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pfbz

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Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
956
I get shipments from JB Tool about a day and a half after I order them.
They have become one of my "check first" sellers when I'm looking for a specific new tool. Prices usually great, things come fast, and their website/search is pretty easy to use.

I wish that they had a retail store to walk around in.
Sure, but if they did, the overhead would likely make it impossible for them to operate on the thin margins I assume they have based on their prices...
 
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Squankum

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Joined
Mar 28, 2011
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7,699
Location
Southeast
I have to say, as much as I love Wera drivers, just at first look/feel, I'm not sure I like their ratchet/socket sets as much...

First up is the 1/4" set... Immediately, I dislike the stretchy bands for holding tools in place. Considering how clever the tool-check holders are, I feel like they could have done better. But more importantly, the ratchet itself feels a bit clumsy, big head, stiff to operate, more back-drag than I'm used to, and lots of plastic on it. It would absolutely be great as a 'keep in the car and use twice a year' kind of set, but not sure any of the included tools could earn a spot in the frequently used box...
june 2 2025 toolpix - 22.jpegjune 2 2025 toolpix - 23.jpegjune 2 2025 toolpix - 25.jpeg

But don't you understand? They're tool rebels.


I do have a 3/8" Zyklop roto-head. I like ratchets and keep buying them.

The plastic bits are worrying but have caused me no problems. My biggest beef is that it's pretty short and dainty for a 3/8" ratchet.

Some neat features: you can lock it in vertical position (and some others, and most rotoheads don't offer that, I don't think) and the plastic sleeve on the handle, plus the bulk of the rotohead arms, means you can hold the plastic sleeve and spin the ratchet quickly and the mass will help it along, running down a nut or bolt. Also, same vertical setting, you can treat it like a ratcheting nutdriver.

I do find it kinda neat that you can effectively use the change of direction ridged wheel, or quick release button, even in the 15-degrees-above-horiztonal, and the vertical position, too. They might seem obstructed but you can still manage to use them.
 
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Squankum

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Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
I went looking for more information about what happens to used motor oil in the US. I think my local chain auto parts store's used oil tank is serviced by Safety-Kleen. Last I heard, I thought that most of this oil went off to burn in the furnaces of concrete plants. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

First clue:
Safety-Kleen has their own line of motor oils and other lubricants:

They have eight refineries in North America turning used motor oil into new motor oil, and some other products. Also, any glycol found in it (presumably antifreeze) is also removed and heads off towards antifreeze production. (No mention of the glycols of brake fluid.)


A decent video about it all:

 
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Squankum

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Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
Back to tools!

Got my magnetic screwdriver holder today.
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Tools and tool box not included. (Do any English-speaking Chinese managers at this factory wonder why we aren't horse-whipping people who noisily demand a free tool box and tools with their $32 magnetic tool rack?)

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Inaction pics later this week, when more pieces fall into place.
 

dscheidt

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
2,890
I went looking for more information about what happens to used motor oil in the US. I think my local chain auto parts store's used oil tank is serviced by Safety-Kleen. Last I heard, I thought that most of this oil went off to burn in the furnaces of concrete plants. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

I suspect there's lot of region variation in how used oil is reused, if you're somewhere where the shipping to re-refinery is impracticable it'll end up at a cement kiln. But of oil that ends up in the re-refinery stream, about a third of it is burned at the refinery to run it. Some of that is the non-lube fraction (ie, contamination from gasoline and diesel, etc), but some is the non-lube fraction of the base stock (that is the lighter and heavier hydrocarbons).

Fleet vehicles used to be a big market for recycled motor oils, you only had to convince management it was a good idea, not end users. It used to be substantially cheaper, I don't know if that's true still or not. It wouldn't surprise me if the re-refined oil is fed into the feedstock for more normal oils that don't mention it on the label.
 

Squankum

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Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
I suspect there's lot of region variation in how used oil is reused, if you're somewhere where the shipping to re-refinery is impracticable it'll end up at a cement kiln. But of oil that ends up in the re-refinery stream, about a third of it is burned at the refinery to run it. Some of that is the non-lube fraction (ie, contamination from gasoline and diesel, etc), but some is the non-lube fraction of the base stock (that is the lighter and heavier hydrocarbons).

