Buying tools you'll (hopefully) only use once

[mrjaw14]

My wife has given me the opportunity to work on the washing machine by constantly overloading it, which has caused the tub bearing and the shaft/mode selector to go bad. Spin cycle sounds like gravel rolling around in it. Finding replacement parts wasn't that bad, and there's lots of videos on doing the repair.

There is a single nut that requires a 1-11/16th deep socket to remove. GE makes a special tool for this that's over $40, or I could buy a Sunex deep impact socket for about $30. I obviously chose the Sunex socket, but that's such an odd size I doubt I'll ever use that again! On amazon about half of the reviews on that socket were people working on GE washing machines and the other half were working on a Dodge truck. I normally like the opportunity to buy tools, but this time that's an expensive socket to only use once (hopefully).

What tools have you guys bought for a strange job that may be a one time use?

 

[stonesfan68]

At $30 your still ahead of calling out the GE repairman!

I bought a large, 3/4-inch drive socket and 1/2-3/4 adapter to remove a fuel level sensor out of a Mercedes that I owned. I haven't used either tool since that time, going on 18-years now.

 

[My Old Tools]

Ebay when you're done....

 

[rshadd]

A service call will certainly be more than the cost of the tool.

 

[Handyfarmer]

to many to count, I think the one that burns me the most is the GM tool for setting the crank shaft, pick up coil on the 3.3 and 3.8 engines, (full retail is it close to $600) and is just plastic, now I have used it about three times now, but still it was a rip off by the company that made it, (I did find one on eBay, for about $100),

many sockets, some times one finds a use for it later,

have made many a tool as well, some are just modified, like cutting a socket in half, and putting a pipe in between for an extra deep socket,

but still if you have the skill and can fix it, most of the time the cost of the special tool is a lot cheaper than paying some one to do it for you,

most would not have a problem to pay the bill for a service man, to use his special tool, and most of the time the cost of the service call will be much more than the tool.

 

[Davefr]

I don't mind saying "ouch" as long as the tool saves me "moolah" in the end.

 

[FigureItOut]

For many of you it'd probably be a more common use tool, but I got a timing light when I was going through my 94 F150 trying to get everything in shape. I got an OBD1 scanner and it wanted me to make sure the ECM was able to advance the timing before I went on to the next stage. It was interesting to use, but now it sits there, likely forever.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

 

[Pipe]

It's usually worth it. Plus when a buddy needs an odd tool that I have I end up with at least a 6 pack.

 

[gungatim]

I've had to buy special large sockets for the occasional 4wd or axle nut, timing chain holder tool for the 5 cyl. trailblazer/envoy motor, vagcom for VW diagnostics that I never used before the car got traded, etc. a tool is a tool, if you work on stuff a lot, you will probably end up using it again...

 

[txvwnut]

For me it's a pneumatic hardwood floor nailer. It was cheaper to buy it(HF) than rent it as I was doing the floor over several days. Now I hope I never touch that m'fer again, that wood floor ****'ll wear you out.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

For me it's a pneumatic hardwood floor nailer. It was cheaper to buy it(HF) than rent it as I was doing the floor over several days. Now I hope I never touch that m'fer again, that wood floor ****'ll wear you out.

+1

1100 sqft of 4" white oak... spread it out over a few days. $100 well spent, HD wanted $50 a day to rent.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I don't mind buying tools that I will only use once when it's because I only need it once.
Usually I (or a friend) end up needing them again anyway.

I hate buying a tools that don't perform as expected or worse one that fails the first time I use it.

 

[CJM8515]

Toyota 3.4L timing belt tensioner adapter. It pushes against the waterpump pulley and idler pulley so you can remove the t-belt easier. I used it one time then realized it was far easier to just remove the damn idler if you have an impact gun.

 

[Lassen Forge]

...
There is a single nut that requires a 1-11/16th deep socket to remove... On amazon about half of the reviews on that socket were people working on GE washing machines and the other half were working on a Dodge truck. I normally like the opportunity to buy tools, but this time that's an expensive socket to only use once (hopefully).

What tools have you guys bought for a strange job that may be a one time use?

I think that it's a damned fine excuse to go out and get a Dodge Truck, so you can't say it's a "use it once" tool...

 

[66354dream]

I spent 10.00 bucks on a special wrench for our Maytag washing machine, never used it but it feels good to know I have it handy if I ever need it.

 

[signcrafter]

My wife has given me the opportunity to work on the washing machine by constantly overloading it, which has caused the tub bearing and the shaft/mode selector to go bad. Spin cycle sounds like gravel rolling around in it. Finding replacement parts wasn't that bad, and there's lots of videos on doing the repair.

