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Tool Nerds, Questions and Tool Snobbery

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,016
Sleazattle
Got his own woodworking show on PBS where he makes everything using old hand tools. Nary a power tool to be seen. It's fascinating to see how things used to be done.
He uses cameras. Would be more authentic with a rapid succession of daguerreotypes with hand written subtitles.
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
My next harbor tool.

 

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
My next harbor tool.

I'm assuming the set screw is what keeps the pads at the rim in place? Is it friction held or do you need to loosen/tighten to adjust?
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,261
8,767
Crawlorado
I hate most blow moulded cases and foam inserts because they waste so much room.
I don't want a toolbox the size of a small car to house everything.
Ditto. I feel bad throwing them in recycling immediately, but they are simply too big and poorly designed.

Just gimme one of these with a wrench set and I'm good.

61PvsNtE5LL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,630
5,443
Ditto. I feel bad throwing them in recycling immediately, but they are simply too big and poorly designed.

Just gimme one of these with a wrench set and I'm good.

View attachment 158737
I have to get a bunch of the Ernst gear, post was too dear so I have to take a trip to go get it.
I have a couple of twist lock socket rails and they are great, as long as the people you work with know that they are twist lock. I like mix and match socket sets because I use cheap sockets with decent ratchets and extensions.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
My next harbor tool.

I have the park tool one and I never use it. Eyeballing it in the frame FTW (then you flip the wheel over to unfuck it).
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,630
5,443
not blow molded, tolerances on that process are nowhere near what's required for those kinds of cases.
I bought a cordless die grinder a while ago and the blow molded box is the most idiotic contraption I own, it must be three foot long, it can store the tool with a battery on it, four spare batteries, a charger and extra bits of whatever, damn die grinder came with a 6mm collet too! The cordless angle grinder in the same brand came in a sensible size case with a nice styrene insert but only has room for one spare battery, damn thing will kill a 5.2AH battery in under 10 minutes.
I have been trying to find a decent set of 3/4" Metric impact sockets that don't have overly thick walls, comes in a steel case and has the sizes stamped in each socket rather than laser etched.
Genius Sockets look good but I'd have to make a steel case which I'd rather not have to do.
With these sorts of cases you end up double stacking them and they fail even quicker.
1617882891748.png
 
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CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
Any local monkeys interested in a DAG2.2 brand new for cheap? Ordered it about a week before they came out with the new version and only used it once. The packaging is long gone and I did use it so trying to return it would feel morally wrong, even though it is Amazon.

I know @StiHacka doesn't need it, because he just uses a sundial, a bunch of zip ties and a loaf of bread.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,570
24,185
media blackout
I bought a cordless die grinder a while ago and the blow molded box is the most idiotic contraption I own, it must be three foot long, it can store the tool with a battery on it, four spare batteries, a charger and extra bits of whatever, damn die grinder came with a 6mm collet too! The cordless angle grinder in the same brand came in a sensible size case with a nice styrene insert but only has room for one spare battery, damn thing will kill a 5.2AH battery in under 10 minutes.
I have been trying to find a decent set of 3/4" Metric impact sockets that don't have overly thick walls, comes in a steel case and has the sizes stamped in each socket rather than laser etched.
Genius Sockets look good but I'd have to make a steel case which I'd rather not have to do.
With these sorts of cases you end up double stacking them and they fail even quicker.
View attachment 158750
that. is. not. blow. molded. resolution and tolerances on the blow molding process are a joke. you can't make a functional or even quasi-functional case from blow molding.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,570
24,185
media blackout
Any local monkeys interested in a DAG2.2 brand new for cheap? Ordered it about a week before they came out with the new version and only used it once. The packaging is long gone and I did use it so trying to return it would feel morally wrong, even though it is Amazon.

I know @StiHacka doesn't need it, because he just uses a sundial, a bunch of zip ties and a loaf of bread.
if i hadn't just bought the Abbey version i'd hit you up.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
@HardtailHack the cheap ones are multi piece assemblies of thermoformed plastics. The nicer (higher quality & expensive) ones are injection molded. fun fact: all pelican cases are injection molded.
I have tons of tools that came in cases just like these, I was always under the impression that they were blow molded, hence why the cases are such absolute shit. https://www.plattcases.com/BLOW-MOLDED-CASES-s/5.htm

I do like that Milwaukee is now selling their high end tool kits in injection molded Pack-Out containers. Still don't like storing everything in dedicated containers, but at least the cases are useful for something and not just land-fill fodder.
 

