice to haves, upgrades, minor differences. Stuff you need to work on various vehicles, a repository for help and instructions / links to the best youtube channels, etc.

To start with:

At a bare minimum, I think everyone should have the following in a single medium sized toolbox.

• 1/4" drive socket set both SAE and metric
• 3/8" drive socket set both SAE and metric
• open end / box end wrench set, SAE and metric, from at least 5/16 to 3/4
• 6" crescent wrench
• 10" crescent wrench
• 1/4" drive ratchet
• 1/4" drive breaker bar
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive breaker bar
• 3/8" drive torque wrench
• 1/2" drive socket set (SAE and metric)
• 1/2" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive torque wrench
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• adjustable pipe wrench
• wire cutters aka dykes
• lineman pliers
• needlenose pliers
• wire strippers / crimpers
• small / medium / large flathead screwdrivers
• small / medium / large phillips screwdrivers (aka cross tip)
• small to medium size pry bar
• small claw hammer
• medium claw hammer
• dead blow mallet
• thread tape
• duct tape
• epoxy
• multimeter
• stud finder
• level
• square
• allen keys (SAE and metric sets)
• zip ties (small and medium)
• box cutter
• work knife
• multitool
• mechanic's gloves
• nitrile gloves
• thick leather gloves - garderner or preferably welder's
• eye protection - wraparound clear safety glasses / goggles
• ear protection - muffs are the easiest to take on and off, but at least foam disposables
• small or medium ladder depending on your place
• strap wrench (for oil filters)
• flashlight
• headlamp

The above should allow you to tackle probably 90% of DIY basics - from oil changes to brake jobs, leaky faucets to changing out electrical outlets, assembling new furniture, hanging a TV, etc.

Upgrades / additional more advanced stuff:

• cordless drill / impact driver - 1/4", 3/8" + 1/2" drives
• 2 batteries per power tool or at least a 3:2 ratio
• drill bits - variety in both material and size
• cutoff tool of some kind - oscillating ones are great
• shop vac (dry/wet)
• respirator / face mask
• ratchet wrenches
• various extensions, swivels, and adapters to get into tight spaces / awkward angles
• soldering iron
• heat shrink tubing
• electrical connectors
• extra wire / romex
• extra small screwdrivers, sockets, star bits, security bits, square bits, etc with a good bit driver
• circular saw
• spark plug socket
• swivel socket extension
• impact sockets
• bolt cutters
• vice grips
• clamps (C-clamps, F-clamps)
• 3.5"-4" grinder
• baby sledge hammer

Building out a shop:

• Drill press
• bench vice
• chop saw
• band saw
• sander
• 6" grinder
• table saw
• planer
• cold chisels
• good chisel set
• center punch set
• etching tool
• small welder
• good air compressor (VOLUME)
• oxycetalene torch (brazing and quick cutting)
• plasma cutter (precise cutting, longer cuts)
• welding hood
• welding gloves
• welding apron / leathers
• welding curtain
• sawhorses
• clamps
• clamps
• clamps
• extension cords
• more clamps
• welding table (easy to DIY)
• mill / lathe if you have room
• jack stands
• cherry picker
• engine stand
• good lighting and ventilation
• shop magnet for cleanup - magnetic wands are awesome
• good steel toe work boots
• good coveralls
• fire extinguisher
• good brooms
• quench tank
• sledge hammer
• slide hammer
• tanker bar / large pry bar / "I wasn't asking" bar / "Persuader"

I think that should be a pretty good start to this thread...

[Oldgixxer]

Excellent thread,heading out the door now but can't wait to dive into this when I get back from the gym

[PhaceN52]

When finding out that with the right tools even the crappiest job can be pretty straight forward and almost curse-free the addiction is complete
Good list, it's been years since I'd love setting up a small metalworking corner in my garage with a precise and wobble free bench drill, band saw and maybe a little manual mill, but have to complete a bunch of things before, including a full diy renovation that's taking too long...
What was your worst chinesium broken tool?

[billnchristy]

panel pulling tools (cheap plastic prybars and picks that won't marr interiors) if you're going to do car work.

[grannyknot]

I would add a lot of the upgrades list to the basic list, 1/2" breaker and drive socket set, ball peen hammer, Map gas torch (hotter than propane) and the biggest bench vise you can afford.
Also, you can often pick up older better quality tools at garage sales, auctions, craigslist.

[rustyroger]

Can't do much to modern cars without Torx wrenches. or a hand held code reader.

Roger.

[XutvJet]

Great thread. I'm all for DIYing and any excuse to buy new tools. I would add that consider focusing on tools that can do multiple things rather than a bunch of specialty, one off tools. Also, USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB. It will make your life so much easier.

