There’s a lot of tool channels on TH-cam but one of the reasons why I’m drawn to your channel (and have a tendency to binge watch lately) is in many cases you go into detail in how you apply tool you’re describing. Very informative and educational.
I just retired after 25 years as a specialty tradesman ( installing custom plantation shutters and other wi Dow treatments ). Whenever I saw a tool on a jobsite that would solve a problem for my work I made it a rule to buy it either that same day or the first day I could So I bought many tools that I seldom used , but when I needed them they were ideally suited to that task. The fist was a Paslode angled finish nailer Still have it , still works perfectly
One tool I bought as soon as I saw someone use it was a ratcheting pliers-style PVC pipe cutter. It doesn’t do much else besides cutting PVC pipe and other plastic tubing, but it cuts that pipe a lot faster and more cleanly than anything else I know of.
Hub grappler, Milwaukee grease gun when I started working at a semi truck shop, Mac tools 3 lb mini sledge, Snap-on air pressure tester and vacuum coolant refiller, all Matco locking flex head ratchets
For me it was Knipex wrench pliers, Knipex Cobras, Knipex Cobolt (very useful for wood screws shortening) and japanese Gyokucho wood saws (4 different types). I especially love those japanese saws... cutting wood with them is like zen meditation :)
Cool thing that saves a ton of time is a magnetic attachment to the side of a drill. It magnetically stores bits, and you can easily put tons of screws on it. No more fiddling with screws while you drill or holding them in your mouth
Silky saws are awesome, I can easily attest to this as a landscaper. I’ve got a few of them, I keep a large one in my car and a smaller one in my bag. I’ve even used them in place of a chain saw in some cases. They work great.
as an estwing fan, clicked the like as soon as i saw that. other than that, never heard of the pipe saw before. i have flush cut trim saws, but now i feel like i need this one too.
Milwaukee Fastback 6-in-1 Folding Utility Knife. Knife flips out with the flick of the wrist. Includes Philips and standard drive as well as 1/4 nut driver. Wire stripper slot. Holds a spare blade and has a bottle opener.
Doc, I have watched quite a few of your videos, but I must say this is one of the best you have done. You did a very straightforward explanation of why you got each tool and it.made good sense.....thanks
I had to pull up 1000sqft of glued down parquet flooring and 2 layers of vinyl in my floor remodel and a good buddy of mine saw me struggling in a slow downwardly frustrating progress and next day he shows up with his old roofing shovel, gets right down where I left off probably pissed 2am in morning and prys up a big chuck. He hands it over and says here, keep it. Haha.
11-in-1 style drivers are excellent all around. I still have my first Klein 11-in-1. My favourite is the Milwaukee 13-in-1. It includes a hole for making nice coils or hooks on wire and the shank hole acts as a 1/2" nut driver. But it's otherwise basically the same as Klein's.
Knipex bought them 10+ years ago never use anything else, ratchet wrenches are my go to, impact screw driver for anything rusty, volt meter for tracking down shorts or broken wiring... Pretty much all my specialty tools are because I seen somebody use it and make things so much easier than how I was doing it before
For me, it was Disston, one man Great American saw - found it by an accident, and it's always in my car. A flathead screw driver - mayhew dominator is a must too. And, an impact drill, I have used it multiple times.
Holy smokes, the Milwaukee M12 right angle impact driver. Retains 1” insert bits properly and spins nice and fast for drilling pilot holes and driving screws in tight spaces. The shape also gives several extra inches of reach compared to the traditional pistol grip format.
A few tools I got after seeing them in use, some of them on this channel: Fix It Sticks. A pair of bit drivers that connect for a T-handle configuration in a compact package. Knipex Cobras, Pliers Wrenches, Cobolt, and TwinGrip. Engineer pliers. Had many tiny Allen screws to remove, and no size seemed to fit. Leatherman Raptor. Trauma shears multi-tool. Fantastic design and execution. Klein electrician scissors. Joker knives Lynx and Bushcrafter. Great prices and quality. Milwaukee Fastback 6 in 1. Vessel ratcheting ball-handle screwdriver. PB Swiss stubby with bits. Fiskars utility knife. Sata ratcheting stubby. Mora Companion Spark, Chisel, and Kansbol. Opinel knives. Victorinox folding paring knife.
Victorinox Spirit X,Victorinox Explorer as also Knipex Cobra 180 and Knipex Cobolt and their general use combination pliers. Samurai Ichiban saw (better than Silky imho) ,a Fenix flashlight, lastly a TRC Mille Cuori knife,are the best tools,that I got.
Wera's Rapidaptor. Ending up buying a bunch more of Wera stuff. Such quality tools. And Platinum tools EZ Snapjack CAT6 crimpers. Such a game changer. And finally, Fiskers shear/scissors. If you do Ethernet cabling, you have to have them.
