So I bought this soulful Jag a couple of weeks ago. Inevitable issues so I jump on here and I'm loving the interest and advice. Looking forward to sunshine and V12 action.

And I just can't stop buying tools!
I read Machine Mart on the throne. Shiny spanners. Low-rider jacks. Those lie down trolley things. And they're so helpful down there.

Somebody help me.

 

I was going through my tools to rearrange and move some of them to a new rolling tool cabinet and find I have triplicate of some wrenches (spanners) and 4 of some sockets. In my some 70+ years of which the last 55 have been accumulating all sorts of tools and still sometimes I just need one more for that one special job I am about to undertake. There is no end to it...

 

Hi Nostrildamus

What the Hell did you go and bring that up for!

First I buy a Socket Set (A big one!) with Metric and A/F Spanners and then for some reason that can't be explained, I think I've gone and bought the wrong piece of Kit!

So I took it back for a refund and then get told that I screwed up and to go and buy it again!

But it doesn't end there Oh no!

There are so many different Nuts and Bolts on these Cars of ours, that I get the feeling that if I bought every Spanner on the Planet, then I'd still need some tool I hadn't got.

If you look at my 'Cherry Blossom' Restoration.

A Spanner Thread seems to have come out of nowhere, which to be honest has left my head Spinning.

And before I was getting on so well with just a Jumble of Sockets in a Plastic Lunch Box, which is now giving me lots of food for thought.

Although I like Machine Mart, there are some very nice Socket Sets on ebay for about £30 Click and Collect at Argos.

But I dare not go and order one, until I've got the nod from those who know.

The Spanner Thread is here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...122634/page38/

I've been getting all my Spanners from the Pound Shop and they are really amazing and bigger Spanners off ebay that were made in China, where even with a 4ft Scaffold Pole stuck on the end to give me a bit more leverage.

I still couldn't break them!



My unbreakable Chinese Spanners about £2-50p each.
The Broken one in the Photo was a proprietary Brand.



Eight Spanners from The Pound Shop only £2
which I found are as good as some top makes.




My Brilliant Pound Shop Spanners, I haven't broken one yet.

 

You've gone deep, OB. And from the look of your extender bars something tells me I'm gonna need some leverage!

Just one more tool, Ronald!

 

No need for levers... Get a compressor and an impact wrench... The bolts OB needed long extensions for were undone easily with a normal impact wrench

 

...adds impact wrench to 'the list'

 

I've spent nearly as much on tools as I have on my XJS, including Lathe, Milling machine, 4hp 110L compressor, and the list goes on.

You can never have too many tools.

 

Hi Warrjon

That's a very good reason to buy a Second XJS then you've always got a Spare to use while you're fixing the other one.

 

Hi Daim

I've already got an Impact Wrench, in Fact I've got Two or even Three if you want to include the one that you hit with a FBH.

 

Hi Nostrildamus

Unless you've got a fairly Big Compressor then an Impact Wrench that runs on Air won't always have enough power to do the Job.

Unlike this Electric One that WILL and Quite possibly the best piece of Kit that I have ever bought in my whole life.

I did a little Video on YouTube (Bring your own Popcorn) https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...122634/page10/

 

warrjon you bought a lathe to work on your XJS? What job required that lol?


On a side note: Idk how you people deal with combo wrenches, I'd gladly throw them in the trash. One size each please.

 

I machined up set of spacers for the front wheel bearings, new bushes for the throttle linkages + 100's of other small parts and mods, the lathe and mill have been used a lot.

 

I do get it. And it seems that the genes have gone on to my son!!!


1. He gave me an old Atlas Lathe in pieces. Replaced in his shop with a better one. ?? Not sure if really so! I did enjoy cleaning it up and reassembling it's gear drive. And creating a base and adopting an electric motor to drive it. It works. I've chopped some material, but only a piece or two that was useful!! A machinist, I sure am not


2. Son has acquired three "ancient" mills. Removed the old electro mechanical control in favor of electronic computer management systems. At my visit on Christmas, he demo's the little one at his home. Actually, a computer program directed router. But conceptually alike. Milling material in X,Y and Z axis to create a part. Auto all the way. Cut a blank of plastic to a spacer for carb to EFI manifold.


The big mils do it in alloy for various items, from spacers to brackets. And, even a lower control arm in alloy for his scratch built, "Tom's Low T". Suspension of his own design.


Carl

 

I feel totally out-tooled. But I'm a late starter

 

If you've got a 3Ton Trolley Jack and a couple of Axle Stands, your halfway there.

 

We all have to start somewhere, my philosophy is to have the right tool for the job, makes it easy to do the job right. I have collected tools over the past 8 years, I sold my really good lathe when I moved 4000km across the country.

 

I've been turning wrenches for 40 years now and my inventory, if I include my lift and my diagnostic tools, is in the neighborhood of $7k.

This doesn't include my carpentry tools. I inherited the habit of fixing things for myself from my father. He wasn't frugal. He just didn't trust others to do what he could do given the opportunity to read a manual and have the right tools. I still have a couple of his old screwdrivers.

You can never have enough tools. I have one son who will inherit them all. My other three kids, find no joy in fixing their cars. For me it's cathartic.

 

Yeah, I fix a lot of stuff. One of my 'all weather" extension cords was healthy except for the connectors. Easy answer, toss it get a new one. Not me. Up grade. Off to the store, Investment for a female and a male connector about twelve bucks.


Warmish sun in driveway. Definite chill at my bench inside. Got a bunch of tools together in a pan. With Coco at my side enjoying the sun and the passersby, I commenced work. Cut off and tossed the original connectors. Slipped on a length of black heat shrink on each end. Matched white secondary wire to silver post. Black primary to god post. Green wire to green post. Twisted strands to wrap CW on the posts.


Neat and clean. Used electricians polarity test tool. OK.


A short cord ready to go. No need to unwind the 50' or the 100' if not needed.


My back shop wall is shelved. Smaller boxes stashed there. Solder tools, wire tools, tune up tools, tubing tool etc. And more...


The tune up box includes some that are obsolete for my EFI cars!!!




Carl

 

Today I have got TIG welding equipment OMG 800 USD

 

She's...beautiful. I did try one of those once, on some aluminium. Really liked it, lovely arc flame, beautiful welds if you can master it. I'm a bit jealous.