Little things that make life easier

[ctfjr]

Every once in a while I pick up a little used tool or device and smile. Its usually something that I normally wouldn't buy or even think of. Pats Easy Change and top n tilt come to mind but I am aware of them pretty much every day even though I may not use them daily.
Today I took my wife's car and the tire low pressure light came on. I reached for this, a present from one of my sons:

Griot's Garage air pressure gauge. A real pleasure to use.

My son also recommended Stedlin air pressure connectors. They make life a whole lot easier to connect / disconnect tools, they literally go together like butter . It's my understanding he is a small 'mom n pop' operation. The quality is superb!

Oh yes btw all 4 tires were in the 20-22lb range. Should be 35. My wife says she never saw the light come on. . .

So those are the things I got to appreciate today. What made you smile?

 

[DustyRusty]

I have the same gauge, only mine is sold by MAC. I have seen them sold under many brand names. The only thing that I don't care about it is when the battery finally dies, it is a nightmare to try to extract it from the rubber housing without stretching the rubber beyond the point where it doesn't return to its original form. After owning my MAC for about 6 or 7 years, the battery died last year. I also have the companion electric air pressure gauge.

 

[jkrubi12]

I see that awesome white car again!!

 

[radas]

Mafell track saw brings me similar joy, if I ever need to make precision cuts on sheet goods or cabinets, nothing compares. Here are some box newells that I scribed to the staircase I refinished (I am not a finish carpenter, so the 1/32" gaps are within my level of satisfaction )

 

[NCL4701]

Don’t know if these are “small” (depends on one’s perspective) but after 46 years of working with this…

This makes me happy every time I fire it up.

This also makes me happy…

 

[skeets]

Where did he find that tire gauge and how much was it ?????

 

[PHPaul]

My Milwaukee battery 4.5 inch grinder. I keep a slitting disk on it and when I need to quickly cut off a bolt or whatever, I don't have to move what I'm working on to the shop or drag an extension cord out to it.

 

[mcmxi]

Not so little but it sure makes life easier, along with tractors, trailers, a generator etc.

 

[ctfjr]

Where did he find that tire gauge and how much was it ?????

It's from Griot's Garage - this one looks pretty close to what he gave me 4-5 years ago (or more ??):
Inflating Gun

Mine has really taken a beating over the years. Between my sons / daughter stopping over to do simple maintenance on their vehicles and me being not as careful as one might be, its been dropped more times than I can count.

 

[ctfjr]

My Milwaukee battery 4.5 inch grinder. I keep a slitting disk on it and when I need to quickly cut off a bolt or whatever, I don't have to move what I'm working on to the shop or drag an extension cord out to it.

I have the Dewalt. Who knew how handy that would be?

 

[PHPaul]

I have the Dewalt. Who knew how handy that would be?

Right? Same goes for my 1/4 inch drive impact. I was really after a new drill but the kit with drill, impact, charger and two batteries was within $40 or so of just the bare drill so I figured what the heck, extra battery.

I use the heck out of it, particularly for driving torx style construction screws.

 

[fruitcakesa]

Also not too small

 

[BXHoosier]

Leatherman multi tool. It’s on my belt everyday at work and whenever I’m working outside or in the garage.

Like others have said, my Dewalt 20V grinder and 1/4” impact driver are probably my most used tools in the garage. I rotated the head on the grinder 90 deg to make it more ergonomic to hold when using it as a cutoff tool and it’s not awkward to hold when grinding. I have a type 27 diamond wheel on it that can be used as a cutoff wheel or grinding wheel.

 

[Daren Todd]

I have the same gauge, only mine is sold by MAC. I have seen them sold under many brand names. The only thing that I don't care about it is when the battery finally dies, it is a nightmare to try to extract it from the rubber housing without stretching the rubber beyond the point where it doesn't return to its original form. After owning my MAC for about 6 or 7 years, the battery died last year. I also have the companion electric air pressure gauge.

I had one that was stolen I replaced it with an analog one with a dial instead. Stays permanently attached to the air compressor at the house. This way my wife knows where it's at if she comes out and finds a tire low on her car.

 

[Daren Todd]

Leatherman multi tool. It’s on my belt everyday at work and whenever I’m working outside or in the garage.

Like others have said, my Dewalt 20V grinder and 1/4” impact driver are probably my most used tools in the garage. I rotated the head on the grinder 90 deg to make it more ergonomic to hold when using it as a cutoff tool and it’s not awkward to hold when grinding. I have a type 27 diamond wheel on it that can be used as a cutoff wheel or grinding wheel.

I second that statement. I have the 20vlt Mac set if impacts. 1/4" nut driver, 3/8 and 1/2" impacts. With 2 chargers and 4 batteries. I use them constantly. Nice thing about my Mac is it's made by Dewalt. And will accept the Dewalt 20vlt batteries Told my wife, that if she wants to buy me cordless power tools to get me Dewalt 20vlt. This way I have even more batteries, chargers, and they are interchangeable with my existing stuff.

 

[RCW]

Probably a foolish thing that doesn’t make life simpler, but keeps things from getting more complicated….

So many fasteners are different flavors anymore.

Torx, Allen, square drive all of different sizes, plus multiple versions of a Phillips head, like the PZ style driver.

Sounds foolish, but I keep a couple bare plain $15 heavier duty manual drivers, along with a big bunch of various bit sets to accommodate most common modern fasteners.

When you need THAT ONE torx, square, hex, etc. bit to fit something….nothing better than finding it in a kit FULL of 80 different bits of various sizes..

Keeps things from getting stripped, etc.

 

[Daren Todd]

So many fasteners are different flavors anymore…..

Torx, Allen, square drive all of different sizes, plus multiple versions of a Phillips head, like the PZ style driver.

Sounds foolish, but I keep a couple bare plain $15 heavier duty manual drivers, along with a big bunch of various bit sets to accommodate most common modern fasteners.

Sounds foolish, but when you need THAT ONE torx, square, hex, etc. bit to fit something….nothing better than finding it in a kit FULL of 40 different bits….

I have a 50 piece multi-bit kit that stays in bag with my 1/4" nut driver. I also have a set of quick connect drill bits that stay in that bag as well.

 

[DaTow'd]

I should have bought my 10,000 lb. two post hoist 25 years ago.
I've had this one for 10 years now and find it my favorite tool
Only time I have to get on my knees is setting the lifting arms.
my #1 retirement tool suggestion
Hank

 

[Fordtech86]

Little things that make life easier

They make yard work a lot easier both of them love being outside working around the yard and gardens (of course they gotta have something to drive )

 

[Biker1mike]

Little things that make life easier

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They make yard work a lot easier both of them love being outside working around the yard and gardens (of course they gotta have something to drive )

Great pics, Just wait 'till they ask for the keys to the truck !