iamlew Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Just curious if you guys know any decent places to order some tools at. Looking for something decent, or good, just watching the old budget. I use all my pops tools right now, Investing in some of my own. Pretty much looking for your random tools that one may need for fixing vehicles. I already got a pickle fork, and vice grips, so maybe I don't need tools... Know any good places for some inexpensive ratcheting wrenchs that have movable closed ends. I saw some on sale for 10 bucks (standard stanely set) but I didn't get them not knowing they're usually 40 at the time. Damn me, but anyways, mostly need some metric stuff! (needed a 10mm the other day, found 5 9mm and 4 11 mm not one 10, of course. haha) anyways, websites? stores? you guys find any sweet deals you feel like sharing. ebay - check craigslist -check =p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Craftsman stuff... lifetime warranty on the handtools, break em and go exchange it for free at your local Sears, no questions asked. I've used this warranty many times, not because the tools are bad, but because I like to abuse them... uh, I mean... test the limits. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89PalermoSHP Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Craftsman X 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLDSM88 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I buy my stuff from harbor freight. There hand tools are cheap but have a life time warranity on them. It is also where I but all my welders and saws and I haven't had any problems. They are a quater the price of any where else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dcrasta Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 x3 Craftsman. One of my oldest tool was a breaker bar I had from the 50s-60s. It belonged to my uncle, and I bent it trying to remove the spindle nut from my first car (72 beetle). I had a hydraulic jack pushing the breaker bar handle up and the bar bent. Obviously abused. The guy at Sears told me (As he was replacing it) that I had just destroyed what (To a collector) would have been worth 300-400 bucks . I was a sad panda that day, but not because they didnt respect the warranty. Oh catch a major sale and sears is almost giving tools away. Harbor freight is good for stuff like engine hoists, load levelers, etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog_37 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 x4 Craftsman. Almost everything I have is Craftsman, or Lowes. I only does Lowes brand is I am in a rush and need the tool now since they are closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmyers151 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 +5? Go with Craftsman, they're always having sales on tool sets and stuff. I think I got my 300 piece mechanics set for around $250? It's got everything you'll need for a quest, except pliers, and if I were you, get a good set of screwdrivers too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 keep using your dads tool box until he cuts you off. Tools get effin expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G54B3sgte Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I am a diesel Tech by trade and i am not going to say snap on matco or mac tools screw all of them CRAFTSMAN! its the best way to go and one piece of advice as far as harbor freight tools You Get What You Pay For very wise words just go with craftsman sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) Craftsman stuff... lifetime warranty on the handtools, break em and go exchange it for free at your local Sears, no questions asked. I've used this warranty many times, not because the tools are bad, but because I like to abuse them... uh, I mean... test the limits. -Robert I don't know about the no questions asked part any more. And they give you remand one's now they do not replace them with new unless no remaned is avalable. If you have the old much higher quality craftsman stuff try not to break it they will give you the new (lower) quality stuff. Edited January 14, 2009 by jszucs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mix_67 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Craftsman for almost everything. However from my experience working there your next big sale won't be until spring. They like to keep the prices jacked up until most of the gift cards from christmas are spent. I worked in the tool department for 3 years, never once did I refuse to return a tool that was covered under warranty. EXCEPTION: 1/2" drive sockets. DO NOT use regular sockets on an impact gun. It will leave tell tale marks on the socket and many stores will not return it. They sell impact sockets for a reason, if your using the impact gun buy impact sockets. Also taps and drill bits are not covered by the warranty, they are considered consumable. I will also recommend GearWrench, they are carried at sears and are also warranted there, and I don't know what I would do without mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWormForEver Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Craftsman all the way. Especially b/c I was peeping out a Snap-On catalog and saw a $38,000 tool set. (Oh but the chest comes with lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) there are some tool you don't want to skimp on though... especially owning a SQ. Tools in my box I can't work on my car without: Ingersol Rand Impact 2135QTiMAX (mine is older but this seems equivilant) http://www.irtools.com/IS/product.aspx-en-28765 Matco 7" Alligator pliers http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/toolcata...=T&cat=2385 for this reason right here No handle squeezing; works with one-handed downward pressure. You can tell the difference. GOOD set of screwdriver. Save lots of stripped screws. Once you buy a good set of drivers, you'll never buy anything else. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P6...amp;dir=catalog Good air hammer. I use mine often. Its alot easier to hit s*** with a air hammer than with a BFH. less likely to hit something your not supposed to. and Sooooo many uses. Hell I used it to clean the crud out of the espansion joints in my garage floor http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/toolcata...ect=&page=1 I use this often as well.... pretty much everywhere http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P6...amp;dir=catalog everything else I have is cheap crap. and get lots of 10, 12, and 14MM sockets in various drives and lengths. You'll never find one when your looking. Cheap ones are fine. The local murrays hase them for $1.50 ea for 3/8 drive. Edited January 14, 2009 by Sully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 x3 Craftsman. One of my oldest tool was a breaker bar I had from the 50s-60s. It belonged to my uncle, and I bent it trying to remove the spindle nut from my first car (72 beetle). I had a hydraulic jack pushing the breaker bar handle up and the bar bent. Obviously abused. The guy at Sears told me (As he was replacing it) that I had just destroyed what (To a collector) would have been worth 300-400 bucks . I was a sad panda that day, but not because they didnt respect the warranty. Oh catch a major sale and sears is almost giving tools away. Harbor freight is good for stuff like engine hoists, load levelers, etc.. You know, if you read ANY manual about removing those nuts they blatantly state you