Going to downsize my wrenches

[dink]

I really don't use my wrenches much anymore....I hardly work on cars other then the very basic of stuff....I really need peoples feedback on this....I hardly use my SAE set so I would gauge you guys on the bare minimum to keep and I guess other "odd" things my adjustable wrenches would tackle....And same thing with Metric except I use these more often but again just for the very basic of things on my wife's Passatt and my Toyota Sienna. Actually I will probably just keep the whole metric set.

So which sizes to keep on the SAE wrenches.....Just a bit of info I have 1/4" to 1" sizing

 

[Givl Reggin]

Keep them.

If you had duplicates, that's a different story, but since you already have them why get rid of something you might one day need?

 

[I van putski]

That's crazy talk on a tool forum!

 

[dink]

Because I dont do the "might" part anymore in my life

 

[I van putski]

Sell them all, find a golf forum

 

[jim faston]

Sell them all, find a golf forum

Wouldn't he need metric wrenches to work on a VW?

 

[jjjrmx5]

I'd keep them.

If you own a house or even rent, most plumbing fixtrues and associated hardware is SAE/standard here in teh US.

So are most gas line fittings and most elec. fixture and box connectors.

Have a supply line to your toilet blow out or a shut off valve go bad or seize and you'll be kicking yourself.

Lawn equipment is still mainly SAE/std.especially small engine stuff.

If you run an air compressor, many or most fitting are still SAE.

I;d never fathom owning less than a 1/8" to 1-1/4" full combo wrench set for home use.

Sure, pliers and an adjustable wrench or vice grips MAY get you buy in a pinch, but not for me. If you had 1-1/2" and up sizes I'd say sure, maybe you can part with them, but no way for me for teh smaller sizes.

It's better to have a tool and not need it than to need a tool and not have it.



Good luck.

 

[BlackdogJunkyard]

I think he means the other kind of golf.

Edit: Getting rid of such a basic tool set is crazy talk though. It's not like they are taking up a huge amount a space. It isn't a giant air compressor or an arc welder . Or something you would always be tripping over. I cant believe you don't have a spot in your house you couldn't stick 10 wrenches so that they didn't bother you.
I guess my question is... What do you gain by getting rid of them?

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Zeke]

Cars aren't the only thing that need wrenches. Sure, you won't use that 1" one very often, but a 3/4" comes out of my box for things like yard furniture and lag bolts for the gate. Metric you could probably get by with a 10, 13, 14 and 17mm for just about anything auto related.

Again, don't toss the 3/4" because it fits a lot of seat belt hardware which is 7/16ths SAE fine internationally.

 

[BlackdogJunkyard]

Cars aren't the only thing that need wrenches. Sure, you won't use that 1" one very often, but a 3/4" comes out of my box for things like yard furniture and lag bolts for the gate. Metric you could probably get by with a 10, 13, 14 and 17mm for just about anything auto related.

Again, don't toss the 3/4" because it fits a lot of seat belt hardware which is 7/16ths SAE fine internationally.

VW's need 8, 9, 11, 18, 19, 24, 30. I know some or all of those are SAE equivalent but how silly to use SAE on metric hardware.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lbgradwell]

I needed a 7/8" very recently for something to do with a kitchen faucet. It surprised me.

Put it this way; I carry open end wrenches in my Go Bag up to 1" and I wouldn't if I thought I could get away with it!

 

[dink]

If you don't like this idea then you would hate to see my socket set and my screwdrivers.....I know on a tool horder forum such as this the whole "getting rid of" idea is blasphemy.....because I "might" need a gauge to test compression in cylinder #4 some day....should I go and buy it? Or I might decide to work on heavy machinery should I go buy some 3/4" sockets and ratchets? I know this is a better series of questions huh? I have moved onto a semi-minimalist life and this is part of my transformation.

 

[Subyroo651]

Maybe this thread is going to be used as evidence to prove his case(for keeping the tools) to SHMBO...

 

[Rico.]

Sell them all, find a golf forum

Wouldn't he need metric wrenches to work on a VW?

This is just gold...

 

[jim faston]

I think he means the other kind of golf.

I think those are metric too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_class_submarine

 

[jjjrmx5]

If you don't like this idea then you would hate to see my socket set and my screwdrivers.....I know on a tool horder forum such as this the whole "getting rid of" idea is blasphemy.....because I "might" need a gauge to test compression in cylinder #4 some day....should I go and buy it? Or I might decide to work on heavy machinery should I go buy some 3/4" sockets and ratchets? I know this is a better series of questions huh? I have moved onto a semi-minimalist life and this is part of my transformation.

