Mechanic's Tools to Have in the Workshop

David Thiel and Aime Fraser, author of Your First Workshop, explain how some automotive tools can be handy to have around the workshop.

Vise Grip(1 of 6)

The advent of modern technology and machinery in a wood shop has brought tools normally reserved for the auto mechanic's shop into the woodworker's shop. The tools can be more powerful and more accurate than tools normally used in a wood shop.

A vise grip can be more useful than pliers for some applications. A screw in the end of a set of vise grips changes the width of the jaws of the tool. The lever closes the jaws tightly around an object. Place an object between the jaws and pull the handles together to lock the object in the tool. Since the tool is holding the object, you don't have to grip it with your hand. This tool can also be used for removing broken screws. Vise grips come in several sizes so you can choose the right tool for each application.

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