Home Depot husky ratcheting screwdriver. Saw a lock smith using one on some strike plates and door knobs. Has different length extensions and holds 8 bits in the handle which is very comfortable. Went out and got 6 of them that night. One for each of my bags. I’m in hvac. Best thing was they were on clearance for like $6.00 marked down from 14.00. There’s a newer version out now. Longest extension is I think 6 or 8 inches. Great tool.
"5 tools I got as soon as I saw them in action because they're so efficient." Number 1: "A hammer. You wouldn't believe how much more efficient this is than using a rock for driving nails." Loljks, awesome vid though. And those brick hammers are beyond amazing. I worked at a concrete pre-cast plant for a bit and we did a run of concrete railway sleepers with cast in bolt relievers. The fabricated molds had long locking bars that would key to the bolt head and they had to be slid forward and backwards to set and reset them. I looked at the problem for about 2 minutes on my first day and concluded I needed a hammer with some kind of really small head to get strikes in tight places and a skinny, long nail puller with as little bend as possible and preferably with no nail puller channel, so kind of like the bit of a mattock. I go to the hardware store, at the time having no idea what a brick hammer even was, and by sheer coincidence, I see the exact form of tool I tried to invent in my head, what a miracle! What a tool! I've used it for concrete, I've used it for rigging, it's great and so versatile. My "I must get this asap" tool was an iron working spud wrench. It's ultra specialised so I doubt it has much legitimate use outside of steel erecting, but it is far far superior than the usual 'podger ratchets' used in Australia and I've come to learn it's packed with a few features didn't expect. Firstly and most importantly, the long, tapered, carrot shaped handle is sized exactly to the bolt hole size used for the bolt (unlike a podger ratchet) and the longer taper with a sharper point makes it easier to align bolt holes in steel. Secondly, a podger ratchet, which is basically a ratchet handle with integrated socket, doesn't really have the depth clearance to swing over adjacent bolts when tightening nuts, and due to their double ended design of the head, they can't fit into tight spaces. The open end spuds not only fit into much tighter spaces, but the head is offset so that the spud can swing over adjacent bolts and clear them, and because it is an open end and not a ring or socket, if the bolts are too long to clear or you're installing a brace, you can simply tilt the spud on the washer to swing it over and clear it. Moreover, because it is an open end, you can actually put the spud on the nut (I found out) so that the handle is roughly in line with the axis of the bolt, and you can just spin it like those dog leg Greenlee twiddle screwdrivers. Another awesome feature I discovered is that it has a built in design to measure the length of bolt needed. Typically (on an organised worksite) you'll have a bolt list on the plans, but sometimes you are just required to figure it out for yourself. I've done the math to determine the thickness of a nut, washer and the specified (standard) length of exposed thread to come up with set number for each bolt type. That number is then added to the thickness of the steel to join and that tells you the required bolt length. Alternatively, the depth of the mouth of the open end on a spud is coincidentally the same as this number I have determined and memorised, so you can simply put the mouth of the open end perpendicular against the steel and measure from one side of the steel to the belly of the mouth and that is your bolt length. This is basically applicable to bolt change outs (when someone has installed incorrect bolts) or to when someone has already pinned the steel and you have to finish bolting out, but the info you were supposed to receive wasn't given to you, so you have to measure yourself. The other situation is where the piece will be on the ground. You can climb up and use the 'spud depth' trick to determine the thickness of the steel + the magic number up in the air, and then you can radio that to the man on the ground who can measure the thickness of the piece on the ground and add those two simple numbers together. I'm sure spud wrenches have more tricks I'm yet to discover, it's a fantastic tool. My other favourite "must have" tools are probably: 1 - ratchet ring spanners, especially the flex head ones. They honestly look extremely gimmicky and overpriced but as soon as I saw one used in a classic 'nightmare scenario' as opposed to the usual infomercial type garbage usually seen in adds, I knew I had to get them. 2 - Frictionless thumb wheel hex bit & 1/4 inch socket driver. Frictionless wheels are essentially 0° swing arc. Swing arc matters a lot when using a spanner and people write it off as an issue for thumb wheels but when you have to jam your hand into garbage positions in an engine bay it's a nice feature. I guess as well to add to this I also have a really tiny ring/open spanner where the ring is a ratcheting hex bit driver and it's great for super low clearance uses. Shameless plug, I got both of these from Teng tools thinking they were a bit gimmicky and that Teng tools was a trashy brand but I love these things so much. 3 - You know what's better than jacking your car up and crawling under it to change your oil? Doing the entire job topside and staying clean by shoving a vacuum fluid extractor down the dipstick. By a similar tune, rather than trying to make friends so you have someone to help you bleed brakes, just get a reverse brake bleeder or vacuum break bleeder. 