Anyone ever go back to basics? Simpler/Cheaper tools

[CS454]

Following the thread regarding folks having /no/ tools, I'm curious if anyone else reverted, or considered reverting back to more basic setups/tools/brands/etc? Pics/info are more than welcome.

Personally, I'm fortunate that the majority of my tools are truck brand, and perhaps it's the hedonic treadmill talking but sometimes I realize I could get by with a lot less overall. I spent 10 years making money with "crappy" tools (fair amount of mobile work too), and sometimes wonder why I made such a big deal to upgrade. Hard to go backwards, but the grass is always greener, isn't it? As well...I'm aware of the irony of my Signature.

 

[Zewnten]

Basically doing that right now. Setting up a road box and honestly picking the winners is pretty easy. If an economic tool can hold up to all the abuse of your work needs, does it really need upgraded?

 

[richfinn]

Not so much cheaper tools (good quality mid-priced non tool truck items mostly) most of which I found thanks to GJ, like Ko-ken sockets and Stahlwille wrenches

But yes, I had to definitely become more minimalist when I started working out of a van, got rid of all the baggage that I accumulated working in a workshop as a vehicle technician

Inch sized tools were the first to go followed by air tools and all the special tools I had accumulated over 20 years, a lot of my work is electrical diagnosis and roadside repairs in general

I still have an old Snap-On stack with stuff I can't bear to let go of, but my regular day to day tools live in the van (much of it supplied by my employer)

I wish I had specialized sooner in my career and just worked out of a tool cart to be honest and not "invested" so much in making money for other people

I'm a big fan of multi purpose tools that keep on earning indefinitely, rather than buying expensive "one trick pony's" that become obsolete with the next generation of vehicles

A good selection of hand tools and some basic diagnostic equipment is about it for me, any special tools or anything that needs software updates should really be an employers problem (unless you work for yourself)

 

[qqzj]

Which thread is for folks without tools?

Following the thread regarding folks having /no/ tools, I'm curious if anyone else reverted, or considered reverting back to more basic setups/tools/brands/etc? Pics/info are more than welcome. [emoji481]

Personally, I'm fortunate that the majority of my tools are truck brand, and perhaps it's the hedonic treadmill talking but sometimes I realize I could get by with a lot less overall. I spent 10 years making money with "crappy" tools (fair amount of mobile work too), and sometimes wonder why I made such a big deal to upgrade. Hard to go backwards, but the grass is always greener, isn't it? As well...I'm aware of the irony of my Signature.

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Professional Tool User]

The amount of clutter is definitely a problem. I can definitely make do on a day to day basis with less tools. As for which brands to buy, I've gotten a lot better at doing tool quality assessments, in a large part thanks to all the information on the forum. When I first really started spending big bucks on tools, I spent it in a less than optimal manner. Looking back, I regret wasting my money on certain things like Snap on chrome sockets. My cheap made in Taiwan Princess auto impact sockets which look like they are from the same supplier as Sunex are my go to these days. I wish my mental database of rebranded tools, knowledge of various brands, and ability to compare tool photos was as good in the beginning as it is now.

 

[steaks&anvils]

Which thread is for folks without tools?

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https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480852

 

[dwasifar]

I'm not exactly reverting, but at my age buying a tool to last the rest of my life does not mean what it did 30 years ago. So where I might have bought a high-end tool then, I might buy a more budget priced tool today. Not junk tools, mind you; just not always the top of the line premium priced tools.

 

[Iowafox]

I am kind of doing that while staying in my budget if that makes since. I have always heard if you buy a good midrange tool and take care of it odds are it will last you.
That being said at home I have a very nice set of MAC USA sockets shallow/deep Metric and SAE. I love them. But those are my home use sockets only. The tools that stay in my vehicles and go with me daily and do alot of the work when I am not home are from the Pittsburgh 225Piece master tool kit. I have to admit I did replace the 1/4dr and 3/8dr ratchets in the set but everything else is how it is from the store. For the price and what you get those are some amazing sockets and I can't be happier. They are strong as hell and fitment is perfect. I think these sockets will be around with me still using them in 30 years easy.
not sure I really answered the question.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

I have gotten to the point where i can afford really nice tools. Then i realize that a lot of things available today were not around 25 years ago. CNC for home user, 3D printer, battery powered tools.
And a lot of the newer stuff can be had at all kinds of price points. Interesting.