My favorite tool is my Milwaukee Li-ion 3/8" ratchet and a set of good magnet base LED flashlights such as those from Astro.

An 18V+ impact drill is excellent for drilling, driving, and with a 3/8" adapter, can be used with sockets and will generate about 30-60 ft/lbs of torque.

If you work on German cars, e-torx sockets (all German cars) and triple squares (Audi/Porsche) are a must.

A high quality spring compressor goes a long way too if you do suspension work. This particular one, while heavy, works freaking awesome and is very safe: https://www.amazon.com/Interchangabl...2-63e904010ad0

Pick tools and plastic pry tools are a God send for disconnecting connectors and interior panels. They are a must.

The tool highest on my list right now is a Quick Jack. I continue to surprise myself that I don't have one yet given all the work I do on my cars.

[NorCalAthlete]

Do you guys want me to add hyperlinks to the lists above? I'd say for basic-but-quality you can't go wrong with SK/KD/Stanley stuff for most of the wrenches / sockets. Want to get into specific brands for specific pieces? Harbor Freight is ok for one-off jobs but generally IMO if you want it to last, bump up a bit in price.

[Oldgixxer]

Didn't see it on the list since it's an expensive,specialty type of tool that the average homeowner doesn't really need,but a good SDS drill makes drilling into concrete a walk in the park. I prefer Hilti although Bosch makes a very good SDS too.
Pictured along with other essentials I can't do without,Porta-Band,right-angle drill,Sawzall's and a powder-actuated fastener

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

Do you guys want me to add hyperlinks to the lists above? I'd say for basic-but-quality you can't go wrong with SK/KD/Stanley stuff for most of the wrenches / sockets. Want to get into specific brands for specific pieces? Harbor Freight is ok for one-off jobs but generally IMO if you want it to last, bump up a bit in price.

I buy a lot from Amazon. Harbor Freight is good for floor jacks and simple tools. For power tools, I go with Milwaukee.

Ratcheting wrenches are a must too, but make sure to buy name brand ones. I bought some from Amazon and I've had a couple of them break at the ratcheting mechanism. Don't cheap out on ratchets and torque wrenches.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

To start with:

At a bare minimum, I think everyone should have the following in a single medium sized toolbox.
[list][*]1/4" drive socket set both SAE and metric[*]3/8" drive socket set both SAE and metric
...

If you want to work on cars (which is a high probability on this forum), you need 1/4" and 1/2". Lots of connections on cars that are too heavy for 3/8"
3/8" is nice to have (nice and light) but you can do without. Not so much for 1/2"
Also, if you're not in the US/UK, and don't drive an old US or UK car, there's no real need for SAE as it hardly exists in the rest of the world
and next to allen keys (make sure they include the 7mm! if you want to work on cars), a set of torx keys is also the bare minimum if you ask me.
I also think a soldering iron is a basic tool to have, but I'm the kind of guy who's jaw drops when people say they've never soldered in their lives.

That said, you can never have too many tools

[XutvJet]

I also wouldn't waste my money on air tools. Electric has come a LONG way in the past 10 years, making air obsolete in almost all cases. If you're working on heavy equipment, then yeah, air is great when you need massive torque, but otherwise, electric/battery is enough for 99.5% of auto and home repair.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Also, if you're not in the US/UK, and don't drive an old US or UK car, there's no real need for SAE as it hardly exists in the rest of the world

Yep. About the only time you need SAE is for working on furniture and maybe some home/building systems. Most times, metric is close enough on SAE fasteners.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Instead of a Quick Jack, look into a real 2-post lift that fits a 9' ceiling height. A few lift companies make them. Bend Pack does and a few others.

I would, but my two car garage would be tight with those posts. I'll do a Quick Jack for now and then when I get our next house, I'll build a small shop that will have a full two post. The Quick Jack will still come in handy as well.

[NorCalAthlete]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

If you want to work on cars (which is a high probability on this forum), you need 1/4" and 1/2". Lots of connections on cars that are too heavy for 3/8"
3/8" is nice to have (nice and light) but you can do without. Not so much for 1/2"
Also, if you're not in the US/UK, and don't drive an old US or UK car, there's no real need for SAE as it hardly exists in the rest of the world
and next to allen keys (make sure they include the 7mm! if you want to work on cars), a set of torx keys is also the bare minimum if you ask me.
I also think a soldering iron is a basic tool to have, but I'm the kind of guy who's jaw drops when people say they've never soldered in their lives.

