What tools have made a positive impact in your shop?

[ratchetandwrench]

Hi there!

My name is Kiley and I write for "The Return" in Ratchet+Wrench magazine. (For those unfamiliar, 'The Return' is more of a personalized review that gives readers the chance to learn about how a product works inside a shop that uses it as well as the shop's review of the product.) 

My question to you all today is this: what tool has made an impact in your shop? If someone was looking for a product to add to their shop, what would you recommend?  (This can range from shop floor tools, security systems, management systems, payroll, etc.) 

Thank you so much and have a great day! 

[rpllib]

We have embraced technology in our shop at perhaps a higher degree than many, not as much as some. Technology (including the www and all of the digital platforms and resources) that we have had widely available for the last 20 years, is the number one tool in our store and it has given us a definite competitive advantage, especially in the earlier days.

So, technology is our number one tool but it is not what I want to call attention to in regards to your question.

The tool that stands out, hands down above most others is our usage of the Ingersoll Rand AVC series of air hammers. 

Some might think, Whatttt??? (hack?, get a bigger hammer?, beat the hell of of it?) But you don't have to beat the hell out of it or damage parts, if you are using the right tool in experienced hands.

We are in northern Michigan and we believe in heavy doses of salt on our roads 6 months of the year. The byproduct of that is "things that don't move". The Ingersoll Rand AVC series hammers have been second to none, from my first experience with an AVC13 40 years ago, to our current tool of choice the AVC27, at getting things to move. This is a highly controllable tool with a trigger that allows experienced hands to run it from 60 hard hits per minute (that's minute, not second) to more than enough to move most things that you might need to, where vibration and force is the appropriate choice. 

I am convinced that we have no other tool in the shop that has delivered a higher ROI, other than technology.

Image attached. The large flat mushroom bits are the most used.

[ratchetandwrench]

@rpllib Thanks for your insight!

[rpllib]

Just as a quick update. I was not looking for another AVC27 but came across the one pictured on ebay, while looking for an image to include in my original post. After thinking about it, I bought the tool pictured above for $400 the next day. We did not necessarily need another one, but the fact that image showed that this unit had a new "barrel" convinced me it would be a good purchase, as that is essentially the only wear item on the tool.  Works like a charm. Good purchase.

[xrac]

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