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Endor
Aug 15, 2001

Any suggestions for a good way to light up a dim garage? I've got one of those 1-car condo garages, which is barely wide enough to fit one car with some storage space against the back wall. Currently the only thing lighting it up is one sad 40 watt bulb, and the natural light that comes in when the door's open. I know I can get a much higher wattage main bulb, but since I only have the one light socket should I also look for some fluorescent lamps or something similar that I could hang from the rafters?

The reason I'm looking for more light is to make washing, drying, and waxing my car a more productive experience. When it's hot in the summer with direct sunlight beating down and my car is out in the driveway, it's really difficult to do a proper job of washing & drying and waxing without everything drying too fast, which results in water spots and/or wax that's difficult to buff off. If I put it in the garage after it's washed however, it's too dim to properly see what I'm doing, even with the garage door open.

I realize this falls more into the auto detailing spectrum, but any ideas for drying those hard-to-reach areas on my car? The RX-8 seems to ooze water from hidden sources even after I've done a really thorough job of drying it with microfiber towels, like around the door seals and from the trunk lid. Maybe I just need to bust out a hair dryer on an extension cord.

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Skier
Apr 24, 2003

Fuck yeah.
Fan of Britches

Endor posted:

Any suggestions for a good way to light up a dim garage? I've got one of those 1-car condo garages, which is barely wide enough to fit one car with some storage space against the back wall. Currently the only thing lighting it up is one sad 40 watt bulb, and the natural light that comes in when the door's open. I know I can get a much higher wattage main bulb, but since I only have the one light socket should I also look for some fluorescent lamps or something similar that I could hang from the rafters?

You can get inexpensive shop lamps from hardware stores. Most are ready to plug into standard wall outlets, so you could add a few outlets on the ceiling and use the fluorescent shop lamps. Get an electrician to do the work if you're not comfortable doing it.

You can't have too much light for working on your car, make sure there are plenty of outlets for future expansion.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

Endor posted:

Any suggestions for a good way to light up a dim garage? I've got one of those 1-car condo garages, which is barely wide enough to fit one car with some storage space against the back wall. Currently the only thing lighting it up is one sad 40 watt bulb, and the natural light that comes in when the door's open. I know I can get a much higher wattage main bulb, but since I only have the one light socket should I also look for some fluorescent lamps or something similar that I could hang from the rafters?
I say go with the tube lighting. My garage came with a lovely little three-bulb fixing right in the middle, and it was horrible for the 180W it was drawing, you couldn't see a drat thing. I've now got 5x5' and 2x4' fluorescent lights spread across the roof, and I can go in there and do whatever I need to at any time day or night. They don't pull any more juice than the filament bulbs that were there before. Ok, for a single garage you don't need as many, but a few 4' tubes would give you a ton more illumination.

Also, paint the place. I did my floor with a light/mid-grey paint, and all the walls white, and that made an absolutely massive difference to how light and airy the place felt.

tonedef131
Sep 3, 2003

I agree that fluorescents are the best way to go. My garage is probably about 20'x25' and had three bulbs in it when I moved in. I added one 4' dual bulb fluorescent and it is all I ever need. It is still a little dark near the front but I am pretty much never working in the front. And there isn't enough room to hang one above the garage door there, but one light in the back was enough for pretty much any job, and I have a drop light for close up/under car work.

bitwarrior
Jun 21, 2004

Is Harbour Freight the American equivalent of Princess Auto? We have one nearby in Whitby, and it's fantastic for mediocre-quality tools at dirt-cheap prices. In recent memory, i've picked up an 11 pc deep impact socket set for $12, an air hammer for $9.99, and a 17 pc. wrench set that I use daily at work for $15

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma
Yes, they even sell some of the same items such as their 7x12 lathe. Only Harbor Freight appears to have a hell of a lot more tools.

fansipans
Nov 20, 2005

Internets. Serious Business.

Endor posted:

Any suggestions for a good way to light up a dim garage? I've got one of those 1-car condo garages, which is barely wide enough to fit one car with some storage space against the back wall. Currently the only thing lighting it up is one sad 40 watt bulb, and the natural light that comes in when the door's open. I know I can get a much higher wattage main bulb, but since I only have the one light socket should I also look for some fluorescent lamps or something similar that I could hang from the rafters?

