Top 5 Saturaday

I decided I will list the 5 most important tools in my shop. These are the tools I use on a daily basis.

Number 1. Sawzall- The ultimate tool for chopping a bike up. I bought my Milwaukee Sawzall over 15 years ago and has probably chopped over 50 bikes apart. Spend the money on the quick release one you won't be disappointed.

Number 2. Welder- I am not going into the kind of welder you need but you do need one. It was like the light of god showing down on me the first time I stuck some scraps together and they did not fall apart.

Number 3. Tool Box- Again with out a proper tool box to keep your tools in, you are in hell. Try finding a socket on the floor after you've kicked it. Where did I leave that wrench? Fuck I need a .016 feeler gauge. Get it. I scored a super sweet old John Deere Factory tool box at a auction house. Best 100 dollars I have ever spent ever. Check pic for box. Tons of drawers and is heavy duty.

Number 4. Grinder/Cut off- With your standard 4.5 angle grinder you can change a plain piece of steel into art. Cut off wheels fit on and now you are cutting sheet metal like a surgeon. You have your flap disc ready for cleaning up the cut stuff and now you look like a pro. I own two , one with a cut off wheel on it all the time and the other with a 80 grit flap disc.

Number 5. Air Compressor- With out air you will die. Yes if you don't have a air compressor you can't even imagine all the uses. I have bought a ton of cheap air tools and now you have a way to paint, fill tires, blow off grips, clean off parts, etc etc. There is always a magic moment when I hook up my 1/2 impact and tear some god damn shit up with 160lbs of pressure. Clutch hubs are no match.Rusty bolt, fuck it just hit it with the impact and break it off. Welding a spot that needs to be cooled off fast, hit it with air. A must in any garage.

I will not even start on the fact that you need hand tools. If you want to start your sweet tool collection just start hitting up swap meets and buy hand fulls of good used tools for a fraction. When I first started I would write down the tools I was needing then start the hunt. Some stuff like screw drivers are best bought new. But I have bought entire sets of snap-on sockets for 5 bucks just because they looked kinda crusty. Pliers, vise grips, wrenches, hammers all can be bought and cleaned up then put into service. You will feel more manly and will be happy to work on your cycle knowing you have the tools to do it with. Later