Norm's Coupe Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 In this post, I'm not talking about any specific tool. Just making the comment as to how I look at most of them. I think most of them are just a gadget and are not really needed. This goes for all types of tools. For example: Look at the rotary cutting tools. To me they are nothing more than a small Dremel type tool, or electric drill. The only difference is, they simply hold a drill bit designed to cut out patterns in wood for example. To me these are just a gadget. I can by just the wood cutting drill bit, put it in my Dremel type rotary tool, the drill press, or my hand held electric drill and do the same thing as the special tool does. So.........why go out and buy the special rotary electric cutting tool, when all you need is the drill bit? Now, this certainly doesn't mean that all special tools are gadgets. Just most of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Norm..are you speaking of a router? or maybe a die grinder? I do not believe you could do the work they do as well or as clean and concise repeatedly. Now to buy a tool for the router per say for lets say facing the edge of a the formica when relaminatng a small lavatory counter top..forget about it..unless you do this for a living you can get by without one...it all depends on the quality and aquanity of work performed as to wether a speciality tool is needed. I know you do not get as involved in metal work as deep as I thus your statement will be true as it applies to you..I, and I feel can speak for others, have a variety of tools and bits and use them extensively, some have been consumed beyond use and replaced over the years..my air chisel is next to be replaced..the nozzzle is worn and does not proved a good seal for the bit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randroid Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Norm, Lynn and I watch the food channel sometimes, and on one of the shows the host admonishes not to buy a tool that has only one use for the same reason you mentioned; it's just a gadget. I needed to buy a special tool to precisely set the torque on the flywheel nut on my '67 VW (236 lbs) and was able to justify it because it also does the same thing for the axle nuts and I view both as critical. If I can figure a way to use it on the axle nuts for my P-15 I'll be sitting in tall cotton, but I could have simply gotten a long piece of pipe and done the same thing, I suppose. I like strange tools but who wants to figure where to store them? I think it's much more creative to work around needing to buy a one hit wonder. -Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Tim Not talking about a router. I was talking about a tool that is advertised to cut out wood shapes in that post. They run about $30 and up depending on the brand you buy. But, if you look at them, they are nothing more than a small rotary tool with a different name. I just used that one as an example, but.....there are many out there just like it. It's like all the different types of kitchen gadgets the wife could buy that have a specific use. But, in most cases, she can use some other kitchen tool to do the same thing that special tool does. I agree, a router does many things. You just simply change the router bits to do whatever you want to do. So.....really, I don't look at a router as a special tool because of that. But..........here again, why buy that special rotary cutting tool to cut out shapes, if you have a router? The router does the same thing as that special little cutting tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james curl Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 The small high speed rotaty tools were originally used to cut the outlet box holes in sheetrock by the installers. They place the sheetrock on the wall then find the box and go around the outside for a perfect fit, no measuring and layout required. Now they use them for all sort of things, waiting for someone to come up with an 1/8" diameter metal cutting bit for one of them. That would make cutting out old rusty metal a lot faster than a sabersaw or an angle grinder with cut off disc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I quess i have to comment here on this topic. The special tools to make it easier to work on a vintage and even modern car. i have been collecting some of the vintage 1930-40 Miller Tools that were used on our Mopar vehicels. I only buy what I can use and only if they are at a decent price. Yes I have the Miller MT19 Brake gage for setting the Lockheed brakes and also the Ammco brake gage 1750. These tool s have been very handy for me. I have offered to lend these tools out to people that might need them and other tools. But in one case a gentleman from the National DeSoto Club stated that he wanted to have his own set of tools. I explained to him that he would probably only use the tool one in the entire lifetime of his ownership of the car and that the fee to ship the tool to his house plus a deposit on the tool would be returned upon the tool getting back to me. He opted to spend over $400 for the Ammco tool and it would have only cost him no more that $25 for the shipping of the tool both directions. So i guess some of us like to have our own tools but if I can get a specilaty tool froma freind that is great but why purchase if you can borrow or even pay a small fee for a tool. Go figure I guess we like to brag that we have the tool and someone else does not and hold onto the items. I like to help others when in need. Also one other guy in a club had the same offer for the brake tool and when I told him of the deposit he stated that he was an engineer and would make his own tool. Go figure by the time he got the materials and contructed the tool he could of had the correct tool and did the job with out any hassles and still saved on his time and effort, go figure. Rich Hartung Desoto1939@aol.com Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 The small high speed rotaty tools were originally used to cut the outlet box holes in sheetrock by the installers. They place the sheetrock on the wall then find the box and go around the outside for a perfect fit, no measuring and layout required. Now they use them for all sort of things, waiting for someone to come up with an 1/8" diameter metal cutting bit for one of them. That would make cutting out old rusty metal a lot faster than a sabersaw or an angle grinder with cut off disc. James, A Dremel would do the same thing though if you had the bit to do it with. I've looked for a metal cutting bit for my rotary tool too. That would be nice to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I bought my dad a rotozip for when we were drywalling our cabin. Its basically a twice as big dremel. It was very useful and I believe we got our moneys worth out of it for just that one job. And he still has it for future projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Rich, That's nice that people will lend/rent tools to one another when needed, be they special tools, or just tools in general. However, I generally don't like to borrow tools, or even rent them from a rental store. That's even if I think I'll never need the tool again, I'd rather buy my own. Why? It's simple. If I rent/borrow your tool, then break it or loose it, I have to buy you another one, or at least give you the money to buy another one. Plus, I feel obligated to use that tool right away, and get it back to you or the the rental place. But.........if I buy my own tool, I can beat it up in any fashion I want if needed, or by accident. Also, don't have to worry about getting the tool back in a reasonable time. With my own tool, I can take all the time in the world, if I want. So.........maybe those guys feel the same as I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Norm: I perfectly understand your position on this topic.And like you state some guys just like to own their own tools. rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I would rather spend the money for a tool, be it special, do the job myself, know just how the job was done and 90 percent of the time I am out cheaper this way and now I have the tool for the next time I or a friend hit a simular situation.