Tool set

[Tim]

I'm expanding my pitifully inadequate selection of tools (odds and ends gathered at garage sales/flea markets over the years), and I'd like a bit of input into what I should buy.


What brands of tools do you guys recommend?

What's a good inventory of tools to have for general car repair/home improvement? Any oddball ones?

I'm interested in hearing all of your recommendations and suggestions!


Regards,

Tim

[SimonTuffGuy]

If you have the money, go Snap On...

I'd say anything with a warrenty is a good idea, if it breaks, take it back.

I bought a set at WalMart for under $100, which has 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4" ratchets, a slew of sockets, deep sockets, etc...

I picked up a few additional sockets, for things like axles nuts and such, but nothing major. Pickup a breaker bar, torque wrench, plyers, etc.

A good set of screwdrivers is always a good thing to have. My dad has a habit of picking up these cheapy $3 sets where you get 100 and they all break when you try using them.

Then there is always the power/air tools, which I haven't expanded into yet. I'd like to sometime tho.

[gdawgs]

I'd agree on Snap-On, they are one of the best, but very spendy. Craftsman are a good value in hand tools. Some of their power tools leave a bit to be desired sometimes.

Get a large socket set that includes 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2 inch drive sockets in both metric and standard and contains several extensions.

Combination wrenches in both standard and metric.

Large set of screwdrivers. Definitely don't get the no name brands here. They'll bend the first time you use them.

Set of punches.

Prybars

An assortment of vice grip pliers.

Adjustable wrenches(Crescent) 8", 10" and 12"

A couple different sized Channel Lock pliers.

Claw Hammer

3 lb hammer

A vice

For air tools - 3/8 inch drive air ratchet and a 1/2 inch drive impact wrench. And a set of impact sockets.


There, that's a good start. That will cost you a good chunk of change though. You'll be able to do a lot with those standard tools. The oddballs you can

[studdyhalllooser]

to each his own....snap on....craftsman....stanley. they're all good and worth it. but if your like me you dont have a fortune to spend on craftsman so i went with a ChannelLock set. 235 piece set with 1/2,3/8,and 1/4 inch ratchets and sockets in metric and sae for all sizes and a small asortment of wrenches and a cheep plastic tool box it came in on sale for $75 at sams club. add a set of deep well metric and sae sockets and a pack of pliers and you have a decent set of tools for 125 personaly i have not had any troubles with them.....and like simon said.....good screwdrivers....stanleys are inexpensive and tough

[gdawgs]

Stanley and Channelock are both good brands as well.

Snap-On is in a league of its own though. If you've ever used them you know. Craftsman are cheap(cost wise) compared to Snap-On. Most of my tools are Craftsman and they have worked well for me. The main thing I like about them is that they are so easy to return if they break. You can find a Sears store just about anywhere. You just take in the broken tool and they replace it, no questions asked, no receipt required.

The main thing is just be very careful when going to places like Harbor Freight. Don't buy any of their hand tools that you are going to use a lot such as screwdrivers, wrenches, etc, or precision things like a torque wrench.

Things that you only use very rarely may be ok, like a 3/4 inch drive socket set etc. (mine's Chinese and it works fine).

[Whittey]

Husky. Crapsman gives out refurbs and when I broke and brought back three 1/4" ratchets and got refurbs (which promptly broke THAT SAME DAY) I went to home cheapo and traded them in. Yep, Home Depot will take your crapsman and give you brand new Husky. I love 'em. Haven't broken one yet, which is impressive for me (broke a 3/4" ratchet once removing a ball hitch. Ended up cutting it out). I also like their BB tool box so much that I went and did this:



Not having a lockable garage might have something to do with that as well, but still.


-=Whittey=-

[studdyhalllooser]

thats funny....must be anoying walking in and out all day for tools tho

[Safety Guy]

Who knew Whittey was a regular Martha Stewart?


I have a Craftsman addiction. I get them for most of my hard use tools, though Stanley has also proven to be perfectly fine (18" breaker bar and screwdrivers).

I agree with being choosy at Harbor Freight! If it's not going to be put to much use or hard stress, most of the cheap stuff should do okay. I also try not to buy Chinese if possible. Lots of Harbor Freight tools are Indian or Taiwanese. They just had a "mini Tianaman Square" shooting of villagers protesting Commy land grabs recently. I don't mind my $$$ going to poor honest villagers, but you know much of that goes to the Communist gov't to buy more weapons, spew more pollution, and try to dominate the West economically. No, I'm not too strict about it, but I don't like buying from Communists...

I'd recommend a nice assortment of rachet extensions--they came in handy for my engine swap work. To get to the air plenum bolts underneath the intake manifold you'll get some use out of the long 3/8" extensions as you lie on the floor underneath.

