Tools

[Aido]

Tools and equipment.
Building and maintaining a motorcycle takes more than a rusty shifter and a flogging stick...although both are mandatory to impart your will upon some things.
For somebody starting out...as in they bought a motorcycle and now wish to perform some basic maintenance then develop from there into a full blown custom bike builder what tools would you recommend?
What tools do you own use 90% of the time and consider necessary?
What tools are kept on the top shelf for occasional use but have paid for themselves just by having them on hand?
What tools do you desire but have yet to add to your arsenal?
Where do you source your tools from?
What have you bought but regretted because of poor quality or just collects dust?
Speciality tools are always good but what have you bodged up to make do? Have you ever bought "special tool part # 1234672"
Do you favour a particular brand / manufacturer or weigh up quality and price.

Just looking for discussion on this as after searching the forum I couldn't find anything similar....unless someone can point out a long dead and dusty thread I missed.

[Iceman]

Seeing as this is a Streetfighter forum, I'll have to say my angle grinder is my favourite tool....

[Gix11]

There was this at the end of 2011 : http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/showthread.php?23105-Your-Favourite-Tool

and this in 2008: http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/showthread.php?4117-Most-Valued-Tool

But a new topic for the new guys and maybe revised comments since the last ones are always good!

[ALBI]

im a tool !! does that count ??

[xa-mont]

What tools do you own use 90% of the time and consider necessary?
My ratchet hex socket set. it's the best thing for working on bikes and i try to replace nearly all my fasteners with stainless socket head cap screws.

What tools are kept on the top shelf for occasional use but have paid for themselves just by having them on hand?
1 Man brake bleeding kit. an upgrade to a vacuum pump one will be next i think

What tools do you desire but have yet to add to your arsenal?
A TIG welder. i might get one when i get my next tools for your trade bonus.

Where do you source your tools from?
Generally industrial supply type places. however there are a few budget (supercheap or bunnings) specials in there too.

What have you bought but regretted because of poor quality or just collects dust?
vice grips... they're all shit unless you spend a bit of money on them.

Speciality tools are always good but what have you bodged up to make do?
I have made frame lock nut removing sockets for every bike i've ever owned. and the good old bolt and nuts to substitute for a big hex key

Have you ever bought "special tool part # 1234672"?
Nope. too tight.

Do you favour a particular brand / manufacturer or weigh up quality and price?
I don't really care about brand so much, i just avoid the mega cheap stuff MOST of the time. Recently i have started to lean more towards the quality side.

[Yella]

What tools do you own use 90% of the time and consider necessary?
Quarter drive socket set and ratcheting screwdriver/allen head set, Paddock stands

What tools are kept on the top shelf for occasional use but have paid for themselves just by having them on hand?
1/2 allen head socket set, 1/2 socket set, Multimeter, Good wire cutter and crimpers, compressor


What tools do you desire but have yet to add to your arsenal?
A TIG welder .

Where do you source your tools from?
Supercheap, bunnings Snap on, EBay, Interweb, pretty much anywhere that has what I need.

What have you bought but regretted because of poor quality or just collects dust?
None really I just like having them, if pressed my small slide hammer

Speciality tools are always good but what have you bodged up to make do?
Last one was a spring compressing tool to work on the forks. always dodging something up

Have you ever bought "special tool part # 1234672"?
Not so far.

Do you favour a particular brand / manufacturer or weigh up quality and price?
Depends on the tool, some I know I am not going to use very often or quality is not key as long as you have it but other like my A/F meter best to get a better brand ( but still on a budget)

[Aido]

Since I asked.
Best piece of equipment I own is the bike bench. Basically a steel bench 500mm off the ground that bikes can be sat upon. BanditRod has one that was surplus. Saves grubbing around on the ground.
Tools. 3/8 drive socket set - 1/2" also but its overkill for motorbikes due to weight of tools and the force that can be applied. 3 dozen screw drivers ranging in size from 50mm to 600mm length - long reach screwdrivers are the shiznit and once you have used them you dont look back. T handle socket spanners and ratchet ring spanners make things easier also
Specialty tools are chain breaker, 3/8 torque wrench, multimeter, vacuum gauges, feeler gauges verniers, micrometer, thread gauge taps / dies.
Watch Repco and Supercheaps for % off sales or check out http://www.transquip.com.au/ for clearance items.
Sidchrome and Minimax are preferred brands. Garage sales and clearing sales yield rusty but great quality tools for cheap. Stahlwillie are without a doubt the best spanner I have ever used and make you feel like a surgeon when you use one....beautiful feel in the hand.

