Drill Chuck & Other Tools

Motorcycle Lift

Drill Chuck — Fri, 20 May 2011 21:26:10 +0000

Motorcycle Lift

When using a motorcycle lift there are a few things you want to know before you lift the bike.

Lift Capacity – Make sure the jack can handle the weight of the chopper. If you can’t find the lift capacity engraved of the lift, you could probably find it by looking up the product name online.

Clearance – The jack needs to fit under the bike in order to elevate it. This is more important when purchasing, as you don’t have the jack right there to see if there is enough clearance.

Lift Mechanism – This feature is just for convince. A hydraulic jack will be much easier to raise and lower. A crank operated jack will need to be cranked manually.

The price range for motorcycle lifts can vary depending on the features. If you’re looking for a bike lift that is built for use everyday, the OTC 1545 Motorcycle Lift is a great product. It’s on the expensive end, but you get what you pay for.

Below you will find the best reviewed motorcycle lifts from Amazon with a review of the product.

	I own a 2007 Night Rod Special, this bike has a lower ground clearance than all other H-D bikes, most lifts have a minimum clearance of 5″ making it possible to lift even standard height bikes from one side only while having to to balance the bike at the same time. This lift is low enough to easily get under either side of my bike and raise the bike without trying to balance it as it comes off the ground. Lift also has four automatic locking positions so that it is not soley relying on hydraulic jack to keep the bike up while servicing or cleaning. (piece of mind) Easy 5 minute assembly, box intact with all hardware,which was only a couple of pieces. Overall 100% satisfied, I would highly recommend this lift to anyone, especially if you are worried about height clearance.
	Least expensive but works as the more expensive ones. I use it all day every day and it is rock solid.
	Would definitely recommend this for most motorcycles. It operates easily and lifts the bike without much effort. It is heavy, but that is necessary for the size bikes it can left. Indeed I have a heavy Yamaha V-Star 1100, and it lifts it like a champ.
	This lift works ok, price is reasonable and quality fair. It easily lifts the 900+ pound Goldwing and supports it well enough for general cleaning and simple inspection/maintenance. I would not recommend it for any major repair work, it is simply too unstable. Unfortunately ATD is having this item made in China and quality suffers as a result. Had I known it was Chinese I would have bought the OTC brand instead.

Rotary Drills

Drill Chuck — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:51:10 +0000

Rotary Saw

Drill Chuck — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:49:04 +0000

high speed rotary saw, miniature circular saw blades, heavy duty power tools, high speed cutters, flush cut saws, rotary saw blade, rotary tool saw, professional power tools, rotary tools, power tool, cordless tools, rotary saws

60 Gallon Air Compressor

Drill Chuck — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:30:50 +0000

60 Gallon Air Compressor

Electric air compressors are a must have tool. It allows you to complete so many different tasks faster, more efficiently, and with greater ease. The 60 gallon air compressor is the ideal tank size. It’s big enough for the jobs that require more power, but small enough to be somewhat portable and easy to work with. If you’re looking for a super portable compressor make sure and visit the 1 gallon air compressor page. I am not a mechanically inclined person — but I have an 60 gallon vertical compressor in my garage and it is worth every penny that it cost.

Let’s talk about some of the air tools that you can hook up. This is not a comprehensive list, just a few of the tools that are useful.

Tire Inflator – This tool allows you to pump air into your car tires. You won’t have to make a trip to the gas station to inflate your tires and keep the PSI at the correct amount. Having properly inflated tires will increase the lifespan of your tires and give you better MPG. Some inflation tools also have a pressure gauge on the tool so you can see the PSI while you are filling the tire up.

Air Ratchet/Wrench – Works just like a ratchet/wrench but the compressed air does the work for you. You can still be in control of which direction the socket turns. These won’t be able to loosen or tighten. So if you are take off a tire you need to use a high impact tool to loosen the lug nuts first and then you can use the air wrench.

Air Guns – This tool allows you to blow compressed air in a controlled manner. It is a great way to sweep the garage floor, or dry a car, or spray a friend with a blast of air.

Below you will find 4 highly rated and reviewed 60 gallon air compressors from Amazon.

1 Gallon Air Compressor

Drill Chuck — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:29:23 +0000

1 Gallon Air Compressor

1 gallon air compressors are great to fill a niche in your handy work. They won’t meet all of your air compressor needs but they are the most portable air compressor that will get the job done for you. Most are oil-free and won’t require much maintenance.

These small compressors are great for home improvement projects. The small one gallon tank means that the device will weigh approximately 20 pounds. It makes driving nails as simple as pushing a button. It’s also a great tool if you need to do finish work on wood.

On average the 1 gallon air compressor will be able to do 10 nails before the motor kicks in for inflation. Most tanks have around 150 PSI, and most tanks will take around 2 minutes to completely refill. These numbers are general numbers and the exact times and pressure will be dependent on the specific model being used.

