Tools collection

[got snake?]

Ok guys need some help here,

Got the books I need on engines. Now its time to pick out the tools I need. I have a lot of old screwdrivers that need to be replaced and a socket set that needs replacing also. I figured I would go with all Craftsman Tools since I live so close to sears. What should be in my tool box when my cobra gets hear. Lets just start with the basics first. I will be getting a Turn Key car. Any input would be helpful!

GS

[TheRobb]

Here is what I recommend.
Craftsman are ok.. but if you can afford a CSX, you can afford a little bit better for alot better tools.
Buy SK socket sets.
Purchase 1/4 inch set, 3/8 inch set, and 1/2 inch set.
They come in green blow molded cases, the two smaller sets are under 100 bucks, the 1/2 inch set is 150ish.
You want these because they each come with both metric and standard sizes, as well as deep well, and extensions and ratchets, all in a convenient storage case.
Craftsman do not have these, and the secret to being happy with a socket set, is a good storage case and organizer.
(those sets are sold by companies on Ebay, do a search)

Now your wrenches, you can buy at sears. Get long pattern handle "Craftsman Pro" sets. They are full polished chrome, bout as good a quality as you will find without going to a tool truck (EXPENSIVE!!!!). Get a metric set, and a standard set.
While there, purchase a set of Craftsman Pro "midget wrenches", aka, short pattern wrenches. GEt both metric and standard, but only but the smaller set. I bought their larger set, that goes up to 1 inch wide. But a 1 inch size wrench only 4 inches long, is worthless. You cant get enough torque to use it for anything, cept the fittings on plastic pipe nuts that connect to faucets and stuff.

While at sears, also buy 2 ball peen hammers. Craftsman hammers are made by Vaughn, they are good deals.
Get an 8 ounce hammer and a 16 ounch.
(btw, the craftsman pro wrenches used to be made by SK, but now I think they source them from another company).

Next you need good screwdrivers.
Goto ebay again, and buy the black handled Wiha set.
(sold by at least one or two tool companies)
5 pieces, bout 35 bucks, made in Germany. You wont find better screwdrivers. And for screwdrivers, you always want the best you can get, or you'll be cussing alot. (once you buy quality screwdrivers, you never go back, its that much of a difference)
Make sure you dont buy the miniature set that this one company sells.. priced about the same, but you want the regular size screwdrivers.

Next you need good pliers.
Bite the bullet on this, buy quality.
Get Channellock. Actually get two sizes of their "slip joint pliers", get 2 pairs of needlenose pliers... one big pair, for heavy duty work, like pulling large cotter pins,and one small precision set, for detailed work. Buy a pair of diagonal cutters (dikes). They make 2 kinds. One has handles a couple inches longer, for increased pressure. Get these. (I use Klein, personally, buy harder to find)
If they have Knipex pliers, get 2 pairs of "Aligator" pliers.
These are slip joint pliers, with a V cut in the jaws. The are excellent for grabbing rounded nuts and bolts, and removing them They way the teeth are cut on these, they dig into the material. Its possible to take a big pair of Aligator pliers, grab a round pipe with the tools, since pushing one direction on that hanle "tightens" the tools, with the unique teeth design on aligators, it digs into the metal so well you can literally STAND on the handle and it wont slip off the pipe! These are made in germany too..

Grab a couple pairs of Vise Grip brand locking pliers. Any other locking plier, is basically crap. Get needlenose, and standard locking pliers They make a 4 piece set, thats about 35 bucks. Its worth the price.

Next buy a set of Bondhous brand ball-end Allen wrenches.
Get both metric and standard. these allen wrenches are made of the strongest steel of any allen wrench manufacturer. The ball end, is invaluable. Price? 12ish dollar for both.

