Have you experienced "tool discrimination"?

[back2class]

Two things to add. This site is screwed up in realtion to this. Talking to two guys yesterday about tools and they were very proud of their Craftsman tool sets. These were a couple working class guys and to them...Craftsman was high end and a tool to be proud of. reminded me that is the way many people still feel. To them Craftsman tools were tools that would get the job done...and worth the sizable investment of their small paychecks.


When I was a building contractor...I could smell a hack a mile away when I walked onto a jobsite. Craftsman B&D or skill power tools (or big name trendy tools like cordless trim saws) were the main giveaway. In that field MOST if the time you could tell the hackers from the pros by the tools they used. Those tools would not last long in construction.

But in the world of hand tools...I don't find near the quality gap between craftsman and Snap-on on many items. However the difference between say a Craftsman circ saw and my Milualkee is night and day.

I can see how a mechanic may judge another by his tools. I would be suspect if I new tech took out a Junk impact and some HF tools. That is not to say there are not hacks in the building trades with the best of everything and horrid mechanics with a bunch of high end tools.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Luckily in germany the employer supplies the tools

Can you get me a job at that place they make the Klann demonstration videos please? That's my dream..

 

[adcrawfo]

I work with a guy who thinks buying craftsman is spending too much money. This guy is a poster child for harbor freight. Although he's able to fix just about anything 9 times out of 10 it's a farmer fix and needs to be gone over again eventually.

Otherwise most of the mechanics have craftsman and you get looked at as a snob if you have anything better. I understand partially where they come from as tools happen to get lost in a foundry. Belts and sand eat up more tools than one would think and it hurts double to loose a good tool to the belt monster so I see that side of it but there are those who think that you must have too much money if you're buying snap on. I did appreciate the look on the guys face who was giving me **** about my snap on and I told him how much I paid for my 2 wrenches (off ebay) and it was less than what he paid for his cman stuff new.

 

[socalbodydude]

I have heard this from people, although when I worked at a dodge dealership as a salesman I used to chat with the auto techs and check out their tools. They had alot of harbor freight stuff. To me Skill and experience is the most important factor. I know In the auto body trade a certain amount of respect can be gained if you walk into a job with the right tools. If I was a boss at a shop and a guy walked in with good hammers and dollies or oxy acetylene tanks, or vintage body tools. I would immediately assume that he is a skilled body man.

I don't see how anyone can trust any one brand for tools. Everyone knows that each brand has it's good tools and it's not-so good tools (including snap-on, mac & matco) and at the same time anyone that judges a guys level of competency just based off of his tools is an idiot.

 

[slipjointed]

It's kind of funny how the pendulum swings in both directions... in some crowds you're a snob if you dare buy anything more expensive and high quality than whatever worthless dirt cheap **** just came off the boat, and in some circles, unless you spend enough to pay off your house, you're not taking your job seriously.

 

[diesel research]

Lets look at things from a balanced perspective.

We covered the "my tool wasn't financed and does the job" side, let's cover the other side.

*We all know the guy who only owns craftsman or horrible freight and comes to borrow your stuff when his is broken or doesn't fit. Don't tell me you ("pros") have never seen this "other" guy.

8We know the guy that doesn't have enough tool SIZES and swaps metric and SAE around, and ends up boogering something.

*Or the guy hogging the bay/pit space for longer than necessary due to incorrect tool usage/failure.

*The customer like american_lockpicker who is absolutely appalled by cheap tools used on his expensive automobile. If they are willing to pay labor rates accordingly, no reason not to cater to their desires. Basic business sense.

_____________________________

I probably own less than $1,000 in tool truck tools. Very carefully selected, based on needs. I probably own less than $30 in craftsman, also based on needs. Maybe $150 in HF. A lot more in mid priced or industrial line up. SK, sunex, IR, armstrong, proto, knipex, ideal, channellock, irwin, etc.

As far as boxes, they run the range. No more KRLs after last guy left. Several KRAs, a few HF 5 drawer carts, a mactech1000, lots of 26" cmans, a few matco/cornwell carts, and one guy that works out of a handbox.

