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Cool Tools

It is. It is their 5 drawer mechanic's cart and I LOVE it. For the money, there is nothing out there that can even come close to it. I caught it on sale and got it with the optional folding side table, and a paper towel holder for less than $200.
I had one of those carts in red in my mobile service truck, when I was giving a newer truck they told me the cart had to go, I had no room for it here and no one wanted it so I was forced to smash it and dump it in the scrap metal bin.
 
This booger is becoming quite handy.
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Right angle cutting disc? Operable with one hand??

Reversible rotation 20,000rpm brushless motor.
It came with a micro skill saw shoe and diamond tire blade, carbide and abrasive disc as well as adapter for 7/16 hole disc and standard 3/8 hole disc.



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Reversible rotation 20,000rpm brushless motor.
It came with a micro skill saw shoe and diamond tire blade, carbide and abrasive disc as well as adapter for 7/16 hole disc and standard 3/8 hole disc.



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:drool:
I don't have a good (read: safe) cutting tool larger than my Dremel w right angle head w cutting and grinding discs. So my metal work has been limited cause I can't cut nuthin' big. I may seriously need to look at that. Wish Dewalt made one. I'm already invested in their 20v line.
 
Screw-holding screwdrivers:

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I have 2 in standard and 1 in a #2 Phillips. They are a god send when trying to put a screw in a hard to reach spot.
 
:drool:
I don't have a good (read: safe) cutting tool larger than my Dremel w right angle head w cutting and grinding discs. So my metal work has been limited cause I can't cut nuthin' big. I may seriously need to look at that. Wish Dewalt made one. I'm already invested in their 20v line.
I would recommend 2 - 4.5" angle grinders instead. One for cutting and one for grinding/prep work. I would not get anything smaller than 4.5" though as if you are really getting into cutting larger pieces of steel, the smaller the discs, the quicker they wear down to an unusable size. And funny enough, usually the smaller they are, the more expensive they are. I can buy 4.5" cutoff wheels for about the same price as a little 1" thing for my Dremel. :)

Oh, and not cordless..... trust me.
 
I would recommend 2 - 4.5" angle grinders instead. One for cutting and one for grinding/prep work. I would not get anything smaller than 4.5" though as if you are really getting into cutting larger pieces of steel, the smaller the discs, the quicker they wear down to an unusable size. And funny enough, usually the smaller they are, the more expensive they are. I can buy 4.5" cutoff wheels for about the same price as a little 1" thing for my Dremel. :)

Oh, and not cordless..... trust me.
I can't...I ony have one hand.
I've got a 4.5" grinder but it isn't safe to use one handed. Same reason I don't use a chainsaw. Kick backs and whatnot.

The Milwaukee 3" cutting tool is a much better solution.

Unfortunately I can't just pick tools on the category of best for the job. I have to choose them on best for the job but that i can use one handed. So, its a compromise. Trust me, I hate making it.

You aren't kidding about the costs of the smallwr stuff though lol
 
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I can't...I ony have one hand.
I've got a 4.5" grinder but it isn't safe to use one handed. Same reason I don't use a chainsaw. Kick backs and whatnot.

The Milwaukee 3" cutting tool is a much better solution.

Unfortunately I can't just pick tools on the category of best for the job. I have to choose them on best for the job but that i can use one handed. So, its a compromise. Trust me, I hate making it.

You aren't kidding about the costs of the smallwr stuff though lol
Ahhhh, I had no idea. Yes you are 100% correct with that little 3” guy being the ticket. With it being inline, there shouldn’t be all that much torque to it so it should be fairly easy to control.
 
The Milwaukee right angle cutter 12volt cuts great and doesn’t fight, you start to bind and it turns off.

Now, Moe here has a additude issue and can be dangerous.
Ingersol rand 1HP pneumatic 5” angle grinder with a cut off wheel.
I use it on the tough thick metal jobs.
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It does require a healthy compressor to run it, I use a 14hp Honda powered compressor.

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For chasing down mystery electrical issues a power probe can be a hair saver.
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So this thread got me thinking of some other tools that I have come across that some folks may not have worked with just yet. For me these are still really good purchases that have helped me out in the shop a bunch of times.

