Finding and properly gauging the size of nuts and bolts is a constant battle with many garage projects. So much so that the frustration of doing so led to the invention of the thread checker, a clever device being sold through Fireball Tool and others, which allows users to quickly verify the size and pitch of a nut or bolt by testing it against various options collected on either a board or a lanyard.

Now, in our opinion, there are certain tools and devices that you just cannot improve upon. Thus it is that we prefer Fireball Tool’s “if it ain’t broke” styled take on William Burr’s stringed “Original Thread Checker.” That array of gauges is strung on a heavy-duty, no-tangle wire loop, which makes it not just durable but also easy to stash away in a drawer or hang on a hook when not in use. The checker is 5-star rated by customers, too, some of whom hail it as a legit time-saver on the job. The thread checker is listed at just $37 if you’re interested.

We should warn you, however, that if you are looking to buy a thread checker in both Metric and SAE measurements, you’ll need to double that price. That’s because Fireball’s “Original” thread checkers do not combine Metric and SAE heads. You can, however, take heart in knowing that if you do need to purchase both options, the $74 you pay will be spent on thread checkers made in the USA.

No matter your skill level in the garage, the trusty old Hex Key — better known to some as the Allen Wrench –  is a tool you likely turn to often from one project to the next. To that end, you’ve almost certainly struggled to keep your Hex Keys properly organized and out of the way at times. 

This is an issue that not many tool makers offer real solutions for, though Fireball Tool has come up with a pretty clever one in its Dual Hex Key Holder. This handy circular holder claims compatibility with any sleeveless hex key that is uniform in size from body to head, and promises easier in-and-out operation than many of the frustratingly tight-fitting molded plastic holders that hex keys are typically sold with. Fireball customers seem pretty happy with it, too, rating it 4.5 stars. As YouTuber MORGAN’s Maintenance demonstrates on a similar design, they are as easy to use as advertised, and Instagrammer “Tools R Us (_tools_are_us_)” even labeled the device “the most innovative hex key holder” they’ve seen.

Additionally, the Hex Key Holder is spring-fitted to ensure its contents stay contained, even if they are stored upside down. Since the holder is fitted with a magnetized base, you can actually store them that way in your garage, wherever there’s a serviceable metal surface. You could even affix the holder to the side of a metal storage chest if you’ve got one. Best of all, you can buy the holder alone for a reasonable $36. If you want a full set of hex keys with it, that’ll cost you a cool $50.

A case could be made that, apart from your hands, your eyes are most in need of protection during any work undertaken in the garage. So much so that several notable brands even specialize in the manufacture of those protective adornments. If you’re searching for protective eyewear from Fireball Tool, you’ll find just a single product available in its online outlet. We would, however, rank that option – ArcOne’s The Fly Safety Goggles — among the coolest-looking protective goggles we’ve seen.

Given Fireball Tool’s ties to the welding scene, you would be correct in assuming that ArcOne’s The Fly safety goggles are designed largely for use in that line of work. That fact is evinced by their mirror finish, their shade 3 tinting, and their infrared protection. Intended usage aside, the side-vented goggles should more than suffice as general eye protectors for anyone looking to keep dust, wood particles, and other potentially dangerous objects out of their eyes while tinkering away in the garage.

The goggles’ bug-eye styled lenses may help increase overall visibility compared to certain styles of protective glasses, too. Yes, those rounded lenses should also provide a distinctly steampunk look for those looking to protect their eyes in style. At $23, they may prove a stylishly effective safety upgrade. The 2 Fireball customers who reviewed them gave The Fly Goggles 5-star ratings, with one claiming they’d already made plans to buy another pair. Elsewhere, the YouTube channel for Albany County Fasteners gave them a hearty recommendation in their own unboxing.

If you do undertake smaller welding projects in your garage, you almost certainly struggle with finding enough space to keep a proper welding table around. We’d wager that Fireball Tool was thinking about just that problem when it developed The Marauder Table Kit, which provides legit welding-table functionality in a fold-away design that makes it easy to store when it’s not in use. They also fit the table pair of heavy-duty casters that make it a breeze to roll around the garage, as well as a removable top for increased portability.

Yes, the table is also height-adjustable, while the top is positionable at 10-degree and 30-degree angles. That table top is also covered in Fireball’s Dragon Scale Coating, making it more resistant to spatter during welding jobs. Though it boasts just one user review on Fireball’s site, that review is glowing. The user specifically notes that the table was not only better than they’d anticipated but has also improved the quality of their work, and YouTuber Scrapman Industries offered similarly solid praise in their demonstration of The Marauder’s effectiveness.

While this table is specifically designed for welding and metal work, it could be just as useful to any garage dweller in need of a flat, heavy-duty surface that folds and stores when not in use, particularly one with a 350-pound load capacity. You will, of course, need to navigate the tabletop’s holes if you’re using it solely as a work table. But at $475 for the kit, The Marauder’s versatility might be worth that risk.

The hows and whys of storing one’s tools and accessories are a vital factor in any garage setup. To that end, there’s no shortage of storage options available from the market’s major players. Fireball doesn’t offer many storage solutions, but we were pretty impressed with what we saw from its Rolling Tool Cart, which boasts a 1,200-pound capacity, 6 tiltable and height-adjustable shelves, and a rubber-padded bottom shelf for storing larger items. It also comes with a mixture of large and small storage bins for things like nuts, bolts, nails, bits, or whatever else you want to put inside.

Unfortunately, reviews from either professionals or everyday consumers are pretty much non-existent for this particular tool cart. We’re still including it here because, well, assuming it does everything it claims, this cart would almost instantly upgrade the garage setup for anyone who uses that space for welding, as well as DIYers looking for a heavy-duty storage cart they can roll to whatever part of the garage they need.

That being said, the cart’s $1,540 price tag may prove prohibitive for your average weekend warrior class of DIYers. We can’t help but think that the general lack of reviews may also make that sticker price a little harder to swallow for some. The no-drawers design could also be problematic for some, as one savvy commenter noted on the Fireball Forum, as such a setup leaves items stored therein susceptible to collecting dust and debris in most garages. Nonetheless, this cart remains an intriguing option if you’re willing to take the chance.  

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