The "WHY DIDN'T I BUY THIS SOONER?" thread

[SpeedCoach]

I'll concur with the impact driver.

Also have to add my Miller 211 Welder - thing is a god send....

 

[countryroad82]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FMJWM0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

This. After I finally broke down and bought my Waterbug, I couldn't believe how much time it saved me on wetsanding clearcoat. I was scared to take a DA to clear but after I got over it, it cuts my time way over half!!

 

[Mr.N]

A good pocket Knife, say 3+ inches

 

[CD360]

Milwaukees cordless ratchet. I've got the skill 1/4" one but this 3/8" one is so much better

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-17696-milwaukee-electric-tool-2457-21.aspx

 

[jJon G]

I would have to say the Ridged tool combo

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/R963-Combo-Kit/EN/index.htm


Impact driver
Really suprised with how well the circular saw works

AND THE BEST THING IS THIS

Lifetime Service Agreement provides the original owner of qualifying RIDGID® Brand tools a lifetime of free replacement batteries, free service and free replacement parts subject to the limitations set forth below


BEST MONEY EVER SPENT EDIT (best GF ever!!!!) she made me

 

[jam0o0]

welder. i use that thing for everything.
good impact. it takes a tenth of the time to change to my track tires now.
a tool box that is big enough. this saves me time on every job. to know right where something is and not have to spend ANY time looking for it is priceless.

 

[Carl B]

Why Didn't I Buy This Sooner? or Why Didn't I Do This Sooner?

I recently ran a compressed air line to the front of the garage, from the compressor in the rear. Previously I had pulled a 50' air hose though the garage, and out into the driveway when needed. When it was all done, I thought - "I wish I had done this twenty years ago"...

I recently {within the past year} put a Race Deck floor in half the garage - for the benefit of my wife - who does not like walking though oil stains and grit on her way to her car - - - Should have done that 10 years ago as well. Quick and Easy - looks great and its easy to keep clean. She's happy - I'm happy.

FWIW.
Carl B.

 

[Zeke]

The video confused the **** outta me.

Good luck trying to fit that on a hose in a tight engine bay, i'll stick to Jubilee clamps. (worm-screw)

Are you kidding me? I've seen that thing before and it's cool! Yes, not designed for close work. I'd buy it just to meet the woman whose voice is on the video. If I could marry a voice, she's my new wife!

And she does tools, too.

 

[znowaczyk]

I would have to say the Ridged tool combo

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/R963-Combo-Kit/EN/index.htm


Impact driver
Really suprised with how well the circular saw works

AND THE BEST THING IS THIS

Lifetime Service Agreement provides the original owner of qualifying RIDGID® Brand tools a lifetime of free replacement batteries, free service and free replacement parts subject to the limitations set forth below


BEST MONEY EVER SPENT EDIT (best GF ever!!!!) she made me

Got that set, love that set!!

 

[DrkMtnDew]

Blue Point PWC22A
Made In Germany
$63.35

 

[Rolling_Thunder]

Definetly my C3 Craftsman Impact Driver!!!

 

[Jeeper]

Toss up between pick, pry bars, our flex headed ratchets.


Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk

 

[Steevo]

Impact driver! Never again will I run a screw in with a cordless drill

Ditto on this.

I've had DeWalt 18v cordless drill and hammer drill for years, and driven thousands of screws with them.

Last Christmas I got the new 12v DeWalt impact driver & screw gun kit, and that little 12v impact driver will push 4" coated deck screws in faster and more surely than the old 18v drills did. Never slips out and damages a screw, either.

 

[shampoop]

locking flex ratcheting wrenches
18v impact driver
LED headlamp

 

[scofo]

Airlift for filling cooling systems. Man what a time saver.

 

[afazz]

A good toolbox; Snap-on KRL722. I should have bought one a long time ago, and should have bought a bigger one! I'm saving for a top chest now and sending my Craftsman to the scrapper.

-1 on the plasma, I never use it. It comes in handy occasionally, but I rarely need to make a crooked cut with slag everywhere in a location that I can blow sparks all over.

 

[turbodiesel_02]

snap on cordless ratchet
matco ratcheting wrenches with handle's

 

[greasemonkey44]

lilse no spill funnel
channellock crimpers
long pattern combo wrenches
lots of other stuff; but they were more as i could afford it

 

[slip knot]

+100 for the impact driver. owned it for over a year before i tried it. I can kick myself for not trying it sooner.

 

[IndyGarage]

The video confused the **** outta me.

Good luck trying to fit that on a hose in a tight engine bay, i'll stick to Jubilee clamps. (worm-screw)

I've had a clamptite for a couple years now. I've only used it a few times. I'm sure there are many more times that I could've used it, but I didn't think about it.

But let me tell you when you need to wire something down, or clamp a hose it's the tool to have.

