Herman K

Another god buy was this lightweight (24 lbs) aluminum jack -3000lbs this weekend with a coupon at HF $59

DR

Colin,

This one works very well, it is hydraulic with a foot pump so you can hold your work in place when you get it started. It is Harbor Freight "stuff" but I have had one for 8 years and it has held up perfectly. They were $89 back when I got mine, but still only $109 now.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45860

F451

Not a major purchase, but I really want a cordless impact wrench.

Doing the occasional impact wrench type work, its annoying to drag my compressor out, fire up and wait for it fill, not to mention the noise.

I'm also dying for a parts cleaner and a blast cabinet. I know as soon as I get those two I'll wonder how I ever got along without them. Especially since I'm **** about putting any dirty parts back on my cars/motorcycles. Makes me the slowest wrench ever, but its just the way I am.

Rob Edwards

Ed-

Get the generic 3.5 gallon ChiCom parts washer, they can be had for $50-60, along with 2 gallons of odorless (not quite....) mineral spirits and a GOOD pair of chemical-proof gloves. It's my most-consistently used tool these days, everything that'll fit goes thru it. It was invaluable yesterday for de-griming all the bellville washers in a tensioner that's going on the stroker. They're nice shiny copper when clean....

http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?P...D&ProdID=40926

tveltman

If you are looking to get a lathe, they can be had used from old machine shops. They typically need reconditioning, but the used lathes you find on ebay are all procured that way. The machine shop offloads the old unit for a couple hundred bucks, the seller refurbs it a bit, then sells for thousands. Cut out the middle man and save some money. As a warning, it may take you a while to find a shop that is disposing of the unit that you want, but it's worth it, IMO. I'm using a craftsman (Atlas) lathe ATM for light work, and I almost scored an industrial lathe, but someone else beat me to it, so I keep my eyes open but no luck yet.

blown 87

The Snap-On 1/2 puts out 450 in reverse and 350 forward, nice impact.

I have a big Snap-On blast cab, and a parts cleaner and the thing I use the most for cleaning dirty metal parts is a 5 gallon bucket of carb cleaner.

jleidel

Engine stand, engine lift and a good set of Starrett precision machinists measurement tools

danglerb

The 1/2" impact that comes free with some cheap air compressors works about as well as many fairly expensive cordless impacts, but there is a middle ground, corded electric impacts. They look sort of like a big drill, are heavy and somewhat awkward to use, but for $32 on sale the HF will take off lug nuts and flywheel bolts without firing up the compressor.

BBX

I have a cordless dewalt impact, and it gets more use than any other tool I own.

If your looking for large tools, an Industrial Quality Smithy lathe/mill unit will have you turning and milling high quality parts all through the night... they really are addictive.
I took apart an Ohlins racing shock and build one ENTIRELY from scratch with that unit.

I had to sell the machine because it was against our complex policies to have machinery like that on the back patio...

Mike Frye

Still hoping to figure out how to get a lift into my garage. Need to replace the garage door first, then clear out some space...

M. Requin

Beware of lathes that need reconditioning- if you are not a master machinist you are NOT going to be able to do it. Reconditioning is not just bearings (on most lathes - easy - but on some a real project), but ways, which are the part that gets worn that most effects the workpiece (those are the "rails" the rests and tailstock ride on), and the work involves some quite intricate steps. If you want tolerance around a thou, buy (after a personal lookover with, if necessary, a machinist friend) an import, or a used South Bend or the like that is in EXCELLENT condition (for which you will pay through the nose). It's like rebuilding a 928 engine - no short cuts here. But great fun to have- love my Myford Super 7 (an antique like me and my car...).

BC

I'm gonna buy this "Ach-ere"



But since that has a fridge, and I don't need a fridge, or a radio and speakers, I think I will do this:



Plus this: