#Geek tools must haves how to
"On The Level: How to Buy a Good One." Chicago Tribune. "What Are Common Types of Pliers and Wire Cutters?" (July 5, 2013) Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.Whichever length you choose, make sure it has large and easy-to-read markings. Look for metal measuring tapes that will extend without bending for up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) with an L-shaped end that grips surfaces.įor most jobs, a 16-foot (4.8-meter) measuring tape will suffice, but 30-foot (7.6- and 9.1-meter) lengths are available, too. A quality measuring tape can last for years. You'll need this tool for nearly every hands-on project you tackle. It didn't take long for the retractable tape measure to dominate construction sites and home workshops, making the previously popular wooden folding rulers nearly obsolete.Įven today, you won't want to get caught without a retractable tape measure (or two) in your workshop.
Fellows filed a patent to add a retracting spring mechanism. In 1865, Justus Roe & Sons started making steel tape measures and three years later, a New Haven, Conn., inventor named Alvin J. It's not a new idea, but it's a good one. Some level manufacturers offer replacement vials, should yours break, and this guarantee will be spelled out on the label. For durability (and aesthetics), steer clear of plastic versions an aluminum or wood level should last a lifetime, particularly if you keep the wood well-oiled and store in a cool and dry place. The most common levels come in 2-foot (61-centimeter) and 4-foot (122-centimeter) lengths, although longer levels are available, too. If the air bubble is not perfectly centered between the vertical lines, the surface is not level. Simply place the level on a surface and the air bubble can be measured against two static, vertical lines. It does this through the use of an air bubble trapped in liquid and encased in a glass tube centered in a plastic, wooden or metal frame. Ideal for ensuring well-positioned wall hangings and perfectly upright posts, a level lets you know when you've achieved a horizontal plane. A pipe wrench is good for plumbing jobs as it can tighten and loosen pipes.Įvery workshop needs a level.
This allows the user to make it exactly the right size, rather than having a battalion of wrenches that are various sizes and taking up room (and, initially, your budget). Thanks to the turn of a dial in the handle, one side of the jaws can expand or contract. What makes the crescent wrench unique are its adjustable jaws.
The tool assumed its place in history, however, in 1927 when Charles Lindbergh took his famous trans-Atlantic flight and quipped that he took only, "gasoline, sandwiches, a bottle of water, and a Crescent wrench and pliers". in 1907, was designed for early automobile owners who needed to adjust the brakes and clutches on their vehicles. The crescent wrench, first manufactured by the Jamestown, N.Y.-based Crescent Tool Co. There are several different types of wrenches, one of which is ideal for a home workshop. The wrench: This indispensable tool is used to loosen or tighten nuts and bolts. This will help your pliers work better, while extending its life. And be sure to regularly put a drop or two of oil on the hinge. Whichever type of pliers you decide to add to your home workshop arsenal, choose one that has at least a 2.5-inch (6-centimeter) gap between the handles when closed this will prevent you from pinching your palm or fingers when using the tool. To loosen most nuts from bolts, for example, you'll need a wrench. Plus, it has a bolt near the pliers' teeth that can be made to "slip" into a second position, enabling the pliers' mouth to open wider and grip larger objects.
This all-around tool can grip, bend, twist and turn wires, and open stubborn lids. While there are a number of variations, ranging from long-nose pliers designed to grip tiny wires to expandable pump pliers made for gripping, we recommend the common slip-joint pliers. Without this handy tool, you'd have a hard time gripping, turning or twisting things. Pliers are the "opposable thumbs" of the home workshop.
0 kommentar(er)