I hit something in the road, and knocked one of the exhaust mounts loose - I clamptited it on the road, and it's held so good there's no need to get out the welder and fix it permanently.

I was bringing home a bunch of 20 foot sticks of aluminum on the top of my suburban. Clamptited the aluminum sticks to the roof and clamptited a forward mount for them out of my snow brush. Zip ties are easier to use, but the can't hold nearly as tight.

I think they're really overpriced for what they are, however.

 

[cat06]

Fein Multimaster.........I had a cheap version, but there is no comparison, Fein hands down best money I've spent

 

[softailgarage]

Milwaukee M12 Hackzall.

Feelings mutual . These things are friggin AWESOME

 

[Krokodil]

That German made Blue Point automatic wire stripper is made by Thomas & Betts.

 

[USMCdodge]

SO adjustable wrench. owned many china brands its soo worth it to have a solid adjustable. no play in the lower jaw. very smooth.

 

[shoot summ]

This tool eliminates the need for hoseclamps. Has 1000s of other uses:

http://www.clamptitetools.com/

My Brother has been selling those for years, he is based out of Yuma.

I've watched my Brother use that thing several times, it amazes me what can be done with it. We actually repaired a quad frame at Glamis one year, the repair lasted the entire trip, and several other trips before we remembered to repair it properly.

Here is their site:

http://www.clamptool.com/

 

[jayoldschool]

Telescopic magnetic picker upper.

 

[trainer]

Drywall / panel Lift.
Around here they sell for $150 or rent for $35 a day. I finally bought one for an especially big ceiling i had to work on. I keep finding new uses for it. Recently I used it to hang my canoes from the rafters of a storage building. made it a one person, five minute job.

 

[fastjohnny]

2post 10k lift for fleet maint. Has made wrenching fun again.

18v dewalt impact driver, (So far have bought 4, my sons don't want to use the screwguns on the jobs anymore)

x2 on the snap on stripper ^

 

[tarbellb]

6" belt/ 8" disc sanding station
clamping straight edges
quality hardware storage
angle grinder FLAP disc

 

[1984Datsun]

The Hobart Handler 140, the little digital multimeter, and much more. I use everything more than I think I would at the time of purchase/pick up.

Pretty soon I might be wondering how the hell I got along without a forge and a Bridgeport...

 

[Farmer Joe]

well, I haven't bought it yet, but I will be buying it this week is the tool for those VW, Volvo, Mercedes etc... where the studs and lug nuts are all one piece that screws into the holes in the hub in order to guide the wheel back and and make it easier to get those studs back in in. I don't know the name, so someone please enlighten me so I don't sound this stupid when asking my mac guy for the tool lol.
After dealing with some very large, very low profile 20" tires on a Mercedes yesterday, I need this tool, otherwise I might go crazy next time lol. I don't know why I haven't bought it sooner

 

[NJHandyGuy]

Leatherman. Not a day goes by that I don't use it for SOMETHING.

Agreed

my list is my

gerber scout
impact driver 1/4" 3/8" and1/2"
stubby ratchet
wobble extensions
my snappy shot filled hammer man i love this thing
blower
cordless grinder

 

[roktoy]

7x11 lathe. I'm surprised at all the bushings, adapters, fittings, and frobs I've made with that little thing. My latest tool is a home-made adjustable engine push-rod for determining the optimum push-rod length for the engine in my race car. (It turns out the factory length is perfect, but after mixing and matching parts, its good to double-check.)

I too have found a small lathe is SO useful. Like you mention...making bushings, custom tools, and all kinds of turning jobs if you're fabricating or just doing a lot of mechanical work.

 

[oilslick]

mastercool flaring tool best 350 ever spent at work to make money faster and more enjoyable

 

[WR250F]

A decent pair of Dykes.

Simple, I know, but damn they make a difference in getting things done easily.

Otherwise, a 19.2 cordless 1/4" impact driver. Best money I've ever spent for the amount of sheer convenience it brings.

Oh yeah, and a good set of screwdrivers

 

[Jota21]

I'm saving for a top chest now and sending my Craftsman to the scrapper.

I'll take it!

 

[brtsvg]

Karcher Electric Pressure Washer for around the house use. Why didn't they invent these 25 years ago ? Simply fabulous and easy to use.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Karcher Electric Pressure Washer for around the house use. Why didn't they invent these 25 years ago ? Simply fabulous and easy to use.

They did! I have an old Karcher, that's probably 25 years old (possibly more) and it kicks *** over many of the newer ones of the same size.

 

[fitz11]

An oscilating multi tool (liike feins multimaster) I don't know how I got by without one. I like it so much I now have a plug in and a battery powered model.

 

[54FordPanel]

Hose clamp pliers.
What used to take me 20 minutes and frustrate the hell out of me, takes me 10 seconds.