19 Years Old, Toolbox So Far, Suggestions/Help Appreciated

[denning]

Just wanted to post what I have slowly been building up, 19 years just getting into mechanics, any suggestions for what i need next/things I can live without . Thanks GJ Appreciate the help!

All sockets snap on except metric 3/8 Matco impacts . Any questions on anything I have let me know. Thanks

Sockets Are

3/8 Standard Shallows
3/8 Standard Deep
1/2 Standard Impact
Tray of Random Sockets
3/8 Metrics Shallows
3/8 Deep Metric Matco Impacts
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Snap On Metric Wrenchs 10-19
3/8 Torque Wrench
Matco Pass Thru Set
Mac Triple Squares
7.2 Cordless Srewdriver
18v 3/8 impact
My yellow snapon 3/8
Proto 1/2
Assorted Mac/Matco/Snapon 1/2&3/8 Extensions

 

[denning]

-More Pictures-

 

[PartsGuy27]

Looks like you're off to a good start. One thing I always told my techs was to buy non-critical tools cheap and if they break then upgrade to Snap-On, Matco, etc.

 

[denning]

Thanks! Great Tip Thanks PartsGuy27

 

[Gittgo]

Pliers. Go nuts on pliers(Channellock--prices), pliers wrenches(knipex) , soft jaws(ips), double X, bent nose needles(Crescent).
And get some good magnets for when you drop **** down in the engine bay.
A good set of hooks and pics always come in handy for me too.Dealing with springs and cables and digging gunk out of screw slots and from around inset bolt heads like in some valve covers.
After that ? Pinches. Pin punches, roll pin punches, tapered/lineup punches, pry bars.Heavy dead blow and bronze hammers-drifts Now we're getting into $$money$$ at this point.Take it sloe and do the flea market-craigslist thing. You can put a neat kit together better than anything you can get new.......i you know your tools

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Much better start than where I was at 19. Welcome to the GJ.

I picked up one of those 7.2 hex driver from the classifieds here earlier this year, and it's one of my favorite tools to use (next to the Milwaukee cordless ratchet). Snap-on picks kick *** too, using mine for 5-6+ years and still sharp.

If you haven't seen it yet, here's a thread I put together to help folks save a few bucks from the "truck brands":
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249851

 

[-Brent-]

Nice collection, so far.

Check out the Tool Truck Equivalent thread. You may be able to find some things you need, for less.

 

[drtyler]

Good start.

1/4" drive socket set (standard & deep lengths) might be a useful addition, depending on what you plan to work on.

 

[BuffettFan]

Great advice from Gittgo.
Also check out the local pawn shops. It looks like a neatly organized, clean collection. You obviously take pride in your tools!

 

[JABgj]

How about a 6" digital caliper, a combination square, scribe and assorted punches and chisels. Looks like you are trying to keep stuff organized. Good luck.

 

[rsanter]

Back when I had my shop, I would sometimes need a specialty tool that I did not have.
I would try to buy a cheaper or Chinese version as long as it was good enough to work.

The standard I used was when it broke, if I had used it 3 or more times in a year then I stepped up to a hi quality one. If I did not then when I broke I just bought another cheap one.

I know you can't always do that but sometimes you can

The other thing is that in my earlier days, I bought a lot of my tools used and often I would try to buy their whole box with tools.
I would then keep the best pieces and the stuff I wanted/needed and then sold off the rest. Create a tool fund where you set some money aside every week/month as to make those deals happen you have to have cash. Sometimes you may need to drop $1000-$2000 to get $4000 worth of tools ( unsed value) and you can only do that if you have a little nest egg set aside

Bob

 

[-Brent-]

Rsanter brings up a good point, keep some cash saved so you can buy tools from guys getting out of the trade. I've gotten some great deals on high end stuff that way.

 

[stonesfan68]

That's a nicer set of tools then I had at 19 and in some ways better than I now have at 49! Thanks for sharing.


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[jeeper46]

Do you have any car swap meets around you? There are always guys selling good tools cheaply at the ones I go to. One drawback might be that most of them are SAE.

