What is your shops most import tools?

Hurco550

Keep er' Between the Ditches
DTT SUPPORTER
DTT BOTM WINNER
As a bike enthusiast with a small workspace (one car garage) I am curious to see what pieces of equipment you cannot be without. I know we don't all have such tight spaces, but many of us do. Luckily for me I have access to the family business, which happens to be a well equipped tool and die shop about 10 minutes from the house. This means I don't personally have a drillpress, mill, lathe ect at my home "shop".

Mine would have to be a motorcycle table, an air compressor, and your standard hand tools and hand power tools like a grinder, drill, impact ect. So let's hear it, what is it that you couldn't enjoy this great hobby without?
 
Mills, lathes, composites room, paint booth, and a reclining chair. Nap time is important. Potentially the most important part of the day.
 
It's all pretty much here, minus the tool box and the e wheel. The e wheel is a very recent acquisition.

10996270_10207180820428150_334475813284833289_o.jpg
 
My computer :eek:

All my manuals are electronic, youtube how to's are dificult to watch on my phone, I use my CAD program to design custom parts, the note pad app stores all critical measurements, part numbers, or things I need to remember, jetting results are laid out in spreadsheets to better highlight improvements from resulting changes, and Google Chrome keeps all my suppliers webcatalogs neatly stored in folders according to Bike...

Just a few reasons why my computer is top on the list of tools in my shop. Next would be the beer fridge!
 
My brain and hands ! There lil beat up and don't always work right but I have them with me at all times ( I think ? )
 
For a serious and legitimate answer about actual shop tools, I can say that my garage workshop has been built up over many years of working on cars and other combustion engine hobbies. I like tools, I like buying tools, and I would consider it as a part of my hobby. My machinist father taught me the value in good tools and using the correct tool for the job.

I would say that the most important and most heavily used tools in my shop are my air compressor, digital micrometer, 3/8" and 1/2" drive metric deep-wall 6-point sockets, medium ball-pein hammer and dead blows, Felo screwdrivers and my trusty X-Acto knives.

I believe that you should spend the most money on the things you use the most, so I'm happy that I have not skimped on those particular tools. They have all served me very well, and will continue to for a very long time.

There are a few other tools that I think are invaluable for working on anything like these old bikes—like an impact screwdriver with JIS bits, a 4-6" jaw bench vise, sharp files, brass wire brushes, a rotary tool (Dremel), 6" bench grinder, and a small bench top drill press.

The few things I really want to add to my home shop are a small media cabinet, a motorcycle hydraulic table lift and a small solvent wash tank. I could do a lot of work more efficiently with the added benefits of having those close at hand.


If you guys are tool nerds like me, and you haven't been there yet, you should check out GarageJournal.com. It's a sickness and an addiction.





doug
 
Avanti cigars.



...and a couple of Ichiban Moto stickers to keep things Bad Ass.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention, my radio. Complete with awesome over sized speakers. I can't wrench worth a darn without my jams.
e04c496b059971ee92cb8364809ef916.jpg
 
Sense adding the lift table my shop is well equipped less any machine tools, really wish I had a nice combo lathe/mill machine... just cant justify the price for the convenience.

My most used and most important in keeping me going for hours and hours... My office chair on wheels :-[
 

Attachments

  • _20150629_183719.JPG
    _20150629_183719.JPG
    379.1 KB · Views: 214
hurco550 said:
Oh, I forgot to mention, my radio. Complete with awesome over sized speakers. I can't wrench worth a darn without my jams.
e04c496b059971ee92cb8364809ef916.jpg

I'll second this
 
Back
Top Bottom