crane operator
Senior Member
Okay- we were broken into the day after thanksgiving, and they took most of the tools out of my shop building. I ended up getting 95% of it back after chasing them down, but that's not what this is about.
What this is about-- I was faced with a Monday morning, with most of the tools gone, and trying to go back to work.
We managed to scrounge up a couple sets of sockets (1/4",3/8",1/2"drive), ratchets and combination wrenches, and a couple hammers (big and bigger, the only two sizes of hammers), that were still left.
They also didn't take my floor jacks, battery charger, or air compressor, or the 3/4" drive socket set, which I also view as pretty important.
I went and purchased the following on Monday: 1/2" drill and drill bit set, 4 1/2" grinder and cut off wheels, roll pin punch set. Screwdriver set, file set, inspection mirror, punch and chisel set. Metric and Standard allen (hex) wrenches, 8" flat steel ruler and stainless caliper. 12v/24v/ AC/DC tester with leads.
But the two things that were also stolen, that I knew were on my repurchase before anything else, were these two tools:
My big Lincoln mig welder, and my torch. A lot of tools I have, are convienence, not necessities. The torch and the welder can't be replaced by something else, and I can't work on my equipment without them. I don't need a chop saw if I have the torch. Torch loosens and separates many stubborn items. Welder sticks them back together
I think I'd buy a torch and welder before I would have replaced my big air compressor. I could always fire up a crane or truck for some air for a tire, and I don't have to have a air impact if I've got a ratchet.
What's in your shop, that if it disappeared, would be repurchased without a doubt in the next 24 hours?
What this is about-- I was faced with a Monday morning, with most of the tools gone, and trying to go back to work.
We managed to scrounge up a couple sets of sockets (1/4",3/8",1/2"drive), ratchets and combination wrenches, and a couple hammers (big and bigger, the only two sizes of hammers), that were still left.
They also didn't take my floor jacks, battery charger, or air compressor, or the 3/4" drive socket set, which I also view as pretty important.
I went and purchased the following on Monday: 1/2" drill and drill bit set, 4 1/2" grinder and cut off wheels, roll pin punch set. Screwdriver set, file set, inspection mirror, punch and chisel set. Metric and Standard allen (hex) wrenches, 8" flat steel ruler and stainless caliper. 12v/24v/ AC/DC tester with leads.
But the two things that were also stolen, that I knew were on my repurchase before anything else, were these two tools:
My big Lincoln mig welder, and my torch. A lot of tools I have, are convienence, not necessities. The torch and the welder can't be replaced by something else, and I can't work on my equipment without them. I don't need a chop saw if I have the torch. Torch loosens and separates many stubborn items. Welder sticks them back together
I think I'd buy a torch and welder before I would have replaced my big air compressor. I could always fire up a crane or truck for some air for a tire, and I don't have to have a air impact if I've got a ratchet.
What's in your shop, that if it disappeared, would be repurchased without a doubt in the next 24 hours?