4 - I love lumber crayons, they can write on a variety of materials including steel, rebar, concrete, wood, I'm pretty sure even glass. The downside is they are waxy (because they're a crayon) and as such in professions like steel fixing (rod busting in the US), people usually have a large bulky handle that holds these lumber crayons called a 'keel.' Can't really buy these in Australia, they're expensive online and they're also large. I managed to find a 'Pica' lumber crayon holder that is brilliant, and the best feature is that you can press the button on top to both deploy the crayon (gravity) and to retract it into the handle completely so the crayon doesn't mark up bags, tool belts, pockets etc. For fine detail and accuracy such as required for steel fabrication and cabinet making a mechanical pencil is preferable, but for all other things I love these lumber crayons. A lumber crayon and a retractable keel is an awesome combo, I use it as a general all surface writing tool. What I'd typically use a sharpie or paint pen for I now use a black lumber crayon, the only benefit/downside being, depending on circumstances, is that the crayon is less permanent and easy to rub off. Again, depending on purpose, this can be good or bad. Another thing often not thought about by non-professionals is that paint pens and sharpies do not like to be used all day everyday, they dry out quickly. Yes you can carry 4 or 5 sharpies and paint pens with you and rotate them as the tips start to go raw, to let the ink re-soak the nib, but really, 6 to 10 markers of a single colour? The lumber crayon and literally go all day everyday, 12 hours with no hassles. If you need a red, or a yellow, or white, or blue as well, you can either buy 2 Pica keels (or whatever brand you like) and have 2 crayons (and at $15 a pop why wouldn't you?) or you can just swap the crayons out since you literally press the button on the keel and pull the crayon out. And I don't care what sharpie or paint marker someone claims will run all day, it's all BS. Milwikky, Sharpie, uni paint, artline, whatever it doesn't matter, they're all trash, it won't last 12 hour days. 5 -
Ratcheting box wrench. I was a construction plumber for a while but eventually moved over to service and worked with a bunch of hvac guys and they all used the shit out of ratcheting box wrenches and I saw a guy with a cheap husky double sided ratcheting box wrench and I went and got 2 of them for my tool bag that day.
I bought these tools essentially right after seeing them for the first time: Simplex non-marring hammers, Halder dead blows, a flexshaft grinder (my most often used tool - I run a Foredom TX along with others), Knipex plier wrenches, Japanese pull saws, iGaging center finder (bought it immediately as soon as I saw it). Had I seen a good demo of Starrett tap handles, I would have bought them sooner. Expensive, no question, but so worth it if the tools are used often.
Fix-It Sticks ratcheting t-handle. Being in a wheelchair, the tool is amazing for working on it, and it is portable as can get. I haven't broken yet, and I've been mean to it. But more than that, the Knipex pliers-wrench, hands down. Saw it, needed it. I always hated traditional adjustable wrenches. There is nothing about those things that's made me look back. Add in a set of Cobras and there isn't anything that can't be loosened or tightened. Honorable mention: Knipex Twin Grip. Didn't "need" it, but is works way better than Vampliers...
Another quality video. My tool would be dead blow mallets of all kinds. Was a dead space in my nox until i ran across how cool they were. My problem now is that i seem to have to own anything ive never seen. Lol. I thi k i have 30 hammers of differet types and want more. Lol
Hello again Doc Thank you for another Great Video. The latest tools I saw in use, by way of TH-cam. The first was a review of a Harbor Freight Roto head ratchets as soon as I saw it, I thought that's a game changer. Of course I got it in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drives. The second was the Husky 144 tooth ratchets. Again I thought another game changer. I am waiting for my next job to find out if I made a good purchase or not. Again thank you
I just recently got the Mac interchangeable Punch and chisel set, it really is life changing over a normal punch and chisel, it's part number is pcs1000k you can also get the otc version for about half the price but I like the Mac handle over the otc
When I first saw the klein speed flat in a restore for a buck I lost my mind because I redid all the outlets and switches in my house with a remodel and were talking like some 40 total per floor so when I showed my wife how amazing this was when i brought it home she just laughed at me. Haha
Vessel Megadora 980 Impacta P2x100 #2 Cross Point Impact Screwdriver. A great screwdriver that can loosen a screw like your impact driver. Just whack it on the head, no need to go set up another tool. Clamp-Tite kit, too.
Kline makes a plug tester now that tells you the voltage. I had a plug light up the leds on those style tester but still not work. My workmate plugged in his outlet tester with volt meter. The outlet was only getting 30v enough to light the leds but not much else.
Ball peen hammer (I prefer wood handles on my hammers. They just feel better imo), 11 in one painters tool for my tool bag (saw someone using them in so many ways besides just paint), Vessel jis screwdrivers, knipex pliers (i still use my channel locks but I reach for those first. Edc in my purse actually lol) and Makita 18v blower. So many more tools on my gotta have list!
For me it would be a Champion De'arment 2oz ball peen hammer. WILDE roll pin punches The Chapman bit set. The WRIGHT 2426 1/4dr contour grip . The Yankee push drill. The Vaughan & Bushnell #9 10oz rip claw. And hickock bypass loppers. The people I saw were experts and made things look easy, I thought I could do the same work because I had those tools. I learned that it was the skill and experience, but the tools i got were good ones and lasted while my skill improved.
