Which would you choose?

[bigpappy]

I need your guys' help again deciding on what tool purchase/build is next.
I have enough tools and/or resources to do pretty much everything I need to do. But some things just make life easier, especially when you don't have to borrow them.

Some background: Right now I'm an engineering student at Drexel, thus I work out of my parents small garage. Said parents getting separated and father is looking at houses with larger garages. I will be moving my stuff with him until I graduate and get my own house. I'm a semi-broke college kid because even though I work every other 6 months on a co-op job, I have a bajillion dollars worth of loans.
So help me get a tool or convince me to save it for tuition..

I'm kinda focusing on the following: gantry crane vs engine hoist, shop press with brake, big ass air compressor, or plasma cutter.
Yes, I know they are all in way different categories, but I have needed them all more than once.

Currently I borrow an engine hoist, use my vise as a press for u-joints and the such, have an ok air compressor that is loud as fawk and always runs, and cut metal with angle grinder or porta-band.

Sorry for the long story and thanks in advance!

[Nalin400m]

from one poor college student to another....watch craigslist.
buy what you can when you can.
if it looks old, that just means no one has been able to break it yet:smokin:

[uglyscout]

What ever you buy plan to move it a few times before you get it in you own 'shop/garage'.

I wouldn't buy anything large if I was a poor college student working out of someone elses garage. I'd spemnd my money on smaller stuff that I could store/move ect for the next few years...

[jperecko]

I am in a similar situation. I want to build a really big/adjustable gantry crane... but it is going to wait until I have land. I got an engine stand and hoist for ~100 on CL.

A shop press is very nice to have... but if you are getting one, the first one you get should be the last, and very big. Not the best for your situation. If you can get by without one, hold off.

If you are not waiting on your current air compressor, but it is just running all the time, no need to upgrade.

Plasma cutter is pretty mobile.

I guess get an engine hoist or plasma cutter... but you know your situation better than anyone else.

[Haggar]

If you already have a serviceable smaller air compressor, I'd wait on the big one.

I would get a cherry picker before a gantry crane, based on space and money, if its a garage. If its a barn, you have space, but still not money.


I would get a folding engine hoist ($200), 20 ton HF shop press ($150). Look for a used upright belt driven air comp(can find a decent one for $250-$400).

Plasma is nice, but I'd get the others first, myself, unless you are doing a lot of metal fab.

[kortam]

You're gonna need air for the plasma so, compressor comes first. I love my plasma, its a hypertherm 600, it does everything I need it to do but... rarely is it as useful as my oxy/acet torch rig. I would say save for the plasma that will do everything you ever need it to do, but buy a torch now if you dont have one. Having said that since you have a useful but small compressor already, save to buy the big one you want and get by with what you have.

I think everybody covered the cherry picker. A good folding one is very affordable pull the trigger on that already.

I shopped around for a press then got fed up like most people and bought the harbor freight 20ton. It is what is it, a cheap 20 ton press. After one use I swore I'd get a better one later and keep it in the basement for simple stuff. Its very affordable, for pressing in/out bushings, bearings etc all the stuff that takes way too long without the proper tool it does the job just fine.

[MuddyV8YJ]

don't buy stuff just because you want to or have some spare cash. buy something when you NEED it. you said you can get by now, so do just that, get by. get rid of your loans as fast as you can so you can replace that payment with a mortgage. I split a shop between me, a buddy and my dad. there is no need for each of us to have a big compressor, or nice welder, or crane sitting idle 99.9% of the time, when we can share them and only have them sitting idle 98% of the time between the 3 of us.

[Todd W]

If you can't afford the shit don't buy it.

You already said you didn't "need" it right now.

Save up and pay cash... less loans the better.

BUT if you have to spend some money..

Cherry picker
Bigger Air Compressor
Gantry
Plasma

Is the order of your items I would do... I use the cherry picker and air comp. a hell of a lot more than the gantry and or plasma, and I use hand tools even more, especially a nice vise.

Actually, now that I've gotten electric/cordless stuff I don't use the compressor near as much either. Die grinders, and the plasma are pretty much it. Mobility is nice :smokin:

[bigpappy]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks guys.
I guess I just got excited for a bit that I had some extra money.
I'll save up and only buy something if I really need it or find a phenomenal deal on it.
Great advice. :beer:

[BarrelRoll]

I bought a fair amount of tools when I was in college because I had a 24x24' shop I knew I'd have all of college. I acquired a pretty good collection (26" tool box, 40" tool box, drill press, 60 gallon air compressor, engine hoist, welder, torches, lots of little stuff) The one thing I didn't think about 100% was moving them, after college (I graduated a year a go) they have been in 2 different garages and moved cross country. Next school year I'm moving up to Alaska off the road system and my tools are moving cross country to live in my parents garage while I'm up in Alaska for an unknown amout of time.

2 tools I really don't regret buying are torches (definetly buy before a plasma) and an engine hoist. I think my engine hoist was around $150 brand new and it's paid for it's self 100 times over. I used to borrow one and I got sick to tracking one down every time I needed to lift something heavy. A ganurty crane would be awsome but you can't really throw it in the bed of a truck to go pick up an engine stand.

[phillyzj]

Drexel, eh? I went there, what are you studying?