 

[DetroitDIESEL444]

I sort of did. I sold my snap on wrenches and bought craftsman and haven’t looked back.

 

[bwringer]

I'm finding myself more willing to get rid of duplicates and stuff I don't use, and toss broken, worn, or low-quality ****.

But the thing is, the bottom of the barrel is a lot better than it used to be.

For basic stuff, even the cheapest **** at Harbor Freight nowadays is light-years better than the truly evil soft scrap metal that used to be peddled at Kmart. Heck, the Hart stuff on the shelves at any Walmart is perfectly serviceable, and sometimes even pretty decent.

Plus, we have a lot more choice nowadays thanks to the intarwebnets.

Remember calling to order tools from blurry little ads in the backs of magazines, or from that horrible JC Whitney catalog, or the early days of Harbor Freight?

 

[Ricky Joe]

I did that years ago. In 1983, on a road call, I had to spend the night at a motel. The truck got broken into and every last wrench got stolen, including my brand new $35 1-5/16” Snap-On wrench. I reaccumulated until 1991, when my garage got broken into. After that I bought very few Snap-On tools unless at a pawn shop, yard sale, or eBay occasionally. The bolt doesn’t know the difference most of the time. I did accumulate six Snap-On Superchests, two Rem Line, one Proto, and miscellaneous smaller boxes. I am down to two Superchests now, and weeding through the tools so I can get even more free. Amazing how those tools can own you, if you are not careful!

 

[duneslider]

I am not a pro mechanic and I can totally see how a pro that does it for a living would want nice stuff. For me, I just can't see what is better about the snap on wrenches vs my craftsman raised panels. I have a few truck brand wrenches and they work just the same as my craftsman wrenches. The smoother wrenches are a bit easier to clean up when they get greasy but for a weekend mechanic like myself that just doesn't seem to justify the cost difference.

I have a couple of "nicer" ratchets and they are nice and smooth but 99 times out of a 100 they do the exact same thing as my cheap craftsman.

I would probably feel different is I was turning wrenches every day.

I have this stupid Stanley flex head extendable ratchet that someone gifted me and I honestly grab that one more than any other. Its a almost do it all wrench and was a life saver when I swapped the engine on my jeep, never would have got the upper transmission bolt out without it.

 

[zendriver]

First set of tools I ever purchase was a snap on socket set and some additional metric and SAE sockets.

Paying the tool truck weekly with a three dollar an hour job. :

Those were the last expensive tools I’ve ever bought and that was 47 years ago.


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[xtremek]

I made the transition from garage sale to Craftsman (this would be the 80's US made). I did it because most of my garage sale stuff broke. Then I made the transition from Craftsman to Snap-On/Mac/Matco because I was getting tired of the weekly trip to Sears to return the handful of tools. When I quit turning a wrench professionally, I've been slowly returning to the garage sale stuff. I don't abuse them like I HAD TO when I was making my living with them. Production requires reliability. Reliability comes at a price. But when I have a tough bolt to break loose, I'm very grateful for the fit that my Snap-On tools put on my hands.

 

[Robbie B]

When I was wrenching on cars for a living I bought a couple things from Snap on. A flank drive wrench set, some sockets and a ratchet. What I’ve found is that I still used the craftsman stuff that I started out with. There’s nothing wrong with the snap on stuff. I think of me it’s just a matter of familiarity. I’m so used to the craftsman stuff I used for so long that the snap on doesn’t feel right in the hand. But the same is true with the new craftsman stuff. It doesn’t feel right in the hand. I don’t have and won’t have any of it.

