New tools, did some research

[mike343sharpstick]

Hey all, haven’t posted in a bit, a little busy. That said, I’ve been updating my tools a bit and I’ve been doing some research before parting with my cash. You all may find this helpful.
We all want the good, pro-quality tools and don’t always want to spend piles of money. I suspect most of you are like me in that you have a bunch of different tool brands from harbor freight junk to Snap-On. I’ll spend a bunch on a tool I use all the time, but less on some others. Some people have fan-boy mentality on this, and treat tools like their favorite sports team or car brand, I don't get that?

For comparison sake, I used Metric Wrench sets. The prices of other tools seem to follow the same pattern relatively close.

I have a great set of Craftsman professional wrenches, and various other Craftsman Pro tools including my favorite ratchet ;). I’ve had these forever and they were all made in the USA. Unfortunatly with the fall of the Craftsman brand I’ve been searching for alternatives. I have read that they have started a new line called Craftsman Industrial. I think these are USA made tools. But as long as it’s not Chinese junk I don’t care all that much. All things equal I will buy USA made tools, but all things are rarely equal.

I have these listed from lowest cost to highest.
- Craftsman: Full-Polish from Sears (If you have a sears store in your area any longer?) $49.99
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-profe...&blockType=G18
These look like my old Craftsman Professional set. However they are not the same, made in China. And right in the description it says, a great starter set for your tool collection. Hmmmm?
At some point I lost my 7/8 wrench, so I had to buy one quick. I ran to my local sears and picked up a cheap china-made Craftsman wrench. It worked fine. I also bought a cheap welding clamp from Harbor freight, it’s total crap.

- Craftsman Industrial: From Summit Racing, 12 Piece set for $61.97 plus shipping.
The Craftsman Industrial line I see now is completely different from a couple wrenches I purchased just a couple years ago, so I’m not a huge fan of these any more as all the Craftsman brands seems to be faltering.

- Sonic Tools: 14 piece Combination wrench set, $125.
https://www.sonictoolsusa.com/combin...ch-14-pcs.html
Sonic is a new-ish tool company in the US. They have been around in Europe a long time. This is a mid-cost, non-USA but non-China professional tool company. They do an on-line business model, so for me that’s the best way to buy and exchange tools. They also do these cool foam-inlay sets too.
I've spent a couple hundred dollars on Sonic tools of late; screwdriver set, hammer set, and pliers set and I’m happy with these purchases, even got a nice discout recently. While not inexpensive, I feel like I’m getting a pro-grade tool for a fair price. That said, I do like the full-polish high end wrenches, so I went elsewhere for those.

- Mac Tools: 14-PC. Metric Knuckle Saver Combination Wrench Set, $359.99
http://www.mactools.com/en-us/Wrench...nch-Set-12-PT-
Mac/Matco/Snap-On are priced very similarly. USA made and arguably the best tools made anywhere. BUT holy crap what a price jump!
I have, and very much like the SAE Mac wrenches. However the tool truck thing is a pain in the a$$ for a home-shop guy. I have zero access to any tool trucks, and I buy these from Ebay (to save money), or on-line from Mac at list cost.
You best really LOVE these tools to pay these prices.

Any other options out there for quality without selling a limb? Or examples of where you spend big money for something you really like?

[oletrux4evr]

Most of my Snap-On tools came from the 'used' bin on the truck. Very well priced, and if you are particular, you can find them without any ownership markings..........

[mike343sharpstick]

After searching eBay on-and-off for a few MONTHS, I've completed my set of SAE MAC 'knuckle buster' wrenches. Found all good used tools for a fraction of the cost of NEW.

I invested in a few more Sonic tools as well. Not exactly inexpensive, Still much less than the tool tuck brands. I like them a bunch and the foam inlays fit into my Craftsman drawers just fine.

An inexpensive improvement was the set of "Hansen global" socket organizers. Each tray is about $14 dollars, not too bad. I found these at my local home depot.
Once I pulled all the sockts of my socket rails, and put them on the properly labeled location, I was a bit surprised at how many sockets had gone missing , especially in my 1/4 drive sockets. (And where did these duplicate sockets even come from )
Now I've been filling in the gaps of the missing tools. Some professional wrench turner friends had these, if it works for them It ought to work for me too.


I'm doing all of this to try and reduce the time I spend looking for tools, It seems I have less time to do ANYTHING. So even though I use tools for "fun", I find it to be more fun when I'm not walking around the shop looking for things.

Old tools are going into a collection of 'traveling tools', so I can grab and go when I go to the junk yard, autocross, or up north riding the dirt bike.

[JOES66FURY]

We used foam cutouts at work. Depending on the budget they were either laser cut by a company or hand cut by the folks that ran the tool room. I did the same in my box a few years back and it helps with the "where the hell is that damn 10mm?" problem.
I have the same issue with duplicates popping up and other things vanishing with all the left socks...only to have them turn up in locations that I have never been. That's a mystery left for the professionals.
I got a new box and was not about to do the cut out foam thing again so I got some socket holders and wrench racks. I put the high use items onto them and left the other stuff just hanging out in the drawer. I like them, saves time that's for sure although some of them can be a bit spendy.

As far as tools go...I get most of my stuff at estate sales in the area. They run year round so there is no shortage. I go and if there are tools I root thru them and pick out the good stuff.