While they don't say anything, I think they are judging the new guys based on box size somewhat. I think it ends up dictating which kind of work orders they get. Of course, which work orders they get now, affect which ones they get in the future. ('oh, well you haven't ever done ___ before") Ultimately, affecting raises and promotions.

I see that mostly with the hand box guy. He has basically no tools to perform anything more complex than a tire job (shop provided 1" spline impact) So he gets a LOT of tires. After 1yr, he has still mostly only performed tire jobs. His logic is "i don't need to buy more tools because they only give me tire jobs" Their logic is "we can't give you anymore jobs because you don't own any tools". A vicious cycle that the employer wins at.

 

[84TurboBuick]

Just had a discussion like this the other day at work.

My old job supplied all my tools, after 2yrs I knew what needed to be a "good" tool and what could be a Harbor Freight tool. They let you order anything you wanted.... it was nice trying out different brands till you found what you liked.

Fast forward to my new job where I supply my own tools. The guy I was working with had Proto everything and was telling me how some of my tools wouldn't cut it. I told him that I was pretty sure I knew what worked and what didn't. He laughed at my Knipex pliers and said he never heard of them.... asked me why I had gold Bondhus hex keys... and why I had a set of Whia micro screwdrivers.... and why in the world did I overpay for my Snap-on ratchets. I just shrugged and said that in my experience, one brand does not make everything you will ever need.

 

[TWX]

As a customer, when I look at a potential shop, I'm balancing several factors at to whether or not I would want them working on my car. One factor is how organized the shop is and the tools are, as I don't want to incur billing because the mechanic spent an hour looking for a tool for use on my car. I do pay a little attention to brand, mainly again, because I don't want to be billed for time for the mechanic to deal with broken tools. That being said, a shop full of SnapOn that's a complete mess is probably no better to me than a shop full of Husky or Craftsman that's well organized.

I would shy away from a shop with an excessive number of cheap brands though, as that would make me wonder where else the mechanic is cutting corners.

I would be a little more lenient for mobile auto repair businesses though, since they're much more likely to lose tools, plus since they're mobile, it's not nearly so difficult to pop into a store to replace a broken wrench or socket, and it's not generally going to be time I'm paying for to do it. Plus, most professional mechanics aren't relying on consumer electronic diagnostic stuff from brands like Actron. One buddy who does mobile repair has a SnapOn Modis scanner, even if some of his tools are Craftsman. He bites the bullet and buys the expensive tool when it's appropriate.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I've always seen a little discrimination based not so much on name, but quality. The guy who shows up with the skanky looking rustbucket of a box and hodge podge of disorganized tools usually ends up with a little less pay, a little less prestige, and a whole lot more of the $hit jobs.

It's a lot easier to have confidence in the guy that takes a little pride in his tools and box. Does it have to be a truck box and truck tools? Hell no it doesn't. One of the best mechanics I ever worked with worked out of a 26" Craftsman rig with some giant side lockers that he'd gotten someone in the fab shop to build for him. He kept that thing clean, painted the lockers to match and had the most meticulous organization system I've ever seen. Virtually all of his tools were either Craftsman or Blackhawk, and nobody ever doubted his abilities. In contrast, we had another guy whose KRL looked like it had stormed Omaha beach in 1944, had everything Snapon makes, and a complete inability to find any of it in less than half an hour. Guess who spent all of his time on oil changes and PM work, and who functioned as the de facto shop supervisor?

 

[diesel research]

Two things to add. This site is screwed up in realtion to this. Talking to two guys yesterday about tools and they were very proud of their Craftsman tool sets. These were a couple working class guys and to them...Craftsman was high end and a tool to be proud of. reminded me that is the way many people still feel.

Otherwise most of the mechanics have craftsman and you get looked at as a snob if you have anything better.