 

[Gunfixr]

I never really "upgraded". My grandfather noticed my interest in shop type things, and at around age 10, started giving me tools for bday/Christmas. He owned craftsman, and that's what he gave me. This was in the late 70s. I still have most of it. I've broken some things, but i've never wrenched for a living. I had to add some duplication when I started machining, as I quickly tired of taking tools back and forth from work/home. I got some snap-on items, a basic set of inch/metric wrenches, back when they called them the proprietary "flank drive" system. I have the first year snap-on 12" adjustable after dropping the blue point name, made of some lightweight alloy. Ended up taking all that home, and getting cheap stuff for work, because too many coworkers had sticky fingers. My fav ratcheting screwdriver is a snap-on, finally replaced after 20+ hard years. The new one isn't as nice, the storage cap comes off during use, so I can no longer keep a few of the most used bits in it. Still using the craftsman box set I got in the late 80s, but been eyeing some of the hf bearing drawer boxes. I've added some gearwrench, fine tooth ratchets, ratcheting wrenches, added cordless tools, specialty tools as needed.

 

[lardy1]

My father influenced me a lot. He had one of the better home shops in the area and I was working with my hands at a young age. His advice was always to buy the best I could afford. That went from KMart **** when I was younger and grew from there. I'm getting closer to 70, have to budget a fixed income and really don't "need" many tools. But I still buy the best I can afford with the knowledge I have. Maybe because I couldn't afford it back then but I still get pleasure from having and using quality tools.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

There are a lot of choices between cheap tools and "truck" brands. IMO Craftsman was near the top of quality among the cheap tools category.
I have a lot of Craftsman tools but haven't bought any in the past 15-20 years (and honestly was disappointed in quality and support for several years prior). The internet has given me easy access to buy better quality tools, mostly non-truck brands.


As far as "going back". Last weekend building some small concrete forms I used a hand saw. It has softened my desires for cordless saws.

 

[ive]

Never. Never. Never.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I was working on something the other day and grabbed a ratcheting wrench and knocked it out in about 12-15 minutes vs likely well over a half hour using the open end of a regular combo wrench. I know the tools I got when I was still a kid and in high school will do the job, but I’m amazed at how much faster I can get a job done with the tools I’ve bought to compliment my initial core purchase 20+ years ago now. So I guess the short answer is no, I don’t think I’d like to revert back at this point in life.

 

[Nineeightyone]

My roofer FIL went from 14.4v Dewalt to Ryobi 18v -- he swears by the Ryobi now. Personally I'm team yellow for my hardline/regular use tools, but anything lawn related is Ryobi. I don't enjoy lawn work, so I want to do it as inexpensive and painlessly as I can, and Ryobi fits the bill.

If I could go back, I might consider Ryobi the first time around, but I got a good deal on a couple Dewalt items and now they're my platform of choice. In a weird twist, a large number of my hand tools are Harbor Freight/Tekton/Kobalt, with some other store brands in there, and one or two 'higher end' tools. I'd be hard pressed to do things any different there, on a limited budget I'm proud of what's rolled out of my garage considering the money put in.

 

[bwringer]

As far as "going back". Last weekend building some small concrete forms I used a hand saw. It has softened my desires for cordless saws.

LOL, I've half-surprised myself in a very similar way a few times... hey, the hand tool ain't that bad, and I didn't have to mess with an extension cord or batteries.

I mean, if you're just whacking through a couple of 2x4s a hand saw will take care of that in seconds. It's easy to get in the power tool habit and forget the human-powered stuff still works fine if you're not making 100 cuts that day.


Similarly, a bicycle floor pump with a decent gauge is a very cheap, fast, quiet, and easy way to adjust motorcycle and car tire pressures. If you only need a few PSI, it's a lot faster than messing with the compressor and air hose.

 

[Ralf11]

I was working on something the other day and grabbed a ratcheting wrench and knocked it out in about 12-15 minutes vs likely well over a half hour using the open end of a regular combo wrench. I know the tools I got when I was still a kid and in high school will do the job, but I’m amazed at how much faster I can get a job done with the tools I’ve bought to compliment my initial core purchase 20+ years ago now. So I guess the short answer is no, I don’t think I’d like to revert back at this point in life.

I wish I'd had all this fancy stuff back in the '70s. I could have got a lot more done with less hassle.