Make sure you utilize the machine shop, it's in the building across from sev...

get/make a plate to convert your portaband to a vertical band saw, i have used mine like that a lot.

cherry picker should do most of what you might need though the gantry would be pimp. I haven't been able to find a used gantry for a reasonable price yet.

[bigpappy]

BarrelRoll-That's kinda what I'm doing now. I have a fair amount of tools and I just keep on collecting.. But I do think that torch before plasma, like mentioned before, is an awesome idea.

phillyzj- Very nice man. I'm majoring in mechanical engineering and thinking about minoring in electrical. What did you study?
When I start another project, I will definitely use the shop. A couple other guys and I are trying to start the baja team back up.
Portaband plate already done. : )

Good advice fellas!

[phillyzj]

BarrelRoll-That's kinda what I'm doing now. I have a fair amount of tools and I just keep on collecting.. But I do think that torch before plasma, like mentioned before, is an awesome idea.

phillyzj- Very nice man. I'm majoring in mechanical engineering and thinking about minoring in electrical. What did you study?
When I start another project, I will definitely use the shop. A couple other guys and I are trying to start the baja team back up.
Portaband plate already done. : )

Good advice fellas!

I did electrical but am now going back for my Masters in ME...haha. Not at drexel though.

I did my Senior Design project with Dr. Oh as my advisor.

Good luck with the Baja team, i feel like there was a lot of issues with it when i was there. it was just starting up then...

[dopeassjackson]

sounds like you need a horizontal band saw to me. even a crappy HF unit will last you quite some time.
what size is your air compressor?
how often do you need to use a engine hoist?
what size and kind of welder do you own?
plasma cutters are defenatly nice and i own one my self but i dont have the room for a decent torch setup.
as far as a press there actualy quite easy to make and usualy cost less than you can buy a HF unit for. call around your local metal supply places and see what price you can get for steel.

[phillyzj]

speaking of steel, i assume you found Fazzio's?

[ChiScouter]

If you have a stash of cash just hold on to it until you find yourself actually needing something really bad, or until you find a killer deal on something on your wish list. CL, the local classifieds, flea markets, garage sales, etc are full of killer deals these days.

[bigpappy]

phillyzj- I have heard alot about Dr. Oh, I think I might meet him sometime.
And we're trying to start the team back up because the only members recently were guys using it as their senior design project....they're all gone now. We have a decent head start on funding and so on, but there aren't many of us on the 'team'.
Yes, I have found fazzio's...I can't leave there without spending over a $100, ever. I used to walk around there younger in awe, now, I'm still in awe but I know what a lot of the shit is for. lol

sounds like you need a horizontal band saw to me. even a crappy HF unit will last you quite some time.
That's definitely a possibility..
what size is your air compressor?
A whopping 33gal, 6.4 cfm@90psi..
how often do you need to use a engine hoist?
Eh, kinda depends on the project...Right now, I don't. But ya never know.
what size and kind of welder do you own?
220V 210amp Hobart Handler
plasma cutters are defenatly nice and i own one my self but i dont have the room for a decent torch setup.
Do you find yourself wanting or needing a torch even though you have a plasma?
as far as a press there actualy quite easy to make and usualy cost less than you can buy a HF unit for. call around your local metal supply places and see what price you can get for steel.
Most likely, the next time I need one, I will spend this money and make one.

ChiScouter- That is exactly what I am going to do now. I just needed something when I was doing a project and had that "I need a new tool now" mindset.

[phillyzj]

phillyzj- I have heard alot about Dr. Oh, I think I might meet him sometime.
And we're trying to start the team back up because the only members recently were guys using it as their senior design project....they're all gone now. We have a decent head start on funding and so on, but there aren't many of us on the 'team'.
Yes, I have found fazzio's...I can't leave there without spending over a $100, ever. I used to walk around there younger in awe, now, I'm still in awe but I know what a lot of the shit is for. lol


He was an interesting guy to work for. He was just my advisor so i never had him for a course. he made us work our asses off but we learned a lot.

Fazzio's is hit or miss some of what they have is just junk haha. Their hardware is a sweet deal though. Bought a lot of that and a lot of misc steel.

good luck with baja...you're gonna need it :laughing:

[Jeep07]

I don't buy tools when I need them.. I try to budget money for tools each month and as that $ saves up I buy a tool I might find useful in the future. That way when the times comes and I "need" the tool I have it handy and don't have to stop in the middle of a project. I do the same thing with raw materials. When somebody says they are gonna make a steel purchase I usually order a few sticks of stuff I use often for misc projects (not always 4x4 stuff). That way when I get a free Saturday I've got what I need there and can be productive.

Plasma has the "Cool" factor so if you just want one then go for it. Air Compressor is a must have but if yours works and keeps up with you then keep it until you get your own shop. Shop press is handy but wouldn't be as high on my list.

If your looking for a handy tool and cash is burning in your pocket I recommend a Drill Doctor (Largest model they make)... Saves you tons on dull drills and is really handy..

[bigpappy]

Thanks phillyzj, we shall see what happens with it. The scary thing is, I'm the one with the most fab experience.:eek:

Jeep07-That is another great idea. I always find myself needing something to either complete a project or make it easier, so having the forethought to buy the tools ahead of time would be great.
But, I don't have a steady income because of college.
Already have one of the biggest drill doctors, that sucker works wonders.