Thread: Best brand of tools for the price?

Tweet

In 2 months I will be starting my new job as an auto tech. and will need a complete set of tools. I cant afford anything like snap-on but I do want nice tools.

What type of tools do you guys perfere and why?

Craftsman tools are nice, LIFE TIME GUARANTEE!!!. I am not sure but I remember hearing snap on were craftsman rejects? Dont know , others will be sure to follow in.....

Tweak, if you are starting a new job, you should have some tools already and have a feel for them. Tools that a guy uses to build his hot rod are much different than the tools that a guy uses to make his living.... holding a tool for a few hours on Saturday is completely different than holding a wrench for a 40 hour week. The driveway guy doesnt care if he makes a few more wrist turns, gets a blister from the wrench casting, etc...while the professional mechanic cares a bunch!

You should talk to your co workers at your new job to see what they are using. They should be able to help you define a starter set of whatever brand you choose.

Craftsman makes their legacy wrenches that have cheapened considerably in the last decade or so. I have Craftsman wrenches that were made in the 1950's that are decent wrenches while the later stuff is stuff to put in your trunk for emergency use. Craftsman also makes a professional line with polished handles that are better. Snap On has gotten stupid-expensive in the last five years but it is still the standard of the industry.

Dont spend your money on the gimmick tools, buy basic combo wrenches, sockets, etc. It takes years to build a good set of tools but, if you buy good stuff, your wife can sell them at the garage sale when you're gone.

mike in tucson

Also the company that your going to work for should all ready have a place they use and will more than likely get you a break on the price.

It does take forever to buy up good tools. fortunately for me my uncle just brought his box to the shop, I haven't had to get anything.

Snap-On, Proto, Mac, Matco, Cornwell. Good tools. Proto I like, they are suppsoed to be what they use in aerospace industry. they can be purchased at stores rather than waiting for the truck. you can find many things used in classifieds and on e-bay. watch your local craigslist, sometimes you see fantastic deals. I bought a drop front proto chest brand new off of ebay for like 200 bucks plus the shipping. guy learned his lesson and raised price to close to wholesale after that. big box, cheaper than you can get the craftsman version for.

make a list of what you will need and keep it by the computer, start doing regular searches and as you find things check them off. the big outfits, snap-on specifically, do loans and credit as well. they know you need the stuff to work, and need work to give them money, so they work with you. the deals are out there. my mechanic for years moved out of state, before moving he was selling his home set (did shadetree work) which was mostly snapon, all tools, rolling chest and top box with the air tools for under 2k. If I had the money I would have jumped on it like a frat boy on a beer.

I am sure the pros will weigh in with their more qualified thoughts now. good luck with the new work

Red

If you're going to be a mechanic tools are an investment, not an expense. I'd stick with the tool trucks, Snap-on, and Matco have always been my favorites. I'd suggest you use what you have for now, starting building a good set as you can afford it. Wouldn't be too smart to invest a lot of money in tools till you see if turning wrenches is what you really want to do the rest of your life....

Originally Posted by BigTruckDriver

Craftsman tools are nice, LIFE TIME GUARANTEE!!!. I am not sure but I remember hearing snap on were craftsman rejects? Dont know , others will be sure to follow in.....

In your dreams!!!! Snap-on makes the majority of their own tools, especially the hand tools.

As others have said, Craftsman is probably fine for a weekender, but when you use them all day every day I prefer something better. Guarantee doesn't mean much when you have to keep going back to Sears to get the same stuff replaced all the time.... Time wasted waiting for some cashier who doesn't know anything about tools is not a good time.....

Another way to save some money is to shop the pawn shops. There are two kinds of pawn shops. The first one takes each socket and wrench out of an unclaimed box and sells them individually (at stupid prices). The second pawn shop just leaves the box intact and sells it as is. I used to hit various pawn shops as I traveled, and if I looked inside a tool box they had for sale and saw some name brand stuff mixed in with the jap tools, I did some quick figuring in my head and made them an offer.

I ended up with lots of SnapOn, Mac, Craftsman, etc tools, and some jap stuff that I keep around to weld and cut on to make special, one time wrenches.

One word of advice. When you start your job do not become a tool truck addict until you start making some money and know you can afford to buy them. I have seen so many techs at the body shop and marina's I have worked at get caught up in the "one-upmanship" out trying to outdo the other techs buy buying tool after tool. One guy bought a $ 20,000.00 tool box from SnapOn (EMPTY TOOLBOX) and all the other guys were drooling. It is very seductive and you have to keep your wits about you.

Don

I agree with sticking to pro-quality tools,the guarantee can't be beat. Just don't go nuts trying to get it all at once off the tool truck. Check the yard sales,flea markets,classified ads and as Don said,pawn shops,you can end up with the good stuff for 10 cents on the dollar. There will be plenty of special items you have to get off the truck,save your money till then. Hank

I once got some brand new Klein (popular with electricians) pliers, diagonal cutters and allen wrenches for dirt cheap at a yard sale. lady said they weren't as good as the craftsman so would sell them to me for less! HA! My tool bags for electrical are all klein, I shudder thinking about how much those suckers cost retail.

flea markets can be good too. saw a big crescent adjustable wrench one time for a few bucks, didn't buy it cause didn't need it. in retrospect....

Red

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

In your dreams!!!! Snap-on makes the majority of their own tools, especially the hand tools.

As others have said, Craftsman is probably fine for a weekender, but when you use them all day every day I prefer something better. Guarantee doesn't mean much when you have to keep going back to Sears to get the same stuff replaced all the time.... Time wasted waiting for some cashier who doesn't know anything about tools is not a good time.....

Snap-On is a distributor, NOT a manufacturer, all they do is sell. Danaher makes the tools for Snap-On, MAC, Matco, Craftsman Professional and NAPA. The only difference is finish and name. Blue Point, Evercraft and Craftsman are a second line. Not as slim, professionals don't want a bulky tool to get into tight spots. Finish is not as nice, but same lifetime warranty.

I was not meaning that snap on tools were craftsman rejects in a "bad way". Craftsman and others that might have a small blemish get taken down to the slim line "snap on" brand tools....

Being a hobbiest, I don't nessarily need proquality tools, for the most part Craftsman are fine with me. However, I do see how someone who did it day in day out would want tools that feel better in your hand and are made to be slimmer. This week when we pulled the headers back off of my Kids T I had to go get a MAC 3/8 wrench off of my pegboard because the Craftsman one we too thick and wouldn't slip over the bolts because of them being so close to the header tubes. The MAC went right on.
Don

I got the above statement from google as I am sure you did. Do they manufacture the tools , as in pouring steel and such? Or were they sanding down tools that were all ready made else where?

My info could be dated.... I'll let it go ,dont have time

I'm at the point that I just cannot justify paying the price for Snap-on tools any longer now that I'm not doing much mech work for anyone but me so am "settling" for lesser tools but being selective - made in the US is a must.

Here's about $1.98 worth of some of my well used Snap-on hoard of tools