Over the winter months, many folks get cabin fever-the all-but-unbearable feeling of being cooped up inside and not being able to travel or go about your business freely due to temperature and/or weather constraints. But not me-no, sir. Instead, I get Corvette fever-the all-but-unbearable feeling of not being able to open the hood up or get underneath my Corvette(s) to get my hands-on garage time in. To while away those long winter hours, I think of things that need to be done to my rides or projects I want to do to improve them or personalize them in some way. And, inevitably, by the time that Spring thaw rolls around, I have a pretty long laundry list of things to do.
Another winter-time activity of mine is getting my tools, gear, and equipment ready for work as soon as the weather breaks. That usually entails making sure all my sockets are properly sorted and in their respective places in trays or holders; I've found that there are precious few things more annoying or frustrating than needing a certain tool-a socket, for instance-and not finding it where it's supposed to be. And unless you share your tools with somebody else, there's nobody else to blame for this but yourself for not putting it back where it belongs when you last finished using it.
I always like to give my wrenches, sockets, ratchets, and extensions a good wipe-down with a shop rag while I'm at it to remove any grease, grime, or gunk that may be on them, although I'm usually pretty good about cleaning my tools after each project before stowing them.
I frequently use air tools, so lubricating them with air tool oil is another good "keep-busy" winter task, as well as organizing all those essential garage chemicals like carb and choke cleaner, WD-40, naptha, denatured alcohol, and such. I also have a "utility tray" that contains other essentials like nitrile gloves, a utility knife, safety glasses, shop rags, an LED flashlight, ink marker, tape measure, and other indispensable miscellaneous implements that I know I'll usually need at some point during various projects.
So, after all these months of getting everything ready, I can't wait to jump right in and begin. So, let's do just that right now!
| Wrench Difficulty Index |
| Anyone’s Project: no tools required | 1 Wrench |
| Beginner: basic tools | 2 Wrenches |
| Experienced: special tools | 3 Wrenches |
| Accomplished: special tools and outside help | 4 Wrenches |
| Professionals Only: send this work out | 5 Wrenches |