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
I have tons of tools that came in cases just like these, I was always under the impression that they were blow molded, hence why the cases are such absolute shit. https://www.plattcases.com/BLOW-MOLDED-CASES-s/5.htm

I do like that Milwaukee is now selling their high end tool kits in injection molded Pack-Out containers. Still don't like storing everything in dedicated containers, but at least the cases are useful for something and not just land-fill fodder.
Just because cases are sold as BLOW MOLDED CASES, doesn't mean they're blow molded cases.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,570
24,185
media blackout
I have tons of tools that came in cases just like these, I was always under the impression that they were blow molded, hence why the cases are such absolute shit. https://www.plattcases.com/BLOW-MOLDED-CASES-s/5.htm

I do like that Milwaukee is now selling their high end tool kits in injection molded Pack-Out containers. Still don't like storing everything in dedicated containers, but at least the cases are useful for something and not just land-fill fodder.
wow that's super garbage. like. barely even harbor freight "quality"
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,630
5,443
Don't worry, only the cheapie tool companies, like Snap-On, use them.
You get cases? My battery ratchet was just handed to me. Really wish I'd bought the SP brand ratchet, you can't crack bolts with the Snap-On in tight locations as the battery protrudes from the front, it's such a poorly designed POS.

I don't mind those cheap cases as long as they have a proper hinge and a slider for closing.
 
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canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
You get cases? My battery ratchet was just handed to me. Really wish I'd bought the SP brand ratchet, you can't crack bolts with the Snap-On in tight locations as the battery protrudes from the front, it's such a poorly designed POS.

I don't mind those cheap cases as long as they have a proper hinge and a slider for closing.
Reading this has such parallels with Ave's rants on Fapoff and Milfuckee. :rofl:
 

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
Tools are weird. I've been beating the shit out of and improperly using cheapo tools for over 20 years that are still going strong and I hear tons of stories of top of the line shit failing after a handful of uses, only to have the replacement do the same.

Both mechanics tools and woodworking tools btw
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,016
Sleazattle
Tools are weird. I've been beating the shit out of and improperly using cheapo tools for over 20 years that are still going strong and I hear tons of stories of top of the line shit failing after a handful of uses, only to have the replacement do the same.

Both mechanics tools and woodworking tools btw

I've never had a tool fail because of the case it came in.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
Any local monkeys interested in a DAG2.2 brand new for cheap? Ordered it about a week before they came out with the new version and only used it once. The packaging is long gone and I did use it so trying to return it would feel morally wrong, even though it is Amazon.

I know @StiHacka doesn't need it, because he just uses a sundial, a bunch of zip ties and a loaf of bread.
Guess what - I have one and it fixed plenty of bent hangers on my bikes and on bikes of my friends. What makes the new version so much better?

If you had a nice wood case for it though... :boss:
 

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
Guess what - I have one and it fixed plenty of bent hangers on my bikes and on bikes of my friends. What makes the new version so much better?

If you had a nice wood case for it though... :boss:
- significantly less play in main pivot. The bigger your wheels are, the more this matters.
- gauge rod locks into position and rotates out of the way to clear stays/chain/tires. No o-ring horseshit.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,630
5,443
Imagine people have some dud HDDs around the place, the platters make pretty awesome inspection mirrors that don't shatter when dropped and the finger hole can be really helpful when access is limited.
The magnets inside are strong as hell and hold manuals on toolboxes pretty well.
1618663232742.png

These people make coasters out of them.
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
I love the juxtaposition of some of the most expensive bike tools one can buy housed in one of the cheapest toolboxes one can buy.

NTTAWWT.
I have owned expensive in the past, honestly, unless you are making money wrenching, not worth it.

I don't have hundreds of pounds in each drawer, just the stuff I will use.

Plus, isn't having an expensive wallet with no money in it silly?
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,261
8,767
Crawlorado
I have owned expensive in the past, honestly, unless you are making money wrenching, not worth it.

I don't have hundreds of pounds in each drawer, just the stuff I will use.

Plus, isn't having an expensive wallet with no money in it silly?
I was being serious, there really isn't anything wrong with that. I'd rather spend money on nice tools too.

I say this as a guy who has a Craftsman toolbox with a healthy collection of Snap-On tools inside.