A
|
More tools and More Hardware than any Home Center
Tools and Hardware
Basic tools
Screwdrivers:
There are four types of Screwdrivers, straight blade or regular, Phillips, Pozi-drive and Torx. A set of electronics screwdrivers is great to have for those really small screws. Nice for all the new electronic gadgets on the market. You should have four or five different sizes from small to large. When you select a screwdriver for a job, the blade should fit the slot securelyand it should fit with no overhang side to side. This will reduce the chances of destroying the screw slot. You should have three sizes of Phillips screwdrivers a #1, which is a small Phillips, a #2 which is a medium sizeand a #3 which is a large Phillips. Pozi-drive screwdrivers look a lot like a Phillips, but are not interchangeable. The patterns are different and using a Phillips screwdriver on a Pozi-drive screw will damage the screw and vice-versa. Four lines pointing out from the center of the screw head can identify a Pozi-drive screw. Torx drivers come in sizes from #5 to #55 with #15 the most often used.
|
Ratchets and Sockets:
The three most common size of ratchets are 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive with the most common being 3/8" drive and good for most home jobs. 1/4" drive is for lighter duty work while 1/2" drive is for heavier jobs. A contoured handle is comfortable and ergonomically efficient. Sockets come in many shapes and sizes, in both metric and SAE (fractional). In 3/8" drive a good range in SAE is 3/8" to 3/4" and metric 8mm to 19mm. Sockets come in deep and shallow styles. You will need both styles in your toolbox. In 1/4" drive, a good range in SAE is 1/4" to 9/16" and in metric 4mm to 14mm. In 1/2" drive, 1/2" to 1 1/4" and in metric 13mm to 32mm. You can get sockets in hex (6-point) or double hex (12-point) styles as well. The s point socket are best because they reduce the chance of mifit and stripping the bolt. A spark plug socket is a must if you want to tune up a car. A good spark plug socket has a rubber insert to hold the spark plug from falling out. There are two sizes: 5/8" and 13/16".
Universal joints allow the use of a socket in areas where you can't get straight on with a regular socket. Extensions are used to extend the reach of a socket. A good range of extensions is 1" to 12". Both of these are a must for your toolbox. Flex sockets are nice to have. They are similar to a universal joint but have a regular socket on one end. They are good for very tight situations
Wrenches:
There are lots of wrenches to choose from, but for a basic toolbox we can narrow down the choices. The most common wrenches are open-end, box and combination wrenches. Open-end wrenches have ends that are open. These are for those jobs where a box wrench will not fit. A box wrench has no open end and fits completely around the fastener. The box wrench is preferable to an open-end wrench because it will grip the fastener on all sides. A combination wrench is a combination of both, box on one end and open on the other. This is the most useful and eliminates the need for two sets of wrenches. A good range of combination wrenches in SAE is 1/4" to 7/8" and in metric 8mm to 22mm.
An adjustable wrench is handy to have. These have two jaws that are adjusted with a screw mechanism that open and close the jaws parallel to each other.
Then we have an Oil Filter wrench. As the name implies, it is for removing oil filters. It is not used for tightening oil filters because we all know that oil filters should only be hand tightened. There are several different styles, but for the basic toolbox a large or small strap style is sufficient.
Hammers:
Hammers also come in many shapes and sizes.
A good claw hammer is 8 ounces to 24 ounces, but can be found up to 32 ounces. Good hammers with a fiberglass handle seem to be easier to use becase the weight is mostly in the head and there is reduced chance of the head coming off.
The most common hammer used in automotive work is the ball-peen hammer. A ball-peen hammer has a regular striking face on one end and a rounded "ball" on the other end.
Dead blow hammers have a hollow head filled with shot to prevent rebound and direct more force to the object being struck.
Hammers are sized by weight, from an 8 ounce tapping hammer to a 20-pound sledge.
Other tools and hardware
power tools
drill
saw
air tools
battery chargers
fasteners
tools
pneumatic tools
pneumatic nailing equipment
staplers tackers
pneumatic portable riveters
riveting machines
bolts nuts
|
|
|
|