Your Essential Garage Tools

[LizardKing]

^^thats quite the list, colour me impressed

Just to add - Gloves like these rather than the thin latex gloves. your knuckles will thank you when you invariable catch them
And decent blue roll goes along way vs the cheap stuff.

Cable ties / gaffa tape and a decent pair of scissors, a box of assorted nuts/bolts/washers always come in handy.

 

[Orionaut]

Just to add - Gloves like these rather than the thin latex gloves. your knuckles will thank you when you invariable catch them

My experience is that a better work glove is the type that has the tips of the thumb and first two fingers snipped off.

Like this.. https://www.safetygloves.co.uk/polyco-matrix-fingerless-work-gloves-933.html

 

[adam cool dude]

I don't use gloves unless for safety.

This stuff gets rid of everything.

https://www.rozalex.co.uk/products/zalpon-orange

 

[GhostWKD]

how much are you planning on spending in one go with these lists?

My tool collection has grown through need or as/when good deals have been spotted. I dare say to buy everything in one go would be prohibitively expensive.

That said, the impact wrench and the sockets have saved me so much time (and effort on my poor office worker hands) vs when I was younger and making do without

Edit: Apologies, forgot this area of the forum can be a little quiet and hadn't realised I'd scrolled over a week back! As you were

 

[Gaijin]

I think the question has been answered thoroughly, but this tickled me:

Yea, I know a compressor would be nice. I'm not sure I've got the space really for it. It would generally be a nice addition though. It was always the dream to have a massive compressor and just slap on the tool I wanted, but this is my space:

/Then posts a picture of what looks to be a minimum of a 30sqm roomy garage, with poorly optimised current storage

FYI you can vertical compressors. Pricey, but space efficient:

 

[Orionaut]

/Then posts a picture of what looks to be a minimum of a 30sqm roomy garage, with poorly optimised current storage

​

The first thing that needs to be done is to get rid of that Wine.

I can help with that!

​

FYI you can vertical compressors. Pricey, but space efficient:

Good solution, But I would want to fix that to the floor so that it couldnt be accidentally pulled over.

 

[vanpeebles]

The jpg of that compressor rotated 90 degrees twice and I wasn't even looking at it!

 

[tom_nieto]

Wine rack. Absolutely essential in any garage.

 

[Entai]

Wine rack. Absolutely essential in any garage.

And a beer fridge or two

 

[Malevolence]

Bearing puller. Can save you a lot of money if you only have to replace the bearings rather than the entire unit.

 

[Greboth]

Just because it hasn't been said enough in this thread - ratchet spanners. I've lost count of the times I've used mine because there isn't enough space to fit a normal socket and ratchet. Even better if you can get a set with a hinged end.

 

[LizardKing]

I used my ratchet spanners for the first time in ~8 years of ownership the other day! i've always found them to bulky to fit in the places i need. Goes to show tools really can be horses for courses sometimes.

That time i did use them they were a life saver! getting to a bolt i could not see in a really cramped place in the depths of the engine bay with little to no room to turn, using an open ended in this case could have started a one man war against my car!

 

[randomshenans]

Thought I'd update this a little bit as I've bought things I needed as I have needed them so far.

Picked up:

Ryobi orbital sander
Ryobi impact gun
set of torx 1/4" bits
pry bars
Ryobi heat gun

But then I also started sorting out a lot more of my garage and came across loads of other stuff I thought I'd lost in the move! Which is nice. Collection starting to get better now.

I still need a good jack though, so anyone know of a good jack I'd love to know one that won't break the bank too.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Clearly not a single proper mechanic on this thread...

The very first thing that goes in your garage should be a Page 3 calendar... Absolute minimum of one, but more are always welcome.
Bonus points for each calendar from the same year(s) as your vehicle(s), and double points for any boobie calendars officially from the vehicle manufacturers themselves. VW did some good ones.
Also, a topless poster of Linda Lusardi is essential. Fading and dog-earing optional.

 

[randomshenans]

hahaha various copies of the Sun and Star dotted about? No kettle too, that needs to be fixed for the brews.

I am going to be building a worktop down this end of the garage so I can have the engine stuff on there and laid out nicely. Got to clear out a bit more stuff first and then I'll get that in. Trying to get a 2nd hand TV off a mate too, so I can use it for YouTube tutorials haha

 

[Cleisthenes]

I'm looking to buy the 200 piece halfords socket set soon, as soon as it's down to a sensible price. It's 20% off at the moment but I think usually they go lower than that?

I have a trade card which unfortunately doesn't discount the 20% further. I can also probably buy through a company so can save the VAT but even so it's still £200 at todays prices.

What sort of money should I be looking at spending on them do you think?

 

[SonicSW20]

Taps and dies for the common sizes for your vehicle are invaluable if its more than 10 years old.

 

[adam cool dude]

Taps and dies for the common sizes for your vehicle are invaluable if its more than 10 years old.

Also always buy decent ones. They're expensive for a reason! Using a core drill bit to go through a snapped tap is not fun!

 

[acemastr]

A good impact, Milwaukee 3/8 Stubby Fuel is the best purchase I've made in a while.

 

[Shawy]

Currently kitting out my garage piece by piece and I'm loving the lists people are coming up with in here!
Haven't seen these mentioned though for when you drop a screw into an unreachable place / want to thread a cable around 6 corners: drain grabber