New member starting cafe build....tool question

jackstraw650

jackstraw650

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Just wanted to introduce myself....been lurking a while, learning a tremendous amount from a wide variety of very talented people! My name is Phil and I'm picking up my '79 XS650 Standard next Tuesday. It has less than 8K miles on it and runs very well. Seems to be in fairly good shape both mechanically and cosmetically. I'm planning on a cafe build and have figured out basically where I want to go with it, mostly thanks to you guys.
That said, I'm thinking about getting an impact driver to aid with the build. I'm leaning towards a battery powered one to avoid the compressor purchase to use the air powered ones. If any of you folks have experience with these electric drivers, I would appreciate any observations and recommendations. Would I be better off with a 3/8 drive vs. 1/2 for general motorcycle shop use? Do they have enough power for most bike jobs? Any help would be highly appreciated and I will post pictures after I pick up the bike.
 
Not knowing what your mechanical experience is, high quality battery impacts have gotten quite good. I'm a mechanic by trade so we see the best stuff out there (SnapOn) when it comes out. I work on buses during the day and we use 3/8, 1/2,3/4, and even 1" impacts but on my bikes I normally use a 3/8 air ratchet for disassembly and hand tools for re-assembly. Torquing fasteners when advisable. And my cafe/brat build is starting with a '79 Special and it is about 1/3 done. Don't forget to have a hand impact around for stubborn side case screws and the like. Good luck.
 
Thanks Willy.....I'm leaning towards a 3/8" battery impact.....I have a torque wrench and use it religiously on assembly....also have had hand impact tool for about 40 years! I'm not much of a mechanic, esp compared to a pro like yourself, but I can get around older bikes fairly well. On modern bikes like my hopefully soon to sold BMW K1200S, I'm not too sure I would even want to try to change the damn spark plugs!
Hope your build goes well.....any pictures?
 
Do shops get discounts on Snap-on stuff compared to what's on that web page? My eyes might be playing tricks on me, but I think it says $422.00.
 
6-7 yrs?? that 18volt has been on the market for less than 2yrs our snapon guy was trying to sell me it last year
 
I have been looking at the Makita kit myself. Th reviews seem good and best of all, I think I can afford it.......so you guys would recommend an 18 volt gun over other voltages?
 
jackstraw650 said:
Thanks Willy.....I'm leaning towards a 3/8" battery impact.....I have a torque wrench and use it religiously on assembly....also have had hand impact tool for about 40 years! I'm not much of a mechanic, esp compared to a pro like yourself, but I can get around older bikes fairly well. On modern bikes like my hopefully soon to sold BMW K1200S, I'm not too sure I would even want to try to change the damn spark plugs!
Hope your build goes well.....any pictures?
Click to expand...
Building bikes is a pleasure to me and not a job so I am pretty slow. I may spend a whole evening sitting in my shop chair, drinking beer and staring at my bikes. Which is to say yes, I will post some pictures but not until I get farther along. Updates will be so infrequent the post will be jumbled. Later.
 
willyguzzi53 said:
Building bikes is a pleasure to me and not a job so I am pretty slow. I may spend a whole evening sitting in my shop chair, drinking beer and staring at my bikes. Which is to say yes, I will post some pictures but not until I get farther along. Updates will be so infrequent the post will be jumbled. Later.
Click to expand...
Hey Willy, I have to agree with you....thinking about the possibilities is half the fun. I've seen too many people over the years get a bike home and immediately start cutting this or that and ordering everything under the sun without a true plan or purpose to their actions. Most of the time you see these bikes in some classified section for sale as "bargain unfinished project." Hopefully, mine will not suffer that fate...I will also post some pictures as I get further along.
 
I have been building this bike for several years now and about every year I change direction. First it was going to be a street tracker but a buddy bought one of my spare
xs650's and built a real nice one. So then I was just going to throw together a stripped special. Then I started looking at bratstyle.com and berrybads site and decided I needed a cafe with brat overtones. Need to get the darn thing built before I change my mind again.
 
