$2800 from Snap On vs $2800 from Amazon

[dnschmidt]

Milwaukee needs to cut the high speed stuff out then, and make some power. I don't buy much of any power tools from SO, but the 3/8 ratchets kick *** for powering through locktite, rust, and BS.

You're 100% right, no brand has cornered the market on the best tools, and no brand is immune from offering poor value or just a bad tool.

Scott, we have covered this ground before. I don't mind breaking loose a fastener with my arm and then speeding it out whereas you want the ratchet to be able to do it. Try DeWalt, or if you prefer red Mac which is the same thing, as their ratchets seem to have more balls than Milwaukee's.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Scott, we have covered this ground before. I don't mind breaking loose a fastener with my arm and then speeding it out whereas you want the ratchet to be able to do it. Try DeWalt, or if you prefer red Mac which is the same thing, as their ratchets seem to have more balls than Milwaukee's.

My biggest complaint now with an m12 HS ratchet it is will stop removing something already broken free and have to go in/out to get some momentum. Locktite, rust, etc. I have the long neck 1/4, the older design, and while it only has 5ft/lb more torque it feels like it has at least 25% more power that the 35fl/lb HS unit.

But once those high speeds get going they absolutely fly.

 

[mreisner]

Now what I do think is stupid is buying Snap-On cordless tools. This isn't Snap-On's expertise; they unquestionably get theirs from the same China factory that Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt do. Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt know more about cordless tools than Snap-On will ever learn. Mac uses DeWalt as they are part of SBD and that's smart. Others use Milwaukee. Just because it has Snap-On's logo on it doesn't make every tool they produce the best.

A fair amount of Snap-on cordless tools are made in the USA.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

A fair amount of Snap-on cordless tools are made in the USA.

Correct, although I believe the electric motors are all imported. They're doing enough here in the USA to state that as COO.

I don't care where that new 80ft/lb brushless is made, it's a beast!

 

[mreisner]

Correct, although I believe the electric motors are all imported. They're doing enough here in the USA to state that as COO.

I don't care where that new 80ft/lb brushless is made, it's a beast!

Sure is! Very happy with mine.

 

[joel63]

Yes, I agree with you that some of us are different. I haven't decided if we are crazy, or just have an incredible need to learn, stay busy, feel accomplished, get things done, suppress boredom....

However, I do know that working on things has taught my children to be more confident and capable, and my wife to be more at ease. It seems you are reaping the same benefits with your family.
You did a great job on the Mercedes and your Ford, but, a better job with your son.

You bring up an extremely important point about making the wife more at ease.
They do look at the $$$$ as well expensive car repairs.
Good job on that aspect.

 

[joel63]

Correct, although I believe the electric motors are all imported. They're doing enough here in the USA to state that as COO.

I don't care where that new 80ft/lb brushless is made, it's a beast!

I'll take that as a recommendation.

 

[joel63]

I ordered Snap On wrenches while sitting on the toilet because they also have a website.

What sizes or styles?

 

[joel63]

If his goal is to state cheaper tools, which can still be high quality, cost less money - I would agree with that.

He's talking snap-on MSRP, versus Amazon price. Zoro sells that same wrench set from gear wrench for $313, not $213 as he's listing. Grainger wants $244 for that OTC ball joint kit, Zoro $170, Summit Racing and JB Tools $165, amazon is $126. So part of this is just the power of amazon and tool discounting sites/markets. In the interest of transparency I've seen that snap-on wrench set on sale for ~2k. Discount to discount, he has a little less to work with. Still you're going to get way more on Amazon no matter how it's sliced.


I have a bunch of the tools he's listing, probably 75% of them, that's basically how you have to buy if you want to do all makes/models. Nobody has $250k starting out. If you have 250 bucks to spend you need to get the most tools (usable tools) out of that money as possible There's no "saving money", it's just getting more tools for a given amount of money. Then you can parlay that money into more work/jobs you can take on, to make more money, to buy more tools, etc. All the options let you pivot easier mid-job to react to problems, which speeds you up and can bypass you coworkers, again funneling work your way.


Reminds me I still need an axle pusher/hub puller tool, still haven't found one I like.
If you ever do, please let us know what you came up with and how it worked for you .


I don't know what happened here, but I didn't say this in my reply to 2nd Gear Rubber. (TEXT IN RED)


To me, this kind of content is an ad for Amazon above all else. I already pay for Prime, so not a lot of news to me.

 

[joel63]

I liked the video. Seemed fair and unbiased to me. What I liked about it is he didn't bash Snap-On he simply stated the obvious that they are not the only option to get the job done. He's a professional mechanic and what he bought years ago and still uses daily shows that what he bought from Amazon or wherever wasn't junk. I'm actually surprised that such a tame video has sparked such controversy. Does anybody in the world today doubt that more companies other than Snap-On know how to bend metal?

I agree with you 100%. In fact, I got some good ideas from his video regarding some of the lesser used tools.
Worth the watch.

