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Rate your hand tools for vehicles and other?
- Thread starter Scorpio
- Start date
I use Swiss made chisels and gouges.
Got a craftsman table saw that works well because I upgraded the fence to a Delta and the cranks to cast iron spinners.
Also recently removed that tiny switch and replaced it with a BIG off button which makes it easy to find. Delta grinder and jig saw.
Jet joiner, Harbor Freight drill press and reciprocating sander (same as some of the brand names btw).
LieNielsen block plane - sweet
Bunch of 'other stuff' too numerous to mention.
Got a craftsman table saw that works well because I upgraded the fence to a Delta and the cranks to cast iron spinners.
Also recently removed that tiny switch and replaced it with a BIG off button which makes it easy to find. Delta grinder and jig saw.
Jet joiner, Harbor Freight drill press and reciprocating sander (same as some of the brand names btw).
LieNielsen block plane - sweet
Bunch of 'other stuff' too numerous to mention.
Hands tools are a pride thing. A wrench is a wrench to a certain extent for most. Personally, I'm buying the Pittsburgh at Harbor Freight vs. the shiny Snap on or Matco at 10x the price. Screwdrivers have tip quality issues so be careful in the selection. Any kind of cutting tool needs to be of a high quality steel and you get the performance you pay for in my opinion. Big differences for those that live by their use vs. the tinkerer. Funny thing is the tinkerers tend to have more of an opinion than the professional when it comes to what brand. Although many mechanics are fleeced by the SnapOn and Matco man. Guy is making $30 an hour and pays on installments for a 7K toolbox to put 30K worth of hand tools into on installment to impresshisself and coworkers when he could have got the same functionality and performance for 4K.
Husky and Kobalt have great warranties and are the Craftsman of today.
Husky and Kobalt have great warranties and are the Craftsman of today.
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Yep BJ, I buy no Matco or Snap for the guys,
Everyone is right on Craftsman quality, not to mention the warranties have again changed, and they cover less and less as time goes on.
There is nothing left at Sears other than 4 walls and some people standing around,
So many tools get stolen or lost, I do the same with harbor/etc, on non mission critical types,
don't have much for Kobalt around here to try them out, starting to show up a little bit in the home improve centers, but not in great selections
Everyone is right on Craftsman quality, not to mention the warranties have again changed, and they cover less and less as time goes on.
There is nothing left at Sears other than 4 walls and some people standing around,
So many tools get stolen or lost, I do the same with harbor/etc, on non mission critical types,
don't have much for Kobalt around here to try them out, starting to show up a little bit in the home improve centers, but not in great selections
Up here in Canada I buy a lot of Mastercraft tools from Canadian tire. They are usually decent quality and have great warranties. I have had so many tools replaced with no questions that it more than covers any lesser quality issues.
Last replacements were a small drill that fell off the scaffolding onto concrete from about 35 feet up and snapped in half along with about 20 little pieces. Handed it to the girl at the counter and said "I dropped it" and she immediately send a guy to grab me a new on with no questions asked. Before that, I left a fold up multi allen key set on the garage floor and drove over it with my diesel 3/4 ton pickup. Flattened it pretty good and when I brought it in and she asked what happened I just said "I squished it" and a new one came my way no questions asked.
One caveat about this store is that you rarely want to buy anything at full price since they are always having huge sales on items that are like 50-75% off. It is a great store to browse and just pick up things you will need when you see them for 70% off to stash away for later when you need it. Like other stores though many of their products are now made in China but with their great return policy and the fact there is one in almost every major city up here it makes it a no brainer to buy from them.
Last replacements were a small drill that fell off the scaffolding onto concrete from about 35 feet up and snapped in half along with about 20 little pieces. Handed it to the girl at the counter and said "I dropped it" and she immediately send a guy to grab me a new on with no questions asked. Before that, I left a fold up multi allen key set on the garage floor and drove over it with my diesel 3/4 ton pickup. Flattened it pretty good and when I brought it in and she asked what happened I just said "I squished it" and a new one came my way no questions asked.