Thirding or fourthing the flourescent tubes. You can get a big rack of 4 tubes from Home Depot or Lowes for ~$50. One of the next immediate things I've planned for my garage is flooding the poo poo out of it with light.

As far as wiring, given the minimal draw of flourescents (as opposed to a bunch of halogen bulbs, which also function as open-air toaster-ovens), I'd suggest uninstalling the bulb fixture, and replacing it with a breakout box (literally twisting wires apart and then together) and running ceiling-mounted conduit to 2 or 3 tube fixtures. That's what I'm going to do. Then you don't have a bunch of hanging wires dangling off to some ghetto powerstrip :)

Hypnolobster
Apr 12, 2007

What this sausage party needs is a big dollop of ketchup! Too bad I didn't make any. :(

A note about the fluorescent lights;
When they burn out, the easiest way to dispose of them is to break them and throw them away, naturally. The best way I've found is to take the solid tubes from your ShopVac, slide it over the top of the light, and put the end of the light that the shop vac pipe won't cover in the garbage. Tap with something metal and then it explodes and lands in the garbage can, no mess.

The "throw it in the garbage can really fast" method works too, but it isn't exactly fool proof. Neither is the "drop it on the ground and just sweep it up" method.


EDIT: VVVVVVVVVV
They go in a different can, and sit in the corner of the garage next to the drums of waste oil and thinner and such. They get disposed of properly. Attempting to fit them in the backseat of the car and hitting a bump; and having them explode all over the inside of the car isn't fun. Don't ask.

Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 18:48 on Mar 14, 2008

SkunkTeeth
Jul 30, 2004

Hypnolobster posted:

A note about the fluorescent lights;
When they burn out, the easiest way to dispose of them is to break them and throw them away, naturally. The best way I've found is to take the solid tubes from your ShopVac, slide it over the top of the light, and put the end of the light that the shop vac pipe won't cover in the garbage. Tap with something metal and then it explodes and lands in the garbage can, no mess.

The "throw it in the garbage can really fast" method works too, but it isn't exactly fool proof. Neither is the "drop it on the ground and just sweep it up" method.
Don't they contain mercury AND lead?

Kynetx
Jan 8, 2003


Full of ignorant tribalism. Kinda sad.

SkunkTeeth posted:

Don't they contain mercury AND lead?

Mercury and leaded glass. Your local landfill/recycling station will usually accept them without a fee. Stop throwing them away.

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma
Two tools I have already gotten more than my moneys worth out of are:

I picked this up for either $5 or $3. It come with an extra pack of blades for both knives and let me tell you they are VERY sharp. Like cut your skin like butter if you're not careful sharp.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95611

This movers dollar has been handy in moving many 150+*lb things without doing any work. It feels quite sturdy like it could handle anything I need it to.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93888

rhombus
Apr 20, 2002

Harbor Freight has their 1/2" electric impact wrench on sale for $36.99. There's also a 15% off any single item on the flyer they sent me, so I think I'm gonna go pick it up.

Do I need to buy impact sockets to use with it? I do have a set of Craftsman sockets that would be replaced for free should anything happen to them.

I light fires
May 12, 2001
If you can get the impact sockets on sale go for it, I find them to have a more precice fit and tend to wobble around less on the end of the imapct gun. I prefer them to my regular sockets when I'm doing anything that requires an impact gun.

oxbrain
Aug 18, 2005

Put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip and come on up to the mothership.
Impact sockets are made the way most sockets should be made. Tough and to the proper size. :colbert:

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.
I was in Cromwell's today to get some Loctite to go on my bike's crank splines, and they had a pile of uncollected special-order tools they were selling off. Picked myself up a 2000mm steel engineering rule for £10, which is just stupidly cheap. I don't need it right now, but I'll find a use for it.

Also, I found a pressure washer at Argos for £25, more significantly with a 3-year "accidental" damage cover for another fiver. It's done a fantastic job on my driveway and various bits of car, and if I manage to kill it in the next few years (quite likely), they'll give me a new one. Can't say fairer than that.

kmcormick9
Feb 2, 2004
Magenta Alert

I light fires posted:

If you can get the impact sockets on sale go for it, I find them to have a more precice fit and tend to wobble around less on the end of the imapct gun. I prefer them to my regular sockets when I'm doing anything that requires an impact gun.

