-------- Original Message --------
From: Paul Fox 
Subject: Re: [vx800-l] Toolkits
To: vx800-l@mcf.com


i'm a big fan of socket wrenches. i don't carry any L-shaped
allen wrenches in my toolkit. i bought a 1/4" drive socket set
on sale at sears that has small sockets, and also a small adapter
for about 10 different small hex, philips, straight, and torx bits.

i leave the torx bits and the 1/4" ratchet at home (for this
bike), but the other allen and screwdriver bits, and the small
adapter to convert those to 1/4" drive, are in my kit. i carry a
1/4" drive screwdriver style handle which gives me screwdriver
and other general use, and a 3/8 to 1/4 adapter for ratchet use.

for the larger allen sizes, i have a set of craftsman allen head
3/8 drive sockets -- if i'm trying to save space, i only take the
"allen" part, and share a chrome piece among them, since that part
is the same for all of them.

okay, that's all kind of complicated, but the result is a couple
of handles (1/4" straight driver, 3/8" ratchet) and extensions. 
and a small bag of sockets, adapters, allen ends, etc. because
of the screwdriver tips, i don't actually carry any "real"
screwdrivers. (well, i do carry a tiny one, for non-bike stuff.)

other stuff:

a hacksaw blade, one end wrapped in tape for a "handle". (i
forget why -- i think i once had to cut something after a
crash, or else needed to cut a piece of metal or plastic for
a jury rigged fix. cutting tools are hard to come by on the
road. 

another cutting tool -- and the pliers in my toolkit are
actually a leatherman, which gives me wire cutters, a sharp
knife and a small file as well.

i carry a length of coathanger wire for, well, whatever it might be
useful for.

spare fuses -- i no longer install anything on our bikes that
requires a round fuse. i use only bladed fuse holders, so
all fuses are interchangeable, even for accessories i've
added.

small digital multimeter, and a xerox copy of the bike's schematic.

butane powered soldering iron. (about the size of a cigar, which
i _don't_ carry. :-)

small rag.

small needle-nose vice-grips

8""adjustable (crescent) wrench

small scrap of steel wool

pen

short length of lamp cord

paul
=---------------------
paul fox,