One caveat about this store is that you rarely want to buy anything at full price since they are always having huge sales on items that are like 50-75% off. It is a great store to browse and just pick up things you will need when you see them for 70% off to stash away for later when you need it. Like other stores though many of their products are now made in China but with their great return policy and the fact there is one in almost every major city up here it makes it a no brainer to buy from them.
i have had a set of craftsman for years.......but lately i bought a full set of harbor freight wrenches mainly because every now and then i need to modify a tool to fit the situation and i dont mind cutting ..heating ...bending... HF wrenches at all.....its made some jobs infinately easier...
bought me a Ingersol Rand 1/2 electric impact gun and it has changed my life in the shop and on the farm......~1100 ft/lbs of torque in a handheld 100% portable impact wrench has made life easy when having to work on a piece of equipment out in the field....and i dont drag out the air impacts anymore in the shop
bought me a Ingersol Rand 1/2 electric impact gun and it has changed my life in the shop and on the farm......~1100 ft/lbs of torque in a handheld 100% portable impact wrench has made life easy when having to work on a piece of equipment out in the field....and i dont drag out the air impacts anymore in the shop
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Nothing special here.................just a trip down memory lane (for me.)
Snap-on 84" Epiq Toolbox Tour Update
(zcamaross09)
I like the latches on that box. Everything I've bought & sold has the sliding plastic finger strip underneath the drawer lip.
Lots Of cash in that scanner up in the hutch.
I like the look of the Matco relay buddy. If it works, seems like a good idea. (relays gave me a fit on my old Ranger)
currently have this one for sale.. any takers?
https://youtu.be/nLjpIAcdnXs
Published on Oct 12, 2014
Snap-on 84" Epiq Toolbox Tour Update
(zcamaross09)
I like the latches on that box. Everything I've bought & sold has the sliding plastic finger strip underneath the drawer lip.
Lots Of cash in that scanner up in the hutch.
I like the look of the Matco relay buddy. If it works, seems like a good idea. (relays gave me a fit on my old Ranger)
currently have this one for sale.. any takers?
https://youtu.be/nLjpIAcdnXs
Published on Oct 12, 2014
Last edited by a moderator:
If you have to go with imported sockets, wrenches, etc. try to go with the ones marked "Made in Taiwan" instead of "Made of China" the metallurgy is a lot better and they are more resistant to cracking and breaking than their Chinese counterparts.
Many manufacturers such as Kobalt (Lowes) have their tools made by Taiwanese sub-contractors for Danaher but now Kobalt hand tools (screw drivers and such) are made by Great Neck (aka Buffalo at one time if I remember correctly) based in Mineola, NY a few miles away from me. The rest of the Kobalt line is the Steelman brand by JS Products OEMed by Lowes. From what I know JS also makes a lot of socket sets for stores like Advance Auto and AutoZone (though suppliers can and do vary).
Many manufacturers such as Kobalt (Lowes) have their tools made by Taiwanese sub-contractors for Danaher but now Kobalt hand tools (screw drivers and such) are made by Great Neck (aka Buffalo at one time if I remember correctly) based in Mineola, NY a few miles away from me. The rest of the Kobalt line is the Steelman brand by JS Products OEMed by Lowes. From what I know JS also makes a lot of socket sets for stores like Advance Auto and AutoZone (though suppliers can and do vary).
Here's how I keep my tools, It's a mishmash of brands, mostly american made. I like Craftsman screwdrivers cause Sears eats the ones I tear up with a smile. When too many empty hooks appear, it's time to clean my shop. The sockets sets I use stay under the table next to my drill presses, Weird tools I've made stay in a couple of drawers under the work bench, files, pullers and chisels are in a couple of drawers by my lathe. Threading tools are on the shelf behind my mill. Looks like hell, but I know where everything is.
