billyjp2
Well-known member
as a teenager my tool collection was built through the weekly sales circular from Sears. About $20 a week really adds up to a useful collection in a year or two.
A 16 year old's tools
- Thread starter schmoldty
- Start date
fireeqpsrv
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Hey post a pic and let everyone see how your box is looking.
Nice start man! I got into cars and tools at a young age too now I'm doing it as a profession. You havery good taste in tools..as other guys said here buy quality now and you will be passing them on to your kid..I still have my snap on impact sockets my dad bought over 335 years ago
i can post a picture tomorrow if i remember nothing really has changed i haven't been buying much. As far a a list of stuff i need is Sockets 3/8-11mm Deep, 1/2 16mm Shallow, 20mm Shallow, 1/4: 4.5 Shallow and deep, And 5.5 Deep. WRENCHES i need a 17mm and a 18mm 6 Point. I don't know what else i really need i have most of the bases covered. Im planning on buying a 4 wheeler or snowmobile that needs rebuilt and fixing that up to use for a little bit and sell.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
I am pleased to see this get started again....Rich
kbradley4333
Member
Man i wish i had been responsible with my tools at 16! Hindsight is 20 20
From one teenager to another, Im 18 and a senior this year. Matco in my opinion has an amazing student discount, one some tools 15% off and others it's around 60% but majority are 50% off. I'm a skidloader mechanic and also a small farmer (600 acres). Ive spent over 5k on tools and a box. The box is from stricklytoolboxes (Great site btw even the tech guy was enjoyable to talk to on the phone) and my tools are matco (about 60% of them), Sunex, Gearwrench, few snappy, and few cornwell. If you're gonna spend money like I did, make sure its truly worth it. Little note, my box and tools have already paid their self off 
Now that is a great feeling.
Now that is a great feeling.Crackerballer
Well-known member
Dude you are making out like a kid in a candy store! Tools are one thing I never regret buying or learning how to use. The money I have saved doing my own car maintenance and modifications have easily paid me back, not to mention home projects.
May take some time to pay back the $4,000 I just dropped on the Matco 5S and hutch... but who cares!
And YES, pics of the box now that it's full!
May take some time to pay back the $4,000 I just dropped on the Matco 5S and hutch... but who cares!
And YES, pics of the box now that it's full!
At 16, the only tool I had of substance was a genuine vise grip. It was like a piece of gold to me at that time. Now I am 33 and I have a decent tool setup but not anywhere near where I want to be. Like most of you, I dream of having a shop setup with every tool imaginable so there would be no project I couldn't handle. Funny thing about life is I will probably finally reach my goal when my body physically gives out and I am unable use the tools.
wow that's impressive for someone your age!when I was 15 my first set was a cheap taiwan 40pc socket set from some junk store for $5. got my first craftstman set at 16. been supplementing ever since with used tools from flea markets and yard sales. don't overlook that avenue for good cheap tools. you can pickup lots of fill in pieces and oddball things for pennies on the dollar.
Keep on wrenchin'!
Keep on wrenchin'!
I'm thinking of going to a local tech school for electro mechanical engineering and i would get a great snap on student discount around 50% and ill probably give a lot of stuff away and resupply with snap on as i can afford it
kctyphoon
Banned
BTW - i havent forgotten, i have a rather full box of stuff waiting to be sent out for you.. just have not made it to the post office yet..
BlackjackNA
Well-known member
Bobcat753
Well-known member
Have a use for 3/4 inch drive sockets? I have a set from china and don't need them. They have some light rust on the chrome but are still useable. Only have the sockets no ratchets or extensions. I'd be happy to send them your way for free when I clean my box out next week.
Bobcat753
Well-known member
Your welcome. Just PM me your address and I'll get them there.
mikeselky85
Well-known member
your sets coming along nicely. I remember my first tool set starting lawn equipment in high school. I had a kobalt chest with top and one of those craftsman 300+ sets. it brings back memories from when i first started out. Im 24 now and its taken me a few years and alot of hard work, but now i have my dream box and its almost full.
keep building the set and itll never let you down. it turns into an obsession sometimes too
keep building the set and itll never let you down. it turns into an obsession sometimes too
Attachments
Bobcat753
Well-known member
Got your pm. If I come across other stuff I'll throw it in the box. I'm only 18 but I have lots and already out of room to put new stuff.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
And you couldn't imagine what you was going to do with that adaptor when I sent it to you. When You get the 3/4 drive sockets let me know. I will dig out you some more stuff. Richie
See what happens when some one starts some thing...
Better pm me your address again...
See what happens when some one starts some thing...
Better pm me your address again...
What all would you guys buy with the Snap on and other brand student discounts? Ill be in school in a little over a year and thankfully my school is being paid for by my parents. But ill be working full time while attending tech school. I want to buy a box and the basics of a better brand so i can pass mine on to others on here. Let me know what you think and what you would add. I'm not going to school to work on cars for a living but i like working on cars and restoring them. So i figure it will be better to buy these tools now when they are 1/2 off then later and they will last a life time. I don't want to go over 5k but ill buy them with cash gradually because i want to save up to be able to buy/build a house and shop when I graduate and get a job in my field.
