You're only as good as your tools..

[1LoneWolf]

I have a GearWrench torque wrench and a GearWrench socket wrench set w/ sockets. Pretty good quality, and not expensive.

[alex.s]

KC, go pick up a cheap MIG welder, mask, and a blow-torch from harbor freight and get it gassed up and get some welding wire and i'll teach you how to weld. really the only "hard" part is knowing about the different types of metal... what mixes with what, what settings to use for what, etc. honestly though you don't really need to worry about it if you have some scrap metal to try your settings on first. biggest learning curve is coping and knowing what to heat up first with the blow-torch so you don't melt the smaller parts

[CThunder-blue]

I've been using my dewalt 14.4v drill for years, ever since my wife bought it for me for Christmas. Batteries still hold a charge just fine and the keyless chuck works great. I accidentally left it in the rain one day and the only thing that had rust on it was the phillips bit.

Other tools:
Thermal Dynamics TIG welder
Snap-On 6 point sockets in metric; standard and deep sockets
2 sets of gear wrenches
Craftsman breaker bars
4hp 10gal HF compressor (altho it doesn't run at 4hp).
HF large media blasting cabinet
HF table drill press
Makita angle grinder
Bosch Jigsaw
HF 5" swivel vise
Craftsman shopvac
Craftsman hex sockets
Craftsman 3 draw tool chest

There's tons more too. haha. Anyways, I don't need a tool chest. My tool chest is actually full of bolts and nuts and stuff I can't hang on my wall. One side of my garage has a peg board with my tools hanging for easy access.

[setasai]

I personally like gearwrench wrenches as well. Great warranty and fairly cheap in comparison to craftsman brand. For the drill, my dad has a bosche driver for i dont know how long but it's been able to tear through everything i've thrown at it for the past 5ish years. The batteries on the other hand have been replaced twice since.

Are you looking for a driver or an impact driver? I've heard nothing but good things about the dewalt impact driver but as for drill driver, havent heard anything good or bad.

[Skippii]

Only one tool, but it's the only one I need.

[DerTeufel]

Originally Posted by Skippii

Only one tool, but it's the only one I need.

Hahaha..if a BFH won't fix it, nothing will!

My personal tools are a mix of Craftsman, Cornwell, Mac, Matco, and Snap-on.
The Craftsman professional line is pretty damned nice. Harbor Freight stuff is pretty iffy on quality. Pay a little more and get a tool that will last.

[Alex]

When you only have one of those, everything starts to look like this, right?

[DarC]

I used to have a full mech set with everything I could possibly need but it eventually was permanently borrowed by someone.

Now a days I like to keep it light and simple, crafsman socket set, crafstmen ratcheting open ends, and a craftsmen allen/torx socket set. I also love my racheting screwdriver with all dem bits. And I will forever keep my trio of assorted snap on torque wrenches.

Maybe in the future I will restock but for now that's about it.

[Jiggles]

I have a very nice toolkit in my trunk. Thanks Kawasaki!

[ninja250]

Lol leave the bendy tools for Gumby.

[trevor_shiggs]

I have a mixture of snapon / mastercraft (canadian tire brand lifetime warranty very decent tools at a good price) Snap on tools are expensive but they offer tools that others dont make. The mac dealer doesnt come around very often and isnt the best people person.

[ninja250]

Hell yeah that's the type of box Kevin Phreek is talking about getting.
Not cheap! Very high quality.

Man I keep breaking tools left and right I am seriously out of all the important tools I need to do all the bike work I do!

I really have to go pick some stuff up soon!
dremel bits and quality open ended wrenches and quality 8mm sockets and 1/4" drives and extensions. A pair of each!

I can't even afford I box I just have a crappy old plastic thing with doors splitting and won't shut fully and overstuff with every ninja tool you cold imagine but an electronic carb syncher.

[CThunder-blue]

Are you using a 8mm 1/4" socket? why not use a 3/8?

[ninja250]

1/4" ratches and extension w/ 8mm bit fits easy into tail storage area for emergencies and long distance tech days Same with 6,8 and 10mm open end.

It's not that I'm breaking them, it's that I'm using low quality ones from when I was a kid I guess.

I do a lot more mechanic work now on all these bikes, I need to tool up.
You really don't do good work without good tools.
There is a right tool for every job.
If you have to force it, You're doing it wrong.

also those $20 dremel carbide bits break easy but work very well. Better than cheap ebay dental knockoffs. Need new small and large sanding barrels in both grits.

The drill is gonna set me back a good chunk.
Supposed to go pick that up soon. Kinda excited.
A good toolbox would really do me wonders too.

I'll take pictures of my tools later. I have to do a new gloves report also.

[trevor_shiggs]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

Are you using a 8mm 1/4" socket? why not use a 3/8?

