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Theres already a thread, and lots of C8-)
But it all depends on what you can afford at the time of purchase. Craftsman, Snap On, Mattco are all good tools to buy, Craftsman being more for entry level technicians though.
I would not go into debt buying the best tools right off the bat.
Screw Crap-On. Their prices are highway robbery!
I discovered that Danaher Corp. manufactures sockets, wrenches, ratchets, and screw drivers for Craftsman, MAC, MATCO, and SNAPPY. What they produce depends on each company. They don’t make all of those tools for each company.
Why in God’s name would you pay out of your nose for a Snap-On Socket set, when it’s just a re-branded Craftsman socket? That’s dumb. People who purchase something because of a name DESERVE to be molested at the cash register.
My not so humble opinion is buy Craftsman hand tools. And buy MAC, MATCO, or Cornwell diagnostics. Everyone I have talked to said to buy Chicago Pneumatic or Ingersoll Rand air tools. They all had their experience with MAC, Matco, etc. Seemed to me like most professionals picked CP or IR, and then said MAC was a decent air tool. I went to the parts/tool store on campus and checked out the Chicago stuff. My junk Campbell Hausfeld $20 1/2 gun feels like a better quality tool than the CP stuff that was here, so I ordered up an IR at about 45% off student price. My dad called when it was delivered and said it’s the same gun he sold 15 years ago. Identical.
If anybody out there is a Tech student, I had to search around Ingersoll’s website but I eventually found this:
http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/IS … m_en-37585
Up to 60% (SIXTY PERCENT!!!) off on air tool kits.
I was raised on Snap On since my grandfather spent most of his life in a Snap On factory but I also use Craftsman, Ingersoll Rand, and a bunch of others with decent quality.
I’m in the machining industry and I can tell you there are some machine shops up here that make tools for both Snap On and Craftsman. A lot of people think these companies make all of their own tools and are surprised some are made under the same roof.
I use all different brand tools based on what they are used for. Most of the 3/8 sockts craftman, but many of my gear head friends have pretty good result with made in Chinese tools – because you really don’t put much torque on 3/8″ or 1/4″ tools. However, if you need 1/2″ or 3/4″, you want to go with something good. Otherwise socket may crack and can seriously hurt you.
I use Craftman, SK Facom, KD, and most of my air tools are from Chicago pneumatic and Ingersoll rand. I don’t use expensive snap on – if I need the clearance, I just take the cheap tool and grind it down using a bench grinder.
I just picked up a Kobalt 227 Piece Tool set for 99$ at Lowes. Fantastic Quality and have a great feel. Lifetime Warrenty, Plus has (SFL) Sockets for life so if you ever lose any pieces. Just pay for the shipping and handling and you got a new piece. Kind of Nifty.
But…If you have money to burn…..Just kidding, Honestly though. It depends what you plan on using them for. If you are a weekend warrior and don’t run a shop and they are not getting beat on every day, all day. Then Kobalt or a Craftsman Toolset will do just fine.
Thats just my .02
Quoted From Chevypower:
Kobalt review video? *Cough* hint *cough* T)
Yeah, I’ll do it some time this week. I was actually planning on doing one. Anything specific you want me to go over?
Quoted From Chevypower:
Screw Crap-On. Their prices are highway robbery!
I discovered that Danaher Corp. manufactures sockets, wrenches, ratchets, and screw drivers for Craftsman, MAC, MATCO, and SNAPPY. What they produce depends on each company. They don’t make all of those tools for each company.
Why in God’s name would you pay out of your nose for a Snap-On Socket set, when it’s just a re-branded Craftsman socket? That’s dumb. People who purchase something because of a name DESERVE to be molested at the cash register.
My not so humble opinion is buy Craftsman hand tools. And buy MAC, MATCO, or Cornwell diagnostics. Everyone I have talked to said to buy Chicago Pneumatic or Ingersoll Rand air tools. They all had their experience with MAC, Matco, etc. Seemed to me like most professionals picked CP or IR, and then said MAC was a decent air tool. I went to the parts/tool store on campus and checked out the Chicago stuff. My junk Campbell Hausfeld $20 1/2 gun feels like a better quality tool than the CP stuff that was here, so I ordered up an IR at about 45% off student price. My dad called when it was delivered and said it’s the same gun he sold 15 years ago. Identical.
If anybody out there is a Tech student, I had to search around Ingersoll’s website but I eventually found this:
http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/IS … m_en-37585
Up to 60% (SIXTY PERCENT!!!) off on air tool kits.
Danaher does not make Snap On or Mac tools. Danaher does own Matco, Armstrong, Gearwrench, Allen, etc. andcurrently produces Craftsman ratchets/sockets/wrenches and used to make the previous generation Kobalt.
