93gsxturbo wrote:
Ever use a nice 220V machine?
Yup. It works really nicely for bigger jobs but they both do the same job on anything under a 1/4".
Ever weld anything thicker than 3/16" in a single pass;
Yup... it does a good job on 1/4 plate but that is the single pass limit. I have never needed to weld anything thicker than a 1/4" on a car. If I owned a farm or a trailer mfg company I might have a need for more juice.
Ever MIG aluminum?
Yes. The spool gun hooks right up. Bottle too.
I wasn't knocking the use of a more powerful machine... only the suggestion that a 110v MIG might only be useful for anchoring boats. That is bad advice for guys who primarily work on cars. My small Miller is way better at thin sheet up to an 1/8" than the bigger machine I have access to.
Let me guess, the big machine had heavier gauge wire in it or the wrong gas mix and was set up for production welding. Too bad you had a bad experience. Some production based 220V machines do not have a low enough setting if they are take outs from an industrial setting where they weld 1/2" thick plate. My 220V machine (Lincoln 180C) will go as thin as I need it, but its a modern, hobbyist and light fabrication grade machine.
cordless sawzall. Period.
Most useful tool is a finely tooned well adjusted person.
Good tools are getting hard to find.
Air grease gun
When you have a obsessive compulsive relationship with grease-able chassis points and a 22 yr. old Toyota 4x4 you learn to love it.
Simple home made tool for those times I need to bleed brakes alone. Yes, I have a vac pump but sometimes I want to use the pump method. Wood cut to length to fit between steering wheel and brake pedal while the pedal is depressed. Open bleeder, press pedal, install stick, close bleeder, remove stick, repeat as needed. Also happens to function as a trunk prop rod!
I have a 4x6x10" block of wood that gets used for something every time I work on a car.
Not much use when I drop something made of brass or aluminun but my magnet on a telescoping rod sure is handy.
It doesn't pick up rubber or plastic either.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:
Wurth FLex Driver... tighten hose clamps around a corner!
Ive had a few of the wurth ones, but my favorite one now is the Hazet version as it's flexible part is multi-layer spring wound tight and its a bit more flexible.
i cant imagine working on a german car without one.
Is there any more fundamental tool than the vice-grip?
Wonderful 1/4" extension, because it's a solid steel extension with a handle around it. Not a cheap handle stuck on the end of a short extension.
Mine has an on/off valve. Makes pouring oil into awkward oil fill ports real easy.
A lighted magnetic pickup tool. Remarkably handy since you see the part you are going after.
Lacquer thinner. I can clean anything greasy with it.
ReverendDexter wrote:
I always knew these things existed, but I'm still amazed at how much faster work goes with one. I'm the type of wrench that likes to pause and look at things often, and (outside of swapping wheels) with an impact stuff is almost done *too* quickly for my comfort, hahaha.
Just make sure you use hearing protection. I have a 50% hearing loss in both ears from years of using impact wrenches when I was a tech.
M2Pilot wrote:
Not much use when I drop something made of brass or aluminun but my magnet on a telescoping rod sure is handy.
It doesn't pick up rubber or plastic either.
See my previous post... the 4 finger claw is your Huckleberry.
Plastic pliers for pulling plug wires while the engines running. also those 3 claw oil filter wrenches that fit on a wrench or ratchet( sorry. no image. I'm kinda computer challenged.)
wheelsmithy wrote:
Plastic pliers for pulling plug wires while the engines running. also those 3 claw oil filter wrenches that fit on a wrench or ratchet( sorry. no image. I'm kinda computer challenged.)
Can you still get that pleasant zap when you use pliers? I find it tends to clear my head. 
You have hit a lot of my favorites...a pile of lumber pieces for spacers, levers,
hammer cushions....vice grips, gear wrenches and such.
I have upgraded my long stick/prop rod to a nice piece of bamboo.
I have even given a few to friends as gifts.
Since a lot of my car work is one day projects, I would die without my magnetic pans for screws and such.
Latest favorite is the proofing pans.
3 ft. by 2 ft. pans that work as catch alls for fluids, runaway tools and can aid in sliding under the car on various surfaces.
They also work as mobile work surfaces when placed on a stack of tires, in the trunk, sliding around on the ground near the car or even on the workbench for that messy many small pieces project.
