Best Tools for Hobby and Work

[amirm]

Wow, had no idea. Sure would make for a tidy workshop/van.

 

[Sal1950]

Wow, had no idea. Sure would make for a tidy workshop/van.

I thought the van was for family excursions. Are you now turning it into Amir's Mobile Gynecology Lab?

 

[amirm]

I thought the van was for family excursions. Are you now turning it into Amir's Mobile Gynecology Lab?

Are you trying to get me in trouble with my wife Sal???

 

[jhaider]

Wow, had no idea. Sure would make for a tidy workshop/van.

They have TÜV-approved racking systems for their various boxes. In Germany and Austria you see a lot of them.

The Sortimo people I spoke to were very proud of their recent collaboration with Tesla for their service vehicle fleet.

Maybe if Tesla gets the Model 3 sorted out in time for my wife's number to come up - with the current issues I think getting the deposit back is more likely than accepting delivery - I'll see one in action.

 

[jhaider]

Happened to see this on the Wirecutter

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QJYZ5...subtag=AgEAAAAAAAAAAMQhAAAAAHIODssAAAAAV_GLVg

I think those "dog nail cutters" be the same item as these "cable scissors":
https://www.markertek.com/product/trp-700-0024/trompeter-coaxial-cutting-tool

Assuming they are the same, they're a nice tool for cutting audio and network cables, up to at least 14/4 burial-rated speaker cables in thickness, without deforming the conductors. A lot nicer for $10 than $80, too!

 

[DonH56]

Your dog would be shocked.

 

[amirm]

Happened to see this on the Wirecutter

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QJYZ5...subtag=AgEAAAAAAAAAAMQhAAAAAHIODssAAAAAV_GLVg

We have that very one that we use on our dogs. Had not thought about using them on wire though. I have dedicated cutters for that but you are right that the shape and design is similar.

 

[JJB70]

Tools need to be fit for purpose but for hobbyists it isn't necessary to spend a lot on expensive professional tools. However I do like high end measuring instruments, and still have my various Mitutoyo micrometers, callipers and depth gauges, there is something particularly satisfying about instruments with a lovely finish and silky smoothness. I started out life in the merchant navy as an engineer cadet going through to 1st engineer before leaving to go back to living on the bread line as a mature student and I came to the conclusion that good tools on ships were so badly abused and ended up in bilges or being mangled that it was more sensible to just order the cheap stuff and if it didn't last long then no bi deal.

 

[amirm]

The quality of Mitutoyo clones has gotten quite good. I bought a bunch of different versions from iGaging: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087TMUQ8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Amazon puts them on sale around Christmas and the cost was even lower.

 

[canoosa]

Tapping is something I've needed to do very little of. The usual 40-pc standard Tap Set from the likes of Grainger, et al, include tap wrenches that are underwhelming in efficiency.
A number of weeks back, I began a project that required not only numerous 1/4" taps but taps that required exacting precision re perpendicularity on a narrow (1/2") surface.
In my search for the proper tool(s), I came across a little, relatively inexpensive unit outsourced by Grizzly Industrial (to India), designated as H5607 Tap Wrench With Fixture http://www.grizzly.com/products/Tap-Wrench-w-Fixture/H5607

It used to be carried by Amazon but no longer, and reviews are hard to come by. Noteworthy is the conspicuous divergence of opinions, i.e. really good or next-to-useless. It appeared as if something obscure clouded the issue pertaining to the spring nibs (seen to the left above).
I decided to take a chance (along with procuring other "helps"!) since this unit would be VERY suitable for the application.

I couldn't have been more pleased with the results. The two images below show 1) the parts, including 2 sets of nips for 2 different size-range of taps, and 2) the unit laid out, ready to be assembled for use.

The problem with the spring nibs appears to be one of unfamiliarity, since no hint of how-to-use is provided. Key here is the tightening capacity for the nibs holding the inserted tap end, as evinced by the flat, wrench-application surface at the base of the female-thread case that slips over the nib holder. Apparently, some people keep breaking these nips , thereby completely disabling the tool! As far as I can tell, the only way to defeat this tool is to NOT tighten appreciably the nibs to the tap end, resulting in slippage/breakage once the wrench is turned fully to engage the tap.

