[OT] Tools/standards

[Jason_Leone at amat.com]

<<Speakin of different size wrenches, anyone here ever heard of or used a
set a tools known as Met-Wrench? The commercial makes them out to be some sorta
SUPER wrenches, they
don't look like too high quality of metal was used to make em, to me
anyways...>>

I have the set. They work good. The wrenches aren't the best finish, but they
are strong enough to handle a lot of torque. I've tweaked on the larger wrenches
with a cheater bar(the upper pipe section/handle of my 3 ton floor jack) and
they can take it.

As far as the actual funtionality of the metric/SAE thing...well, my car is all
metric. The few times I've wrenched on SAE fasteners/nuts, they worked great.
The set came in a black plastic carrying case, and was rather complete. Came w/
15 or so open/closed end wrenches, 1/4" driver, 3/8" ratchet drive, 1/2" ratchet
drive, extensions, universals, shallow and deep sockets, 3/8"-1/4" reducing
adapter, and a short "wobbley" extenion. Overall, a damn good value. Sears sells
the set, and also Orchard Supply Hardware (now owned by Sears). The set has a
warranty, but I don't think I'll need it anytime soon.

I like the fact that the sockets grip the sidewall of the nut (or bolt head),
and not the corners. This helps to avoid rounding, but only if the particular
socket fits well. When I wrench on important items that I can't afford to round,
I use the actual SAE or metric tool for the job (i.e., I use an actual 11mm
flare wrench for bleeding my brake lines, not the Metrinch 11mm-7/16" combo
wrench).

Oh yeah, one of the reasons that modern American cars have mixed fasteners...is
because a lot of the assemblies are outsourced to the Japanese or Europeans. The
big three Detroit car makers have solid partnerships with Japanese car makers.
Many of the transmissions, body panels, interior moldings, and engines are built
to Japanese specs (to JIS or ISO standards). So how are they married? I think GM
had Toyota, Chrysler had Mitsubishi, and Ford had Mazda. Now GM has Saab, Ford
has Volvo, and Chrysler has MB. VW owns the whole damn world (Audi, Seat, Skoda,
Bugatti, Lambo, Bentley/Rolls Royce, Cosworth Division, etc.)!! Everyone is
yankin' somebody else's chain, and slappin' high fives. Sound like NATO/UN?

Jason
'93 SLC (100% Metric version, made in Osnabruck, Germany...at the Karmann
factory)