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Having just moved into a new house that has a nice large garage, over the next few months I am going to be treating myself to a work bench, tool chest and new tools. I have a few already but these are just general bits and pieces I have picked up cheaply, now I am looking to get new.
So what tools would you recommend for both bike related fretting and also just in general
first things first
good vice.
Workstand.
Park Tools cable cutters.
"Park Tools cable cutters. "
no no no no no.
felco for cutters anything else is just tat.
Cannot tell you how much I find my vice useful, make sure you secure it properly as they will take a beating 😉
trail_rat - Memberfelco for cutters anything else is just tat.
The "very similar looking indeed to Felco and far cheaper" cable cutters I got from On One are excellent thus far.
I'd avoid the bike specific stuff if you can - for cutters etc look at Knippex or Maun...
For spanners or sockets look at Teng/Britool/Halfords Pro.
For Hex Keys look at Bondhus.
First things i'd be looking at would be a strong bench, and a good vice.
for the vice go secondhand, you'll get a nice old Record one from ebay for £30-£40.
Angle grinders solve a number of problems.
Parts washer (DIY?).
Forget the tool chest, get a tool board and think about tool placement on it.
Abigammer...
air compressor
Stereo
Beer fridge.
tell me more about felco kit - i like knipex for pliers - is felco a similar kind of thing?
ime park stuff is overpriced for what it is - but i hear there might be a punter level and a pro level. not sure.
re kitting out your new garage, as above, a really good vice is probably an excellent place to start.
a little beer fridge.
a chair.
an ashtray? 😉
+1 for compressor definately.
Big heavy bench and vice also good.
Are you starting from scratch with this garage? Is it too late to put in a pit for doing car/van work?
I have found a bench grinder very useful.
.
I get on alright with Park for bike-specific stuff, BB tools, cassette tools etc, but use Snap-On or Bahco for other bits. I would definately urge you to avoid any cheap tools, if the budget won't stretch to a posh one get on fleabay and get a second hand posh one rather than a new cheap one. Decent tools are a joy to work with and just make the whole process more fun.
[url= http://www.toolfinder.co.uk/hand-tools/pliers-croppers-wrenches/allen-key/hexagon-key-sets/hexagon-key-sets-metric/be-9770-9-piece-hex-key-set-15-10mm/?gclid=CKLUx46BvrYCFSzKtAodWF0AqA ]Here[/url]'s (what looks like) a bargain to start you off. 🙂
Going by past posts at the very least a milling machine, a lathe or possibly 2 a welder/brasing tool incase you want to knock our your own frame and a vast range of vices .
What you realy need is a lump hammer and a big pair of slisons all other tools are those who havent mastered them.:-)
In reality good security a fridge for beer/wine/cider or kettle which ever is more important to u, a work bench a vise and tool storeage I wouldnt bother with a workstand a loop of rope hanging from the roof worked for me .
Turns out everything on that site I linked above is very tempting.
I now need a workshop and many, many tools!
personally i think a compressor is nice to have but very far down on the non essential list - other than inflating tires what do you use it for ?
- air cut off and impact driver would be the only things i would use other than inflating tires.
but i already have a dremel , 4 inch grinder , 240v impact driver and a good quality track pump.
sort of agree on the quality tools front BUT unless you can inspect in person dont buy used tools off ebay. Its a good way to get rid of worn and knackered branded tools - some idiots will pay anything for a name.
you can pick up just as good tools new from different brands for much much less - id rather a quality tool new than a branded posh used tool for the same.
there are exceptions to the rule but many hand tools are high use high wear items so try and buy them new.
tool boards are great till you want to take your tools anywhere..... my chest i just pick up the top chest (which has all the bike tools in) throw it in the van and go - doing race support or the likes.
i do have a second set of common tools such as allen keys and screw drivers bolted to the wall though.
I have got a large amount of used snap on stuff off eBay
Mostly it's been perfect but now and then you get somthing rubbish
Got some small 6-10 mm combo spanners and the ends are all stretched
I got lucky my mate got them replaced by a snap on van
But as above large vice and bench
I'd not be without my pin punch set either
The tools I use most and/or make the most difference for bike spannering in my opinion are:
A bike stand, they are bloody wonderful.
A good track pump.
Some good quality hex keys.
A torque wrench.
A grease gun.
You will also need a tool chest to put them all into and some storage of some variety for other stuff. Some kind of work bench is useful as is a vice of some kind. I have an iPod dock and a fridge but I'm not sure you'd call these essential!
You'll need plenty of other tools as well but the above is what I use most.
Didn't everyone aquire rusty antique tool collections from Grandparants as children.
I thought this was normal.....?
Oh how did i forget that 🙂
Got an old 80s technics stack with some mission m30s and an apple airport express in the garage.
Essential for any working 🙂
make your own bench- 2xwhatever bolted to wall round a corner, something flat on top with a leg on the opposite, corner, top 900mm high with another shelf lower down for more storage.
Compressor- brilliant things, blowing up tyres including car ones, drying chains, blasting dirt out of bearings and off threads, putting on grips, blowing up bouncy castles...
Magetic bowl, workstand, pegboard, music, space for beer, something to sit on for getting changed, kettle.
Didn't everyone aquire rusty antique tool collections from Grandparants as children.
I thought this was normal.....
Yes, but I've yet to find a bike use for the Whitworth spanners.
6' of scaffold for when extra leverage is required. Does require decent kit that won't snap, bust a lot of cheap stuff at work recently dismantling forestry kit and tractors.
Imperial sockets/spanners/allens for stuff that has become rounded.
a CNC mill for making stuff 😀
Flooring first - before you fill it.
I tiled my garage floor with 30cm tiles on special from wickes
I think it was £70 all in - including 75kg of adhesive
Nice bright white moppable floor where dropped things can be found
Hows the tiling holding up. When i rebuild i might tile..... 12 gauge garage piqued my intrest into tiled floor. Will practice in the house first thats not so important.
trail_rat - MemberWill practice in the house first thats not so important.
That's the spirit!
I have plan for a large tool board but would like a chest for the reasons stated above, ease of transport when I go away. Unfortunately the garage doesn't have power so a fridge is out as is a compressor, not sure I would use one tbh. Can you get quiet generators or decent lagre battery packs? The floor however has been part carpeted and the other half has laminate flooring so spills will be easily cleaned up.
A decent work bench and vice is top of the list, as is a work stand. Other things on the list are:
A good track pump.
Good quality hex keys.
A torque wrench.
A grease gun.
Good quality and range of spanners
Large hammer???
Already have bottom bracket, cassette tool, chain whip but any other bike related tools you wouldn't be without?
Tiling has held up pretty well over the last 5 years.
It is completely bedded down so no voids under the tiles - on a concerete base so very well supported underneath.
I use a car trolley jack on it and have dropped some pretty big things on it.
I am not saying it cant be or wont break, but it is doing a pretty good job so far.
Tool board is a must.
Forget tools posters of topless birds first
I have this tool chest http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=745201&categoryId=255214&langId=-1
I can't fault it! Also worth trying to get a halfords trade card you get some decent discount and there tools have a lifetime warrenty. And I get t handle Allen keys!
Plasma & Sky HD !
Rocco - Good cable cutters, rubber headed mallet, bleed kit,
A bench, vice and bike stand are the essentials
Oh and somewhere to make homebrew
Unfortunately the garage doesn't have power
This is what I would be sorting out first.
Dont forget security
decent locks on the doors, bars on windows. Floor/wall anchors and suitable locks/chains for any bikes.
Also keep any tools that could be used to steal bikes such as angle grinders locked or hidden away.
Some sort of alarm that can be heard from within the house.