While I think about it, you might need a set of Tox wrenches. Since you rarely use these, and since they dont slip, here you can use the ones that come in the cheap "40 screwdrivers for 20 bucks" set of Craftsman brand. Get one of those sets. The Craftsman brand screwdrivers can be used as "beaters", for their warranty and such... thats what I do. I save my good screwdriver for screws only, the craftsman become small crowbars, chisels, paint lid removers, chemical stirrers, etc.

Also buy a high tension hacksaw (cost more, but worth it), blade assortment for hacksaw, drill bit set (made in america), a digital multimeter (Fluke is industry standard, and they make basic models for about 40 bucks), soldering pencil (for light duty stuff), and transformer driven soldering gun (heavyduty stuff, large wire). Weller is the industry standard for soldering irons and guns, but since these arent used much, cheaper brands like Radio Shack stuff will work.

If you buy those tool, put them in your tool box, then you'll have quality tools with lifetime warranties on all them, that will last the rest of your life. Plus, the only person that will ever say anything negative about THAt assortment of tools, is someone that spent 4 times as much on the basically the same level of quality stuff, from Snap-On. FYI.. that SK 1/4 inch socket set... its about 90 bucks. The Snap-on equivelant is 400 bucks. I gaurantee that while the SK set might be twice the quality of the Craftsman, the Snap-On set is NOT 4 times the tool as the SK.

FWIW, I use tools every day, I buy the best I can get at the price I pay, and I've even done tests will tools where I stressed them until they broke, and then checked the torque to see how strong the steel is.

-Robb

[TheRobb]

Oops... my bad....
I skimmed your post, and your tag line at the end is a quote, I thought it said something like "CSX owner..."
I misread that. (early in the morning) hehe

Eitehr way, my info still holds true.
Total cost of the tools I mentioned is probably about 600 bucks.
You can save about 1/2 that by getting the same stuff, and them being cheap tools, but you wont be happy.

If you want to see what im talking about, goto www.harborfreight.com
(maybe harborfreighttools.com)

Side note: I've bought H-F tools before, drawn by the price.. but quality is so low, I gave every one of them away... They are worthless, in my opinion. I ruined a pair of their LINEMAN PLIERS! (super heavy duty pliers) the first time I used them.

[Mr.Fixit]

Originally posted by TheRobb

While there, purchase a set of Craftsman Pro "midget wrenches", aka, short pattern wrenches. GEt both metric and standard, but only but the smaller set. I bought their larger set, that goes up to 1 inch wide. But a 1 inch size wrench only 4 inches long, is worthless. You cant get enough torque to use it for anything, cept the fittings on plastic pipe nuts that connect to faucets and stuff.


-Robb

Actually, the 1" stubby wrench is one of my more popular wrenches. It is long enough to generate all the torque needed to tighten the fuel inlet fittings on Holley carbs. But I made mine by cutting down a full sized wrench.

I agree with most every other recommendation made above, but if you have a few dollars, buy PB Baumann brand screwdrivers and allen wrenches, they are swiss and great.

[Alex Donghi]

As they say.... you can try and save alittle and the object ends up worthless and you have to start over. or... you can spend alittle more and have an item that works. Which do you think saves the most money and time. Go to the snap on tool truck they will last you a life time

[got snake?]

TheRobb,

Thanks Man! This is exactly what I was looking for! One last question...what about a tool box that can fit all that stuff?


GS

PS if I could afford a CSX I would have a Midstates cobra and an SPF S1!

[TheRobb]

Get either a large multidrawer "portable" chest, or get a combination cabinet/chest set.

You can buy a cheap 100 dollar combo chest and cabinet set from Sears... it will work ok. Its not portable, though.
Cheap tool chests work just fine, if you rarely use teh tools and never move the chest.
When you start moving the chest around, is where you need heavy duty and quality.