 

[cannuck]

I have been around enough years to finally be taken as a "grown up" by everyone except my wife, so have tempered my approach to what tools and what I will pay for them will land in my shop or outside toolboxes. I have several sets of tools: one my main shop "mechanical" box, another my machine shop side, my welding box, my karting box, my former industrial boxes, my on-farm boxes and #1 grandson's set. The only things I am slavishly dedicated brand names is Milwaukee for grandson (OCD about things matching and packout storage), knipex (and other German) for pliers, Stahlwille for primary use flat wrenches and Wera for primary use ratchets and screwdrivers.

What I find important to understand is the vast majority of Snapon business model is to accommodate tool truck dealing. If have some SO and paid tool truck prices gladly because they had exactly what I needed when and where I needed it. Given time I would chase the Williams or other alternative. I draw a huge line in the sand when it comes to what goes out of main shop door - my "good stuff" stays in my box or goes ONLY in my personal day bags. Anything else comes from China Tire Corp on sale or Princess Auto to go into farm, lending or any other kind of public access - because they WILL get lost or "lost". One needs to appreciate that the very best quality or value for money is going to take a little looking around for the most cost effective source = and those prices can vary dramatically. I have paid half the price for the same $500 is dollar tool by simply driving from Grainger (where up here you will need a requested quote price to a national account to get anywhere near a decent price - VERY unlike USA side) to Gregg Dist at full retail. Big exception for me is all of my Milwaukee stuff comes from my main fastener supplier that I have dealt with for 40+ years. Not always the cheapest but their incredible support (Bolt Supply House) from many branches for many years earns my absolute loyalty. I mention that because I think back 50 years ago when I was a young VW mechanic and my Mac and Hazet tool truck owners gave the same kind of phenomenal support to the point where you simply didn't ask the price (yeah, a very different time).

 

[dchawk81]

What sizes or styles?

I think it was an oval American Standard.

 

[Kurt4440]

You bring up an extremely important point about making the wife more at ease.
They do look at the $$$$ as well expensive car repairs.
Good job on that aspect.

When we were young, money was a small issue, but, since we are two frugal and hard working people, money issues faded quickly.
I can't claim to understand women, but, when the furnace craps out and you put a new igniter in it, your wife becomes less stressed about future problems. When car repairs, plumbing problems, electrical work.... are all handled with no drama, their anxiety level drops.

Please note the phrases, less stressed and anxiety level drops. I will never see zero levels of stress and anxiety.

 

[johnyKramer]

I feel like that dude is running out of content, and thus grasping at straws to keep his channel going. Having said that, I also feel like this “comparison” that he did is total BS. Comparing amazon tool availability to Snap-On dollar for dollar is like comparing Rolex to Timex. Yes both tell time and both get the job done. But it isn’t Rolex, and never will be.

I feel like he picked a non scaleable (for his area in Utah) niche market for his YouTube, ran out of content, now has to pivot, and is making poor choices. I used to be a subscriber but lately the content is terrible. Media is all about consistency to keep the fans around, and it is a very fragile recipe to stay relevant.

im new,
this may sound harsh, but you cant just say this is premiune wtch vs Timex. Moderator mentioned this too, Rolex
watches aren't just about price or prestige, it's about purpose.
tools it's not just about the name, it's about what works for your actual needs and workflow.
Joe.

 

[driftpin]

I haven't seen his content before. I watched about half of it, and breezed through the 2nd half. I thought he made his point. Me, not being a working mechanic, just someone like many on-here, trying to save $$$ on work needed, and doing hobby work on cars trucks or motorcycles. I have acquired a fair-amount of tools, I have tried to purchase quality tools, and over nearly 60 years, I have. My tools aren't Snap-On, predominantly. That's OK, I have a few and will continue to do what work I can with what I have. I doubt I'll be buying many new tools.

At the end, a guy starting out in a business of earning his keep as a mechanic, I think would be hard-pressed to make the choice of buying a couple sets of Snap-On combination wrenches, or having all those tools in the array of that which can be bought for the cost of the Snap-Ons. I suspect he, or she, would choose the large variety over the Snap-On selection.

 

[logical]

I simply saw a guy stating the fact that one brand of really really, really good wrenches is pushing $3000, it might be interesting to see how many pretty good mechanics tools that would buy...and here they are. Why does this create such consternation regardless of what tools you have?

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

I simply saw a guy stating the fact that one brand of really really, really good wrenches is pushing $3000, it might be interesting to see how many pretty good mechanics tools that would buy...and here they are. Why does this create such consternation regardless of what tools you have?

People misinterpreted the purpose of the video. Or people read too deeply into the message. It’s literally a comparison video surrounding allocation of funds and nothing more.

 

[zendriver]

im new,
this may sound harsh, but you cant just say this is premiune wtch vs Timex. Moderator mentioned this too, Rolex
watches aren't just about price or prestige, it's about purpose.
tools it's not just about the name, it's about what works for your actual needs and workflow.
Joe.

What purpose did the snap on wrenches fulfill that the gear wrench does not?