 

[Billythekid1]

Buy sae tools used as they cost way less used then metric... then for your metric tools buy what u need as u need it I bought a lot of tools for no reason when I was first starting out don't make that mistake

 

[ryan20021982]

My tip would be to watch for garage sales with tools, and I have bought a ton from Facebook marketplace you just have to be quick but you can get stuff cheap. I have bought about 20 pairs of different channellocks for a few bucks each at sales. You can also find deals on specialty tools that someone used a few times.

 

[JohnDeere1]

Great start I'm jealous of a few things but I have a ton of everything 100+ ratchets I wish I would have bought different tools than to have so much of the same tools like screwdrivers being 3 snap on sets and a mix of mac,Matco and snap on hard handles mixed in with some Euro and I have another screwdriver drawer lol with Klein and all my other "spares" all my tools have spares and they have spares and they have spares lol.

 

[Gotcha640]

Do you have a job that you're using the tools on?

 

[haptiq]

I'm an automotive tech teacher, a father, and a tech. It is refreshing to see someone proud of their tool collection. My advice is to borrow, if you can, before you buy. Do not fall for financial trickery, buy tools because you need them to work for you. I have uncounted tens of thousands in tools but after a while I realized there are some still in the box. When you need it, buy it. If not, don't.

 

[LawnBoy-5247]

I am 19 also, I have bought most of my tools at estate and garage sales along with Craigslist, I will buy new for something I really need but used is the way to go for anything else.

 

[Xti04]

Mac does a set of 10 different pliers for 100 bucks all the time. They also do a vise grip promo for the same price. Good quality and no hassle if you break them. Lots of punches, hammers and other beat and bang items can be had for cheap at garage sales. My fav tool is my 3lb estwing baby sledge. All one piece so you dont have to worry about the head flying off. Air tools, Ingersoll rand makes the best impact hands down. Everyone in the shop uses mine to get off the stuff the others cant. Love my snap on air ratchets, buy good lights because they seem to last better than china stuff. Streamlight stinger led is about 100 bucks on amazon or 200 on the tool truck. I have a 19 y/o at work that I cant fet to buy anything so good for you for learning and asking what to get next. Good luck!

 

[Tech92420]

My dad, whose been a mechanic for 32 years and has taught me everything I know told me, "If you borrow a tool twice buy your own". I would keep a note of what I borrow if I were you. I still do that. Don't spend all your money on a box at first. I had a free craftsman box as my first box, filled it up, then I bought a used mac on RA from Snap on for $500, filled it up, had no more room, then bought a really nice one from matco when I needed it and had the means. I have learned that with my tool collection and box, I can get a job anywhere i want. When you're in an interview for a job and you show off pics of your box and tools, employers love that. When you have good tools that tells people you invest in yourself.

 

[Mikeske]

I started out in vehicle maintenance in the Air Force so I had no need to provide tools and the Air Force provided me the tools I needed. After a year I moved on to aircraft maintenance and I stayed for a additional 13 years in the active duty side of the Air Force. A couple years before I was to get out I bought a set of basic hand tools from the Bonney dealer with a basic Bonney branded Waterloo toolbox. I then got my dream job at Boeing and worked another 29 years for them. I also did part time jobs when ever I needed a little extra money in various shops.

The one thing I did was I had my basic set and whenever I broke/lost a tool I hit the pawnshops, flea markets and cheap tool places for my replacements. I was ribbed a lot about the Toolbox I worked out of and I look at them and say go ahead and buy your fancy boxes as I hate having the tool truck guy coming around to collect his money and I prefer to spend it on my family.

Now that I am retired and I gathered all the tools and finally had to break down and buy a new toolbox yep I went back and decided that I had to make it fit my budget CHEAP a US General Pro 44". I have close to 45 years of tools and the Bonney set is still my favorite but only because that set fed my family and me for the 35 odd years. The rest of tools go from Matco, Snap-on, Craftsman, Mac, Bonney, Blue Point, Pittsburgh Pro, and anything else that I could get on the cheap.

A lot guys at work gave me a hard time about the sad condition of my toolbox as I did have to do some modifications to it for it to withstand the constant beating of the factory environment but it last my entire career at Boeing and it it looks it. I never gave a rats behind as it did what I needed and I could secure it.