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Hey guys,
Today I just got signed as a first year apprentice for Ford Canada. I’m 16 and still in high school and I’m what you’d call an OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program) Apprentice. I just got signed today and I need some tools as I’ll be working p/t as a lube tech. My dad has some tools he said I could have but he doesn’t have much as he’s only a weekend warrior. Any help would be appreciated as what to look for like wrenches, ratchets, impact gun, etc. Sorry if this is in the wrong section but I’m new here.
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On a lube tech budget. I would start buying basic hand tools from Sears. Craftsman wrenches,screw driver, 3/8 drive ratchet and Metric sockets set. Oil filter wrench is needed for the job. When it comes to air tools I would buy off the truck. They seem to have better quality in air tools then Sears.
I would actually recommend bypassing Sears and heading straight for your internet :cheer: Amazon has awesome deals on most of what you need, from impact sockets and wrenches(check out Tekton, awesome value and good quality stuff) to hammers and your impact gun (I got my IR 2135Ti Max off amazon brand new w/2 yr factory warranty for 200 bucks LESS than what the tool truck guy asked for the same exact gun). Lots of high quality hand tools on Amazon. Get a nice set of gear wrenches (the sealed type, not the open “sandwich” style as they get fouled and jam), they’re awesome time savers even early on. Overall Amazon is much cheaper than Sears.
There are certain items you just don’t mess around with, primarily ratchets. Get a professional quality ratchet, or grab a Craftsman and learn the lesson a few times (tip: wear gloves w/padded knuckles). I grabbed a few entry level (matco’s silver eagle line, similar to snap-on’s blue point stuff) 1/4,3/8 & 1/2 drive general service sets to start when they were on promo. Craftsman “professional” is some nice stuff, but by then you’re pretty much spending tool truck prices. Some of the nicer tool truck tools trickle down into craftsman from time to time, like matco’s impact universal joints (wayyyy better than the old ball n pin). Most of all, especially as a lube tech,get a high quality 3/8 torque wrench if your employer does not provide one! Aluminum oil pans are NOT forgiving, my friend, and no manager wants to deal with the new guy’s learning curve by buying a dozen oil pans, or worse a motor.
Lastly don’t forget e-bay and pawn/thrift shops. Some nice finds there, although if you’re trying to get geared up in a quickness it may not be feasible to scrounge around. You’ll pick up tools as you go but your basics will last you throughout your career if you shop smart. If there’s a Harbor Freight (or equivalent) near you it’s also a great place to pick up some basic stuff too if you’re on a really tight budget, just understand some of it is going to break. Good luck and happy wrenching, buddy!
Beware the tool truck.
That stuff is normally grossly overpriced and the financing will cause you to buy more than you need or can afford. Next thing you know most of your paycheck is going to buying the tool man a boat or motorcycle. Like Fixit said, go online, hit pawn shops and garage sales. Heck take out a tools wanted ad in the paper.
Uh When I first started I bought a Air gun first for the fact that as a lube tech youre going to be doing alot of Tire rotation, Installing new tires and what not.. Ingersoll Rand makes GREAT Air tools and they are cheaper then Matco and Snap-on and do Just as good if not better then they do Like others were saying invest in a little crafstman wrench set and socket set…. AND DONT GO CRAZY ON THE TOOL TRUCK!!!! It adds up!!
You can get Ingersoll at Sears along with craftsmans
If you are on a budget, check out flea markets for great deals on tools… Here are a few tips..
I highly recommend Craftsman tools for anyone starting out… Inexpensive and easy to find, especially at flea markets…
Concur with the IR models for impact… plentiful and strong… One warning, if you buy any used air tool….ask for a guarantee of some sort (like if you can bring it back after 24 hours)… Sometimes the internals are worn and they can be much weaker than they should be.
As a starting tech, I would want at least one good Snap on ratchet (dual 80), there is a night and day difference between a professional ratchet and a craftsman raised panel one. Ebay has great deals on these…
Screwdrivers, look at flea markets for old snap on ones, old ones are all black and can sometimes be found for $1.00 each and still have the warranty… The Craftsman pros have a nice handle, but the regular clear ones will do… Quite frankly on modern cars, you just won’t use screwdrivers all that much….
Socket extensions, if you can, get the ones with the knurled grip on them… Help out a lot when oil is prevalent… I believe the new Kobalts (made in Taiwan) have these… Snappys are expensive….