Agreed. The amount of people with "working class snob" attitude around here (forums) is quite staggering. The fact they even inject they are part of a specific class indicates the snob attitude coming off of them. In my shop, they (cman snob) outnumber the tooltruck snobs by a decent margin. It's no different in the forums either.

 

[dankicksass]

I've taken some guff for my tools looking "too new" or "too fancy" before. Never anything but compliments on my work though. I've only had one employer ever ask me about the brand or quantity of my tools before a job. I've got a SO box, three Cman boxes and a Stanley box, filled with everything from Snap-On to Kobalt and Craftsman to no-name red box tools.

 

[Hammer1963]

Sure it's true, sad but true.

I used to see it daily in Machine shops. If you owned anything other than Starret, Brown & Sharp or Mitutoyo, you were frowned upon. Same went for the tool chest. Kennedy was the way to go. If you had a Gerstner, you were a God. If you had less than those 2 brands, you were ****.

In the collision repair business, what you straighten your panels with, says a lot. The truth is that forged Body hammers and dollies are the only way to go. Cast stuff is horrible and can't be relied upon. If it's good quality, you are not looked down on. As long as it's a quality forged panel tool, your cool, but if you show up with a rock or claw hammer in your box.......well then that's an issue.

Our shop is full of everything from Snap-on to HF. I have preferences in tools, but won't treat another Tech poorly if he feels differently. I do know that in some shops it's different. Our shop, environment is based upon quality of repair and quite frankly, your skill and tool selection go hand in hand in this business.

On the flip side, I've been talked about and maligned by others for my tools being too expensive and for the amount of tools I own........here's my take on that, I don't blow my money on items that won't make my job more productive and increase quality.........regardless of what name is on it. If it's a good quality tool and I can use it, then I buy it, but for some it's all about a tag and not what it does for you.

The last I checked, the USA didn't have a lock on being the only country that uses and produces quality tools, brand isn't the issue or COO. Quality of the tool and its user is.

 

[Fedwrench]

One of my first jobs interviews was at a shop that required all techs to have a Snap on box. I didn't and explained to them that I was just starting out and was happy with my Craftsman Pro bottom I had so, I sought employment elsewhere.
I've seen in some dealerships that having snap on tools was viewed as having a level of commitment to being a tech. Actually it wasn't until I worked a few years for the city that I saw techs there with mostly non truck brand tools. Harbor Freight and craftsman were the popular brands. I found that funny as we got $600 a year to buy tools.
I have tools from almost everyone. I can never find everything I like from one brand.

 

[wave180]

For me, It will always be the Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) first and then the gear/tools. I remember when me and my friends fix and assemble our bmx bikes using only an adjustable wrench, hammer, screwdriver and a vise-grip.

 

[diesel research]

To me Skill and experience is the most important factor.

I had an argument/debate with a coworker who felt the same way.

The problem with that logic is how do you verify skill BEFORE employment. You can verify experience with a few simple phone calls, but how do you verify what they were actually experienced at?

Think about how many people you work with or have worked with who obviously lied or exaggerated during the interview process?

The fellow coworker claimed his "skill" should be enough to get him in the door anywhere he wanted to be, but was complaining because they always low balled him on wage offers, yet offered people with less experience-more money.

 

[TWX]

That's part why there are certifications and post-secondary education in many fields, including in trades. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of certifications or degrees that are very easy to get and thus are somewhat worthless.

I work in computers, and for a long time the "Microsoft Certified Professional" was such a cert that was useless. Idiots who couldn't even turn a philips-head screwdriver to open a computer or couldn't do much more than install Windows from scratch were getting them.

I'm certainly no expert in all things computers or electronics, but I generally don't find situations where I can't resolve a problem if I have the rights in the system to make the changes that I need to make. I frequently encounter so-called professionals who I can't say the same of.

In an ideal world, those who design and implement testing and certifications are not also the same people teaching the certifications. When you're for-profit as a learning institution, you're interested in getting as many people through as possible for their fees for courses, and if too many students fail to pass the exams then they won't want to take your courses. If you also control the tests then you can dumb down the tests or set ridiculous numbers of retakes in order to pass, so even those who shouldn't pass will do so.

