Garage Shop: Tools

6 and 12 point arguments.

In a wrench I prefer a 12 point for ease of access. In tight locations with limited swing room being able to flip a wrench to further offset the 30° fastener to wrench spacing helps. Ratcheting wrenches can sometimes help in a similar fashion but I find even the best rated swing can be to much in some cases.


In a socket I prefer the 6 point. The added torque people generally apply to sockets could easily round a fastener when using a 12 point. If you can find the "flank drive" type sockets (every manufacturer has their own name for it) the risk of rounding stuck fasteners lessens even more. To the point, I don't by the standard 6 point type sockets at all anymore unless there is no other option.

 

Yes and yes. I can't wait until I can justify replacing my standard sockets with flank drive.

I have a 14mm combo wrench with a 6-pt box end specifically purchased a long time ago for oil drain plug removal.

For aircraft work, I've found stubby ratchet wrenches are indispensable, especially with locknuts.

 

This brings another question. Seems you guys wrench much more often than I do, when would you want a stubby wrench(ratcheting or fixed)? Not sure I have ever been in a situation where I would have used one versus the standard length.

 

I prefer them for easy in hardware where swinging a 9 inch wrench for an M6 bolt just seems silly when you only need a few inch pounds of torque to do the job.

Also, when you need a wrench that can fit in the little space where a full wrench can only get maybe one ratchet click, a smaller wrench will give you more throw in the same space (situation dependent)

 

When you are upside down and backward trying to R&R an alternator from one of these, with virtually no swing space and removing steel locknuts:

 

FYI
“Spline” is a generic form for flank as @thefatkid mentioned above.

 

Wow! No kidding! Love that old radial engine. This needs to be it's own thread; What is the most impressive thing you've ever wrenched on? Not saying that this would qualify for you.

 

I would never expect a person who casually wrenches to go out and buy (X) number of wrenches. I own the quantity I do because of ease of performing my job. I could get by with half the tools I own, might take me longer with an additional headache or 2. Buy based off of need or want.

Say you're chasing a ground strap or crossover pipe off the back of a cylinder head on a 4.0l, might make it easier to spend a bit more over just the standard length wrench where you get a 1/16th turn every reposition of the wrench compared to over half turns.

To be honest, some is wants more than needs.

 

I agree with that. Although, I spend the money I would have paid someone on the tools! Justifies the purchase to my wife and makes the process less of a headache.

 

Firgued I’d show mine off nothing compared to some of y’all’s setups. Some have a guard dog, I got a guard cat ill have to do add some top drawer pics after I get my 3/8” techangle torque wrench and do some organizing to make it fit.

 

That's really nice but we gotta see in them drawers!

 

Just make sure to follow up with a verbal estimate to her of what you saved for every DIY project.

 

Gotta have positive reinforcement!

 

Slideshows help.

 

Consistently!!

Don’t be afraid to apply dealerships rates when estimating the savings


For example, using the high price from here ($276) for the cost to change a Tacoma’s spark plugs
https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/tacoma/spark-plug-replacement-cost
minus your cost of under $30 for a set of plugs (4.0) nets a verbal estimate of, “Honey, I just saved us about $300 by doing it myself.”

 

Here’s my new setup

 

Love the glove in the vice to protect fork tube, I have a used up welding glove that hangs right next to my vice for the same purpose.

 

Yep always seem to burn thru the left one first and you can’t just buy one I keep em for things like this.

 

That’s wild.