Small hammers are great. I inherited a small claw hammer from my dad. I use it to hang pictures. How much hammer do you really need for a small nail in drywall? I can put it in the hammer loop in my pants and it doesn't beat me up.
I should have added the basin wrench to my list. That's another one I had to get once I saw how it worked. The oscillating tool, however, I didn't believe what I was seeing. But once on board, I've never been without one...or two.
@@lastbesttool Shortly after buying my first house, I was griping to my dad about how much of a pain in the ass it was to change out faucets. I had done one the bathrooms but still had 3 sinks to go. He showed me a basin wrench and I immediately went out and bought one. I had the other 3 faucets done in half the time it took me to do the first one.
Most of the Silky Saws have names that sound like Japanese sex toys but they're amazing! I keep a Katanaboy in my Subaru for camping and backcountry driving for firewood but also in case I'm on a fire road and a downed tree blocks my path. You can legit do chainsaw type work with the 500mm Silky saw!
You got that right. Its hard to take them seriously at first given their names. "Hello, I would like a Silky Big Boy please." "But sir, a Silky Pocket Boy might serve your needs better."
What do you even do with a ball peen hammer? Does anyone even peen anything anymore? Considering all the fasteners available today who peens anything anymore. Hmmm, just wondering. I never have and I’ve been hammering for 67 years.
Most used process i know of is you can put the ball peen into a hole and tap it with a 2nd hammer to round the edge. It will slightly tighten the hole on the entrance. Stainless is softer than hardened steel so even though its more expensive it is more pliable.
I restore old cars as a hobby, and i am constantly repairing wiring harnesses that are 40+ years old. so my 5 go to tools are as follows 1. Irwin self adjusting wire strippers. 2. Ryobi One+ Soldering station. with 4ah battery. no other company has a cordless soldering station like it. and its great for tight places on a car. 3. Ryobi One+ Heat Gun for heat shrink tubing. you need a heat gun when working on cars because lots of old cars have fuel and oil leaks and you don't want to set it on fire using a lighter or butane torch. bonus is that you can use the same battery as the soldering station. 4. Eastwood Crimp-Right crimping tool. it is the best crimper on the market hands down. and i have used a lot of brands. 5. Power Probe PP3LS01 circuit testing kit. hand down the best kit for testing automotive electrical. 6. My bonus tools would be a Fluke 87v multimeter. its stupid expensive. However i use it for more than just automotive, i have used it to repair motherboards capacitors, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners motors, car audio, fuel injectors, etc. if it is electrical, this meter can test it. its super expensive, but i could not do a lot of things with out it.
I would sub to this channel however boob tube's Aladdin thingie tends to glitch afterwards and I never see it again. So for now I'll chill and everyday something new will pop up from this fantastic contributor.
Snap-On High Leverage pliers, bought a set the day after I saw your video on them. LOVE THEM!
Outstanding!
The painters tools is by far must have tool for anyone who DIYs in their home.
I've never owned a Silky Saw but I'm yearning for one after watching a Russian camping youtuber cut firewood like a song with one.
There’s a lot of tool channels on TH-cam but one of the reasons why I’m drawn to your channel (and have a tendency to binge watch lately) is in many cases you go into detail in how you apply tool you’re describing. Very informative and educational.
Wow, thank you!
I just retired after 25 years as a specialty tradesman ( installing custom plantation shutters and other wi Dow treatments ). Whenever I saw a tool on a jobsite that would solve a problem for my work I made it a rule to buy it either that same day or the first day I could So I bought many tools that I seldom used , but when I needed them they were ideally suited to that task. The fist was a Paslode angled finish nailer Still have it , still works perfectly
One tool I bought as soon as I saw someone use it was a ratcheting pliers-style PVC pipe cutter. It doesn’t do much else besides cutting PVC pipe and other plastic tubing, but it cuts that pipe a lot faster and more cleanly than anything else I know of.
Hub grappler, Milwaukee grease gun when I started working at a semi truck shop, Mac tools 3 lb mini sledge, Snap-on air pressure tester and vacuum coolant refiller, all Matco locking flex head ratchets
I’ve heard really good things about estwing hammers and pry bars !!
For me it was Knipex wrench pliers, Knipex Cobras, Knipex Cobolt (very useful for wood screws shortening) and japanese Gyokucho wood saws (4 different types). I especially love those japanese saws... cutting wood with them is like zen meditation :)
Cool thing that saves a ton of time is a magnetic attachment to the side of a drill. It magnetically stores bits, and you can easily put tons of screws on it. No more fiddling with screws while you drill or holding them in your mouth
Once saw roofers using a magnetic roofing hammer, so I had to get one because I had plans on doing some roof repairs. It sure did come in handy!