Just my $0.02.

 

[jim2664258]

That's a problem interviewing/hiring for almost any profession. I'm not a mechanic, but I have to say using what brand tools you own as a statement of qualification sounds dangerous to me. I guess I would say it is a positive if you have a lot of quality tools, but if you're a ***** using them it doesn't matter. The one thing lost in this thread, and I have not read every post, is that knowing when you need a high quality tool and when you don't represents a lot more skill and knowledge than simply having all Snap-On tools. If you've got the smarts and experience to discern where you need to spend your money on higher end tools, that really says a lot to me.

I mean, this is stuff I do myself given the kinds of things I do in my home garage. Not to say I get it right every time, but I consider more things than "what's the very best tool I can buy to do the job".

I'm not saying employers should ignore what kind of tools mechanics have in hiring decisions, I just object to how much a lot of people seem to weight it.

 

[Monte]

Can you get me a job at that place they make the Klann demonstration videos please? That's my dream..

ok

Actually they look for a cutting machine operator apprentice and a industrial manager apprentice on their homepage

 

[diesel research]

That's part why there are certifications and post-secondary education in many fields, including in trades. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of certifications or degrees that are very easy to get and thus are somewhat worthless.

That was part of the discussion. I suggested he get a few ASEs or even take some of the factory freightliner/detroit training we offer for free. He stated they are worthless. I mostly agree, BUT went on to state many employers are willing to pay you extra for possessing them, regardless of their real world practicality.

If they want to "play games" and suggest a certain brand of tool or certain certification is required for a specific wage or position, I'll gladly play their game....if it is worth it. For me, it is all investing and ROI. If the high purchase price doesn't have a good ROI, well it's a loss. If it does have a good return, well I profited. Profits are one of the things I look at from an employer. Maybe others don't care.

Repair persons are often working 2000-2500hrs a year, so a "few dollars an hour" difference could be substantial. Could be even higher on flag. If you are going to compensate me for my additional expense, I may very well consider conforming to your "demands" so long as it brings an ROI and increases MY profit margins.

It goes back to what I said earlier.

I have a different perspective. You are not entitled or have an inherent right to employment. You make a choice to play their game on their terms or go somewhere else who will play on your terms. If the compensation/benefits are worth it, I'll gladly conform to whatever ___ THEY so desire. If it's not, I go somewhere else/do something else. Simple.

 

[earlthegoat2]

After 1yr, he has still mostly only performed tire jobs. His logic is "i don't need to buy more tools because they only give me tire jobs" Their logic is "we can't give you anymore jobs because you don't own any tools". A vicious cycle that the employer wins at.

Seems as though this guy may be a little "slow" and only wants the tire jobs. There are those kinds of folks out there and very nice to have around a shop sometimes. They do the menial things that they can handle fine and you and the rest do the stuff that takes a little more skill.

That being said, a shop full of SnapOn that's a complete mess is probably no better to me than a shop full of Husky or Craftsman that's well organized.

Id be willing to bet the Cman and Husky shop are a lot better. At least that is where I would put my pennies.

 

[treasureseeker]

I think what tool brands someone owns tells a lot about them. I have worked with guys that had all low cost tools and they were always borrowing tools and ones with all high end that had everything required for the job and more. I am more impressed with someone whose tool collection shows research into what brand to buy and not all of one brand.

 

[bgott]

