Tier 1, 1.5, or even Tier 2 tools thread

[Welder]

I hadn't had to put a concrete anchor in for 4 months until I wrote about it yesterday, and then of course I had to put 24 in today. Used my customer's SDS-MAX M18 drill and two 9.0Ah batteries to put in that many 1/2" x 4" anchors. I think the one battery must be weak; 1/2" anchors are pretty puny compared to what we usually install with that drill.

[wvincent]

Used it today to drive a 8'x1/2" copper grounding rod. Super hard dry ground. Less than 3 minutes.
My thoughts:
1. Standing on a ladder to drive this in is a bit sketchy. As I began driving it I started having weird thoughts about how I could easily become the world's most homely shish kabab in an instant. I'm really looking forward to the attachment I ordered for a couple of reasons, first, starting to drive from about 12" from the bottom is going to be safer, and second, probably more effective as more of the impulse from the hammer will be at ground level vs being lost in travelling the length of the rod.
2. I think maybe dumping a jug of water into the hole once it is started would make it go even faster.
3. It was worth every hard earned dollar I spent on it.

[Wheeler]

Used it today to drive a 8'x1/2" copper grounding rod. Super hard dry ground. Less than 3 minutes.
My thoughts:
1. Standing on a ladder to drive this in is a bit sketchy. As I began driving it I started having weird thoughts about how I could easily become the world's most homely shish kabab in an instant. I'm really looking forward to the attachment I ordered for a couple of reasons, first, starting to drive from about 12" from the bottom is going to be safer, and second, probably more effective as more of the impulse from the hammer will be at ground level vs being lost in travelling the length of the rod.
2. I think maybe dumping a jug of water into the hole once it is started would make it go even faster.
3. It was worth every hard earned dollar I spent on it.

We usually use a Bosch or Dewalt 7/8" Rotary Hammer with a ground rod adapter. The triggers can be locked on. The trick with those is to set it up, lock the trigger, and then step away letting the weight of the drill provide the downward force. The only time we get on the ladder and ride it down is when the ground is really rocky. I don't know if you can do that with the battery powered tools or not but it makes life much easier and safer.

Our warehouse guy is in charge of keeping tools repaired and ready for use. For some reason he will hide the ground rod adapter and tries to force us to use a hammer instead. My answer to that was to tell him that I was using the $700 Rotary Hammer with or without the ground rod adapter and he could explain why he was having to get a new drill repaired to the owner. I was amazed at how quickly "found" the adapter.

[vcdgrips]

Contemplating my Tool of the Month for July 21. Thinking about a quality level as my office was recently repainted and I need to rehang a number of things.

I want something that can fit in an 24 inch Craftsman Yellow/Black Tool Box with ease.

It cannot be made in PRC period.

Brands/thoughts are welcomed and encouraged.

[vcdgrips]

Tool of the Month-July purchased today-Empire Made in the USA 9 inch Torpedo Level. Used my phone last week end while installing some motion lights for my 94 y/o mom. Sub 10.00 at Home Depot.

Tool of the Month-Aug to be purchased by the end of the weekend. Some NOS Norseman Made in the USA drill bits. Broke a cheap bit last weekend drilling a pilot hole for the light install described above. Sub 20.00. H.J. Epsteins in downtown KC is back open for walk in business.

Tool of the Month-Sept TBD.

[AKDoug]

whoops.. wrong tool thread.

[OlongJohnson]

My tool buying habits bailed me out twice in a day recently. Stuff I'd picked up because I thought it might be cool or bail me out actually did.

Back-Tap 10mm Internal Spark Plug Rethread Tool #3688

Only place I can find it decently priced right now: https://www.ebay.com/itm/350145408715

The 10mm is M10x1 thread, commonly used on motorcycles and other smaller engines. Also available in whatever M12 and M14 threads are commonly used on spark plugs. If some idiot cross threads a spark plug or other thread where getting to both sides is problematic, it will clean it out effectively and save a lot of work to disassemble, maybe even save a Heli-Coil job.

The other one was a ratcheting tap handle. Chasing threads close to a vertical obstruction that would have prevented the cross bar of a standard tap handle from making a complete rotation, the ratcheting handle let me get it done with partial rotations.

[Welder]

The other one was a ratcheting tap handle. Chasing threads close to a vertical obstruction that would have prevented the cross bar of a standard tap handle from making a complete rotation, the ratcheting handle let me get it done with partial rotations.

I know it's not what you're "supposed to do," but a lot of people use a standard ratchet and a 12-point socket of whatever is the closest size to the square drive on the tap for the same thing. Then you can pile on universals, extensions, etc until you're sitting in your easy chair on the beach while working on your engine miles away.

[OlongJohnson]

I've done that before. I prefer the control that an actual tap handle gives for getting started right. Hate to mung up threads when you're trying to make them better.

One of my friends actually has a set of square sockets that are made in sizes to drive the tap squares, with the 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drives to receive the drive tools on the other end.

My next "don't need it but it may save my ass one day" purchase should probably be this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Piece-1-25-Tr.../dp/B07NQR5393

I didn't know those existed until recently.

[Wheeler]

I use these quite a bit at work. https://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-DTAP...e+drill&sr=8-3