The fix is simple: tighten to ~ 144 in-lb (I wouldn't go over 150 in-lb.....). For those that usually relate to torque in terms of ft-lb, the value here is 12 ft-lb - a value that should not be exceeded, near as I can tell. However, except for an unusual, interchangeable-head type of torque wrench, one cannot apply a torque wrench directly.

Here's one way to determine just how tight 144 in-lb is:
Find a convenient, attached-bolt head of equivalent size to that of the flat-wrench surface on the H5607, that being 9/16" - and ONLY that, metric sizes can't be used (unless you have a 16 mm on hand, and that is still a little sloppy!)
Loosen the bolt, set torque wrench to 132-in lb (11 ft-lb), tighten until the head releases (clicks). Now, use the flat wrench to tighten the bolt SLIGHTLY, paying close attention to how much strength your wrist-forearm is using. If you're unsure, or not used to gauging like that, repeat the entire exercise.
Finally, apply the 9/16" wrench to the H5607 until you reach the same degree of exertion as used with the bolt-tightening exercise. This will be sufficient.

The reason for listing values in in-lb: most ft-lb graduated torque wrenches are of the 1/2" drive variety, commonly reaching values of 150 ft-lb (the best ones up to ~ 300 ft-lb). The problem with ALL torque wrenches is that they become quite unreliable at their extreme bottom or top end.
3/8" drive torque wrenches, in contrast, are graduated across a much lower range of values, usually up to ~ 250 in-lb, which barely equals 20.5 ft-lb. More appropriate still, is the fact that the handle-length of a 3/8" drive torque wrench is significantly shorter than that of its larger iteration, and much closer to the length of the flat-wrench used to correlate your physical strength, an important consideration when taking into account the "distorting" of sensation when applying physical strength with greater leverage, i.e. using a longer handle!
The point is: torque values required for this exercise are well within the comfort range of a 3/8"drive torque wrench, and that's what should be used.

For my purpose, the H5607's primary function was to provide a dead-on-perpendicular start for the tap. Once into the material, say ~ 1/4-3/8", other means to complete the tap can be used - although I see nothing wrong with making sole use of the H5607.

To complete the taps, I made use of a GearWrench 3880 5 pc set which is an absolute JOY! to use, along with a Gator Tap Wrench Guide (both available on Amazon):

The GearWrench set is made in Taiwan with the customary quality associated with the island, the ratcheting wrench having a fine-toothed gear (72 teeth) that permits excellent depth control. Completing 9 taps was completely pain-free, i.e. no hassle, simple, the wrench lets you almost sleep through to the finish.
The Gator Tap Guide came in very handy. However, without the initial, straight hole provided by the H5607, the process to completion would have been more awkward, given the requirement for working on a 1/2" wide surface.

Be it an awkward surface, like a round one, or any normal work, that Grizzly tool sure can make our day!

Edit: I've included changes that make this rather arcane topic more explicit, more easily digestible.

 

[iridium]

Hello canoosa,
You might mention something in your statement: The fix is simple: tighten to ~ 144 in-lb (I wouldn't go over 150 in-lb.....).
Most people in the USA think in foot pounds, and therefore would not notice the inch pounds. I have seen quite a few things destroyed when people pull out their foot-pounds torque wrench and go at it.
Best to you,
iridium.

 

[jhaider]

We have that very one that we use on our dogs. Had not thought about using them on wire though. I have dedicated cutters for that but you are right that the shape and design is similar.

Confirmed: the "dog nail cutters" are the same tool as the Trompeter cable shears, down to the color of the handle. I needed something for an "add on item" on Amazon, so I picked up a pair of the "dog nail cutters." The differences are:
1) Country of origin (Germany vs. Italy, though the Miller package claims they're made of German stainless steel)
2) Screw head on the pivot
3) Spring

See pictures.

The blades are big enough to cut a 14/4 speaker wire and the handle provides enough leverage to do so. The pictured cable is Monoprice 14/4 direct burial. They're a little small for an 8-core Mogami XLR snake. Highly recommended for $10, if you need compact cable shears.

 

[amirm]

Thanks for the report back. I have electrical cutters for much heavier cable and like the way they circle the cable. So would be good to have a small one for higher gauge wires.