Mac tools is owned by Stanley Black and Decker. Even within Danaher, the Matco stuff is significantly superior to Craftsman or Craftsman Professional. Most of the hand tools sold by Snap On are made by Snap On. They do rebrand a lot of specialty tools.The best air tools are generally Ingersoll Rand, Snap On, and then maybe AirCat. The most popular seem to either be the IR 2135TiMax, IR 2135QTiMax, or Snap On MG725. Those 2 IR guns are a new design and shouldnt be like anything your father had.
You should check out Garage Journal Tool Forum if you got some free time. There are lots of mechanics thattalk tools there.
I’ve got lots of Craftsman stuff that I use every day. I’ve also got lots of Matco stuff that gets used every day as well. As has been said, it does come down to personal preference, but there is also a convenience factor involved when buying Matco/MAC/Cornwell as opposed to Craftsman/Kobalt/Stanley. With Matco et al, the tools will come to you, and you don’t have to pay the full amount up front. With Craftsman et al, you have to pay for it up front as well as go to Sears and hope that they have what you’re looking for in stock. Personally speaking, the closest Sears to my apartment is a half hour drive through poorly designed streets, so it’s worth the extra money to just buy off the Matco truck than having to deal with the hassle of getting to Sears only to find that they don’t have the tool I’m looking for.
The reason I went with Matco rather than one of the other “premium” brands simply came down to reliability in the driver of the tool truck. The Matco man would show up every Thursday, at about the same time every single week. Snap-Off showed up once every alternate month, MAC showed up completely at random, and the local Cornwell dealer doesn’t come to my shop.
Snap-on/ Mac… expensive tools have their market place. If you fix cars for living you would want to maximize your time (and income) Any time you cannot do something due to a broken tool is just money lost. I’ve broken sockets before and I had to drive to Sears to get them replaced. If I was working on a customer car making changing flat rate and wasted two hours to replace the tools, I would’ve been furious. So in long run, it makes sense to pay extra $100 because it will pay for itself. (with time) If I work on cars for living, I would not be using Craftsman or anything less than Snap-on.
I noticed that Snap – On tools are so much more expensive than a lot of other brands. However they serve the same purpose. What makes them so special. Which other brands are quality and do not cost so much ? Where can I get tools for a reasonable price ? Also I am looking for a heavy
duty compressor that I can transport in my van for a decent price. Are there any brands of compressors that you would recommend. I need something that I can run all of my power tools off.My dad has had a set of Craftsman tools for eons with no problems. I have Mastercraft (equivalent to Craftsman, but from a Canadian retailer). I would say, bare minimum, look for, and stick to tools with a lifetime warranty and are made in north America, or somewhere similar. No made in China stuff (no offense to any Chinese folks here). You want to know that odds are, the tool you are using won’t break, but on the off chance it does, the manufacturer will take care of you with no hassle.
Price wise, you have to look at your use of the tools. Are you going to be using them all day, everyday? Or are you a DIYer? I would say, to get your monies worth out of Snap On tools, you would have to probably be a professional (you’d have to be one to pay for them heh). If you are a DIYer a more middle-of-the-road set would probably do just fine, and be more cost effective. For example. I picked up a $700 tool set for $165 as a door crasher at a grand opening of a new store. With the work that I do, $165 is a great deal. $700 not so much. I could have gotten by with a smaller and cheaper set of tools. On the other hand, if I was like Eric, then the work I’d be doing would justify a more expensive set.
1) Lifetime guarantee. Don’t settle for anything less.
2) If you are a professional, do heavy jobs all the time, or are rich, go for snap on.
3) If you are a DIYer Craftsman/Mastercraft (depending on your location) would probably do the trick and be more cost effective.Harbor Freight is a great place buy sockets and ratchet’s their wrench’s will get the job done but I prefer the gearwrench brand wrench’s .
Harbor Freight now offers a lifetime guarantee on their hand tools just bring them in and now questions asked. If I was a new tech just starting at a dealership I would start with a name brand..Snap on / Mac / Matco or Cornwell and with other mechanic’s it’s like a pissing contest to see who has the latest and greatest.
Craftsman are great and you can walk into any Sears for a replacement..
And sometime’s Pawn shop’s can be a great place to find used tools if you know what you are looking at and the value .
Anything that was built from the 1980’s on up should be metric so I would build a metric set for starter’s.
Just my 2 cent’sT)
Sometimes there is a difference, sometimes not. Obviously when the Snap-On/MAC tool is just rebranded from another manufacturer, with 50% tacked on, you can get the same thing for a lot less and there will be no difference. I have a little bit of everything in my toolbox
I have a little bit of everything, mainly craftsman but i do have some snap on stuff.
I like craftsman cause i can just walk into sears and get what i need when i want (don’t have to wait on the tool truck).
My engine hoist and other stuff like that is from harborfreight and I’ve never had any problems with them.
Eric has some stuff from there to i think.
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