Samantha Reed

A dial bore gauge is a precision comparative measuring instrument used to measure the inside diameter of cylinders, engine blocks, and other round holes. The dial readout shows deviation from a set nominal value, with common ranges of 2-6 inches and resolutions from 0.001 inch down to 0.0001 inch for serious engine and machine work. … Read more

A telescoping gauge is a precision measuring tool used to determine the internal diameter of holes, bores, slots, and grooves. Spring-loaded plungers expand inside the feature, are locked in place, the gauge is withdrawn, and the distance across the plungers is then measured with an outside micrometer or caliper. Telescoping gauges fill the gap left … Read more

I still remember my first feeler gauge experience in my dad’s garage. I was 16, trying to gap a spark plug on his old Ford pickup with a single blade borrowed from a neighbor. I bent two blades before I finally got the gap right. That frustration taught me something: a quality feeler gauge set … Read more

A machinist square is a hardened steel precision tool with a blade and beam joined at an exact 90-degree angle, and it is the single most-used reference for squareness in any machine shop or serious home garage. After testing eight models side by side on a granite surface plate, sweeping dozens of setup jobs, and … Read more

A precision straight edge is the single fastest way to find out whether a surface is actually flat. Our team spent six weeks comparing ten of the most popular models on the market, checking each one against a calibrated granite reference and using them on real shop tasks from jointer setup to engine block inspection. … Read more

A bore gauge is a precision measuring tool used to determine the inside diameter (ID) of holes, cylinders, and bores with accuracy down to 0.0001 inch or 0.001 mm. It works by expanding spring-loaded anvils or a self-centering bridge inside a bore, transferring the measurement to a dial indicator or digital readout for comparison against … Read more

A thread pitch gauge (also called a screw pitch gauge) is a hand tool with a fan of stamped or etched steel leaves, each cut to a specific thread pitch, used to identify threads-per-inch (TPI) on imperial fasteners or pitch in millimeters on metric fasteners. I keep one in my toolbox because guessing a thread … Read more

If you’ve ever wrestled with a cheater bar trying to break loose a seized lug nut on a semi truck, you already know why the best torque multipliers exist. A torque multiplier is a hand-operated gearing tool that uses epicyclic (planetary) gearing to multiply the input torque from a standard torque wrench, producing high output … Read more

Looking for the best hydraulic pullers that actually move seized bearings and rusted-on gears? Our team spent six weeks testing nine hydraulic puller kits on everything from mower flywheels to truck brake drums, and we found clear winners at every price tier. A hydraulic puller uses pressurized oil to multiply your hand force by 10 … Read more

I’ve been bending and flaring brake lines in my own garage for over a decade, and I can tell you from experience: the best brake line flaring tools are the ones that produce a leak-free seal on the very first try. Modern brake systems run at 800 to 1,800 PSI, so a single cracked or … Read more