The Perfect Tool(s)

[osteoderm]

What's the perfect tool you can't live without? Is there some tool that you end up using way more than you thought you would? Is there some tool you're sure would make everything in your shop go 120% easier/faster/smoother? What about that gadget that you thought was kinda ridiculous, but turned out to save your ass?

I've been allowed to treat myself a bit this year, and round out my toolbox a little bit. I'm reasonably certain that I've got all the basics covered; now I'm looking to fill in the corners a bit. For instance, I just picked up a 27mm-30mm combination box wrench so I can stop fighting those oil drain screws with a Crescent wrench... Not very special/exotic, I know, but also a tool I'm unlikely to use/own otherwise!

Anything on your own wishlist that the rest of us might need to know about?

 

[gggGary]

1/4" drive vortex driver set I keep a set at all my work benches. I have a 3/8 set too but never use it. this set with the allen and driver bits easily removes a lot of fasteners like nothing else.

A GOOD VOM after years of cheap and not quite cheap ones I finally sprung for one from radio shack about $60 what a difference a good one makes.

Offset box wrenches.

A full set of 1/2 drive large metric impact sockets up to 36mm
I also have a "long handle" 1/2" ratchet wrench about 16" I love that thing.

All the little special tools I make out of the stainless steel strips from windshield wiper blades.
Screwdrivers carefully ground to properly fit every jet on the carbs.

Long pattern Allen wrenches with a "ball" end
An ever ready cap bill LED light that tilts.

It's a touch big and heavy but uses 2 AAA and has a bright EVEN light. My old eyes suck.

 

[Grinder]

My big 10" driver is the tool I can't live without!

 

[jd750ace]

+1 on the good meter. I have a Fluke 73 with a roll of Pomona accessory leads with gator clamps, wire loops, stackers, back-probe sets, and a bunch of pin extractors that are awesome when you have to do a wire or two out of a molex connector without breaking everything up.
My swivel head Snap-On 1/4" drive ratchet. Used to think a swivel head was useless until I started wrenching on bikes hard. Wobble extensions are right in there as well.
I have a Coast LED head lamp that totally kicks ass for a work light. a 1/2" drive set with a 24" breaker bar is great for breaking stuff loose, rather than extracting my cuss words working with a lessor weapon.
My Pan American 90 and 45 degree drills are priceless, but then again, I'm an aircraft structures guy, so they are "gotta haves" Took 15 years to wear out my first 90 degree head. I drilled a pickup truck full of rivets with that thing. 300 bucks, but you'll never kill the motor.

 

[hmusket]

My ratcheting wrenches, cheap electric impact, and of course this forum.

 

[fullercameron]

If you don't have them, a set of real JIS screwdrivers is amazingly nice to have.

 

[JP50515]

10mm and 12mm wrenches

 

[Downeaster]

A really GOOD set of snap ring pliers. I got a Blue Point set, 3 sizes, all reversible for inside/outside operation, with interchangeable straight and angled tips in various sizes.

Beats the hell out of small screwdrivers, ice picks and verbal lubrication.

Straight and 90º mini diegrinders too, especially with the 3M/Scotchbrite Roloc pads. No more scraping gaskets...

 

[Paulrxs650]

For me it has to be the lathe!

 

[Take Warning15]

Vice grips. I'm fairly certain I could rebuild a bike with just two pairs if I had to.

 

[XSLeo]

Hey, No body mentioned the most important tool anyone can own.
The repair manual.
Leo

 

[TwoJugs]

My insulated beer wrap.

 

[5twins]

T-handles. I have #1, #2, and #3 Philips and 1/4" and 3/8" drives. I also have a fancy ratcheting one. Wonderful tools. I guess there's a reason the real mechanics use them.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Bondhus 3mm, 4mm, 5mm T-handle allen wrenches. I have replaced many phillips with allen head cap bolts..............float bowls, carbs tie bracket, carb to air box and carb to manifold jubilee clamps, 2 covers at the ends of the camshaft,windshield mounting hardware, oil filter cover, and others.

Torque wrench

Manual Impact Driver and bits.

Analog VOM and Digital VOM, with quality test leads.

Dummy spark plug tester

 

[tonyc]

A memory so you do not have to buy the same tool when you misplaced it.

 

[Dusty]

My hobart 125 welder or my lathe. If I'm working on my HD, a hammer is the tool.

 

[jd750ace]

Bondhus 3mm, 4mm, 5mm T-handle allen wrenches. I have replaced many phillips with allen head cap bolts..............float bowls, carbs tie bracket, carb to air box and carb to manifold jubilee clamps, 2 covers at the ends of the camshaft,windshield mounting hardware, oil filter cover, and others.

Torque wrench

Manual Impact Driver and bits.

Analog VOM and Digital VOM, with quality test leads.

Dummy spark plug tester

Nice Micronta. I'd like to dig up one of those or an old Simpson for my garage. Sometimes an analog is just the ticket. That's one of my few complaints with my Fluke 73. Auto-ranging sucks, and it's the default mode, so you have to manually turn it off, and I usually already have a double handfull of leads when I think of it!

 

[retiredgentleman]

Nice Micronta. I'd like to dig up one of those or an old Simpson for my garage. Sometimes an analog is just the ticket. That's one of my few complaints with my Fluke 73. Auto-ranging sucks, and it's the default mode, so you have to manually turn it off, and I usually already have a double handfull of leads when I think of it!

I love my Micronta VOM...............a very high quality meter, as it was made in Japan. I've had it for 40 years now, and its been used for everything............cars, trucks, bikes, house wiring, furnace maintenance, fireplace maintenance, etc. I've even dropped it from waist height.................very rugged.

I've used it to measure current flows as low as 5.5 micro amps (furnace flame sensor), and as high as 2 amps (bike's rotor current).

A cheap Digital meter is useful as well. I like a digital, if you just want an accurate voltage reading on something thats not changing. I like the analog when you want to see a trend or varying voltage.

Yes, I would not want to use an auto-ranging meter.

 

[FLEA]

a camera,so 2 months later you can rember how it really went together

 

[pursang]

a camera,so 2 months later you can rember how it really went together

That's a very valid point, something as simple as routing clutch or throttle cables can be made easy with a few good pics.