Tool discrimination isn't the only thing you have to deal with when you are hunting for an auto repair job. In '97 I got into a spot where I needed a vehicle "right now". The shop I worked at wanted a repair order for every vehicle in the shop and I wasn't about to pay them to let me install an engine in my own truck. My truck was a total piece of **** anyway. I couldn't find anything used that was worth the money so I bought a new S-10. My first new vehicle and the payments were only $300 a month. Fast forward a few months. I'm job hunting, so I take a '88 Taurus that I'm selling for a car salesman friend. It was full of gas and what the hell, the battery needed charging. I applied a a few shops and one of them thought me and my L-1 was the greatest thing since sliced bread. The owner tells me to come back in a day after he's had a chnce to check out a couple more applications. He calls me back in a day or two later, telling me I have the job. By this time I'd sold the Taurus so I drove my S-10. When I got there they guy looks out the window and comments on how that's an awfully new truck to be needing repairs and I told him it was mine. He looked at me funny and asked about the Taurus, I told him I was selling it for a friend. From the look on his face and his actions you would have thought that I'd asked him if I could screw his wife or something. He stammered something to affect of " I can't pay that much, we're heading into the slow season", blah blah blah. I figured out pretty quickly that that job offer was out the window so I decided to have some fun. "What, you pay so little that I wouldn't be able to make a chickenshit $300 payment"? Then the truth came out, he told me that he couldn't afford a new truck so he damn sure wasn't going to have a mechanic working for him that could. Oh, well, it wasn't the first job I''d talked my self out of, but it was the first for such a chickenshit reason. He probably wouldn't have liked my Snap-on boxes, either.

 

[earlthegoat2]

There is yet another side to the coin as well.

If you work a job in fleet service which is close to what I do, then there is next to no discrimination. I dont work on flat rate and I am not up to my ears in work either so speed does not matter. You are not fixing customers vehicles so you get rid of the number one problem of vehicle service right there. If you mess up on a repair it is not such a big concern as if there are customers. You just fix it right this time. Of course you can quickly find yourself in hot water if you keep messing up.

When I took this job I decided to just get a HF 5 drawer cart and fill it with my Snap On and Craftsman. It looks like I have little invested in my tools if I dont have my box open. I have a small Snap On roll cab that I just decided to leave at home for myself since the service cart is so much more handy around that shop since I dont have a specific work area.

My partner there has a Cman stack of boxes filled to the brim with HF. Ive never seen him mess up a repair or ask to borrow any of my tools. Im pretty fortunate I have insulated myself so well from the flat rate rat race. That environment seems pretty sketchy to me sometimes. I had to deal with it for too long and for way to little pay.

 

[Jeff]

One of my sons worked as a Formula 1 technician for 5 years and recently came back to the states. His tools are exclusively Beta and he currently works for a huge Lexus dealership in Miami. He got many bad and indifferent comments when he brought his tools in to work. Even the SnapOn guy commented on "the **** he was using".

 

[earlthegoat2]

One of my sons worked as a Formula 1 technician for 5 years and recently came back to the states. His tools are exclusively Beta and he currently works for a huge Lexus dealership in Miami. He got many bad and indifferent comments when he brought his tools in to work. Even the SnapOn guy commented on "the **** he was using".

Some folks are just plain ignorant. As dealer he should have known better but then again not everyone knows everything about all tools even if they are in the biz. When I first heard of Beta I was wondering what kind of cheap **** they were too. I never said a word about it though until I did some research.

 

[plierwire]

Is it fair? I don't think so. But I would say it is pretty standard for any industry. Wallstreet guys got to have Rolex watches and nice cufflinks, realtors want to drive a Mercedes or a Cadillac to impress clients, Chefs want really nice stainless or copper cookware (what is that brand? Allclad?), etc.

 

[2oolhound]

When I was much younger I logged in the winter and did photography in the summer months. I had an assignment to get some shots for a store opening ad. After the shoot the 2 ladies that owned the store wanted to hire me for some shots they needed for some store competition. I had 3 nikon cameras and a bunch of lenses. My oldest worst looking camera was used for B&W film, a nicer one for colour negatives and my top of the line titanium body was used for slides. Since they asked for B&W I used my battered old camera that had brass showing under the worn off paint all over and a few dents here and there as well. I noticed the ladies looking at my camera and they went on the phone. Shortly after one of their husbands showed up (who was a doctor as was the other ladies husband) and he proceeded to follow me around with his new "state of the art" minolta camera that just came out and that had an LCD read out panel on the top. This was real eye candy for newbie photographers, until then no other camera had anything as advanced looking as an LCD read out panel. Needless to say they fired me and I know it was all about what my camera looked like. Back then Nikons were built as professional cameras and were tested to 150,000 shutter releases and were deadly accurate to 2000 of a second. I'm pretty sure if I'd used the titanium camera with the big motor drive I would have kept that job.

