Cool tool from ebay!!!

berettafan · 07-02-2008, 12:01 PM

Turns out i need one of these to rebuild the motor on my R25. Was going to drop $24 on the Sears version w/ 4 bits and came across this on ebay. Price on the Matco site is $150 or so w/ all the bits (these apparently are different from std. bits just as impact sockets are different).

$64 shipped IIRC. Not to shabby when you consider most hand tools on ebay go for something awful close to retail.

LakeCleElum · 07-02-2008, 12:14 PM

Wow, I've got 3 or 4 laying around.. Bought most in the early '70's for under $8...I should sell a few on Ebay.

rnln · 07-02-2008, 02:40 PM

$8 bucks in early 70 is around $800 bucks now bob. How much a gallon of gas at that time? :lol:

Superman · 07-02-2008, 02:54 PM

Gas was under thirty cents per gallon. It was impossible to put $7 worth of gasoline in a 20-gallon tank.

Impact drivers are great, when you need them. Specifically......steel screws set in aluminum cases. Motorcycle guys know all about impact drivers.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnln

$8 bucks in early 70 is around $800 bucks now

Hardly. $8 would be $45 now.

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi

rnln · 07-02-2008, 07:23 PM

So if you make $45/hour now, it would be equal to minimum wage?

richde · 07-02-2008, 08:05 PM

I bought the Sears version to remove the screws holding on my rear disks, didn't help. I've used them before at work and they help on airplanes that get torn down and rebuilt at depot every few years, but on a 20+ year old car they're probably not up to the task.

vreference · 07-02-2008, 09:00 PM

I've got a pair of Snap-On sets; I should probably sell one. If it's got a phillips head and you can't get it out with an Impact driver then you're probably going to have to

Kill it with fire.

berettafan · 07-03-2008, 04:47 AM

This thing was used a fair amount on the BMW single rebuild video I got from Cycleworks. To be honest i wish i had been aware of these things some time ago.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

While we're talking about screw removal tools, I would pass on an old tip that some of you might already know:

Buy a "small" can (1 1/2" in diameter) of valve grinding compound, when you have a Philips head screw that is shot put a dab of compound on your screw driver and it works like magic to grip the worn slots of the screw head.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

While we're talking about screw removal tools, I would pass on an old tip that some of you might already know:

Buy a "small" can (1 1/2" in diameter) of valve grinding compound, when you have a Philips head screw that is shot put a dab of compound on your screw driver and it works like magic to grip the worn slots of the screw head.

rnln · 07-03-2008, 08:24 AM

What is the "valve grinding compound"? Where can I get it?

Superman · 07-03-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richde

I bought the Sears version to remove the screws holding on my rear disks, didn't help.

This is hard to imagine. That single cross-head screw is fairly large and square. The #1 bit in the impact driver set should fit it perfectly. I hold the tool squarely, hard against the screw head and smack it with the hammer a time or two just to set the bit into the screw head. The bit bites into the head. Then I turn the impact driver and position it, and one more smack with the hammer will certainly remove the screw. If the impact driver were to fail, the result would be a deep crater in the screw head. The next tool after that would be a drill. But again, a brake disk screw should be no match for an impact driver, used properly.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnln

What is the "valve grinding compound"? Where can I get it?

Superman has it right, you need to hold the spring loaded tool and twist it in the CCW direction when you bang on it with a hammer. By twisting it with your hand before banging on the removal tool you'll have taken up the slack and seated the philips tool bit better/tighter in the screw head, HOWEVER...

If everything is going south and you're losing the Philips slots I guarantee ya, money back that a dab of valve grinding compound on the Philips driver will get the job done. I have both course and fine compound, I can't tell you which one is better.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

I had the same problem with the flat head screws that hold the rear rotors to the hub. Before I would get the drill out I would use a small drift or nail set on the outer edge of the screw and try and rotate the screw by tapping the edge of the screw. Usually that will work. Also you can try and bang on the screw head with a heavy hammer and drift/brass round stock just to upset the threads that might be rusted together.

I went back with alan flat heads hoping that I might get a little more purchase out of the screw next time. Also it doesn't hurt to use some anti-seize.

rnln · 07-03-2008, 09:28 AM

Mitch,
Is this the same as coarse metal wax compound?

dad911 · 07-03-2008, 10:19 AM

You could have bought one for $27 from Pelican:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/TOOL/POR_TOOL_CAT291_pg8.htm

berettafan · 07-03-2008, 10:45 AM

That's the Sears one as well but for a few extra bucks i got a nice selection of bits. Apparently the bits are what makes the set expensive and i wanted more than 4.

berettafan · 07-03-2008, 10:46 AM

additionally i surmised that the bits were worth buying from a high end brand in the hope that they would be of better quality. for some tools it MAY be worth buying the best (or near best) and screwdriving is definitely one of those things.

harbor freight has a set on sale for like $4 as well but i didn't want to take a chance on poorly made bits stripping screws.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnln

Mitch,
Is this the same as coarse metal wax compound?

I don't know for sure, but I would guess it's not. I'm not sure how they lap valves now days, maybe they don't, but in days of old they had a suction cup on the end of a wood dowel and they would rotate the valve on the seat using this compound to lap the valve to the seat.

I had an old 3rd generation hardware store in California (Berg Hardware - Ask for John Berg - (626) 793-6161) that I probably got the compound from a long time ago. BTW John carries an unbelievable stock of S.S. hardware in both SAE and Metric. A very unique old time hardware store.

The guy that told me about using valve grinding compound to assist in removing screws was an ole' machinist. I guess I'm showing my age here...