 

[jhaider]

Bringing a thread way back from the dead because I recently found a tool that's super useful for anyone who disassembles electronics (or has children with toys that have screwed-shut battery compartments): a spinning cap precision screwdriver handle with a 1/4" hex bit holder from the German company Witte:

Witte Pro Wittron Magnetic Bitholder, 1/4" x 60mm

Witte Pro Wittron Magnetic Bitholder, 1/4" x 60mm - high quality German engineering at the lowest price

www.kctool.com

Surprised nobody else has come up with something like this. Quarter-inch bits are a lot more common and available from a lot more sources than 4mm bits.

 

[Sal1950]

Surprised nobody else has come up with something like this. Quarter-inch bits are a lot more common and available from a lot more sources than 4mm bits.

The magic still lies in the quality of the bits.

 

[Monte]

JBC makes a great soldering station for SMD and general soldering, best I ever used. Used one a lot at a previous work. I did consistently fine with 0603, 0402 okish, 0201 forget about it. Great selection of tips.

 

[JeffS7444]

For working on Japanese-designed goods, including film cameras, JIS-standard screwdrivers are the way to go, and Vessel tools can be had at modest cost:
https://www.vesseltools.com/handtools/screwdrivers/screwdriver-sets/td-56-detail

One ongoing challenge when working on film cameras are the daunting number of specialized tools needed. Some are generic, but many situations seem to call for bespoke tools, which appear to fit only a specific make and model of camera. But I've discovered that many can be recreated in FreeCAD software, and 3D-printed on an entry level printer. For camera repair tools, ordinary PLA fiber is plenty strong, and the typical miniature spanner tip to fit my 1/4" ratcheted screwdriver takes just a few minutes to print.

 

[JPA]

Surprised nobody else has come up with something like this. Quarter-inch bits are a lot more common and available from a lot more sources than 4mm bits.

I've had this set for 20 years.

 

[jhaider]

View attachment 329806

I've had this set for 20 years.

Those are 4mm hex bits, not industry standard quarter-inch (~6.25mm) hex bits. Here's a visual comparison - both size PH1 bits, a common size for those infernal children's toy battery bins, as well as smaller electronics):

That's what makes this little Witte thing interesting: it combines the control and speed of a spinner-cap micro screwdriver handle with the flexibility to accept any standard 1/4" bit. You can get 1/4" bits in any format/size tip and from basically any company that makes screwdriver bits.* By contrast, Wiha is the only company known to me that sells high quality standalone 4mm bits. See how much larger the bit holder is compared to the one in your picture, which like the Wiha handle below is designed to accept 4mm bits?

*The Japanese have their own 1/4" hex bit standard with a longer metal shaft behind the detent, so e.g. a Vessel bit will often not hold in a global screwdriver with mechanical bit retention. (Magnets will hold them fine, of course.) I think many of the Japanese companies also make global standard hex bits in addition to Japanese standard hex bits.

Perhaps there are other precision screwdriver handles that accept 1/4" hex bits, but I've never seen one before. There are plenty of adapters to break use 4mm bits in a 1/4" screwdriver but not really the other way around. I for one really like the concept and this one has quickly become my go-to unless high torque is required.

I guess one potential drawback of the Witte one is the magnetic bit retention. Perhaps for some electronics-related tasks a mechanical bit retention would be advisable.

 

[Dunring]

I got all of these for $1.79 or $1.99 using the phone app when it pops up the offer. On the site they're a lot more, but here's the links for reference.

These two are made from hard plastic, and a huge help replacing headphone parts like headbands where you need rigidity, but won't scratch other plastics. Others have tools that fit in tiny holes/release catches like the Sennheiser HD700 when replacing a headband.

Auto door/interior tool kit

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804318598608.html

21 piece tool set for mobile phones

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804934304845.html

I use this a lot, just tested 60 phone chargers and weeded out the ones that couldn't sustain the rated amperage. Several were above it, so kept those for myself.

USB Power tester

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804614339206.html

Nice for restoring plastic with stuff like "Back to black" or headlight lenses that got cloudy.
Car polishing wheel set for a drill

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804805209770.html

These are smaller than they look in the photos, but for drilling out a stripped screw, they're perfect size.
Small size drill bit set

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804876655503.html

For $2 you can clone the key features of a DAC or amplifier remote.
Universal learning remote (can teach it Topping, Gustard, or SMSL remotes)

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805306487232.html

These work great and really bright. The side lamp is the best, since it throws even light and recharge in about an hour (works for 30 mins on a charge).
USB rechargeable flashlight

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804610718593.html