Got some new toys today.

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
10/14/2014 at 09:47 • Filed to: None

Slowly building up my own tool kit after years of borrowing from my Grandad's collection. Got a socket set very similar to the pictured one. Already have a cheap 1/4" drive set, soldering iron, several hundred screwdriver bits, comprehensive spanner set, saws, pliers, angle grinder and bicycle tools. Next on the list to buy: My own trolley jack, axle stands and a nice torque wrench.

DISCUSSION (24)

CalzoneGolem > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 09:50

I have a bendy torque wrench that became permanently bent but then I got a click one foe Christmas. It is totally awesome.

jariten1781 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 09:52

Just curious, what lead you to owning an angle grinder before a socket set and torque wrench? Somewhat niche tool before basics, wondering if there's a story.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > CalzoneGolem
10/14/2014 at 09:53

I basically just need one good enough to torque wheel hubs since that's all I've used one for so far, other than using it for more leverage on rusty bolts.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jariten1781
10/14/2014 at 09:56

I asked to borrow the angle grinder a few months ago to cut off a rusty exhaust and they ended up letting me keep it for free. I still used my grandads socket set then.

CalzoneGolem > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 09:59

You don't want to use a torque wrench as a bolt breaker.

ly2v8-Brian > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 09:59

cool

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > CalzoneGolem
10/14/2014 at 10:02

Why's that? Even when I worked in a garage for a while they often used them for that purpose.

Sweet Trav > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:04

Tools are great. Quality tools are great enough to pass onto your kids.

MAC/Snap-on/Craftsman

crowmolly > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:04

It can knock them out of calibration.

CalzoneGolem > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:05

It puts stress on the mechanism a breaker bar is much better and cheaper if you break it.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Sweet Trav
10/14/2014 at 10:06

No doubt these will get replaced one day with something nicer. But as it stands I'm broke so just getting what I can afford, the reason I learned to work on stuff in the first place is because I can't afford a mechanic.

jariten1781 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:07

Knocks it out of cal, or worse damages it though I've never seen that. Plus it puts more cycles on it and those are limited. Use a breaker bar, they're cheap and meant for that purpose...better than hurting a relatively expensive torque wrench.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > CalzoneGolem
10/14/2014 at 10:07

Hmm wasn't aware of that. Just shows the bad habits you can pick up learning from other people.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > crowmolly
10/14/2014 at 10:08

Didn't know that was the case, I've noticed I often pick up bad habits learning from others, even if they're qualified mechanics.

CalzoneGolem > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:12

That's how I bent my beam torque wrench.

crowmolly > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:13

Yeah, it stresses the spring. If you get them serviced every so often they may be fine. I worked at an engineering lab and saw what could happen firsthand.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > CalzoneGolem
10/14/2014 at 10:26

Ah, the one I usually borrow is pretty sturdy so I doubt it could bend, although I can see how it would mess with the calibration.

NaturallyAspirated > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
10/14/2014 at 10:27

Yeah, my procedure has been to buy cheap tools, and then replace only the tools that I break with expensive ones. That way I don't have to spend a fortune on tools that only see occasional use.

twochevrons > Sweet Trav
10/14/2014 at 10:36

My father-in-law's toolkit is a veritable museum. His floor jack and bench grinder date back to the '40s and came his grandfather's Hudson dealership, and I suspect that his socket set is of similar vintage. It's all excellent stuff, and still works perfectly, even if it is entirely obsolete.

Sweet Trav > twochevrons
10/14/2014 at 10:45

My dad has an old air compressor that dates back to the 40's in operation it makes a nice lazy loping noise, it is the exact model that was used at the gas station/service center he used to work at as a young man.

He has old tools and an original Snap-on Ratchet set up in the loft of our barn, probably worth some money.

My dad had a massive heart attack last year, he's now recovering well, but since his near death experience, my father has been concerned that when he goes, how his property will be distributed. I told my brother in law, with whom my father is also very close with that we're splitting the family guns, but the tools are all mine. I cannot tell you how many great memories I have wrenching on things with my dad.

Cé hé sin > twochevrons
10/14/2014 at 10:55

Yes., they're probably all in inches or fractions thereof. Not much call for them nowadays unless you find yourself working on something several decades old.

twochevrons > Cé hé sin
10/14/2014 at 10:59

Thankfully, that's what I spend an awful lot of my time working on. Though they're all still AF sizes – I could actually really do with some Whitworth spanners for working on my MG's carburettors.

Cé hé sin > twochevrons
10/14/2014 at 11:33

(Googles AF and Whitworth and realises why everyone uses metric now).

Have an Armstrong Siddeley. The Amstrong part of this was originally Armstrong Whitworth.

Kinja'd!!!

twochevrons > Cé hé sin
10/14/2014 at 17:44

Even worse, various parts (in particular, the carbs, distributor, and starter switch) are made to pre-war designs, and not only do they use odd-sized fasteners, they use odd-sized threads, too!

Of course, going metric only works if done in a rational fashion. My Rover SD1, which was locally assembled in NZ, was a mess of metric and imperial fasteners.