1/4 inch should be good enough to remove a 8mm bolt. If you Have to go 3/8 that bolt is over tight on my opinion. Only reason I use a 3/8 is when I'm using my 3/8 impact gun for a speedy removal.

[jonthechron]

Originally Posted by Skippii

Only one tool, but it's the only one I need.

I went through a few of those, but they had a wooden handle. They are great for smashing your old Compaq Presarios

[bdavison]

I got a bunch of tools, craftsman, snap-on, whatever works.
I got bored a while back and airbrushed my toolbox with a bunch of gears and a self-portrait of me on my ninja.

[trevor_shiggs]

Originally Posted by jonthechron

I went through a few of those, but they had a wooden handle. They are great for smashing your old Compaq Presarios

I have a compaq presario r4000 to smash.

[ninja250]

You guys talking laptops?
Shoulda went Toshiba.

[akima]

I have a small bag of cheap, random tools that I wouldn't touch my Ninjette with. I just use them on my bicycle.

[LoD575]

Originally Posted by trevor_shiggs

I had a box just like that but sold it long ago.

As a prior Ford certified/ASE certified technician working at a Ford dealership I picked up a lot of tools.
Most of them are Snap-On with some Matco and Mac thrown in the mix.

Working as a tech for a living I appreciated the quality and smoothness of the higher priced tools.

Nothing wrong with craftsman and it's what I use most often now, except for the ratchets.
I decent 1/4" drive metric socket set is mostly what I use when working on the ninjette.

[trevor_shiggs]

Originally Posted by LoD575

I had a box just like that but sold it long ago.

As a prior Ford certified/ASE certified technician working at a Ford dealership I picked up a lot of tools.
Most of them are Snap-On with some Matco and Mac thrown in the mix.

Working as a tech for a living I appreciated the quality and smoothness of the higher priced tools.

Nothing wrong with craftsman and it's what I use most often now, except for the ratchets.
I decent 1/4" drive metric socket set is mostly what I use when working on the ninjette.

haha Im a ford tech too. Snap on makes super fine tooth ratchets now I love em. way less of a swing required to hit the next tooth. I have a huge locking flex head half inch one, a long 3/8 locking flex head, a custom built stubby 3/8 flex head one, and a 1/4 drive. this 3/8 is my favorite. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

and this little thing is the best air tool I have ever owned. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog.
well maybe this http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog I use both everyday

Most of my sockets are were mastercraft which have never failed me, slowly upgrading to snapon. Only sockets I have ever broke were westward 1/2 in drive impact sockets. I broke a 21 and a 18 in the same day.

[LoD575]

I miss wrenching at times.....need to find myself a toy to work on.

This is my favorite ratchet...3/8" dr flex head with an up swept handle snapon
Besides my 1/2" drive impact I loved my 3/8" air ratchet 3/8" air and the little zip gun from Mac pistol-grip

Have broken a few Snap-On T50 torx bits which were all covered under warranty then had the chrome plating chip in a small spot on a combination wrench which was covered as well.
The rep is the one who noticed the small nick and gave me a new one from the truck.

Never had any quality issues with tools from Snap-On, Matco, or Mac.

[ninja250]

Dang the PVC "Breaker Tube" is coming in handy pretty well tonight!
I'm beginning to think we should call homeboy back up with the PVC rollcage idea lol.

I have a 636 in about as many pieces right now..

That new Duralast 8mm socket surely saved Kevin some cam cover bolts.
I notice in all the bikes those tiny 8mm cam cover bolts tend to overtighten themselves.
If you don't have a good 1/4" drive set up with a nice 8mm and a good set of extensions, you're shot in a valve job on a bike.

[ninja250]

OK here is the tools I have accumulated so far.. Minus my airbrush and fishing tools and equipment, electronics and soldering tools and R/C helicopter specific tools. These are just straight all bike work tools. I don't like working on nasty dirty cars unless it's my own.

The corner


Let's start with just the toolbox.. Here's the top droor. Everything from impact screwdriver to micrometers to open ended metric and SAE. Feeler gauges and fiberglass rust remover pens, $20 wide measuring tape, magnetizer... sure I'm missing more there. Boxknife, modified fork carb tuning tool.. GSXR wheel keys, caliper, butane soldering iron for tech day porting... Windex and shop towls for cleaning fairings and windscreens, chain lube, missing some WD40


Sockets, breaker bars, torquable allen heads etc etc.
That's just the metric sockets.


Screwdrivers, allens, EZ outs, chain breaker, more screwdrivers, chain alignment tools, front race stand fork pegs.... Milwuakee ofset screwdriver, bubble levels, lots of other stuff I'm missing.


pliers, channel locks, monkey wrenches, crescent wrenches nippers, side cutters etc.