[Tim]

What tools do you own use 90% of the time and consider necessary?
Good set of ratcheting spanners, 1/4 & 1/2 socket sets, soldering iron & decent multimetre, vice

What tools are kept on the top shelf for occasional use but have paid for themselves just by having them on hand?
proper wire strippers, T handle socket set

What tools do you desire but have yet to add to your arsenal?
welder

Where do you source your tools from?
Tool shops, garage sales & sometimes markets.

What have you bought but regretted because of poor quality or just collects dust?
Nothing in particular, but buy tools once. you will spend twice as much (if not more) in the long run buying crap compared to decent stuff(saying that doesnt have to be huge $$$)

Speciality tools are always good but what have you bodged up to make do?
Save $$! Ghetto-fab tool gallery! (http://www.customfighters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50408)this thread has more ideas then i will ever have

[Redmohawk]

What tools do you own use 90% of the time and consider necessary?
Angle grinder, hacksaw, drill (power and battery), good spannners, screwdrivers, socket set, allen keys, soldering iron, mig welder.

What tools are kept on the top shelf for occasional use but have paid for themselves just by having them on hand?
Air saw, rivet gun, nutsert gun, Tig welder, pedistall drill, hole saws, 3/8 drive impact allen head drivers/torks drivers, linisher, bench grinder, die grinder,lathe, mill.

What tools do you desire but have yet to add to your arsenal?
New big single phase pulse mig welder, bike bench, cnc router/laser cutter.

Where do you source your tools from?
Anywhere open at the time

What have you bought but regretted because of poor quality or just collects dust?
Almost everything from supercheap or similar stores.

Speciality tools are always good but what have you bodged up to make do?

Everything from a set of loose nuts on a 1/4 inch drill as a quick depth stop to a Mig welder using an old half stuffed mig and 2 truck batterys , welded 2 hay rings back together and there still 100% 10 years down the track.

[Weaselman]

Sidchrome racheting spanners... Awesome

[ozzy1100]

My 17th birthday presant was a sidcrome 1/2 drive socket set and the 1st time i used a 9 inche grinder was at the age of 13.
I have two full trades and have spent time around workshops, building sites and custuction my whole life.
The one thing that holds true for any tools is start small, use what you have and along the way work out what you need and the things that you just plain want.( I want a pluse 3phase ac/dc shop tig by trying to think of things I need it for)
Only pay for the best quality that will do the job well and last as long as needed( some times a life time).
A lot of cheep tools will do more damage than good but most of the mid range products realy do a great job. kingcrome sidrome etc.
if you shop well some of the cheeper stuff at super cheep etc is more than you need.
1/2 , 1/4 drive socket set. 6- 19 or better 6-24 combo spanner set, a full screw driver set, a selection of pliers, side cutters, a full allan key set, ball pane and soft hammer, pin punch set etc is the sort of thing that i think makes a very good base.
A great want for any1 is a set of racket ring spaners :-)

[xa-mont]

the soft (ally on side and plastic the other) head hammer i made at trade school has been getting a good work out since i made it.

[BOBBY]

Ratchet spanners have paid for themselves time and again. My ratchet hex keys are a favourite.
I have a Stanley 3/8 1/4 tool kit. It's got deep and shallow sockets from 6mm to 19mm and imperial in both drives. Spanners metric and imperial. Screwdriver bits. The only thing it lacked was a 2" 3/8 extension. I bought it cause the tools are black and look cool. It gets a workout.
Impact driver. By far an under rated tool. I bought it specifically to get the guide pins out of a set of calipers. Now it gets used on any stubborn screws. Saves busted knuckles and shagged screws.
Ratchet oil filter remover. Should've got one years ago.
My drill cops a flogging. I use it on everything. Beats ratcheting when you can power shit on and off.
I wish I had a mig and a tig. I've got a shit aldi stick welder that's good for 5cm of weld before the temp switch trips. It's pita!!

Bodged tools, socket extension for my drill. Multiple spanners end on end as a breaker bar. Bent spanners for special spots.

[DCRacing]

Most used tools are my 1/4 " socket set, followed closely by ratcheting screwdriver. after that they are pretty much every tool mentioned above, But like Ozzy said need to understand the difference of want and need. Got a lot of stuff in the shed that is great to have but don't really need it.