4 modern tools that changed the DIY game
The tools of the automotive trade have remained fairly basic for more do-it-yourself types. Wrenches, hammers, saws, screwdrivers, and a few offshoot variations thereof. How those tools are used and what they are used on has certainly evolved, but for the most part, modern technology has mainly focused on specializing those core tool designs rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
But every so often, there’s a leap in technology that grows to redefine what we garage dwellers are capable of. Not only have prices of tools reached what feels like an all-time low, but some new materials and processes have also come forth and given us the ability to do work better, faster, or safer than ever—all without needing to be a professional with a full shop.
Induction heater
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Heat is a superpower for DIY folks. The more methods at your disposal to add heat to parts and pieces, the better chance you have of never dealing with broken or mangled hardware. The only option used to be heat guns or open flames, but then induction heaters came onto the scene.
The heart of the system is a small controller and a coil of wire. The controller sends a current through the coil and that current creates an electromagnetic field that has the power to heat ferrous metals to red-hot temperatures very quickly and with great precision. No open flame, no heat outside the coil, and safe to touch shortly after heating. It makes for the perfect tight-space solution to heat corroded hardware. The price is still a bit of an investment for most, but this is very much a buy once, cry once tool, as there are no tanks to refill like an oxy-acetylene or propane torch. Just keep in mind that this magical apparatus won’t work on aluminum (or any other non-magnetic) hardware.
Electric Impact wrenches
Impact wrenches have been around for decades, but the compact and powerful modern electric versions are a downright luxury compared to the air hog anchors of years past. No more compressor, air line, or lack of adjustability. These days we have the ability to pick whichever tool brand we prefer and buy a kit with an impact wrench and driver that covers the vast majority of DIY needs.
A 1/2″ impact is lightweight and packable, and some can hit harder than the air impacts of just 10 years ago. Ensuring a battery is charged pales in comparison to the upkeep of a compressor and air lines in a shop, and that’s before you talk cost. Electric impacts make disassembly a breeze and are all but a staple of any home shop these days.
Ultrasonic cleaners
While not required to keep vintage cars and trucks running, effectively cleaning parts is critical to restoration efforts. Ultrasonic cleaners have dropped in price to the point where it finally makes sense for home shops to dedicate space on the workbench for one. I am a recent convert to the ultrasonic world and while there is a learning curve, it is fairly mellow and the tools enable passive cleaning which gives me time to do the tasks in the garage I actually enjoy rather than running copper wire through another carburetor passageway.
This is because ultrasonic cleaners are great for cleaning impossible-to-reach passageways thanks to the way the ultrasonic waves cause bubbles to form and burst on the surface of parts and pieces inside the tub. It creates a light scrubbing action that breaks up deposits and junk. Combined with the right cleaning solution, it is possible to pull nearly ready-to-reassemble parts right from your ultrasonic cleaner.
Insert machine tooling
While most of us lust after having the fabrication superpowers of a knee mill or a lathe in our shop, the footprint and power demands often leave us wanting. Beyond just having the big tool is the need for the skills and tooling to actually complete the processes and create the ideas we have in our heads. That used to mean having the skills and tools to grind your own cutters and tooling, but thanks to affordable insert tooling, it has never been easier to run a mill or lathe in a home shop. Yes, carbide insert tooling really doesn’t show its benefits until it is being run at production speeds and feeds, but it makes for easier setup and roughly the same finished product for most home machinists. This has opened a door for a safer and easier gateway into machining.
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The best tool/equipment I ever invested in was a bendpac scissor lift. It raises a 9000 lb vehicle 4 feet and with the additional lifting pads there is never a problem with clearance of part replacement. It would take me almost an hour to Jack a vw high enough to drop an engine and tranny. I’m a little older but I welcome the ability to sit on my roll around scoping out the current malady. The lift is open in the front to do the clutch and transmission on any muscle car in the fleet. Brakes and tire rotation along with the impact is a cake walk. If I have to lay on my back, it’s not getting done.
I’ve been a professional mechanic for a bit over 50 years, just don’t know how to stop. The company where I served my apprenticeship drummed safety into our heads and as a result, I have yet to have any type of serious injury. The picture of a chrome socket & extensions being used with the impact to remove a steering wheel just invites a serious injury to the user. Remember this about all impact wrenches including battery impacts. You must use impact sockets and extensions. The thin chrome sockets and extensions are brittle and cannot stand up to the long term hammering of an impact, whether it’s air or electric, and will essentially explode when their limit is reached. And given the cheap imported tools on the market these days that hobbyists are tempted to buy due to cost, just invites tragedy. Spending extra money on a good set of impact sockets just might save your eyesight or even your life.
Regarding the battery tools. I love my 18V Milwaukee 1/2″ impact and the 12V Milwaukee 3/8″ and 1/4″ ratchets. Not having to deal with an air hose or listen to a compressor is a plus not to mention a compressor uses a lot of electricity. However they don’t match air tools in power so occasionally have to break out my Ingersoll impacts to loosen really tight bolts. I find the 1/2″ Milwaukee powerful enough for most jobs in my repair shop and very controllable, although a bit bulky. And the portability of these things really helps if I’m working away from my shop. I also invested in the 12V Milwaukee LED light. Much more convenient than a drop light and brighter.