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I've been out with my brother in law and mechanic friends to a lot of swap meets over the years. Every now and then, I'll find a tool I need, or think I may need. Most of the time when my brother in law saw that, he'd always say; "Don't buy that, I have one, you can use mine." Our mechanic friend then always tells him; "yes, but this way he has his own". I just tell him I want my own so I have it when I need it, so I don't have to run back and forth to get and return it. Suppose he's not home when I'm ready to use it. Then I'm stuck and can't do or complete what I'm doing. Much nicer to have your own tool, special tool or not. Usually my 16 foot extension ladder is sufficient to do what I need to do around the house. About 20 years ago I needed a 24 foot extension ladder though. I could have rented one, but.........wasn't exactly sure when I'd have the time to do the job, or how long it would take due to having to do other things. So.......I just bought the 24 foot ladder. Used it for that one job, then it hung on the garage wall for the next 10 or 12 years. Then my son needed a 24 footer to do something on his house about 8 or 10 years ago. He borrowed mine. Told him he could just keep it at his house. If I need to use it again, I know where it is. It's still at his house. Looks better there than it does at mine taking up space in his garage.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Pictured below are several tools that have only one purpose. But these are tools not gadgets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Don, As I mentioned before, not all special tools are gadgets, just most of them. You pictured at least one set of tools in your pictures that would qualify as gadgets in my opinion. That's the brake tools pictured. I have those tools too. But.........I can do the same job as those tools do with just a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, or channel locks. In fact, many times I will use just a screwdriver and a pair of channel locks to remove the springs. Works faster and better for me than that tool does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Norm; Do you know what this tool is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Don, Not really, but I believe it's some kind of alignment tool (measures weight or something like that). I've seen similar tools mentioned in books for that purpose. Also have no idea at all what that old looking round tool with the handle and suction cup is either. Same goes for that flat piece of metal tool. I guess since I've never had a need for those tools, they aren't that important for whatever I've worked on. If I did need them, I must have found a way around them, using other standard tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Faust Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Rich' date='That's nice that people will lend/rent tools to one another when needed, be they special tools, or just tools in general. However, I generally don't like to borrow tools, or even rent them from a rental store. That's even if I think I'll never need the tool again, I'd rather buy my own. Why? It's simple. If I rent/borrow your tool, then break it or loose it, I have to buy you another one, or at least give you the money to buy another one. Plus, I feel obligated to use that tool right away, and get it back to you or the the rental place. But.........if I buy my own tool, I can beat it up in any fashion I want if needed, or by accident. Also, don't have to worry about getting the tool back in a reasonable time. With my own tool, I can take all the time in the world, if I want. So.........maybe those guys feel the same as I do.[/quote'] I have to agree with you on that one Norm..... including if something happens that wouldn't allow you to even get in contact with the other person... it could make you look like a thief without even being one... ie a hospital stay, accident, etc....sometimes things become forgotten when more important (in your mind) things happen to you or your family. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dparksie Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 It's been awhile but I think the suction cup is the improved unit for valve lapping. The gearing helped lap the valves quicker than the normal tool that you put between your hands and spin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 (edited) It's been awhile but I think the suction cup is the improved unit for valve lapping. The gearing helped lap the valves quicker than the normal tool that you put between your hands and spin. You are correct it is a valve lapping tool. The answers on the other tools are incorrect. Hint.... This tool is Mopar specific. Edited November 21, 2009 by Don Coatney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted November 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Geez, didn't know we were going to have a test today. Guess we should have dragged out the books and studied last night instead of sleeping. Right now, I'm eating a little lunch, then heading outside for fresh air and clean the gutters, test or no test:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 You are correct it is a valve lapping tool. The answers on the other tools are incorrect. Hint.... This tool is Mopar specific. Uh, A rocker arm for a Fiat 128S ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-12 Tommy Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Kinda looks like the tool for the overcenter clutch spring adjustment. C-705 Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest P15-D24 Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 The small high speed rotaty tools were originally used to cut the outlet box holes in sheetrock by the installers. They place the sheetrock on the wall then find the box and go around the outside for a perfect fit, no measuring and layout required. Now they use them for all sort of things, waiting for someone to come up with an 1/8" diameter metal cutting bit for one of them. That would make cutting out old rusty metal a lot faster than a sabersaw or an angle grinder with cut off disc. I'm sold on the roto tools. Smaller than a router and more powerful than a Dremel. Besides it original use one job I recently found it excelled in is cutting plexglass. I was making some dividers and tried cutting the plastic with a jigsaw. Promptly cracked the sheet. Used a roto tool and it worked great. It is also good for cutting ceramics like tile. I have a Dremel also but this worked way better because the cutting bits are stronger and the roto tool has way more torque than a Dremel. I have been known to shear the drive coupling on my Dremel more than once. For some jobs you just need More Power! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest P15-D24 Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Uh,A rocker arm for a Fiat 128S ? Template on the downloads page if you need to make one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Kinda looks like the tool for the overcenter clutch spring adjustment. C-705Tom You are correct Tom. As GTK pointed out there is a template on the downloads page. Hint on the other tool. Folks who work in the refrigeration field use it. Or at least they should. It is not a sling blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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