A 1 gallon air compressor might be too small for your purpose. It comes down to personal preference. You can always get a 2 or 4 gallon air compressor. The weight will increase, but so will the amount of work that you can finish before the compressor needs to fill up.

Hydraulic Jack

Drill Chuck — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:53:15 +0000

Hydraulic Jack

A hydraulic jack is a must have tool for anyone who works on a car. Even if you don’t work on a car, it’s a good idea to carry one around in your trunk, assuming you have space. These jacks are larger than the emergency car jacks that come with spare tires in the trunk, but they are significantly easier to use.

I have 2 hydraulic jacks which allows me to rotate tires on my automobiles in less than 30 minutes. When you are using a jack that isn’t not designed for your specific vehicle, you need to ensure that the jacking point connects securely. Sometimes you’ll need to take a 2×4 and cut some slits in it that will meet any strange patterns from the bottom of your car.

Below you will find the best reviewed hydraulic jacks from Amazon with one of the review comments.

I bought this jack for my son for working on his truck after I saw him jury rigging a smaller jack. He started using the jack as soon as he got home. It lifts the truck up high enough to get the big tires he has off the ground. Now all his friends come over so they can use the jack. It lifts the truck with no problem at all. Last weekend he replaced the rear passenger strut on my Impala. It jacked the car up high enough so that it was no problem getting at the strut. I would highly recommend this jack for anyone with a truck.

In my opinion, the Torin 3 ton low profile service jack provides a great bang for the buck ($95 at my local Walmart – but not all Walmarts have this jack). The Torin sold at Walmart, is black in color, and is called a “black jack”, but Amazon, and others, have this same Torin jack in red color, and simply call it a: Torin 3 ton “professional” – low profile service jack.

So, for $30, I wasn’t expecting the jack to end all jacks. This one is actually pretty good. It goes up quick, has a nice little rotatable thing on the jack point that lets you encapsulate those little jack points on your car perfectly, and it definitely gets the car off the ground for several hours just fine.

One of the problems is the release mechanism is too touchy – I’ve accidentally turned it too fast at least 3 times now, and the car has basically fallen to the ground. You have to be extremely slow and methodical when releasing this jack. Another issue that’s not too big of a deal is the noise it makes when you get a bunch of weight on it – right before I get a wheel off the ground on my car, the handle gets hard to pump and eventually the jack makes a chirping sound and continues as it was. This is weird, and makes it feel a little unsafe, but it’s probably fine. The third con is that it doesn’t go high enough. Definitely take a look at the listed height before buying and make sure 13 inches is high enough for you.

Grease Gun

Drill Chuck — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:31:15 +0000

Grease Gun

A grease gun is a specific tool that has one purpose — to apply grease to a precise spot. There isn’t much more to know about them.

The main difference is how the grease is pushed out of the tool. One gets forced out by your own muscles. The other is powered by compressed air.

The compressed air grease guns are easier to manipulate but this product tends to have a higher price tag. The following grease guns have received the best reviews from Amazon.com

Pneumatic

Manual

Jump Starter

Drill Chuck — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:30:53 +0000

Jump Starter

is a good alternative to the typical jump start a car routine. These devices are typically easier to use and the first time jumper will appreciate the simplicity of a jump starter as opposed to jumper cables.

The process is simple. Attach the positive cable to the positive terminal on the battery. Attach the negative cable to the negative terminal on the battery. Each unit might have a slight variation to this method. For example, some jump starters have a button you can push to verify there is enough juice to jump the battery. Other models have a dial that you need to set to “charge”. In order to use your specific model, we recommend that you read the directions included with your device.

When shopping around, here are a few things to consider before making the final purchase.

Some battery jumping devices will warn you if you hook the jumper cables up incorrectly.

Some models will cut the power until the cables are properly attached.

Some battery jumpers will have a feature to prevent you from over charging.

Some models contain LED lights to display amount of charge left.

These battery chargers are heavy. Make sure you see how much they are charging you for shipping.

As with most products, the manufactures advertise how awesome their product is. Here are some reality checks.

These devices aren’t as powerful as you think. Don’t expect them to power your phone, laptop, or TV. A fully charged unit could vary from 1 to 4 hours of run time on a portable DVD player.

Most models are designed for 4 and 6 cylinder engines. If you have a V8, make sure you buy a high end jumper.

Some models come with air compressors. Manufacturers claim they can inflate your car tires. Don’t believe them. At best they can inflate soccer balls, footballs, and bicycle tires. If you need to inflate car tires, go to the gas station and use a real air compressor.

The battery will slowly lose its charge overtime. Expect 10-20% loss per month in ideal conditions.

After using the jumpstarter you should recharge it as soon as possible.

