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Must have tools

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
You ever work out of someone's tools and they are missing something you consider really basic?

Multimeter - Buddy says "Don't know how to use it" while using his 12v test light.
Dial calipers - A cheap fiberglass set will give you fast accurate measurements down to .5 mm. Get some.
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
I never deal with electrical items, yet I would like to get a multimeter.

Torque wrench is always missing, I have Digital calipers, always nice.
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
The thing is, multimeters are pretty intuitive. For instance, when testing plug wires, it might say test end to end, should be less than 200 ohms. You look at the multimeter, it has an ohms section, one of the ranges is 200.
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
The thing is, multimeters are pretty intuitive. For instance, when testing plug wires, it might say test end to end, should be less than 200 ohms. You look at the multimeter, it has an ohms section, one of the ranges is 200.
True, but I have friends that are electricians, I'm the person that gets called to do a water pump, alternator, or starter for friends on the side of the road.
 

Mr Jones

Turbo Monkey
Nov 12, 2007
1,475
0
Hacksaw
Hammer
Nails
wire
550 cord
duct tape
measuring tape
level
straight edge
square
protractor
drill with bits
caulking gun
vice grip
good quality strap wrench
chain wrench
pipe wrench
metric & standard wrench set
metric & standard socket set
stubby ratchet
regular ratchet
extensions and wobble adapters
staple gun
.357 magnum
kegerator
+ bike tools
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
I've wrenched long enough on cars to demand latex/nitrile gloves.
:thumbsdown:
oil on the hands makes lunch taste that much better. :D

i tried working with Mechanix gloves but didnt like it. i disliked latex gloves even more, but i think thats b/c i sweat like a whore
 

Jimmysal

Monkey
Mar 26, 2010
238
0
Vermont
Hmm...

Breaker bar
Floor jack that isn't slow as ****
Crow foot wrenches
Ez-outs
magnetic dish
MFing JACKSTANDS
Torque wrench
DMM
Calipers
Spring clamps
Vise-grips
Those needle nose pliers with bent ends
Ball end allen wrenches
Triple square bits (Audi/VW FTW)
BIG Torx bits (More Audi)
Compressed air
Heated workspace
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Hmm...

Breaker bar
Floor jack that isn't slow as ****
Crow foot wrenches
Ez-outs
magnetic dish
MFing JACKSTANDS
Torque wrench
DMM
Calipers
Spring clamps
Vise-grips
Those needle nose pliers with bent ends
Ball end allen wrenches
Triple square bits (Audi/VW FTW)
BIG Torx bits (More Audi)
Compressed air
Heated workspace
Allen wrenches larger than your fist (Audi/VW).
 

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
:thumbsdown:
oil on the hands makes lunch taste that much better. :D

i tried working with Mechanix gloves but didnt like it. i disliked latex gloves even more, but i think thats b/c i sweat like a whore
I can't stand gloves. I really dislike the Mechanix gloves for lack of dexterity. I have some in case I know I will be grabbing stuff that's hot, etc. I just have tubs of the orange cleaner instead.

I think everyone should have at least basic hand tools. It amazes me how many of my friends are complete retards when it comes to fixing anything. I had to bring over a crescent wrench to a friends apartment to install a shower head for him.

One of my friends payed $300 for a front brake job on his car and then was in shock when watched me check the pads on his car for a squeak.
 

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
I can't live without my Bridgeport Series I manual mill, Hardinge toolroom lathe and at least one good CNC mill. A surface grinder is pretty high up there too.
I hate you. I wish I had room for that stuff. I'll be happy if I can fit a small lathe in my 2 car garage.
 

w00dy

In heaven there is no beer
Jun 18, 2004
3,417
51
that's why we drink it here
CALIPERS! EVERYONE NEEDS CALIPERS SO THEY CAN STOP ASKING WHAT SIZE THAT RANDOM BEARING FROM THAT RANDOM FRAME IS. Sorry, shop forum rant.

It took me years to finally crack and buy a tape measure.
 

Icantdrive65

Monkey
Mar 21, 2005
609
1
Chinquapin fire road
I hate you. I wish I had room for that stuff. I'll be happy if I can fit a small lathe in my 2 car garage.
I don't have a garage. I have a 2000 sq ft machine shop. I try to keep enough room to work on my truck.

I actually have four CNC mills and a CNC lathe that keeps breaking in addition to the aforementioned equipment.
 

Quo Fan

don't make me kick your ass
I wish I had room for a proper wood shop.

GOOD hand tools. Learn to do it by hand first, then when you get the machine, you can do it faster.

Tape measures (I have 6 or 7 lying around the condo)
Assorted drill bits
Corded drills
 

skatetokil

Turbo Monkey
Jan 2, 2005
2,383
-1
DC/Bluemont VA
I can't stand gloves. I really dislike the Mechanix gloves for lack of dexterity. I have some in case I know I will be grabbing stuff that's hot, etc. I just have tubs of the orange cleaner instead.

I think everyone should have at least basic hand tools. It amazes me how many of my friends are complete retards when it comes to fixing anything. I had to bring over a crescent wrench to a friends apartment to install a shower head for him.

One of my friends payed $300 for a front brake job on his car and then was in shock when watched me check the pads on his car for a squeak.
My worn out fox gloves do great.
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,160
2,685
The bunker at parliament
Hacksaw
Hammer
Nails
wire
550 cord
duct tape
measuring tape
level
straight edge
square
protractor
drill with bits
caulking gun
vice grip
good quality strap wrench
chain wrench
pipe wrench
metric & standard wrench set
metric & standard socket set
stubby ratchet
regular ratchet
extensions and wobble adapters
staple gun
.357 magnum
kegerator
+ bike tools
Pretty good list but you have a bit of pork there... Here let me just whittle it down to just the necessary basics. :)

kegerator

Fixed! :D
 

mantispf2000

Turbo Monkey
Aug 9, 2001
1,793
243
Nevada, 2 hours from Mammoth
Everyone one on the planet should have a multimeter..... even if its just a cheap one.

Maybe one of these would've helped me when I was having the house electrical problem a bit ago????? Nah, I'll stick with TriFlow and duct tape-- if it's supposed to move and doesn't, use TriFlow, and if it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.

(Hahaha, I'm a witty quote-stealer..................)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,031
7,550
- Corded drill and appropriate bits
- Sockets, ratchet, breaker bar, and torque wrench
- Multimeter and soldering iron
- Vice grips/robo-grips, small crescent, large crescent
- Hammer and a rubber mallet, too
- Screwdriver with replaceable bits, ideally magnetic
- Electrical tape, teflon tape, duct tape
- Allen key and torx wrench combo tools
- Floor jack if you work on cars at all
- Oil filter wrench appropriate for your car/bike's size!
- Oil catch/drain pan and a cheap, yellow funnel
- Utility knife with an X-Acto somewhere around the house when that fails

These should do the trick for most small jobs…
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
Toshi has good point about soldering iron.

Soldering iron
Rosin core solder
Silver solder and acid flux
Various sizes of heat shrink tubing

With these you will be able to make professional, permanent vehicle wiring installs.
And make small metal repairs. (with silver solder)
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Stapler, channel locks, scotch tape, pipe tape, handcuff key, roach clip thingy, and some nail clippers. No multimeter in my Gilligans Island Lunch pail that doubles as my tool box. In fact I am going to take out the nail clippers as I never use them anyways....