I've never had a fine toothed ratchet...but I can see where they would come in handy....

[Yarddog]

You bet I got a hammer. What kinda person do you think I am?

Ive been looking everywhere for one with a left handed grip though. They are damn rare.

 

[Arlette]

11

Ive been looking everywhere for one with a left handed grip though. They are damn rare.

I know where to find those. But I ain't gonna tell you.

 

[Missourian]

I never had one of those situations. All my handles work.

I have...but not often enough I ever searched one out. Just found a different way to get it done.

But I have big semis and pickups from the 70s and 80s.

If I was working on newer cars with everything crammed together, I'd at least have one in ⅜ drive.

 

[Missourian]

11

I know where to find those. But I ain't gonna tell you.

It's in the same aisle as the board stretchers and blinker fluid.

 

[Arlette]

I have...but not often enough I ever searched one out. Just found a different way to get it done.

But I have big semis and pickups from the 70s and 80s.

If I was working on newer cars with everything crammed together, I'd at least have one in ⅜ drive.

It's good that you like your job. Everybody should have a job they love. I would love a job where I could spread blasphemy to the masses and make good money.

 

[Yarddog]

It's in the same aisle as the board stretchers and blinker fluid.

A crack in my tail light lens cover gives me all the blinker fluid I need. Every winter i could keep a goldfish in there...maybe even two. Amazingly the bulb is still sealed.

 

[Missourian]

A crack in my tail light lens cover gives me all the blinker fluid I need. Every winter i could keep a goldfish in there...maybe even two. Amazingly the bulb is still sealed.

I've got a headlight like that...an inch of water in the "sealed" part.

How is that thing still working?

 

[Captain Caveman]

I was at Wal*Mart today looking for one of those Benchmade knockoffs (apparently so is everyone else...cuz there were none to be found) and there was a ½ inch ratchet with no markings on clearance for six bucks. As you'll see, I didn't expect to need another ½ inch ratchet...but who can say no to a useful lifetime guaranteed tool from a company that's most likely to be around the rest of my life.

Well, it turns out it's a 90 tooth ratchet...which got me to wondering what the rest of my ratchets were.

So I rounded up all the ones that were easy to get to and tested them.

View attachment 1008024

The one on the far left is the new Hart.

Next to that is the Stanley I use the most often. It's 45 teeth.

Next to that is a vintage Craftsman with 45 teeth.

Fourth over is a Popular Mechanics with 40 teeth.

Second from the right is another Craftsman with 32 teeth.


And to the far right is a Tractor Supply special with 24 teeth.



Since I'm usually not working in super tight spots, I have never sought out a fine tooth ratchet...but usually not isn't never, and there have been times it would have come in pretty handy.

Like everything else though, there are trade offs. Less teeth equals bigger teeth, and all things being equal, bigger equals stronger.

So while this will be nice to have those times that ya need it, I don't see it getting a lot of use.

I remember speaking to mechanic donkey years ago, about the time ratchet spanners were appearing. He said to do the final tighten of a nut or to initially break/undo the nut, use a regular spanner, a ratchet wrench/spanner is for quickly doing up or undoing the nut. Something about not breaking the teeth in the ratchet part. But if the likes of Snap-on do them life time guarantee, then I can't see the issue.

But having said that, I've always followed that advice.

 

[Missourian]

Impressive...