Tools that collect dust...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 273
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Tools that collect dust...
Im sure we all have them to varying degrees....but I wonder...Whats the most expensive tool you have bought that gets the least amount of useage.
I have Brake caliper pistons tools and never compressed the first piston with them, a steering wheel removal kit that ive never taken out of the box and several electrical testing tools that never have been used to test a wire.....but the most $$ one is a auto rotisserie. I bought it, the corvette subframe and almost every accessory they had and have used it only once....to lift my C3 off the frame and once to hold the body while I was painting it....Now it just sits there and collects dust...
What about you?
I have Brake caliper pistons tools and never compressed the first piston with them, a steering wheel removal kit that ive never taken out of the box and several electrical testing tools that never have been used to test a wire.....but the most $$ one is a auto rotisserie. I bought it, the corvette subframe and almost every accessory they had and have used it only once....to lift my C3 off the frame and once to hold the body while I was painting it....Now it just sits there and collects dust...
What about you?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 273
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 378
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From: NW sub of chicago IL
a 12ton hydraulic gear puller that I used during my t arm rebuild. I will get some more use out of it when I do the front end but that's a while away. 200 hundred bucks but it can double as a mini press too.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 332
Likes: 1
From: Watkins Glen New York
Hmmm,
I have a rather expensive set of crow foot wrenches (sockets?) that remain untouched, A set of those sorta wide, "U" shaped box wrenches. I used one of them once to get at a tricky transmission bolt, a harmonic balancer puller, also used once a thousand years ago, and the queen mother of them all is an Inch Lb. torque wrench...silly thing.
Someone said that "The most expensive tool is one that gets no use".
I have a rather expensive set of crow foot wrenches (sockets?) that remain untouched, A set of those sorta wide, "U" shaped box wrenches. I used one of them once to get at a tricky transmission bolt, a harmonic balancer puller, also used once a thousand years ago, and the queen mother of them all is an Inch Lb. torque wrench...silly thing.
Someone said that "The most expensive tool is one that gets no use".
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I have a distributor wrench that I bought and shortly after started down the LS path. So that wrench will be collecting dust for years to come. I do have a steering wheel puller and that tool to compress the spring inside the column with I have used a couple of times but it has been years. I also have a couple of timing lights that will never be used on the corvette again. As far as that goes, on any car at my house at this point.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
I agree with the crowfoot wrenches, but when you need them, you NEED them ...and you're glad you have them. I have some GearWrench ratching end wrenches. These look cool but I never use. Not that practical. Nothing beats a good, quality open/box end wrench IMO. I've got a lot of tools that I seldom use, but when I need it, it's good to have. I have a new saber saw in the box that I never use ...and an almost new biscuit joiner that I just HAD to have that I have only used a couple times. Coulda done w/o that. Fortunately most of the tools I seldom use I managed to buy at garage sales, Harbor Freight, or nicely use at pennies on the dollar. So I don't feel that guilty.
OTOH, I have a Harbor Freight mini-lathe that I was concerned would fit into this category but I use it a lot actually. Way more than I had anticipated. Great little tool to have.
Mark G
OTOH, I have a Harbor Freight mini-lathe that I was concerned would fit into this category but I use it a lot actually. Way more than I had anticipated. Great little tool to have.
Mark G
Last edited by Mark G; Sep 22, 2010 at 07:34 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Timing lights....yep, I have couple of those and only use them every now and again.
luckly mine came free. A few other items mentioned above as well
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
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From: WI
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I don't know about "expensive", but one of the coolest tools I bought (and have only used once) was a 'broken tap extractor'. I didn't even know such a tool existed. But, it was worth its weight in gold as I removed the broken tap from my wiper door (after I already drilled to remove the broken bolt shank!). Talk about your "double-decker" problem....
[P.S. Always use a sharp, titanium-coated tap to put new threads into an aluminum (or pot-metal...I'm not really sure) wiper door.]
[P.S. Always use a sharp, titanium-coated tap to put new threads into an aluminum (or pot-metal...I'm not really sure) wiper door.]
Last edited by 7T1vette; Sep 22, 2010 at 11:08 PM.
