Where do you buy your tools?

[Wamsutta]

It would be easier to list the places that I'm least likely to buy tools from:

Home Depot
Lowe's
Sears
Harbor Freight
Walmart

 

[nutsnbolts]

I love Ebay. I am pretty good at finding deals and I am very patient. I can wait 4 days and 13 hours to see what that one RIGHT THERE ends up going for. Snap On socket sets for under $100, ratchets for under $50, etc. It's still more than buying Kobalt but my toolbox is full of the good stuff, and it's worth it to me.

One thing I like to do is to find lots that have what I am looking for plus some extras. I end up getting all kinds of goodies like punches, chisels, nut drivers and such that just come along for the ride. That stuff is handy to have, especially when you are doing something risky where you know the tool could end up in the trash can when this experiment is over.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Pawn shops mostly. Though it can be hit and miss, long stretches of time with nothing new, shops drop carrying bin tools then other locations start getting them in.
Overall the pace of good stuff in pawn shops overall has dropped, as I think most people who were pawning tools have already done so. With the economy picking up pawning tools is ebbing. But you still find good stuff. You just gotta be diligent! And the counter folks recognize me and give me outstanding deals. I've only walked away from the counter once or twice because a price was too high.

This^ ,but I will add it helps to know what day merchandise is pulled from the back. Some shops pull daily,while 1 local shops pulls only on Monday,so Monday or Tuesday is my best day to drop by.
Some pawn shops run a lot of volume of loose tools and others do not. I find the more you show your face they recognize you and you get a better price. Tons of quality made rusty tools in the pawns now to to Hurricane Harvey a year ago,just need some TLC .

 

[jonshonda]

I usually have good luck with CL or FB marketplace. Otherwise, Menards or HF. I really want to invest in nicer tools as needed, but damn if it's not hard to justify for homeowner DIY use.

 

[Spiffers]

There used to be only one pawn shop in town. Half the stuff he got was probably hot but no one had serial numbers so it existed in that "gray area".

Then US Money & Pawn started opening chain stores here in every town over a certain size. I'm in there frequently to buy guns/ look at guns since they are a gun store too. I have looked at the tool section in the one here and the "big" one in the next town over and most of what they got are ragged out power tools and Happy Homeowner hand tools.

The "big" one still has the mounted heads from the big hunting/outdoor store that used to own the building.

 

[Buckaroo5]

I buy from Amazon, Tooltopia, Zoro (always with a coupon - prefer 25%), Menards (Masterforce is a good house brand) and specialty automobile diagnostic tools from aeswave.com. I used to buy Craftsman from Sears back in the day but no longer.

Buckaroo

 

[bonneyman]

Same here and if you get in good they hold stuff in the back to give you first chance at it. [emoji41]

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Wow - I'm not THAT good! Maybe I need to kick up my charm.

And I rarely offer a price. I know what I'll pay, and if they're less than that I take it. Minimum of haggling. I figure they have alot of people coming in trying to chew them down. When I don't haggle and make a point about it, almost always they give me a sigh of relief!

And I get good prices. I paid $1 a few weeks ago for a sheet metal duct cutter that goes for around $60. Might never use it, but, use it once to save my rear and it'll have paid for itself.

 

[gearhead1]

Growing up I went to flea markets nd would price together sets. Also garage sales. Nowadays there’s eBay, Craigslist etc.

I bought the long Craftsman (USA) breaker bar for $8 at a flea market
I bought a Mac 3/8 drive ratchet for $3, a Snapon not working for $8
I’ve bought SK sockets for $.10 and $.25, you have to look for the people garage selling or estate selling, not the weekly dealers. You have to dig in the boxes that look like a bunch of junk to find the 2 or 3 gems that are in there.

I got a Craftsman bottom chest for $20 off Craigslist, missing one drawer, but all complete and working other than that.


Flea Markets
Garage sales
Craigslist
eBay
Estate sales
Auctions
Govliquidations.com

Browse, browse, and browse and don’t be in a hurry. If it’s too much money, let it pass, be patient.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Wow - I'm not THAT good! Maybe I need to kick up my charm.

And I rarely offer a price. I know what I'll pay, and if they're less than that I take it. Minimum of haggling. I figure they have alot of people coming in trying to chew them down. When I don't haggle and make a point about it, almost always they give me a sigh of relief!

And I get good prices. I paid $1 a few weeks ago for a sheet metal duct cutter that goes for around $60. Might never use it, but, use it once to save my rear and it'll have paid for itself.

Wow ! A Malco ?

 

[AreYaSerious]

Do you need something or just want to buy it?

Starting a new box. Getting rid of a lot of stuff.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Where in Indiana are you located?
There are supposed to be some good pawnshops in Muncie.

 

[kb1982]

I forgot to add another 2 online retailers I like. JB tool sales and Artic Tools.

Sent from my Z962BL using Tapatalk

 

[Lisamelting]

Amazon Prime rocks! I save enough just on diapers and baby food to easily cover the cost of the membership. They've had really good deals on "used" tools in the warehouse deals section.

 

[JiminAZ]

In descending order of $$, this year:

HJE - Good deals on NOS and fair prices on new tools that I needed plus I love dealing with an old school/relational business that has a human answering the phone.
Zoro - with the 25% coupons tough to beat
Amazon - random items on special, plus a bunch of socket rails/organizer stuff. The hot deals permathread hurts me....stuff I didn't know I needed.
Ebay - every now and then a blind pig..... Wright combination wrench set and US Williams sockets
OfficeCrave - yikes that dang hot deals forum again. Proto-fest.
Toolnut - Makita 18v 1/2 drive impact purchase
SK direct (when they had their 40% off sale) - had to have an LP90 plus a few replacement sockets

 

[r_olson_06]

Wow - I'm not THAT good! Maybe I need to kick up my charm. [emoji38]_hitti

And I rarely offer a price. I know what I'll pay, and if they're less than that I take it. Minimum of haggling. I figure they have alot of people coming in trying to chew them down. When I don't haggle and make a point about it, almost always they give me a sigh of relief!

And I get good prices. I paid $1 a few weeks ago for a sheet metal duct cutter that goes for around $60. Might never use it, but, use it once to save my rear and it'll have paid for itself.

My age helps being younger. Alot of the older tool collectors like seeing someone young taking interest. Also being a regular customer and being honest helps. I have gave them a higher offer if they are selling something too cheap. It helps build trust and a relationship with them. Karma is a good thing.

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