Tim, hope everyone heeds your warning about chromed sockets and extensions. Thank you, sir.
Ditto for China made impacts.
Amen, Tim. Re: misuse of non-impact sockets, etc. Extra karma points for you today.
Don’t got get the bench grinder/ wire wheel, perfect for cleaning up crusty items and sharpening your lawn mower blades. This I have,
What I see as a need for my dream garage, would be a drill press and a sand blasting cabinet. I still use the air powered impact wrench , and I’m fine with that.
Oops typo-forget!
Kyle – I am surprised that battery powered LED work lights are not on the list. As someone who is old enough to have started with the 100W incandescent bulb type lights, then graduated to corded fluorescents, these LEDs are game changers.
This is a good one that I seem to have forgotten, or at least take for granted!
Battery power has its place, I have both pneumatic and battery tools I’m my garage and use them as I see fit.
Air tools have more power and last longer than battery ones. Air is heavy duty and battery’s are toys. Removing screws and small stuff is battery work. Stubborn large bolts need air. You never run out of air!
I thought every home mechanic knew not to use thin wall 12 point or six point sockets with impact wrenches.
Oh my!
Amazing that everyone is worried about over torqueing fasteners with electric impact guns. They are no different than air impacts, actually the high end electric versions from Milwaukee and De-walt have great trigger controls, better than air, I typically use them to run nuts/bolts in/together then finish by hand with wrenches, sockets, and or a torque wrench. I even have an extended neck 3/8″ electric ratchet that provides 30 ft lbs max. It is great for spark plugs, it is both electric or manual as needed. About the only thing I use the compressor for anymore is for tires, at my man cave shop where I have 2 hoists ( 4 point and 2 point) I only keep a small 4 gallon pot compressor for tires. As far as torque is concerned you can easily buy 1/2″ electric impact guns that will put out over 400 ft lbs for breaking fasteners free. The electric tools have come a long way
One tool i have found that has $aved me a bundle is a GM diagnostic scanner (tech 1A) for OBD1-2 computer cars, 86 and newer. Found it at a swap meet/flea market.
Took me a while to learn how to use it, but now i grab it whenever it hiccups. Sure beats trial and error.
I love my Ryobi 18V tools. Ryobi said they would never change that product line and I will hold their feet to the fire on it. I can pack the impact, air compressor, flashlight and charger etc. on rode trips.
Too old to enjoy working in the garage anymore, but my Worx 7.2 v. self contained Li-ion battery powered screwdriver gets a lot of use around the house. I also have the Worx 20 v. drill which shares its battery with my string trimmer and hedge trimmer (total of four batteries and three chargers). For the leaf blower, I stepped up to the 32 v. Worx tool (20 v. also available).
I only used an impact wrench once, to loosen the castellated rear axle nuts on a VW Beetle, where the brakes had less friction than the nut did. It was a corded electric that I rented, and got the job done in about two minutes. Yes, I used an impact socket. Every other fastener I’ve removed, I’ve done by hand, although sometimes with a breaker bar.
If you’ve never worked on that part of a Beetle, the torque spec used to be “Tighten it until your voice changes, then take another quarter-turn.”
“ultrasonic waves cause bubbles to form and burst on the surface of parts and pieces” aka = cavitation. Great for cleaning, horrible in industrial water pumps, especially impellers and volutes. I have 2 of them, absolutely stellar and heavily used piece of equipment in my shop. My wife has a smaller one in the house for cleaning her jewelry and even eyeglasses. Amazon offers a ton of them.
Modern?? All of these items mentioned in the article have been around for well over 25 years with lithium ion replacing nickel cadmium for the cordless tools. Ultrasonic cleaners have been around since the 50’s and induction heaters in the 70’s. I bought my first cordless impact in the late 80’s.
When I tore my the rotator cuff on my primary arm, I gave my son all of my gas powered tools and bought several Echo 58 volt tools. This included a chain saw, string trimmer, blower attachment and hedge clipper. All worked as well as my gas powered tools. Now, new 4 amp batteries from Echo are around $180.00, which is close to what I paid for the tools, charger and battery. This is very expensive, since the batteries don’t last 5 years, even following charging directions, ans id the old tactic of “give away the razors and sell the blades” to make money for the manufacturer. If small gas tools had electric start, I would go back to them in a heartbeat and save money.
When I tore my the rotator cuff on my primary arm, I gave my son all of my gas powered tools and bought several Echo 58 volt tools. This included a chain saw, string trimmer, blower attachment and hedge clipper. All worked as well as my gas powered tools. Now, new 4 amp batteries from Echo are around $180.00, which is close to what I paid for the tools, charger and battery. This is very expensive, since the batteries don’t last 5 years, even following charging directions, and is the old tactic of “give away the razors and sell the blades” to make money for the manufacturer. If small gas tools had electric start, I would go back to them in a heartbeat and save money.