Recent content by Eric Essen

We're not as small anymore but we are still growing rapidly! www.repair.org We have legislation going in 20+ states currently and just had huge wins in the EU including forcing 10-year replacement part support for appliances to independent repair shops (still working forced availability of...

For quality https://www.crest-ultrasonics.com/ I got lucky and scored a Whaledent Biosonic U100 at a garage sale 10+ years ago for $20. Is pretty simple, no heat, but it's got the right frequencies to get stuff clean! I run small carburetors, speedometer parts, engine hardware etc for my Vespa...

You can check all the tools you want as long as they aren't hazardous. Pre-covid I would fly all over the USA with a carry on suitcase crammed full of tools, mostly iFixit Pro Tech Toolkits and Jimmy pry tools. My bag always gets flagged by x-ray, but have never had to surrender any tools. My...

Re: iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit—Mac Mini Teardown Thank you!!! That's my product I developed because I'm a tool junkie too like all the GJ folks. I worked back and forth between computer and motorcycle repair at all my jobs before iFixit, and I HATE toolkits full of useless tools that have no...

I've done bigger tool cabinets with Kaizen and smaller take in the field boxes with it. Sometimes the drawers are not deep enough/foam thick enough to have the structure to create a great removable section for my uses. Instead of taking trays for jobs, I have my main workshop and rolling...

I'll echo that a headlamp is the best by far for those types of situations. Even when it's not dark out, can be very handy working under vehicles and hoods, I used one all the time as a mechanic. I love the basic Petzl models. Anything that takes AAA not button cells, and has a simple on-off...

Hakko HJ5000 is made in Romania. I've sold more than 200 over the past couple of years with no customer complaints or returns (via ifixit.com). $39.99 600/950 F dual heat settings. Of course in the same time period sold more than 2,000 $19.99 harbor freight style China made heat guns, with...

The iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit is awesome for students/dorm life and very compact/portable. We get contsant feedback from students that it made them the dorm hero. From game consoles and phones to disabling smoke detectors in your dorm room, it's developed with data tracking what driver types and...

I've got a different Craftsman pair, P4735. Didn't know the original application until today, but use them for all sorts of misc spreading/opening tasks!

For reference, Tri-wing and Tri-point are different drives and not compatible. Tri-Point is like a 3-blade JIS. Tri-Wing has offset radial blades that do not align to a common center point. Many modern electronics are using Tri-Point (Apple, Nintendo, etc). iFixit and Moody Tools both make...

Great thread/ well-researched story. I agree that despite the bad rep they get often in the pro world, that Harbor Freight has exploited a great niche and also provides many specialty tools at a consumer price for occasional use that would be inaccessible otherwise. I put all these into a...

Sorry just saw this, and about the thread hijack. Taiwan for that handle. Try one, it's really nice! Machined aluminum with a ball bearing swivel top. We put a ton of work into the handle ergonomics. Both "Human Factors in Engineering and Design" and "The Measure of Man and Woman" were the...

We moved from Taiwan to Germany this year. Black handled fixed drivers are German, Grey are the older Taiwan ones.

My Matco rebranded Wittes are my favorite greasy environment drivers! Love the handles and grip. I've got the plain handle set, and a couple of the fuzzy insert ones!

My Felo 337 wood handle drivers! Hands down favorite. Followed closely by my German made iFixit precision drivers