We never talk tools, what do you guys like?

[bagekko]

My wife was in Germany last month, I sent her with specific detailed shopping list. Her coworker took her to some place and she showed my list, he said we dont have any of those specific ones but here is a nice german made ratchet. I told her to return if it wasnt the extact one on my list.

I have to send her to these stores if she goes back in January. I know the prices here are about the same as in Germany, was hoping for cheaper, but just wanted something bought there.

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Since it's obvious we are all tool fanatics as well as BMW fanatics... I thought I'd share some pics of what kinds of tools my local hardware stores carry. All prices are in Euros($1 buys about 0.86 euros cents, so multiple these prices by 1.15 to get the USdollar price).

I went shopping for a heater for my garage, when I am working in it. I took some pics from my cell phone for your enjoyment!

enjoy,
"uncle" Dack...

Bauhaus in Nurnberg...
Attachment 1950099

[bagekko]

Completed my M12 collection for socket tools. Have 4 M18 impacts as well.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by bagekko

My wife was in Germany last month, I sent her with specific detailed shopping list. Her coworker took her to some place and she showed my list, he said we don't have any of those specific ones but here is a nice Ggerman made ratchet. I told her to return if it wasn't the exact one on my list.

I have to send her to these stores if she goes back in January. I know the prices here are about the same as in Germany, was hoping for cheaper, but just wanted something bought there.

It kind of depends on what part of Germany you are visiting... bc these stores are mostly in Bavaria(Munich, Nuremberg, etc) I think and maybe in Baden Wurtenburg(Stuttgart) area(s).

Hornbach is my favorite hardware store. Bauhaus is also good as well as Obi. But Obi just has their own branding of tools plus brands like Proxxon and some other brand which I can't remember at the moment.

Toom Baumarkt is also another decent hardware store... but it can also be a grocery store too(they will just say: Toom). Just depends on the location of the store(s).


I also really like to buy my major tools from STAHLGRUBER GmbH or even Throst(TROST Fahrzeugteile). Both are car part's supply centers that cater to indi auto shops. You can try searching Google maps for: Kfz Fahrzeugteile (which means car = kfz and Fahrzeugteile = autoparts).

I know STAHLGRUBER sells Hazet, Vigor, Gedore and Stahlwille tools. The only problem I see is that you need a account number(kunden mummer) to buy stuff there... but you can ask them to use an existing account since you will most likely be paying cash or EC card there. Yeah... they don't take credit cards there. But at most Baumarkts they do take credit cards.

IF and when you go to a STAHLGRUBER... try using these accounts:
#50620 or #201374 both will include the 19% VAT but they are discounted from the MSRP prices.


But honestly, I would just order your tools thru Amazon.de Have the tools shipped to a German address(usually takes one or two days) that your wife can swing by and pick up the tools. Or have them delivered to the USA. But I think you will get killed in shipping rates and custom duties. It's a lot easier IF you can have the tools shipped to a address in Germany. Maybe you could even use the hotel that you will stay at >?



Tax Free at the Airport...

Keep all your receipts and show your tool purchases at the airport(put the tools in your check'd luggage!!). But at the airport you can show the German Customs(called: Zoll, here)... your tools and receipts... They gove you a special ZOLL stamp, then file for the VAT refund when you are back in the states. At the Airport they have these kiosks that say "VAT Free"... they will stamp your purchases or the Zoll will and you file for a tax refund(19% VAT over here) when you get back to the USA.



Btw... for anyone in the Munich area... there is a nice hardware store called: Hagebaumarkt just down the street from the BMW Welt. It's almost across the street from BMW Classic if you guys know where that is located.


https://www.google.de/maps/dir/hageb...1981!3e0?hl=en


Also just off the A9 Autobahn near the Alliance Arena is a very nice Hornbach that I have been too...

