What tool do you wish you added to your toolkit earlier than you did?
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Today I ordered myself a little birthday present. A tool that I’d only previously seen in a heavy equipment repair facility and cost the shop around $1K.
Somehow a similar product is now available Amazon for a meezly $225. It was $244 after tax. What is it might you ask?
A magnetic induction tool. Basically it uses magnetic induction to heat up frozen nuts or bolts via an insulated wire.
I’ve used an industrial version of the tool I just ordered to do exactly that without any heat damage to the surrounding area. So for instance inside a truck cab or even a car.
No open flame and a highly controlled on demand heat source means you an apply heat anywhere without having to strip out flammable stuff like seats or upholstery.
It is also wholly electric and requires no gas storage of oxygen or acetylene…..and it’s small enough to fit in my tool box.
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This is not the exact kit I bought as for some reason I could not paste the image from Amazon in due to some sort of “coding error”
This one is called “Mini-ductor” but the tool is essentially the same.
Somehow a similar product is now available Amazon for a meezly $225. It was $244 after tax. What is it might you ask?
A magnetic induction tool. Basically it uses magnetic induction to heat up frozen nuts or bolts via an insulated wire.
I’ve used an industrial version of the tool I just ordered to do exactly that without any heat damage to the surrounding area. So for instance inside a truck cab or even a car.
No open flame and a highly controlled on demand heat source means you an apply heat anywhere without having to strip out flammable stuff like seats or upholstery.
It is also wholly electric and requires no gas storage of oxygen or acetylene…..and it’s small enough to fit in my tool box.
This is not the exact kit I bought as for some reason I could not paste the image from Amazon in due to some sort of “coding error”
This one is called “Mini-ductor” but the tool is essentially the same.
I change wheel (tires) and do brake work and such ,recently the lug bolts on my SL 55 AMG have been impossible to break loose, I have two air impact wrenches and both are unable to do the job.
I borrowed a battery powered one from my friendly local truck repair shop. I did the job. My biggest air tool only generates about 600 lbs Ft. the E one dose 1700 lbs FT. Milwaky sells them for $600 or so Harbor freight has one for 300 something. It on my list if the Never seize don't work
FOG
I borrowed a battery powered one from my friendly local truck repair shop. I did the job. My biggest air tool only generates about 600 lbs Ft. the E one dose 1700 lbs FT. Milwaky sells them for $600 or so Harbor freight has one for 300 something. It on my list if the Never seize don't work
FOG
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Good air compressor. Back when I was sick, I saw a Saylor-Beall 80 gallon two-stage on eBay. About 40 minutes away. The company had purchased two compressors and really only needed one, so after a few years, they put it up for auction. It got no bids, so I drove up there and looked it it. Original air filter element was still white, indicating low run time. The fellow said, "Oh, this comes with it" - a Speedaire refrigerated air dryer. Well, I suppose I can haul it away. About $2,500-$3,000 worth of stuff. They were asking $500, so the deal was done. The only down side was that it had a 3ph motor. For about $250, I bought a Baldor 1ph 5HP. Similar to the setup below.
Oh, the seller? Nordstom's. Their warehouse.
![Gas Cylinder Machine Engineering Technology]()
Oh, the seller? Nordstom's. Their warehouse.
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Damn. That’s a nice set up. My old shop upgraded the old piston compressors that were installed when the building was built in 1978. This was around 3-4 years ago, just before I moved on.
The upgrade was to two identical IR screw drive compressors from one large, and one small piston type compressor.
The old ones couldn’t keep up with a heavy duty 1” drive impact wrench. And the large one by itself couldn’t air up a large forklift tire to 120 lbs without struggling.
The new set up is awesome. Neither compressor struggles to meet the shop air demands and when both are used down a single large ID airline the 1” has all the volume it needs and then some. As a bonus, both compressors got a similar air dryer set up to yours.
The upgrade was to two identical IR screw drive compressors from one large, and one small piston type compressor.
The old ones couldn’t keep up with a heavy duty 1” drive impact wrench. And the large one by itself couldn’t air up a large forklift tire to 120 lbs without struggling.
The new set up is awesome. Neither compressor struggles to meet the shop air demands and when both are used down a single large ID airline the 1” has all the volume it needs and then some. As a bonus, both compressors got a similar air dryer set up to yours.
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It’s been a while so I thought I’d add some of the newer tools I’ve added to my tool box and my general tool collection.
This week, working backwards from today:
I found myself wishing I had a magnetic shelf/tray on the side of my tool box for my cans and tubes of lube, loc-tite and other chemicals I find handy to have on my tool box rather than in it.
Tonight we went to Harbor Freight to have a peek at the tool box accessories they have. Didn’t find anything I thought fit what I was after . Instead of leaving empty handed, I had a look around and found a “mud tray” with all the dry wall tools.