I like my impact sockets so much, I use them with a regular ratchet.

Lyesh
Apr 9, 2003

rhombus posted:

Do I need to buy impact sockets to use with it? I do have a set of Craftsman sockets that would be replaced for free should anything happen to them.

It's definitely preferable to do that. Impact sockets are made from harder steel than regular sockets, so they don't twist as much as regular sockets on each impact. Since any force that doesn't get transmitted to the nut is useless, you won't get quite as much torque out of it with regular sockets as you would with impacts.

Skier
Apr 24, 2003

Fuck yeah.
Fan of Britches

rhombus posted:

Do I need to buy impact sockets to use with it? I do have a set of Craftsman sockets that would be replaced for free should anything happen to them.

Craftsman warranty doesn't cover obvious abuse such as using an impact wrench on standard sockets. However, if the store is a high-volume, high-turnover one you can probably get away with it.

I think it's a recent change, it used to be a lifetime warranty was a lifetime warranty.

AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma
What a great deal.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96230

I bougth these for $1 mroe, and I can't count how many trips to autozone I've made when I just needed a couple more and paid MORE for 8 of those than HF charges for 50.

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

Those things are the playtoys of the devil himself!


I've lost count of how many stereo installs ive had to redo for friends because they used those infernal things!

Mad Dragon
Feb 29, 2004

Cenuji posted:

It's definitely preferable to do that. Impact sockets are made from harder steel than regular sockets, so they don't twist as much as regular sockets on each impact. Since any force that doesn't get transmitted to the nut is useless, you won't get quite as much torque out of it with regular sockets as you would with impacts.
Impact sockets are actually softer than regular chrome sockets, so they don't shatter.

CatBus
May 12, 2001

Who wants a mustache ride?

Mad Dragon posted:

Impact sockets are actually softer than regular chrome sockets, so they don't shatter.

Don't forget, impact sockets are also thicker than regular sockets, so clearance is often an issue. The Harbor Freight and other ultra-cheapo impacts are often significantly thicker than name brand ones, to try to compensate for poor manufacturing. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't.

Mad Dragon
Feb 29, 2004

CatBus posted:

Don't forget, impact sockets are also thicker than regular sockets, so clearance is often an issue.
Yeah, I have to use regular sockets on wheels with deep lug holes. An impact socket would bang against it and chip the paint or chrome.

trouser chili
Mar 27, 2002

Unnngggggghhhhh

miklm posted:


I just got a surplus air compressor from my brother, a Campbell-Hausfeld 4hp/13gal unit that will suit my uses perfectly. Had to wire a new plug on it and replace the quick coupler, but $Free is good (well, $15 in parts to fix)

I've been shopping for an impact for months now, and finally bought a Farmhand brand from Tractor Supply. It is made by Campbell-Hausfeld, but the whole thing is metal, not cheap plastic. Seems better built than the more expensive CH units, and $80 with a 3 year warranty.




Thanks for the heads-up on this. I just bought one. It's pretty nice, but much more air-hungry compared to missing Snap-On unit. It's really showing how wimpy my 8 gallon Harbor Freight compressor is. gently caress lending tools out, man. Never again.

On the upside, I also swung by Sears and picked up a set of these bad boys in SAE.



I highly recommend them!

Lufiron
Nov 24, 2005

Mad Dragon posted:

Yeah, I have to use regular sockets on wheels with deep lug holes. An impact socket would bang against it and chip the paint or chrome.

I bought these:

http://fishertool.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008812211889/pdtl/Automotive-tool/1001612990/Impact-Socket-Set.htm

for exactly this reason. Thin wall impact socket with protective plastic sleeve. Perfect for high dollar wheels, or obnoxious aftermarket snowtire packages.

rhombus
Apr 20, 2002

Okay, is there a secret to using torque sticks?

After reading this thread and learning such things existed, I thought, "gently caress tightening all of these lug bolts by hand, I'm gonna buy some tools!" Well with no room for a big rear end compressor, I picked up the HF electric impact wrench, set of impact sockets, but I went with the Snap On torque stick as that seemed to be the important part of the equation.

