It looks like Craftsman is winning by quite a Margin for tool brand, and BFH for favorite tool - atlhough I think some of these BFH posts are tongue in cheek.

I expected to see more Snap on votes. Personally I like the thin open end wrenches as they can get into tighter spots and the feel well balanced in my hand. They are also easy to keep clean and therefore look great if well cared for.

At the powder coat company my buddy buys most of the tools at pawn shops. A few months back a shop had a decent sized box with three drawers on the bottom shelf marked for $50. He managed to get it open and closed it quickly as it was full of quality tools. Closing it quickly he offered $40 which they accepted. He took the box back to his plant (it took two people to load it in the truck) and had one of the workers seperate the tools by brand. He took the snap on to another pawn shop and sold them for $200. Most of the craftsman were badly marred and even rusted from the chrome wearing away from motion in a truck. He took them back to sears and they replaced them with new sets. He keep the misc. stuff as well as the sears. He's always finding deals like this around, but usually at estate or garage sales. His best deal was four large roll away / chest snap on boxes full of tools that he bought for ten cents on the dollar from an insurance adjustor after a dealership fire. They were "smoke damaged" and the mechanics had held out for new tool sets. He didn't tell me about the deal till he had sold all the tools, darn it.

 

Nice, I'm 49, my dad is still with us, but I use those original Craftsman set of tools that I used as a kid.
A great big thumbs up from NJ.
Rich

 

For the most part, the tools (I think Craftsman...maybe not) that were passed down to my father from his father. Some Snap On. And a multitude of BFH's.

Every once in a while, a liberal application of blasting caps.

 

I like mostly craftsman tools, but there is a neat set of small / stubby swiveling ratchet drives I picked up in 3 sizes (1/4 -3/8 -1/2) on ebay for about 10 bucks. I know they make them in major brands , but these are probably chinese and seem to work fine.

You can't beat them for getting in small areas!

They are just like this one ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-2-drive-swivel...QQcmdZViewItem

 

I also use my sawzall alot as well. I cut up quite a few Corvettes years ago using my sawzall.

 

Sawzall - I don't have one - I have three but never used on a car. One is lost right now and the craftsman is not variable speed so I bought super sawzall on Ebay (New) I do a lot of construction and home remodeling.

I saw those little subby drivers on Ebay today as well. I was looking for the gear ratchets wrenches that are a favorite in one post.

There is a set of the wrenches (6) for $30. They are US made, nice looking, and I think it was $11 UPS to me. Havent' ordered them yet as I may look around at some here.

There are some good ideas on here for Christmas gifts. I always say tools, but then they need specifics. My daughter bought me a small tool box for all my coax gear and another type of crimper plus more connectors. I have three different kind of Coax for different needs.

 

Yesterday I was coming home fom lunch and saw this shiney thing laying in the street (small residential street). I walked out to see what it was and picked it up. It was a like new 1/4 drive Snap-On ratchet with a 12 MM socket.

I got back in my car and drove around my tract to see if anyone was working on their car in the driveway or garage but no luck. I figured someone was working on their car and took it for a lap around the neighborhood for a test drive.

Accidentally leaving tools under the hood is never a good thing.

 

I don't know why but I like small tools. Maybe because I'm a jeweller by trade??? So I always look at 1/4 inch drives and the connecting bits. Good thing my wife is tiny as well!

Bud.

 

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I had a "senior moment" 2 weeks ago. Did an oil / filter change on my 87 Vette. 2 days ago I was working on a buddy's 62 Vette (changing the pan gasket), and needed to remove his oil filter. Could not find my oil filter wrench (type that is a cup affair) for the life of me. Finally found it still on the 87 Vette's oil filter. Interesting that I had driven the 87 a couple of times, and it did not fall off!

My really favorite tool is a "Hot Wrench"!

Plasticman

 

I prefer the "Gas Axe"! But the "Hot Wrench is good to.

Dave

 

Nuthin' like a length of pipe attached to that favorite Craftsman ratchet or crescent, be it PVC or steel, 1" to 1 1/2" id to give you that leverage to act like a breaker bar on those stubborn fasteners.