A couple of aisles away, I found some packs of magnets. Once home, I put a couple rows of magnets on the side and stuck it on the drop lid to my big top box. Works perfect. My only regret is, I only got one.
Monday, I received my JIS screwdriver set, so that gives me an extra option when working on older Japanese bikes like my oil boiler GSXR and the Turbo bike.
A couple weeks back, I got myself a post hole digger from Lowes. I chose the Kobalt Steel series as I wanted one that was going to last so long my kids will wonder what the hell it is.
After looking at the pivot point, it was apparent to me that it was not assembled correctly. It appeared there should have been a spacer tube between the two halves.
Instead there was a fully threaded bolt with a nylock nut. It had been tightened up so that the “ears” of the pivot point were flexed inward and binding when the levers were operated.
I wound up fabricating a spacer from some black metal water pipe. Once I lubed everything up and assembled it with the spacer it works like buttah. Perfect for when I begin construction on my shed.
Just after the holidays, I added a number of hand tools with all the tool sales going on. Too many to list individually. That takes me all the way back to the mini-ductor induction tool I wrote about in my last post.
This week, working backwards from today:
I found myself wishing I had a magnetic shelf/tray on the side of my tool box for my cans and tubes of lube, loc-tite and other chemicals I find handy to have on my tool box rather than in it.
Tonight we went to Harbor Freight to have a peek at the tool box accessories they have. Didn’t find anything I thought fit what I was after . Instead of leaving empty handed, I had a look around and found a “mud tray” with all the dry wall tools.
A couple of aisles away, I found some packs of magnets. Once home, I put a couple rows of magnets on the side and stuck it on the drop lid to my big top box. Works perfect. My only regret is, I only got one.
Monday, I received my JIS screwdriver set, so that gives me an extra option when working on older Japanese bikes like my oil boiler GSXR and the Turbo bike.
A couple weeks back, I got myself a post hole digger from Lowes. I chose the Kobalt Steel series as I wanted one that was going to last so long my kids will wonder what the hell it is.
After looking at the pivot point, it was apparent to me that it was not assembled correctly. It appeared there should have been a spacer tube between the two halves.
Instead there was a fully threaded bolt with a nylock nut. It had been tightened up so that the “ears” of the pivot point were flexed inward and binding when the levers were operated.
I wound up fabricating a spacer from some black metal water pipe. Once I lubed everything up and assembled it with the spacer it works like buttah. Perfect for when I begin construction on my shed.
Just after the holidays, I added a number of hand tools with all the tool sales going on. Too many to list individually. That takes me all the way back to the mini-ductor induction tool I wrote about in my last post.
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8,720 Posts
Paid off a small bill a few months back and honestly, forgot about the money not going out more. Thus, this past payday, There seemed to more money in the budget than I’d planned.
As such, I decided to treat myself (once I realized where the extra money came from) and buy a couple of cordless impact tools I’d been eyeballing.
Picked up a 1/2” and a 3/8” drive Ryobi impact tools. The 1/2” drive goes to 1170 ft lbs of torque. It‘s a beast! Wheel lug nuts are mere child’s play with this thing.
Effortless does not approach being accurate. I have 2 pneumatic 1/2” drive impacts and neither is in the same ball park. The 3/8” I got mainly for assembly work and it is excellent in that role. Can’t believe I waited this long to get them.
All my cordless tools are Ryobi because their stuff is backwards and forwards compatible. IOW, even my first generation 18V stuff works on the newest batteries and my newest stuff works on the old batteries.
As such, I decided to treat myself (once I realized where the extra money came from) and buy a couple of cordless impact tools I’d been eyeballing.
Picked up a 1/2” and a 3/8” drive Ryobi impact tools. The 1/2” drive goes to 1170 ft lbs of torque. It‘s a beast! Wheel lug nuts are mere child’s play with this thing.
Effortless does not approach being accurate. I have 2 pneumatic 1/2” drive impacts and neither is in the same ball park. The 3/8” I got mainly for assembly work and it is excellent in that role. Can’t believe I waited this long to get them.
All my cordless tools are Ryobi because their stuff is backwards and forwards compatible. IOW, even my first generation 18V stuff works on the newest batteries and my newest stuff works on the old batteries.
Impact tools, whilst not necessary to get a job done, are something that you do indeed wonder how (or more accurately, why) you ever managed without one. I'm getting older (aren't we all
), and there are times in the past when I've woken up the next door really stiff or sore from wrestling with hand time on tough jobs. Tennis elbow on my wrenching arm is not fun the next day if I find myself fighting tough jobs.Impact tools really make some of those tough jobs much easier. I had to to replace a front hub bearing on my Silverado earlier this year, and whilst this is an easy job under normal circumstances, this hub was solidly rusted in place. I still fought for a long time, but air chisels and air impact driver made life easier.
