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[ElectroMechTech]

Amazon order. Harfington FPZ1 bits. Pozidriv with flathead. First pic is mine. The others are from Amazon. Better pics than I could take. For Chinese, the fitment is spot on. I went ahead and ordered the FPZ2 and FPZ3 bits.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

@ElectroMechTech “FPZ3” ? Where do you come across that size?

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

FPZ1 bits. Pozidriv with flathead

With the screws designed to accept both types, is it that neither work well in practice, and hence the need for FPZ1? If so, seems the screw designers' plan didn't work out.

 

[ElectroMechTech]

@ElectroMechTech “FPZ3” ? Where do you come across that size?

Kind regards,
Olli

We got a couple of large ***, oddball contractors at a site that has them. I'll try to remember to take a pic and post it. Truthfully a proper sized flathead will work. However we are rather OCD bunch at work, with a little weaponized autism sprinkled in. If someone bothered to make the screw, then someone probably makes a driver for it. Lol.

 

[Beerhippie]

@ElectroMechTech “FPZ3” ? Where do you come across that size?

Kind regards,
Olli

The sets I've bought--Milwaukee--come with 2s and 3s. But I need 1s, too. Some items around the brewery--like Leviton NEMA L15 plugs and sockets--require all three. Some only need the #2 and 3, but some need the #1 for the screws that hold the two halves together.

I hate and despise FPZ, ECX and all the other alphabet-soup fasteners. Damned electricians--they even still use slotted and Robertson #1!

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

@ElectroMechTech , @Beerhippie

Thank you very much, very interesting!

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[ElectroMechTech]

The sets I've bought--Milwaukee--come with 2s and 3s. But I need 1s, too. Some items around the brewery--like Leviton NEMA L15 plugs and sockets--require all three. Some only need the #2 and 3, but some need the #1 for the screws that hold the two halves together.

I hate and despise FPZ, ECX and all the other alphabet-soup fasteners. Damned electricians--they even still use slotted and Robertson #1!

I remember years ago there was a torx varietal that had restricted sales distribution of both the screws and the tools to deal with them. Oh, you want right to repair? No problem. Here you go. You just have to jump through hoops and spend absurd levels of money to do so.

 

[Beerhippie]

I remember years ago there was a torx varietal that had restricted sales distribution of both the screws and the tools to deal with them. Oh, you want right to repair? No problem. Here you go. You just have to jump through hoops and spend absurd levels of money to do so.

I recall when the posted (Security) Torx were like that. If you tried to buy the bits or drivers, you were treated like a criminal.

 

[Monte]

 

[KnurledNut]

With the screws designed to accept both types, is it that neither work well in practice, and hence the need for FPZ1? If so, seems the screw designers' plan didn't work out.

Sorry to continue the derail, but:
It depends on the combo screw and the way the head drive was engineered. Some are better than others. The convenience of using multiple drive systems often outweighs any sacrifices. There are some instances though where this is reversed and using the wrong driver causes permanent damage and even makes extraction difficult.
An example is receptacle strap screws that are notoriously thin and soft, yet have to be torqued fairly heavy during installation. Most of these end up cammed out and filled with paint or compound, furthering removal issues. The older ones were often just a slotted screwhead and could be easier to remove. The modern ones are a combination drive. The Pozidriv/slotted has an excellent fit and confident bite. Of course, these combo drivers come with their own aggravations, like when the driver slips out and you have to turn it 180° instead of 90° to reinsert.

 

[Pinne]

I bought this 7" Rockwell grinder last year, but don't think I got around to posting it. I just changed out the casters on the base so they actually roll. With the new casters I'm into it for $95 and it spins smooth as could be. I don't use the grinder all that often so to be able to roll it out of the way is great.

 

[landrover bodger]

A sprayer for brake cleener

 

[CentenIJ]

Marketplace pick up for a Benjamin. Ladies not included.

 

[ChefRex]

Marketplace pick up for a Benjamin. Ladies not included.

Tell the ladies to open up to see what ya got!

 

[SC Fly Guy]

Not a big purchase, but one that has already proven handy. The Tracer spare lead holder is a pretty clever design.

 

[Steel_Rain]

This weeks new items:

 

[Hakeem]

Expensive month so far - grabbed this 3/8” digital torque wrench on sale. I’ve been encountering a lot of torque-angle specs, as well as a lot of <20ftlb torque specs, and this ought to handle both.

They recently revamped the range from 20-100ftlbs to 5-100ftlbs (and can display units in inch-lbs) so it can handle a lot of the lower range stuff you’d normally need a 1/4” torque wrench for. A coworker has the 1/2” and it’s pretty nice - it has red-yellow-green lights on the side, vibrates, and beeps to let you know when you’ve reached the target value.

For 30% off, it was a no-brainer.