Just like your car battery, these will last approximately 5 years. After the time has eclipsed, you’ll need to purchase a new one.

Here are 2 jump starters that come highly recommended and have great reviews. One is a lower end unit with 900 peak amps and the other is a heavy duty jump starter that has a higher price tag because it’s a 1700 peak amp unit.

	The Jump-N-Carry is the 700 Amp jump starter. The lower price tag doesn’t indicate a terrible product. In fact, this specific model is one of the best reviewed jump starters on Amazon. This has enough power to turn a V6 and is what we recommend for your average car owner.
	The Clore jump starter is for heavy duty use. It’s not made for the average person with little knowledge of using and maintaining batteries. These are for the mechanic or car dealer, or for the informed customer looking for a heavy duty jump starter without all the other features like an air compressor.

Jumper Cables

Drill Chuck — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:30:40 +0000

Jumper Cables

A dead battery can cause major frustration so you should always be prepared and know how to jump start a car. Jumper cables are an essential tool you should always carry with you in your automobile. When purchasing a set of booster cables, there are a couple facts to watch for.

Cable Gauge – The gauge of your

jumper cables

will determine how much juice you can transfer from one battery to the other. The lower the gauge number, the more power the cables can handle. Here is a general guide to gauges.

10 gauge is for compact cars

8 gauge is for midsize sedans

6 gauge is for full sized/4 door sedans

4 gauge is for SUVs and Trucks.

The clamps can be made from a couple different materials. High quality clamps are made of solid copper while the cheaper clamps have copper-plated steel.

Lots of manufacturers will call their jumper cables “heavy duty”. Ignore that, check the gauge of the cables and the quality of the connectors. Those are the most important factors.

Long jumper cables are a life saver when a car dies in a parking garage where you can’t maneuver a good car’s engine close by so the cables reach from the post of the good battery all the way to the dead car’s battery. So don’t be stingy and buy the 10 foot cables to save a few dollars.

A voltmeter can be useful to ensure that the jumper cables are transferring power. If a jump didn’t work, you can verify that the cables are hooked up properly by using a voltmeter to see if there is any power in those cables.

	These are good quality jumper cables at a competitive price. Be sure to select the size you want from the drop down box if you are purchasing via Amazon.com.
	Here is another well reviewed set of jumper cables. 4 Gauge is always good to have because you can use it with compact cars and SUVs. Where as an 8 gauge will be able to handle compact cars but not SUVs.

How To Jump Start A Car

Drill Chuck — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:30:10 +0000

How To Jump Start A Car!

It’s bound to happen one day if you drive a car. You get in and try and start the car, but it won’t start. Here’s a simple guide that will safely walk you through the steps to jump start a car.

To make the situation easier on yourself, position both cars so that the batteries are close together. This will allow you to manipulate the jumper cables with ease.

Now it’s time to connect the jumper cables. The car that is giving you a jump can be running or turned off — either way works.

Clamp the red/positive cable to the positive pole of the dead battery.

Connect the other end of the red/positive cable to the positive pole of the charged battery.

Connect the black/negative cable to the negative pole of the charged battery.

Connect the black/negative cable to a metal surface around the engine. Make sure there is no paint on the metal.

If the car with the live battery isn’t on, go ahead and start the car. Assuming all the cables are hooked up properly, the car’s battery is being charged. Wait a couple minute and try and start your car.

Now that both cars are running, it’s time to disconnect the jumper cables. Remove the cables in the reverse order.

Disconnect the black/negative cable from the metal surface around the engine.

Disconnect the black/negative cable from the negative pole of the donor car’s battery that you used to jump the dead one.

Disconnect the red/positive cable from the positive pole of the donor car’s charged battery.

Disconnect the red/positive cable from the positive pole of the previously-dead battery.

A few months ago when I was jumping a car, I noticed the lady would back away from the cars while I attached the cables. She was probably worried I would blow something up. We don’t want batteries blowing up so here are some additional tips for when you have to jump a car.

The “explosion” problem can occur when the cables/terminals emit a spark. When you are hooking up the jumper cables, the last connection is the one that has a chance of making sparks. Usually you won’t see sparks flying, but in the off chance it happens you will be fine because you are connecting the last cable to a metal part away from the car battery. When you take off the jumper cables, the spark would come when you disconnect the first cable. This is why you detach the cable that is connected to the metal around your engine first.

Sometimes the car giving the jump will drain enough of the battery that it won’t be able to start. In order to avoid this predicament the donor car should be driven for a few minutes.

It’s a good idea to clean the battery terminals. IF you don’t clean them, a lot of corrosion will build up which makes the connection between a battery and the jumpers weaker.

You should also drive the car that was jumped to give the battery time to recover as well.

If a 2nd car isn’t available, you can still get juice flowing to the battery with a jump starter