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around here, sears no longer warrants screw drivers, or torque wrenches,
now for ratchets, they give you a old beat up rebuilt one (rebuilt by retail counter people), instead of a new one
the hedge fund brat is running that place into the ground
last time I was in there, I told them
'why don't you guys go bankrupt already, so we can get someone else to buy out and own craftsman?'
now for ratchets, they give you a old beat up rebuilt one (rebuilt by retail counter people), instead of a new one
the hedge fund brat is running that place into the ground
last time I was in there, I told them
'why don't you guys go bankrupt already, so we can get someone else to buy out and own craftsman?'
One thing for the under 40 people reading this. Back in the day I had 20/15 vision, better than perfect. Now it's 20/20 but I still need reading glasses. As you age the lens hardens and the muscles quit stretching the lens far enough for up close vision. What I am getting at is, buy tools with large size markings. It sucks to be dunking around in The garage and have to go get reading glasses to see your sockets.
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A trick for being able to read sockets:
First of all, keep them on a rail if they are under 1" (easier to find if they are in order)
But either way, take a dab of paint & smear it in the size stamping.
Then wipe it off leaving the paint to dry in the lower lying stamp indentations.
I see this a lot on tool lots that I buy from old timers.
First of all, keep them on a rail if they are under 1" (easier to find if they are in order)
But either way, take a dab of paint & smear it in the size stamping.
Then wipe it off leaving the paint to dry in the lower lying stamp indentations.
I see this a lot on tool lots that I buy from old timers.
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Ive used them all over past years, Ive rebuilt car engines, transmissions both manual and automatic and fixed about anything there is to fix, when working property cant make a legitimate claim that ones any better than the other, any new needs today I buy husky or the one lowes sells. The only true difference I can note is using an open end wrench the cheaper ones tend to spread on tight bolts and strip the heads.
I hate to say it but, I AM a tool slut, tool whore, however you choose to term it. Yeah, I have lots of power tools but I have a serious penchant for hand tools.
Anyway, on Black & Decker tools, they used to be decent. In the 70's their quality took a serious nosedive. Attempts have been made to raise B&D to it's glory days, however, at least from my perspective, so far they have quite successfully failed. The designs seem to be devised by persons who do not understand how such tools are used and in what conditions such tools are used.
For my part, about once per decade I'll pick up a B&D tool to give them a shot to see if they are worthwhile yet. Once per decade I'll toss a new B&D tool into the trash, turn the air blue with numerous 4 letter words, and proclaim many curses upon B&D...which do seem to be working given their failure rate. Even the cheapest tools from Harborfreight provide better performance and durability than B&D.
The 20teens have now been cleared of my B&D experimentations so it won't be until the mid 2020's before I curse them yet again. Maybe, just maybe they might scare up a decent product by then.
If anyone from B&D reads this I am willing to be a product tester for them. Salary and terms non-negotiable. Contact me for further information.
Anyway, on Black & Decker tools, they used to be decent. In the 70's their quality took a serious nosedive. Attempts have been made to raise B&D to it's glory days, however, at least from my perspective, so far they have quite successfully failed. The designs seem to be devised by persons who do not understand how such tools are used and in what conditions such tools are used.
For my part, about once per decade I'll pick up a B&D tool to give them a shot to see if they are worthwhile yet. Once per decade I'll toss a new B&D tool into the trash, turn the air blue with numerous 4 letter words, and proclaim many curses upon B&D...which do seem to be working given their failure rate. Even the cheapest tools from Harborfreight provide better performance and durability than B&D.
The 20teens have now been cleared of my B&D experimentations so it won't be until the mid 2020's before I curse them yet again. Maybe, just maybe they might scare up a decent product by then.
If anyone from B&D reads this I am willing to be a product tester for them. Salary and terms non-negotiable. Contact me for further information.
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There it is.
Snap-On is diluting their brand with "limited or consumable warranty"
That screwdriver starter switch should be replaced with whatever the current starter switch is that is offered.
