Help for a buddy.

[Brad.Sandman94]

One of my buddies from school needs tools, We have the same list basic intro tools for a internship. The problem that he is facing is monetary I want to help him as much as I can. The rate we get from tool manufacturers is anywhere from 14-26% interest if we do not pay it off before school is over we pay interest. As of right now he does not have the means for many tools. I have been searching cl and ebay but getting everything we all need is becoming a challenge.

The question I have is what would be a good way to help him acquire the equipment he needs without bankrupting him or trashing his credit? If their is a loan system he can use to buy what he needs and is generous towards students with lacking funds for the correct tools all the help is greatly appreciated.

-Thanks Brad.

 

[Askme42]

One of my buddies from school needs tools, We have the same list basic intro tools for a internship. The problem that he is facing is monetary I want to help him as much as I can. The rate we get from tool manufacturers is anywhere from 14-26% interest if we do not pay it off before school is over we pay interest. As of right now he does not have the means for many tools. I have been searching cl and ebay but getting everything we all need is becoming a challenge.

The question I have is what would be a good way to help him acquire the equipment he needs without bankrupting him or trashing his credit? If their is a loan system he can use to buy what he needs and is generous towards students with lacking funds for the correct tools all the help is greatly appreciated.

-Thanks Brad.

Don't buy from the tool truck.

Either print out a bunch of HF coupons and head with him there or find killer deals at Sears.

What type of tools are we talking mainly?

Also check out this thread. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136120

And this one. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249851

And last one. http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67850

 

[bareass172]

I don't know how estate sales are in your area, and I know it varies wildly by where you are, but when I visit my folks we hit them occasionally and it's unbelievable the deals I find. Typically speaking you make a pile of what you want and then deal on the pile. I often find 50's-60's era quality US tools this way and pay almost nothing. This is not to say that some sales overvalue them, but often they're more than negotiable. I also learned that Cman fetches a higher price because people know the name, whereas if you know good vintage tool names that no one else does you can really score some winners. Just my $.02, this method definitely involves time and effort to "proof" the sales before you go. Check out this site:

http://www.estatesales.net/

They usually list in the details if there are tools and often you can see pics in advance.

 

[jakemac]

Plan a roadtrip to Worcester MA and visit the Tool Shed. The inventory is hit or miss, but you'll save lots of money on tools you can use (and some that you can't use but are just too cool to leave behind).

http://used-tools.com//

Regular hours are:
Closed Sun, Mon, Tues.
WED -SAT 1-5
THURS 1-7

Fresh tools are in on Wednesday, by Saturday the shelves are thin. The truck brand tools are in the display cases at the counter. The prices are higher. But out on the shelves you'll find plenty of other brands (as available) at better prices.

They just moved to a new location. I haven't been to the new place yet, so I can't tell you about the space or parking.

 

[whitedogone]

What does he need?

 

[PugetDude]

I'd venture to say the GJ crowd could put together a basic setup, gratis... if we had a list we could try to fill.
I've got a bunch of surplus stuff I've picked up at garage sales, etc.
that I'd be willing to donate to a good cause... and I don't consider eBay for someone's beer money to be a good cause.

As long as he doesn't expect all SnapOn matchy-matchy...

 

[Brad.Sandman94]

He needs 1/4-3/4 ratchets and sockets, combination wrenches, allens and bit allens, bit torx, pliars, punches/chisels, basic hand tools, 600v 10a multimeter and a tool box.
I already hove most of the stuff he has nothing that I am aware of. The estate sales are hit or miss, Worcester is three hours away iirc, I am looking to spend easy 6 grand on , he is looking to spend 2 grand for tools and a grand on a box so that makes it kinda tough. I am thinking gearwrench ratchets, craftsmen sockets and sticking in that category getting the best deal.

 

[PugetDude]

... he is looking to spend 2 grand for tools and a grand on a box so that makes it kinda tough.

I've changed my mind. I thought this was for some kid just starting out, scraping together a tool set. He could put together a really nice set of basic used tools for a few hundred bucks and find a nice used box (or HF44) to store them in. Not **** but fully functional. Upgrade as funds allow.
Sounds like you've both already succumbed to peer pressure and have been snorting the tool truck koolaid.

Nothing like starting your career with a mountain of high-interest debt.

Good luck to both of you.

