Any Tool Buying Nuts Out There?

[Canadian Charlie]

Is everyone like me or am I the only one?

Seems lately I've been over at E Bay bidding on some tools that might look nice in my tool box. I picked up a few great things from the Snap On label such as:

Snap On 12/14mm offset Flank drive box wrench
Snap On 10/11mm offset Flank drive box wrenches (2 of these)
Snap-On 12mm impact swivel 3/8" socket
Snap-On 5/16" 1/4" drive shallow socket
Snap-On 1" 3/8" drive shallow socket
Snap-On 15/16" 3/8" drive shallow socket
SNAP-ON TOOLS COMBINATION WRENCH 22MM
SNAP-ON TOOLS THERMAL VACUUM SWITCH SOCKET 7/8"
SNAP-ON 1/2'' DRIVE DEEPWELL SOCKET SET
SNAP-ON 1/4'' RATCHET
SNAP-ON SPARK PLUG SOCKETS (2 - 5/8" one swival)
MAC TOOLS VACUUM GAUGE
SNAP ON 13mm 4 way angle wrench
Snap On 11mm 4 way angle wrench
Snap-On Metric Conversion Chart
SNAP ON Chrome 3/8 12pt deep socket set


Now I got my eye open for a Snap On 20mm wrench and a set of 3/8 swival sockets.


Here is my point, I have some of these tools but not Snap On and some were so cheap that I bought them even though I may never use them. Anyone else like me out there?

I now have 2 roll cabs and 2 top chests full of tools and I need more room


HELP

 

[iiibdsiil]

Ah yes! I just spent $600 on Snap-on stuff on Ebay. But I got me a like new digital torque wrench in 3/8" (old one needs recalibrated, maybe I'll just sell it now), and some other cool little things.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Like what?


Tell me tell me

 

[iiibdsiil]

Darn near new Stubby gear wrench set (Snap-on, I wanted to compare them to the KD tools )

New Snap-on Sheet metal whole saw blades

And a new caliper with magnetic base

Saved $100+ on the torque wrench, $50 on the whole saw blades, $100+ on the gear wrenches, and $75 on the caliper.

Of course, I had to spend the money to save it. LOL But, it could have came off the truck for full retail

 

[toolfreak]

Lol your addicted! It is very hard to pass up some of the deals even if it is something you will not use all that often.

 

[iiibdsiil]

It's stuff I'll use at least once, and that, to me, is worth every penny. I'd rather not spend 3 hours on my Saturday trying to find someone with a caliper that I need to use for 3 minutes. Of course, then you owe someone a favor, and well, I'd rather not.

 

[TNToy]

Don't buy Snap-On swivel impact sockets. Matco's are better.

Snap-On uses the ball/pin/spring setup. When the pin eventually fails, the whole thing comes apart. Sometimes explosively. After a couple of good beatings on a gun like the Titanium IRs or an Aircat, they bind up where the pin has deformed the slot it rides in.

Get a set of Matco's pinless swivel sockets. I use my 3/8" drive shallow metric set (10-19mm with an 8mm purchased seperate) more than anything else at work. Still swivel prefectly smoothly.

I've sold off all my Snappy swivels and upgraded to the Matco's. I've seen the 10-19mm set go for under $200 on EBay, which isn't bad since it's $360 off the truck.

 

[Uncle Buck]

If a tool is good quality and the price is cheap enough, I will buy one every time. I do not want to even guess how many 1/2 x 9/16 wrenches I have bought new or used through the years for 20-25 cents. Of course when you buy stuff this way, you are bound to end up with alot of stuff you will never use! I don't mind though, as cheap as most was bought for, I don't think I will ever lose money on any of my tools.

 

[chevy302dz]

If it's cheap and I think there's even a remote chance I'll use it I'll buy, Also if it's good quality and cheap I'll buy it even if I already have 10. Otherwise I just buy what I need.

 

[toolfreak]

Well my wrenches just showed up. I bought a 14 piece metric snap on stubby set for $87 and a 6 piece deep offset wrench set for $72. Both are like new and to replace my craftsman sets.

 

[eschoendorff]

If it's cheap and I think there's even a remote chance I'll use it I'll buy, Also if it's good quality and cheap I'll buy it even if I already have 10. Otherwise I just buy what I need.

sounds exactly like something I would do....

Check out this ratchet:


Made by "JESCO" don't really know anything more than that about it. It changes directions by ratating the entire handle. I took it apart and it seems to be decent quality. Probably Asian-made, but unique, nonetheless. I need another ratchet like I need a uterus, but I bought this one anyway:

 

[TNToy]

That's neat, but seems like it would be extremely annoying in practice: I reverse directions accidentally too much as it is with the cheaper ratchets. If I can't turn my wrist while throttling a fastener, I'd probably do it constantly.

