Toolgasm » Tools

Gator Grip Socket

admin — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:17:03 +0000

I love it when something you see on an infomercial actually works. The Gator Grip Socket would be one of those things. Its a goto piece for almost any socket like job. I have moved, and have had to leave my workshop behind temporarily. I now have limited space and had to grab just the necessities from my shop, and the Gator Grip was my socket. It will get a grip on just about anything, most impressive, and useful, is its ability to handle those little eyelet screws. It comes with a drill adapter, so hanging plants and such are a breeze. I was very skeptical at first as to its durability, but it has proven very hardy, and I haven’t seen any signs of failure, even on some very hard rusted bolt removals.

There is no substitute for having the exact right socket for a particular bolt. If your on a budget though, have limited space, or just some odd shaped things you need to grip, then this is the choice for you. Its a one tool to rule them all type of thing.

[tags]ratchet,socket,gator grip[/tags]

Flex Shaft Machine

admin — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 04:33:41 +0000

I am a jeweler by trade, and the most valuable tool I have in my arsenal is a flex shaft drill. I honestly don’t understand how any workshop can exist without one. Sure I know about Dremel, but they are clunky and big in your hand. A dremel’s motor is also located inside the part you hold in your hand, causing torque and extra vibration in exactly the wrong place when you are trying to do precise work. With a flex shaft machine, the motor is isolated from the hand piece. Not only does this allow for the motor to be bigger, and more powerful, it also removes the unwanted properties of such a motor from the work end of the tool.

In later posts I will explain to you the value I have learned of making your own tools. Not necessarily from scratch, but by modifying other tools. You can get cheap Chinese made tools from places like Harbor Freight ,and modify them till your hearts content. If there is a job you find yourself doing over and over, you’re almost certainly going to be able to do it faster and better with a custom tool. This along with a bench grinder will help you in your quest for better tools.

It also makes for much more accurate drilling. It seems brutish to me to try and drill a small hole in a small thing with a huge hand held drill. That’s just me though, decide for yourselves. All tools have a time and a place, and I guarantee with one of these in your shop, you find more time and places for it than you ever imagined.

LED Headlamp

admin — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 19:21:16 +0000

I don’t care how stupid they look, LED headlamps are some of the most useful things you can have. Whether your camping, working on a computer, soldering, you name it. Having a bright light pointed exactly where you are looking at all times is indispensable. Now that LEDs are cheaper and brighter than they ever have been before, it makes it a lot more practical than having a huge battery strapped to your dome. 1 or 2 AAA’s are all you need with one of these.

Believe it or not, you can also hold one of these in your hand! So you can skip the whole “Im not putting that dorky thing on my head” excuse , and use it like a regular flashlight. While reserving the coal miner look for when nobody is looking. I completely understand the feeling too, I don’t even own one myself, but my roommate does, and I’m sure I use it as much or more than him. So this post is just as much a reminder to get my own, as it is a prod for you to get one.

[tags]LED, flashlight, headlamp[/tags]

Stanley Fatmax Xtreme Fubar

admin — Wed, 30 May 2007 04:15:30 +0000

Now, if the name doesn’t make you want to run out and buy one even though you have no idea what it is, then the picture will. If you don’t know what fubar means then i can see how you might wonder what exactly its for, but if you do, then you know that it is for f@#*ing up things beyond all recognition. It certainly does that, and does it well at close to 5 pounds of well engineered steel. A person with some time on his hands and one of these could demo an entire house by themselves. There is lots of talk about this one, and one of the places that made me go out and get mine is at

Uncrate

[tags]demolition tools, stanley tools[/tags]