WILL bust at LEAST 1 breaker bar in the attempt to remove that nut. That's the main reason I haven't replaced my rear cylinders yet. I don't have a spare breaker bar at the moment and my '72 Super Beetle is my driver. But yeah I agree go with Sears Craftsman hand tools. You can exchange them at any Sears and I'm pretty sure K Mart will do the exchanges as well (Since Sears owns them now as well). About 1/2 my tools are MAC and SnapOn but unless you're working at a shop, you're not likely to be able to get your hands on them easily and if you break a tool, I hope you know the local salesman REAL well or know his route so you can be at one of the shops to have the tool replaced or repaired. Other than those drawbacks I LOVE my snapon and MAC stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamlew Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Sweet, was looking at sears last night =). I have a few busted craftsman tools laying around I may go swap them out hah. I plan to use my dads until he cuts me off for sure, but he moves everything all the time. I was looking for the 1/2inch drive set he's got and couldn't find it for over an hour. (wanted to remove my trucks tie rod) I saw a neat crescent wrench yesterday. It was your typical type but had the vise grips locking mechanism on the handle so it wouldn't slip. Think its worth the try? (I always try to stay away from them, but they've been handy before). It was maybe $10 I went to harbor freight yesterday for a new 10mm socket ended up getting a metric set for like 8 bucks, didn't have the time to shop around more. I may wait till black friday and attempt to buy tools, but black friday pisses me off Thanks for the suggestions =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) ^ that is exactly what I was taking about in my post. I have 3 old craftsman ratchets the one's with the mercedes looking dial on the back to select direction. I broke the one and they replaced it with the new sloppy junkey one The old one had like 0 slop and it was from day one when they introduced the lifetime waranty. It also had a round handle which had super deep grips on it. Edited January 14, 2009 by jszucs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lusion972 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I wait for sears to have some retarded sale and I go there and stock up...still need to find a good tool chest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Craftsman for me for important tools. On occassion I pick up something at my local independant hardware store as needed. Harbor Freight is great but be very very careful. If you can get badly hurt using the tool, think twice before buying it there. My $15 grinder scares the crap outa me :biggrinumbrella1: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Dont Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 my precision tools are craftsman but other tools like my vice, brake bleeder, combination wrenchs are all from harbor freight and the quality is great, All these guys above are knocking harbor freight's tools and they haven't even tried them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G54B3sgte Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 omg i cant believe you guys all waiting to get nices boxes just do what i did and i am going to show you a website you guys are going to love http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/ they sell everything there they cary all the same tools as craftsman snap on matco mac etc they deal with the companies that the others deal with but you can buy it directly and its so much cheaper and the chest selection and prices are awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hincher Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I will tell you some things that a new guy would over look rule number one, never buy sets ( especially Snap on), there is always a couple tools that get dumped into sets that you will NEVER use ( but you paid for) #2 always buy 6 point sockets, ( get metric, never buy impact sockets the walls are too thick ) one set 3/8s deepwell and 3/8s shallow, you can carry one set of 3/8s shallow 12 points but you will only use them once in a while, then carry one deepwell 1/2 drive 6 point socket set ( get US standard, you will never know the difference when using them on Metric stuff) with a breaker bar, get a 'tray' for your sockets like the old days plumbers tool box, so you can take all your sockets with you under the car and aviod constant up and down work #3 and this is always over looked, if you use 6 point sockets, use a 32 tooth ratchet ( usually with a round style head) like S&K and the opposite is true, if you use 12 sockets its best to use a 16 tooth ratchet #4 always start with 12 point combination wrenches, they should have the narrowest neck you can find just below the head ( more turning area) buy the longest ones first then fill in with a short set later when speed becomes an issue, you will only need 6 point wrenches for specific jobs #5 expensive, lifetime tools are neet BUT! they have a nasty habit of growing legs and walking away ( there is no warrenty on lost and loaned tools) so buy what you want without brand envy get a good set of chisels, couple hammers, set of pliers, long handled side cuts and one set of needle nose, get a medium sized channel locks and cut the handles down to plier size ( works great) and get a jumbo size channel locks ( amazing how much you will use that) then add what you need as you go, when you look for a tool box, check how far the drawers come out, cheap boxes only open 1/2 way a good tool box has drawers that open all the way, always keep the box short, never add a top box, you cant find stuff in them when you cant look down and I constatly lay things on top of my lower box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwadd85 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 i have a Popular Mechanics socket set, real comfortable, precise selecter lever thingy, and it has a button on the back so you cannot take off the socket unless you press it. i like it a lot, its strong ttoo, havent had any problems with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamlew Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) Wow, bills got his s*** together, I'd never thought about ratchet teeth before. I did notice with the kits that they all have something stupid. I found one that had a hammer in it, or one that had random bits of wire lol. I know random bits can be good for some stuff, but when I need wire, it's usually something to go buy the right amount of you know. I like the 6 points already, I've stripped a few bolts with 12 points before. Only on really tight bolts though. I think I found a small set to go check out at the store. It was a small 45 piece that had something like 24 wrenchs and then random stuff, but nothing I found was something I'd never use. But for equal price I can more stuff not in a kit I suppose =p Edited January 15, 2009 by iamlew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Often times sets are the only way to buy though. Craftsman will give you a butt load of pieces for 89.95. But individually? Forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 All these guys above are knocking harbor freight's tools and they haven't even tried them I guess I should ask how you would have any idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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