What Tool/Device Have You Bought For Your Shop That Actually Saves You Time?
 

Our Son's friend brought his mini bike over to show it off. Within 30 minutes, his front tire showed a drastic decrease in air so being the type that will look for any excuse to use my air compressor I charged into action. The kid asked why I did not use a hand pump? Blaspheme! Why anyone could see that the air compressor would save time! Actually, it most likely didn’t save time for this job but it did reduce the caloric burn on my part.

It did get me thinking though, what tools or devices have been developed over the past 50 years that have really reduced the time to do a job? Maybe Wayne’s book…

Impact gun.

Cordless drill/electric screwdriver, no question about it. If I'd known how useful, how much of a time saver and how much of a wrist-saver it was (esp. for someone with early stages of tendonitis or something) I would've bought one years earlier.

I picked up a $99 Craftsman drill press (with laser crosshairs, no less) two weeks ago and my increase in productivity is nothing short of incredible.

Not to mention that the holes I drill are straight now. :D

I also use my compressor(s) alot. Aside from filling various items with air I find myself using the cutoff tool all the time.

All in all I use my Dewalt drill/driver most.

i love my ratcheting wrenches, don't know how i worked on stuff w/o them. They get into the tightest spots.

Ratcheting boxed end wrenches. I don't know how I ever got by without them, especially handy when working on FWD cars without much room under the hood.

a gererator

I use and love my compressor, but since I have to turn it one and wait for the tank to fill, I'm not sure that it saves tons of time, but it sure makes my life easier. Depends upon how much work I'm doing. My KD gear wrenches save time. My Al floor jack saves time. My Mightyvac vacuum bleeder saves time.

No doubt. Every time I use mine, I finish before I start.

If you're really ambitious and need them for mroe than fixing the kid's toys, here are some big ticket items:

-hydraulic lift
-oxy-acet torch
-welder
-lathe


soon to be added:

-plasma cutter
-mill


If you have the space, you can never have enough tools!

The Makita cordless drill changed our lives years ago for those of us who worked on airplanes. Each plane has thousands of small screws to remove and replace everytime you do anything. Before this it was all done by hand, either with a "speed driver" or screwdriver and it took forever.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1167843134.jpg

Still remember that my first inspection I spent 19 hours removing screws by hand. Today you could do it in an hour or two with modern tools.

Need to add the Media blasting cabinet to the list. Put sand, glass or other media in this and clean almost any part to like new finish.

As well the TIG and MIG welders, and a dremel tool....

+1000

When I pulled the AC in my 951 last summer, having those made the job possible. Otherwise, I would have had to pull the turbo and some exhaust do-hickies.

Any of my pneumatic tools, especially my 3/8" air ratchet.

My cordless Impact gun & Go-Jaks make life much easier:D

My favorite tools:

- My retractable extension chord mounted to the garage ceiling. If you still use regular extension chords, get one of these - power is always handy, and when not in use, you don't have to worry about tripping over the chord!

- My 18 Volt Ryobi cordless drill. I use it on the track to swap my tires. It may not be as powerful as an impact drill, but I break the lug nuts with a breaker bar and use a torque wrench to tighten anyway. I also use it around the house, of course!

- My dremel tool. Never did I imagine how effectively a small fiberglass disc can cut/destroy things. Steel, aluminum, fingers - zips right through anything! And the sparks are really pretty - especially when they hit the gas containers on my trailer when I'm cutting down the bolts that hold the spare wheel in place.... :eek:

- My Snapper ride-on mower (Does this count? It is stored in my garage). I don't have a huge yard, but my back yard has a decent slope to it. Cut down the cutting from 5-6 hours to 2-3 hours. 8hp, rear engined unit with the patented "High Vac" blade. It will make short order of a pile of leaves as well.

- Not really a tool, but I have one of those 'attic' kits that's basically a shelf that hangs down from the ceiling. Gets a lot of stuff off the garage floor and out of the way.

-Z-man.

All you guys using cordless drills and electric screwdrivers.....I still prefer my Yankee screwdriver...except for woodscrews.

I am into woodworking; basically furniture. One of the most useful tools is a router table, followed by a good compound miter saw. Things fit first time, (just about) every time.

battery-powered sawz-all.

Makita 9.6v 1/4" ratchet.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1167846585.jpg

Couldn't agree more. Like Joeaska I started with a little 9.6v Makita which I still have but haven't charged in years.

