12 Highly Recommended Tools for DIY Car Owners
1. Large Air Compressor
This is the size of professional-grade compressor used by me in carrying out much of the work featured on this website. It copes with just about every air tool (although an orbital sander is really too much for it and a fully professional spray gun can leave it a little breathless, although it does cope). It is the ideal type of tool for the serious amateur or semi-pro.
2. Portable Air Compressor
At the smallest end of the scale, the tiny little air compressor shown above does remarkably well. It won't power many air tools but it will spray a car, even if a little slowly. It's a real compressor in miniature and a very worthwhile piece of equipment.
3. Tire Inflator Extension for Air Compressors (Large and Small Models)
One of the things that compressors of all sizes will enable you to do is blow your own tires up at home, with the addition of this remarkably inexpensive accessory.
4. Spray Guns
Another useful tool is the gun for blasting solvent onto oily mechanical components. Some brands market a set of four or five useful tools including this and the tire pressure gauge for around the cost of a car tire.
As your spraying experience gets better and better, you might want to fork out extra cash for a superior quality gun. There are many different types available, but for the DIY sprayer the dearest equipment may not be necessary.
As your spraying experience gets better and better, you might want to fork out extra cash for a superior quality gun. There are many different types available, but for the DIY sprayer the dearest equipment may not be necessary.
5. Orbital Sander
6. Mini Grinder
7. Electric Drill
8. Workmate Bench
You will certainly find power tools useful and time saving. Black and Decker make the orbital sander shown above. Also check out the mini grinder (for grinding and cutting) shown under the orbital sander, the palm grip sander and the tremendously useful electric drill, which runs from a rechargeable power pack rather than from the mains.
Without a doubt, this makes it a really safe and versatile tool for the DIY enthusiast who is likely to be working in, on or under his car in all conditions.
Beneath them all is the Workmate, which can be seen throughout this website. (It's so useful, it becomes like a third arm to you!)
Without a doubt, this makes it a really safe and versatile tool for the DIY enthusiast who is likely to be working in, on or under his car in all conditions.
Beneath them all is the Workmate, which can be seen throughout this website. (It's so useful, it becomes like a third arm to you!)
9. Sheet Metal Cutter
This is a sheet metal cutter which cuts steel neatly without distortion. It's accurate but hand-achingly slow! You can buy a similar tool to fit your own electric drill, which is of course the most versatile power tool of all!
10. Heavy-Duty Welding Kit
Back to welding again, and what you see above is a top range welding kit. It comes with rechargeable oxygen cylinder, disposable Mapp-gas cylinder (acetylene substitute) and high quality gauges and excellent, lightweight welding and cutting torches. Cheaper models are available.
11. Arc Welder
An arc welder is one of the cheapest ways to start welding, and with a carbon-arc attachment can be quite versatile.
12. Spot Welder
The serious DIY-er must consider buying a spot-welder. It welds neatly, cheaply and very rapidly indeed, although its uses are restricted, of course. More expensive models have a self-timer built in which can be a useful though not vital feature, as experience teaches you to gauge duration of a weld quite well.