Conversely I took a new job falling trees after a huge period of record snow fall. In swampy areas logging is done in the cold of winter when the ground is froze. I met the boss out in the bush and he told me where to start. He drove by where I was parked a while later to find me sitting in my pick up, stereo blasting, coffee on the dash and I'm sewing moosehide harnesses on some big old style wooden bear paw snow shoes. He comes up and is freaking out that I'm not working and I know no one is producing because in 4 -5 feet of fresh powder snow fallers can't get around in the normal aluminum framed synthetic bear paws, they sink to their waists. With no wood down, skidders, loaders, cats and trucks aren't moving but they're still burning fuel to keep from freezing. I know he's got hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment sitting idle but I explain, "I answered the ad yesterday and I'm here now but I need to fix these harnesses on these bad *** snow shoes so I can get out and produce". He questions my old style snow shoes and I convince him "I'll stay 6" from the surface on these and I'll be ready in an hour". He takes off up the trail in his pu and shortly a big chrysler beater comes back down with 3 guys in it that just stare at me. (You never see cars on a logging show) Next the boss comes back and he's changed his tune. I must have convinced him with what I'd said because he proudly proclaims he just fired those 3 fallers. After all look at their equipment he says. You, he says have a good 4x4 with good saws and equipment and you're obviously a good faller is more or less what he said. I felt a little bad about those other guys but I secretly was glad I'd rattle can painted the brown hood and fender on my new used blue pickup that I'd just bought and I'd prettied up the tool box in the back that I'd scored in a junk yard with some fresh paint to match.

It was clearly evident to me at the time that this time appearance worked in my favour.

 

[TWX]

When I was much younger I logged in the winter and did photography in the summer months...

A buddy of mine once won a photography contest with a picture he took with a pinhole camera. A cardboard box with a piece of photography paper in it and a pushpin to use when he got to his destination.

Looks are often indicative of what's going on, but certainly are not proof of it.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

ok

Actually they look for a cutting machine operator apprentice and a industrial manager apprentice on their homepage

They're looking for demonstators/sales reps on the GB website. If they sold to me at cost price...

 

[Monte]

They're looking for demonstators/sales reps on the GB website. If they sold to me at cost price...

I guess they will make you a good price if you work for them...
They most likely will look for people who have a clue what they are selling....so why not ? During the week sales rep and on the weekend car mechanic

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I guess they will make you a good price if you work for them...
They most likely will look for people who have a clue what they are selling....so why not ? During the week sales rep and on the weekend car mechanic

Just took a new job, i'm not great at selling anyway. (Unless it's repairs.)

Also you need to drive a van, and i have some problems with driving licence..

But i can dream, i just want to be able to buy them easily!

 

[gearheadsynts74]

I've been a tech for 37 years just remember the kind of tools you use and own do not make how good of tech you are, you make yourself.

 

[vssykes]

Ive been on both sides of this as an auto tech. I worked with a guy that had a pos box full of cheap tools that was twice the tech I was and another guy with 100k worth of snap on that couldnt fix a sandwich. I would however consider these exceptions to the rule most of the time a mans equipment is a pretty good indication of his skills. Just my $.02

 

[bgott]

i have some problems with driving licence..

So what is the story on that?

 

[carbon]

Luckily in germany the employer supplies the tools

As it should be. I'm a graphic designer, and I would laugh all the way out of the door if an employer didn't provide the $4k Mac, $3k software, $2k scanner, $10k color printer, $10k backup servers (at least), and $1000/month internet service.