If I had to go back to drilling a pilot hole into wood and screwing in screws by hand with a screwdriver? I'd hang up my tools and retire to the TV. Who the hell does that anymore?!

I have a 14.4v DeWalt with one battery. I use it ALL the time and it is AT LEAST 12 years old. I must have paid $200 for it back then or nearly so. When that tool dies I will bury it with honors....and replace it with a POS $39 Panasonic one from Costco....which will probably last at least a few years.

Meanwhile back in the 1980's, 1990's and the 21st Century....

Are you kidding me? A Yankee screwdriver?:rolleyes: :D I haven't even SEEN one of those in a decade at least.

I have almost the same problem. Still have three makita hand drills and they are going fine, but the damm batteries are expensive and last about 18 months then are dead. Cost is $30 each for a battery and I can buy a new complete unit from harbor freight or costco for about the same price.

Just hate to give up the old Makita's ... but someday will have to put them on Ebay and watch them go...

I don't have power in my garage, so I guess I should be investing in battery powered everything, but overall I really appreciate my aluminum floor jack. At only 24 pounds, I can lift it with one hand easliy.

Joe, I haven't charged my Makita in a long time. I wonder if it would even hold a charge at this point? I don't use it because it has a keyed chuck and I'm so spoiled with my DeWalt. I've thought about buying a keyless chuck to retrofit it...but it probably isn't worth the effort. No idea if I could find one or what it would cost anyway.

I can't bear to toss it though. You say you're going to put your old ones on eBay?...there is actually a market for one of these things used?

The double-A vibrator.

:D

My brother buys no tools and it saves him lots of time for golf.

'What tool/device ... actually saves you time?'

Blow up Dolly.

Sorry.

All of mine except one have a keyless chuck, saves a lot on time changing bits.

There are people on Ebay who will buy the whole lot and guess its time to put them on there. Sell them while they have some value.

Here is one selling for $10 or so. Might as well sell them while they bring something and buy a newer model or brand.

Edit, forgot the URL http://cgi.ebay.com/MAKITA-6095D-9-6-VOLT-CORDLESS-DRILL_W0QQitemZ320066646665QQihZ011QQcategoryZ8226 0QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Refrigerator.
Period.

I too have my very 1st Makita, a friend use to be a rep for Makita, so when I asked him to find me a new battery and showed him what I had, he gave me a 14v and told me that mine had to be the oldest driver he had seen. On another note, I just aquired a lift formy garage since I last posted on this thread:D
Can't wait to bring it home & set it up:D

+1

However, what I saved in trips for beer, I lost in trips to the bathroom. Now I need a urinal.


Actually, the biggest time saver in the shop has to be SHELVES.

Not that I have enough yet, but the more shelves I set up, the less I seem to be looking for tools and parts that are hidden in boxes and milk crates.

Another great addition was a big honkin' vice.

You mean in the past 2 hrs?? Congrats! Did you get a full lift or a scissor lift?

I would love to get a 2 post lift, and could easily justify the expense given then amount of work I do. However, because there is a finished loft above the garage, I only have 7' to work with. I'm tempted to go with a scissor lift, or even one of those high ramp sets.

That's easy in the garage. A funnel, 1/2 inch hose, 1/2 in spade bit...

The tool that's saved me the most amount of time is the checkbook and the where with all to figure out in advance which projects are within my grasp and which projects it makes sense to take to the wrench and let him wrestle with it.

A rollaway! Yeah, it sounds silly, but I lived without a rollaway tool chest for decades, keeping my tools in various boxes and locations. I'd often spend more time looking for a tool than using it. Couple of years ago, I bought a 3 chest Craftsman "grip latch" ball bearing slides rollaway. I still smile as I slide open a drawer, and there it is...in plain sight, not buried under other tools, the tool I wanted! It's heaven!!!:D

Wifey was coming home with the groceries, opened the garage door and found me peeing in the floor drain. Apparently, it's against The Rules.

Jake - don't feel too bad, I got in trouble for pee'n in the shower. I told her it was better than *****'n in the shower - stuff mushes between your toes, makes one heck of a mess!

Yes, a full lift, it was in a buddies fathers race shop in South FL. :cool:
Just cut a hole hole in the roof and make a trap door, the lift will make it easier to get big stuff upstairs;)

I hung up a girly calender in the garage and it distracts me from wasting time on cleaning the garage or working on my cars.