The non-obscure tool thread

I was recently working on my car at a DIY garage and needed to fill my transmission. Normally I use one of those red fluid pumps that makes a huge mess when one of the hoses comes out, the bottle of gear oil falls over, or when you're done and trying to clean up the 3 feet of messy hose afterward. The shop had an amazing tool I never knew existed and never even thought to create: a funnel with a long bit of flexible tubing on the end. How I never noticed or envisioned one of these before that day totally escapes and me and I am ashamed.

This thread is dedicated to those super useful tools you were amazed to find out existed. I'll go first:

On the subject of funnels, this one is a uni-tasker but it's great for the RX-7 that's extremely touchy about any air bubbles in the cooling system. Basically it seals like a radiator cap to your filler neck and lets you fill and run the engine till the t-stat opens and lets you evacuate all the bubbles. Once cooled down, the plunger lets you close off the funnel and recapture any excess coolant without spilling a drop.

I always knew these things existed, but I'm still amazed at how much faster work goes with one. I'm the type of wrench that likes to pause and look at things often, and (outside of swapping wheels) with an impact stuff is almost done too quickly for my comfort, hahaha.

Unfprtunately, I have to look into air tools now. I did a number on my shoulder back in feburaru R&Ring the head on my saab using hand tools

Wurth FLex Driver... tighten hose clamps around a corner!

I'd show you a pic of my 10mm sockets, but all of them are gone.

(has this joke jumped the shark yet?)

I got a set of U joints and wobbles for my heater core replacement and now I use them on everything and they make every job twice as fast with 1/2 the cuts.

Also, impact drivers.

Accessories for the BFH

mndsm wrote: I'd show you a pic of my 10mm sockets, but all of them are gone. (has this joke jumped the shark yet?)

Just now, in fact.

oldtin wrote: Accessories for the BFH

Now that is one of the best tools in the tool box !

The four-fingered claw 24" pick-up tool... great for retrieving stuff from unreachable places and starting head bolts in recessed wells on a BMW OHC head.

Stiff wire or coathangers

Hanging E36 M3 out of the way, getting better FM reception and scratching that hard to reach itch... the possibilities are endless.

Ratcheting screwdriver. Allows the tool to stay in contact with the fastener, greatly speeds up work and saves wear and tear on the fastener heads. I can barely use a regular screwdriver now.

I have 3/8" drive socket extensions in 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 inches. Sometimes, I hook them all together and work on my car from inside the house.

Ratchet-type torque wrench. Try tightening lug nuts to the proper 103 ft-lbs while staying at a good angle to read the gauge on a normal torque wrench. Yikes. Also ratcheting box-end wrenches...they are a gift from some very benevolent deity.

On the opposite end of the spectrum (this could actually be it's own thread, there's hundreds of them), tools I, for some reason, own, but never use because they suck so bad. Great example: 3/8" drive universal joint, or any universal joint. I think the only thing they're good for is very efficiently rounding bolt heads off.

At first I thought it was useless, then I realized, Impact apart, air rachet together.

Because, as awesome as mechanix gloves are, oil ruins them in NOTHING FLAT. These last me longer, are cheaper, and only a minimal loss in dexterity.

No picture, but when I totaled our 97 subaru legacy wagon. I pulled the tray that they use to cover the spare tire. It is large, flat, and is compartmentalized. I can put butter dishes in one part for hardware, have another part that becomes the ONLY place I set my tools while doing a job, and I end up spending far less time looking for stuff. End of day, it has a handle in the center that I can pick it up by and carry over to my tool chest to put the tools away.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of air ratchets. I was in an accident where the shock of the airbag went directly into my wrists, so the way an air-ratchet kicks back torque isn't worth the time it saves me over a non-powered ratchet. It's part of why I love impact wrenches; the way they work, only a minimal amount of the torque applied to the nut actually gets transferred back to me.