Forever.
If it doesn't hold up it shouldn't have the name on it.
You could make the same thing with 10 dollars worth of parts.
Snap-On is diluting their brand with "limited or consumable warranty"
That screwdriver starter switch should be replaced with whatever the current starter switch is that is offered.
Forever.
If it doesn't hold up it shouldn't have the name on it.
You could make the same thing with 10 dollars worth of parts.
If I started this poll, I would have a new and 1980 category for each brand. Generally, I find most US made tools from 1980 to be pretty decent and most new tools to be overpriced with poor metallurgy. I always thought Snapon was a little overrated, value-wise. Some of their tools like swivel sockets were the best, while their screwdrivers and wrenches not ergonomic, for me anyway.
I used to buy a lot of Craftsman stuff in the 80's and thought it was a reasonable value. In 1990 they started making really cheap tool chests and quality went downhill from there.
The last few years I've been buying most of my tools at yard sales, pawn shops, Craigslist and ebay. That way I get value and usually older US made tools. The downside is that I have to either overbuy in advance or spend a lot of time hunting for that special tool.
What good is a warranty? If I have to drive an hour round trip to go to Sears it isn't worth anything. If a reciept is required the hassle factor is too high. If I need a Snapon tool replaced I have to find the gouging bastard first. He doesn't come around unless he has slaves to service.
I used to buy a lot of Craftsman stuff in the 80's and thought it was a reasonable value. In 1990 they started making really cheap tool chests and quality went downhill from there.
The last few years I've been buying most of my tools at yard sales, pawn shops, Craigslist and ebay. That way I get value and usually older US made tools. The downside is that I have to either overbuy in advance or spend a lot of time hunting for that special tool.
What good is a warranty? If I have to drive an hour round trip to go to Sears it isn't worth anything. If a reciept is required the hassle factor is too high. If I need a Snapon tool replaced I have to find the gouging bastard first. He doesn't come around unless he has slaves to service.
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I just had a less than stellar result trying to get warranty service on a Snap-On tool.
Understand, I buy & sell this stuff (used) a lot & thought on the hand tools, Lifetime meant Lifetime.
Instead it means if you don't have your receipt, you are out of luck.
On a mechanics tool forum, I had gotten instructions on how to send back to Kenosha broken tools.
(In my case an admittedly 30 year old brake spring pliers).
This company, which will gladly sell me a new one for 90 freeking dollars, won't repair the broken hook, unless I have a receipt.
They sent me back the broken pliers with this letter.
Would it have killed them to drive out the pin & put in a new hook?
These guys are killing themselves.
Now let's contrast that customer service with another (unrelated) company.
My son sent me as a fathers day present a new G19 holster.
He bought it on Amazon.
It was an IWB type.
Well I am too fat & my pants are too tight to put anything else inside of them.
Inside the box was a business card with the companies phone # on it.
I called & the fella said sure, he'll exchange it, for an OWB.
Just send it back to him, not Amazon.
No extra restocking fee.
No extra shipping fee.
Just wanted a customer to be happy.
& I am.
Understand, I buy & sell this stuff (used) a lot & thought on the hand tools, Lifetime meant Lifetime.
Instead it means if you don't have your receipt, you are out of luck.
On a mechanics tool forum, I had gotten instructions on how to send back to Kenosha broken tools.
(In my case an admittedly 30 year old brake spring pliers).
This company, which will gladly sell me a new one for 90 freeking dollars, won't repair the broken hook, unless I have a receipt.
They sent me back the broken pliers with this letter.
Would it have killed them to drive out the pin & put in a new hook?
These guys are killing themselves.
Now let's contrast that customer service with another (unrelated) company.
My son sent me as a fathers day present a new G19 holster.
He bought it on Amazon.
It was an IWB type.
Well I am too fat & my pants are too tight to put anything else inside of them.
Inside the box was a business card with the companies phone # on it.
