What Brand of hand tools to get?

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Tom Smit
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What Brand of hand tools to get?

#1 Post by Tom Smit »

I am asking for my son who has been residing in the U.S. Basically, he is looking for brands that will work well for working on his car. SnapOn, Mac, and Maatco are quality tools (that I have)...and way out of his price range, but I don't want him to get junk stuff either, because either they don't fit well or they break too easily.

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#2 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

Craftsman, now being sold at Lowes in the US, can't say about Canada.

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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#3 Post by ACUA »

I don’t like snap-off tools. A ton of money for a name. Tools are complicated, pry bars and hammers and things harbor freight works many times. Don’t get electronic tools out of HArbor freight either and their wrench sets never have a full set!! Ingeroll rand pretty much makes everyone’s air tools anyway so I get my air tools from the source. Many basic tools pliers etc knipex are good instrumentation is Fluke brand. I get a lot of the silly odd and end tools out of auto parts stores and hardwares stores I am not a major fan boy of any specific brand like snap-off for everything inclusively I shop around for deals and specialist function. Waranty is important and most parts stores have them but chasing down the tool trucks is a pain for me. I like Dewalt power tools I have ridgid at the moment. My makita saw is pretty nice.
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#4 Post by himhimself »

If your talking non-power tools - box wrenchs, pliers, screw drivers, etc. - I've found the house brands at Lowes, Menards, HomeDepot are all fine, way less $$ than SnapOn, and most have solid warranties against failure too. When my son was taking autotech classes in high school, he had to have his own tool set. We fixed him up with a mix of these brands of tools and over two years he never had an issue. For weird one-off stuff, I'll even risk Harbor Freight, especially if I know I'll only use it a time or two.
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#5 Post by J_Dunavin »

Aircraft mechanic here..
seriously my box is a mismatch of stuff that works for me and the job at hand.
I’ve got a 7mm gearwrench cuz it works really good for this one job and and off brand 90deg screw driver bit hand ratchet for tight areas. ( really smooth high tooth count).
Lowe’s, Menards, Home Depot all carry good stuff

Harbor freight comes in handy when you need to cut the end of a wrench off to put a long cheater bar on it!
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Tom Smit
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#6 Post by Tom Smit »

J_Dunavin wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:53 pm Aircraft mechanic here..
Harbor freight comes in handy when you need to cut the end of a wrench off to put a long cheater bar on it!
I've done a similar thing!
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Tom Smit
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#7 Post by Tom Smit »

Bill Fitzmaurice wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 10:18 am Craftsman, now being sold at Lowes in the US, can't say about Canada.
I always thought that Craftsman was decent until I read the reviews on this link that my son gave me. Good ratchets are important to me because they can get the most abuse, and a cheap one will fail too early (banged up knuckles).
I guess it's just this kit that has some problems whereas most Craftsman tools will be okay.
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Bill Fitzmaurice
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#8 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

There's Craftsman, and there's Craftsman. The price of that one tells you it's lower tier quality. This one is much better:
https://www.amazon.com/CRAFTSMAN-932821 ... J43AAYZM09

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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#9 Post by Tom Smit »

Thanks Bill, et all.
TomS

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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#10 Post by Grant Bunter »

Tom,
Obviously not in your neck of the woods.

Generally, moderate priced tools are more than adequate for things like sockets, extension bars, adapters and so on.
If buying separately, spend a little more on spanners, and don't buy moderate priced ratchet spanners, only expensive ones.

Try the Craftsman Bill suggested, and, if, in particular, the ratchets don't last, buy more expensive versions of them alone.
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#11 Post by NukePooch »

I've got Craftsman, Matco, Mac, and Snap-On. (I worked as a mechanic/metal fabricator/welder for a while.) The top-tier brands are worth the money if you're constantly using/abusing them every day. They're stronger, and smaller/thinner (worth it if you're constantly in tight situations), but for the vast majority of people,i.e. just a hobbyist, then save your money and go for a 'lesser' brand. The tools will be almost as good for a whole lot less money.

However, just as (or more) important is where you need to go to get warranty replacement. Sooner or later, you're likely to break something. If you're a mechanic, you'll likely have the tool truck stopping by at work, so it's easy to change out broken stuff. Having to drive an hour each way to change a broken tool when your car is up on jackstands is a serious PITA.

My brother needed some 'homeowner' style tools, I directed him to Kobalt (Lowe's store brand). Cheaper, lifetime warranty, way more than enough for what he needs. Had Craftsman been at Lowe's at that time, I would have had him go that direction. If he breaks something, it's only 6 miles away to change it out.

Harbor Freight is hit and miss...the super cheap stuff is disposable...good in a pinch for one-time use. Their expensive stuff rates well, but I have to drive past several Lowe's and Home Depots to get to the closest Harbor Freight, so if I need to take something back, it's 45 miles each way.

Most brands have different tiers as well (as Bill stated). Craftsman had (at one time) their 'Companion' tier...which isn't good, from what I hear...no warranty, etc. You do get what you pay for...
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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#12 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

I go to Harbor Freight for things that I won't use often. Many might only survive a dozen uses, but if I only use them once or twice a year that's still a decent life span. I just got one of these jacks a month ago:
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-Low ... D%3D%0D%0A

I got it for $79.99 plus $7 shipping, which is pretty amazing as it weighs around 100 pounds. I woudn't have bought it if I used it every day, or even once a week, but for the two or three times a year that I'll jack up my car I'm sure I'll get my money's worth out of it.

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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#13 Post by nivlek »

I have quite a few Craftsman top line (Lifetime Warranty), and other reputable brands, Harbor Freight tools as well. The thing I've noticed about the Asian hydraulic jacks, is that after about a year or so, they do not work. Problem...the "oil" evaporates and the reservoir needs to be completely drained and filled with real jack oil. No more issues!

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Re: What Brand of hand tools to get?

#14 Post by madmallard »

NukePooch wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 7:42 am Harbor Freight is hit and miss...the super cheap stuff is disposable...good in a pinch for one-time use. Their expensive stuff rates well, but I have to drive past several Lowe's and Home Depots to get to the closest Harbor Freight, so if I need to take something back, it's 45 miles each way.
Bill Fitzmaurice wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 7:51 am I go to Harbor Freight for things that I won't use often. Many might only survive a dozen uses, but if I only use them once or twice a year that's still a decent life span.
Harbor Freight, having experienced success in the last few years, has initiated production on many new tools in Taiwan instead of PRC, at much better quality. I understand if someone had bad experience with them in the past, and there are some things I'll generally avoid, but the Taiwan stuff seems really solid.

Many of their tools are now lifetime warranty too, so that makes them a realistic option to other house-brand tools with lifetimes.

They're also a good place to get misc disposable safety gear; gloves, goggles, hearing

I might avoid them for most diagnostic/gauge type tools if you're going to need critical readings.

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