Show your new tool arrivals

[Fedwrench]

So I recently bought a set of VIM "Nora 150" wrench heads and have been trying to decide how I feel about them. They certainly are a novel design, clever using standard extensions to make them longer or shorter, but they are wildly overpriced IMHO, list price of $320 for the full range (~$250 street price). Perhaps the closest tool I have to these are the Mountain/Platinum/Icon double box ratcheting wrenches, which are really excellent. But their length, while sometimes awesome, isn't always what you want or need and sometimes just too long.

I had extra Mountain wrenches 8mm/10mm and 13mm/15mm, so today I cut them in half and added some shrink tube to the handle. Wow, I think I love them! Not sure if I want to cut up my full set, but will either buy another full set to cut next time they are on sale at HF ($120) or at least buy a 12mm/14mm singleton to cut.

You can buy a full set of mountains (to cut), *and* a set of Astro Nano's 6mm-24mm,, *and* an Astro Nano wrench for less than the price of the VIM's.

I'll do a video on this shortly, you know where to look if you are interested.

Or you can save yourself some work and get these:

10 Piece Flexible Ratcheting Wrench Set MTN9410 | tools.parksccd.shop

10 Piece Flexible Ratcheting Wrench Set Features and Benefits: 72 tooth, flexible head ratcheting wrench gains access where standard ratcheting wrenches will not fit with a minimal 5̴¥ swing arc Loosen or tighten any 6 point, 12 point, spline, TORX, square and even up to 50% rounded off...

tools.parksccd.shop

Also available in MATCO or Cornwell trim at a significantly higher price

 

[kinglukas38]

Another mail day, loooong Starrett tap wrench, pair of ½×100° countersinks, and an itty bitty Jacobs No.0 chuck

 

[pfbz]

Or you can save yourself some work and get these:


Also available in MATCO or Cornwell trim at a significantly higher price

Those are cool... but I'm guessing they don't have the extended lip like the Mountain/Icon wrenches, which is really what makes them special in the first place? And IMHO that extended lip is required to be a potential alternative to the 150's...

If they do have the extended lip, let us know, they would be awesome!

 

[assassin10000]

Those are cool... but I'm guessing they don't have the extended lip like the Mountain/Icon wrenches, which is really what makes them special in the first place? And IMHO that extended lip is required to be a potential alternative to the 150's...

If they do have the extended lip, let us know, they would be awesome!

They don't.



I may have to cut down my spare mountain set now. I was considering selling them to a co-worker.

 

[LeeG]

I was at our club swap meet today. Picked up something I’ve been wanting and some things that just were too good to pass Up.



NIB Made in Germany Metabo corded die grinder, Snap-on 1/2” and 3/8” torque wrenches, and a Mitutoyo dial indicator set. Also some Starrett punches, gage block set, flap wheels, and some books. A pretty good day.

Lee

 

[Radio Flyer]

Those are cool... but I'm guessing they don't have the extended lip like the Mountain/Icon wrenches, which is really what makes them special in the first place? And IMHO that extended lip is required to be a potential alternative to the 150's...

If they do have the extended lip, let us know, they would be awesome!

Looks like they the ones listed on parksccd.shop are not reversible either. I like that feature because I have jammed the Matco version in places that required them to be pried out.

 

[ronkz650]

Any without the extension are more or less useless at any cost.

 

[j3rf]

Might have hit up Home Depot for some very inexpensive lights. You can never have too many.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Any without the extension are more or less useless at any cost.

Right? I kinda feel like it’s missing the point.

 

[moemc]

yea, looks grinded down

With a chain saw

 

[moemc]

Those are cool... but I'm guessing they don't have the extended lip like the Mountain/Icon wrenches, which is really what makes them special in the first place? And IMHO that extended lip is required to be a potential alternative to the 150's...

If they do have the extended lip, let us know, they would be awesome!

I’ve been saying that it’s odd nobody has the offset Kabo wrenchs that aren’t crazy long and double sided. I bet they would sell a ton. SK11 has similar of unknown manufacture. I’ve got a couple in my forwarding box in Japan waiting for me to send over here to check out. But really id like to see it in a normal angled wrench pattern. I don’t like swivel head ratchet wrenches for regular use. They always wind up floppy.

 

[AJHD]

I was just thinking of Basil Exposition the other day!

 

[LXCam]

In the Home Depot thread @wire posted that the husky hydraulic carts were on clearance. So this morning I went to check it out with the intention of buying it. I wasn’t impressed, it’s about 2/3rd’s the size of my other small cart and is built more like a toy than a tool. They had a display one out with 180lbs of ready mix on it. It worked ok but it’s not super smooth lowering. I actually walked away at first. Then after thinking about it, I can’t load my other one by myself in the back of my truck It’s too awkward and heavy, this one I could. And all though it won’t get to tailgate height it still gets it close. So I bought it anyhow.

$115.00

I also picked up some vacuum accs.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Never heard of "Rotation" (lol) but if they're good enough for Eric O, they'll live a long life with me.
(striking putty knives)

 

[Fedwrench]

I’ve been saying that it’s odd nobody has the offset Kabo wrenchs that aren’t crazy long and double sided. I bet they would sell a ton. SK11 has similar of unknown manufacture. I’ve got a couple in my forwarding box in Japan waiting for me to send over here to check out. But really id like to see it in a normal angled wrench pattern. I don’t like swivel head ratchet wrenches for regular use. They always wind up floppy.

That wrench would be perfect if it had a fixed boxed end instead of an open end. Toolant has a standard length fixed box end by reversible flex ratcheting box end set but, the ratcheting ends lack the offset. handy wrenches in most cases though.