My list:
Box-ethier Snap on classic 78 or the matco 4s i think
3/8 sockets shallow and deep metirc and standard
1/2 deep impact standard and metric
all extensions
pry bars
a few ratchets (how do you guys like the flex heads?)
torque wrench
And the maybes:
wrench sets
screwdrivers
torx sockets
My list:
Box-ethier Snap on classic 78 or the matco 4s i think
3/8 sockets shallow and deep metirc and standard
1/2 deep impact standard and metric
all extensions
pry bars
a few ratchets (how do you guys like the flex heads?)
torque wrench
And the maybes:
wrench sets
screwdrivers
torx sockets
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Man that's awesome! At 16 I still fit all my tools in a portable tool box. Didn't get a rolling cart until college. You're off to a good start!
I didn't see any hammers. Need a hammer for sure. And if you don't mind, can I suggest a couple more inexpensive things?
You need a flat bar (wonder bar). Nothing better for pulling nails and taking stuff apart!
And you need a basic speed square. Can't build like a pro without a speed square. Watch videos and learn to use it!
Of course if you're only doing auto mechanics, then nevermind what I said.
I didn't see any hammers. Need a hammer for sure. And if you don't mind, can I suggest a couple more inexpensive things?
You need a flat bar (wonder bar). Nothing better for pulling nails and taking stuff apart!
And you need a basic speed square. Can't build like a pro without a speed square. Watch videos and learn to use it!
Of course if you're only doing auto mechanics, then nevermind what I said.
rowerwet
Well-known member
You are lucky to be buying tools today, back when I was dropping big bills in the tool trucks eBay CL did not exist. Pre-internet!.
What I would have been able to save!
What I would have been able to save!
kctyphoon
Banned
just be mindfull of what you buy.. dont go into debt just cause you can get a discount.. its compainies targeting prospective customers, knowing most of them have or will take out student loans. its seems attractive now, but not when your still paying loans off at 30. its the whole "for profit" schools that are just looking for inventive ways to make people borrow and spend money. its a huge problem in this country right now.
just one of many... the worst part of it - is that most of your teachers and peers will steer you otherwise, and its hard to remember that you are ultimately just a paycheck for them. you will be much better off buying just the things you will use everyday. you can have a tool payment, or money in the bank that will let you lease/finance a car, get an apartment and start a life..
i dont have kids of my own - but if i could only pass one thing on to someone younger - its that saving money while your still young will make a huge diifference for you in a few years. even if its only $20 or $50 a week - put something away and just forget it exists. try not to get any credit cards - paying 20-30% interest on ANYTHING is robbery.. and dont borrow money just to get something new and shiny for work, when you can make the same money using the same tools SOMEONE ELSE paid full retail for. itll be hard when you see other people doing it, but trust me you will be much better off investing in your bank account instead. this way, when life throws you a curve ball, (and it will) like losing a job, you wont need to sell the all the tools you need to make more money, just to wind up having to buy them all over again.
just one of many... the worst part of it - is that most of your teachers and peers will steer you otherwise, and its hard to remember that you are ultimately just a paycheck for them. you will be much better off buying just the things you will use everyday. you can have a tool payment, or money in the bank that will let you lease/finance a car, get an apartment and start a life..
i dont have kids of my own - but if i could only pass one thing on to someone younger - its that saving money while your still young will make a huge diifference for you in a few years. even if its only $20 or $50 a week - put something away and just forget it exists. try not to get any credit cards - paying 20-30% interest on ANYTHING is robbery.. and dont borrow money just to get something new and shiny for work, when you can make the same money using the same tools SOMEONE ELSE paid full retail for. itll be hard when you see other people doing it, but trust me you will be much better off investing in your bank account instead. this way, when life throws you a curve ball, (and it will) like losing a job, you wont need to sell the all the tools you need to make more money, just to wind up having to buy them all over again.
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yeah i agree! thats why I'm only going to spend cash and not take out any loans. My truck will be paid off by this summer. So while in school the only thing ill be spending money on is tools and gas and doing stuff with friends, because ill live at home and the school is only 20 minutes away. i will be working for around 2.5-3 years full time making pretty decent money so I will have quite a bit saved up. If i was paying for school i would definitely not buy tools but I'm lucky to not have to.
kctyphoon
Banned
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/business/14schools.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
when i was in HS, the automotive school a bunch of my friends went to was Lincoln Tech.. every one of them got out a school and got jobs changing oil, the same as they would have if they just applied off the street.. im sure times have changed a bit, esp with computers becoming so vital in the auto industry - but my point is most of these places dont care where you wind up, only care about getting you to sign up..
when i was in HS, the automotive school a bunch of my friends went to was Lincoln Tech.. every one of them got out a school and got jobs changing oil, the same as they would have if they just applied off the street.. im sure times have changed a bit, esp with computers becoming so vital in the auto industry - but my point is most of these places dont care where you wind up, only care about getting you to sign up..