Jim

 

My 6# lead hammer, never leave home without it. Those knock off spinners don't stand a chance. I don't care how stubborn they get.

As for hand tools I'm always adding to the Craftsman set I received for my 16th birthday. If I were a real mechanic my choice would be Snap-on.

Oh, I'm fond of my air wrenches too.

 

Ghostrider .. in your picture, is that 4 separate sets of wrenches? I haven't seen a set that large.

 

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but buy only American made tools with a lifetime warranty. Also, with your socket sets, get some deep six point socket sets. They will not round off the bolt heads. I have also learned to rely on rachet head wrenches. Again by the best you can. Craftsman/MAC/Snapon/SK. Don't even bother to buy anything from China or India. I am still using sockets from my dad. Some are over 60 years old. I have had good luck at pawn shops. Great deals if you know what to look for. As you build a tool collection, you may want to purchase air tools. They make assembly and disassembly so much easier. Again, buy quality. Look in the paper for auctions and estate sales. I don't think I ever bought an air tool new. Good Luck. Jerry

 

The "core" brand in my toolboxes is Craftsman. I've had my current set for about 20 years and no complaints.

Of course, like most of us, there are other brands of tools mixed in, but I have to say, if I need a tool and have time to drive over to Sears (now about a 35 minute drive), I'll go for the Craftsman--good quality at reasonable prices.

 

Me too! Christian Eagle with a Quatra! Less and less places to fly here on Long Island. Great family activity though. Al W.

 

Many years ago, I asked my father, who made his living with tools, why he didn't buy Craftsman instead of his Snap-On. After all they had basically the same warranty and were certainly less expensive. His response to me was that... he couldn't afford them.

Now this confused me, perhaps like some of you. However, like many Dad's back then, he supported his large family by working 7 days a week and every penny was accounted for and extravagances were few and far between. This was also of course before Sears was open 7 days a week and located in every mall, which themselves weren't around. He went on to say that if he broke a tool on the weekend, he was out of work until Sears opened on Monday and then he had to drive 30+ minutes to get there… since he never broke Snap-On tools, he knew he couldn't afford anything else.

Fortunately, I don't make a living with my tools, (I'm much too slow…) and this was not intended as a dig against Craftsman or any other brand of quality tool, but I've always remembered Dad's response and even if I have to wait until I can afford it, I know what tools to buy…

GUSTO

 

Gusto,

First and foremost, Semper Fidelis!

Now back to the important topic of tools. Back in my mis-spent youth I was one of the blue oval boys and Matco was the tool of choice for me for a couple of reasons. I felt the quality was as good or better than Snap-on and more importantly, the drug dealer . . . I mean Matco dealer offered us interest free payment plans when we made big purchases. That made it a lot easier to afford that shiney roll-away and all the goodies that go inside. I also bought a lot of Craftsman, but honestly was a bit embarrased to have it in my box as none of the old-timers bought anything other than SO and Matco.

Now, many years later, I still have most of my tools and both brands have performed perfectly. In fact, my Craftsman impact sockets are one of my more dependable pieces.

If I were looking to amass another set of tools, I'd go with Craftsman, since they are available everywhere and seem much more affordable than the other big names.

Just my $.02

 

Joel...

As I mentioned, my comments were in no way intended to offend anyone or even a critisim of other brands of tools. I'm not foolish enough to think no one but Snap-On makes quality tools... although I am foolish enough to believe no one makes better tools.

It's been said many times that we're all a product of our environment and no more so than that of our parents, so I'll just blame Snap-On on my father... even if he is a diehard Blue Oval man...

I did visit the drug dealer er.. Snap-On truck a few times in my youth as well even though my first tool chest was Craftsman (which I still own)... Ah tools, they're much like Corvettes, XXX, etc... a Man never has enough of them...

Semper Fi... GUSTO

 

Trust my, no offense taken here.

My post wasn't really a criticism of specific manufactures either--was just pointing out what I'd do if I were to start over.