Hornbach...
https://www.google.de/maps/place/HOR...1.618849?hl=en


Here is a List of all the hardware(Baumarkt) stores in and around Munich...
https://www.google.de/maps/search/ba....1882441?hl=en



Ok, here is some more German tool porn for you guys. Yesterday I was at the Hornbach store in Schwabach, a suburb of Nuremberg... It's a big store and they have a good selection of tools. It's kind of weird that different brand name stores carry a different selection of tools. But they do.
https://www.google.de/maps/place/HOR....0489425?hl=en



Schwabach Hornbach...



































And for those of you who are bad... Santa gonna bring you some coal!


Coal or "Braunkohl", as it's called over here. Btw... the home heaters that use wood or coal... they have a catalizer filter in them, to prevent soot from exiting the chimnies and stinking up the villages!


wood...

[YearOneOne]

Dewalt power tools
Air cat Air tools and Ingersoll rand tank
Mixture of all kinds of cheap sockets and wrenchs
Kleins hand tools
Schwaben jack and Jack stands

[bagekko]

Oh cool, she flew into Nuremberg last time, Munich before that. Her office is in Erlangen. She cant ship stuff to the office cuz they have crazy restrictions, but hotel is an option. A coworker of hers suggest the Amazon.de ship option.

I am supposed to go with her on a future trip when the weather is nicer. BMWs & tools would keep me very busy.

Originally Posted by Dackelone

It kind of depends on what part of Germany you are visiting... bc these stores are mostly in Bavaria(Munich, Nuremberg, etc) I think and maybe in Baden Wurtenburg(Stuttgart) area(s).

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by bagekko

Oh cool, she flew into Nuremberg last time, Munich before that. Her office is in Erlangen. She cant ship stuff to the office cuz they have crazy restrictions, but hotel is an option. A coworker of hers suggest the Amazon.de ship option.

I am supposed to go with her on a future trip when the weather is nicer. BMWs & tools would keep me very busy.

Ok, cool. You should have no trouble finding some German tools for yourself. The weather gets better here around late March or April.

Globus in Forcheim is very close to Erlangen. But like I said before... Hornbach is "my fav" hardware store in Nurnberg, just a few more minutes South down the A73 Autobahn.


Erlangen is a nice city. It rivals Heidelberg, for a very high population of bicycles to car ratio. Probably something like 500 bicycles for every one car! lol Always look in your review(side) mirror before opening your car door(!) when you are in Erlangen.



A little side note...

Near Erlangen is Herzogenaurach, this is where the "Herzo Base" use to be. It's where the Luftwaffe had an airbase. I've heard stories that from that base is where the Luftwaffe launched it's fighter to start WWII's invasion of Poland. I also head that the airfield's runways were intentionally flooded(with a few inches of water to make the runways look like lakes!) after the fighters launched operations... so Allied bombers couldn't find the airfield. IF that's true that's pretty cool. I have also heard that there were secret underground tunnels that went from Herzog Base over to Nuremberg's Zeppelin Field - where Hitler gave his speeches from. There is an interesting Museum on the Nazi Reich near there - see my last link bellow...

Herzog Base...
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Her....9094533?hl=en


Nuremberg's Zeppelin Field - where Hitler gave his speeches from...
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Zep....1234561?hl=en



Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Dok....1114022?hl=en


Today the Herzog Base is the corporate home for Adidas & Nike shoes. The Luftwaffe's airfield and former US Army(post WWII up until the '90's) is long gone from there. But it's something interesting to go see. I believe there is a civilian air field there that many small planes and gliders still use today. And there is a nice swimming pool called: Freizeitbad Atlantis - that is pretty nice.


take care,
Dackel

[iminhell1]

Dad's tools (he's mostly German, if you can believe that)



had to break up all the organization and prettyness somehow

[Happy Jose]

The best power tools are Makita. I have a new sub-compact 1/2" drill. I might pick up a 3/8" square drive impact driver also from Mikata. Recently I bought a couple pairs of Knipex needle nose pliers, very cool.

I find Craftsman sockets, extensions, and ratchets as good as any brand out there. I don't buy Harbor Freight junk. I prefer to spend a couple of dollars for any specialized tool I might need. I also don't buy "sets" of tools preferring to pick up one or two items like Lisle star sockets or various torque drivers.

