2021: .. Tool reviews & suggestions

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Thought I would post up some tool reviews.  Budget tools is this one.

Bought the can of spray Graphite.  I knew this was likely messy liquid.  it is very messy.  Product will be on your hands, floor, most places if you are not careful.  Comes with common red spray tube.  LIGHT spray this stuff, it is runny

Works well, but plan ahead when you spray it.  The cleaner : 409 spray,  works well to clean the  Graphite  over spray up. in most cases.

Harbor Freight LED flashlite.  Works as advertised.  I've owned this about 3 months.  A bit bulky, but it works well. Magnetic base is more handy than I thought of till I used it.  Holds the lite in place well.

Can not plug charger in and still use the lite while plugged in.  I guess this is common on many LED battery operated lites for under hood use, etc

[enjenjo]

I like this LED work light http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-902011 It has a hook on each end for hanging it, plus a magnetic mount in the middle that can be adjusted and locked in place. It takes about an hour to charge, and lasts about 6 hours.

[UGLY OLDS]

These little devils come up from time to time with a "free" coupon from Harbor Fright ...
Handy little things for under dash work etc .. Hook & magnet to hold in place ...VERY bright & priced right ....

Bob...

[Arnold]

I bought some glasses with little headlights..thought they were a joke.. I literally saw them at the grocery store checkout..the clerk said they were great..$5 or something and if I didn't like them bring them back.
Come in different strengths. Pretty impressive.
I also bought a fairly bright headlamp/strap thingy..another great tool.
Also on the list was a 1000 lumen Home Depot 3 d cell..it has such a bright focused white light that that is what I use almost all the time..trying to balance it/aim it..drop it..it is so bright I cannot even imagine using a 120 trouble lite again. Quickly becoming a dirty beat up flashlight

 About that graphite..Ford used to have some penetrating oil that had naptha and I dunno what else..stunk..worked pretty good..got on everything and I do mean everything and was hard to get off..awful greasy slimy stuff

[chimp koose]

Those led lights are a bit safer too . I once was helping a friend fix a car . He was working underneath with an old trouble light with the cage missing . All of a sudden I see his legs thrashing and I hear a sizzle . the light fell on his forehead and he had his arms stretched out under the car . By the time the light rolled off he had a big round burn in the middle of his forehead . Being the friend that I am , I tried not to laugh , and I didn't call him Cyclops until the next day.

[UGLY OLDS]

The LED lights are LOTS safer ...My best friend lost his garage & 65% of his home due to gasoline dripping on an incandescent  bulb in a drop light  ....
I remember the 65% part well .. If the fire had traveled another 15' , they would not of let him rebuild ... :cry:

Bob...

[Crosley.In.AZ]

The Graphite spray can  says

Dry on it... it aint dry as you spray it.


OK ... This Kobalt brand air drill, from Lowes.  I bought this about 2 yrs ago as a back up drill for work.  My Sears Professional air drill broke for the last time.  I had no more extra part drills to repair it.  So I put the Kobalt drill to work full time.

This drill is weak.  The trigger is basically an On - Off button at 90 psi or higher. No speed control till you turn the PSI down to about 70 psi input.  Then the drill has Zero power to drill.

Most of the guys at work have gone to battery power hand tools. cept for us 2 old guys.  I look at the price of replacement Lith-Ion batterys and pass on the tool purchase.

May need to give the battery stuff another look.

[kb426]

Tony, I have a Dewalt lithium battery drill that is small unlike the high voltage units. It has an led light for dark areas and blind old guys. I don't use it for anything larger than 1/4" unless it's sheet metal. Mine is old enough that it is 12 volt. The newer ones are more powerful. I use it 98% of the time. I have no regrets on purchase.
I don't use cordless lights often. I've about had it with cords in the way, though. My trouble light has a cfl in it instead of an incandescent bulb in it. It doesn't get hot and doesn't shatter if a little bit of fluid gets on it. If I get to where I know I'll be in the shop everyday, the rechargeables will make a lot more sense. I'm always looking to the future for better tools not just new tools.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Tony, I have a Dewalt lithium battery drill that is small unlike the high voltage units. It has an led light for dark areas and blind old guys. I don't use it for anything larger than 1/4" unless it's sheet metal. Mine is old enough that it is 12 volt. The newer ones are more powerful. I use it 98% of the time. I have no regrets on purchase.
I don't use cordless lights often. I've about had it with cords in the way, though. My trouble light has a cfl in it instead of an incandescent bulb in it. It doesn't get hot and doesn't shatter if a little bit of fluid gets on it. If I get to where I know I'll be in the shop everyday, the rechargeables will make a lot more sense. I'm always looking to the future for better tools not just new tools.