There is a single nut that requires a 1-11/16th deep socket to remove. GE makes a special tool for this that's over $40, or I could buy a Sunex deep impact socket for about $30. I obviously chose the Sunex socket, but that's such an odd size I doubt I'll ever use that again! On amazon about half of the reviews on that socket were people working on GE washing machines and the other half were working on a Dodge truck. I normally like the opportunity to buy tools, but this time that's an expensive socket to only use once (hopefully).

What tools have you guys bought for a strange job that may be a one time use?

How much would it cost to have someone come out and fix it for you? Most likely close to the cost of a new machine. So you spent a few bucks on a bearing and a few bucks on a socket and saved a bunch of money. And now you will have that socket to use again if ever needed. To me that is a good investment, even if you never use it again. I have a ton of tools that I bought to do a job once and they paid for themselves. And a lot of the time I will end up using them again.

 

[TheEuronater]

I have tons of tools I bought for only a one time use. I don't mind it at all. Like the others said, you are going to come out ahead, and have sockets.

 

[ItsNemo]

One time use is pretty rare...something always comes up that it's needed again.

Otherwise, depending on access this is one of those times that an adjustable wrench or similar might have been the ticket.

 

[GirchyGirchy]

Toyota 3.4L timing belt tensioner adapter. It pushes against the waterpump pulley and idler pulley so you can remove the t-belt easier. I used it one time then realized it was far easier to just remove the damn idler if you have an impact gun.

Yeah, I had a little $10 Miller tool for setting the tensioner for a 2.4L SOHC Mitsubishi engine. Recently found it and threw it on the Galant forum, sold it for $20!

 

[d.mcfarland]

This is like asking why buy a whole set of sockets even if you'll never use a few of them. You buy based on the expectation of using them, and in this case, bought knowing that you will save money. You will be better off in the end buy doing the work yourself on appliances almost 100% of the time. Good buy in my opinion.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I have many, but one that comes to mind was a cam degreeing kit from Comp Cams.

1. It was expensive.

2. I was short of cash for my engine build already.

3. It was fairly hard to figure out how to use it.

4. Once I did figure it out, I quickly determined that my cam was exactly where it was supposed to be and required no adjustment at all.

5. The kit went back in the box (10 years ago at least) and hasn't come out since.

If one of you dude's needs a cam degreed though...I'm your man!

Phil

 

[CJM8515]

Yeah, I had a little $10 Miller tool for setting the tensioner for a 2.4L SOHC Mitsubishi engine. Recently found it and threw it on the Galant forum, sold it for $20!

Been trying to unload it for eons no esuch luck

 

[gearheads78]

Ebay when you're done....

This is what I do also. I look at is a rental.

 

[Greg85mcss]

My wife has given me the opportunity to work on the washing machine by constantly overloading it, which has caused the tub bearing and the shaft/mode selector to go bad. Spin cycle sounds like gravel rolling around in it. Finding replacement parts wasn't that bad, and there's lots of videos on doing the repair.



There is a single nut that requires a 1-11/16th deep socket to remove. GE makes a special tool for this that's over $40, or I could buy a Sunex deep impact socket for about $30. I obviously chose the Sunex socket, but that's such an odd size I doubt I'll ever use that again! On amazon about half of the reviews on that socket were people working on GE washing machines and the other half were working on a Dodge truck. I normally like the opportunity to buy tools, but this time that's an expensive socket to only use once (hopefully).



What tools have you guys bought for a strange job that may be a one time use?

I needed one of those for front hubs on a dodge dualie. Luckily my boss bought it for the shop to have. I'd rather fix that washer any day of the week though.

 

[gearheads78]

When I put my lift up a few months ago I wanted to have a rebar cutter on hand. No one stocked them so I have to order on line and not cheap. I did all but the last two holes and never hit any. The next one hit directly on one 1/2 of a piece rebar. The cutter knocked it out in 2 minutes. So glad I had it. Sold it to a member here for a little more than 1/2 of what I paid.

 

[mrjaw14]

I have no qualms buying tools to save a repair bill, if I have any heartburn at all its why in the world would GE make that nut be such an obscure size! It's a retaining nut, so it could have easily been another size that might be more available/useful

 

[ssdave]

It's amazing to me, after over 40 years of buying tools, how many "one use" tools that I got because the first job paid for them have been used over and over again.

