I like doing things right. That means that I want to use tools the right way. I don’t like using cheater bars on wrenches, though once in a while I will if there’s no other way to get enough torque. There’s also that trick with linking two combination wrenches. I don’t like that, and one of my teachers did that and it put little dents in my wrenches.

A big one for me is chrome sockets on impact tools. Regular sockets, chrome sockets, are made differently than impact sockets, which are also usually thicker. I haven’t witnessed it myself, but any decent tool company will tell you to never use chrome sockets with impact tools, because they could shatter.

The one time I allowed myself to use something non-impact on an impact tool was when I didn’t have a long enough 1/2″ drive impact extension to reach the rear engine mount bolts on my Civic. I was very light on the trigger to be careful, and I’m planning on getting some long impact extensions.

-Dan