Stool (not the kind that drops out of you)
Must have tools for the garage
- Thread starter ZZman
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Feeler gauge, rags and hand cleaner/degreaser.
- It may seem obvious, but a good ratchet is very, very important to me. The Snap-On Dual 80 ratchets are excellent.
- Torque Wrench. Precision Instruments' Split-Beam torque wrenches.
- Floor Jack-- Hein-Werner 2-ton Floor jack.
- Magnetic pick-up wand.
- Drop light.
- Brake cleaner. Lots of it. Use it to clean up grimey spots, tools, etc.
- Magnetic containers to hold bolts and screws.
- Torque Wrench. Precision Instruments' Split-Beam torque wrenches.
- Floor Jack-- Hein-Werner 2-ton Floor jack.
- Magnetic pick-up wand.
- Drop light.
- Brake cleaner. Lots of it. Use it to clean up grimey spots, tools, etc.
- Magnetic containers to hold bolts and screws.
A wire stripper that isn't a piece of garbage...which excludes just about all of those crimper/stripper tools out there.
Kestas
Staff member
Bench grinder. I use mine a lot. Get the kind with two wheels. Put a grinding wheel on one side and a wire wheel on the other. Being in Michigan I use it a lot, mainly for getting rust off the bolt threads and reconditioning them for reuse.
+1
Dead blow hammers
Chapman mini-drivers:
http://www.chapmanmfg.com/
A wall mounted air hose reel.
Work Bench that isn't cluttered, so it can be used as a work bench.
(Pick-bins, shelves, etc, to keep work bench clear!)
A decent vise
Bench top drill press.
Plenty of light, I added several fluorescent fixtures to my garage.
Radio.
Cordless Weller butane soldering iron (Portasol)
http://www.chapmanmfg.com/
A wall mounted air hose reel.
Work Bench that isn't cluttered, so it can be used as a work bench.
(Pick-bins, shelves, etc, to keep work bench clear!)
A decent vise
Bench top drill press.
Plenty of light, I added several fluorescent fixtures to my garage.
Radio.
Cordless Weller butane soldering iron (Portasol)
Gloves and flashlight.
I will buy some cheap tools, but I won't cheap out on often used tools, especially the ones that can make you replace them often or make life difficult if you buy the cheapies. I like:
- Good quality Side Cutters - Channelocks or better
- Good quality utility knife. I like the big one by "OLFA"
- Good quality Cordless drill.
- Good quality Big box of nitrile gloves - Kimberly clark
- Good quality phillips screw driver - I use "Klein"
The more often you use the tool, the more money you should spend. Unless it's really low tech like jack-stands etc. The biggest waste of money is inexpensive cutting tools or abrasives. The good stuff may be twice the price, but it will last 5-10x as long.
- Good quality Side Cutters - Channelocks or better
- Good quality utility knife. I like the big one by "OLFA"
- Good quality Cordless drill.
- Good quality Big box of nitrile gloves - Kimberly clark
- Good quality phillips screw driver - I use "Klein"
The more often you use the tool, the more money you should spend. Unless it's really low tech like jack-stands etc. The biggest waste of money is inexpensive cutting tools or abrasives. The good stuff may be twice the price, but it will last 5-10x as long.
Originally Posted By: WGermany
Vintage Marantz 2230 Receiver and pair of Advent Original Loudspeakers.
I second that, well not the brand but good speakers and receiver. I have a Sony car CD player hooked to a car battery with a battery tender keeping it charged. Gotta have tunes......
When I try to go somewhere to work on something with a little carry around tool box, I always feel lost without a garage tool box full of just about everything you could ever need.
I can't choose just some tools, because I am in love with them all......they all have a special place in my heart.
Heck I will be 48 this year and I have been collecting and refining my tool collection since I was about 17 years old. A lot of guys have a lot more $$$$ into their tool collections but I feel good with what I have. I even have some very unique antique tools from both my Grandfathers that I would like to be able to display. I just don't have the room to display them. I have them in boxes in the garage, I should unpack them and take pictures of them to put online for others to see. I am sure that most don't have a lot of value, but nonetheless they are cool in a historical sense.
Vintage Marantz 2230 Receiver and pair of Advent Original Loudspeakers.
I second that, well not the brand but good speakers and receiver. I have a Sony car CD player hooked to a car battery with a battery tender keeping it charged. Gotta have tunes......
When I try to go somewhere to work on something with a little carry around tool box, I always feel lost without a garage tool box full of just about everything you could ever need.
I can't choose just some tools, because I am in love with them all......they all have a special place in my heart.
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
The more often you use the tool, the more money you should spend. Unless it's really low tech like jack-stands etc. The biggest waste of money is inexpensive cutting tools or abrasives. The good stuff may be twice the price, but it will last 5-10x as long.
Your whole post was right on, but I admit I am hooked on the cheap cutoff tools and die grinders from Harbor Freight. I get them on special, $6 last time. I use them until the bearings get sloppy, swap air fittings to the new one, and toss the old one in the trash. Their 3" cutting wheels are decent as well.
The more often you use the tool, the more money you should spend. Unless it's really low tech like jack-stands etc. The biggest waste of money is inexpensive cutting tools or abrasives. The good stuff may be twice the price, but it will last 5-10x as long.
Your whole post was right on, but I admit I am hooked on the cheap cutoff tools and die grinders from Harbor Freight. I get them on special, $6 last time. I use them until the bearings get sloppy, swap air fittings to the new one, and toss the old one in the trash. Their 3" cutting wheels are decent as well.
A good hammer and saw, lots of lumber, nails, concrete and shingles- garages ALWAYS need expanding!
On a slightly more serious note, my essentials are:
- good sets of SAE and foreign wrenches, including the stubby ones;
- good sets of SAE and foreign sockets, along with a quality fine-toothed ratchet;
- quality torque wrenches, a foot-pounder and an inch-pounder;
- an air compressor;
- oil filter wrenches; and
- a good floor jack.
If I typed out everything I have in my garage I would be banned for crashing the entire Internet!
On a slightly more serious note, my essentials are:
- good sets of SAE and foreign wrenches, including the stubby ones;
- good sets of SAE and foreign sockets, along with a quality fine-toothed ratchet;
- quality torque wrenches, a foot-pounder and an inch-pounder;
- an air compressor;
- oil filter wrenches; and
- a good floor jack.
If I typed out everything I have in my garage I would be banned for crashing the entire Internet!
Vorndado fan for those hot days, air compressor.
Collection of pre-male chauvenist correct SnapOn calendars!
+1 When I was managing a small factory, if I wanted stuff to run, I needed to make sure I got a Rigid Tool calander for the shop.
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