Silky saws are awesome, I can easily attest to this as a landscaper. I’ve got a few of them, I keep a large one in my car and a smaller one in my bag. I’ve even used them in place of a chain saw in some cases. They work great.
as an estwing fan, clicked the like as soon as i saw that. other than that, never heard of the pipe saw before. i have flush cut trim saws, but now i feel like i need this one too.
Milwaukee Fastback 6-in-1 Folding Utility Knife. Knife flips out with the flick of the wrist. Includes Philips and standard drive as well as 1/4 nut driver. Wire stripper slot. Holds a spare blade and has a bottle opener.
I have one of these I carry daily and I love it.
Klein now has a reversible-tip offset (crank) screwdriver with both #2 Phillips and cabinet-tip slotted bit. And yes, I had to get it right away.
small folding utility knife. this one just goes with me all the time. also good pair of scissors, that one is just simply irreplaceable
Doc,
I have watched quite a few of your videos, but I must say this is one of the best you have done. You did a very straightforward explanation of why you got each tool and it.made good sense.....thanks
I’m a believer in the painters tool too! I found a folding one & even has a small screwdriver & bottle opener.
Sounds interesting. Got a link?
I had to pull up 1000sqft of glued down parquet flooring and 2 layers of vinyl in my floor remodel and a good buddy of mine saw me struggling in a slow downwardly frustrating progress and next day he shows up with his old roofing shovel, gets right down where I left off probably pissed 2am in morning and prys up a big chuck. He hands it over and says here, keep it. Haha.
The Klein 11 in 1 is very handy for electrical, hvac and appliance work.
11-in-1 style drivers are excellent all around. I still have my first Klein 11-in-1. My favourite is the Milwaukee 13-in-1. It includes a hole for making nice coils or hooks on wire and the shank hole acts as a 1/2" nut driver. But it's otherwise basically the same as Klein's.
It’s an essential tool.
Reversible dovetail flush-cut saw
Cordless multi-tool
Drywall t-square
Deadblow hammer
Pretty much. Roofing hammer, small fiberglas hammer, 7in1, socket testers, specialty saw, and a mini ratchet hex driver with 12" extender bar.
Knipex bought them 10+ years ago never use anything else, ratchet wrenches are my go to, impact screw driver for anything rusty, volt meter for tracking down shorts or broken wiring... Pretty much all my specialty tools are because I seen somebody use it and make things so much easier than how I was doing it before
As an electrician an underrated tool is having either Milwaukee's ECX or Kliens C1 and C2 bits for doing device installs.
Estwing hammer is the best.I have a geological hammer that I purchased years ago after college, still like new to this day.
For me, it was Disston, one man Great American saw - found it by an accident, and it's always in my car. A flathead screw driver - mayhew dominator is a must too. And, an impact drill, I have used it multiple times.
Portable bandsaw for metal. And a deadblow hammer with interchangable soft faces.
Holy smokes, the Milwaukee M12 right angle impact driver. Retains 1” insert bits properly and spins nice and fast for drilling pilot holes and driving screws in tight spaces. The shape also gives several extra inches of reach compared to the traditional pistol grip format.
A few tools I got after seeing them in use, some of them on this channel:
Fix It Sticks. A pair of bit drivers that connect for a T-handle configuration in a compact package.
Knipex Cobras, Pliers Wrenches, Cobolt, and TwinGrip.
Engineer pliers. Had many tiny Allen screws to remove, and no size seemed to fit.
Leatherman Raptor. Trauma shears multi-tool. Fantastic design and execution.
Klein electrician scissors.
Joker knives Lynx and Bushcrafter. Great prices and quality.
Milwaukee Fastback 6 in 1.
Vessel ratcheting ball-handle screwdriver.
PB Swiss stubby with bits.
Fiskars utility knife.
Sata ratcheting stubby.
Mora Companion Spark, Chisel, and Kansbol.
Opinel knives.
Victorinox folding paring knife.
Victorinox Spirit X,Victorinox Explorer as also Knipex Cobra 180 and Knipex Cobolt and their general use combination pliers. Samurai Ichiban saw (better than Silky imho) ,a Fenix flashlight, lastly a TRC Mille Cuori knife,are the best tools,that I got.
Small Ballpeins are very cool , Ditto small Crosspiens ( Brits call them Warringtons ) .
Wera's Rapidaptor. Ending up buying a bunch more of Wera stuff. Such quality tools. And Platinum tools EZ Snapjack CAT6 crimpers. Such a game changer. And finally, Fiskers shear/scissors. If you do Ethernet cabling, you have to have them.
Two simple things - both magnetic: magnetic parts bowl for holding screws, bolts, etc. Also, Klein tools magnetizer/demagnetizer for screwdrivers
Home Depot husky ratcheting screwdriver. Saw a lock smith using one on some strike plates and door knobs. Has different length extensions and holds 8 bits in the handle which is very comfortable. Went out and got 6 of them that night. One for each of my bags. I’m in hvac. Best thing was they were on clearance for like $6.00 marked down from 14.00. There’s a newer version out now. Longest extension is I think 6 or 8 inches. Great tool.
