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Stopped by an estate sale while out running errands, and went immediately out to the garage. Most of the tools were piles of old junk, but I kept digging and put together a nice set of older Craftsman 1/2" socket stuff, along with a 15" breaker. Put it all in an old toolbox and took it up to the front, where a nice lady gave me the toolbox and "drill bits" for $35. Cleaned them up and gave them all a turn on the wire wheel.  I really didn't need another Crescent wrench, but I liked the engraving on this one:  Whoever the prior owner was seemed like an interesting guy - from what I could tell, he was a photographer for National Geographic, enjoyed botany, books, and motorcycles - there was a frame and front forks from an unfinished project around back. I had a melancholy moment while picking through his old screwdrivers, realizing that some day a bunch of assholes will no doubt be rummaging through all of my stuff too. In the meantime, hurray for cheap tools with some history 
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Jul 19, 2014 02:31
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http://www.ruralking.com/pro-grade-3-4-drive-20-flex-handle-breaker-bar-016015.html Picked that up along with a 3/4in drive to 1/2in drive adapter. Also picked up a 1/2 drive 5/8ths deep well socket for getting out some really stuck spark plugs on my next project. Still need to go back and get a 28mm socket for the current project.
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Jul 19, 2014 02:38
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Great find on the Kennedy tool box--I love those things. All the more so because they're still made right here in Ohio!
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Jul 19, 2014 19:19
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My propane torch and a few other things came from an estate sale, My neighbour's  Apparently he had a stroke one night when there was a massive heatwave during the bushfires and the power was out all night. I feel kind of bad about that for reasons I can;t quite grasp. We got through because I pulled a car battery, connected it to my little 300w inverter and used it to run a portable evaporative cooler. 45W load or something like that if I recall. Anyhow back to tools. I went to look at the KC ratchets at the local farm / industry / bolt and fastner / mower / whatever place. They are drat nice ratchets. really tight, positive feeling operation. They had all sorts of interesting ones. Ones with pivoting handles, short ones, palm sized ones etc. but no normal ones in stock. They all had nicely shaped handles too, but I saw it as a bit of a detriment really. They'd be pretty slick. I like knurled finishes.
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Jul 19, 2014 22:48
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Had anyone used one of these? http://www.lacrex.ch/en/v2000.htm I saw on the other day and it looked like a fancy adjustable wrench / pipe wrench combo. It was fun to use, but is it just a gimmick?
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Jul 20, 2014 14:02
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I have been watching some repair videos on YouTube and I have seen a tool I want, but I do not have a name for. The tool is a socket extension that has a screwdriver grip on it. I have some socket extensions that are knurled, but the tool I am looking for is more like a bit driver with a square hole in the back end of it. This tool allows you to break a nut loose with the ratchet, then spin it free by hand without switching tools.
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Jul 20, 2014 17:49
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so this
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Jul 20, 2014 18:08
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That is pretty close, but I think the tool would be much better if the metal went all the way from one end to the other. It looks like you would wreck that one the first time you used a ratchet with it.
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Jul 20, 2014 18:58
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They're called drivers, and there's probably one from every brand. Here's a snap-on / bluepoint: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=644933&group_ID=682229&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
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Jul 20, 2014 19:08
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Krakkles posted:They're called drivers, and there's probably one from every brand. That does not appear to have the square 1/4" hole in the back of the handle for use with a ratchet.
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Jul 20, 2014 19:13
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So you want a 6" socket extension with a handle on it?
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Jul 20, 2014 19:25
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My Proxxon 1/4" sets both have this thing, although I've never thought of it the way you do. Guess I'll try it out! Although I guess Proxxon isn't the first choice for 'mericans. Edit: The handle on it's own is called 23702, try to GIS 'proxxon 23702'. bolind fucked around with this message at 19:33 on Jul 20, 2014 |
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Jul 20, 2014 19:30
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PBCrunch posted:That is pretty close, but I think the tool would be much better if the metal went all the way from one end to the other. It looks like you would wreck that one the first time you used a ratchet with it. EDIT: Here you go (I think): http://www.sears.com/craftsman-4-pc-extension-bar-set-1-4-in/p-00943394000P InitialDave fucked around with this message at 19:38 on Jul 20, 2014 |
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Jul 20, 2014 19:34
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PBCrunch posted:That is pretty close, but I think the tool would be much better if the metal went all the way from one end to the other. It looks like you would wreck that one the first time you used a ratchet with it. that was the first thing that google showed me. I have an older craftsman at work. it is the style like you want. so maybe go to sears or something similar
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Jul 21, 2014 00:57
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ShittyPostmakerPro posted:Had anyone used one of these? It looks like a decent replacement for a crescent wrench, in that it won't slip and round off your fasteners. But it looks like it would still be a pain to use in tight spaces. It also doesn't look as sturdy as the Knipex plier wrenches. All the force is going through like 1 or 2 tiny teeth in the pivot, and that's just asking to break. Finally the handle is tiny, so you're not going to get a lot of torque out of it.
