Date:         Fri, 03 Feb 95 11:42:53 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: Craftsperson Tools

On Fri, 3 Feb 95 10:35:20 CST James Brill said:
>I was thinking I might go buy some tools soon and wanted some advice.

ha. :) firstly, when thinking about buying Sears CraftsMAN tools, ALWAYS
check the sunday papers first ... sears puts a lot of 'sets' on sale,
especially around men-type holidays (father's day, washington's birthday,
davy crockett festival of the appalachicans, etc.) ... and you might find
a set more suited to your needs for a bit less, or with a 'thrown-in' toolbox.

>have, at Sears, this huge metric set for something around $100.  Just
>sockets and ratchets if I remember.  It has 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2"
>ratchets.  This seems like a better deal than the mongo huge sets with
>metric and american sizes.  Yes?  Also, what should I have in the way

go to the Sears store and get one of their Hand and Power tool catalogs ...
check for a mini-mongo set, with screwdrivers AND ratchets and sockets and
etc. my own personal opinion is that you should start off with 3/8" set of
sockets (metric, of course) from 9mm to 19mm, box-end wrenches, open-end
wrenches, and a 1/4" drive set (metric also). you don't need any SAE sizes
to start, and you don't really need any 1/2" drive stuff to start. you can
pick this up as you need it. about all i ever use my 1/2" stuff for is the
lug nuts and big stuff like that. all else is 3/8".

>will need a torque wrench.  Assuming they come in sizes, what size
>drive do I want for this?  TIA, Jim

this depends on how much torque you want to measure. the 3/8" sizes go up
to about 80 (?) lb-ft, whereas the 1/2" sizes go up over 130 lb-ft. the
only times i use my 1/2" size is on the lug nuts again ... the 3/8" size
gets used more often.

other essential gizmos you'll need to buy along the way:
- mechanics mirror (little mirror on an extendable handle). helps look at
    things where you can't get your head in there.
- flourescent trouble light. DO get the flourescent kind. it is SOOOO much
    nicer when you bump your arm/hand against it!!! (those round incandescent
    things will burn your skin, and the bulbs are not very resistant against
    dropping).
- two kinds of grabbers: one magnetic pickup (little magnet on extendable
    handle), and a claw-pickup (has little metal claws that grab). these are
    absolutely essential when you drop the only nut/washer you have down in
    an unreachable place. and this WILL happen. :)
- reamer. looks like a screwdriver or awl, but it has cutting edges all down
    the side. used to ream out (make larger) a hole. very handy.
- hex-head & torx-head socket set (eh? maybe later on. but very handy)

joel