One of the first really expensive tools I bought was a 14" dry cut concrete saw. I bought it used with a good $350 blade for $550. I also lucked into a great deal on a 3/4" spline shaft roto-hammer with a full set of bits for $100 at about the same time. I had quotes of $1000 per window to install egress windows in a house I was remodeling. I used the rotohammer and saw to cut in two windows on the house, and the materials for the windows and wells cost me about $400. So, for 3 days of hard work, I made $1000 after materials and tools. That was really significant when I was working for $1500 a month. I have used that saw and drill countless times since then. I've installed large amounts of concrete paver, did hundreds of feet of stack block concrete wall, cut steel and rebar, demo'd out concrete slabs and sidewalks, cut a half dozen more windows and doors in basements, cut stucco, cut stone or oversize tile that was too big for my tile saws, and lent it out to many friends. That saw has allowed me to make probably $50 to $75,000 over the 20 years I've owned it.

In automotive tools, I have to buy specialty tools occasionally for my cars so I can maintain them myself. One that comes to mind is the strut removal tool for a 1995 Chevy Lumina. I bought it, used it once at the 125,000 mile level, and then resold on ebay because the car wasn't going to last another set of struts. I bought timing tools for DOHC Ford motors so I could overhaul them, and then don't expect to use them again, but for the 3.0L engines, I have done three of them; once I had the tool that was one more reason to do them instead of paying someone else, so I took on rebuilding two additional ones to make money after the first one that I had to do.

So, it often makes sense to buy what you see as single use tools, as long as the initial payback is positive, or you can buy and resell cheaper than renting the tool.

 

[skruft]

Many times, or even ones I do not know whether I will ever use, like socket sets where I do not know if I will use certain sizes. Also I think I have used some tools like nut crackers only a few times.

 

[Jazz1]

I have numerous tools I only use once, still cheaper than going to a shop. Got a 1/4" torque years ago I have yet to use

 

[Mr. T]

Just out of curiosity are you sure it isn't 42mm? Might be 43 even but 42 is more likely.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

I bought a single Bristol (spline drive) wrench for my Hammond restoration project. I may never encounter another Bristol fastener, but nothing else would do. Generally, though, I try to avoid one time use tools.

 

[mrjaw14]

Just out of curiosity are you sure it isn't 42mm? Might be 43 even but 42 is more likely.

Unfortunately the special tool is a 1-11/16 and the instructional videos say to use the tool or a 1-11/16 socket. I took the agitator off the drum yesterday and measured the nut before ordering that socket. That may be the single most expensive socket I own lol

 

[Mr. T]

That may be the single most expensive socket I own lol

I feel your pain. Okay, not so much, I buy somewhere around $300-$1500 worth of tools a month. I guess it hurts less because it's not "really" my money. And that's on top of the $10000-$100000 worth of parts a month they're used on.

So in the grand scheme your socket might be a screamin deal.

 

[mrjaw14]

I feel your pain. Okay, not so much, I buy somewhere around $300-$1500 worth of tools a month. I guess it hurts less because it's not "really" my money. And that's on top of the $10000-$100000 worth of parts a month they're used on.

So in the grand scheme your socket might be a screamin deal.

Good grief, what are you working on?

 

[four.cycle]

had to do a repair job on a hot water tank a couple months ago.
element went out.
needed a 1-1/2" socket to remove and install the element.
not a big deal.... but I went to four different places before I finally found a Chinese-made model for about $11 bucks. only one in town.

used to store some of my tools in a 35-gallon galvanized garbage can up at the cabin. kept the mice out. and the rain, if the roof started leaking.
had to move everything into town.
half asleep, put the wrong can out at the curb one morning on garbage pickup day.
a couple nice Sandvik saws, crow bar, wedge, and my shake froe went into the landfill.

about a month later had to go buy another froe to finish a small "fix" job. used it maybe about 15 minutes.

I'd be more than happy to use it again, but odds of finding any nice old-growth Western Red Cedar are pretty damn slim these days.

 

[Mr. T]

Good grief, what are you working on?

Injection Molding Machines, the auxiliary equipment to support them (water temp control units, granulators, Servo robots, Hot runner controllers, scales, conveyors, conveyor systems, weigh scale conveyors, sprue pickers), Automation cells, Automated Assembly Machines, and everything else in the facility as time allows.

And I requisition a lot of the tools for the technicians in the production dept. that use this equipment 24/7 361 (we do shut down two days for Xmas and Thanksgiving... Every few years, depending on business).

 

[Finky198]

^^^ My father did that later on in life. They injection molded dvd and cd cases 24/7 365. It was quite an operation. They had a contract with block buster at one time.

It was Amazing how much went into keeping that place going....