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Jul 21, 2014 05:48
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PBCrunch posted:I have been watching some repair videos on YouTube and I have seen a tool I want, but I do not have a name for. I wanted the same kinda thing and bought a Wera 1/2 "Zyclop" ratchet - They have a silly video that illustrates it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlKF7NBp7dQ or enjoy the amusing german one mit Porsche!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6nzcGr2bbU. It was ~$70 CDN, and I like it enough I filled out my 1/2 sockets/drivers etc to use it more. Ratchet is nice; wasn't sure about the pivot slider, or the locking direction thinger but it's all easy with the hand on the tool. Overall quality seems excellent and the place I bought if from happily dared me to break it. The downside is I am becoming addicted to their poo poo.
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Jul 21, 2014 06:13
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Mat_Drinks posted:Holy crap, I've got a sump in my basement too and now that I've been finishing it it'd be really bad if the power went out in a rain/wind storm. I somehow hadn't even considered it until I read this post. Time to generator shop! One thing to consider besides a sump pump is some kind of alarm in case your pump fails. I've had sump pumps fail twice, which is a huge pain in the rear end when your heater is in the basement and prone to expensive damage when it floods. I eventually got an alarm that runs on batteries and detects water, it wasn't the Leak Frog, but something similar.
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Jul 21, 2014 07:07
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I just bought a Bernzomatic propane torch for $15 because I didn't know they were that cheap. The piece of poo poo creme brulee torch I had got returned instantly after I found out those big-rear end 14 oz cans of propane were $3 at my hardware store, instead of $10 for a tiny can of butane. This is for searing steaks, and it worked way better than the last torch. One question: is there a way to keep the flame from quitting occasionally? It seems to happen at random.
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Jul 21, 2014 12:19
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Wasabi the J posted:I just bought a Bernzomatic propane torch for $15 because I didn't know they were that cheap. The piece of poo poo creme brulee torch I had got returned instantly after I found out those big-rear end 14 oz cans of propane were $3 at my hardware store, instead of $10 for a tiny can of butane. The flame quits on mine whenever I hold it anywhere close to the flame tip being lower than the neck, ie when it's upside down. I'm guessing it's because you flood the torch with liquid fuel rather than vapor, ruining the air/fuel mixture.
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Jul 21, 2014 13:31
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rcman50166 posted:The flame quits on mine whenever I hold it anywhere close to the flame tip being lower than the neck, ie when it's upside down. I'm guessing it's because you flood the torch with liquid fuel rather than vapor, ruining the air/fuel mixture. Thanks, that makes perfect sense, and I can't believe I didn't think of it. Seriously seared meat perfectly, though.
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Jul 21, 2014 14:17
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That is exactly why they do that. I own like four of those torches now because I keep misplacing them and am usually buying 500 bucks worth of materials at home depot anyways, so what's another ten bucks? If you turn the flame way down and flip them over, then adjust for proper flame, you can run them upside down, but they'll then be really weak when right side up. Good trick for soldering pipes in tight spaces, but that's about it.
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Jul 21, 2014 14:28
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I have no idea why they stopped making it, but if you can find this pistol style map pro torch it is amazing for kitchen searing. Hotter burning gas, and the pistol style lets you point it down without killing the flame.
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Jul 21, 2014 19:51
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You also might be able to find a cooking torch that isn't useless. Maybe. Edit: This would totally solve any flameout problems http://www.amazon.com/Mag-Torch-MT5...s=propane+torch
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Jul 21, 2014 19:53
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I just hold whatever I'm searing with the tongs and sear it from the side now.
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Jul 22, 2014 11:05
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revmoo posted:Oh that reminds me, we have sump pumps in our basement and garage. Another good reason to get a genny. Get a Generac that runs on natural gas or propane. You will eventually come across some crazy old propane tank you can use if it still worries you. If you go gas get a briggs standby. It will be undoubted cheaper when anything needs repaired. Then if you have a pickup you can get one of those bed 12v powered pump secondary tanks to fill some farm fuel container.
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Jul 22, 2014 13:38
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I went through the same thing looking for a searing torch, and ended up with one of the new swirl type torches, I think I even got the ts-839. They are pistol style, so way easier to hold. They are hotter, and send out a more consistent flame than the old style, with the little blue lump in the middle of the orange flame. Here is the comparison I read before I went to the store. http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?48365-Propane-Torch-Comparison It starts with one click, on low it is good for making creme brulees, and you don't have to tilt it so the flame goes out. Only issue is cost, but its totally worth 5 of the normal torches.
