spitfirebill said:For years now it is one of those orange handled screw drivers with 2 double ended tips that they used to sell at the checkouts for less than $3. I love it so much I went online to find them to buy one for each of my vehicles. They no longer exist in the same form.
6-in-1 Screwdrivers? They're everywhere. I love them too.
John Welsh said:spitfirebill said:For years now it is one of those orange handled screw drivers with 2 double ended tips that they used to sell at the checkouts for less than $3. I love it so much I went online to find them to buy one for each of my vehicles. They no longer exist in the same form.
6-in-1 Screwdrivers? They're everywhere. I love them too.
Yeah autozone still sells them cheap at the counter
Cordless ratchets and impact guns.
I never bothered with air tools much, yeah, they're faster but dragging that air line around and banging it into things just doesn't fly in restoration work.
Cordless tools that actually have power were a total game changer.
Those and flex-head gear wrenches.
My 18 volt impact and 1/4 inch impacts get a lot of use.
Nothing compares to the headlamps, though.
I have a Ronin brand surgeon's headlamp. It was $2500 for a used demo model, so you can imagine the quality. Real game changer for dentistry, abdominal surgery, etc. I couldn't imagine practicing without it now.
A rechargeable LED one for everything else. I use it every night. I put it on routinely when I take out the garbage and take a look around the property.
The one thing that would make 6-in-1 screwdrivers better for me would be if the nut driver function was 10mm and 8mm
John Welsh said:spitfirebill said:For years now it is one of those orange handled screw drivers with 2 double ended tips that they used to sell at the checkouts for less than $3. I love it so much I went online to find them to buy one for each of my vehicles. They no longer exist in the same form.
6-in-1 Screwdrivers? They're everywhere. I love them too.
I didn't buy one of these for a long time because I've always been a "multi-tool" hater. I grabbed one because I needed to do a quick dump pump job and didn't have tools on site so I grabbed one for 99 cents. Then the next time I was at the store I bought like 5 more for the cars and each tool box. I used the hell out of them but broke the big flat blade on all of them, so I bought the $12 channellock version. They are hard to find good ones because the big brands all want to sell 11 in 1 units. I dont want that, too much fiddling to get the right bit. 6 in 1 is perfect for wiring receptacles.
This thread cost me money. Just ordered a set of Carlyle mid depth metric sockets. I'll have to check out those 6 in 1 screwdrivers next time I hit up the parts store, or make an Amazon order.
My shop press, I forget what job I originally bought it for but at least once a year I end up using it on a project of some sort. It's one of those tools where it takes 5 minutes for me to get something set-up and all the work is done in a minute after that but if I tried to do it by hand I would have spent an hour on it. My air hammer is quickly going the same way. 30 minutes of wailing on something or 1 minute to drag out a hose and 15 seconds of pulling a trigger.
The cheap set of orange picks from HF have come in handy more times than I ever thought they would. I now have a set in every tool box.
I don't remember how or why I got them, but they are my go-to unless I need something really big or really small or going to hit it with an impact anyway.
https://toolguyd.com/craftsman-max-axess-mechanics-tool-set-with-pass-thru-ratchet-and-sockets/
Between that and a magnet on a stick (that I always lose so I keep three handy) I can do 90% of what I want to.
Thread chasers: Bought a set to clean the silicone and dirt out of a previous owner's bodgy oil pan job, and I've used them way more than I ever thought I would. Cleaning up old, dirty nut and bolt threads makes them so much nicer to work with. As an added bonus, you can also be a lot more confident that they are torqued properly when they are free of dirt and grime.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DTEFSWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Honorable mention: A nice three-jaw puller. Not cheap, but it sure beats running to the FLAPS to borrow their floppy piece of crap all the time. And so much easier to work with, too.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TO9YCO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Totally agree with GearWrench, bought my first set 10 - 15 years ago and use them more than anything else.
Also agree with the 5 in 1 painter's friend.
I would also add that you must have one of these if you paint with brushes:
Mine has a comb on each side and has kept my brushes looking great.
Not sure if this is a tool, but I have them on whenever I am doing yardwork because of the noise from the mowers/trimmers. Also excellent in the garage whewn sawing/grinding, and they keep your ears warm. Best of all, the battery lasts forever and I can have tunes even when loud things are happening.
I have those same 3M headphones, I wear them doing yard work, and they are excellent. They take a beating, too.
As for me, I never knew how many uses there were for a pressure washer until I bought one.
I get way more use out of my Kobalt Extreme Access pass-through socket set than I thought I would:
These are great for shallow access and the occasional nut that is on the bottom of a really long bolt, like the ones that were on my old Mazda 3's valve covers. They work well as a regular socket set to boot.
My Leatherman.
I feel nekkid without it on my hip. My Cayman's driver seat is showing wear/use on the seat from it.
In reply to oldeskewltoy :
Whuzzat?
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to oldeskewltoy :
Whuzzat?
Looks like an extender-picker-upper thingy.
It's for removing valve guide seals.
Saw one last week and they look handy.
In reply to John Welsh :
Yes sir they are, but the orange handled ones made by Buck are the bestest. It stands out like a beacon.
Boy that didn't go well. Also, I just realized they are not 6 in 1, only 4 in 1.
mad_machine (Forum Supporter) said:My digetal Caliper. I bought it for one particular job, but I find it way too useful to stick it on a shelf and forget about it.
This. I use mine so much that it's generally on my desk inside the house. I measure all the things now. I even use it with my second most unexpectedly useful tool, my press. 
spitfirebill said:
I just realized they are not 6 in 1, only 4 in 1.
I love these but I'm an idiot. There are 4 bits - what makes it 6x1?
ShawnG said:It's for removing valve guide seals.
Saw one last week and they look handy.
yep... use to have seal pliers.... this is sooo much easier... especially when it comes to bucket type valve train where the seals are deep in the head.
Datsun310Guy said:spitfirebill said:
I just realized they are not 6 in 1, only 4 in 1.
I love these but I'm an idiot. There are 4 bits - what makes it 6x1?
The sockets the screw driver bits lock in are two different sizes of nut drivers.
Not sure if it is considered a tool, but my answer is: Quick Jack!
No, it's not a "real" lift, but seen as a replacement for a normal jack and jack stands, it is absolutely awesome. Getting the car lifted and secure to work under is literally a 3min job. It lifts high enough for a gearbox change and I can lift/lower the car as I wish - very convenient when removing an engine, Corner Weight and alignment and such. Very happy I bought it. Can't imagine being without it now.
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