Dremel and broken Skill 18V drill
Gluegun, upgraded cutoff wheels


Heat gun, tire aligner string, hacksaw, stapler, rulers, lubes, backup wrenches, mallets, sledge, c-clamps, more glue guns, more sockets more sh*t etc etc etc
scissors, rulers, riveter, PVC breaker tube, tire iron, CZRoe's torch


Jacks, stands, dolly


Purchased these tonight for $30
Lifetime warranty. Good enough for me.

[ninja250]

Meh, forgot my lithium Skill hand-driver.
Best tool ever.
Can't kill it. It's the little driver with an extension on it at the front right of the piece of wood my tools are sitting on. They must have used a high quality super strong planetary gearbox in that thing and the lithium battery that doesn't have to be charged for 18mo is unreal..

My home made brake bleeder is not shown and neither is my Gatorade carb balancer.

Hey you guys think I could use a new toolbox?

[ninja250]

My Harbor Freight 2 gal 100psi Pancake and a giant bottle of Nitrous with stories to tell.

Life has sure been interesting.

[ninja250]

I guess I could use some air ratchets and impact hammers and even an auto spray gun for repainting crashed motorcycle plastics to attach to my compressor.

This will make a good reminder list for me come Harbor Freight time.
I usually save a list until I need so much stuff I have to go in there and spend $100.
Walk out with half the store for that kind of money. Sometimes cheap Chinese tools are the bomb lol. Sometimes.

You find some odd stuff at Harbor Freight too that you just have to have.

[LoD575]

Originally Posted by ninja250

My Harbor Freight 2 gal 100psi Pancake and a giant bottle of Nitrous with stories to tell.

I need to get myself a little air compressor like that.

[ninja250]

I actually bought that compressor for my Badger Air Brush but it turns out to work great for everything else too. I think it ran me $90 or so.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by trevor_shiggs

I have a mixture of snapon / mastercraft (canadian tire brand lifetime warranty very decent tools at a good price) Snap on tools are expensive but they offer tools that others dont make. The mac dealer doesnt come around very often and isnt the best people person.

This man has a favorite color but I have no idea what it is.

[akima]

Originally Posted by CZroe

This man has a favorite color but I have no idea what it is.

I'm getting a lil bit of a Mirror's Edge vibe from that room!

[ninja250]

Uhg!
I own Mirrors Edge!
That game was so creepy had to stop playing it. lol
never made it past the fourth level or whatever. So creepy.
I still have nightmares I fall off huge buildings from that game.

Anyways, added some new tools to the garage.
DeWalt Impact and Drill and finally a set of safety wire pliers.

[CZroe]

PC version with PhysX exclusive effects is the only way to go!

[akima]

I really enjoyed Mirror's Edge. I thought the story was totally rubbish, but it didn't bother me, because I loved the free running, the graphics and the music so much.

I wouldn't call it "creepy", but it is pretty intense when you fall off a building! You really feel your impeding doom! The sound of wind rushing by your ears, your vision shaking and then finally that terrible crunch noise as you hit the hard pavement.

[TheTopher]

Originally Posted by ninja250

Uhg!
I own Mirrors Edge!
That game was so creepy had to stop playing it. lol
never made it past the fourth level or whatever. So creepy.
I still have nightmares I fall off huge buildings from that game.

Anyways, added some new tools to the garage.
DeWalt Impact and Drill and finally a set of safety wire pliers.

I've been drooling over the hammerdrill set for the past couple weeks, but I've already got quite a few Milwaukee m18 tools so I wont be upgrading for a while.



As far as what tools I've got here's my shop after I cleaned it out.






Various sockets, deep well, shallow, 6pt, 12pt, 1/4th, 3/8ths, 1/2th, torque wrenches, various ratches, breaker bars, home made tools, pliers, lots of electrical stuff, some machining tools, only one drawer in those chests is empty. Lots of construction stuff in the other boxes. There's a welder behind the band saw and I've also got a pair of compressors (no 240v, so I settled for a pair of 120v compressors running together) one's a Husky 2hp 30 gal oiled and the other is a Makita 4 gal oiled. If you have the money, buy an oiled compressor. It'll save you the hassle and hearing loss from when your oil-free compressor blows up in the middle of a project. (guess how I know)

When I wheel everything out, I can fit half a car in there. Fortunately most cars only break down one half at a time.




and just for good measure, here's my bike the day after I bought it.



The trash can makes a convenient fan-stand



What I've discovered about this bike though is that I rarely need anything but the most basic of tools to work on it. I've yet to even run into a bolt my Milwaukee impact driver can't break loose. I've definitely had a good time working on it.

[mariorivera830]

Hey I've been looking through the diy 's and trying to get the tools needed to do the basic maintenance and some of the trickier things. Is there like a centralized post that has a lost of must have tools to have for a new owner? Basically a "build you motorcycle toolbox" post. For us newer owners and those who need to figure out which tools to buy. Thanks

[Alex]

/merged

[allanoue]

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...=starter+tools

[Alex]

/merged