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Jul 22, 2014 18:45
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Just get this. Takes a normal propane/MAP bottle, and the head swivels to point up, down, wherever. I couldn't find it on their website, but it's also sold as just the torch for like $15-20.
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Jul 23, 2014 05:39
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On the topic of torches, what's a good intro option for a light-use propane/acetylene torch? I'd like to start using the Kentucky red wrench to loosen up rusted fasteners, but I don't know much, especially about buying the right tanks or where to go about filling them.
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Jul 24, 2014 01:23
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OSU_Matthew posted:On the topic of torches, what's a good intro option for a light-use propane/acetylene torch? I'd like to start using the Kentucky red wrench to loosen up rusted fasteners, but I don't know much, especially about buying the right tanks or where to go about filling them. Just buy whatever's cheapest at Home Depot.
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Jul 24, 2014 06:22
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just make sure you get a self igniting one. I have one that's not and it's a pain in the rear end because when you're under a vehicle and tilt it, the flame goes out and you're scrambling for a lighter.
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Jul 24, 2014 06:32
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Wasabi the J posted:I just bought a Bernzomatic propane torch for $15 because I didn't know they were that cheap. The piece of poo poo creme brulee torch I had got returned instantly after I found out those big-rear end 14 oz cans of propane were $3 at my hardware store, instead of $10 for a tiny can of butane. Damnit really? Recently we purchased a butane torch for use for the same cooking needs as you. They were down to $35 and the choice was between one that took a butane can and one that used the refill cans. We went for the latter because the one that the can attached to seemed clunky as all hell to wield. Bernzomatics sell for over $100 here so they can stick them where they fit and preferably ignite them.
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Jul 24, 2014 09:18
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I just discovered my air gauge and my compressor air filler (with gauge) are 5psi apart. Since they're both cheapo HF parts I have no way to know which is broken so now I have to replace both. Any suggestions? Accuracy is #1 and ease of use is #2. Also it would be nice to see a gauge with a small range of 30-50psi only since that would cover all my use cases.
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Jul 24, 2014 21:12
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revmoo posted:I just discovered my air gauge and my compressor air filler (with gauge) are 5psi apart. Since they're both cheapo HF parts I have no way to know which is broken so now I have to replace both. Any suggestions? Accuracy is #1 and ease of use is #2. Also it would be nice to see a gauge with a small range of 30-50psi only since that would cover all my use cases. This gauge with attached filler nozzle is probably the best  I've ever spent. Never quite realized how handy having the pressure gauge integrated really is, so you don't have to stop and check every few seconds.Edit: Only downside is you need a quick connect coupler handy to thread on since it doesn't come with one. Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 00:45 on Jul 26, 2014 |
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Jul 25, 2014 12:35
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I'm in the market for a new angle grinder, but I'm not too familiar with this area of power tools. Any recommendations for a sturdy, versatile one? I'm looking a corded one.
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Jul 26, 2014 15:40
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melon cat posted:I'm in the market for a new angle grinder, but I'm not too familiar with this area of power tools. Any recommendations for a sturdy, versatile one? I'm looking a corded one. I would normally not suggest buying anything that plugs in from Harbor Freight, but 3 or 4 years later my $23 angle grinder is still going. It doesn't have the power of a nicer one, but it does all the cutting and grinding I need just fine. Need to go a little slower on heavy stuff.
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Jul 26, 2014 15:54
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Motronic posted:I would normally not suggest buying anything that plugs in from Harbor Freight, but 3 or 4 years later my $23 angle grinder is still going. Now, most sites are listing 4.5", 5", and 6" models. Which size should I be getting?
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Jul 26, 2014 16:24
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melon cat posted:
4.5 seems to be a good general purpose size.
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Jul 26, 2014 16:38
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Motronic posted:I would normally not suggest buying anything that plugs in from Harbor Freight, but 3 or 4 years later my $23 angle grinder is still going. I agree, I've been abusing my $15 4.5" HF angle grinder and it's held up better than I was expecting
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Jul 26, 2014 18:59
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dyne posted:I agree, I've been abusing my $15 4.5" HF angle grinder and it's held up better than I was expecting Yeah, I just checked and I was estimating way high. That is in fact a $14.99 angle grinder. And I've even used various cutoff and grinding discs I've bought there. I was hesitant/skeptical but drat......the thing is working still and I haven't lost any body parts. But for the sake of safety I still want one of these.
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Jul 26, 2014 20:51
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dyne posted:I agree, I've been abusing my $15 4.5" HF angle grinder and it's held up better than I was expecting Protip- crack open the front housing and clean out the nasty grease + replace with some supermoly- we have a half dozen of these kicking around and one has yet to die.
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Jul 26, 2014 21:25
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