Bowling Mechanic Tool Questions

[bsfdii]

Outside of the machine spacific tools, should a bowling mechanic use his own tools or should the bowling center provide them? If the bowling center provides the tools, does anyone have a checklist for the tools to have outside of the toolkit you buy from the factory for your pinspotter or pinsetter? What other maintenance equipment should a center provide a mechanic? A checklist of some kind for this would be helpful as well. We are developing a new center, and I want to make sure we account for any "tooling" needs.

[Grit]

I wouldn't suggest you invest too much money in a house set of tools. its like a daycare where nobody puts the blocks away and occasionally something will grow legs or just be put up broken. however you can't ask every one of your employees to show up and spend ~1000 dollars on every tool they would need to service the machines.

Damned if you do/don't kind of thing.

[Popeye]

I have a hydrolic press. A hydrolic puller would be nice, need one some day. An air compressor is a must. Parts cleaner. Table saw. Drills. Bench grinder. Floor buffer. Welder if that is allowed in your center. Shop vac. Computer for inventory and oiling programs.

[Popeye]

A washer and dryer. Drill press.

[bsfdii]

Why the washer and dryer may I ask?

[Gym]

Why the washer and dryer may I ask?

Shop and Lane towels. And of course for the fellow that gets booted from his domicile.

[Grit]

dont forget that you should be washing your lane dustmops and ballwipes as well.

I slightly disagree on the table saw, a circular saw will do about the same in experienced hands. nobody has mentioned a grinder yet. get 1/8th thick grinding wheels so they can be used as grinding and cut off wheels. a flap wheel to smooth out welds/cuts whatever is nice.

Can't live without a vice.
C-clamps are awesome.
a torpedo level and a fullsize level, an engineer's square/ruler.
calipers (pick em up from harbor freight for 10 bucks)
Tap and Die set.
A 2wheel.
100% agree with shopvac and bench grinder (highly suggest a wire wheel and rough grinding wheel set up). also an air compressor.
and some kind of metal finishing system (fine files, fine wheel for your grinder/bench grinder, heck even sandpaper)
SAFETY GLASSES!
EAR PROTECTION!
Drill press can be expensive but if you are willing to get one with a drill press vice it really nice for drilling true 0 degree holes.
crowbars
a sawzall comes in handy*
not sure if there is a hacksaw in the kit but I use ours a lot*
keep contact cleaner and rust breaker instock as well as cutting fluid.
scotchbrite pads (green) for cleaning up parts
a set of copper/brass brushes for cleaning out holes
a couple gallons of degreaser always needed in stock

*We have a rough tooth setup on the sawzall for just getting trashed steel out quick, and use a fine tooth on the hacksaw for nice smooth cuts.

[smurtland]

I think the center should supply the tools however if you decide not to you need to raise the starting salary a little, tools are not cheap.

[RipOwens]

The company should supply all tools ! then there is never any problems on who had what and the center can keep going without a hitch tool wise if there is a mechanic change.

[PinCup]

I can, and do, make good money at home with MY tools. (I'm everyone's friend, when they have broken chit! )
The center needs to have their own tools, or pay me extra for the work I must turn down.

Smart centers stock their tool board with Harbor Freight Tools. They are cheap, so if/when they grow legs it's not a huge loss. Yes, they're cheap, their tool wear out more often and need replacing.

I've always hung center tools on a pegboard, so we all can see at a glance when a tool is missing. One of my pet peeves, not putting shop tools away. Leave your tools laying in the mud, I don't care. Just wipe off and put away community tools, please!
I worked with a lead who would drop tools as soon as the machine was repaired. If I needed a tool, I had to figure out what machine he'd been working on.


PinCup

[Popeye]

Something else I thought of... Three of the deck pin gauges. Part #12-700003-000. Aligning your pin-spotting without them is very difficult.

[AMF_JEFF]

Good first aid kit. Mount it and make sure everyone knows where it is. I have a micro, refrig, and radio that are all mine.

[Nev]

What do you use the circular saw for
We don't have one

What about a Multimeter and soldering iron