2021: .. Tool reviews & suggestions

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Harbor Freight reciprocating saw... this has (had) a rotating saw head on it.  The yellow release button on it, broke.

So...  I disassembled the side of the saw... about 8 screws.  JB Weld epoxy was mixed up and applied in a few areas. The side was replaced. JB allowed to dry.  A working saw again.

The HF reciprocating saw hit the trash can..  

I used it more.  Noticed the blade was really wondering side to side... which these saws can do.  I checked the shaft that holds the blade.  The housing was slap worn out. the shaft had a great deal of side to side movement..

The Mikita saw  I got rid of was tighter in the shaft area. But;  The 30+ yr old  Mikita was falling apart.  I had worm screw type clamps holding the Mik together.

[Arnold]

3' long aluminum pipe wrench. Saw this mighty piece attached to a display at a local parts store. Parts guy says "caught you looking at it..we'll take it off and give you a price and then you WILL buy it" He then took it off and I did not buy it..(he did not give me a price) Next time I was in he just told me a price too cheap not to buy it. Guess I got "sold" this. Just something I never needed or wanted.
 I have used it many  times. I do not know how I worked a lifetime without one of these.
 The ergonomics are really unbelievable! Looking at..ya NO!! Then you pick it up/feel it..WOW! You just cannot believe it is NOT STEEL FILTHY IMPOSSIBLE HEAVY! Yes..indeed you can actually move it to where you want/need it.
 Just un-real power and strength..capable of loosening,bending,twisting,breaking..pretty much anything. IF it was steel it would be useless. You could not get it into position..or hold it there..or even use it.
 Only says "aluminum" on it. No idea of who made it..or even where? probably not here. I don't even care.

 Great Tool!

[Beck]

3' long aluminum pipe wrench. Saw this mighty piece attached to a display at a local parts store. Parts guy says "caught you looking at it..we'll take it off and give you a price and then you WILL buy it" He then took it off and I did not buy it..(he did not give me a price) Next time I was in he just told me a price too cheap not to buy it. Guess I got "sold" this. Just something I never needed or wanted.
 I have used it many  times. I do not know how I worked a lifetime without one of these.
 The ergonomics are really unbelievable! Looking at..ya NO!! Then you pick it up/feel it..WOW! You just cannot believe it is NOT STEEL FILTHY IMPOSSIBLE HEAVY! Yes..indeed you can actually move it to where you want/need it.
 Just un-real power and strength..capable of loosening,bending,twisting,breaking..pretty much anything. IF it was steel it would be useless. You could not get it into position..or hold it there..or even use it.
 Only says "aluminum" on it. No idea of who made it..or even where? probably not here. I don't even care.

 Great Tool!

Before I retired, we had several of these at work anywhere from 1' up to 4'. Ours were stupid expensive, but they said more than aluminum on the side. Every mechanic had the smaller ones in their boxes.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I have used a couple large aluminum pipe wrenches.....  never owned one. The lighter weight is nice.

[enjenjo]

update on my Vulcan welder. So far it has done everything I asked of it. I have used it for Stick and MIG, but still have not used it for TIG. It is easy to adjust to what you need.  At this point I can recommend it. Longevity is yet to be seen.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

update on my Vulcan welder. So far it has done everything I asked of it. I have used it for Stick and MIG, but still have not used it for TIG. It is easy to adjust to what you need.  At this point I can recommend it. Longevity is yet to be seen.

That was the Vulcan 220 machine from H F ?   I have watched some videos on that machine... people seem happy with it.

[chimp koose]

Vulcan would seem the LOGICAL choice eh!

[enjenjo]

update on my Vulcan welder. So far it has done everything I asked of it. I have used it for Stick and MIG, but still have not used it for TIG. It is easy to adjust to what you need.  At this point I can recommend it. Longevity is yet to be seen.

That was the Vulcan 220 machine from H F ?   I have watched some videos on that machine... people seem happy with it.

Yes it is.  The only thing I am concerned with is the duty cycle, but that will only come into play if I am doing a big heavy project like a trailer, or a heavy frame.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

update on my Vulcan welder. So far it has done everything I asked of it. I have used it for Stick and MIG, but still have not used it for TIG. It is easy to adjust to what you need.  At this point I can recommend it. Longevity is yet to be seen.

That was the Vulcan 220 machine from H F ?   I have watched some videos on that machine... people seem happy with it.

Yes it is.  The only thing I am concerned with is the duty cycle, but that will only come into play if I am doing a big heavy project like a trailer, or a heavy frame.

Agree....  Some of the videos I watched. The use of 220 volt was necessary for proper duty cycle. Non of these guys had the machine shut down , over heat... the Vulcan machine just kept going.  My Miller 210 welder has never let me down... it is pre inverter design.

My plasma cutter machine came wired for 20 amp 110v on a heavy duty cable. It would self adjust if I put 220v to it , but I did not have an adapter with the machine. After a few years of 110v use. I cut the cable end off.  Installed a 220v plug.  Wow , what a difference in the machine.

[idrivejunk]

Kinda hokey tool hint here but as you know I do lots of sheetmetal work. Finding easy to use gloves that last has been a nagging problem.

I have always bought large, since thats what size mechanic glove fits. But among cheap plain cowhide, or other types of work gloves, the thread burns away long before the glove material. Pesky grinding sparks.

Last time I went to get some, I noticed that on the medium size full grain HF work gloves ($6.99), the stitching is not exposed. It is on the larges. I was concerned that the bum hand might hurt squeezing into a medium but that was not the case.

So this solved a frequent issue for me, just switching to medium size. Who'd a thunk it? :?  They last and last. It has taken a couple months for me to put a couple cuts in a pair but no burn damage at all. Ripped the thumb tip of one the other day (doing screws, which speaks well to dexterity while wearing) and ended up catching a tiny slag ball under a thumbnail briefly later on. But I thought to myself that wow these have lasted awhile!

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I must admit at this point:  My Husky folding flashlite from Home Depot has gone missing like a 10mm socket.  I can not find it around here.

My thinking is:  Since it has a magnetic base.  I left the flashlite stuck on the bottom of my truck and then I drove off the next day and never knew the flashlite had been left under the truck.

[58 Yeoman]

I know what you mean. When I park my trailer in the yard, I padlock the hitch. A number of times, when I unlocked the padlock, I'd put it on the truck bumper and forget it. I'd drive off and loose the lock somewhere on the road.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

One week ago:  I bought another Husky brand LED light from Home Depot..  I have not found the lost light yet.  LOL

[enjenjo]

Craftsman Tools. I see them everywhere now. I went into Menards, and they are dropping Gearwrench, and replacing them with Craftsman. And the local NAPA store is now carrying Craftsman tools in addition to their Carlyle brand.

In other news Ingersoll Rand has come out with a premium grade line of hand tools.

All these tools are made in Asia.

I also see that Snap On is down nearly 2,000 dealers, and can't find new ones fast enough.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

The last 3 or 4 Snap On dealers at our shop have all complained on the same thing:  They had to accept the truck debt from the former dealer. A couple of friends of mine have told me that is not true.  You can refuse the debt of the former dealer on that route.

Our current dealer tried to deny a replacement claim on some channel lock type pliers 2 weeks ago.  Claiming the guy may have gripped something "too hard" causing the retaining nut to pull off the threads making the pliers very loose and unusable.