I think you will end up needing a compressor if you are going to do a build on one of these bikes. Many times will come along that just need air so don't cut yourself out of being a compressor owner someday. I have used air, 110 electric and battery impacts. I love the electric for quick jobs that are not worth the time to pump up the compressor if not ready. Since mine is 80 gallons and ready to go I usually grab the air tool. I would say that 1/2" is a good standard drive. I use the 3/8 butterfly for quick teardown on smaller items too.

I do appreciate quality tools but can't justify some of the prices. I spent 10 years working as an aircraft mechanic for a huge airline. Some guys had to have Snap On stuff. I have a few Snap On wrenches for certain aps but I mostly used Craftsman. Worked well and some I have had for over 30 years. If they break exchange them. I even have lots of Harbor Frieght chinese tools. Most are junk but a few things are great bargains, including the air tools. If you take care of them and use them as a garage hobbiest they will last a while. If you work with them for a living and play with them on your days off then but better stuff.
 
I agree with TwoJugs on going the compressor route, I bought a cheap 2HP 30L one at ALDI for around $100 on sale and having the air gun is so handy when cleaning the motor on disassembly and assembly, cleaning out carbs etc. I bought a cheap 1/2 impact gun and 3/8 ratchet to go with it but really only use the gun on the front sprocket nuts on my bikes when undoing them, and perhaps on the fork damping rod bolt, but I made a tool for doing that job. There's not much that can't be undone by hand really, but if you feel you want a gun I would go for a 1/2" as it might be hard to get 3/8 sockets in 27/32/36mm etc (36mm is the size of the front sprocket nut) TBH I never use the air ratchet, but it was only $25 at the time, I think the gun was $40.
 
I have been spinning wrenches professionally for..(holy shit)..27 years now. I'm not really fond of the electric impacts, but I'm kinda used to,(read old), air tools now. But for a hobbyist at home, I think they're great. Milwaukee makes a decent 1/2" gun. You shouldn't need to use it much though, just for some stubborn stuff. You could get yourself in trouble if you're not used to the power. I know that a lot of guys think Snap-on is overpriced, but ususally you get what you pay for. I have Snap-on wrenches that are as old as my XS, and are still used everyday. They make the best hand tools in my opinion. Hobbyists don't need them though. SK makes a nice affordable wrench. As a hobbyist, having a compressor is nice for blowing stuff off, inflating tires and painting. You don't need an air ratchet. They're for us guys trying to make book time. You got the time. Spin that wrench! Feel the steel! Sorry. I could talk forever about tools. I'm done now.
 
Two Jugs and OZ....the more I think about it, I think you might be right in choosing the air tools. I would like to maybe do some soda blasting later so I would need a compressor anyway...well now I have to figure out what compressor to buy??? I hope I can find a good used one.....I only can use one that will work on standard 120 volt line.
 
A compressor buy is just a matter of money. The more you spend will tell you what you can do. Any blasting work needs a bigger tank, 60-80 gallons and a 2 stage compressor. Plan on spending $800+ for a minimum and $2000 for a quality unit. They are pretty much all 220V set ups. A 110 won't cut it for blasting work unless you pull the trigger for 15 seconds and wait 2 minutes in between for catch up on the air. Keep an eye on craigslist. Even a local ebay buy. They are too big to ship and can sell very cheap locally when put up for bid. There are tons of tools used for sale all the time. Many places closing up now days and the compressors are big items that need to go. The closer they get to move out the better the deal. Just be sure it is not all used up from heavy duty commercial service.
 
Last edited:
Two Jugs, thanks for the advice! Maybe I can get my landlord to run a 220 line into the garage....shouldn't be that hard...he could just tap on the line to the washer/dryer upstairs. I forgot about using Craig's List for something other than motorcycles! I'll see what I can turn up.
Phil
 

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