That said, you can never have too many tools

I dunno. 3/8" sets are enough for 200+ ft-lbs of torque. Even the Milwaukee 1/4" drive stuff can do 160+ ft-lbs (2,000 in-lbs). What are you doing on a car that requires more? Lug nuts are only 105-ish give or take. Maybe suspension components or something? But again, that's dipping down into the more advanced category vs basic category in my opinion. Brakes, cosmetic stuff, oil changes are what I would consider basic. Suspension, engine, transmission, differential I would consider advanced. Exhaust can be 50/50 depending on what you're doing. But I can't think of any bolts on body panels / exhaust requiring that much torque. I'm not sure on suspension / engine, but for example header bolts are only like 20 ft-lbs.

Originally Posted by XutvJet

I also wouldn't waste my money on air tools. Electric has come a LONG way in the past 10 years, making air obsolete in almost all cases. If you're working on heavy equipment, then yeah, air is great when you need massive torque, but otherwise, electric/battery is enough for 99.5% of auto and home repair.

Agreed! I bought into the Milwaukee line of 1/4" drive power tools (M12 line) and they've been more than enough for damn near everything. Only time I needed an 18v with more power was for some serious lag bolts into concrete for a speedbag setup. I just remodeled my entire garage with nothing but the M12 stuff.

I used to have the 36v DeWalt set and sold it - total overkill for home and even most automotive projects. If you're not working as a contractor building custom garages or working on heavy duty equipment (forklifts, cranes, bulldozers, etc) you probably don't need it.

Originally Posted by XutvJet

Yep. About the only time you need SAE is for working on furniture and maybe some home/building systems. Most times, metric is close enough on SAE fasteners.

Maybe....but it's cheap enough to have both that you might as well. And as others have said - right tool for the job. You don't want to be stripping stuff out because you didn't have a socket and had to make do with "close enough". About the only sizes you can get away with that is 9/16 vs 14mm, 1/2" vs 13mm, and 7/16 vs 11mm in my opinion. Maybe a couple more at the upper end like 19-21mm range but yeah. Having the extra set with the proper sizes doesn't take up that much extra space and ensures best fit.

By the way I based a lot of this off of working with the Army's GMTK (General Mechanic's Tool Kit). I was a mechanic and welder for 10+ years. I've worked on everything from old classic muscle cars to modern trucks and SUVs, plus just about everything that rolled in the military (Abrams, Bradley, M88, M113/577/1068, LMTV, PLS, 10k Skytrak, M109, M992, M1114, M1151, etc). Exceptions being Strykers and super-HETs, and those giant conex forklifts (RTCH).

I don't claim to be an end-all-be-all expert, but feel like I have a pretty decent idea of what you can get away with...in most cases.

[NorCalAthlete]

Oh and I'll add another tool that can definitely come in handy - a good dremel!

Strip out a bolt? No problem, dremel the head and now you can stick a flat blade screw driver on it. Or just cut it off completely depending on the angle / what you're trying to do.

Also handy for trim-to-fit stuff.

[ShopVac]

Wifey bought me a new tool chest for my birthday. So I get to reorganize my life over the next several weeks. Kobalt - so nothing fancy...but it will add a few drawers, and plan to add the internal organizers as my shits all over the place. Didn't come with a mid section though, which is odd...so I'll need to get one that matches.

Ah - If she only knew how much those stickers cost on my old tool chest.

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by Oldgixxer

Didn't see it on the list since it's an expensive,specialty type of tool that the average homeowner doesn't really need,but a good SDS drill makes drilling into concrete a walk in the park. I prefer Hilti although Bosch makes a very good SDS too.
Pictured along with other essentials I can't do without,Porta-Band,right-angle drill,Sawzall's and a powder-actuated fastener

Been slowly replacing my heavy duty corded tools with battery versions...but nothing will replace my hilti and angle drill for putting pipe in studs. I have one of those band saws too...can't think of the last time I actually used it. Find that I'm more prone to just go with a cut off disk anymore. I have a gas powered cutoff wheel / cement / brick cutter too...for larger pieces of steel.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

I dunno. 3/8" sets are enough for 200+ ft-lbs of torque. Even the Milwaukee 1/4" drive stuff can do 160+ ft-lbs (2,000 in-lbs).

That is way pushing it beyond what it's designed to.
Of course different brands perform different, but I would say 3/8" is designed to handle 100lbs-ft max on the long run and 1/2" about 200-250lbs-ft.
And look at it this way: how many 3/8" torque wrenches go to 100lbs-ft? pretty much none. Let alone 200lbs-ft. They are all 1/2" (which typically go to ~175lbs-ft)
What's available in torque wrenches gives a pretty good indication for the range it was designed to work within.
So from that pov 3/8" is already pretty useless on cars (at least the undercarriage), where it would be pretty much impossible to torque down over 100lbs-ft (typical 3/8" torque wrench goes up to ~80lbs-ft, which isn't even enough to do your wheels unless you have a really old small car like a 60's mini or beetle)), unless you're gonna fiddle with adapters (3/8" sockets on a 1/2" torque wrench) which is never the optimal situation..
All sockets designed for wheels (with the laquer protective sleeve) are also always 1/2"


And vice versa there is pretty much no situation that you can't solve with a 1/4" plus 1/2", so as a basic set for cars that really is the way to go.
If you don't own a car, it might be different of course. 3/8" is very comfortable to use on motorcycles for example, but I'm sure more people own a car than a motorcycle and not a car.

