Let's create a (realistic and sensible) list of tools for a first time DIY'er

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

About the crows foots. I have a set. In my 20 years of working on stuff I think i used one. Definately not nessesary

Boom! Franny used crow's foot today to torque down hydraulic lines! Brilliant?
Skip to 18:45 and watch the next few minutes.

[porsche930dude]

Thats cute. I guess thats my problem. I dont have an in/lb torque wrench! lol

[porsche930dude]

Everyone should have a set of low ramps. I have 4. There are great for most jobs much quicker and safer than jacking. I use them even when I need to get a wheel off because the car is already up theres less side to side tipping and makes it easier to get the jack and stands under it. They are low enough to reverse up on with the front wheels and clear the rockers.

[Flojo]

I kept all rear US-bumper rubbers.
they are great (wide/solid) to shove behind a wheel to avoid the car from rolling.
the hole from the license-plate light makes it easy to grab/pull

[Glenfield]

Spent some time last night working through the google doc Sugarwood compiled. Added a bunch to the cart and a few items to the wish list based on my understanding of what I’ll need soonest for the tasks I intend to complete.

It’s a great resource for newcomers. The kind of thing that shines a light into the “too hard basket” and helps inform the calculus of whether/not the endeavor of servicing your own car is approachable.

[sugarwood]

Glen,

Spending on tools may involve an evolution. At least, it did for me. A mental shift. At the latest, I experienced it by my 2nd or 3rd year with a dozen or two repairs under my belt. At that point, it was plain as day that difference between a miserable DIY experience and a smooth one is the right tools. Trust me, when you've got parts strewn about, and you're under the car, and you don't have that $20 tool, you will be wishing you'd spent $1000 on it, just to get you past the roadblock you're staring at.

Live that just once or twice, and buying tools becomes a joy. A rush. They are an asset to your ability to tackle projects. Now, I never lament spending on tools, and in fact, welcome it. But I also spend and target efficiently. It's a great feeling to have a well stocked tool set. And over time, they pay for themselves 10x over.

Stay the course, you're on the right path

[Tremelune]

One of the best tools I've ever purchased is a good headlamp. It solves 90% of my lighting issues, and it's always just...on my head. The $30 suckers won't cut it—you want a quality LED with Lithium batteries and a charger to match.

Good money spent on this bright, "floody" headlamp (I usually pull the top band off):

H600Fc Mk IV 18650 XHP50.2 Floody 4000K High CRI Headlamp

With the all-important 18650 charger:

https://charger.nitecore.com/product/d4

[2jmotorsports]

I started with one of those several hundred piece sets of craftsman hand tools that went for about $120 during the holidays, a 3 ton jack and a pair of stands and I was off getting myself into mechanical messes.

Bought other tools as I needed them, trying to buy as best quality as I could, but sometimes settling for cheap tools. Lots of times I went to hot rod swap meets and bought used tools off retired mechanics and machinists. Ive repaired a lot of power tools that had busted cords, needed re-greased gear cases, and epoxied broken on/of buttons. Fast forward many years later and my tool collection is a mish-mash of everything but it tends to get the job done.

As far as the mechanical aptitude part, especially if Ive never done something before, my general attitude is, research as much as you can from as many sources as possible, stitch that knowledge together, build mental pictures and procedures, then tell myself "ok, your going to take this apart, but no matter how stuck you get, you can put it back together, even if it takes a long time".

[Geronimo]

I am starting to replace the tools I have with Wera... I just like the look, feel, and build of the tools.

[sugarwood]

Headlamp is key. Was my #1 tool in the box until I got lights installed.
I paid $20 for mine and it works great. No need for a charger, they come with a DC power supply recharger cable.

$13 for this one
https://www.amazon.com/ELMCHEE-Rechargeable-headlamp-Waterproof-Flashlight/dp/B07Q8G36QV/

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

. . .
LOL more car guy flex. . . .

Every brand new, DIY car guy should first buy one of these, and don't let the +$600.00 price tag be a deterrent either, and shiit (neither sensible nor realistic, however)!!!

PS- I bet that Mr. Porsche Flex Tony doesn't have one of these bisches in his toolbox (aka - dude can't carry my jock when it comes to flexin' like a Texan !!!)!

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Rawknees'Turbo

Every brand new, DIY car guy should first buy one of these, and don't let the +$600.00 price tag be a deterrent either, and shiit (neither sensible nor realistic, however)!!!

PS- I bet that Mr. Porsche Flex Tony doesn't have one of these bisches in his toolbox (aka - dude can't carry my jock when it comes to flexin' like a Texan !!!)!

Bet our caveman provocateur wouldn't use that electronic gizmo wrench crap !!!

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by pmax

Bet our caveman provocateur wouldn't use that electronic gizmo wrench crap !!!