There is no secret to tool chests.
What you get is proportional to what you spend.
But general things to remember with chests...
2 kinds of drawers. Friction and bearing.
(this is the surface the slides move across, when opening an closing). bearings are better and stronger, cost alot more.
Also consider how the drawers latch when closed. Cheapest sets, like the 100 dollar Craftsman combo chest/cabinet I have at home, has NO catch on the drawers. They just slide closed.
Step up some money, you get drawers that sorta "lock" into place when closed. Step up even more, and you get drawers that have a handle that disengages the lock, when the handle is lifted. (at this level of quality, you are normally talking about bearing drawer slides, and 500 bucks).

If you want a good quality non-bearing unit... Kennedys are awesome. They are built of heavy gauge steel, and last forever.. probably a best buy for the price. Circa 400 bucks, but they are the step below the pro level stuff like Snap-On, Mac, etc.
They are the industry standard for machinist tool chests. (the other standard, is the handcrafted wood units made in england, but those are for precision minded machinists).

Dont buy tool truck tools. (mac, matco, snapon).
They are good, but its wasted money for a home user.
They are tools for people that bend wrenches 8 hours a day in a garage. Not someone that uses their tools an hour a week at most.
The tools I recommend, will last the rest of your life, probably never break unless you severly abuse them, and are decent deals for the price. Definately "higher cost" for things you find in local stores, but still cheaper then Proto, Williams, Armstrong (industrial tools sold through MSC, Grainger, and McMaster-Carr), which you usually have to mail order.

BTW... Stanley was never too good, quality wise...
but they are coming out with higher and higher quality tools.
Their new lines of "contractor grade" wood working tools, are good quality at decent prices. What I am currently recommending for wood working tools....

[Tongue Pirate]

Buy a small box with a tray for those essentials you would like to have on raod trips. Buy a 5 to 7 drawer box for your workbench. I just hang all my wrenches on the wall on screws. keeps them organized!!!

[got snake?]

Organized...thats my problem!!! I do have to say that my garage has gotten better and better since starting to get it read for the beast...Now all I have to do is order the darn thing!

Thanks guys,

GS

[Trans-Am Jim]

What Robb suggests, and I would also add:
1/2" drive torque wrench. Once again, Craftsman (professional) is good enough quality. Around $200. You can buy a beam type, which I still use on occasion, for around $30. I wouldn't torque a head down with it, though.

[Jack21]

On one hand I'd like to say that all the work you've done on your '72 Nova, and '84 Stang, and you shouldn't need any more tools. Meaning, this is far from your first, and will certainly not be your last hot rod, or ordinary maintenance job.

On the other, if you buy all the stuff above, you'll have a professionally equipped shop, but no money left for the Cobra.

Wait until you get the Cobra, then get the tools you need to put it together.

The one most usefull tool I didn't see mentioned above was a variable speed electric die grinder and some ferrous, and non-ferrous bits for it. I got a DeWalt die grinder from Grainger to replace my worn out Craftsman, and a router speed reducer from a wood shop to drop the spindle speed on the die grinder. On a Cobra, there are a lot of things that need a scosch more clearance, and a die grinder is the only to get it.

Second item is an English, and Metric tap and die set to include NPT pipe taps and dies from 1/8" to 1/2". Virtually all your frame threads will need chasing. Any threads in aluminum will need chasing. Many of your one off brackets will need drilling and tapping.

A good 0-6" vernier caliper with dial indicator, with a fractional to decimal conversion chart.

A good, but inexpensive, like $30 Radio Shack volt ohm meter. Analog scale is fine. Weller soldering gun, and electrical solder. Wire stripper and crimping tool. Diagonal cutters. Couple of bags of 18 - 22 ga, 14 - 16 ga, and 10 - 12 ga bare butt connectors. Wire shrink tubing. A Tower Hobbies Monocote heat gun for shrinking wire shrink tubing. A perscription bottle of wheel bearing grease mixed with WD40 for corrosion proofing soldered connections before installing the shrink tubing. A Q-Tip works fine as an applicator.

[KobraKarl]

yea what they daid........ and a propane torch for when all else fails