 

[ChefRex]

I don't really buy into the torque-angle specs thing, I bought my SO of the same ilk for the same reason but then seeing the differential in final torque I feel more comfortable going to final torque by the numbers.

 

[manwithtools]

Expensive month so far - grabbed this 3/8” digital torque wrench on sale. I’ve been encountering a lot of torque-angle specs, as well as a lot of <20ftlb torque specs, and this ought to handle both.

They recently revamped the range from 20-100ftlbs to 5-100ftlbs (and can display units in inch-lbs) so it can handle a lot of the lower range stuff you’d normally need a 1/4” torque wrench for. A coworker has the 1/2” and it’s pretty nice - it has red-yellow-green lights on the side, vibrates, and beeps to let you know when you’ve reached the target value.

For 30% off, it was a no-brainer.

What was the price after the 30% discount. My web search shows $359, is that correct?

 

[Hakeem]

I don't really buy into the torque-angle specs thing, I bought my SO of the same ilk for the same reason but then seeing the differential in final torque I feel more comfortable going to final torque by the numbers.

i hear ya. On older stuff or when reusing fasteners I don’t always go to the full torque spec out of fear of breaking something, but I try to adhere to OEM torque specs whenever possible. I don’t have enough experience yet to decide when it’s ok to “break the rules”.

What was the price after the 30% discount. My web search shows $359, is that correct?

~$240 or so. So yeah I think $359 full price is about right. On sale it’s still not cheap but a hell of a lot better than full price.

 

[ChefRex]

I have always been a bit of a rule breaker, I do what works, if it doesn't then you course correct.

 

[Squankum]

Recent purchases of a few weeks ago:

1) Prothane brand jack pad. $18.51 Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00387A6TC?tag=atomicindus08-20

Had trouble finding it on Amazon this time around, but figured it out. Really wasn't finding it on the Prothane website, they're busy selling suspension bushings to the kids who .... like that sort of thing. Appeared to be in stock at Summit Racing, too.

Bought one of these about a decade ago and it's almost indestructible.




2) HF "BADLANDS" 3 ton jack. I bought it for the wheels! Seriously, working in a gravel lot sometimes lately. Not until I got it home did I discover it's a giant aluminum jack! Handle, too. Neat. The other reason I was buying it was that lifting my normal 3-ton jack into the car was a bit of hernia risk at 100 lbs and I was going to keep this in a shed at the remote location.

Not cheap, but there was a 25% off sale that weekend. I don't think I could have pulled the trigger otherwise.

I am not an member of the Inside Track cabal, but I see this today:

3 Ton Off-Road Jack

Amazing deals on this 3 Ton Off-Road Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Also comes with a pedestal you can bolt to the normal jack pad, for vehicles with lots of ground clearance. A hex key for its bolts has a hiding spot on the jack, too. I'll be leaving all of that at home. The pedestal base/tube is steel.



A stamped metal 19mm wrench is included for the wheel nuts. Who buys a 3-ton jack and doesn't have wrenches? Just for that I installed the wheel nuts with a Snap On Dual 80 ratchet. (And I'll be re-doing the job, noticing the washers too late, distracted by the other stuff I don't care about which I think straps the pedestal in another spot on the jack when not in use.) Instructions about some of this are vague or absent.

Shown in the pic above but not at all visible is the plastic block preventing the pump-handle yoke from rising. Boy, did I feel like a caveman. Read the instructions and heard the tale of a mysterious plastic block to be removed, but only with goggles on. Ah, it's black plastic. Jerks.


Jack also has a fabric lifting handle loop. I've not hoisted this thing yet, so I don't have an opinion about it. It also has the side handles like the baby aluminum race jack. Also -- pretty neat -- there's a skid plate. I don't foresee using it, but I don't work in the... BADLANDS.

3) HUNH!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Future build project from the Parking Lot sale.



Added some HF cash to sweeten the deal... $10...$15...and...$25.

 

[Squankum]

A coworker has the 1/2” and it’s pretty nice - it has red-yellow-green lights on the side, vibrates, and beeps to let you know when you’ve reached the target value.

The march of progress! Next up, mild electric shocks!

 

[manwithtools]

~$240 or so. So yeah I think $359 full price is about right. On sale it’s still not cheap but a hell of a lot better than full price.

Thanks for the help Hakeem

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

My latest haul from Japan arrived. I'd been building it up for a while at Blackship's free storage.

I'll post it over the course of the week to avoid spamming the thread. Today - pliers.

Fujiya 50A-175 Angled Diagonal Cutting Pliers 175mm (7”)
This design is perhaps more often seen on smaller pliers. Looked interesting, not sure what I’ll use it for. Leverage ratio is relatively poor, glad I went for the largest version.


Keiba FCC-118 High Grade High Leverage side cutting [linesman] pliers 200mm (8”)
This has a brass sleeved joint for smoothness. The grabbing area at the front has serration lines, whereas the standard leverage FCC-108 has cross hatching which I would prefer.