So I decided to bleed my brakes this weekend and try out the new goodies and wow, this is so much easier. I just pull the trigger until the bolt quits turning and I'm good to go! Until this afternoon, when I notice a noise coming from one of my wheels that is varying with my speed. All of the bolts on one wheel were loose. Luckily I got everything tightened up before my wheel fell off.

Anyway, I have an E36, the Bentley manual calls for 74 ft lb on the lug bolts and I have an 80 ft lb torque stick. Should be good right? I hand tightened the bolts and then tighted them up in a star pattern (5 lugs). What am I doing wrong?

oxbrain
Aug 18, 2005

Put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip and come on up to the mothership.

rhombus posted:

Anyway, I have an E36, the Bentley manual calls for 74 ft lb on the lug bolts and I have an 80 ft lb torque stick. Should be good right? I hand tightened the bolts and then tighted them up in a star pattern (5 lugs). What am I doing wrong?

Torque sticks aren't that accurate.

Torque a bolt down with the torque stick, then break it loose with a real torque wrench set to the same torque. I'll bet it releases early.

D C
Jun 20, 2004

1-800-HOTLINEBLING
1-800-HOTLINEBLING
1-800-HOTLINEBLING

trouser chili posted:

Thanks for the heads-up on this. I just bought one. It's pretty nice, but much more air-hungry compared to missing Snap-On unit. It's really showing how wimpy my 8 gallon Harbor Freight compressor is. gently caress lending tools out, man. Never again.

On the upside, I also swung by Sears and picked up a set of these bad boys in SAE.



I highly recommend them!

I use those for work all the time, the only thing that bugs me is the pivoting head sometimes moves too much and I cant get as much torque on the bolts. I recently bought one with a fixed head and it's great. I have to swap between the two of them sometimes though because it's hard to get to some bolts without the swivel.

User Error
Aug 31, 2006

AcCeL posted:

I use those for work all the time, the only thing that bugs me is the pivoting head sometimes moves too much and I cant get as much torque on the bolts. I recently bought one with a fixed head and it's great. I have to swap between the two of them sometimes though because it's hard to get to some bolts without the swivel.

Those are the best tools ever created. I got a metric set for my birthday and all my friends thought I was weird for being excited over getting wrenches.

Octavio Barnaby Sr.
Feb 23, 2004

Where you're going, there are no jokes.

AcCeL posted:

I use those for work all the time, the only thing that bugs me is the pivoting head sometimes moves too much and I cant get as much torque on the bolts. I recently bought one with a fixed head and it's great. I have to swap between the two of them sometimes though because it's hard to get to some bolts without the swivel.
I think Kobalt makes a set now that have a little lever you have to flip before it will swivel. It can lock on the left side, straight, or the right, and you may be able to reverse the ratchet without flipping the wrench over.

GOLDMAN SACHS PARTY
Sep 2, 2004

by Fistgrrl

chem42 posted:

Those are the best tools ever created. I got a metric set for my birthday and all my friends thought I was weird for being excited over getting wrenches.

Do they have "generic" versions of these? I can't justify spending $120 for 7 wrenches.

hippynerd
Nov 5, 2004

by Ozma

Amir posted:

Do they have "generic" versions of these? I can't justify spending $120 for 7 wrenches.

I saw some like them the other day, and I think the guys said he payed about $30 for them, he also said he spent over $3,000 at harbor freight in the last few years.

Mad Dragon
Feb 29, 2004

oxbrain posted:

Torque sticks aren't that accurate.

Torque a bolt down with the torque stick, then break it loose with a real torque wrench set to the same torque. I'll bet it releases early.
It helps to have a powerful impact gun and a compressor that can handle it.

I hope you guys are only using torque sticks on wheels, since that's the only thing they're designed for.

trouser chili
Mar 27, 2002

Unnngggggghhhhh

AcCeL posted:

I use those for work all the time, the only thing that bugs me is the pivoting head sometimes moves too much and I cant get as much torque on the bolts. I recently bought one with a fixed head and it's great. I have to swap between the two of them sometimes though because it's hard to get to some bolts without the swivel.

You can lock the pivot angle on the heads with these Craftsman units. They're AWESOME. There was also the GearWrench brand at the Sears store and they were cheaper, but they couldn't lock the head angle so I passed on them. Also, Craftsman warranty.