This little guy is a multi-sided pivoting magnetic holder thingy that is perfect for holding tabs on square and round pieces of steel when fabricating stuff. Before this it was the ol' "kind of hold this here with pliers and hope for the best" method.
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Speaking of pliers, these are awesome! They have teeth at the nose of the plier that run vertical and are curved. The purpose of that feature is to help with removing stripped screws without having to resort to an "easy out" or something similar. They also have all the other lineman's pliers type features.
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Stripped screws you say! Well, if you have a Japanese motorcycle, especially one with disc brakes, then you have probably stripped the little screws that hold the brake reservoir cover on. If you were like me, it was because you didn't know that those screws weren't Phillips screws but JIS screws. So now I have JIS screwdrivers.
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As usual, I am late to the party on things. With this, I just happened upon them a few weeks ago. These things have made my days of traditional wire splicing using a soldering iron and heat shrink tubing a thing of the past. Seriously, one of the best pieced of kit I have added to the garage in a long time.
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Lastly, these little magnetic tool holders off of Amazon are awesome for keeping the most used wrenches front and center for when I need to get at them quickly. No more opening and closing of drawers to find the correct wrench when they are just stuck right there on the lid. FYI, the Craftsmen ones you buy at stores like Lowes and such are NOT as good as these by any stretch. These have been awesome for keeping things organized and easy to grab.
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I saw that screw driver deal in a magazine and think I need to order a few. I also stripped a brake reservoir lid screw.
 
Brake reservoir lid screws are typically Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS), not Phillips, which probably explains why you stripped the screw. JIS drivers have been one of the most satisfying tool investments I have ever made. Motion Pro has JIS bits that are pretty good. I use mine with a Snap-On hand impact driver and I've never stripped a case screw since. Reservoir lid screws don't need much of a tap to break them loose, and the soft material of which they are made is protected. I've been told by a few different experienced motorcycle mechanics to never reuse the cover screws on master cylinders--replace them.

Unfortunately, JIS tips for hand impacts are quit expensive, typically hard to find in stock, and off brands are weak and break, so gripping a quality Phillips with vice grips I carefully grind off the point just enough to fill the JIS head with the Phillips bit's shoulders. The torque limiting feature of Phillips, which is what causes Phillips to strip soft screw heads, is thus eliminated. Don't get carried away when tightening or you'll strip threads or have to drill them out next time.
 
Lazy, unproductive Sunday morning, and all I can think to do is share this handy guide to many tools in case the tool heads among us need fresh reference.
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A very useful guide to applications of common tools – you may want to review frequently:

DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, 'Oh bleep!'

DROP SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle... It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting on fire various flammable objects in your shop. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing race.

TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper.

BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.

TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws and butchering your palms.

PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.

HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.

HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit.

UTILITY KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use.

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH: aka "Another hammer", aka "the Swedish Nut Lathe", aka "Crescent Wrench". Commonly used as a one size fits all wrench, usually results in rounding off nut heads before the use of pliers. Will randomly adjust size between bolts, resulting in busted knuckles, curse words, and multiple threats to any inanimate objects within the immediate vicinity.

SON OF A B TOOL: Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling 'SON OF A B!' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.
 
I really enjoy the Fireball Tool videos. He has an awful lot of cool, old stuff.
Man does he! He has parterned with some guys from a university and they have made a micro sized waterjet that really has me wanting to buy one.
 
For the handful of Motorcycle Masochists who ride prepared to do tire work on the roadside, inflation has always been a bulky challenge. I've gone as far as removing a compressor from its plastic box in order to reduce the space it required to carry along. Doing so comes with risks of burns and exposure to moving parts that OSHA would never approve of. Recently while in Leakey I used my Frankenflator and the exposed gear came in contact with some plastic on the bike while it was running and I soon found how it doubles as a lousy, but effective, grinding tool. :argh:

Thus, the seed was planted that resulted in a grand scheme. One where I would conjour up an acceptably small enclosure for it of my own design.