Merry JR60 Clip Pliers 155mm (6”)
These seem useful for more than just trim clips. Like a pliers version of human fingernails.


Merry HS175C Coupling Disconnect Pliers 190mm (8”)
While this was in transit from Japan, I snapped a locking tab on a sensor connector trying to remove it. These blue hard handles are pretty utilitarian.


Merry L60 Long Handle Bent Nose Pliers 200mm (8”)
These are for precision work, relatively light duty. I think someone put it as between a normal plier and a tweezer. Tips are smooth. There’s also straight (L50) and flat nose (L70) versions. I wasn't sure if they'd come with light blue, dark blue, or dark red grips.


Tsunoda EN-165S Thin Blade End Cutting Pliers 165mm (6.5”)
These are semi-flush, for cutting or getting under things

 

[ElectroMechTech]

PB Swiss Pozidriv set.

 

[Beerhippie]

I don't really buy into the torque-angle specs thing, I bought my SO of the same ilk for the same reason but then seeing the differential in final torque I feel more comfortable going to final torque by the numbers.

When it's "torque to yield", you're going to the far side of elastic deformation, so the torque does not go in a linear fashion up as the bolt stretches.

Or so I've been told.

 

[Callelle]

Expensive month so far - grabbed this 3/8” digital torque wrench on sale. I’ve been encountering a lot of torque-angle specs, as well as a lot of <20ftlb torque specs, and this ought to handle both.

Make sure you mark your angles anyway. My 1/2" Icon always seems off and starts counting degrees the second you even look at it.

 

[Steel_Rain]

My latest haul from Japan arrived. I'd been building it up for a while at Blackship's free storage.

That's a great set of very nice pliers, congrats!

 

[moemc]

I don't really buy into the torque-angle specs thing, I bought my SO of the same ilk for the same reason but then seeing the differential in final torque I feel more comfortable going to final torque by the numbers.

Torque-angle is one of the most precise methods for achieving a consistent target fastener preload/stretch. Because the thread pitch is known, the amount of axial fastener movement produced by a given angle of rotation can be accurately determined.

Direct measurement of fastener stretch is best but not always possible, torque-angle is second best.

Torque specs are not even measuring what you are actually trying to control in fastener tightening (preload). They are an just an indirect, roundabout way to get in the ballpark... assuming you have adequate control over variables (mostly friction related). This is why its used more casually, but torque-angle is a lot more typical to be used for critical fasteners.

Torque angle is not easily fooled by things like dirty or oiled threads.

 

[Lowlevel2021]

Cashed in some upside points for a HD card. Since the battery powered hammer isn’t available yet decided to try out a torque wrench from Milwaukee.

 

[manwithtools]

 

[Steel_Rain]

Nice stuff!

 

[Steel_Rain]

Cashed in some upside points for a HD card. Since the battery powered hammer isn’t available yet decided to try out a torque wrench from Milwaukee.

Can you let me know how you like this? Newer release and I can’t find anyone on YT that has a follow up review other than the fancy market influencers.

 

[LXCam]

/me bows his head in shame

I um…well um…I’m not sure how to say this but

I bought these. I paid like $44 delivered. It um seemed like a good buy but I’d also just got done working 74hrs in five days and as much as it pains me to add….im fn old and wasn’t paying much attention

What did I buy, well I got a set of rainbow wrenches.

What are rainbow wrenches you ask…or not

Well the sizes are all colored in with all the colors under the rainbow.

They also have some feeble attempt at being a grip open end. If the notching were more consistent I’m almost tell you it was intentional. But I have my doubts

I will say the chrome is nice n shiny which adds a new dimension to the rainbow coloring.

They came in a nice box



With high security packing. The screws were a wonderful touch



And now you too can gaze upon the glory that is a set of toolant rainbow wrenches




You’re welcome since I’m now saving all of you the embarrassment I must endure pulling these out some day on a project. 🥹

 

[Steel_Rain]

What did I buy, well I got a set of rainbow wrenches.

Well ya’ll, I’ll say it because ya’ll are thinking it anyways…

Are you a “little light in the loafers” @LXCam ?

 

[Beerhippie]

Well ya’ll, I’ll say it because ya’ll are thinking it anyways…

Are you a “little light in the loafers” @LXCam ?

C'mon, get serious. They'll be perfect for the next time he's wrenchin' on a float at the local Pride Parade.

 

[LXCam]

Well ya’ll, I’ll say it because ya’ll are thinking it anyways…

Are you a “little light in the loafers” @LXCam ?

Well ain't that a sumbitch.........they didn't nickname me bellybutton for nutton.

 

[mreisner]

Picked up this little gem off of marketplace, told the guy I didn't want the stuff that was in it but he left it in anyways and this interesting tool was in it.