 

[ND400]

I can see both sides of the argument. A 13mm wrench is going to undo a 13 mm sump plug snap on, craftsman it doesn't matter. Quality isn't all that bad today. However in our shop we build a fair few engines and I'm not going to torque down an engine with a beater Chinese torque wrench or measure a bore with a $20 taiwain caliper considering these engines are 20k+ and are going to push upwards of 650hp and rev to 7000+rpm

There is a place for quality and a place for "it does the job well enough"

 

[TWX]

As it should be. I'm a graphic designer, and I would laugh all the way out of the door if an employer didn't provide the $4k Mac, $3k software, $2k scanner, $10k color printer, $10k backup servers (at least), and $1000/month internet service.

Why would a graphic artist employee need, even for hosting, $1000/month Internet service?

I've done a fair amount of computer repair in the last fifteen years, and when I repaired a Mac at the Bank of America used by a graphic designer, all he had was the computer, the software, and nice, mid-grade HP flatbed scanner (a 4c if memory serves). Nothing too special. The software probably cost more than the computer did. He was responsible for his own backups to a SCSI DAT drive, no server. He also didn't have the expensive printer. Once things were done they were either sent to the in-house printshop or else taken to a third party for printing.

I would think that most shops don't have the obscenely expensive printer or the expensive backup server if there aren't enough employees to keep the equipment busy.

Remember, for an auto repair technician, mechanic, whatever, the bulk of the tools don't got obsolete. From the mechanic's side it makes more sense to receive a stipend from the employer to buy tools with since the employee keeps them and takes them wherever they want.

I wish my work had a tool allowance program for us. I'd have a nice kit full of good stuff that probably wouldn't see a lot of use, as I use my Gerber model 400 for almost everything, and I could get all kinds of specialized stuff that, when needed, would be a godsend, but otherwise would mostly stay in the bag.

 

[ServiceWithIntegrity]

Just from what i've personally seen in my field of work (Harley Davidson service & repair), the technicians with the high end tools/boxes (i.e. Snap-On/Mac/Cornwell/Matco) tend to do cleaner work. While the technicians who use primarily low end tools/boxes (i.e. Harbor Freight/Craftsman/Husky/Stanley/Costco) are the hacks of the shop.

 

[dankicksass]

I see a lot of new technicians who have limited skills and limited tools, but the tools they do have are all truck brand and put them in debt. I took a kid under my wing this year, he's 19 or 20 years old, works at my buddy's shop PT but he only gets LOF and cleanup/parts run duty there. At the shop, he's got a nice SO roll cart, some SO cordless tools, truck ratchets and sockets, Instinct screwdrivers and truck pliers, and he nor his "friends" at the shop don't seem to have a lot of respect for their equipment, but the service writer pushed all the young techs to use truck tools only. Everything is dirty in his cart and their boxes and some stuff - pliers in particular - seems to take on a communal aspect and never get returned after they all borrow off each other. I have the kid come in to work a couple days a week, trying to do what I can to educate him on safety and procedures, while he helps out around my shop. He brings a soft carry bag full of 1/4 and 3/8 Cornwell mostly with him, but I don't ask him to provide tools himself. The schools around here are bankrupt and don't offer adult technical education as much as they used to, but I talked to his dad and helped get him into a brand new local technical college. It's not the school I suggested to him, but I knew the head mechanic's instructor so I'm sure it's going to work out okay. Since he's been working with me, I see him working much cleaner and not breaking bolts, so I feel good about it.

 

[ncfh]

When it comes to welding in the States, the biases are pretty cut and dry, red versus blue. Lincoln vs Miller. All else is ****.

Literally 10 out of 10 average American welders have never seen or even heard of any other brands. You might get one guy who recalls "those yellow ones," referring to ESAB, but that's about it.

And now that more and more import machines are entering the hobby market, the 'cantankerous and underwhelming welding posse' as I call them, have begun a new war, "US versus them."

American vs "Chicom"

I look forward to being old and out of touch, so I too can jump up and down and cry about things I don't understand.

It must be so sweet to torment the entire planet with antiquated and irrelevant "preferences," I won't even call them ideals because they lack any real substance or utility.