 

[Askme42]

He needs 1/4-3/4 ratchets and sockets, combination wrenches, allens and bit allens, bit torx, pliars, punches/chisels, basic hand tools, 600v 10a multimeter and a tool box.
I already hove most of the stuff he has nothing that I am aware of. The estate sales are hit or miss, Worcester is three hours away iirc, I am looking to spend easy 6 grand on , he is looking to spend 2 grand for tools and a grand on a box so that makes it kinda tough. I am thinking gearwrench ratchets, craftsmen sockets and sticking in that category getting the best deal.

Harbor freight pro.

 

[paramud]

A grand for a toolbox? Just get the 44 harbor freight. I just took my bike to a mechanic because I didnt have time to fix it before going riding and he uses it and loved it. He is a well respected solo mechanic for BMW's and KTMs.

He should be able to get everything he needs for a base for 1 grand. Then use the rest of the 2 grand to pay for the tools that break and high quality is needed over time.

It doesn't make financial sense to buy the tools until you are 100 percent committed.

Craftman sockets/ wrenches
HF Box
Allens and bit torx from a quality brand
1 or 2 quality pliers and the rest **** brand (upgrade the ones that are used a lot)
Medium price mulitmeter

 

[Askme42]

Better yet help your friend spend 20k then have him give me a call when he drops out and needs to sell everything ASAP.

 

[FiendFX]

gearwrench or ebay for starters.

 

[d.mcfarland]

We could help educate him on what he needs vs what he wants. Save plenty of money that way.

 

[signcrafter]

He needs 1/4-3/4 ratchets and sockets, combination wrenches, allens and bit allens, bit torx, pliars, punches/chisels, basic hand tools, 600v 10a multimeter and a tool box.
I already hove most of the stuff he has nothing that I am aware of. The estate sales are hit or miss, Worcester is three hours away iirc, I am looking to spend easy 6 grand on , he is looking to spend 2 grand for tools and a grand on a box so that makes it kinda tough. I am thinking gearwrench ratchets, craftsmen sockets and sticking in that category getting the best deal.

I could put together a VERY nice tool set for 3,000 dollars. I thought he didn't have any money. But 3,000 dollars would be plenty to throw together a nice set of tools and a box. First, get the HF or masterforce tool box. Then start putting together a tool set. Craftsman socket sets are a good way to get a ton of sockets for a decent price. Then piece together the rest with HF or sears or ebay or amazon or tooltopia.

I don't remember you stating what type of mechanics you are going to be? Working on autos?

 

[rapid robert]

I started my associates degree automotive program in 1987 with a three drawer craftsman tool box and 100+ piece mechanics set, a $20 craftsman screwdriver set, 3 pairs of pliers (needle nose, slip joint and lineman style), a pair of channel locks, a pair of visegrips and a ball peen hammer...$3k let alone $6k for school is nuts...

 

[bareass172]

He needs

Let's start here... He should rethink everything after this.

I am looking to spend easy 6 grand on , he is looking to spend 2 grand for tools and a grand on a box so that makes it kinda tough.

This is where you lost me... I started years ago with the most basic of tools and worked my way up as I could. Now I realize stuff is different now, there's lots more specialty and more required, but is it really "thousand dollar tool box" different? Craigslist is FILLED with used boxes that fetch almost no money. I know that a used Cman box isn't ****, but it'll get him far enough along that he can decide if this is what he really wants to do with his life before he cripples himself with debt. I say this not to be offensive but to make you stop and think - 3 grand for tools and box should not make things "kinda tough".

Be resourceful and thrifty, cheap out on what's not as important and SCOUR Ebay for the stuff that needs to be better quality. Deals are out there, don't just walk in and pay retail. I've almost never paid full price for a tool unless I was in a bind. Just my $.02, I've been turning wrenches about 20 years and professionally about 13.

 

[bubinga]

Yeah, Wright, Proto, or Bonney is some "Off brand".................LOL
Craftsman is "better"

I don't know how estate sales are in your area, and I know it varies wildly by where you are, but when I visit my folks we hit them occasionally and it's unbelievable the deals I find. Typically speaking you make a pile of what you want and then deal on the pile. I often find 50's-60's era quality US tools this way and pay almost nothing. This is not to say that some sales overvalue them, but often they're more than negotiable. I also learned that Cman fetches a higher price because people know the name, whereas if you know good vintage tool names that no one else does you can really score some winners. Just my $.02, this method definitely involves time and effort to "proof" the sales before you go. Check out this site:

http://www.estatesales.net/

They usually list in the details if there are tools and often you can see pics in advance.

 

[kctyphoon]

is this thread edited? Cause I don't see where things were posted you guys have mentioned..

 

[Askme42]

is this thread edited? Cause I don't see where things were posted you guys have mentioned..

