Bare-bones tools necessities for "home" shop????

[Mark @ Everlast]

Braze it. That's the best way.. It should hold the PSI if done correctly....either that or pitch it in the garbage. Epoxy is not a bonafide repair in this situation.
Properly clean the metal first as well...very important to get the best bond.

Brazing is not as hard as it looks, and competency levels may be obtained after a little practice, if this is not familiar to you. Just remember, you are not trying to melt the base metal, only get it hot enough that when the rod is touched, it melts easily to the metal. The brass will wick in through capilary action as well if done properly and a nice bead isn't always required if the heat is right. Too hot and it will violently pop on you. With good rod manipulation and more practice, you can make a nice bead that rivals any tig bead.

 

[Big Wave D]

Thanks Mark,

I figured that was probably going to be my best bet.

The pieces aren't under any stress per say, except maybe vibrations from when the unit runs.

Do you have any suggestions for flux type and suitable rod to use?

 

[Big Wave D]

Ooohhh, I'm all excited and shivering with anticipation!!!! :laughing:

I might be getting to go to a Harbor Freight store this evening. This is a large step in a man's life.

I'll probably spend several hundreds of dollars on stuff I don't even need, just because it's so DANG cheap. :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

I'll try to avoid the 'perishable' stuff.

Maybe more to follow, we'll see.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Take a deep breath and head straight for the air tools.:laughing:

 

[Big Wave D]

I'd better pack my Nitro Pills, just in case my heart can't take it and starts to palpitate uncontrollably! :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'd better pack my Nitro Pills, just in case my heart can't take it and starts to palpitate uncontrollably! :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Shouldn't be necessary. The fumes from the plastic and cheap metal that permeate the store are a great panacea to cure all ills.

 

[Big Wave D]

Shouldn't be necessary. The fumes from the plastic and cheap metal that permeate the store are a great panacea to cure all ills.

Touche!

Great comeback :thumbsup:

Thanks for a hearty laugh :laughing::laughing:

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I keep reading over and over about HF or Harbor Freight.

First, I am assuming that the initials are referring to the latter.

That being said, my question is this. Is this a brick and masonry store or just an online retailer? If the former, what states/areas of country are they located in?

Seems like they have a loyal following but also generate a "love them, hate them" attitude towards what they sell. It seems that their price point is their greatest asset.

Thanks to all, taking lots of notes on this one.

Both.

I was just considering going to Paducah and pick up a hand held band saw but then it hit me do NOT have a shop building yet so I can never find anything that I do buy.

 

[lostcause]

it's probably been mentioned already in these 180+ replies, but i'm too lazy to check them all, so here it is:

i was in the garage this morning doing a little work on the loader bucket, and realized that i use this as much as anything else i own - a needle scaler. if you weld with stick or flux core, this thing is an essential. it is light years ahead of a slag hammer, and also way better than an air chisel. it's the best thing for cleaning welding flux/slag, and also great for removing heavy rust from old equipment. i've got a $30 harbor freight mini one and i've used it a ton - still going strong. the biggest issue is that it sometimes comes unscrewed at the barrel from all the vibrations, but i wound it together by hand as tight as i could and it hasn't happened in months. it also doesn't like moisture. when i put my stationary compressor in last winter it was a couple months before i got a filter on it. being a single stage compressor, it builds a lot of moisture, and once that gets into the tool, it won't hammer. take it apart, dry it out, couple drops of oil & you're off to the races. this one isn't the tool's fault - i'm sure $150+ ones don't like water either.

 

[Big Wave D]

Well LostCause, I think you've sealed the deal.

I went to Harbor Freight for the first time and saw the exact thing of which you speak. The price was certainly right, but I was going to ask if anyone had bought one and how it was doing. You've beat me to the punch.

Thanks for the feed back.

As for someone calling it more like a grocery store, I'd say that that is a very good description. I don't know the general size of most of their stores, but the one I'd gone to isn't terribly large. Do they have more stuff online than they carry in-house? I was actually looking for some sockets of 3/4" or 1" drive. I didn't hardly see any wrenches. I didn't have time to 'case' the place so they may have been their, I just didn't get past them.

The power tools I'm a little leery of. They just look CRUDE. I see they have an oscillating tool like the Fein. However, I'm wondering what their, Chicago I think, version works like, worthless or okay for lighter, occasional use. Anyone?

I did manage to leave without anything, but I'm sure that they'll get me at some point and time.

The store definitely has a certain smell to it. Must be all of the lead.

I did see quite a few things from India, so they are a little more well rounded than ONLY Chinese made goods.

I'll have to review the whole tools that s&ck and those that don't s%ck threads before I go again. I know someone posted them to this thread somewhere earlier.