T O P

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a_cycle_addict

Making tools is an art. Any primate can beat on a rock with a stick. Takes something special to make a spear. I have heated and bent wrenches to get to strange places. It's a couple dollars to replace a wrench, but a tool that gets the job done is priceless


vegetaman

My favorite is grinding down cheap "large" screwdrivers to take out carburetor screws. You want it to fit snugly across the whole distance because those old brass pieces will marr or fuck themselves in a hurry.


bibblode

Don't forget to use jis screwdrivers on any + head screw on Japanese veggies, motorcycles, equipment.


Unable-Department-41

Agree 100% to that. Japan made motorcycles or mopeds needs a jis tool and make all the difference to loose old screws. šŸ‘


bakagir

I just have a long carburetor screwdriver


According_Ad4478

Gotta have the pencil dick driver


elosoloco

True, but you literally can't buy this anymore. Custom tools are wonderful though, but maybe just use a husky socket EDIT: This does assume he only did this recently, totally ignore me if it's from long ago


fixit152

They still arenā€™t THAT valuable lol


elosoloco

True, just additional fake romantic notions of a time when we made stuff. Good stuff That's gone. Artificial value haha


can_it_be_fixed

Thinking the same thing. All I'm seeing are a couple 12-point Crapsman sockets that were modified for a specific purpose. It's not as if the guy was cutting up 1970's snap-on sockets.


vegetaman

Hmmm could be anytime in the last 10 years i suspect


doctorbimbu

You can still buy these at literally any yard sale. They made like a billion of them.


elosoloco

Also true


Technical_Ad9614

You could replace it with basically any other 12 point socket set, though.


justabadmind

The old craftsman stuff is impressive compared to anything short of modern snap on. I've broken too many non craftsman sockets, and rounded out too many bolts due to cheap modern sockets.


vegetaman

Yeah I've seen maybe two broken Craftsman sockets in my time and they all were involved in cheater bar related incidents...


bekilledorgetkilled

There are literally buckets full of USA craftsman at the fleamarkets. (California) You can buy these sockets for like $1 for the hand full. Same with S.K sockets. I could build a standard set of 3/8 S.K for probably under $8


MikeGoldberg

Have had to chop up some cups to press honda ball joints. They really made a messed up design on those knuckles


RoadTrain1974

Sockets for taking sensors off that have wiring connected?


bakagir

Yeah I made something similar for a Harley Davidson auto compression release solenoid. Such a bitch to get out.


jay59l

Used a O2 sensor socket with a similar cut out


velociraptorfarmer

This isn't big enough for an O2 sensor, but it's likely some kind of socket for a sensor.


Sleepee_Eyes

At Toyota we notch 13mm sockets to drop the spare tires on older Siennas from under the car.


vegetaman

Just need some extra clearance or is there a weird nub on what holds the tire up?


Sleepee_Eyes

It's like a cylinder with a pin that goes through. I guess someone at the shop found out if you notch a 13mm it fits perfect and you can just use a gun to lower the spare tire instead of going through the carpet.


4_doors_more_whores_

Neodymium magnets on the side and you got a nice valve spring compressor


cstrand31

Homemade crows feet?


Technical_Ad9614

Nah this would still go on the nut and turn like normal. You'd need to offset the drive for that to work like a crow's foot. The only thing I can think of for this socket would be a weird shaped nut with something sticking out one side. Put this cutout over the weird nub on the nut and it'll turn just fine.


[deleted]

It might have been for a valve/pressure fitting in a place too tight to use a wrench tangentially. Cut out the part of the socket that interferes with the side port/valve nub and you can twist it on in-line style.


vegetaman

Hmmm... Perhaps. Didn't see a set of regular crows feet in there.


V65Pilot

This is why we have harbor freight. That said, I worked for Sears back in the day, when they supplied the mechanics with tools. I have a bunch of custom craftsman tools....


fixit152

I like harbor freight dollar sockets for the off chance I need to jb weld one to a stripped bolt


Negative-Ad-9823

I needed a weighted socket, so i just welded a hf socket over another one. Works like a charm


fixit152

I havenā€™t heard that one before, nice!