 

[Packard V8]

Just the other day, I was using a speed handle to remove several nuts. A younger friend said, "I've never seen anybody use one of those. There's this great new invention; an 18-volt impact gun!" For true, every hobbyist benefits greatly from spending $329.19 to turn a dozen nuts a few seconds faster.

jack vines

 

[bob15]

Remember calling to order tools from blurry little ads in the backs of magazines, or from that horrible JC Whitney catalog, or the early days of Harbor Freight?

I miss those old JC catalogs from the 80's and early 90's. Kinda wish I had a couple of them just to flip through again. Maybe even add in an old old PAW catalog, even the ones they used to stick inside Hot Rod, Car Craft & Super Chevy.

 

[richfinn]

Just the other day, I was using a speed handle to remove several nuts. A younger friend said, "I've never seen anybody use one of those. There's this great new invention; an 18-volt impact gun!" For true, every hobbyist benefits greatly from spending $329.19 to turn a dozen nuts a few seconds faster.

jack vines

I still use mine for engine work, sometimes see the F1 pit crews use them replacing the wings. Mine is 35 years old and still on the original battery

 

[bob15]

Just the other day, I was using a speed handle to remove several nuts. A younger friend said, "I've never seen anybody use one of those. There's this great new invention; an 18-volt impact gun!" For true, every hobbyist benefits greatly from spending $329.19 to turn a dozen nuts a few seconds faster.

jack vines

I have both the speed handle and the impact and when I rebuilt my car engine a couple years ago, I used the speedie. I'd love to say I used it because it's kinda nostalgic and brings me back to the first engine I built (and the first time I used that wrench); but the truth is, you have better feel for snugging down bolts and nuts over a cordless driver.

I actually have seen the guys in Roadkill and EngineMaster shows also still using the speedie as well

 

[Al Borland]

I've got good tools in the home boxes. Haven't hardly touched them in years. Work seems to kill/lose tools, and it's more sensible to get "disposable" tools that will do the job. I'll start working on the car or truck at home, and the box on the truck is right there, as opposed to waddling my grumpy old *** into the garage and opening the toolbox.

 

[Sneezer]

I never got a chance to get "good stuff" like the truck brands. Dad had some old SK and Proto stuff, but it was all SAE and bigger sockets for oilfield work. He had a basic Craftsman set once metric started showing up in cars. He bought my my first tool set in the late 80s, Craftsman combo kit, which I still use to this day. It handled a couple engine swaps, numerous brakes and suspension jobs, and completely dismantling one truck to part it out down to the frame. A couple of the sockets are beat up and losing their chrome, spanners are still good, and I think I maybe broke one ratchet because I used a cheater bar on a really seized bolt once.

I have slowly added to my kit over the years, but it is all Craftsman, some Kobalt and Husky, a few Stanley ratchets, and some Pittsburgh stuff. While I would love a bunch of Dewalt or Milwaukee power tools, Ryobi and Kobalt were more in my budget. The Kobalt tools do the heavy lifting - drills, circular saws and impacts, and I rely on Ryobi for specialty stuff - love the 18V caulk gun!

I have one Snap on ratchet that I have no idea where it came from, and honestly it is my least favorite ratchet in my box. The handle is uncomfortable, and I prefer a quick release ratchet anyway, which this is not.

I am strictly a hobbyist/DIYer though. Never had to wrench for a living, although I help a bunch of people with general maintenance and repairs. I'm just a cheap *******.

 

[Ton ton]

I have both the speed handle and the impact and when I rebuilt my car engine a couple years ago, I used the speedie. I'd love to say I used it because it's kinda nostalgic and brings me back to the first engine I built (and the first time I used that wrench); but the truth is, you have better feel for snugging down bolts and nuts over a cordless driver.

I actually have seen the guys in Roadkill and EngineMaster shows also still using the speedie as well

What is a speed handle?

 

[Parrothead]

LOL, I've half-surprised myself in a very similar way a few times... hey, the hand tool ain't that bad, and I didn't have to mess with an extension cord or batteries.

I mean, if you're just whacking through a couple of 2x4s a hand saw will take care of that in seconds. It's easy to get in the power tool habit and forget the human-powered stuff still works fine if you're not making 100 cuts that day.