I called & the fella said sure, he'll exchange it, for an OWB.
Just send it back to him, not Amazon.
No extra restocking fee.
No extra shipping fee.
Just wanted a customer to be happy.
& I am.
I use Dewalt 20V tools on the jobsite. The Sawzall and circular saw are the bomb. It's nice having a lightweight sawzall for those pesky reaches up in a joist bay. My shoulders are basically fried, and every less ounce or pound I have to lift means alot. The circular saw is nice too for on the roof trim cuts, etc. They need to incorporate a rafter hook of sorts for it though. The impact driver is an absolute necessity as well. Lot more screws going into framing jobs nowadays. All the new wazoo Simpson hardware uses the SDS screws, so an impact driver is a must for sure.
My friend who works at odd hours, likes snap on because he has a personal relation with the representative who will drive to his business and deliver a tool that is broken in the middle of the night. That is not to say he would need that for ordinary tools and sockets but more for the specialty tools it is worth the price for him to buy snap on.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-46...-with-Solid-Wood-Top-Black-7440946R/206839475
Husky
46 in. 9-Drawer Mobile Workbench with Solid Wood Top, Black
(136)
Questions & Answers (38)
$199.00 /each
Husky
46 in. 9-Drawer Mobile Workbench with Solid Wood Top, Black
(136)
Questions & Answers (38)
- 14,357 cubic inches of total storage capacity
- Full-extension drawers can support up to 100 lbs. each
- Backed by a 3-year limited warranty
$199.00 /each
Been collecting tools for about 55 years and I still have most of them. The gone ones are usually gone because someone 'borrowed' them (or I've dropped it in the grass under the shade tree). I've always looked at it with the idea that one should buy quality tools that will last. On the other hand I am not above buying a cheap tool to use for that one-time application with an eye towards discarding it when the job is finished.
I'm not much of a auto mechanic, I hates gettin greasy and things always seem to break down (need fixing) in the nastiest weather. Most of my tools are wood working type tools but I do have a plethora of sockets, air tools, wrenches and screwdrivers for auto stuff. I do love the power of pneumatics.
Wood shop tools - I have a Sears table saw that must be about as old as me. Built like a battleship, can actually disassemble it to fix things and it weighs a ton. It's moved with me three times, been in storage once for five years and still does the work I need from it. Power tools, hand tools, air tools, and measuring tools all in a heap on a table, needing to be organized - full time job.
BF
I'm not much of a auto mechanic, I hates gettin greasy and things always seem to break down (need fixing) in the nastiest weather. Most of my tools are wood working type tools but I do have a plethora of sockets, air tools, wrenches and screwdrivers for auto stuff. I do love the power of pneumatics.
Wood shop tools - I have a Sears table saw that must be about as old as me. Built like a battleship, can actually disassemble it to fix things and it weighs a ton. It's moved with me three times, been in storage once for five years and still does the work I need from it. Power tools, hand tools, air tools, and measuring tools all in a heap on a table, needing to be organized - full time job.
BF
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Replacing an intake manifold and needed a torque wrench, HD and Lowes way too high, this one worked like a champ. Additionally I had read using extensions altered the torque factor, I tried on one bolt marking the head and the bolt, I used a 4 and 6 inch extension and also tried the flex extension , there was no difference in torque values from 10 to 22 foot pounds, the range I was using.
3/8 in. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench
Pittsburgh® - item#807
Rated 3.88 out of 5 stars
628 ReviewsWrite a Review
3/8 in. torque wrench provides a range from 5-80 ft. lbs.
Purchase In Store Only
Only: $19.99
Compare to $84.97, Husky H2DTWA
3/8 in. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench
Pittsburgh® - item#807
Rated 3.88 out of 5 stars
628 ReviewsWrite a Review
3/8 in. torque wrench provides a range from 5-80 ft. lbs.
Purchase In Store Only
Only: $19.99
Compare to $84.97, Husky H2DTWA