what brand hand tools * guys use?

[Oldshell4481]

craftsman because if you ruin one, you can bring it back and get it replaced for free

[trikerider2oo7]

that is what most people forget...they think that you cant take a craftsman back...so they buy the expensive ones that all the company has to brag about is that their tools are returnable. i have taken back many craftsman tools

[3 weelin geezer]

Hammers; Learn how to properly mount a head on a handle and you'll be set for life. (Same theory also applies to picks, axes, pulaskis...) Use good quality handles and don't forget to set the grain of the wood so that it is perpindicular to the striking face of the head. Handles break but heads are hardly ever damaged beyond thier usefullness. I keep a few sizes of ball peen, a large and small claw , a couple sizes of hard plastic and rubber mallets and a small set of body s and dollies. Never use body s for anything besdies bodywork.
_______________________________

Hmmm... I use my s for just about anything from ringing a propane tank like a gong to insecticide when ants invade my space while working on my trike. Does this count as 'body work'? The tank is empty of course. Bullet holes in it dont hold gas too good. I dont think that crescent wrenches or slip joint pliers make very good ones but some people do.

[ATC crazy]

Only Craftsman for me!

[patblkwell]

Well I went to Sears looking around at the tools for a good socket set in a hard case. I found this 71 piece GearRatchet set on sale for $39 and it came with a lifetime replacement warranty too. I've been pretty impressed so far, it has 3 of each size socket up to 19mm and 13/16in.

I have becomed accustomed to Craftsman tools since that is what my dad has used his whole life, they due tend to wear out over time as I'm sure any will do. If I had the money and true need for them right now, I'd get a good Snap-On set most likely. They are a little pricey though.

[jenndnn3]

Here's what I've figured out so far. I am pretty hard on my tools as I use them on my own stuff and at work in the service department of a factory dealership.


Screwdrivers; buy the cheapest ones you can find becuase you will end up using them as prybars are tearing up the tips on stubborn screws. Snap-On sells a set of eight (sdgx80) for $127.00, I buy from the bargain bins at Napa or Wal-mart for less than a buck usually.

Sockets; I am slowly replacing my Craftsman sockets with Snap-On and Mac. I've seen too many split walls on the standard and impact drive sockets on the Craftsman stuff. I've also seen the drive end of the Craftsman impact sockets become loose after it is used long enough with air tools. This doesn't happen often but I can't afford to be without some sockets sizes at work, even for a day. All my 1/2 inch drive stuff is Snap-On or Mac.

Socket Wrenches; Only Snap-On, maybe Mac. Craftsman ones keep breaking on me, the ratchet mechanism just isn't strong enough. I can't think of three different Craftsman socket wrenches I bought new that have broken (two 3/8s drive, one 1/2 inch drive) in normal use.

Wrenches; I have a full set of Craftsman wrenches that work fine. I don't feel bad about using a cheater bar or a on these. I buy Snap-On when I need a specialty wrench; but I don't abuse them like the Craftsman ones.

Ratchet Wrenches; I have a Snap-On brand that work great and are not heavy at all. These are great to have and handle all the force you can put to them. I wouldn't trust the unheard of brands, I've seen the ratcheting mechansims fail on these more than a few times.

Torque Wrenches; Beam Style is alright but slow when there are alot of bolts to turn. I have a 3/8 drive Snap-On thumb wheel version (very similiar to TQFR100E) that works great. The thumb wheel is turned to select how much torque to transfer and you just turn the bolt/nut till the wrench clicks. This wrench is a step above the twist handle styles. I have a beam style from Craftsman but don't hardly use it anymore. Buy the best quality torque wrench you can. Not sure about the beam style but the twist handle and thumb wheel versions can be recalibrated.

Hammers; Learn how to properly mount a head on a handle and you'll be set for life. (Same theory also applies to picks, axes, pulaskis...) Use good quality handles and don't forget to set the grain of the wood so that it is perpindicular to the striking face of the head. Handles break but heads are hardly ever damaged beyond thier usefullness. I keep a few sizes of ball peen, a large and small claw , a couple sizes of hard plastic and rubber mallets and a small set of body s and dollies. Never use body s for anything besdies bodywork.

Air Tools and Compressors; Ingersoll Rand, Snap-On and Mac all make very good air tools. Craftsman are ok, but seem to fail far more than others. Buy the best quality and largest compressor you can afford too. Don't buy a small compressor. Ingersoll Rand and Emglo (who maunufactures compressors for Dewalt) make very good stuff. I haven't seen a compressor that didn't work well yet from any manufacturer though, even off-brands.

Welders; Miller, Lincoln, Hobart... these are all very good brands; the industry standard I should say. Just compare similiar models and talk to the experts to find what is right for the application and your own skill. I have a Lincoln 100 amp wire feed welder that works great. I recently bought a very old Montgumery Ward 100 amp stick welder. It works good, and for $50 it came with a hood and a few pounds of rod. Why I bought it; it fits my ability and gets me practicing my stick welding.

Toolboxes; I have a Mac Toolchest at work (about four feet long, two feet deep) that holds the tools that I use there. Mac, Snap-On, Craftsman (with the roller bearing drawers) are all good. I have the three drawer Craftsman tool box that I started with as my go between work and home. Check pawnshops and tool dealers for used toolbaxes; high quality can be found. My Toolchest goes for around $3000 from the tool dealers; I bought it used for $500. It is in like new condition, but I also know the guy cut me a really good deal.


