Shop Tools

[Zullock Holmes]

I'm in the market for some stuff and have been looking at pretty much everything i can find. Would like to know if anyone has any experience with anything on my list or what they use and would recommend.

This is the list:

Benchtop Drill Press- I have been looking at a Dewalt, but there are like a million out there
Shop Press - this is the one i am thinking of getting http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-...ess-33497.html
Tubing/pipe bender
Plasma cutter

lemme know what you have, what you like, so on, so on. Thanks much

[H8PVMT]

i'd peep estate sales and buy an older one that was built to last instead of the crap china is selling us these days

[Magilla]

I got a press and very rarely use it at home and very rarely used it at shops i worked at

Drill presses come in handy

Angle finders a must have

pipe master has came in very handy over the years http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PFR-P-T0875

right angle magnets are useful

I have found a ghetto way to do dimple dies using a ball off of hitch a piece of pipe, a press and a conical bearing race

A good tube notcher

I used a tube positioner for welding last week and I will be ordering one soon http://www.vansantent.com/tube_positioners.htm

A welding table

Heavy duty vise

Shelves lots and lots of shelves

GOOD dial indicator

GOOD micrometer

Plasma cutter is nice but I will stick with the torches for now

[WickedXJ]

I get my major stuff from Craig's list. Great if you are just patient and wait for what you need for a good price. They may sell dinosaurs but it is mainly American made and built to last. Best part is since it is so old there is no way to look up a reason price they usually go for around $25.

[cherokee-at-16]

I get my major stuff from Craig's list. Great if you are just patient and wait for what you need for a good price. They may sell dinosaurs but it is mainly American made and built to last. Best part is since it is so old there is no way to look up a reason price they usually go for around $25.

Yea, get some stuff on craiglist. Things like the press that somebody only used every once and a while will be cheap and still in good working order.

If you want you can buy all the stuff to open your own tire shop, and its in milford so easy pick up...
http://newhaven.craigslist.org/pts/1780627289.html

[clean4drxj]

alot of that stuff you can find at the swapmeets this fall and can negotiate if you're good at it, also go with the older drill press..

[Zullock Holmes]

I got a press and very rarely use it at home and very rarely used it at shops i worked at

Drill presses come in handy

Angle finders a must have

pipe master has came in very handy over the years http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PFR-P-T0875

right angle magnets are useful

I have found a ghetto way to do dimple dies using a ball off of hitch a piece of pipe, a press and a conical bearing race

A good tube notcher

I used a tube positioner for welding last week and I will be ordering one soon http://www.vansantent.com/tube_positioners.htm

A welding table

Heavy duty vise

Shelves lots and lots of shelves

GOOD dial indicator

GOOD micrometer

Plasma cutter is nice but I will stick with the torches for now

wow lots hahaha lets start with the press, i know lots of uses i use it for already. rear 44 bearings, control arm bushings, not to mention this would be a huge help with carrier bearings when i start to do diffs.

the drill press i found has a tube notcher attachment, basically a hole saw but has a jig to hold the pipe where u can set the angle of the cut.

The bender is the big one for me, plasma cutter i can do without for a while i have a good chop saw already which works for fab stuff and cutting legnths.

got one of these for angles http://www.harborfreight.com/digital...uge-95998.html

just bought a sweet ass mechanics vise, and the welding table i plan on making.

As for a dial indicators and mircometers, i have more than i know what to do with both my grandfathers and my uncle were machinists.

[Magilla]

I had that angle finder and i hated it, i got more things to add to the list

The torches I could not go with out they come in handy for lots of stupid things

Slowly buy tools and a NICE tool box a craftsmen box would not hold some of the weight i've put in my snap-on

Engine Crane

Engine stand

If you are really serious about working on cars i have seen some portable car lifts sell on craigslist for 300-600 bucks

Big C-clamps have a million uses

Good sized compressor

hit me on aim or facebook

[#DEZERTDAD]

I'm in the market for some stuff and have been looking at pretty much everything i can find. Would like to know if anyone has any experience with anything on my list or what they use and would recommend.

This is the list:

Benchtop Drill Press- I have been looking at a Dewalt, but there are like a million out there
Shop Press - this is the one i am thinking of getting http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-...ess-33497.html
Tubing/pipe bender
Plasma cutter

lemme know what you have, what you like, so on, so on. Thanks much

You state "Tubing/pipe bender" You do know the difference?
Unless you plan on doing some plumbing/fence work you will not need a pipe bender

[Zullock Holmes]

thanks for the info everybody, but this really wasnt a "what do i need for tools?" thread. i just wanted to get some reviews of products you have used.

I know there are people out there with benders, what do ya got? why do you like it? or not?

like i use a Baileigh bender at work with 2 seperate hydraulic rams that is fucking awesome, but i do not have the money to get myself a machine like that.

Same with drill presses? reliable brand that you have used? what brands to stay away from?

thats really the info i was looking for... thanks though

You state "Tubing/pipe bender" You do know the difference?

yea i know and to be honest i really honestly believed that no one would call me out on it.

[Bigbike]

Id like to hear some reviews to as I want to buy some tools to like a drill press and what not.

[Zullock Holmes]

for example, this is what i am familiar with and love it, but i'm looking for some reviews on something cheaper for personal use.

like i want something similar to this http://www.bii1.com/benders/manual-t...bender-050.php but i would love to know if there is a comparable machine that isnt a thousand bucks.

[customcreationsllc]

All the benders are going to bend tubes just fine without kinking them.
As long as you have something to measure the distance the bender went you can get the same bends every time, on any of the benders. Once your into production that is when speed becomes a factor.

The only thing I would suggest is getting a hydraulic one, unless you have a lot of room and no money.

The hydraulic one doesn't need to be bolted to the floor so you can roll it around the shop and when you bending a long piece you can rotate the bender to keep the tube from smashing into stuff.

You don't normally bend a full length tube but even a roll hoop is like 15' long you would need a pretty large radius around a manual bender bolted to the floor in order to clear the bend.


By the way I have the Model 4 bender works fine for me http://www.vansantent.com/model_4_bender.htm


I've used the manual ones need space work the same.

I've also used the 90º hydraulic ones http://www.vansantent.com/tube_bendi...ree_bender.htm

No resetting of the ram.
These ones are nice because there is no follower so can bend up the the last part of the tub.
Benders with the followers you can only bend up the the follower so always wasting 6" of the tube.


The tube shark sounds like a good bender too plus you can fold it up out of your way.

Just my 2 cents.
Let us know what you decide.
~Justin

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

For metal fab, I'm always using a sawzall with good blades, torches, drill press, welder, and clamps.

If you want to get into it I've used contour gauges on my front bumper and angle finders so its completely uniform.

I really can't see myself working without my pneumatic tools. Impact wrenches are nice and air chisels, hack saw, socket wrench, and grease gun just make life a bit easier

[HeavyMetal]

Youre definitely going to want to get a 4.5" angle grinder with 12,000 metal cutting wheels for sculpting steel. just so when youre having a good day you have a way to make it suck