And, on the topic of fire extinguishers, especially dry chemical units like the one shown, it's a good practice to turn them over once a year and bang on 'em with a rubber or dead blow mallet. Especially if mounted in a vehicle- the powder will compress at the bottom and won't "flow" when you need it to. But if the gauge is in the green, and the powder is loose, you're good to go.
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What’s in your shop (tools)?
- Thread starter willis
- Start date
No worries. In the event of an actual fire, I'll drop the sumbich at least 3 times 'fore I get it pointed the right way.
Fully mixed now...
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Thanks for the tip. Never thought about that.
I have 2 in my shop. One by the door and one at the other end of the shop. The one at the door is to try and put a fire out if I think I can. The one at the end is to make a path to get my dumb ass out.
In industry the companies I worked for stressed that fire extinguishers were only there to get you out of the building. Not sure I totally agree with that.
In industry the companies I worked for stressed that fire extinguishers were only there to get you out of the building. Not sure I totally agree with that.
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One of the jobs I had in my wasted youth was working for a concrete company that had a fleet of trucks and trailers, and they had their own gas pump to fill their trucks up. I would come in at night and load trucks and trailers with supplies for the next day and gas up all the trucks and equipment. One night as I was pulling away from the gas pump, the corner of the trailer I was pulling caught the edge of the gas pump and moved it about an inch. Well that tiny movement must’ve caused a spark because I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a big black cloud of smoke shooting out of the gas pump. I jumped out of the truck and for a second I froze
at that moment my mind was racing and I pictured a big explosion that would cook me like a hot dog.
Part of me wanted to run as far away as I could, and the other , logical side wanted to run back to the pump and grab the fire extinguisher and try and put it out. In the end I ran back and grabbed that big old dry chemical fire extinguisher and emptied it on that pump. I was surprised by how quickly it squashed that fire.
Would I do the same thing today? I’m not really sure.
Third degree burns over most of your body doesn’t sound like much fun!
Forgot one... paint room.
I use these all the time. They don’t cut new threads but clean and reform them. Invaluable part of my tool arsenal.
I set my XS1100 on fire almost 20 years ago. Unbeknownst to me, a float post was repaired with what I’ve always assumed was JB Weld. It failed. I failed to notice the gasoline running out of the airbox. The engine backfired and set it ablaze in my basement garage. So there I was backing a fireball out of the garage standing aside it. As I’m backing, I’m setting the leaves in the driveway on fire too. Fortunately, my daughter was there. She quickly ripped the fire extinguisher off the wall, hanger and all. She put out the fire. She saved my motorcycle, and possibly the house. That bike lives today albeit with different side covers, hoses and main wire harness.
No fire extinguisher in the garage would have been a big bad problem.
No fire extinguisher in the garage would have been a big bad problem.
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I bet that story comes up once in a while in your household 
My sister was baking cookies on a very old gas stove/oven you had to lite with a match in the basement when she was maybe 14. I was upstairs when the doors blew open in the dining room and several other rooms. WTH, went down and there she was eyebrows singed off along with some of her hair.
My sister was baking cookies on a very old gas stove/oven you had to lite with a match in the basement when she was maybe 14. I was upstairs when the doors blew open in the dining room and several other rooms. WTH, went down and there she was eyebrows singed off along with some of her hair.
I just bought these thin profile wrenches today. On sale st Canadian Tire for $50 incl taxes. Nice quality -metric and sae sizes. I wish they had a 12mm in the set. Good length too for reaching, not torquing.
If you can get an arbor press for cheap or a bottle jack shop press, they are invaluable.
Yes, I have both of those but haven't used the arbor press much yet as I need to bolt it down to a bench or table. But the hydraulic shop press I've had for many years and used it for many things, specifically on my cars, to replace u-joints. For bike work, I use it mostly for shock work. I made a couple fittings, one for open springs and one for springs with covers on them ......
..... and they both work great .....
Being the tool "junkie" that I am, I should have posted in this thread long ago, lol. Let me start out with a couple simple items - my favorite feeler gauge and spark plug gapper. The feeler gauge is the Cal-Van #229. This only has 10 blades but they're the ones we need and use all the time .....
And for the spark plug tool, I like the wire loop type. This Kastar one fits the bill perfectly, again having the sizes we need and use most often (.028, .030, and .032) ......
Both of these are quality "Made in U.S.A." tools but unfortunately both are N.L.A. I watch eBay for them.
..... and they both work great .....
Being the tool "junkie" that I am, I should have posted in this thread long ago, lol. Let me start out with a couple simple items - my favorite feeler gauge and spark plug gapper. The feeler gauge is the Cal-Van #229. This only has 10 blades but they're the ones we need and use all the time .....
And for the spark plug tool, I like the wire loop type. This Kastar one fits the bill perfectly, again having the sizes we need and use most often (.028, .030, and .032) ......
Both of these are quality "Made in U.S.A." tools but unfortunately both are N.L.A. I watch eBay for them.
A multimeter. Great for making sure that 120 is off when changing out light fixtures. I hear they are useful for motorcycle electrical work too...
OK This is not the most exciting or revolutionary tool; but it's a game changer after years of using foot pumps.
I love my Milwaukee inflator. it will pump up large truck tires to full inflation; and you can use it as a compressed air source for blowing out carbs etc......
I love my Milwaukee inflator. it will pump up large truck tires to full inflation; and you can use it as a compressed air source for blowing out carbs etc......
How big is it? Does Dewalt have one?
Hi Marty
Its a small workshop unit not a portable on the bike piece of kit.
They have a number of units:
https://uk.milwaukeetool.eu/en-gb/power-tools/speciality-tools/inflators/?pagesize=40
DEWALT have a similar unit:
https://cee.dewalt.global/product/dcc018n-xj/18v-xr-inflator-bare-unit
Smaller options here:
Thanks. That looks like great solution to the PITA keeping my tires inflated has become.