I got some good use out of long offset wrenches. There's one bolt that goes to the right side engine mount hidden way back under the intake manifold that a socket wrench just can't get to on both the B6 and B3. A 17mm long offset wrench did the trick both times.

Flex attachments can be useful too for odd places and angles.

One more idea before I stop: socket size adaptors! Not just the average 1/2 to 3/8, but also from 3/8 to 1/2 and 1/4 to 3/8 and 3/8 to 1/4! You'd be surprised by the increased efficiency of some of those combinations when you have an odd job to do, or when you have a 1/2" socket nearby but only have the 3/8" wrench in your hand!

The rule is often when you are under the car or in a tight spot, the socket you need is still in the toolbox or hiding around the other side of the car!

Karl

[FB71]

ok, as an automotive professional, I claim marginal expertise in the field of tools.

First, and this is gonna sound wierd, but buy tools that feel good in your hand. By that I mean, select tools that are comfortable to grip. I have some of almost every brand made because of that. Mac and Cornwell wrenches are great, but for me, are uncomfortable to use. I prefer Snap-On wrenches. But I don't like Snap-On ratchets. My ratchets are SK, Husky, and Craftsman Pro (fully polished, haven't broken one yet). Can't go wrong with Stanley, they own and make Mac Tools. NAPA brand is a mix of Stanley, SK (Craftsman contract) and Blackhawk, all good. I LOVE my Facom sockets (SK european brand, oem in Ferrari), but would only buy them if I got a good deal (they can be pricey). I prefer SK screwdrivers, they don't wear out as fast as the others. But I have a large collection of chinese prybars (Harbor Frieght), as well as a railroad tunneling bar I picked up at a yard sale (6 foot long, 2 inch dia, 40 lb prybar!) Don't buy a cheap hammer, self-explanatory, I think.... =). I love my Mac Compo-Cast deadblow ballpien hammers. Only the pro brands offer those. Armstrong is Snap-On's institutional brand (sold in bulk to schools, usually), very good tool. Basically, If its something you thing you'll use fairly often, go for a name brand, doesn't matter which one. If its that one in a while "gee, I could really use right now.." buy an inexpensive one. I have a chinese Advance Auto 1 1/16" combo wrench for Ford EGR tubes. That's the only thing I've ever needed a 1 1/16 combo wrench for. Cost me $8. Better than the $85 Scrap-Iron wanted. Its about 10 years old, still looks new and works great. But the same brand 13mm combo wouldn't last me 10 minutes....

[Tim]

Thanks for all the input!

We'll see what Santa brings for Christmas... :wink:

Regards,

Tim

[89fester]

Was just at Home Depot, all hand tools are 25% off this week. There selection is not what it used to be, but you should able to find a decent starter set. I've been buying tools over the past 13 years of wrenching on old Broncos, a Miata, Cherokee, a couple Mustangs, etc. You basically end up buying them as the job needs it. The more things you get into the more tools you need to buy.

89 L

[EVOGUN]

Secret use metrinch sockets they will never strip a bolt and remove the most retarded stripped bolts, better than that they fit standard and metric.
Here the best part they are cheap. If you have to ask 80% of my tools are snap on, couple Mac! So I have used lots of different tools and the metrinch is a killer deal. They are sold under Westward tools.

Thanks :wink:

[festerzilla]

A locking chest is a necessity. There is nothing lower than a tool thief in my opinion. I like to be able to put my hands on a tool when I need it, and going for it and realizing it was stolen is the worst. Had it happen to me recently.

[Guest]

Yeah, but what if they aren't tool theives..

MY boys are the worst at "borrowing" tools and leaving them in places other than where they go.. so when you need the tool, the boys are gone and search is on.. Once they get home a 2 hours bitchfest breaks out and they are no longer allowed to use my tools... yeah right... 2 months later.. I'm back looking for tools again.

I've bought them sets of tools.. but they always end up in my tool bin.. And don't even think about asking them to turn a wrench if the tools are locked up, because they'll be the first ones to say.. "Sorry, the tools are locked up so I couldn't do the job"

BTW, Lost is almost as bad as stolen.. the only difference is the hope of finding them one day. :evil:

[Guest]

Secret use metrinch sockets they will never strip a bolt and remove the most retarded stripped bolts, better than that they fit standard and metric.
Here the best part they are cheap. If you have to ask 80% of my tools are snap on, couple Mac! So I have used lots of different tools and the metrinch is a killer deal. They are sold under Westward tools.

Thanks :wink:

Craftsman has been advertising a set for 19.99 They are a must have for just about any job that has a buggered up bolt head..