by Bill Wilson
Power-driven tools add a host of new capabilities to the home workshop, but they can also quickly become prohibitively expensive. In this post I will spend most of the time discussing the basic ones that almost every shop will want to have. Later on I’ll discuss others that will come in handy for more specialized tasks, such as bodywork, painting and mounting tires to wheels.
Drill Press
This is a must-have for any properly equipped shop. Fortunately, perfectly adequate ones can be found at very reasonable costs. You’ll definitely want one with an attached vise to hold parts in place while you drill. Otherwise parts are likely to start spinning around like a top.
Try to get a drill press with at least a ½ horsepower motor. One way to save money is to buy a press that mounts on a table, as opposed to one with a built-in floor stand.
In addition to the press, you’ll want quality hardened bits in all the major sizes, such as ¼, 5/16, ½, 9/16, etc. Make sure they’re intended for metalwork. Have plenty of spares as well, because nothing will wear a bit down like drilling through steel. Step-bits have a specially designed head that creates a pilot hole for the main bit to follow. Buy these if your budget permits; you’ll find they save a lot of hassle.
Handheld/Angle Grinder
If you get no other power tool, get one of these, along with several different types of grinding discs. They clean up the crud left over after welding. They remove excess metal or paint. They’ll make short work of surface rust. They can even be used to sharpen a lawnmower blade that has been removed from the mower and securely clamped into a vise. Always wear goggles or safety glasses when using one of these simple yet amazing tools.
Bench Grinder
This is one of those classic tools that can do dozens of jobs. It earns its keep soon after purchase. A typical grinder will have a rough stone on one end and a smoother stone on the other. They’re great for removing metal. Others have wire wheels on both ends for stripping away paint and rust. Buy both kinds if you can. They come in handy quite often.
Belt Sanders
These are similar to grinders, except they are good for more precise tasks, such as shaping sheet metal or small parts.
Bandsaw
Good to have on hand for cutting aluminum and softer materials. Be sure to use fine-toothed blades meant for cutting metal metal.
Chop Saw/Circular Saw
Another tool that will slice through metal the way a kitchen knife cuts through bread. Carbide- or diamond-tipped blades will last longer, and their costs reflect that fact. There are circular saws on the market that spin slower than the ones used by woodworkers. These are acceptable alternatives.
NEVER use the high-speed table or circular saws popular with furniture builders and carpenters. They spin so fast that metal cutting blades can come apart during the job, sending ultra-sharp shrapnel flying through the air towards your head. Something like that could ruin your whole day, quick.
Vehicle Battery Charger
Excellent for – what else? – charging batteries!
Diagnostic Tools
Code Reader
A good one can be had for around $50. It’s the single best investment you can make for working on cars made after 1995. The onboard diagnostic system will tell you where the trouble lies, saving you hours of troubleshooting. By plugging one into the vehicle’s access port you can download its codes, so you’ll know what they’re trying to tell you.
Without the ability to properly diagnose what’s wrong, you’re left with no other choice but to guess, and to replace parts blindly in hopes of getting it right.
Timing Light
Here’s another item you can’t afford to be without. Most cars are timed by the number-1 cylinder. A timing light connects to both the plug wire for that cylinder and the vehicle’s battery. Pointing the light at the pulley tells you whether the timing mark on the pulley is in sync with the one on the body of the engine.
Very basic timing lights can be found, as well as ones with all sorts of bells and whistle that add nothing to the tool’s basic purpose. Get a simple, dependable one made by a reputable manufacturer. You’ll be very glad you did.
Multimeter and Continuity Tester
I hate working on vehicle electrical systems. So do most people. Nonetheless, it’s a task that can’t be avoided forever. A multimeter will make the job simpler. With one, you can check around faults, hot wires, and virtually everything electric in the vehicle. If you’ve never used one, there are plenty of videos on YouTube and other sites that will teach you the basics.
A continuity tester makes testing for electric current an easy affair. Attach the alligator clip to the end that you think has power, and then touch the metal probe to ground. If the light comes on you’ve got juice. If not, you’ve got problems that might cause a lot of aggravation to fix. See why I hate working with wiring?
Battery/Alternator Tester
You can get away with buying one of these at a discount store because they are very simple inside. Attach the leads to the poles of the battery or alternator and pull the switch. If the gauge shows 13-14 volts and holds steady then you’re in good shape. If it drops below 12 volts after 15 seconds or so then the battery or alternator needs replacing.
Spark Tester
These run under 20 bucks and are worth every penny. Stick it into a plug wire and you’ll soon know if you’re getting spark.
Compression Tester
Tearing down and rebuilding engines is a dying art, especially since crate engines have become so affordable. Nonetheless, you’ll still need to diagnose internal problems, a task that a compression tester makes easy. You’ll find kinds that screw into a spark plug hole as well as ones with rubber tips that you’ll need to hold in yourself. The thread-in ones are more time-consuming but also more accurate.
Using Compressed Air Without Breaking Your Budget
Most professional shops have large, powerful compressors and fittings placed throughout the work area where pneumatic drills and other tools can be plugged in. Learning how to create a setup like that is beyond the scope of these articles, but it is certainly within the abilities of a seasoned home mechanic who can supply the needed voltage. PVC pipe provides a fairly inexpensive material to fashion the lines from. If you go this route, be sure to use at least Schedule 40 PVC, which is rated for 289 PSI in ¾ inch pipe and 270 PSI in one inch pipe. This book gives detailed instructions on how to outfit your shop in this way.
On the other hand, a portable compressor can be had for under $500 that will meet the needs of most enthusiasts. A 15 gallon model that generates 200 PSI will reliably create 5.4 SCFM at 90 PSI, enough force to run an impact wrench, ratchet wrench, paint sprayer or air sander. Direct drive models don’t need added oil, and most folks find they run a bit quieter than belt-driven ones.
Equip your shop with the tools and testers described in this article and the one previous to it and you’ll be well prepared to handle almost any job that the home mechanic is likely to face. Of course you may want to expand your capabilities further, specifically into doing jobs that require welding skills and equipment. We’ll look at this topic in the next post.
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Max capacity: 1,000 pounds