"5 tools I got as soon as I saw them in action because they're so efficient."
Number 1: "A hammer. You wouldn't believe how much more efficient this is than using a rock for driving nails."
Loljks, awesome vid though.
And those brick hammers are beyond amazing. I worked at a concrete pre-cast plant for a bit and we did a run of concrete railway sleepers with cast in bolt relievers. The fabricated molds had long locking bars that would key to the bolt head and they had to be slid forward and backwards to set and reset them. I looked at the problem for about 2 minutes on my first day and concluded I needed a hammer with some kind of really small head to get strikes in tight places and a skinny, long nail puller with as little bend as possible and preferably with no nail puller channel, so kind of like the bit of a mattock. I go to the hardware store, at the time having no idea what a brick hammer even was, and by sheer coincidence, I see the exact form of tool I tried to invent in my head, what a miracle!
What a tool! I've used it for concrete, I've used it for rigging, it's great and so versatile.
My "I must get this asap" tool was an iron working spud wrench. It's ultra specialised so I doubt it has much legitimate use outside of steel erecting, but it is far far superior than the usual 'podger ratchets' used in Australia and I've come to learn it's packed with a few features didn't expect.
Firstly and most importantly, the long, tapered, carrot shaped handle is sized exactly to the bolt hole size used for the bolt (unlike a podger ratchet) and the longer taper with a sharper point makes it easier to align bolt holes in steel. Secondly, a podger ratchet, which is basically a ratchet handle with integrated socket, doesn't really have the depth clearance to swing over adjacent bolts when tightening nuts, and due to their double ended design of the head, they can't fit into tight spaces. The open end spuds not only fit into much tighter spaces, but the head is offset so that the spud can swing over adjacent bolts and clear them, and because it is an open end and not a ring or socket, if the bolts are too long to clear or you're installing a brace, you can simply tilt the spud on the washer to swing it over and clear it. Moreover, because it is an open end, you can actually put the spud on the nut (I found out) so that the handle is roughly in line with the axis of the bolt, and you can just spin it like those dog leg Greenlee twiddle screwdrivers.
Another awesome feature I discovered is that it has a built in design to measure the length of bolt needed. Typically (on an organised worksite) you'll have a bolt list on the plans, but sometimes you are just required to figure it out for yourself. I've done the math to determine the thickness of a nut, washer and the specified (standard) length of exposed thread to come up with set number for each bolt type. That number is then added to the thickness of the steel to join and that tells you the required bolt length. Alternatively, the depth of the mouth of the open end on a spud is coincidentally the same as this number I have determined and memorised, so you can simply put the mouth of the open end perpendicular against the steel and measure from one side of the steel to the belly of the mouth and that is your bolt length. This is basically applicable to bolt change outs (when someone has installed incorrect bolts) or to when someone has already pinned the steel and you have to finish bolting out, but the info you were supposed to receive wasn't given to you, so you have to measure yourself. The other situation is where the piece will be on the ground. You can climb up and use the 'spud depth' trick to determine the thickness of the steel + the magic number up in the air, and then you can radio that to the man on the ground who can measure the thickness of the piece on the ground and add those two simple numbers together.
I'm sure spud wrenches have more tricks I'm yet to discover, it's a fantastic tool.
My other favourite "must have" tools are probably:
1 - ratchet ring spanners, especially the flex head ones. They honestly look extremely gimmicky and overpriced but as soon as I saw one used in a classic 'nightmare scenario' as opposed to the usual infomercial type garbage usually seen in adds, I knew I had to get them.
2 - Frictionless thumb wheel hex bit & 1/4 inch socket driver. Frictionless wheels are essentially 0° swing arc. Swing arc matters a lot when using a spanner and people write it off as an issue for thumb wheels but when you have to jam your hand into garbage positions in an engine bay it's a nice feature. I guess as well to add to this I also have a really tiny ring/open spanner where the ring is a ratcheting hex bit driver and it's great for super low clearance uses. Shameless plug, I got both of these from Teng tools thinking they were a bit gimmicky and that Teng tools was a trashy brand but I love these things so much.
3 - You know what's better than jacking your car up and crawling under it to change your oil? Doing the entire job topside and staying clean by shoving a vacuum fluid extractor down the dipstick. By a similar tune, rather than trying to make friends so you have someone to help you bleed brakes, just get a reverse brake bleeder or vacuum break bleeder.