Also, a common made mistake is to look at what an impact driver can do, and transpone that onto what the adaptersize can do. Impact drivers work vastly different compared to what for example a breaker bar/ratchet does. Your 1/4" impact drive might do 160lbs-ft, but I guarantee you, if you use a bar or ratchet to do the same, you'll break the ratchet and the socket, as it's not a hammering force but a continuous force. 1/4" is usually used up to 30lbs-ft. (again, a typical 1/4"torque wrench goes up to ~25lbs-ft). Those high numbers for 1/4" are really only interesting for a driver bit to screw in long woodscrews of something like that, as 160lbs-ft fastners in cars are always M12 or more likely above (m14 etc), so a minimum socketsize of 19mm. Those usually are not 1/4"

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

That is way pushing it beyond what it's designed to.
Of course different brands perform different, but I would say 3/8" is designed to handle 100lbs-ft max on the long run and 1/2" about 200-250lbs-ft.
And look at it this way: how many 3/8" torque wrenches go to 100lbs-ft? pretty much none. Let alone 200lbs-ft. They are all 1/2" (which typically go to ~175lbs-ft)
What's available in torque wrenches gives a pretty good indication for the range it was designed to work within.
So from that pov 3/8" is already pretty useless on cars (at least the undercarriage), where it would be pretty much impossible to torque down over 100lbs-ft (typical 3/8" torque wrench goes up to ~80lbs-ft, which isn't even enough to do your wheels unless you have a really old small car like a 60's mini or beetle)), unless you're gonna fiddle with adapters (3/8" sockets on a 1/2" torque wrench) which is never the optimal situation..
All sockets designed for wheels (with the laquer protective sleeve) are also always 1/2"


And vice versa there is pretty much no situation that you can't solve with a 1/4" plus 1/2", so as a basic set for cars that really is the way to go.
If you don't own a car, it might be different of course. 3/8" is very comfortable to use on motorcycles for example, but I'm sure more people own a car than a motorcycle and not a car.

Pretty much agree - if I try to torque too high with 3/8's, I'm either replacing the tool (oddly, haven't checked if Lowes will honor existing Sears Craftsman lifetime replacement tools) - or I'm busting the adaptor from the 1/2" I should have used down to the 3/8's.


So - anybody try to replace Sears Craftsman at Lowes yet? Asking for a friend...

[NorCalAthlete]

I don't necessarily 100% disagree, but....

1. That's why you need impact sockets vs slapping a regular socket on an impact driver

2. Again, my argument is that undercarriage and suspension stuff are more "advanced" than basic - hence, only going up to 3/8 in the basic, and 1/2 in advanced. 1/4 and 3/8 should be more than sufficient for basic tasks. 1/2" for advanced.

3/8" may "only" get you to 80 ft-lbs realistically but when most of the stuff is only 20-40 that's still plenty. If you really want to get into it, I almost never use it to tighten stuff, only to loosen. Using 1/2" stuff to tighten 1/4" stuff is nearly surefire recipe for stripping / shearing stuff. Using 1/4" stepped up to 1/2" may not get you completely tight, but it'll get you 80-90% of the way there WITHOUT accidentally stripping anything, and let you know when it's time to break out your torque wrench. Err on the side of caution, as it were. You really don't want to accidentally strip out an engine bolt, motor mount, oil plug, etc.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

2. Again, my argument is that undercarriage and suspension stuff are more "advanced" than basic - hence,

You list brake jobs as basic.
With 3/8" you can't even properly torque down the wheel bolts as the required torque wrenches for that range are always 1/2".
You can't do a brake job without removing the wheels. Removing the wheels is probably the most common job on cars, if it was only to get your winter tyres on every half year.
Really, 1/2" is a must for working on cars; 3/8" isnt a must, but nice to have (you can't have too many tools )

WITHOUT accidentally stripping anything

Accidental stripping is imho not socket size related but competency related. If that is a problem, use a torque wrench.
For pretty much all modern cars, every bolt or nut has a torque value in their service manual, and if there isn't, you can always use generic torque values for the size fastner. That pretty much reduces the chance of accidentally stripping to zero.
To me, accidentally stripping is a user error which is very easy to prevent (torque wrench). So if it happens, it's usually either not having a torque wrench, or to lazy to use one (this is probably the most common one) or just plain incompetence. The other one is wear on bolts/nuts from using them too often.