I have been lucky to find quite a few pieces of old SK tools. The nicest piece being the 1/2 drive narrow head ratchet I snagged for 5 bucks recently. I have a handful of wrenches both open-end/box end combos and open end combos and the quality between them and some of the lesser tools is obvious once you hold them.

I do have some of the older Made in the USA hand tools from HUSKY and love them but, if you compare them to the crap they make now...again the difference is obvious once you hold the tools.

My tools are older, 25 yrs or so. Most are older Craftsman, Husky and SK tools but I do have a small assortment of the "i need this right now" Chinese parts store variety. They serve their purpose and will probably last a while because I am not a pro and I don't use them as often as other folks might.

Also, I did luck into a set of SK air tools from a Pawn Shop. It was a set that only had the tools but didn't have the other bits and pieces. I scored it for 25 bucks on sale. They are nice, real nice...much better than the Harbor Freight stuff BUT...in a pinch...SOME of the HF air tools have proven to be relatively decent.

[mike343sharpstick]

My stuff has to be more than 20 years old too. Most of what's remaining from that is still perfect. My old craftsman professional metric wrench set has been awesome, and is still fully in tact. My craftsman ball-bearing top box is at least 20 years old, and traveled all around with me when I was racing bikes, also awesome (And durable!)

I was working on my car a while ago and didn't have a few things, it made me crazy so I started to do a tool audit, which then started my quest to figure out how to get good stuff without spending too much.

[JOES66FURY]

, it made me crazy so I started to do a tool audit, which then stated my quest to figure out how to get good stuff without spending too much.

Estate sales and pawn shops are a good resource for good cheap tools but the search takes time and may not net the results folks might hope for.

I also frequent a booth at the swap meet, this guy buys out storage lockers and estate sale left-overs. I will rummage around his bins pulling the good stuff out...sockets usually cost me .25 cents and good wrenches or screw drivers are a buck or two...

Still, the bulk of my tool box is that old stuff over 20 years old...and you're right...it holds up and works great. The only old tool I had that failed is the 1/4 drive craftsman ratchet I purchased in 1995.

Interesting you said that about your boxes. I have a 20+ year old home use 9 drawer craftsman box and a newer used box I got from a buddy...the old one was 100 bucks back in the 90's and is a higher quality piece than the newer, bigger craftsman box...I am looking and praying to score a incredible deal on a nice used Waterloo/Matco or Snap-on box -- but until that day comes...these will have to suffice.

[mike343sharpstick]

And be aware, tool companies put their name on all sorts of things they don't actually make... Like this.

Now getting that sticker off does take a few minutes, so it may be worth the extra $27.04 to some people.

[Deaf Bob]

As a "thank you for helping us build our derby cars". My kids bought me one of those trays by Snap-On where the sockets are held in with 1/4 turn..
Real sweet! 1/4-3/8 and 1/2 sockets Can look in a glance and know if sockets missing!
Maybe 8"X14-16" long with handles on both ends.

[Russell]

I have a set of those socket holders, some are just like that and some are not as nice but cost less. Northern tool had the standard half inch and 3/8 trays the other day for $5 and $4 I got them for Dad.

[Barry Donovan]

something different is happening.
international standards.

you buy impact sets at harbor fright, they can't be shattering in your face.

if push comes to shove, I use impact sockets everywhere.
wrenches , I go anyplace that does the lifetime swapping, even napa, carquest.

I just bought non-impact deep well from harbor fright and air gunned 15 year old bolts off that worked their way into a new size.


I am not thinking of the super brands anymore, unless it was a banner for a public garage where I gained customers.

[mike343sharpstick]

A little surprised. I decide i'd kinda like a new 1/4 inch ratchet like a Snap On T72, or MAC MR590K. Checked out new and used. Checked out various Mac, Matco, Sonic, etc... Wow, those little buggers are a pricy! Maybe the old craftsman will be ok for a few more years.

[DanStokes]

A little surprised. I decide i'd kinda like a new 1/4 inch ratchet like a Snap On T72, or MAC MR590K. Checked out new and used. Checked out various Mac, Matco, Sonic, etc... Wow, those little buggers are a pricy! Maybe the old craftsman will be ok for a few more years.

I have a Snap-On 1/4" drive ratchet that I've had since 1965 or so. It's had a new set of guts once or twice but no problems AND it looks like a piece of jewelry. I abuse it badly because it fits in places that a big ratchet won't fit. As always, I've never regretted spending big for great tools.

Dan

[silver_bullet]

..

[Thumpin455]

For me its not usually if it breaks, but if it rounds off the fastener and slips. I break cheap stuff all the time, like a breaker bar I picked up somewhere, two lug nuts and now I have a very long drift, but mostly the cheap crap rounds off the fasteners, especially when rusty.

I got tired of loading up my road box every time I headed to Nebraska for another car, so I started getting the cheap kits from the box stores to throw in the trunk or back of the truck. Low investment and I don't care if they break, they are for when I break down or need to fix something on the road, they aren't used daily in the shop. No HF near me, so I don't have much of their junk, but a set of 3/8 extensions is holding up pretty well. I think I have 5 complete sets or standard and metric wrenches between 5/16-8mm and 1 1/4, but the Snap On, Mac, and other high end stuff doesn't leave the shop anymore. Have Kobalt crap that some of it works pretty good, some breaks with a few uses.

I'll look into the Sonic tools, have no problem with European stuff. China, well that varies greatly, you never know which one will give you lead poisoning.