I do have two pairs of jack stands with fittings on them to accept the jacking pockets on my Mercedes and BMW, both the same. Recently I bought a low profile Arcan Jack worth every penny. I plan to use it to install my new Bilstein front struts.

Anyway, the best tools aren't expensive.

[Happy Jose]

There is one tool that is absolutely essential if you ever intend to poke your nose under your car:

https://www.reverselogic.us/jack-stands.html

I have a pair of the modified Torin T43004. You need a couple of Big Red Jack Stands which require you to drill a hole in the saddle to fit the blocks for your car's jack pockets. Tip, be careful that the hole you drill is centered!

I also have a pair of Esco 10498 with the pivoting blocks. You can buy both the inserts and stands from Reverse Logic or either item separately.

[Blu3RSX]

Originally Posted by Esteban

My favorites:

Duct tape and WD-40. If something shouldn't move and it does, use duct tape. If something should move and it doesn't, use WD-40.

lol

[bagekko]

Yup I modified some Torins and put the blocks in them, I also have reverse logics jack pads and wheel hangers.

I only needed my Milwaukee M12 Fuel 1/2 drill to drill out the jack stands, could of used a bigger drill but I wanted to see how much balls the M12 has. It easily did the job, went from 5/32 to 1/4 then straight to 7/16 just for fun.

Originally Posted by Happy Jose

There is one tool that is absolutely essential if you ever intend to poke your nose under your car:

https://www.reverselogic.us/jack-stands.html

I have a pair of the modified Torin T43004. You need a couple of Big Red Jack Stands which require you to drill a hole in the saddle to fit the blocks for your car's jack pockets. Tip, be careful that the hole you drill is centered!

I also have a pair of Esco 10498 with the pivoting blocks. You can buy both the inserts and stands from Reverse Logic or either item separately.

[bagekko]

Goin to get these Gearwrench mid sockets soon. Have deep, extra deep, normal, nano, but totally see the need for semi-deep. Everyone that gets sockets this size says they end up being the favorites.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00829RMAM...v_ov_lig_dp_it

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Blu3RSX

lol

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by bagekko

Goin to get these Gearwrench mid sockets soon. Have deep, extra deep, normal, nano, but totally see the need for semi-deep. Everyone that gets sockets this size says they end up being the favorites.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00829RMAM...v_ov_lig_dp_it

Get the pass through. You can eliminate the need for most with a better design IMO.

https://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-89...qid=1545246140

I carry this and the 1/4" set in my car. With the exception of a few things (E Torx) I haven't needed anything else for track repairs.

[KRAMCLASSIC]

Ratchet everything...and when in doubt zip ties...

[brocklanders]

My favourite tool is the Schwaben torque limiting impact sockets, they're awesome.

[Suprgnat]

This thread's getting a little stale. Just got a Yost FSV-4 vice. It is of superior quality and well worth $123 on Amazon.

[Dackelone]

I watch a lot of South Main Auto(SMA) on YT... I really like that guy and how he repairs cars. Learned a lot. Even from doing a simple brake job... he's taught me a few tricks. Anyways... he really likes this UK tool company... "Toptull". I've never heard of them before... but I did buy this impact set off of ebay.de I really like the kit. When I bought it I only paid 40 euros for it. Now its over 50 euros. That's the one weird thing about that tool brand... their ebay prices varry wildly. You can find them on UK ebay.co.uk or on ebay.de They make all sorts of hand tools - and usually they are dirt cheap.

Here is the impact set(Schlag Stecksnus Satz) I bought off of ebay.de

TOPTUL 1/2" 17 Stück 10-32 mm 6-kant...



https://www.ebay.de/itm/Schlag-Steck...72.m2749.l2649



and... more Toptull tools... on the German ebay.de

https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from...optul&_sacat=0



And here is Eric O from SMA doing one of his informative brake jobs...

Dack