4 - I love lumber crayons, they can write on a variety of materials including steel, rebar, concrete, wood, I'm pretty sure even glass. The downside is they are waxy (because they're a crayon) and as such in professions like steel fixing (rod busting in the US), people usually have a large bulky handle that holds these lumber crayons called a 'keel.' Can't really buy these in Australia, they're expensive online and they're also large. I managed to find a 'Pica' lumber crayon holder that is brilliant, and the best feature is that you can press the button on top to both deploy the crayon (gravity) and to retract it into the handle completely so the crayon doesn't mark up bags, tool belts, pockets etc. For fine detail and accuracy such as required for steel fabrication and cabinet making a mechanical pencil is preferable, but for all other things I love these lumber crayons. A lumber crayon and a retractable keel is an awesome combo, I use it as a general all surface writing tool. What I'd typically use a sharpie or paint pen for I now use a black lumber crayon, the only benefit/downside being, depending on circumstances, is that the crayon is less permanent and easy to rub off. Again, depending on purpose, this can be good or bad. Another thing often not thought about by non-professionals is that paint pens and sharpies do not like to be used all day everyday, they dry out quickly. Yes you can carry 4 or 5 sharpies and paint pens with you and rotate them as the tips start to go raw, to let the ink re-soak the nib, but really, 6 to 10 markers of a single colour? The lumber crayon and literally go all day everyday, 12 hours with no hassles. If you need a red, or a yellow, or white, or blue as well, you can either buy 2 Pica keels (or whatever brand you like) and have 2 crayons (and at $15 a pop why wouldn't you?) or you can just swap the crayons out since you literally press the button on the keel and pull the crayon out. And I don't care what sharpie or paint marker someone claims will run all day, it's all BS. Milwikky, Sharpie, uni paint, artline, whatever it doesn't matter, they're all trash, it won't last 12 hour days.
5 -
Ratcheting box wrench. I was a construction plumber for a while but eventually moved over to service and worked with a bunch of hvac guys and they all used the shit out of ratcheting box wrenches and I saw a guy with a cheap husky double sided ratcheting box wrench and I went and got 2 of them for my tool bag that day.
I bought these tools essentially right after seeing them for the first time: Simplex non-marring hammers, Halder dead blows, a flexshaft grinder (my most often used tool - I run a Foredom TX along with others), Knipex plier wrenches, Japanese pull saws, iGaging center finder (bought it immediately as soon as I saw it). Had I seen a good demo of Starrett tap handles, I would have bought them sooner. Expensive, no question, but so worth it if the tools are used often.
knipex twin grip and knipex extra slim cobra pliers. going to have to grab some Mayhew demo screwdrivers soon
Carbide tipped scraper, Starrett tap wrench.
Don't be afraid of using the bottom of that masonry hammer handle as a rubber mallet works great
Good call. Thanks!
1. Milwaukee cordless angle grinder
2. Bradford Guardian 3 Wharnie
3. Olight Warrior X Pro
4. Big Idea Design Bit Bar
5. A good pair of overalls
I would have loved to see them...in action
Fix-It Sticks ratcheting t-handle. Being in a wheelchair, the tool is amazing for working on it, and it is portable as can get. I haven't broken yet, and I've been mean to it.
But more than that, the Knipex pliers-wrench, hands down. Saw it, needed it. I always hated traditional adjustable wrenches. There is nothing about those things that's made me look back. Add in a set of Cobras and there isn't anything that can't be loosened or tightened.
Honorable mention: Knipex Twin Grip. Didn't "need" it, but is works way better than Vampliers...
Knipex FTW
Another quality video. My tool would be dead blow mallets of all kinds. Was a dead space in my nox until i ran across how cool they were. My problem now is that i seem to have to own anything ive never seen. Lol. I thi k i have 30 hammers of differet types and want more. Lol
Hello again Doc
Thank you for another Great Video. The latest tools I saw in use, by way of TH-cam. The first was a review of a Harbor Freight Roto head ratchets as soon as I saw it, I thought that's a game changer. Of course I got it in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drives. The second was the Husky 144 tooth ratchets. Again I thought another game changer. I am waiting for my next job to find out if I made a good purchase or not. Again thank you
I just recently got the Mac interchangeable Punch and chisel set, it really is life changing over a normal punch and chisel, it's part number is pcs1000k you can also get the otc version for about half the price but I like the Mac handle over the otc
When I first saw the klein speed flat in a restore for a buck I lost my mind because I redid all the outlets and switches in my house with a remodel and were talking like some 40 total per floor so when I showed my wife how amazing this was when i brought it home she just laughed at me. Haha
Knipex pliers wrenches, Cobras. Burke bar.
Vessel Megadora 980 Impacta P2x100 #2 Cross Point Impact Screwdriver. A great screwdriver that can loosen a screw like your impact driver. Just whack it on the head, no need to go set up another tool.
Clamp-Tite kit, too.
Klein 14-in-1 HVAC adjustable length screwdriver with flip socket + Klein 7-in-1 impact flip socket set = super screwdriver
Good video. Helpful. And I would have liked it anyway simply because you pronounced Estwing properly!
Doc what do you think of Chapman bit ratchet sets? I’ve been thinking of buying a set.
Kline makes a plug tester now that tells you the voltage. I had a plug light up the leds on those style tester but still not work. My workmate plugged in his outlet tester with volt meter. The outlet was only getting 30v enough to light the leds but not much else.