Pliers – cheap and plentiful at flea markets, mostly around 1-2 dollars each…
Wrenches- Craftsman Pro are actually pretty good…. Look for deals for these all around… Ya don’t need a matching set at this point so buy what you can…. 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 15mm, 17mm – 21mm
Flip impact sockets – If you are going to do tire rotations, these are handy and fast…
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-12-drive-impact-flip-socket-set-69994.htmlA good Craftsman torque wrench will suit you fine as well…
Check out this apprentice kit from Snap on… This should have most all of what you need as a first year tech… Ya don’t have to buy this kit from Snap on, just those types of tools…
What you see in my Signature pic is a general idea of mostly what I use on a day to day basis…
Regarding Snap on, there are some things they make better than anyone else… The ratchets are the best IMHO and their line wrenches can’t be beat… Other stuff can be debated but those two really stand out…
Lastly, around most places I have lived, I can get a good working set of tools by only spending $50-75 at a flea market. Start early and don’t be afraid to negotiate…
Cheers,
-Karl
now if you need the tool right away ya the truck is the only way if your stuck at work but I buy all my snap on off of ebay. cheaper and even though most of its vintage snap on its still just as good or better quality. there are some weird one of a kind awesome tools they’ve put out over the years.
I’m starting out as well, and as many have said Craftsman is a good, cheap quality tool. I’ve also picked up some Kobalt stuff as Lowes is less than 3 miles from my house, and it’s a good, cheap quality tool as well. From what I can tell so far anyway. I’ve never heard anyone bad mouth Kobalt so I guess they’re legit. Here in the Memphis area we have a Harbor Freight which a lot of techs buy from. I’ll be going there some time this week for some basic tools. And of course there’s always pawn shops, ebay etc…
I’ve always been told by the much more experienced people to always buy the best hand tools you can afford.
I remember the days of the initial tool purchase/debt. *sigh Congratulations on your new position! When I grew up Ontario didn’t have that program, instead I worked Co-op thru my highschool and got me my first good job basically changing oil and mounting winter tires all day long. Good place though, the guy smoked like a chimney and I doubt he showered ever, but was a good teacher!
Go to Canadian Tire. Mastercraft has life time on its tools. I’ve done some seriously stupid stuff to some of my tools and they handed me a new replacement with a smile. Good quality too! Id avoid buying the all in one kit, even if they are on sale. They do have a lot in them but you will find they’re always missing the one size of something when you need it most!
Go to the tool isles:
full set of metric and SAE wrenches
a set of Metric and SAE sockets deep and shallow in 3/8s drive.
Buy a 3/8s ratchet and if you really Wanna treat yourself buy a flex head ratchet, and a stubby one.
a set of extensions for the same size is handy too, including a swivel socket.If you have any money left over while your there having a 1/4″ drive ratchet and socket set is nice to have sometimes. An arsenal of 1/2″ tools is good to have but if you’re starting in the oil rack you wont need them.
I do agree that high end ratchets off the tool trucks do feel really nice but as far as doing the job the Mastercraft stuff is just as good and the warranty is easier to fudge when clearly you put a pipe on your ratchet instead of using a breaker bar.
The rest of the stuff you can buy cheaper. Get a couple of sized screwdrivers in flatblade and Phillips, Get some stubby ones too. Get a Big and Bigger hammer, and a few sizes of pry bars. After you work on the vehicles for a bit you’ll recognise what tools you still need or make life easier.
You may not end up using all the stuff a lot of the time but at least when you need it you have it, and it saves having to ask the shop foreman if you can borrow his. My old foreman gladly let me borrow his tools under the condition that if I had to borrow it twice I bought my own the next pay cheque, it went back clean and right away, and every week I had to wipe down his tool boxes.
As far as the tool boxes go it is a big hit price. My best advice is to buy bigger than you need right away. Don’t buy the cheap small sized stuff the handy man keeps in his basement. Start off with a good size roller cab with lots of drawers. Then get a top chest as you need it. Craigslist is a good place to look, and believe it or not Costco has some good tool box deals too. Last I saw they had a full 3 piece set for $400.
Edit* I thought of this after seeing their flyer on my work bench at home. If there is a Lordco in your area you can get some stuff there too. JET tools have just as good a warranty on them and usually they cut techs really good prices. I would avoid buying the JET flex head ratchet however. Theirs doesn’t use an indent pivot like Snap on, or Master craft. It only took a few weeks and it went back to them sloppy as hell. Traded it for a long handle long flex ratchet, and bought a new one from Canadian tire.
Have fun changing oil, you’ll get a lot of practice at it!
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