I didn't believe in air ratchets for decades. Then I tried one. For stuff where you'd be turning the fastener 1/16th turn then flipping the wrench to the the jaws back on - for 13 turns - the air ratchet is worth it's weight in time. A tip? Loosen the big jam nut between the body and head and rotate the body so the trigger is OPPOSITE the direction the body goes when reaching "tight". Saves on crushed hands and stripped fasteners.

A butterfly 3/8" impact is a great tool.

Hardened (impact) wobble extensions are great. I'm on my first 3-piece sets from Harbor Freight - I thought I'd try 'em cheap then get good ones when these break, but they're fine so far.

A hose reel is awesome. I surely spent a day coiling air hoses the last 10 years. No more!

A service cart to hold all the tools and supplies for the job you're working on is pretty great if you have space.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Wurth FLex Driver... tighten hose clamps around a corner!

A SAAB master mechanics tool. You can disassemble much of a SAAB with one of those

This for when all else fails. That and burning stuff is fun.

On a serious note,

They are cheap and with one I can do the radiator on a E150 in 18 minuets. No air hoses, no ratchets, no screwdrivers. Just an assortment of tips.

1" 3/8"-drive socket extension

Radiator fin comb

Funnel with spin-on caps for both ends

and, of course, the Annihilator

I never liked the ratcheting screwdrivers. I have acquired a few Snap-On ones through trades and deals, and they just sit, looking at me. I think its because I have to put a bit in them when I can just grab a regular screwdriver and go! I use the regular Snap-On ACR screwdrivers 99% of the time.

My 3/8" Makita cordless impact is my #1 tool, followed closely by my Snap On Dual 80 swivel head long handle offset ratchet.

The one tool no mechanic should be without is the high quality (Hobart, Lincoln, Miller) 125V MIG welder. They will stick together most of what you need done and are immensely handy, especially when people find out you have a welder and know how to use it, you will have more friends than you know what to do with. Normally I wouldnt suggest a 125V welder for anything but securing small to medium sized boats from drifting away, but few people are fortunate enough to have 220V, 200 amp service to the garage.

As with any tool discussion, buy top quality, made in America tools like Snap-On. Your pocketbook may not thank you, but the quality, fit and finish, ease of use, resale, and AMERICAN MADE is paramount.

93gsxturbo wrote: Normally I wouldnt suggest a 125V welder for anything but securing small to medium sized boats from drifting away, but few people are fortunate enough to have 220V, 200 amp service to the garage.

Huh. The entire roll cage, rear suspension, engine mounts, seat brackets and 20 other things I can't recall right now on my race car were "installed" with a 110v Miller MIG. you'd never know it was inadequate for the job.

a good bench vice... ideally mounted to a very solid table (unfortuantly mine is just clamped down onto a folding table but it's stable enough for basic work... just nothing I can hit)

an angle grinder... so versatile... I'd forgotten how much so till this volvo powered s10 project... cut off wheel makes short work of even 1/4" steel plate, grinding disc, whire brush... so many uses :)

and lastly my rechargeable screw driver... it's floppy so it can be a stright grip or pistol, has a little flash light on it... makes quick work of interiors...

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

93gsxturbo wrote: Normally I wouldnt suggest a 125V welder for anything but securing small to medium sized boats from drifting away, but few people are fortunate enough to have 220V, 200 amp service to the garage.

Huh. The entire roll cage, rear suspension, engine mounts, seat brackets and 20 other things I can't recall right now on my race car were "installed" with a 110v Miller MIG. you'd never know it was inadequate for the job.

Ever use a nice 220V machine? Ever weld anything thicker than 3/16&quot in a single pass; with your 120V machine? Ever MIG aluminum?

Roll bar, rear suspension, engine mounts, and seat brackets are all fine to weld with a high quality 120V machine. Serious jobs require serious tools. I have welded up a ton of stuff with my dad's Century 120V MIG with a gas bottle, but when the chips are down a 220V machine wins every day.