A well equipped toolkit is vital

[Vitamin c]

Went through my tool kit yesterday as daughter had asked for any spare tools for her hubby
When I got going the amount of things I had 2 of was amazing and screw drivers I could started my own shop same with nuts bolts nails and screws
Well they have a good starter kit with a bit of everything.

[korolev]

Since I retired I have become "cash poor, time rich" so I can spend time repairing/restoring/recycling.

Cars though, I cannot be arsed with them. I used to when they were simple but my Toyota Hybrid is well beyond me. I'd happily go back to an old Suzuki jeep as I love them and they're dead simple but the Mrs, for some unfathomable reason, wants a car that starts and runs every time.

[grenfell]

Went through my tool kit yesterday as daughter had asked for any spare tools for her hubby
When I got going the amount of things I had 2 of was amazing and screw drivers I could started my own shop same with nuts bolts nails and screws

Only 2 of some things? . I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to tools. I think I mentioned before but when I cleared my parent's house I counted up the shovels ( that's just shovels not anything similar like spades) and between us we had 26. There are also a lot of spanners , hammers and goodness knows what else . I find it difficult to throw things away if I'm honest , there's a pile of broken or damaged screwdrivers , drill bits and chisels just waiting to be reground. There's a hammer that my father reshafted with the butt end of a pool cue which I really should redo but just haven't got round to.

[British Red]

That's a lot of shovels! Screwdrivers do wear out though. I've focused on Stanley Fatmax now and do wear out the pozi and Phillips no.2 size every few years. I keep boxes of PZ2 power driver bits!

[grenfell]

I wouldn't have been offended if you'd used the word excessive. My father worked for the council and for twenty odd years worked at our local tip and if he saw a shovel that "might be worth saving" he'd bring it home . Well he brought loads of stuff home from tools , scrap , antiques , defrosting food and enough mowers , vaccums and bikes to equip a small country. I worked on building sites and when I saw a labourer chuck a shovel because it hadn't been cleaned or whatever I would follow in my father's footsteps and take it home. I also had a number of wheel barrows built out of damaged other. The company I worked for supplied what were dubbed site saws for use by non chippy types . When these went blunt they would often just be chucked , so I'd bring them home and sharpen them ( pre hardpoints) and sell them . Broken power tools and boxes that were being chucked I would bring home and those too were sold. On another thread we talked about reusing and straightening nails and I have done that too even when I could just walk in the stores and ask for some.

[British Red]

No harm in sorting out stuff! I like Yankee screwdrivers. I buy them for a quid from car boots because " the spring doesn't work". Take them home, spray with degreaser - good as new!

[Yorkshire Andy]

No harm in sorting out stuff! I like Yankee screwdrivers. I buy them for a quid from car boots because " the spring doesn't work". Take them home, spray with degreaser - good as new!

A lot to be said for preventative maintenance ...
.that motor ....

A complete new motor

Both got stripped yesterday ...

I managed to bag myself a decent multimeter from my dad I got him it a few years ago for father's Day it's an "idiot proof one" with automatic shutters for the inputs you have to unplug the leads then select the mode then push them in the allotted holes but it's a bit too complex for him ... He got himself a Lidl special with 4 or 5 modes he's happy im happy

For automotive / 12v work the humble filament test lamp is the best tool as if there's high resistance the multi meter will still show 12v for example.


A decent set of socket sets are a must for automotive work a set of 6 sided sockets both normal and deep in 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 drive . But there's always a tool your bloody missing recently ISH a stupid torx esk style bolt on a caliper carrier on a vag car only it's not torx

https://www.uktools.com/sealey-ak5531-x ... drive.html

No Matter how many tools you have you can never have enough

[British Red]

No Matter how many tools you have you can never have enough

No arguments there. I cane across that "make your own jubilee clip" stuff recently - total game changer!

[Moorland Prepper]

Juat came across this and realized that I'd never though of it - how to manage without a tin opener:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKeTc6ACLM0

I'd have probably worked it out myself (eventually) but I've learned something new which is always useful