Tool Talk

Flat Thunder Channel · Jun 13, 2020

Hard to tell with these old tools. It looks interesting. I bet the red paint makes it easier to locate. I just thought about carpet tack strip removal? The short barrel head of the pliers makes it great for pulling nails without damaging the surface beneath. I use a larger pair with the same head on nails in material I do not want to damage. Thought tack strips because they use small staples / nails.

John C. · Jun 14, 2020

I've seen the small pair of nippers used by people working on stained glass or tile. The tool looks like something found in a bargain bin by the door of a hardware store back in the sixties.

Welder Dave · Jun 14, 2020

Those might be for Oetiker ear clamps.

https://www.grainger.com/product/OETIKER-Forged-steel-Standard-Jaw-4E607?

dozr · Jun 16, 2020

my most important too is hand wrench extension i forget who makes it was a gift from friend wont slip like two wrenches and will fit box or open end

JBrady · Jun 24, 2020

I use this specialty tool for pretty much everything.

For real, the Harbor Freight car trim and fastener removers was a game changer for working on car interiors. For bigger equipment, my 20v DeWalt 1/2" impact has been wonderful, I don't think I have used my Snap-On 1/2 air impact since I got the DeWalt.

Flat Thunder Channel · Jun 24, 2020

Everyone needs a 'BFH'..... When all else fails break out the big effing hammer.

What do the interior trim tools look like and how have you used them? I have seen plastic looking pry bar kits before, but never purchased a set. Interior pieces are always a challenge for me. I almost always break something on the first attempt at disassembling an unfamiliar model.

JBrady · Jun 25, 2020

@Flat Thunder Channel - those are the ones. Like a lot of things there, one piece is invaluable and never use the other ones in the set. I picked up the plastic pry bars and the set that looks like screwdrivers with different size forks on the end. I too, always seem to break some plastic clip anytime I have to remove car panels. The metal screwdrivers with forks are good for the type of fastener that you have to pop a head out first and they pry the rest out. They are commonly used on GM fenders. I have to take the inner fender off my dually to change the fuel filter and same thing for the wife's suburban to change headlight bulbs.

Flat Thunder Channel · Jun 25, 2020

@JBrady Thanks! I have to disassemble the dash on my 2006 F250. The lights behind the temperature gages went out on the cluster. Anyone have experience with this? Old cluster's used to have replaceable bulbs, but I'm not for sure about this vintage. Definitely will be purchasing a set of the tools for task. Hope to complete the job without breaking too many plastic pieces.

petepilot · Jun 25, 2020

similar tool also used by shoemakers and farriers years ago

Flat Thunder Channel · Jul 1, 2020

I posted this in another thread on skidsteer attachments, but thought it was a viable part of our tool talk. I purchased an electric jackhammer last week. It is a chinese unit :/ and was priced accordingly. I needed a tool to demolish an old section of concrete foundation out back. The old foundation is right in the way of my new driveway addition. Previously I tried sawing it, hammering it, digging it, and pushing on it with the loader to no avail. This stuff is serious concrete! My neighbor called it, 'real man's concrete' and I have to agree with him. During the demolition I discovered it contained heavy rebar horizontal and vertical throughout its structure. Some areas contained two horizontal runs of 1/2" rebar. I wish I purchased an electric jackhammer similar to this years ago! It makes breaking concrete and rocks an easy task. It is still time consuming, but I was able to make much more progress than any of my previous methods. If you need to break up some concrete check out this video review first! It will show you what to expect when using a jackhammer. Cheers,

DIYDAVE · Jul 1, 2020

I already know what to expect.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474355773249964665/

AND:

rmllarue91 · Jul 1, 2020

Truck Shop said:
My favorite tool I made-neutral lock for Eaton transmissions. Keeps the sliding clutches in neutral when standing transmission to vertical position, for ease of installing rear section and setting pre-load
on counter shafts in rear section.

View attachment 217026

That didn't spend part of it's it's as a shopping cart did it ?

mitch504 · Jul 1, 2020

When I was young and dumb, I used to be the only person I knew who liked running a jackhammer. If you like an electric one, wait til you grab a real one.

Flat Thunder Channel · Jul 2, 2020

I wish I had access to a commercial grade unit. My tight budget really limited my options. I was entertaining used models, but do not own a compressor large enough to run a pneumatic version. I enjoyed breaking large chunks of the foundation off and it was fun when I started making good progress!

If I knew my bobcat would run a hammer without any issues I would have spent the rental fee. The time savings alone would have been worth it. However my unit is a fixer upper and it might have required fixing up before a HB980 would work correctly.

'Moral of the story. It ain't easy being cheap, but you might learn something along the way. If you approach it with the right mindset even the hard things in life can be fun. Or something like that'

kshansen · Jul 2, 2020

Might just be a local thing but as I recall my dad always said a Jackhammer was the tool with the drill bit for driving holes in stone or concrete and the tool with the non-rotating point or chisel was a pavement breaker or just plain breaker.

All I know is the main place I used the breaker tool was back in 1968 when I helped another guy "dig" the footers for the surge pile conveyor they were putting up at the quarry. These footers were into the solid bedrock of limestone. Engineers laid out the spots with spry pain and another guy came through with a track drill and drilled a bunch of hole then us "kids" had the job of cleaning the rest of the stone out. As I recall the footers were something like 4 feet by 2 feet and maybe 18 inches deep. Guess when building on solid rock you don't have to worry about getting below the frost line. 52 years latter and the conveyor is still standing!

Flat Thunder Channel · Jul 2, 2020

I always refer to the rotary tool, with hammering action, as a 'hammer drill'. Fun fact that I didn't learn until about 7 years ago, do not push hard on hammer drills. Let the weight of the tool land it's action progress the tool into the concrete. Lots of people mistakenly push too hard and damage the tool. Happy Independence Day everyone!

kshansen · Jul 2, 2020

Flat Thunder Channel said:
I always refer to the rotary tool, with hammering action, as a 'hammer drill'.

Well dad spent sometime working for a contractor back in the late 1940's and early 1950's that did a lot of work for the city digging up streets to repair or replace utilities so maybe that is where the name pavement breaker came from, tearing up the city pavement!

Flat Thunder Channel · Jul 8, 2020

If you still utilize or have old Halogen work lamps try out some LED replacement bulbs. My neighbor gave me a few LED replacement bulbs to test out and they are awesome. They burn cooler and are more forgiving than a standard Halogen bulb. So far I have tipped the tripod light over multiple times and the LED bulbs are still going strong. Every time I do that with a regular halogen it is typically dead on impact. In this weeks video I perform a side by side comparison of LED vs Halogen bulbs in my Regent double lamp work light. If you get bored check it out. I think I might be done with halogen bulbs.

Flat Thunder Channel · Jul 27, 2020

I used my universal ladder tonight and I have to say I am grateful to have one. My Dad gave me this ladder as gift. I was skeptical at first, but now I'm a believer. The extruded aluminum make it much more be rigid than traditional fiberglass units. It is also very versatile. My particular unit is a Werner brand, but several different companies make similar units. Give one a try sometime. Thanks Dad!

DMiller · Jul 28, 2020

I too am swapping to the LED counterparts, expensive little buggers where most seem to last indefinitely save the inevitable ones to out and out fail early. As to the Gorilla series ladders yes they are Some handy but talk of a heavy bustard to manipulate in off conditions or awkward situations, do have options pieces for uneven terrain and to expand for scaffold type use. Believe it or not they are making a 17' unit now and that bugger needs TWO full grown men to maneuver.

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