Damned tools!

[OdiN]

I just spent $240 to shore up some of the thing I've been missing or have been lost in my set of tools.

I'm a Craftsman guy so they aren't cheap. Mostly some sockets, a 3/8 driver that I couldn't find, a few extension/adapter pieces, and finally picked up a set of metric Gear Wrenches. I love those things.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

If you think Craftsman aren't cheap, check out Mac, S&K, and Matco

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
If you think Craftsman aren't cheap, check out Mac, S&K, and Matco

Oh I am well aware there are more expensive ones out there. But overall Craftsman are very good for the money.

And I have a local Sears so if anything breaks, I just go in, trade it in no questions asked.

 

[Arkaign]

Yep tools are freaking crazy.

I have a mechanic buddy who has a TON of Snap-On tools. He's equipped to work on everything from Bikes to Porsches to Escalades to whatever.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...929QQitemZ270284028929

^^ That looks like about 1/3 of what he has, and that's $15k USED!

 

[JDMnAR1]

I have had good luck picking up Craftsman hand tools (and other lifetime warranty brands) for cheap at pawn shops. Worth a check if there are some in your area...

 

[crosshairs]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Yep tools are freaking crazy.


^^ That looks like about 1/3 of what he has, and that's $15k USED!

No doubt.I have 15K in boxes alone.....not counting the tools...

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
I have had good luck picking up Craftsman hand tools (and other lifetime warranty brands) for cheap at pawn shops. Worth a check if there are some in your area...

Nothing really...and checked on Craigslist too before going out, but nothing to pick through.

 

[exdeath]

Awesome when tools cost more than the part you want to replace. Fortunately I have 24/7 access to two different full service shops with all the loaded tool chests shown above and scanners, lifts, air, etc., so don't have much at home other than cheap basic hand tools from walmart.

But even then there are specially tools. I've got a brand new $180 Eaton blower pulley tool I've used... once and it took a whole 5 minutes.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I have a $50 pilot bearing remover that's had that same amount of use. Just once, but man, was it worth it. Three hits from the slide hammer and it popped right out.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: exdeath
Awesome when tools cost more than the part you want to replace. Fortunately I have 24/7 access to two different full service shops with all the loaded tool chests shown above and scanners, lifts, air, etc., so don't have much at home other than cheap basic hand tools from walmart.

But even then there are specially tools. I've got a brand new $180 Eaton blower pulley tool I've used... once and it took a whole 5 minutes.

^^^ Is that for the Terminator?

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Yep tools are freaking crazy.

I have a mechanic buddy who has a TON of Snap-On tools. He's equipped to work on everything from Bikes to Porsches to Escalades to whatever.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...929QQitemZ270284028929

^^ That looks like about 1/3 of what he has, and that's $15k USED!

My dad was a heavy equipment mechanic. Lots of 1" drive and bigger tools. When he died I made a killing on selling all those tools (or so I thought at the time). Snap-on valued them around $20k and my dad's boss agreed to buy them for whatever I got them appraised for. Now I wish I had them back, even if I never need a 3" impact socket!

 

[SparkyJJO]

I waited on a special and got a really nice $200 craftsman socket set for 50% off woot!

 

[SoulAssassin]

I'm a craftsman guy but I've started going to Harbor Freight for some of the crap I know I'm going to use once.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
I'm a craftsman guy but I've started going to Harbor Freight for some of the crap I know I'm going to use once.

Yeah I will do this as well.


Actually their electric impact wrench is pretty nice. There are several things which are fine from there.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

The best metric wrenches I have ever used in 35+ years of working as a mechanic.. http://www.samstagsales.com/stahlwille.htm

Many automotive/motorcycle swap-meets have scads of good used tools that are American made and little used.

 

[bruceb]

I have mostly Snap On tools and some Craftsman ... and a few very special tools that only see use once or so every few years, if that. Like tools to turn the rear caliper pistons in (they are on threads) .. special calipers and gauges for say rear end ring / pinion setup .. flywheel holder for Mazda Rotary engines .. huge socket for same flywheel nut

 

[StageLeft]

Would have cost you $49 at harbor freight, but who knows the quality (although the $10 impact socket set I got vs $40-50 at home depot, I will never regret that purchase).

 

[The Stigenator]

I have some random tool set it hasnt let me down yet. I bought some "great neck" and the other autozone brand duralast stuff. I also have stuff from harbor freight, but most of it is limited to stuff like gloves, multimeters etc. I use my "great neck" branded torque wrench as a breaker bar (used it once as a breaker bar and since then have continued to do so), i got a new screw drive torque wrench (brand unknown) and it works fine.

 

[SpeedEng66]

great thing about craftman there so many sears you can go and exchange broken sockets
the bad.. reg sockets are pretty weak, cracked at least 8 sockets
great for home use only
cornwell tools sockets :thumbsup: so far held up really well for me
snap on = ratchetin wrenches are the best but $$ (10x better than gearwrench)
blue point = had a 1/4 air ratchet fail on me (I use this little guy alot)
s&k = suckage broke alot of hex and torx sockets

in one year (2005) I spent alittle over 7k just in tools

 

[Black88GTA]

I have a mishmash of mostly Harbor Freight crap, with a few "good" tools thrown in (some of the more commonly used stuff). Most of it is leftovers from high school + college, when I had no money for decent tools, but needed them anyway. The HF stuff works OK, so I can't bring myself to replace it "just because," but I would love to swap it all out for the Snap-On or Matco equivalent one day.

 

[Raduque]

My grandpa owns/runs his own private shop, only uses Mac and Snap-on.

All my dad's stuff is old Snap-on, from the 70s or so - lots of Honda specialty tool as his grandpa used to work for Honda in the 60s and 70s.