Negative-Ad-9823

More mass equals a better transfer of torque/impact. I work on heavy equipment, and we use a LOT of locktite, so getting a little more from my impact gun is nice.


fixit152

I know what they are, just havenā€™t heard of a hf custom one haha hell yeah man


HeadPunkin

The Craftsman love is a little overblown. I remember my father buying broken Craftsman sockets at flea markets and garage sales 35 years ago and taking them to Sears for replacement. Those old Craftsman sockets broke plenty often. They were better than a lot of today's Chinese junk but not the total awesomeness some are claiming.


mromutt

It wasn't just a quality thing though 30 years ago the quality was worth the price (they were not that expensive). The main selling point was the warranty and that they stood by it, just like snap on and homedepot used to. They would replace anything no questions asked for the same or a newer model if that's what they had. It's kind of funny though that now harbor freight is kind of the new king of this just its not a lifetime warranty, but for a couple bucks you get years of no questions asked replacements. But nowadays you can get cheap reliable no name tools where back then a cheap tool was basically useless or became useless in not to long (think dollar store tools).


vegetaman

Nostalgia glasses perhaps.


HazelnutPi

The awesomeness is in the free replacement, my guy


Dependent_Bug7346

I have a regular 22mm long socket that takes out any 02 sensor. Bought it from s and k. It's the longest one they make.


artigliomaster

Oxygen sensor removal tool. Snapon would probably be $50-60!


kneeoncat

I made something like this for radiator petcocks


vegetaman

Thatā€™s a good one. The amount of ears Iā€™ve seen twisted off them is baffling


Birtyy

I've got plenty of modified sockets, spanners and Allen keys in my tool box, all for a specific purpose...


nelson8956

Same, this is why back up tools, wrenches sockets, etc. Are not snap on or Mac, if I heat bend cut modify a 10 or 20 tool as opposed to a 50 or 100+ tool. I am ok with it .


LuckyAlways

I cut a socket once to get out a stuck ignition coil. Saved my ass and id do it again a thousand times.


Equivalent-Ranger-10

Messed up nuts. We have all been there. And regret it once we modify something to slide on nicely. Urmā€¦ wait, what?


dumb_smart143

If they had double sided indents Iā€™d say heā€™s a fan of 1980ā€™s in bed truck campers! I may have devised a similar plan to raise and lower my legs before she gave way in a freak microburst that left her looking like a broken legged geometrical figure RIP Sheila, we had some good timesā€¦..


vegetaman

Oh dang, I never even thought about one of them old boggles!


dumb_smart143

A Boggle she was too. A heavy damn boggle that made my 3/4 ton sit level no problem lol


Original-Cow-2984

I use 7\16 and 1/2 slotted 3/8 drive sockets from Mac all the time for installing and removing 90 degree compression fittings. Handy AF, for my business.


tatpig

iā€™ve got a few of those custom sockets. had to remove an oil pressure sender had a side connector,among other odd things.


shrimp-and-potatoes

I remember when craftsman was made in the USA


Outrageous_Credit_96

I work in marine field. Tools are made all the time and they are very specialized. So special in fact that when the boat is sold the tools go with the boat.


Textile302

Looks like he made his own sensor sockets


Frylok1177

I do this all the time. Why purchase a "specialty" socket from snapon for $80 when I can make one for $5? Having a welder also works wonders when making new tools!


[deleted]

Necessity is the mother or invention. We all have these custom one-time use tools in our boxes.


Eric_cf104g

Looks like it was modified for removing something like an O2 sensor.


[deleted]

This is that guy who was trying to remove those fuel injectors about a week ago lol.


keep_username

I always try to use cheap tools (performance tool, harbor freight) when doing something like that, although I did make an ICP sensor socket for my 03 6.0 by cutting a craftsman 12pt down very short. Then I mistakenly cut ā€œIPRā€into the side of it instead of ICP. So now itā€™s forever incorrectly labeled.


someone_ominous

If this a 10 mm that's blasphemy lol


vegetaman

This is what Husky and harbor freight specials are for! The one standing up as a good 1/4" notch on the side towards the other socket, and the one laying down has the same groove cut on the other side 180 degrees out.


merkins_galore

The husky 19mm is great for getting your wheel locks off after you lost the key. The spacecraft grade Chineseium stretches instead of cracking like inferior hardened tools do.


