Recent content by stearn786

I was a Chrysler technician for 8 years. Got sick of fighting with rotten bolts and a rotten service manager and left to find something better to do with my life. Now I work for as an engineering technician building and testing transport refrigeration units. Similar skill set but there's no...

I didn't count how many times somebody said safety glasses, but it can't be said enough times. I used to be way more lazy about it until I watched a coworker launch a park brake hold down spring into his left eye. Multiple surgeries, out of work for 5 months and he lost something like 80% in...

I have a 1/4 and 1/2. Used them weekly for transmission work until I changed professions. Just as accurate as anything else IMO

We bought my dad a CS400 for Christmas last year. He loves it. Got the saw from Ebay, no problems as far as I can see.

My new tool:

My dad found an older 65CC Poulan chainsaw in the road on the way to work one morning. The plastic gas tank was cracked, cost me $20 on Ebay and a half hour of time. Still using it 5-6 years later. Runs like a champ :thumbup:

I have a 16 oz ball pein and a 4 lb engineers hammer from Estwing and they dampen a lot of vibration. I also have a Trusty Cook ball pein that's been good. I like the Snap On handles a little better than the TC so I may pick one up if I ever break the TC.

I would love an iron knuckle. 80% of what I work on has aluminum knuckles. Mix steel and aluminum, add a good dose of salt and 3-4 years later it might as well be welded. Have to blow the bearing off with a good air hammer and then grind away what's left in the bore. I mostly use the carbide...

I use a straight die grinder with a carbide burr. You can't even get most of the wheel bearings in NY back into the knuckle without cleaning the bore up. Had a 2014 I had to clean today before reinstalling the bearing because it wouldn't go back in. The carbide burr is a little aggressive but...

The best purchase I made this year was definitely my PH3050 Snapon air hammer. Got it on a deal with a free set of SO chisels. I didn't know what I was missing until I got this thing. Countless wheel bearings and a concrete wall later, it has definitely already paid for itself.

Ratchets. The last thing I want to happen when I'm leaning all my weight on something is to have it slip, not to mention being able to use it in a tight space.

I like my Wera chiseldrivers. The handles fit my hands well, tips are good and they seem to take abuse well. Way better than the Craftsman clear handles I had before, and the handles clean pretty easy with WD-40. I use a lot of Wiha insert bits for my cordless screwdriver and they hold up great too.

I use these: http://m.harborfreight.com/Mechanics-Gloves-X-Large-62432.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiMzQ4MTI4NDYiLCJza3UiOiI2MjQzMiIsImlzIjoiMy45OSIsInByb2R1Y3RfaWQi%0D%0AOiIxMTY3MiJ9%0D%0A Regular Mechanix wear gloves last me like a month in the shop, especially if it's snow tire season. These are...

I second that (or third, whatever). Mine doesn't have much torque but it's awesome for just running bolts in and out. Definitely not 35 ft lbs

I have a HF one and it works good. I work at a Chrysler dealer so it gets used often