As a restorer, what's your favorite/go to tool??

[LoHo]

Rattle-can spray paint. Whenever I can't get the damned thing to run, I can always repaint the tank to give me the feeling of accomplishment....

[crazy steve]

Rattle-can spray paint. Whenever I can't get the damned thing to run, I can always repaint the tank to give me the feeling of accomplishment....

LOTFLMAO.... Do you use chrome paint, like the old Ed Roth song 'Iffen it don't go, chrome it!'...

[motoman]

Still get "real" paint here Larry.........need a can sent in lou of making it run(not the paint)......careful what you ask for.........

[lee_dutcher]

kinda a tough qestion but i would have to say my dremel....use it for cutting, polishing, grinding...ect

[BA80]

I gotta say #0000 stainless steel wool. You can fix bad spots in paint, polish chrome or aluminum, clean tarnished brass carb parts, clean just about anything with that stuff. I go through a lot of it.

That and my imagination. Sometimes you have to come up with new ways to fix or repair stuff that you can't replace.

[ddragon63]

my Favorite resto tool's name is Jeff.... I drop it off, he calls me when its done, I pay him

if I got to do it myself I'm a fan of my 5 inch grinder with a flex back pad and Zirc sanding discs, Lincoln tig welder, cold beer, large hammer and duct tape on stand by

Thats why I use my buddy Jeff....

[3Phase]

For restoration? Electrolysis. Hands down and I wish I'd done it years ago.

There's not a lot of metal left on some of the old parts and electrolysis will restore whatever good metal it can. It turns the genuinely bad metal into black iron and sludge that can be brushed and rinsed off and some seriously corroded old parts will come apart almost like magic.

After any good metal has been converted, dilute phosphoric acid to finish removing any remaining rust and lightly coat the metal so it won't turn orange and start to dissolve before your very eyes while you watch it dry.

I haven't tried any of that 'spendy new-fangled rust remover yet so the second step might change a little but always electrolysis first to save whatever can be saved.

[bikerphil]

Hey OEM, I can't wait to hear your answer on this one.

[latexeses]

Safety glasses...Automatic. Whenever I sit down and start in. I had a wire come off a wheel and pierce a lense in a pair of the plastic safety goggles. Back in a college ag. class.
Scared the pi$$ out of me.

[Wildkat]

For restoration? Electrolysis. Hands down and I wish I'd done it years ago.

Before I read the rest of your response, the first thing that came to mind was... "I wonder what part of his body needs the hairs removed before restoring a bike?"
I figured it was those on your head to keep you from pulling them out by the roots when you run across those particularly troublesome resto. projects.
lol

[Cobia]

LoHo,
That was hilarious !!!!!!!!

Kat,
Truely a womas perspective, you're quick on the uptake !!!! Pretty good !

[foreda]

Tool

My favorite tool is "Money"!!!!!!! Can't do restoration without it!!

[fredintoon]

I'm with Marty

Horkin' great air compressor. Dunno how I lived without one.
WARNING!
Collecting air tools can become an obsession.

[cywelchjr]

Horkin' great air compressor. Dunno how I lived without one.
WARNING!
Collecting air tools can become an obsession.

Boy it sure can. I find myself looking at the airtools any time we go somewhere that has any. I think a cool new air tool makes me drool almost as much as a pretty girl used to (35 years of marriage have eliminated any illusions I may have had about the young ladies (not saying I don't appreciate them, I just know better ))

Air tools don't give you a bad time for spending time with the new air tool, and when they wantomething, it's to help you with what your doing.

[BA80]

C'mon y'all, I know you just use that compressor to blow up your inflatable girlfriend.

I guess you can call her "Air Tool" if ya want.