 

[T45]

Didn't Dean or somebody obscure made a box + offset ratchet?, but they were pricy. Or am I imagining it? If someone would do that in "half-cut" sizes, it would be sweet. Like a better version of the old armstrong ratcheting/box design.

 

[pfbz]

Got my first Anex driver today, the 397-D ratcheting driver. Lots of people have spoken highly of it, first impressions are positive!

 

[dwasifar]

After 30+ years, my old Micronta multimeter is getting flaky:



I've been using this as a knockaround device rather than take my Fluke everywhere. It's seen some ****. Look at the probe tips.

Anyway, I bought this to take its place:



According to a Radio Shack catalog site, when I bought the Micronta in ~1993, it was $50, which is about $125 today. The new one was $18, plus another $5 to buy some better probes with alligator clips. In addition to doing everything the Micronta does, it tests capacitors, does non-contact voltage reading, has dial settings to test 1.5v, 9v, and 12v batteries (with green/red light indicator), a screen hold function, green light indicator as well as tone for continuity, probe storage on the back, a backlighted display, and a flashlight.

I had bought a different inexpensive multimeter at Amazon and one of the probes it came with was flaky. So I returned it and got this one, and it seems like it came with the same probes, and one of them is flaky too. But this time I sprung for different probes along with the order, and they're better, with flexier leads and slide-on alligator clips.

Not going to throw the Micronta away; it's still usable. Maybe I'll give it to Goodwill, unless one of you guys is interested.

 

[Beerhippie]

But this time I sprung for different probes along with the order, and they're better, with flexier leads and slide-on alligator clips.

Got a link for the probes?

 

[dwasifar]

Got a link for the probes?

https://a.co/d/06JcbqLb

 

[Beerhippie]

https://a.co/d/06JcbqLb

Thanks (for spending more of my money)! They're on the way....

 

[SMOKEYBEAR]

New to me, USA Craftsman chisel set. Random Craigslist find.

 

[rword]

Got my first Anex driver today, the 397-D ratcheting driver. Lots of people have spoken highly of it, first impressions are positive!

Unrelated but have you heard of Ktool international?

 

[Qualitytools]

I think the Ernst rails are the best cost / performance balance for socket rails. I use them for all my sockets. Sockets lock on well and the rails stand up on their own even with a full set of deeps.

How do they stay upright with the deep sockets, are the bases magnetic?

 

[Qualitytools]

Soooo I bought another one of these kits just cause they’re flipping awesome. Well…..that and the fact I broke my first one .

I also picked up two of these 18” x 3’ x 1” pads. They seem to be the same material Klein makes theirs out of, guess we’ll see how they hold up for half the moneys.

What is the kit for, what does it do and how do you use it? Thanks for sharing.

 

[Qualitytools]

Unrelated but have you heard of Ktool international?

I use my Anex ratcheting screw driver daily, it’s great and I love it. You will enjoy using it.

 

[lund]

They don't.



I may have to cut down my spare mountain set now. I was considering selling them to a co-worker.

They also do not appear to be reversible. I fumble around a lot with wrenches without a reverse and, to some degree, the lack of a reverse generates a risk that you can get them stuck somewhere.

 

[rword]

Some goodies

 

[assassin10000]

They also do not appear to be reversible. I fumble around a lot with wrenches without a reverse and, to some degree, the lack of a reverse generates a risk that you can get them stuck somewhere.

Yep, no reverse.


Another reason to cut some spares .

 

[Itinerant]

Sargent parallel jaw pliers, the dainty ones, with cutter. Will be good for fishing chores, hole for a lanyard in the handle. Need to get a bigger set w/o the cutter for GP use in the garage.

 

[Steel_Rain]

Might have hit up Home Depot for some very inexpensive lights. You can never have too many.

Same here, most HD's are have several models of them on clearance:

 

[jar944]

Picked this up last week, I have been off and on looking for one for a couple years. It is a construction drill, can do line boring, drawer slide pre-drill and construction drilling. Picked it up for about a 1/5 of what they sell used for.

Short of a large line bore, I never got the utility of the construction borer vs space required. I'd probably still buy one if it was cheap though.

 

[Beerhippie]

Booooring!

 

[51dueller]

Got my Tekton 3/8 semi deeps today. Just need the 1/4 ones when they get released and I really should be done buying sockets for awhile.

 

[designer485]

How do they stay upright with the deep sockets, are the bases magnetic?

The bases are wide enough / flat enough that sockets remain upright. I wouldn't put them in a drawer parallel to how it opens and expect deeps to stay upright, but if they are perpendicular to opening, there is no issue.

 

[51dueller]

Ernst does have magnetic versions available and they work pretty good.

 

[j3rf]

Got my Tekton 3/8 semi deeps today. Just need the 1/4 ones when they get released and I really should be done buying sockets for awhile.

That's not how it works here, sorry.

 

[lund]

Yep, no reverse.


Another reason to cut some spares .

Your spare cuts look really useful. Some time back, I bought some smaller length double box wrenches that are flex and double box spline with offset (not paying crazy manufacturer prices) made for VIM Tools:

I thought they would be great since reversible with spline and offset and the flex is indexed (so not floppy). BUT, it seems having the end end on gets in the way a lot with the standard length and in practice I find it somewhat fiddly to work with unless things are very clear ... and in that case I probably do not need them anyway. So after some use they are far from the first thing I reach for.

Your cut down mountains might be significantly better and cleaner to use.

 

[rword]

Some more gearwrench

 

[LXCam]

Got a pretty decent fluke test leads kit. I have really played with it yet but it sure looks cool.



And I’m not sure what happened here yet. I ordered one set of torx and three screwdriver sets. One for a kid who’s been coming along but doesn’t understand good proper tools and two for me to outfit another bag and another box. I’ve gotten tired of grabbing from my main bag all the time.