Like?

 

[JonDick13926]

~Channellock pliers used on ebay.
~Craftsman socket sets new or used on ebay.
~Williams screwdrivers on Amazon. Also Channellock has new screwdrivers out. I haven't tried them personally, but I'm sure they're good.
~SK ratchets used on eBay and Gearwrench ratchets lots of places.
~Williams wrenches on Amazon. Someone posted a link to Advance Auto where you can get reversible Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches cheaper than anywhere right now.
~Williams pry bars on Amazon.
~You can also get Knipex and SK pliers on Advance Auto fairly cheap with promotion code TRT30 and free shipping over $75.

For the most part, whatever you need you can get fairly cheap if you shop around. 2 grand is a lot to spend to buy what you called "basic intro tools". That's more than what I've got. I just buy stuff as I can buy it.

If you don't get tool truck discounts and you're just starting out, you'll screw yourself over trying to buy tool truck brands.

 

[kctyphoon]

Like?

Never mind - 2nd post from OP got lost in the shuffle

 

[BFHtime]

Get a Christmas deal on a big craftsman set. Fill in the rest with used. If you can't find deals on craigslist and eBay you are not trying. Put some time in. Work at sears and get a discount. Buy tools at harbor freight. Buy a used harbor freight box.

 

[CNGsaves]

Sorry OP, but you and your friend need to come back to REALITY. You're "asking for help" but think you "need" thousands for toolbox and multi-thousands for tools ?? What the hexxxxx for ??

Get . . . used Harbor Freight 44" or 26" triple-stack toolbox. That'll be $150 to $300 or worst case brand new $350 to $400.

Get the full 300 piece set of Harbor Freight tools . . . or . . . better yet the Kobalt 300 piece set that's $103 less 10% coupon !!! HOLY **** a guy starting with "nothing" should be racing to pickup that Kobalt deal.

Sell the X-box and all the games. Sell everything else non-essential in your closet so you can PAY CASH for tools. Give up eating out every meal, and give up pop, coffee, smokes, etc. It's that simple.

Do NOT go into $5K debt on "must have tools" before you've ever earned a cent.

 

[nuklbstr83]

craftsman. harbor freight. garage sales. ebay. tell your buddy to get a job, or if he already has one, to work more. i get you're trying to help a pal out, but he needs to help himself out first.
until a buddy of mine is working 85-100 hour weeks, he's not getting any help from me.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Three Grand Huh? Here you go: TOOLS and BOX

EDIT: Just noticed that set comes with a top and bottom box. We're talking TWO GRAND all in.

 

[nicksnothereman]

If you're too embarrassed to use low cost buy quality tools you're (or he) is probably in the wrong line of work. You gonna spend 50k on tools then drive around in a financed geo metro? Dunno.

Use the **** tools and work smarter is my suggestion (rust area). Spend the "good" money on a decent impact setup for stuff beyond your ability to break by hand (1/2 only). Assuming he don't have to buy his own compressor...electric is kind of meh; doable but limited torque-wise.

 

[A_Pmech]

I think I had $500 in the tools I started out with as an apprentice aircraft mechanic. I had everything previously listed and a number of trade-specific fabrication tools. $3,000 is WAY more than he needs to spend on tools to start an internship.

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

I went through ford asset like 7, 8 years ago. Before I started I collected my last pay check, plus my one weeks paid vaca check and dropped it all on craftsman. I bought the master impact set, screw drivers, and a few ratchets. I used only that for years. I bought one snap on tool of the truck, a long handled push pin tool. It wasn't until the program ended that I used the student discount to get truck brand tools. I worked out of a 99 dollar craftsman roll around. I still use that same box at a side job and a lot of the same tools on a daily basis.

A lot of kids think they can handle the auto industry, but out of my class maybe half graduated and half of that remained working as a tech. Don't go crazy. You don't need every tool made right off the bat. It isn't the tools that make the tech, much like it isn't the guitar that makes the musician.

And I'll second the tool shed in Worcester. I think they might have moved or are in the process of it. But he's got some awesome deals on tools. There's a few pawn shops in the same vicinity as well that usually have a decent selection.

 

[Bruce57]

Craftsman, Blackhawk, Proto, Williams, Gearwrench, and several other brand of used tools are pretty cheap on eBay and will give him a good start to build on. The truck brands will eat up 2k pretty fast, even used on eBay.

 

[panknuckshovel]

Three Grand Huh? Here you go: TOOLS and BOX

Definately could get alot done with that set.