Fortunately, before embarking upon that project, I had the foresight to see if the Amazonians may have already introduced an inflator that could save me countless hours in the shop. This rare moment of wisdom on my part paid off, as I found this among the search results.

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Dimensions are ~7" long and 2.2" in diameter. It is battery powered and will also run on 12V with included accessory cable.
It will read the current pressure, offers a setting for auto-stop inflation, includes a meager LED flashlight, and it can be used to charge other devices.
There is a storage hole for tidy management of the hose to protect threads and o-ring when not deployed for operation.

It isn't rated for continuous use, so inflating larger items like a camping mattress, pool floatie, or truck tire are out. It should work as well for bicycle, car, and motorcycle tires as my current rig does, without the added feature of further modifying the finish of the Tiger's plastic chain guard, as recently happened with the Frankenflator.

Those Amazonians offer this jewel for about 50 bucks, which, if it only served as an inflator, would be a little steep for my Germanic, wallet-clutching, penny-pinching soul to consider. However,
  • It can also replace a flashlight I carry, further increasing storage space.
  • The cordless operation (if I will remember to keep it charged) is another bonus, making those pre-ride tire checks simple. Just connect it to the tire to see the current pressure readout, and press a button to add air if needed.
  • The ability to recharge my phone, Sena BT, and other similar devices is handy, and could offer extended use options should circumstances dictate the need.
  • It is sleek, small, and easier to store than most of the other offerings.
  • It has 12V power redundancy (something many similar products did not have) so it will work off of bike power if its battery is discharged.
The value gained by this modern wonder has overwhelmed my payment-aversion mechanisms that were evolved over millennia. Once it sank in how this device relieves me of the engineering chore of cobbling my existing solution into something that wouldn't nearly be as nice, compact, nor as utilitarian (likely doing so multiple times, per experience with similar efforts) quickly catapulted my mouse-clicking finger into pressing the BUY button.

Once I recovered from the whirlwind of mental fatigue experienced as this battle raged inside I thought it best to share with those of y'all who may be similarly afflicted.
 
These German bones were able to pry my wallet open a while back and get a similar unit. I’ve used it a few times around the garage and its worked nicely.


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Every new electric tool I’ve bought in the last 30 years is Milwaukee red and has a cord attached , I despise anything with a battery that doesn’t have wheels unless it’s a flashlight . For a cutting tool I bought a chop saw in Milwaukee red several years back , and it has been used extensively and has preformed flawlessly , I buy blades in 10 packs , usually a couple years worth . I like a thinner blade because it makes a better cut , also wear faster and and flex with cutting speed . It’s no problum to control that issue . One thing about it if you can clamp it in it will cut it a lot easier than a hand tool . Also have lots of air tools since I have plenty of hot air . My three inch air cutoff tool handles anything that’s too awkward for the chop saw , and it is a one handed tool . Also buy blades for it in multi packs .
 
At $349 from walmart this is looking like one of the cheapest self propelled cordless mowers out there. I couldn't find a video with one cutting heavy grass however so not much of a demo there. I did learn that this Walmart HART brand is made by the folks that make milwaukee and ryobi. It seems like these cordless mowers have come up to gas quality in the last couple of years (without suffering from the stale gas carb death punch). A lot of these cordless mowers are in the $450 to $500 range.
 
I've been using a Ryobi 18V Trimmer and 13" cut 18V Mower for a while to get to things the Cub Cadet ZTR can't reach, and have been very, very pleased with how long a run they get on a charge. With a multitude of Ryobi tools that use the same battery I only keep four or five batteries on hand for about twenty tools.
 
I did learn that this Walmart HART brand is made by the folks that make milwaukee and ryobi.
Prior to retiring and losing my discount, I purchased several of the HART tools. They have performed well throughout my remodel so I've added to my collection here and there.
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I love my battery power mower. Quiet, light, and came with two batteries. When the first one runs out you go inside put it on the charger have some iced tea, then put second one in and continue.
Model / link please.
Many, many years ago I had a corded mower but none of them last forever. Current Snapper is 15yo and even though I barely maintain it, it runs fine. Sometimes hard to restart at full temp.
 
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