Ha ha - no doubt! Tobs, as well as many of his caveman carbs brethren, only use tools that respond to grunts, howls, and two-handed grips with hairy hands (especially the palms! )!

[pmax]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

And please refrain from insisting all you need is a $20 wrench set and a $5 screwdriver to take apart the entire car. There's always one of those.

How about this must have for any "car guy" ! Does it count as one of those ?

[Rawknees'Turbo]

All flexing and jackassery aside, two very useful tools that fit Wood's thread criteria are, a decent digital caliper (one that can zero, and also switch between inch and metric scales) and a basic set of thread pitch gauges (looks like a feeler gauge/blades set, but the blades have a variety of thread pitches on them, rather than varying thicknesses); with those in hand, and some practice using them, a person can quickly identify most any fastener they come across (bolts, nuts - different than pNutz, studs - different than ME, threaded bosses, hose and pipe fittings - also drill bit sizes needed for something, the depth of a stud or bolt bore, etc.).

[sugarwood]

Good suggestions...

I have this caliper, I think the prices have gone up
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-Digital-Caliper-63711.html

Thread checker has come in handy at times
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048NTFFQ/

[ClickClickBoom]

The appropriate manuals, literature. The difference between a parts replacer and a mechanic is between the ears, when I was wrenching full time there were guys who had $25,000 in tools, but didn’t understand the basics. All the tools, all the schools, my proudest professional moment was when a senior mechanic asked me “how I would pursue a particular problem”, he was stumped and we sat down over lunch and developed a diagnostic course of action.
Factory Shop Manuals are based on the military method of building block training. It assumes that the person using the manual knows how to use a torque wrench, measure a part.
So along with the first set of wrenches should be the manuals and the commitment to pursue knowledge. A great start would be searching this forum for the posts of Grady Clay, Early S Man just to name a few. Read the FSM, not just the particular project at hand but starting with the opening pages. Another source for gearheads is the SAE website:
https://www.sae.org
The publications are phenomenal, even the abstracts are informative. The rabbit hole is deep.
Tools are worthless without hands to manipulate them, and hands are useless without the knowledge to control them.
My shop has a library, about 10’ of shelves being used for manuals.
Watch this machinist:
https://www.youtube.com/user/syyl
This guy knows how to make tools:
https://youtu.be/hpenv1ZqGx4 His skills are amazing!
Or this cat, measuring at the optical wavelengths level:
https://youtu.be/hR599E7g7QY
This guy does some really old school machining:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Abom79

[sugarwood]

Nice links, but that is all 20 levels above Glenfield. Right now, his first goal is to change the oil. I am rooting for him, as this is a huge step forward. A beginner has to start simple. Tools allow you to get int the door, but there is no substitute for experience. It is something that is acquired over thousands of hours of experience. Reading just exposes you to the tip of the iceberg. There are no shortcuts, except having a mentor. There is a reason all trades have apprenticeships.

[ClickClickBoom]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Nice links, but that is all 20 levels above Glenfield. Right now, his first goal is to change the oil. I am rooting for him, as this is a huge step forward. A beginner has to start simple. Tools allow you to get int the door, but there is no substitute for experience. It is something that is acquired over thousands of hours of experience. Reading just exposes you to the tip of the iceberg. There are no shortcuts, except having a mentor. There is a reason all trades have apprenticeships.

This is exactly what I am talking about. Everybody starts at 0, there has to be a target.
I learned the basics of surface grinding on youtube and some books. now I am grinding to levels I never thought imaginable, all on a scrapped Boyar Schultz 6X12 manual surface grinder. Without goals and some guidance it becomes a snipe hunt. I was turning to .0005 on a 70 year old Atlas home shop lathe. I now have a scrapped Clausing and will consider myself lucky to turn to that level again. If it has been done by people before, within reason anyone can achieve the same goals. I had basic metal shop in high school and have been "faking it till I make it" since. Lots of books and youtube.
If all he want's to do is change his oil, good on him, but the aspiration to be the best oil changer in the state should be on the table. If he wants to rebuild his trans, the very same standards will help him/her achieve the goal. The above links are for inspiration, goals, standards. Watching Abom79 turn a huge shaft to perfect tolerances, or watching Tom measure surfaces to light wavelength levels or CaLem make his own tools in Viet Nam old school style, using old discarded machines, and rebuilding them to better than OEM standards is inspiring. A mentor can make it quicker, but learning to the above standards is achievable, I applaud every guy/gal who picks up a wrench/tool and has a go at it. Checkbook mechanics not so much, but you have to know your limitations.

[sugarwood]

Totally hear you. I applaud your philosophy. Cool example of how some really go into the deep end. Fabricating his own parts is probably out of scope for now. Trying to avoid overwhelming the new guy with "drinking from the firehose". For now, the goals is to buy his tools, and change the oil. Maybe we talk him into brake pads, if everything goes well. Baby steps.