Favorite tool brand?

[87scotty]

I have 85% Marco few mac and craftsman but I'm a diesel mechanic and they come to our shop so its nice taking my broken stuff on the truck and coming off with new at no charge eventually it'll pay off not having to drive to sears to warranty but as long as it gets the job done I refuse to spend anymore than 1000$ on a toolbox I won't do it so many guys with 20k dollar boxes nutz

 

[CSFJ]

I'll play. I started out with a craftsman set probably 25 years ago, when I was still in high school. I think it wasn't too long after that they started offshore production. When I started at the dealer, we were lucky, in the sense that we had a good matco guy and a good snap-on guy. So I had a mix the first couple of years. After a few years, our matco guy retired, and his replacement wasn't worth a ****. Ass-clown started showing up maybe once every 3 or 4 weeks. No particular time either. Buy then, I was mostly buying snap-on anyway, so it wasn't a huge inconvenience. I've been out of the dealer about 4.5 years now, and still buy from my snap-on dealer. It helps that he lives in the same town, and in an emergency I known I could get a hold of him on the weekend if need be.

I guess what it all boils down too is this, get a basic set to start out. Brand doesn't matter. After you land at a repair facility, you'll meet the tool guys who stop, and get an idea of which ones you can count on to take care of you as a customer. You'll also get a better idea of which brands you'll like, and which work better for whatever you end up working on. A word of caution though, beware of the gimmicky tools. Mac and matco seemed to always have some new contraption for sale. A few might work, most are a waste of money.

 

[foamypirate]

I'm a big fan of SK Tools, myself.

 

[ChevyRealHeavy]

Ever since I bought a set of Gear Wrench ratcheting wrenches they've replaced all my normal wrenches. I've been hooked on the brand and have been wanting to buy their 120 tooth ratchets for my Stanley sockets. When it comes to something you'll always use or is really important like a torque wrench more money should be invested.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

I use Wright myself.

I have all kinds though, I usually sift through the loose tool bins at pawn shops for vintage tools. The majority of my tools are older than I am because they were made to last.

 

[Iowan]

Thanks for the info!

 

[4WDKC]

Anything not made from Chinesium...

Always called them Taiwaneese, while theres nothing like a quality tool you have to remember that you have to pay for stuff outside of work also. I also hated waiting a week to get a broken tool replaced, I used to buy craftsman but not anymore I figure if its going to be cheap Taiwaneese made why should it cost more than Pittsburgh at harbor freight? I haven't had a problem with the Kobalt stuff I bought so far. SK is another of the big brands that mechanics use but not widely carried.

 

[spanky55amg]

I had a really good Matco guy, so like 90% of my tools are Matco.

Snap-on is good stuff, but expensive. And the only two Mac guys I knew were complete ********. I didnt like there stuff that much but I needed stuff and needed it now and it was their day. Most of it got returned.

Craftsman will NOT warranty any tools used professionally. If you break a tool and you go in your monkey suit, they will AB-SOUL-UTLY DENY warranting that tool. FYI.
Though if you need to buy one socket to weld to make a tool, definitely go there and buy that one socket.

If you need a wear item... punches, drill bits, chisels, etc... Harbor Freight. Dont buy hammers from there, but if you are definitely going to break it or wear it out, their prices cant be beat. Do NOT try to weld their sockets or anything. Who knows what metal they are made out of.


As for tool boxes... You will see guys buying the biggest Snap-on triple bay box. Think of it like an expensive car... how small is your dick. You dont need a box like that. Just get something ball bearing. It will do you a load of good. Dont buy one with a built in fridge or radio or cooler, or... well a light can be good if you get a hutch. That stuff comes out of you pocket. The shop will never ever reimburse you for that. And one day you may roll that box home, do you really want a triple bay in your garage? I mean, the answer is yes, but you know what Im getting to. $10,000 for a double bay could be another car, or a twin turbo lsx.

I spent 10 years as a tech and got tired of the ********. All I wanted to do was make money but I was working 6 days a week to bring home 45-50 hour paychecks. To me, thats a prison sentence, some real chain gain bull crap.

 

[spanky55amg]

I'll play. I started out with a craftsman set probably 25 years ago, when I was still in high school. I think it wasn't too long after that they started offshore production. When I started at the dealer, we were lucky, in the sense that we had a good matco guy and a good snap-on guy. So I had a mix the first couple of years. After a few years, our matco guy retired, and his replacement wasn't worth a ****. Ass-clown started showing up maybe once every 3 or 4 weeks. No particular time either. Buy then, I was mostly buying snap-on anyway, so it wasn't a huge inconvenience. I've been out of the dealer about 4.5 years now, and still buy from my snap-on dealer. It helps that he lives in the same town, and in an emergency I known I could get a hold of him on the weekend if need be.

I guess what it all boils down too is this, get a basic set to start out. Brand doesn't matter. After you land at a repair facility, you'll meet the tool guys who stop, and get an idea of which ones you can count on to take care of you as a customer. You'll also get a better idea of which brands you'll like, and which work better for whatever you end up working on. A word of caution though, beware of the gimmicky tools. Mac and matco seemed to always have some new contraption for sale. A few might work, most are a waste of money.

This X2.

 

[spanky55amg]

I have 85% Marco few mac and craftsman but I'm a diesel mechanic and they come to our shop so its nice taking my broken stuff on the truck and coming off with new at no charge eventually it'll pay off not having to drive to sears to warranty but as long as it gets the job done I refuse to spend anymore than 1000$ on a toolbox I won't do it so many guys with 20k dollar boxes nutz

Also X2

 

[CCSS]

I used to think snap on was the top brand or the brand to have but that was the brand my father used. Now that I have gotten older I realize that IMO there is no best brand because some may have better ratchets but then the screwdrivers need suck or this brand of wrench works well in one instance but in another the wrench needed to be thinner. Some tools just have a good feel or work best for the current job more so than others.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I used to think snap on was the top brand or the brand to have but that was the brand my father used. Now that I have gotten older I realize that IMO there is no best brand because some may have better ratchets but then the screwdrivers need suck or this brand of wrench works well in one instance but in another the wrench needed to be thinner. Some tools just have a good feel or work best for the current job more so than others.

It all comes down to what's comfortable to you ergonomically and fiscally....plain and simple.

 

[CCSS]

It all comes down to what's comfortable to you ergonomically and fiscally....plain and simple.

Or as a convenience who will come to you to replace/repair so you can keep making money.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Or as a convenience who will come to you to replace/repair so you can keep making money.

There's that side too. Not every one has access to a tool truck tho so I left out convenience.

 

[Iowan]

My mom told me one time there was a lug nut that was stripped and she took it to this guy and he had snap on impacts and broke 4!! trying to get thing off and the snap on truck came by and was like thanks lady I've been trying to get him to buy more impacts for years! the guy did get it off by the way.