Its all about the almighty dollar

[98Shabah]

Re: Its all about the almighty dollar

I think the important thing to remember when taking advice from people on the internet is that the advice may or may NOT suit your situation. I've read posts where people say to change an outdrive water impeller every 2 years (which I did without any special tools or a special stand), yet in my case mine was 12 years old with 200 hrs and was perfectly fine. Heck, many people change their oil in their cars every 3,000 miles, I find that 10,000 miles on synthetic works well for my vehicles. Sorry, went off on a tangent there. Bottom line, if you're handy, give something a shot, if it's not going back together right and you can't fabricate the tool to get the job done, then just buy it.

 

[howlnmad]

Re: Its all about the almighty dollar

I'm not going to go on a tool tangent, I've done my share of altering tools. I'm going down the parts trail.

Last year I went to change out a couple bearings in my Cobra. Went shopping online and found them both... 100 bucks for the two with shipping. Took them down to my NAPA store and walked out with both for less than 30. Made me wonder who's gouging who.

 

[soaringhiggy]

Re: Its all about the almighty dollar

You must be an old timer! The only reason I knew what he was talking about is that I remember using carbide lamps; but then I'm probably older than his generator.

Agreed it is calcium carbide, I just ripped off the carbide quickly. When calcium carbide CaC2 is mixed with water H2O it makes acetylene C2H2 and Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2.

Used to make great booms with the stuff, kids can't do that any more

 

[natemoore]

Re: Its all about the almighty dollar

Agreed it is calcium carbide, I just ripped off the carbide quickly. When calcium carbide CaC2 is mixed with water H2O it makes acetylene C2H2 and Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2.

Used to make great booms with the stuff, kids can't do that any more

Tell me about it. I would be on a DHS watch list had I been born in this era. Burned down our lawn equipment shed before I was 10 years old. How I still have all my fingers and both eyes I'll never know.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Its all about the almighty dollar

If I were a professional marine mechanic, I'd have no problem whatsoever buying a $20 socket if it saved me some time or was easier to use.

I'm in the construction business. I own eight different types of air nailers (roofing nailer, sheathing nailer, framing nailer, trim nailer, two crown staplers, one 18 ga. brad nailer, and one 23 ga. headless pinner). Sure, I could pound in those 16d nails in with a large rock, whereby saving myself $20 that I would otherwise have to pay to "Big Hammer," but time is money. I even got an extra stapler so I wouldn't have to waste time switching from 5/8" staples to 1-3/8" staples.

However, I'm a poor person, so out of necessity I have to fabricate and improvise marine tools. In fact, today I made a carrier-assembly-puller out of two steel eye hooks, two pieces of all-thread, two barrel nuts, and a harmonic balancer puller. That saved me $200-$300. If I did it every day, I'd be thankful that someone out there was making a tool to make the job quicker and easier and I'd fork over the $300.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Its all about the almighty dollar

Worse thing about this whole discussion is that there is a cheap reliable workaround for the shift cable end installation.
You take a 9/16" spark plug socket which has a hex on it's drive end and put another socket over the hex. Voila extension socket. No welder, and both sockets live on to fix other stuff later.
I have only a couple of special tools, but I don't wrench every day like a lot of you may. The only time I buy a special tool is if it's smarter & better than the factory way, or if it's the only way!