Ball peen hammer (I prefer wood handles on my hammers. They just feel better imo), 11 in one painters tool for my tool bag (saw someone using them in so many ways besides just paint), Vessel jis screwdrivers, knipex pliers (i still use my channel locks but I reach for those first. Edc in my purse actually lol) and Makita 18v blower. So many more tools on my gotta have list!
For me it would be a Champion De'arment 2oz ball peen hammer.
WILDE roll pin punches
The Chapman bit set.
The WRIGHT 2426 1/4dr contour grip .
The Yankee push drill.
The Vaughan & Bushnell #9 10oz rip claw.
And hickock bypass loppers.
The people I saw were experts and made things look easy, I thought I could do the same work because I had those tools.
I learned that it was the skill and experience, but the tools i got were good ones and lasted while my skill improved.
Have you a link to the husky and also the folding saw? they seem to be missing from the description
Thanks for the message. I just updated the description with the additional links.
Small hammers are great. I inherited a small claw hammer from my dad. I use it to hang pictures. How much hammer do you really need for a small nail in drywall? I can put it in the hammer loop in my pants and it doesn't beat me up.
That is Window treatments
Tools I bought immediately after seeing someone use them: Basin Wrench, Knipex Pliers Wrench, slide hammer, Ridgid E110 offset hex wrench, oscillating tool.
I should have added the basin wrench to my list. That's another one I had to get once I saw how it worked. The oscillating tool, however, I didn't believe what I was seeing. But once on board, I've never been without one...or two.
@@lastbesttool Shortly after buying my first house, I was griping to my dad about how much of a pain in the ass it was to change out faucets. I had done one the bathrooms but still had 3 sinks to go. He showed me a basin wrench and I immediately went out and bought one. I had the other 3 faucets done in half the time it took me to do the first one.
I used an estwing claw hammer with leather handle for years. Yeah, you youngsters out there, don’t do that.
I have a 30yr old eatwing sledge I use daily.
Have you seen the Stanley FatMax 5 in 1 Multisaw?
Well, I guess the Mrs. is going to be a bit disappointed
3:14 😑
Knipex Twin grip, cobra, raptor and Co-bolt pliers. Watched a few videos and ran straight to Amazon to lighten my wallet by a couple hundred $$$
A portable bandsaw.
Estwing “wooden handle”?
Nope, the brown handles are stacked leather.
130mm pocket boy fits in my pants pocket
Most of the Silky Saws have names that sound like Japanese sex toys but they're amazing! I keep a Katanaboy in my Subaru for camping and backcountry driving for firewood but also in case I'm on a fire road and a downed tree blocks my path. You can legit do chainsaw type work with the 500mm Silky saw!
You got that right. Its hard to take them seriously at first given their names. "Hello, I would like a Silky Big Boy please." "But sir, a Silky Pocket Boy might serve your needs better."
Estwing hammers have stacked leather handles not wood.
Some do, some have the blue antivibe handle. I like both the estwing and wooden handle variety
Application was functional? Huh?
What do you even do with a ball peen hammer? Does anyone even peen anything anymore? Considering all the fasteners available today who peens anything anymore. Hmmm, just wondering. I never have and I’ve been hammering for 67 years.
Most used process i know of is you can put the ball peen into a hole and tap it with a 2nd hammer to round the edge. It will slightly tighten the hole on the entrance. Stainless is softer than hardened steel so even though its more expensive it is more pliable.
Blacksmiths use it usually on smaller items but can be used on step down areas when trying to spread the metal out.
Knipex - TwinGrip Slip Joint Pliers 82 01 200. Fell in love the moment I saw them.
I restore old cars as a hobby, and i am constantly repairing wiring harnesses that are 40+ years old. so my 5 go to tools are as follows
1. Irwin self adjusting wire strippers.
2. Ryobi One+ Soldering station. with 4ah battery. no other company has a cordless soldering station like it. and its great for tight places on a car.
3. Ryobi One+ Heat Gun for heat shrink tubing. you need a heat gun when working on cars because lots of old cars have fuel and oil leaks and you don't want to set it on fire using a lighter or butane torch. bonus is that you can use the same battery as the soldering station.
4. Eastwood Crimp-Right crimping tool. it is the best crimper on the market hands down. and i have used a lot of brands.
5. Power Probe PP3LS01 circuit testing kit. hand down the best kit for testing automotive electrical.
6. My bonus tools would be a Fluke 87v multimeter. its stupid expensive. However i use it for more than just automotive, i have used it to repair motherboards capacitors, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners motors, car audio, fuel injectors, etc. if it is electrical, this meter can test it. its super expensive, but i could not do a lot of things with out it.
what soldering do you do on cars? I crimp everything.
I would sub to this channel however boob tube's Aladdin thingie tends to glitch afterwards and I never see it again. So for now I'll chill and everyday something new will pop up from this fantastic contributor.