Similarly, a bicycle floor pump with a decent gauge is a very cheap, fast, quiet, and easy way to adjust motorcycle and car tire pressures. If you only need a few PSI, it's a lot faster than messing with the compressor and air hose.

You should try out the Ryobi inflator, I picked this up for $20 on sale. Bought a battery adapter off of Amazon so I didn’t need a new charger/battery platform. I have been inflating car tires ever since.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-1...-with-Digital-Gauge-Tool-Only-P737D/307627867

 

[bob15]

What is a speed handle?

Pictures stolen via google. They come in 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 drive with different style handles as my pictures show. Can turn bolts/nut very fast with one.

 

[Packard V8]

The 3/8" drive speeders were available in 18", 24" and 36". Now that none of the young guys want them, I can afford all three. The 36" takes up a lot of room in the box, but about once a year, it's the perfect tool to reach down in the bottom of an engine compartment. With a crow's foot on the bottom, it broke loose a transmission cooler line fitting no other tool combination would reach as nicely.

jack vines

 

[Ton ton]

Pictures stolen via google. They come in 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 drive with different style handles as my pictures show. Can turn bolts/nut very fast with one.

Thanks, Bob 15.

 

[dscheidt]

Just the other day, I was using a speed handle to remove several nuts. A younger friend said, "I've never seen anybody use one of those. There's this great new invention; an 18-volt impact gun!" For true, every hobbyist benefits greatly from spending $329.19 to turn a dozen nuts a few seconds faster.

I used to race the new tire jockeys at a shop I worked at, each of us doing one side of a car getting tires rotated. I used a four way, they got an impact. I never lost.

 

[bwringer]

You should try out the Ryobi inflator, I picked this up for $20 on sale. Bought a battery adapter off of Amazon so I didn’t need a new charger/battery platform. I have been inflating car tires ever since.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-1...-with-Digital-Gauge-Tool-Only-P737D/307627867

LOL, yep, I actually do have one of those inflators, and with the built-in gauge it's even faster than the ol' bicycle pump. $20 was a screaming steal, and I already have some Ryobi stuff so I already had batteries.

I find that the gauge consistently reads 2psi high while it's running, so if I want 36psi, I run it to 38psi and it's at 36 when I let off the trigger. Handiest gadget in a long time.

But it's not really "back to basics", I guess...

 

[semi42]

When I was an apprentice in the 80s, our company had an interest free loan scheme that bought your tools of choice, then deducted an agreed amount from your wage.
All the apprentices chose Britool and had paid off the loan within 9 months.
I chose snap on and it took 3 and a half years to clear.
Within 12 months the britool gear had flaking chrome on the sockets and wrenches and trying to get them replaced was difficult , near impossible as the rep insisted they had been used improperly (struck with hammers etc)
No problems with my tools and I still have and use them today albeit not at my place of employment because 10 years ago I changed employment and was supplied with a full kit of (cheap) tools with roll cab and top box.
The snap on kit is only used occasionally for maintenance of my classic car and small domestic jobs
4 years ago I changed to another section of the business and was kitted out again with a smaller kit but I have never needed a comprehensive kit in the job I do now.
The business is changing, modernising, with new equipment and looks like I’ll probably need less tools in the future, probably a laptop and again, any tools needed would be supplied.
As my son doesn’t know a hatchet from a ratchet and wouldn’t appreciate the snap on gear to be handed down to him , I have decided to sell off the snap on gear and replace it with the cheaper tool kit as supplied by the company .
So yes..exchanging back to cheaper tools makes sense but there may be some items I won’t part with. Ratchet screwdriver for example

 

[Ton ton]

I like performance tools brand from my local auto parts store. It's definitely one of the cheaper brands. But the employees are easy to get a fast warranty on ratchet wrenches. I got tired of the snappy reps weird attitude. I'm not a car mechanic nor do I intend to be one.

 

[dr_clyde]

I’ve been buying quality tools and equipment since day one and I have no desire to go backwards.

I had a Snap On truck account in high school. I’ve worked very hard to get the best things I can afford, what possible benefit would there be in getting cheap **** now?

I will never understand this mentality. I get it when you never HAD quality tools, then I can see not justifying them, but if you already have them why get rid of them just to get ****?