In my younger days I had a toolbox that was peppered with stickers. Bands, nasty limerics, and product stickers from go-fast companies all covered the sides and inside the top lid of the box. One of my favorites was one which read "the right tool for the job" and it pictured a screwdriver, a bong, and a wrench. Basicially, if you are going to screw it, smoke it, or torque it, you need the right equipment. When I graduated from protable boxes to my Matco rollaway box, I gave up the juvenile practice of littering my equipment. I would like to think I have accumulated a respectable collection of tools in the twenty plus years I have been wrenching on things. I have a full box and plenty more equipment that will not fit into it. This is a sign of establishment and personal pride.
I have struggled with the distributor on an old Buick 231 with a piece of crap wrench until my knuckles bled. A mentor and friend laughed and asked me what the fuck I was doing as he handed me a Snap-On wrench specific for the job. Like holding a magic wand, the job was done in seconds. The following day I bought my own. People who do not understand why I would pay forty bucks for one wrench. The answer is simple, when it makes the job that easy it is worth every penny.
Snap-On or Matco trucks are easy enough to find. Even easier when you work at a shop and they come to you. They are the only way to go for the specialty tools. We all know where a Sears is for the everyday stuff, a good portion of my tools are Craftsman. Working on the Triumph, my cherry was popped in a vulgar fashion. None of my stuff works. WTF!?! Another mentor who used to work on Triumphs for a living clued me in to two terms which are presently cursewords in my book: Whitworth and BSI. Old British fasteners are neither metric or standard. Just to work on the bike, I need to purchase a whole new set of tools. Sockets, special pullers, and a BSI Tap and Die set. CRAAAAP!
I don't mind purchasing new tools, hell I can buy tools like women buy shoes. Actually that is a lie. I will not buy some trendy piece of shit to be used once and cast aside. I take pride in the tools I own, which means I will find high quality pieces that will outlast my mortal existence. Point in case: I own a few Craftsman tools that my Grandfather purchased back in the 1930's. The problem is that I cannot walk into Sears or a tool truck and pruchase what I need. I have to order the tools online or mail order and pray the are not some piece of shit chrome-vanadium SK quality tools.
That my readers, is a wrench in the gearbox.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I can empathize with you. We have more f'ing tools than we can store, for God's sake! WTF can he possibly need all those tools for? I often ask myself that question, until I find that he fixed the bike so we could go for a nice morning ride, or he fixed the front door so it doesn't slam anymore. I understand this now, after many years of trying to grasp it!
Ahhh the famous whitworth tools. not realy a problem my friend. replace all those that you can with standard or metric.I wouldn't trust 30 year old fastners anyway. The ones you can't, in most instances some tools can be modified easily enough. Thereby only making you have to buy 1 or 2 tools specific to triumph
Post a Comment