Then sell the SAE set off.

I suggest 2 sizes of adjustable wrenches , arch joint plierss, slip joint pliers and a pair of vice grips as replacements.

I'd also have a plumber, electrician and handyman on 24 hour speed dial in addition to the landlord if you rent . I'd also up the $$$ in the savings account if you own a home as anything involved will now require services charging high hourly rates or several hundreds of $$$ for service calls.

A $30 set of wrenches is way cheaper than a half day of hiring a plumber, but it's your money. Ya might want to also attend church regularly and pray that anything requiring a wrench in your life does not break. I hear that works 99% of the time. God is not a DYI kind of diety I have read and he uses handymen. On the other hand his son was quite the carpenter. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

 

[bobcatdan]

This is a mininal as I would go. 3/8" to 1 1/4" and 8 to 19 mm combo wrenches. The stubbies, the gearwrenchs, the flare, the double box, 4 way angle head and the tappet wrenchs can all go.

 

[skulldrinker]

Give them to your wife then at least they will stay in the family.

sounds like you're getting old maybe in your 80's if you don't need tools.

 

[86k10]

Sell anything that you wouldn't replace if your house caught on fire.

Simple way of looking at it.

 

[91bronc300]

Going minimalist is great, I've done the same thing once before and it was great to purge all those possessions. I don't know exactly how many tools you have horded but whatever you decide to end up downsizing please be sure and take pictures and put them in the classifieds here

 

[Maexle]

Why not downsizing ? I really understand the idea (although i'm very far from even thinking about it....).

But i would go a different route, why not getting rid of all the wrenches / sockets / sets...and get instead a high class smaller set which covers all the basic needs ?

 

[Dustin Echoes]

Sure, it's a great I idea. I've done the same recently. I went through all of my wrenches, and got rid of any duplicates. Put them in a different drawer, in case I need two for something. Then, I grabbed all the third copies, and hung them up in case I need to lend one out to someone. Any fourth copies I had went into the house... fifth stayed in the car... In other words, I can't get rid of any. I might find a need for them. Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. Now, on to the sockets...

 

[Steinmetz]

Far too many self-pro claimed "minimalists" have borrowed things from me out of need, and never returned them. I avoid "minimalists".

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Because I dont do the "might" part anymore in my life

Well then, just turn in your man card and resign yourself to the recliner and **** tube.

Charles

 

[metaldad]

send them here.
they wont get lonely.

 

[p912s]

I really don't use my wrenches much anymore....I hardly work on cars other then the very basic of stuff....I really need peoples feedback on this....I hardly use my SAE set so I would gauge you guys on the bare minimum to keep and I guess other "odd" things my adjustable wrenches would tackle....And same thing with Metric except I use these more often but again just for the very basic of things on my wife's Passatt and my Toyota Sienna. Actually I will probably just keep the whole metric set.

So which sizes to keep on the SAE wrenches.....Just a bit of info I have 1/4" to 1" sizing

Nothing wrong with thinking about getting rid of what you don't need. But trying to determine what you need is another story.

A little over 10 years ago we moved to our current house; it had a lot less space for my tools/toys. But that was okay because I was walking with a cane at the time and wasn't sure what I'd be able to do in the future. And decided that we were done buying houses and fixing them up and moving again and again.

So I decided to give away my table saw along with a bunch of other wood working tools. The rest I moved and put in the basement. Over the next 5 years I gave away the band saw, planner, router table and a bunch of misc hand tools. My brothers/brother-in-law really appreciated it and I knew they went to a good home.

What I didn't give away were any wrenches/sockets etc that are in my tool chest, and I don't think I ever will... But if I were to do that, I would probably pull out duplicate socket sets and wrenches, put them in a box and set aside for the next year or two and see if I ever went to the box.

As for eliminating wrenches over 3/4" or something like that, no, they don't take up that much room in the box.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

[dirtydogintex]

@dink - gl and hope things work out for you....

 

[vartz04]

You and my gf would get along. She doesnt understand the need for all of the different sizes

 

[pipsters]

I would bet the majority of work around the house could be accomplished with maybe one or two adjustable wrenches. Me personally I like the minimalist approach. After swapping an engine with just a 260 pc Craftsman set and only using maybe 10 sockets, you really don't need all these tools that people are collecting on here.

I went nuts and bought a whole bunch of stuff after that, but it's really not needed. I have been selling off stuff as I go as well, especially wrenches. I rarely use them, even my metric ones.

Look at this guys tool box...

 

[Alchymist]

Unless you NEED the money, just remember that tools don't eat - you don't have to feed them, just tuck them away in a drawer until needed.