I hear what you are saying.  For S & G's I talked to the Snap On dealer on some battery drills, couple weeks ago.  they offer some smaller ones. 7 volt or maybe 9 volt?  The price I heard,  I nearly crapped my pants.


Yes, agree.  Cords drive me nutz.  I use CFL bulbs in most of my trouble  lights

[idrivejunk]

My toolbox looks more like a scissor drawer but I want to play.

Here is an item I purchased not so recently from HF, that I am amazed by:



That is the most ferocious air ratchet I have ever used and I have done so for several years.


Also- bought one of these six years ago for a twenty at HF and they still sell them...



It just won't die. I had to unscrew the oddball self-tapping inlet fitting and overnight JB Weld a cheater valve with quick connect nipple into the body, and I just yanked the vac assist hose. And its LOUD! But man it has seen 5-6 times the usage of any other DA I've used and continues to serve as my only DA today.

Another remarkably long-lasting item from HF... tool trucks are off limits for me-



The set I bought was four piece with a larger one as well, but man these things have also performed admirably for many years. But their nitrided 1/8" bits will only cause you pain. So I do buy those from Snap-On, in a ten pack of double enders for around $30.

To wrap up my dated crap post... these are all a guy ever needs for cutting most spot welds. An oldie but a goody-

[enjenjo]

Tony, here is what I use  Dewalt 18V Cordless 1/4 in. Impact Driver DC825BR
I use a 1/4 or 3/8 socket adapter for sockets. and hex shank drill bits to drill holes

Some where I came up with a carbide blade for my spot weld cutter. It works like magic.

[Arnold]

Those led lights are a bit safer too . I once was helping a friend fix a car . He was working underneath with an old trouble light with the cage missing . All of a sudden I see his legs thrashing and I hear a sizzle . the light fell on his forehead and he had his arms stretched out under the car . By the time the light rolled off he had a big round burn in the middle of his forehead . Being the friend that I am , I tried not to laugh , and I didn't call him Cyclops until the next day.

  Buy the cheap 120 v trouble lites..stuff a too high watt bulb into them..
use them JUST UNTIL the rubber insulating just under the cage gets so hot it starts to melt..and you feel a little tingle of current..
  Do not let it melt too much or it can be real hard to get the bulbs out

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Here is clamp lite I bought at local Lowes. This thing hangs on tight where I clamp it.

Cost 12 buck$ .  Actually, I have 2 of these now.  Great for basic task light in the area you are working on

I have a CFL bulb in it. 830 lumens , 5000k bulb.  5000k lite is a whiter lite output than the more yellow bulbs.  My old eyes like the whiter lite.

it appears that "lumens" is the modern rating  used  for light bulbs output..

I use the CFL bulbs inside the house too in several rooms.  LED bulbs for house lighting stuff is still too high priced for my thrifty ***

[river1]

Tony, here is what I use  Dewalt 18V Cordless 1/4 in. Impact Driver DC825BR
I use a 1/4 or 3/8 socket adapter for sockets. and hex shank drill bits to drill holes.

i also have that dewalt impact, picked it up a couple of months ago as a "bare" tool.i use it similarly to frank and i have been very impressed with it's performace.

i started my trip down cordless lane with the makita 9.6 drill years ago. loved that tool and used it often. even tho i loved it i started lusting after the 4 piece dewalt setup that costco had, just couldn't justify it because the makita was still working good. fast forward a few years and i go looking for the makita and couldn't find it  :(D) i pulled out my corded drill and completed the task. i did the samething every time i need the drill for the next 6-8 months. one day as i was crossing the street from my neighbors house something caught my eye on the roof, yup my makita :oops:  i pulled it down and the chuck was rusted shut   :cry:  with a bit in it. the next day i went to costco and picked up the dewalt 4 piece set  i have used and abused it since and they haven't failed me yet.

the original batteries HAVE died. tho awhile back i had picked up a couple of extras for cheap from a deal of the day site. a couple of weeks later the same site had a chargers for 10 bucks so i picked up 2. i also picked up another drill driver on a black friday deal a couple of years ago. it came with two batteries and a charger.

so now i have 4 batteries, four chargers, the 1/4 impact, 2 drill/drivers, a circular saw and a saws-all. all get fairly often used and abused. i keep three batteries on chargers all the time with one on the tool i last used. each battery "belongs" it's own charger and i rotate battery usage

later jim

[50 F1]

"something caught my eye on roof"
Jim are we getting old and forgetful! LOL