I was at Home Depot this weekend and found a great new tool. Rach n Lock rach n lock It's the best update on vise grips I've seen. It's like a slip joint without the steps, has GREAT squeeze strength. (I bent their display without trying). It locks closed at any position. It also has cams in the jaw so it acts like a ratchet. May be this can be a new general thread about tools. We all like them and you can never have too many.
The smartest thing my oldest cousin ever told me was to invest in good tools-so every time I needed one for a specific job, I bought it. Now I have quite a collection, and unfortunately rarely need to buy new ones. That sucks, because I like buying tools!
^^^ yup I still have all my Snap-On tools from when I worked on cars doing audio system, alarms and remote starters.
I collect old tools also. The oldest is from 1850 a wood plane I inherited. It was my great grandfather's. The largest is a 2 man saw I got at a garage saw for $15.
I have a set of Snap-On 3/8 drive ratchets and combination wrenches in SAE, Metric, and Whitworth. It's funny, I could afford Snap-On when I was a poor college student, but I just can't justify the cost now that I have more money. The cost of Snap-On tools has far outpaced inflation. Dave
Oh yeah, Snap-On tools are very expensive now but they do last forever. I paid for my tools back in the day weekly when the Snap-On truck pulled up to the shop. It was better than the ice cream truck stopping buy the shop.:lol: For now I just buy craftsman tools if I needs something or if I only need to use it once I buy from Harbor Freight. :lol:
+1 for Snap-On. They are expensive but in my opinion the best tools that you can buy. They last forever and they look good too!
They are not that great. I've broken Snap-On tools a few times! Craftsman tools are too big, I buy the Harbor Freight Snap-On rip offs now, they have the same guarantee as Snap-On and you don't have to chase the Snap-On truck over hill and dale to claim the warranty. Dave
If you make a living with your tools only the best will do. Snap-On / Matco / Mac tools All the other tools are for weekend warriors.
As a semi-pro weekend warrior, having mostly Craftsman tools, I find it to be completely unacceptable to find myself working on something at my sons house and have to go buy a tool I know I've got in my box back at home. But, as I'm too lazy or incapable if dealing with the traffic to drive the 20 minutes back home and then back again, thereby losing an hour or more in the process, you've guessed it....he gets some new tools! I told him yesterday, these Lisle brake tools will work just fine... God bless the Irish. :lol:
reminds me of when I was in the Middle east rallying. I used to carry in the tool kit cheap tools, so if someone nicked them I wouldn't be to worried. Anyway I did this rally in Jordan and for some reason my tool kit got swapped for the pro mechanic's kit. Mine used to hide in the door panel. So when I returned a month later to pick up the car to go do the Lebanon rally there stood an angry mechanic with a bag full of broken tools! His anger soon calmed when I produced his tools from the door panel. LOL I learned good tools are worth their weight in gold...I use mostly craftsman.
As a journeyman tool and die maker, I will buy the best tools available. Keep my "made in Athol, Mass" Starrett mic's in my "made in Dayton, OH" Gerstner tool chest. Now these famous American tools are being made in China; Starrett "Global Series" and Gerstner "International". Makes me want to puke :mad5:
My HF / Northern Tool weekend warrior tools work just fine. And I'm a pretty hardcore weekend warrior.
I still have all my Snap~On tools from high school. Anyone that has ever had a Snap~On account will tell you that when you finally pay off that bill it's like paying off your first car. I have broken too many Sears Craftsman tools it is not funny. I also find it very annoying to have to take them back. The sockets have thin walls.
I still have my Craftsman set from high school. I've replaced a few sockets and finally replaced a ratchet this year. These are the tools a count on and use the most. Occasional tools are the few from Harbor Freight. I have found some other good tools over the years and a few bad ideas. I also collect old tools and you can see the quality the way it was. My oldest is a wood plane from 1850.