Things to Remember; Not all tools have to be expensive to be good. I only buy Snap-On when I need something special or immidiately. I avoid buying Craftsman tools that have moving parts; no socket wrenches or air tools. Garage sales and pawn shops are the best places to find great deals on tools. Make a list of every size and shape of tool that you need on your three-wheeler and pick what you need up from the pawn shop and make a trail set of tools. Tools can be made, I've cut pipe to make specialty sockets and used a grinder to make a 23mm hex out of an axleshaft. I also have a few wrenches that I've bent or cut to fit in certain places. I make funnel out of oil bottles at work and cut the square wiper fluid bottles in left and right halves to get two trays for holding parts as I work on things. The boxes from oil filters; cut off the tops and staple about six together to make a nice organizer for nuts and bolts.

I am just starting out (I'm only 23) but I figure I already have around $8000 worth of tools. This is just basic tools that get me started. I am still short on alot of things but have everything I need for most jobs. Never borrow a tool without permission, and return it as soon as you're finished with it; make sure it's clean and if it's damaged let the person know. By looking for deals and being creative I probably have only a few grand invested.

More important than the tools, is the knowledge of how to use them.

This was pegged perfect! I agree!

[OldSchoolin86]

Craftsman gets my vote, and if you like the feel of the more expensive brands they have a pro series that have a nice feel too. If a tool wears out or breaks take it back for another, it's that simple. I looked into Husky because it was recomended but I went to a few Home Depo's in the Milwaukee/Chicago area and the selection was horrible. For air tools I prefer IR (Ingersoll Rand).

[TimSr]

Here's what I've figured out so far. I am pretty hard on my tools as I use them on my own stuff and at work in the service department of a factory dealership.

I agree with your evaluation completely. My brother is an auto tech, and he would agree with you as well. You rarely see professional automotive people using anything other than the high dollar "dealers on wheels" products.

The key is to buy what you need for what you will be doing with it. Your requirements as someone who will be using the stuff daily, and giving it good hard, even abusive use every day is different than the guy who is maintaining his bikes on weekends. I think Craftsman, Stanley, and other name brand products are great high quality tools for weekend home user mechanics and will serve us well, but they wouldnt be my tools of choice in your profession, and I too would be buying a lot of expensive ultra heavy duty equipment from SnapOn, Matco and others. I buy cheap generic stuff, if its someting Im only going to use once or twice a year, and Ill get ten years service out of it anyways. A person should choose his tools based on his actual needs. "The best" is a waste of money if you dont need "the best" just as you dont save any money buying cheap stuff if you have to replace it on a weekly basis.

[Name Brand]

The key is to buy what you need for what you will be doing with it. Your requirements as someone who will be using the stuff daily, and giving it good hard, even abusive use every day is different than the guy who is maintaining his bikes on weekends.

I almost agree, only almost becuase of the time my 3/8 Craftsman ratchet broke when I was on the trail. We had to tow my 125m about 8 miles back to the trailhead becuase I couldn't get to the chain to put it back together after it slipped off the sprockets. That was lame.

I totally agree with everything else you said,

[350Xccelerator]

i just go to ACE hardware and get what i want there, never had any problems lol

[Pistonhead]

I have various brands of tools. I mainly use Thorsen (from peavey mart in Alberta), Mastercraft (Canadian tire), or Husky wrenches and I also have a set of cheapo wrenches that I don't care if I break them.

I have 2 Lincoln welders (an arc and a Mig) which work good.

I use a Mastercraft torque wrench and socket set most often, I also have a mastercraft electric impact wrench.

I have a good set of Fuller pliers, and many other sets from various places.

I have a farmcrest and a mastercraft air compressor.

I only buy very good quality s (I've got body s and any other imaginable)

I have Lisle brand feeler guages, valve spring compressors, cylinder hones and stuff like that.

I usually buy from Canada tire, House of tools, or Princess auto.

[R-tifacts]

Im snap on all the way, there is a diffrence, in quality and price for sure but when I buy a snap on tool I know its the last one I will ever buy, inless you loose it.

[300rman]

Im not convinced on snap on. My dad runs an auto shop, and getting snap-on to replace any tools is nearly impossible if you arent paying the tool delivery guy every week. Snap on sockets and wrenches are a waste. craftsman sockets are unbeatable. if it breaks, take it back. its that simple. And any mechanic that only has one socket in the heavily used sizes may need to re-evaluate their toolbox.

for some of the stupid huge stuff, Harbor freight has been a winner. 50-60 bucks for sets that would cost hundreds elsewhere.

avoid the cheap wrenches though, the walls on the closed ends are thicker than the high-end stuff and it will cause you problems when trying to wrench on these Japanese bikes.

snap on has some cool stuff, and sometimes they are the only guys that have some things. But for stuff you are always abusing, buy it cheap. sockets and wrenches, craftsman all the way. Gearwrench makes great rachet-wrenches. As for rachets, whatever name brand can be had easiest. I have broken them all, none seem any more durable than the others.

Im surprised Proto or S&K hasnt been mentioned yet.

[Chazz of Blades]

GearWrench is the only brand of ratchets that I use.


I have tools that have been passed down a few generations, so I have MACS, GW, Snap-On(not my favorite actually), and tools so old they are iron. and unmarket. I have a set of iron wrenches that are ancient.

[KASEY]

i have snap-on, sk, napa, craftsman, klein, greenlee, williams, mac, proto, blackhawk, wright. husky, blue point. thoreson , challenger and stanley.. to name a few....