What's your favorite tool?

General Discussion
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81

I know a guy who buys broken Craftsman tools at garage sales and takes them to Sears to exchange them for new ones since they don’t ask for a receipt.

82

Been There, Done That. I Got Some Nice Chisels (Wood Working) That Way. Paid Like 25 Cents For The Rusty, Screwed-Up Craftsman Chisels.

CSA

83

My 40 oz. hammer was my favorite but it became too heavy for me to use, so I gave it away. The rest of the tools may be next.

84

Maybe not quite a tool, but since someone mentioned PB Blaster, who could live without a can of WD-40? I’ve lost track of all the great things you can do with it. I used several cans of it when rebuilding my old '65 Honda Super Hawk. It prevents corrosion, so spray it on knives, tools, etc, after use and wipe down. Spray it on tree saws as lube and sap remover. Spray it on whetstones when sharpening knives. Use it to remove adhesive tape residue. Squeaky door hinges, sticky locks, rusted threads…add you own creative uses.

85

The mute switch on my TV remote.

86

I Miss My Old 65’ 305 Superhawk. I Was A Teenager When I Had It And When It Got Cold Out This Time Of Year, I’d Put On All The Clothes I Owned And Go For A Ride. That Cold Dense Air Was Like Adding A Super-Charger !

CSA

87

…spray it on knives, tools, etc…

I’ve tried using WD-40 on my steak knives, but it ruins the taste of the steak.

88

Yeah, on steaks A-1 works better than WD-40!

89

Air compressor. We have car, motorcycle, bicycle, and lawnmower tires to keep filled. It’s needed to run the impact wrench and air chisel. Also good for parts, air filter and vacuum cleaner filter cleaning. You can use it to free up a plugged sink drain too.

If you mean simple hand tools, then it’s a 4 way lug wrench.

90

Yeah, an impact driver is one of those lifesaver tools.

For me,

  1. 3/4 inch drive breaker bar. It’s not much longer than my 1/2 inch bar, but it actually requires much less force to use on a real stuck fastener. The half inch, being skinnier, bows & springs back in the opposite direction that you’re turning it, requiring much more strength. (Yes, I put a pipe on it if I have to; prevents pulling my back out, so it’s really safer.)

  2. Pocket screwdriver. Oldschool’s right about this one. You feel naked without it in your shirt pocket.

  3. Cordless 1/2" impact gun. When these things came out quite a while ago I swore I would never get one. But at 59, when I had to put 3 motor mounts, 2 half shafts, & an outer tie rod in my brother’s piece-of-cr*p Nissan Quest, in his driveway, I completely changed my mind about cordless tools after buying one!

meaneyedcatz was right on the $ regarding the difference between wisdom & knowledge, I have to say.

91

Haha, that reminds me of the can of Pam spray-on frying pan oil I put on my feeler gauges!

92

Over the years an aviation style maintenance/repair logbook (http://www.midnet.sc.edu/columbialoms/projects/automobile_logbook/) has evolved. I’ve found this style

recurring actions - planned prevention
non-recurring actions - squawks and their past remedy
fuel consumption/operating cost - performance history

pays for itself (including time to keep up-to-date).

I’ve found the factory-supplied logbooks to be universally too cumbersome to use (no room for notes, no place for squawks, performance history, or adjustment to prevention plans).