Fleet vehicles used to be a big market for recycled motor oils, you only had to convince management it was a good idea, not end users. It used to be substantially cheaper, I don't know if that's true still or not. It wouldn't surprise me if the re-refined oil is fed into the feedstock for more normal oils that don't mention it on the label.

Thanks, the video didn't give percentages of which parts wind up where. Industrial facilities operating off the energy of their own waste products is pretty neat. (Another example I've seen of that is a sugar cane mill burning unnecessary parts of the cane in a furnace, etc. etc.)

Maps from the video:

Safety-Kleen operations:

Image.png

Safety-Kleen re-refineries:

Image.png
 

Squankum

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Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
^ We sold re-refined oil for decades in 2-gallon cans. Was one of our best sellers. Was processed by Time Oil right here in Tacoma down in what was known as "Nalley Valley", and later by "Mintline" out of California.
@don long now owns the last known specimen of an AA Auto Parts two-gallon oil can.

Thanks. I was not aware of that thread! I recently acquired an old can of Sears 140W gear oil. (Not multiweight, just.. 140.) I should show it there (then sell it on ebay, I have no real interest in it, was just trying to help declutter a little old lady's garage, her minivan will never need 140W.)
 

YesIHaveAHammer

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2025
Messages
819
Recent Swedish arrivals. I've had a bit of a tool refresh recently - will share spread out and grouped by theme.

Morakniv Pro Chisel [knife] C 12250
Just the right size, and chisel ground. A chisel, sturdy knife, lever, and scraper for the toolbox.
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Wiha Electricians Compact Steel Claw Hammer 300g/10oz 42071
Sort of Swedish; a variant of Hultafors' Claw Hammer EL.
Versatile weight, rip claw, U head. The right one for me most of the time, and will do the job most other times when it's the only one to hand.
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Hultafors Steel Ruler 150mm 554003
I liked this graphic layout the best, although I'd prefer a larger height step between the 1mm and 0.5mm markings, not that I'll actually use the latter.
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Squankum

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Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
Hultafors Steel Ruler 150mm 554003
I liked this graphic layout the best, although I'd prefer a larger height step between the 1mm and 0.5mm markings, not that I'll actually use the latter.
P_20250604_182352.jpg

My philosophy on that is that I don't need a half mm tick mark. I'll just put the pencil between two mm marks if need be and mark from there. Or look at what I'm measuring and note that it's between the marks. Maybe it's age, but mm is far as my eyes go now. When I dig out a steel rule with 64ths on it my eyes go Bullwinkle.

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P.S. Now you have two hammers.
 

moemc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2025
Messages
356
Hoffmann Group has redesigned their screwdrivers and discontinued the old style. 😕 The remaining inventory was heavily clearanced quite some time ago and moved pretty fast. I've been picking them up as finances allowed which also accumulated points that applied to future orders.
Their recent Memorial Day sale featured no minimum free shipping so I pulled the trigger on the last items I wanted, the Pozidriv screwdrivers.
Happy with the tools, but sad they are NLA in this pattern.

View attachment 2340702

Shown with the rest of the family. Already been using some of these:
View attachment 2340703

The rest of my acquisitions.
The 2 pc mini screwdriver set below (00+ & 2mm-) is the new style handle. I think they are still sourcing from PB Swiss, but I don’t care much for the new design. These were included for just $1 as a promo with a previous order. I grabbed an extra red handle for the interchangeable set and also picked up the translucent insider hard handle bit driver on sale:
View attachment 2340704

The new style:
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:beer:
I had not heard of Hoffman and Garant until you posted this. It ended up consuming 90 min of my Saturday evening to look into. I wish I discovered them months ago.. its slim pickings of the remaining PB Swiss ones. I was able to get an order in for 5 pieces Saturday night. They shipped me 3, but still charged me for the 5 (remaining 2 now gone from website also). It will be interesting to see what they send me for the remaining 2 or if they refund the difference. These 3 items that showed up (posi #1, flat 6.5, 8mm hex T-handle) are immediate favorites. I mean, it’s just PB Swiss but in nicer coloration. But I never had any PB Swiss dedicated drivers, just 1/4 bit handles and a bit T handle. These dedicated blades are the nicest I’ve handled. Perfect amount of edge breaking and tumble finish. Stepped tip on the flat. I see why you imply it’s a shame that they changed manufacture. I’ll wait and see if they send me new versions of the 2 they didn’t send yet. If not I’ll order one to see if the quality compares. DAMN these are nice.
 
