What Hand Tools to Buy?

[BMelhuish]

Ditto on BDaugherty. Long ago I turned wrenches for a living and have a fair amount of hand tools. I recently decided to start doing my own work again. Back in the day metric sizes were not common. So I filled in the gaps with Craftman tools. Although I have Snap-on, Cornwell, Mac, and Blueline tools, They were not easy to get. Craftsman are hard to beat and readily accessible.

Buy an adequate size tool box so that you can add tools as needed, keep track of them and keep them clean and organized. An impact is a must in my garage. If you don't want a big compressor, Sears has battery operated impacts. I would recommend at least a 1/2" drive to take care of lug nuts etc. Sears is (has just introduced) introducing a 3/8's ratchet which you may or may not need or want. Shop light, jacks, stands, ramps, fender covers, grease guns, vises, creepers, oh my... the list goes on. Have fun!

 

[Wayne M.]

I am very sad to report that craftsman must be removed from any half serious tool list. Just last weekend I was in Sears, and I saw a special sale on the original craftsman combination wrench set. I stopped to look and I was saddened by what I saw. It seems that what seems like decades of identical looking wrenches made in USA is gone.
I saw a cheapened Chinese made imposter that I wouldn't trust to lean on. Real sad. I don't know about the pro polished series, but the harbor freight junk looks better.

 

[BMelhuish]

I'm not an advocate for Sears, but they seem to have 2 lines (maybe more). One is made in USA and the Eco sp? line is chinese. The chinese stuff is much cheaper and still has a lifetime warranty. But you apparently have to send it to China rather than just exchange it at the store. If you intend to use and keep the tools for a long time, I wouldn't recommend the Eco line. Sadly, it's becoming very difficult to find items made in the USA.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

Thanks to all for the input.

This winter I will start planning the garage reorganization and equipping. Want to give that lots of thought before beginning; also lots of opportunity to hear from others. The only solid requirements are that I will need to maintain the bicycle storage area (I just hang them from hooks in the ceiling) and reserve space for the lawnmower (summer) and snowblower (winter).

I have spent the past month building shelves and organizing stuff in the basement - need to store away for winter. I am convinced that all the different kinds of junk the family and I accumulate comes to life at night, breeds, and produces offspring!!

Thanks!

 

[Wayne M.]

I thought these guys were gone. But, seems their site is still up. They are a real industrial outfit! They carry S-K (I'm happy!), Proto, Gearwrench, and even Fairmont(?) It's worth a look. Co-workers have bought from them in the past, and that's who reminded me of them.

http://landmessertools.com/index.html

 

[Dl5treez]

Worth a look at local pawn shops, flea markets, etc.

Lots of pawn brokers know the brands like Snap-on, MAC, Matco, S-K, and Cornwell. But many don't know Proto, or Wright, or Williams, or Armstrong, or Bonney, or Martin, or a host of other high quality tool brands that you can find for 1/10th the original price.

 

[JR]

I'll just mention a name that doesn't get much publicity and I don't know how much they have anymore http://www.wrighttool.com/ my Dad IIRC sold them some steel back in Cleveland when he worked for various steel service warehouses and he picked up a starter 3/8" set. It dates to 1963 and I honestly don't think I have ever broken any of it and the ratchets are first class. Never even seen the inside of any of my 3 3/8" drive ratchets.

Here you go with your Ohio roots again Gary.... . I have several Wright ratchets. I've got a 1/2" long handle ratchet 18" long that I routinely use as a breaker bar and that sucker has never let me down. The best thing about the Wrights and the Proto ratchets is if you actually strip the gears out they are easily rebuild able at a fraction of the price of a new tool. I have yet to strip one out.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Cornwell tools. Still made in America.

 

[Sticks]

Being an official mechanic since 2005 (career change) and also just starting out in the field, Harbor Freight was and still is 90% of my tools. My initial outlay to get started was $1000 - which at Harbor Freight is just about everything they have as far as hand tools. Then once a month I would look at my list of tools that I had to borrow or need, and bought them where ever I could find the best price. (ToolTopia.com is awesome!)

Worked 2.5 years in a shop on any and all diesels, the rest as a field mechanic for 2 concrete paving companies.

In that time I have broken a total of maybe 15 tools, half of them name brand (Craftsman, Grey Pneumatic, Snap-On...). Those "name brand" tools were bought at pawn shops or BuyItNowBay (E-Bay). As a field mechanic, loosing tools is the bigger concern. It would irritate me to no end to loose a $20 name brand wrench when the same $20 will buy me a whole set with the same warranty, and I have a pawn shop 5 blocks away that sells the miscellaneous riff-raff tools for change.

Unlike my coworkers, I own my tools, another big reason I went Harbor Freight, and other off brand. My tool set is probably only a $20k investment - including the 5'x6'x30" chest and side box, mig welder and plasma cutter. If it was all off the truck we probably would be talking north of $100k (not to mention the wife would have divorced me), and I'd still be making payments.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

In the old days Craftsman was good. Now that the Harbor Freight/China stuff has been improving, and Sears is getting more and more stuff from China, I shop HF for seldom used, less critical stuff or stuff I put under the rear seat. When I want the best, and/or stuff I use a lot, Snap On is what I have bought.