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“Power” tools definitely make life easier, regardless of how they’re powered. Cordless just takes that one step further. No more firing up the compressor and waiting until the tank pressure builds up. Just grab and go.
The impressive thing (to me anyway) is the rapid advances made in cordless tools. 1170 ft lbs is no joke, and to get the same figures in a pneumatic impact you’re gonna spend some big $$ in comparison.
IR is pretty much it when it comes to 1/2” drive with those kinds of numbers. And you still gotta go through the whole fire up the compressor, wait for the air pressure to build and run an air line out. My garage is all set up with a hose reel and all, and it’s still a hassle when you need to get something done quickly.
The impressive thing (to me anyway) is the rapid advances made in cordless tools. 1170 ft lbs is no joke, and to get the same figures in a pneumatic impact you’re gonna spend some big $$ in comparison.
IR is pretty much it when it comes to 1/2” drive with those kinds of numbers. And you still gotta go through the whole fire up the compressor, wait for the air pressure to build and run an air line out. My garage is all set up with a hose reel and all, and it’s still a hassle when you need to get something done quickly.
Agree that electric tools are more convenient and more powerful compared to all but the beefiest compressor. However, some tools, such as my beloved air chisel, don't come in electric version (at least AFAIK).
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Color me ignorant. Yes, that looks like an electric chisel.
I will say that electric tools can get expensive if you buy a lot. One of the perks of air tools is that collecting new tools isn't too expensive once you have your base compressor in place.
All depends on your needs. Air is the way to go if you spray paint.
about 10 years ago I bought a SDS high power drill that does everything from drilling "oil wells" to breaking concrete with chisels and demolishing walls with power of a Kango hammer. now it's a useful tool, But I always revert to a small air chisel for cutting bodywork off so air has a place.Color me ignorant. Yes, that looks like an electric chisel.
I will say that electric tools can get expensive if you buy a lot. One of the perks of air tools is that collecting new tools isn't too expensive once you have your base compressor in place.
All depends on your needs. Air is the way to go if you spray paint.
I can't imagine trying to cut a wing off with that thing.
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Actually that is what one would call a hammer drill. It can be used as a small jackhammer for light demolition work too though.
Hence why I bought Ryobi tools. 1 battery. 180 tools. No need for buying complete kits after a while. Base tool sans battery are much cheaper. And at least with Ryobi all the old 1st gen tools still work with the new battery….and the old batteries will still drive the new tools.
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I wish (and still dont have) those neat little toolkits that come w the bike for self maintenance. Never got one w my bike and when you need it broken down on the side of the road (happens to me more often than not) gawddam do you want it.
I now always carry 8-14mm sockets, JIZ bits, zip ties & electrical tape everywhere I go. I've helped 3 people thus far with these simple tools while out and about.
Stress on the JIZ bits. Until BPE , Yorkie , and Ducatiman, I never knew the significance of these and how much easier it is to remove jap screws w them.
I now always carry 8-14mm sockets, JIZ bits, zip ties & electrical tape everywhere I go. I've helped 3 people thus far with these simple tools while out and about.
Stress on the JIZ bits. Until BPE , Yorkie , and Ducatiman, I never knew the significance of these and how much easier it is to remove jap screws w them.
hi, not sure if this helps but here you can get small kits in roll that will fit under the seat, you can take out or put in any extra or unwanted tools to make your own kit. now I made my bikes (both) far easier to work on by swapping out all the bolts and screws with allen headed bolts (6mm is most common) then carry the allen keys, few tie bands, screw driver and 8. 10. 11. 13. 14mm sockets and 1/4in ratchet together with a meter of 16amp wire circuit tester (bulb) and a small roll of Gorilla tape.
not yet found any (on the road) job I couldn't do with it.
BTW not being picky but the term is J.I.S driver, stands for (Japanese Industrial Standard) had a set of those since my VFR was built with them,
not yet found any (on the road) job I couldn't do with it.
BTW not being picky but the term is J.I.S driver, stands for (Japanese Industrial Standard) had a set of those since my VFR was built with them,
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I like the term " jiz bits "more. But yes JIS ,
Thanks for the pointers. I've done a ton of swapping of hardware pieces. Home depot hates metric imo. End up w head bolts w inch fraction than metric.
Will end up replacing all hardware pieces again after frame painting and new tail section. I'll take those tips for when assembling.
Thanks for the pointers. I've done a ton of swapping of hardware pieces. Home depot hates metric imo. End up w head bolts w inch fraction than metric.
Will end up replacing all hardware pieces again after frame painting and new tail section. I'll take those tips for when assembling.
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