Socket to Me

One thing instilled in me by my late father was an appreciation for tools, their care and feeding and especially the use of the right tool for the job. As a jack of many trades, in his 89-year lifetime he accumulated quite an array of tools, many of which I still have.

One Christmas, some time after I started messing with cars, my parents gave me a set of socket wrenches. It was a wonderful present for a car-obsessed boy, and in the ensuing 50 years I've added to it. The initial set was half-inch drive, entirely adequate for the engines of that day, but over time I've acquired 3/8 and 1/4-inch drive sets and many specialized tools.

However, one never has enough tools. That was brought home to me shortly before Christmas when I decided to treat my current Chevy Suburban to a tune up, which these days consists merely of spark plugs, new wires and a distributor cap. The Suburban's small block Chevy V8 is very old-tech, forty years and counting when it was built. You'd think that any old tools would fit, but I found it impossible to remove the last two plugs on the left bank. My deep sockets were half-inch drive; the location demanded an extension but my short extension was too long. I had beaucoup extensions for my 3/8-drive set, but not for the half. Luckily, my next-door neighbor is a diesel mechanic with a cellar full of tools, and he doesn't mind lending. Fortunately, he was home so I borrowed a 3/8 drive deep socket. Instantly, though, I had an item to add to my Christmas wish list. While I was at it, I also asked for a new tool box, as my old ones had started to overflow.

My family did not disappoint. Jill and Harriet came up with 3/8-drive deep sockets, one set in inch sizes and the other metric. Nick followed with a superb tool box with three-drawer storage, plus a swiveling ratchet handle that will make the next plug change a breeze. Edward suggested I get some household drawer liner for the new box, which I duly installed before moving the tools to their new home. My traveling tools, however, the ones I take everywhere, remain in the Army surplus ammo box that's been their nest for decades.

Each of our children, male and female, has been given a tool set when they've reached the tinkering age. It occurred to me, though, that, while Jill has a collection of odd tools she keeps in her car, she has never had a proper set of socket wrenches. So for Christmas this year I got her a 53-piece set that should accomplish most any task she'll face. It's already seeing good use.