what is the most surprising essential item in your tool box?

[Dudeland]

A tiny ratchet like the one here has gotten me out of a lot of tight places.  You would think that a 1/4' ratchet would work the same, but the super low profile of this really comes in handy.   I have big(er) hands, so when undoing work under a dash this thing is essential.  

 

 

 

[Dudeland]

A tiny ratchet like the one here has gotten me out of a lot of tight places.  You would think that a 1/4' ratchet would work the same, but the super low profile of this really comes in handy.   I have big(er) hands, so when doing work under a dash this thing is essential.  

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by Dudeland
spelling

[gwb72tii]

Taking your question in a very liberal sense, the very best tool I’ve ever owned is a lift

['76mintgrün'02]

Just now, Dudeland said:

That makita 1/2" 18v is a beast.

 I believe you, but to clarify, my half inch Makita impact is 120 volt AC and the 18 volt impacts I use are the smaller style that can take a variety of driver bits.  I do not own a honkin' 1/2" cordless... but it sounds like I should! 

 

I don't reach for the corded one very often.  I've used it on jobsites to drive long lags and stuff, but removing the lugs on my Suburban put the pneumatic ones to the test, so I gave it a shot and was impressed.  As you can see, it'd been a while since the lugs had been removed.

 

 

Another tool I now consider essential is a brake pressure bleeder.  A buddy asked me to help him bleed his brakes and I told him to pick up a spare reservoir cap, so we could adapt it to work with my bleeder.  He didn't.  So, we did it the old fashioned way.  I fashioned a cap for the sububububurban and it's a pleasurable one-man-job now.  The mayo-jar reservoir keeps the bleeder clean and keeps me from having to refill the master cylinder.  

 

 

At 12" x 2-1/2" the drums are a wee bit bigger than the ones on my 2002.

 

 

Another Essential tool is my variable timing light.  I think I've mentioned that one before....

 

It lives under the driver's seat and has its own tool box.  I don't leave home without it!

 

Tom

 

 

 

 

[jgerock]

21 hours ago, PapaG said:

Rear axle.......

And this is the same size used for VW air cooled cars.

[jgerock]

16 hours ago, Dudeland said:

I always wondered if the VW lock would work on our cars.  Thanks

 

You have to use a longer bolt than the one that comes with the VW tool.

[visionaut]

…and my most fun tool. ?

[Pdxguy]

11 minutes ago, visionaut said:

…and my most fun tool. ?

Pardon my ignorance, what is it?

[wkohler]

1 hour ago, Pdxguy said:

Pardon my ignorance, what is it?

Allows you to fill two tires exactly the same at the same time.  One hose is longer than the other, can do the same axle or one side of the car.  Hook your normal chuck up to the schrader valve on the unit and it balances the pressures.  

[TobyB]

But then it turns left just the same way it turns right!  Where's the sport in that???

 

t

would use it front- to- back on a competitor's car

['76mintgrün'02]

9 hours ago, jgerock said:

And this is the same size used for VW air cooled cars.

 

And 1-7/16" = 36.5mm.  Which is close enough... for a Volkswagen.  I have a 36mm socket now, but the SAE one worked on my old bugs.

 

Speaking of tire inflation, this Automatic Inflator is fun to use.   It clicks slower as it gets closer to the set pressure and then stops; giving little shots of air with every click.

 

 

 

[jp5Touring]

Lots of good info here.  I have the HF LED light do to suggestions on this site and really like it.

I added the paint can opener to my  box. Never thought of using that.

I have Toolbox Widget tool organizers that keeps everything in its place and easy to find. Love em.

 

[irdave]

7 minutes ago, jp5Touring said:

Lots of good info here.  I have the HF LED light do to suggestions on this site and really like it.

I added the paint can opener to my  box. Never thought of using that.

I have Toolbox Widget tool organizers that keeps everything in its place and easy to find. Love em.

 

 

Can't tell you how many times I've used cone wrenches on stuff.  If I didn't have them I would have had to make them.  Kinda' like how I made several sizes of allen head stubby sockets, before I realized I could just buy them. :shaking head emoji

[Swiss 2002Tii]

Bamboo chopstick... they're hard, strong, and don't scratch surfaces.  they can reach in anywhere.  Wrap sandpaper around them, sharpen the end to a wedge to scrape glue or grease, etc.  Hands down the handiest item in my tool box!  You won't find many photos of my bench work that don't include a chopstick.

[WRKO]

2 hours ago, Swiss 2002Tii said:

Bamboo chopstick... they're hard, strong, and don't scratch surfaces.  they can reach in anywhere.  Wrap sandpaper around them, sharpen the end to a wedge to scrape glue or grease, etc.  Hands down the handiest item in my tool box!  You won't find many photos of my bench work that don't include a chopstick.

Ditto!  I have them in  in  my electronics tool box where I use them as non conductive prods.  I have many tube amps where one can carefully fire up, poke around and listen for problems by tapping on joints, tubes et cetera.

 

 

wrko (as a guest that can’t login today)