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pfbz

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
956
Hultafors Steel Ruler 150mm 554003
I liked this graphic layout the best, although I'd prefer a larger height step between the 1mm and 0.5mm markings, not that I'll actually use the latter.
P_20250604_182352.jpg
Speaking of steel rules... this arrived a week or so ago. It's really quite nice! Suprising how much difference there can be in a strip of metal. FB comments indicate that maybe not all of them are made in Japan. Mine was clearly marked on both the packaging and ruler itself. It will last forever, i'll enjoy it every time I use it.

Is it worth 5X the price of the Pittsburgh ruler? Don't know, but it is worth $10 to me!
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pfbz

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
956
These two were waiting on my doorstep when I got home. Swapped the anvils and added heatshrink to the handles. Tone on the left and Powerbuilt on the right.
Love my Tone's... Let us know how you like the Powerbuilt. It's one of the few recent ratchet purchases I didn't really like and returned. Not that exact one, but similar...
 

LXCam

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
19,113
Location
AZ
One for each hand?

Dremel (rotary tool) is so handy around the shop I didn't realize it until I had to replace mine.
Something like that. We have to make a field modification to a shitpot load of camera lenses. One operation is notching a retaining ring (to create a tab) and the other is notching the plastic dome. The dome is critical how deep we go, hence the toy DP.
 

LXCam

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
19,113
Location
AZ
I remember my jaw dropping when a GJ member didn't have one and couldn't see the appeal!

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I’ve had dremels for as long as I can remember. They can be damn handy and downright indispensable for a delicate task. The only reason I bought the cordless is there no such thing as an outlet where we got to do this mod. And if I trusted the guy who I’ll have do these to have a lite touch, I’d of passed on the drill press. I pray that takes the oopsy out of the equation.
 
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Ohio Andy

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Joined
Jul 31, 2024
Messages
2,280
Location
Columbus, Ohio
I’ve had dremels for as long as I can remember. They can be damn handy and downright indispensable for a delinquent task. The only reason I bought the cordless is there no such thing as an outlet where we got to do this mod. And if I trusted the guy who I’ll have do these to have a lite touch, I’d of passed on the drill press. I pray that takes the oopsy out of the equation.
If I was using one and it broke I might not replace it ... I would grab one of my other four and use that :cool: and then I would replace it
 

Squankum

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
Speaking of steel rules... this arrived a week or so ago. It's really quite nice! Suprising how much difference there can be in a strip of metal. FB comments indicate that maybe not all of them are made in Japan. Mine was clearly marked on both the packaging and ruler itself. It will last forever, i'll enjoy it every time I use it.

Is it worth 5X the price of the Pittsburgh ruler? Don't know, but it is worth $10 to me!
1749079087437.png

Dude, you rule! :rocker:

BTW, if you dig steel rulers, check out Harry J. Epstein's:


Several products from Shinwa (do you have a center-finding rule?) And a great many things by PEC.
 
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Squankum

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,699
Location
Southeast
The issue of GearWrench 1/4" dr. locking extensions and their bulk came up earlier this week. When I first fell in love with locking extensions (mundane HF 3/8" dr. set) I realized that once in a blue moon, the metal locking collar might be be rubbing against something as it turns, or getting in the way, and in those situations, I'll just have to use a normal extension.

Here's one of my GearWrench 1/4" dr. extensions I used the other day. The red ring, I think it's silicone, and it's kinda grippy, too, in addition to the knurling on the sliding barrel lock.

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As the old Icelandic traveler said...

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