Octavio Barnaby Sr. posted:

I think Kobalt makes a set now that have a little lever you have to flip before it will swivel. It can lock on the left side, straight, or the right, and you may be able to reverse the ratchet without flipping the wrench over.

I looked at the Kobalts because I general like Lowes so much more than Sears these days but they didn't lock the head angle either.

Hypnolobster
Apr 12, 2007

What this sausage party needs is a big dollop of ketchup! Too bad I didn't make any. :(

Blah, I just got a nice slightly used Snap-On compression tester off of eBay for 79 bucks (and it's 200 new!) and within 2 hours of it arriving at my door, I found my old one I was searching for.

Only registered members can see post attachments!

rhombus
Apr 20, 2002

oxbrain posted:

Torque sticks aren't that accurate.

Torque a bolt down with the torque stick, then break it loose with a real torque wrench set to the same torque. I'll bet it releases early.

But I sprung for the quality Snap-On stick instead of the cheap HF stuff! I guess I'll still have to use the torque wrench to finish off all the bolts.

miklm
Dec 7, 2003

What a cunning fellow.

rhombus posted:

But I sprung for the quality Snap-On stick instead of the cheap HF stuff! I guess I'll still have to use the torque wrench to finish off all the bolts.

I'm sort of disappointed with mine too. But, trouser chili is right, and I'm not sure that my little 4hp/13gal compressor is really up to running that impact I have at WOT. I'm double checking things with a torque wrench for now. I'll get a second opinion when I hook it to my brother's huge compressor, which runs his 3/4" impact up to ~400 lbs ft for breaking loose tractor wheel lug nuts.

miklm fucked around with this message at 05:18 on Apr 9, 2008

EvilDonald
Aug 30, 2002

I'm the urban spaceman, baby.

quote:

torque sticks

I always use the organic torque wrench for wheels. Just get them...tight. :shrug:

I never really saw the point of torque sticks unless you're a tire buster. Unless you do several cars a day it doesn't seem worth the expense to buy a tool to give you an iffy torque quickly when a beam wrench is cheaper and more accurate.

hippynerd
Nov 5, 2004

by Ozma

Hypnolobster posted:

Blah, I just got a nice slightly used Snap-On compression tester off of eBay for 79 bucks (and it's 200 new!) and within 2 hours of it arriving at my door, I found my old one I was searching for.

I see your compression tester, and raise you 1 gauge.


my HF cordless 1/2" impact died today though :( I've barely used it, but it didnt like putting on some lugnuts. The motor turns, but like .01 foot lbs stops the socket. I have a year replacement plan for it I think, so hopefully I can get a new one tomorrow, and maybe that neet $10 IR thermometer(touchless).

I got some neet stuff today, I got some oil drainplug things for 50 cent each. I also found several handy items for $1 each, and a fresh pair of $2 gloves, and 4 brand new 3 ton jack stands. woo hoo! party time.

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Hypnolobster
Apr 12, 2007

What this sausage party needs is a big dollop of ketchup! Too bad I didn't make any. :(

miklm posted:

I'm sort of disappointed with mine too. But, trouser chili is right, and I'm not sure that my little 4hp/13gal compressor is really up to running that impact I have at WOT. I'm double checking things with a torque wrench for now. I'll get a second opinion when I hook it to my brother's huge compressor, which runs his 3/4" impact up to ~400 lbs ft for breaking loose tractor wheel lug nuts.

I'm a pretty big fan of mine. 200gal/8hp compressor straight out of the 60's and a 3/4" impact does it a lot more justice. I still get it the rest of the way there with a torque wrench, but the only reason I got the sticks is they were a (very) last minute birthday present for my older brother and father, who have generally just impacted on lugnuts with some practiced feel and never cared much about exacting torque.


hippynerd posted:

I see your compression tester, and raise you 1 gauge.


:argh:
I still can't believe I found my older one. Hell, it wasn't even that old. It's a Craftsman tester I got about a year ago and never really used much. Now I have to decide if I should keep both, or try and sell one. I got the Snap-On for a song, and I'm sure I could sell it for a profit, but I KNOW that one day I'll take out all the plugs on some new beater, grab the Craftsman kit and then feel woefully inadequate that I have a lower quality compression tester.

I guess I'll just keep the snapon.

Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 07:09 on Apr 9, 2008

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