Mechanics Tool Set Advice

[McCrapper]

Im curious as to what might be a good mechanics set to invest in. I've left the oilfield for the time being and with that meant turning over the tools and the truck that went with the job. Some of these sets include things I dont think Ill ever need and others that are missing key components that every tool set should have. I attached a list of sets that looked like possible winners, for instance the Klutch Mechanics 305 piece.

Ill be working on my 2nd gen Toyota 4runner, 2 stroke waverunner, and probably another boat in the near future.

http://hiconsumption.com/2015/10/best-mechanic-tool-sets/

What do the mechanics of the group say?

 

[grasshopperglock]

Respect but that list in the link is mostly junk. Very light duty stuff. Harbor freight is buy, break, exchange. Stanley is lower China stuff. Kobalt is imported but...buy, break, exchange. Kobalt are descent tools just not American made with American steel. It makes a huge difference to the 'feel' and performance of the tool. Nothing beats American. World over.

The real deal American.

Proto, SK, Snap On, Matco, MAC, Cornwell. Any brands that are made by Williams. Some older Kobalt wrenches were made by Williams. If you can find them. Buy them up. American made can be expensive but they have an extremely low depreciation. Snap-On is money converted to steel.

Craftsman has been trashed. Tools marked USA stand a chance of being imported communist. Sears sold the brand to I believe, Stanley.

 

[TX OMFS]

Craftsman was sold to Stanley and is now sold at Lowes. I have lots of early 2000s Craftsman stuff and like it. I agree with buying one of the American brands. You can also buy good used tools at pawn shops and flea markets.

If I were buying moderate duty tools today I'd get Kobalt or SK. Maybe the newest Craftsmans that are made in America again. Some of the Stanley Craftsman stuff is being made here again (i believe). I'd also look at used Snap-On.

 

[Vaquero]

2nd the pawn shop.

 

[McCrapper]

Pawn shop, good call. These will be definitely light duty, shade tree type.

 

[Shady]

make sure any set you buy has 6 point sockets and not the 1000 point ones or you will be striping bolt heads.

I only wrench on my stuff and have never had issues with craftsman or kobalt tools and for the most part even harbor freight stuff will get it done.

Now if I had deep pockets I might consider snap on or several of the professional tool makers. But for the most part cheep sockets and open end/box end wrenches do the same as the ones that cost 10x as much and when you misplace them you don't have to cry.

Now the wrench for the sockets better quality is nice ones that have a nice click and stay in the position you set them on lol.

Screw drivers and allen wrenches I would avoid cheep crap they will strip on you but again craftsman seem to be fine.

 

[vmax]

Most of my hand tools are Snap On
About them in the early in mid nineties when I ran a shop

They were more than I could afford back then but I'm glad I spent the money and got the best
I have filled in some things over the years with the older USA Craftsman

My advice is buy the best you can afford

 

[Dawico]

Snap-On, Matco, etc. are just plain overpriced in my opinion.

Craftsman and Kobalt have worked well for me. Some of them see some pretty serious impact time at work and have held up very well. Plus break them and swap them out for free.

 

[vmax]

Craftsman can pound sand now
I will keep the US made ones I have but no more

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I really think you're better off just buying a decent box for cheap, and then putting your own tools in it. Those pre-built sets tend to have things you don't need, and miss out on tools you wish you had. I've wrenched on a professional level with everything from Snap-On to Stanley. Stanley and Craftsman don't hold up for day to day wrenching, but are ok for the light weekend jobs. My happy medium that I've gone with is a Harbor Freight box with a mix of Kobalt, Craftsman, and Snap-On tools. It's mostly Kobalt though because they're decently priced and nobody beats their warranty on their hand tools. Some of the more expensive brands are as good as Kobalts warranty, but you have to wait for the tool truck to come around and you're still paying more for the tool upfront.

Don't get me wrong - with all that said, my end goal is still a nice $10,000 Snap On box fully loaded with Snap On tools.

 

[McCrapper]

I really think you're better off just buying a decent box for cheap, and then putting your own tools in it. Those pre-built sets tend to have things you don't need, and miss out on tools you wish you had.

I keep coming back to this answer the more I look at sets.

 

[mantawolf]

Buy a cheap set today, if you break something replace it with the best you can afford. Breaking it means you at least used it.

Unless you a professional mechanic, buy good stuff then because you cant afford to be down a tool.

 

[TexasBrandon]

Ill throw my support for Kobalt as well. Bought a lot of their stuff as I needed it over the years for occasional duty and have never had a problem.

 

[grasshopperglock]

When you're underneath the car or under the hood. You're deep into it and want it right. It has nothing to do with being a professional. Your mind is on task and things are going the way you want them. Parts are lining up and going smooth. Absolute perfect job....

Until a socket cracks or a ratchet skips teeth. Most wrenches are fine. I doubt you could tell the difference between a Snap-Op and a Kobalt.

It's the ratchet and sockets that make the biggest difference. If you never have, you deserve to feel a Snap-On ratchet over lesser ones. Sockets too.

When your deep into it. You really don't want $hit breaking. Especially sockets getting cracks or a ratchet that's a turd.

If you buy cheap. Buy the wrenches. Upgrade on the socket set and ratchet.

 

[Shady]

I can say that in all the adventures I have had with rusted nuts and bolts and air and electric impact wrenches I do not recall ever busting a socket. Yes I have broken cheep ratchets though

 

[grasshopperglock]

I can say that in all the adventures I have had with rusted nuts and bolts and air and electric impact wrenches I do not recall ever busting a socket. Yes I have broken cheep ratchets though

Impact sockets don't count either. It's seems the cheaper and softer on those. The better they work.

 

[Shady]

I don't own a set of impact sockets.

Impact sockets don't count either. It's seems the cheaper and softer on those. The better they work.

 

[McCrapper]

I used an impact daily and Ive seen what cheap impact sockets can do. They can ruin your day.

 

[V-Tach]

One tidbit of advice..........

after you acquire your tools of choice.....never loan them out.........jmho...

 

[SloppyShooter]

When you're underneath the car or under the hood. You're deep into it and want it right. It has nothing to do with being a professional. Your mind is on task and things are going the way you want them. Parts are lining up and going smooth. Absolute perfect job....

Until a socket cracks or a ratchet skips teeth. Most wrenches are fine. I doubt you could tell the difference between a Snap-Op and a Kobalt.

It's the ratchet and sockets that make the biggest difference. If you never have, you deserve to feel a Snap-On ratchet over lesser ones. Sockets too.

When your deep into it. You really don't want $hit breaking. Especially sockets getting cracks or a ratchet that's a turd.

If you buy cheap. Buy the wrenches. Upgrade on the socket set and ratchet.

But, you can buy 3 sets of HF tools for less than one Snap-On. So buy 2 sets, and if something breaks, just grab your spare. I personally haven't broken anything from HF, except a 1/2" breaker bar. I had a cheater pipe on it, an was literally lifting the car off the ground trying to remove an axle nut.