# The Top 5 Foundation Tools for Home Mechanics



## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

No hex wrench set is complete without an 8mm wrench, and those chain cleaners just make a mess of your garage floor. I'm curious if CX Wrench has any input on the quality of that torque wrench, though.


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

(1) Hex wrench set... have, (2) Bike rack/stand.... have, (3) Torque wrench.... have, (4) Cable cutter... have

Chain cleaning kit..... don't have!

Does that make me less of a a home mechanic than those who own 5 out of 5 tools


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

You know, that wall-mounted stand looks like it would be a pain to work with, especially on jobs where you need to work on both sides of the bike. Either you need to work backwards and blind on the items between the frame and the wall, or else you need to remove the bike, reset the clamp, and remount it the other way.


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## Tom Kunich (Oct 16, 2002)

No Time Toulouse said:


> You know, that wall-mounted stand looks like it would be a pain to work with, especially on jobs where you need to work on both sides of the bike. Either you need to work backwards and blind on the items between the frame and the wall, or else you need to remove the bike, reset the clamp, and remount it the other way.


Unless you have a very large workshop, the standard Park work stand also blocks working on both sides of the bike. I have that problem. While a torque wrench is a good idea because of the size of it and how seldom you ever use the higher settings this is probably preferable CDI TLA28NM 2-8 Ft. Lb. Torqcontrol Adjustable Torque Tool CDITLA28NM

For the cost of that chain cleaning tool set you can buy an ultrasonic cleaner. Rather than solvents I use that super soap that you can buy in the purple plastic container from an auto parts store. Allow the cleaner to come up to temperature before putting the chain or cassettes or whatever in and run it for 15 minutes and then wash it in running water and it is as clean as it can possibly be. That stuff is nonvolatile so it isn't a fire hazard in your shop as solvent or kerosene would be.

NONE of those cable cutters work properly except Park and I've used them all. You have to have a cutter that starts sharp and remains that way.

It has been my experience is that Home Depot has just as good a set of Hex wrenches for a lower price. They ALL start rounding out the ends and are all made from the same steel so Performance Tool MET T-Handle Hex Key Set (10-Piece)-W80275 - The Home Depot which also conveniently mounts to the wall of the workshop.

I had one of the original Park bike stands which the 80 lb weight on the bottom of it. When I had my concussion I must have sold it off with all of my other stuff like my guitar collection, my gun collection, all of the original team jerseys etc. So upon being treated with the proper medication and becoming conscious again, I bought the latest aluminum tube work stand and to tell you the truth I prefer it. It weighs very little and on a nice day you can take it out into the patio and work in the sun.


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