That said... If it was cheap, I'd probably have bought it too, just because it's different.

Worst case, you can always weld the mechanism solid and have a redneck breaker bar.

 

[eschoendorff]

That's neat, but seems like it would be extremely annoying in practice: I reverse directions accidentally too much as it is with the cheaper ratchets. If I can't turn my wrist while throttling a fastener, I'd probably do it constantly.

That said... If it was cheap, I'd probably have bought it too, just because it's different.

Worst case, you can always weld the mechanism solid and have a redneck breaker bar.

That's just the thing.... I thought that it would reverse itself in the least opportune times too. So far it hasn't. You actually need to exert a little effort to reverse it. Anyway, I just bought it 'cause I thought it was neat...

 

[z28toz06]

I don't even want to know how much money I've spent on tools and boxes in the last year. My old lady is cool and very understanding, but I'm sure she'd kill me if she had a clue!

 

[eschoendorff]

I don't even want to know how much money I've spent on tools and boxes in the last year. My old lady is cool and very understanding, but I'm sure she'd kill me if she had a clue!

OH! You and me both! If my wife had ANY clue, I'd be in a whole heap of s***!

 

[milly]

I've found a few deals on ebay to finish out my Blue Point wrenchs sets. I got a 1-1/4" combo wrench for $35 shipped. Got a 1-1/8" combo wrench for $30 shipped.

 

[chevy302dz]

sounds exactly like something I would do....

Check out this ratchet:


Made by "JESCO" don't really know anything more than that about it. It changes directions by ratating the entire handle. I took it apart and it seems to be decent quality. Probably Asian-made, but unique, nonetheless. I need another ratchet like I need a uterus, but I bought this one anyway:

I don't know, I could actually see that ratchet being pretty useful in some cases, I'd buy one if it was a deal.

 

[iiibdsiil]

Got the torque wrench today. It honestly looks like someone opened the manual, got confused, threw the manual back in the storage case and put the torque wrench away. The Snap-on guy could sell this for new and no one would flinch an eye. I'm happy

 

[wreckerboy]

Geez, I've got it easy. Not only did my wife come into the relationship with her own Craftsman Club card and roll-around tool box, I've got to be the responsible one when we're in the tool store. Left to her own devices, we'd have no room left in the shop to actually work with the tools!

 

[cloud]

Thanks alot guys. This thread + Jack + Coke = me winning ebay auctions. Guess I get to see what all the fuss is about SK ratchets!

Example A: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=280052601291

 

[eschoendorff]

Thanks alot guys. This thread + Jack + Coke = me winning ebay auctions. Guess I get to see what all the fuss is about SK ratchets!

Example A: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=280052601291

Those are great ratchets. I have a couple, but not in 1/2" drive. I thnk you will like them!

 

[chevy302dz]

The standard SK ratchets are tough, if you like roundhead ratchets you should like the SK.

 

[rowbow41]

Yeh, I am a tool buying nut. I think it goes back to when I didn't have anything to work with. I am always looking for a bargain. I live 20 miles from a good tool source, I don't like to borrow and I don't like to get into a project and not have something I need. I am always looking ahead for something I don't have and buy it for the future. I also like unusal tools or something I don't know what it is as long as it is cheap. I have all kinds of pullers, clamps, air tools, cutting tools, 4" brake, drillpress, mig & arc welder, oxygen/acetelyne outfit as well as the usual mechanic tool sets.

 

[TNToy]

Guess I get to see what all the fuss is about SK ratchets!

They're quality items. I don't own any because I prefer them to not have a quick-release or direction-change button on the back of the head, but I've used them in the past... they're quality units.

 

[ptschram]

Between eBay, Matco and Snap-On, I've spent more than $7,000 on tools in the past three years (both my wife and accountant can vouch for the magnitude!).

I used to have both Snap-On and Matco stop by the shop. I really liked this as I was able to look at what they both had to offer, decide which I preferred and then beat them both up on price to end up with what I wanted.

For some reason, even recognizing how much I've spent, what I had before opening the shop, and the sight of three overflowing tool boxes, SWMBO refuses to even consider my buying a box big enough to put everything into.

As I'm now job hunting and she keeps suggesting wrenching jobs, it might justify my having a single box that can be locked-at least, that's what I'm telling her!

W/R/T quality, I buy very few non-top end tools any longer. Too much to lose and it's such a long-term investment, I can't risk buying junk.

PT