recomended tools etc

[rugrunner]

As someone new to all this I was perplexed when I looked at the inside of the V56 I just got to see screws with what I have since learned are called clutch heads.

I had to got to three hardware stores to find such a driver. This made me wonder- what tools do I need to attempt this?

So here is my question: what basic tools should I have and what would be considered intermediate and advanced tools?

Also are there any reference books that are helpful or must have?

Thanks again,

Bill

[Marvin]

That should really be the only "special" tool you will need.  Everything else is mostly general hand tools / sockets type stuff.
Of course there are things that make stuff easier or faster, but they aren't really needed.


Marvin

[Pat Pixley]

As far as the clutch head Screws when you get them out  Replace them with  nice Stainless Steel philp head screws It will make thing a lot easier for you down the road,
 for any repairs or if you sell it to someone else and they need to work on it. 

As far as tools Like Marvin said a Real good set of hand tools Stop by Sears or True Value
or Ace hardware and treat your self once a Week or once a Month on a new tool  .


 Remember you can't have enough tools

[Creighton]

Great question. Always meant to start a list and never got around to it :-)
Marvin is correct clutch driver is the only strange one. I would add:

PB Blaster to loosen rusted bolts/screws.
Simple Green and scotch pads to clean shelves liners etc..
Turtle Wax Polishing Compound for oxidized/dull paint.
Mothers Mag wheel polish for aluminum.
Digital camera to help getting it all back together.
I like cupcake pans to hold the misc parts. Labled Zip-Lock bags work well also.
Volt/Ohm meter to check electrical.
Dremal tool with cutoff wheel for the PITA screws.
Power washer
Air Compressor
And for Pat, heat gun to remove woodgrain :-)

Hope others add their must haves and maybe we can put something in the resource area.
Creighton

PS. Forgot to respond on the reference book question. The factory service manuals are your best bet. Reprints/scans are available but quality varies. Aplogies to the authors but I just don't think numbers listed in the price guides are valid anymore. The time delay to get a guide printed and the current buying power of most folks has lowered realistic values.

[Pat Pixley]

Creighton that is a great idea to do start a tool list

[SIGNGUY]

You can never have enough good toos around, and depending on your tool "budget" and how much restoring your going to do, you can go on an on.. Air compressor, sand blast cabinet, lets see.. paint booth, etc.
but for simple restoration, the tools mentioned from the other members here will work just great for you.
one think I like is a power screwdriver, not a power drill, but something slower with good torque , instead of hand unscrewing and screwing all the hardware you'll be taking off nad putting in..
Good luck!

[Larry]

Wire cutters, strippers, stakons, wire nuts, and crimpers are a must for electric. 

I love the six in one screw drivers with the 1/4" AND 5/16" built in sockets (small phillips and small staight blade in the 1/4" tube and the larger phillips and straight in the 5/16" side).

The only speciality tool that I have a few of is a split tipped screw driver to hold flat screws onto the screwdriver blade.  They're great for electromechanical games.  I'm sure it would apply for pop machines too.

Small crescent wrench and channel locks are also favorite tools of mine.

A magnetic bowl for screws is also handy.

[rugrunner]

Great suggestions! My two rules on tools are you can never have enough and never sell your tools. I considered selling my carpet tools when I went completely to tile work. With the economy as it is I have been scraping by doing mostly carpet jobs.

Couple of follow ups:

what is a PITA screw, a pb blaster, and a stakon?

Do you need a sand blasting cabinet or can you do it outside?

[Larry]

Sta-kons are a brand of electrical connectors.  Here's an example.  I don't know what the other items are.

My old partner (in crime) used to say "It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have."  That's about the only thing I learned from him.

[collecture]

PB Blaster is a loosening agent like Liquid Wrench. I use it occasionally - it works well.
PITA is short for a 'Pain In The A**' screw!
My favorite tool is my magnetic tipped screwdriver with interchangable tips - I have slotted, phillips and chutch head all-in-one.
Next favorite is my impact screwdriver. It works well for getting those PITA screws out.
Great Topic!

[rugrunner]

I should have been able to figure out PITA...

Luckily I am a tool junkie. Unluckily the tools are all for flooring or wood work.

I do have a few compressors, a basic socket set, and assorted wrenches, drivers etc.

Is sandblasting equipment expensive? What is the deal with a cabinet.

It seems that would be a very helpful thing to have around.

As always, Thanks!

Bill

[mznb1u]

Sand Blasting and/or soda blasting equipment is not too expensive.  Check Eastwood or Harbor Freight.  The blasting cabinet is nice to have for cleaning up parts without making a mess that has to be cleaned up.  If you do a lot of resto work it will be cheaper than paying someone else in the long run.

  Tim

http://www.the3day.org/goto/Tim.McDonnell

[tkaz]

I picked up a sandblast cabinet from Harbor Freight a while back, and its been great.  If you keep an eye on the price, and sign up for their email coupons, you can get a deal on it.  I paid about $150 for it.  You hook it up to a shop vac to keep the dust down.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93608

Other tools/liquids I use:

Favorite:
Cordless impact gun (not so necessary for soda machines though)
Dual-action sander
Goo-gone gel (spray on, leave it, it'll take anything off)
PB Blaster is the best penetrating oil out there
Propane torch with a quick start trigger
Multimeter

[rugrunner]

More great info! Thanks.

Looked at harbor freight, is one of the smaller blasters or the big hopper style better?

If you have a blasting cabinet can you reuse the "sand"?

Any good books on sandblasting or body work for a novice to read?

Thanks, Bill

[Pat Pixley]

I love my Blast cabinet make it great for getting parts cleaned up for chrome plating or painting, .

[mznb1u]

I don't care what Pat Pixley says, another item to add to the list is a large roll of wood-grain contact paper to replace what you removed with the heat gun! 

  Tim

[SIGNGUY]

More great info! Thanks.

Looked at harbor freight, is one of the smaller blasters or the big hopper style better?

If you have a blasting cabinet can you reuse the "sand"?

bigger is always better, but of course space and budget come to mind.. for simple stuff/parts/etc.. the one pictured would be find, I bought mine from TP Tools, nice rig. gotta have a LARGE compressor to handle it though as ALOT of air goes through them. As far as sand or other medium, you can use sand, glass bead, plastic bead, there are many different mediums you can use to get the job done, and yes it recycles , it sits in the hopper below, a siphon tube pulls it up and through the gun then settles back down again.. depending on use and what your blasting it will eventually loose effectiveness and you will tell the difference one what your blasting that it is time to change the medium.

[sodaworks]

Here's mine. This and my paint booth are two of the best investments I made for my resto shop. The media blaster was purchased from TP tool. I use a dust collector on mine, works much better than a shop vac. and without the high pitched noise of a vac.

[mznb1u]

I've got a rare coke embossed blast cabinet that I will let you have for $1,500!  I have seen them go for $3,000 on E-Bay! 

  Tim 

www.the3day.org/goto/Tim.McDonnell

[collecture]

That looks like a decal to me! Can you provide a close-up of the embossing? I am very interested! 

[sodaworks]

Hey that looks pretty cool. I'm gonna put a coke decal on it. I already have one on the compressor.

[mznb1u]

Actually, that is just a bad phot-shop job by me!  The coke decal would look great on the front of that blasting box though!

  Tim