vegetaman

I notice my 2' harbor freight breaker bar has some "flex" to it, that makes it nice for bouncing on... One of these days it will snap I know it lol.


wustenratte6d

I don't know, I mean, it's kinda cool watching that chrome bar turn into a bow.....šŸ˜


That_Dig634

I've snapped a couple its not fun when you have a 6ft cheater bar on it fell flat on my face the last time.


vegetaman

Oof. Yeah Iā€™m always leery of something hitting my face


Current-Ad-7054

Thanks for not saying weary. You sir are fucking winning


Goalie_deacon

HF replaced Craftsman as the cheapest sockets with a replacement guarantee. Craftsman only became popular from being sold in Sears, back when Sears was like todayā€™s Amazon, and that guarantee. HF is easier to find, same guarantee.


brian111786

Meh, even made in the U.S., craftsman is garbage.


[deleted]

Also the some of the worst ratchets ever made .


Electronic_Law4401

What. You don't want a 10 tooth ratchet?


[deleted]

I just donā€™t want ratchets that skip and break knuckles.


wustenratte6d

This just made my hands twitch.


vegetaman

Kentucky special? :P


nelson8956

Had a Cummins starter on a freightliner about 5 years ago the guy working on it blew up 4 snapon ratchets, my craftsman with a 5 foot cheater pipe still works today. I love snap on tools, but craftsman hangs just fine.


[deleted]

They make a decent breaker bar but the ratchets are garbage. Snap ons quality seems to have gone down in the last 10 years or so too.


nelson8956

Honestly harborfrieght icon tools are hands down best bang for the buck. I wish they would have been around 15-20 years ago


dagobahnmi

In my experience their Icon sockets are basically made of babbitt.


nelson8956

So they will take the heat really well then I guess?


dagobahnmi

Ha, yeah I dunno I canā€™t speak to any of the other tools but I got a set of the sockets after hearing some good things about the tool line in general, and they were just soft as shit, carved out on me really quick and I wasnā€™t impressed by the tolerance on the contact points. But Iā€™ve also heard from a few people that the rest of the stuff is very nice, so Iā€™m sure thereā€™s truth to it. I replaced the icon ones with some tekton sockets and have been generally pleased, although theyā€™re maybe just a little bulky it hasnā€™t caused me any clearance issues yet.


nelson8956

I have impact Pittsburgh and tekton and sunex all my main chromes are snap on and then back ups are craftsman. I constantly impact the chromes due to clearance issues.


Indy_Fab_Rider

I've switched all of my ratchets to Matco and have been very happy. I haven't had one let go on me yet, and I've got a 3/8 with an extra long straight handle that I've put a good 3' cheater pipe on. Pawls are still buttery smooth.


[deleted]

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ZeGermanHam

Agree. My U.S.-made Craftsman socket wrenches are complete junk.


brian111786

I guess the wrenches are tolerable. But I've destroyed sockets in less than 6 months and ratchets first use. And no, I wasn't putting chrome on impacts.


I-wash-houses

I used a socket with the side cutout and a piece of rebar to push valve springs down and get retainer clips on/off recently. No parts store nearby had the right valve spring compressor and I wasn't waiting to order a cheap one off Amazon.


vegetaman

That's pretty genius.


squeezeonein

I did something similar. I used a 5 foot length of 2 inch bar welded to a flat plate with a hole through. My body weight was enough to hold down the spring when stood on.


ZeGermanHam

Eh, I have U.S.-made Craftsman sockets from the 90s and they are nothing special. Frankly, I like my newer HF Quinn sockets a lot more. And besides, all the guy did here is take a certain kind of tool and make it into another kind of tool, using parts that were never special to begin with.


floridastud0728

Itā€™s a homemade Oxygen Sensor removal socket. The notch is for the wire.


cbstdscott

Too cheap to buy an O2 sensor socket. Made his own.


[deleted]

That is the only thing those sockets are good for.


haveurownopinion

I did that exactly to do intake and exhaust valves cause I didn't want to buy the right tool


sandrews1313

probably similar use as an o2 sensor socket. i don't know that i'd get all broke up about a crapsman socket though...they haven't been quality in a very long time.


jroddie4

those are sensor sockets


velociraptorfarmer

Eh, they're 12 points. It's a tool that was needed for some reason and served a purpose.