How I Choose a Tool

[Downwindtracker 2]

A lot of the posts center around this question. Some make it simple, just buy Snap-On. Thanks to reading far too much on this forum, I find I don't have a wrench for 18mm bolts so I need a 27mm combination. I'm in Canada, so my chooses and price will be different than yours. Google my friend has suggested a few, HD's Husky at $13,pickup, Granger's Westward at $16 plus shipping, Canadian Tire's Mastercraft Professional at $22 local pickup. Amazon has Gearwrench at $39 plus shipping, (a local tool store carries Gearwrench as well). Next we come to Proto and Gray at $72. Both brands have a rep in industry better than Snap-On. And they are generally 1/3 the price. The Proto has shipping and the Gray has a local industrial supplier pickup with maybe a discount. please, please' chuckle.

Husky and Westward would work.
Gearwrench, whither Mastercraft or Gearwrench labeled should be nicer
My wrenches are Proto and Grays and the Gray will be cheaper without shipping, and Canadian made.

 

[sberry]

Huskey at 13.

 

[lis2323]

I’m from BC also. When I was a kid in the early sixties tools for the farm were Craftsman form the Sears catalog or a trip to the store in Seattle. Supplemented a little later by Husky from Woodward’s.

By the 70’s I progressed to mostly Snap-on as the lone tool truck we had for the lower island called on us regularly.

I still have all my Craftsman hand tools.

I wouldn’t worry about price and just go by how YOU find the quality.


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[joshmodelskidoo]

I tend to look for the value for the $. I don’t deny snap on is the good stuff but for my diy needs its way way over kill. I tend to buy from local store in my area because im not much of a planner but I don’t like total junk either. I like the older craftsman stuff, Carlyle and tekton are probably the newest brands to my collection. I have a few of the hf gems to. A few yard sale snap on and sk too. Have gearwrench ratchet wrenches and hard handle screwdrivers. I do like menards masterforce hand tools also. Some stuff from the local oriley auto parts because i needed a tool for a job that just popped up and I didn’t know I would need a special tool. I can probably count on one hand how many online tools i have ordered

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Thanks," Supplemented a little later by Husky from Woodward’s." So that's where my old Husky wrenches came from.

 

[Ign]

That's what she said?

 

[ken w.]

Have you tried Princess Auto ?

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I did look, but like Costco you can't get out of the store without handing over at least $100. It was their PowerFist branded.

 

[hangfirew8]

Thanks to reading far too much on this forum, I find I don't have a wrench for 18mm bolts so I need a 27mm combination.

Huh?

You don't have a wrench for 18mm bolts so you need a 27mm combination?

What does that mean?

 

[manwithtools]

Huh?

You don't have a wrench for 18mm bolts so you need a 27mm combination?

What does that mean?

An 18mm bolt has a 27mm hex head. Bolts are measured by the shank diameter (or major thread diameter, if fully threaded).

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

18 and 1/2 again equals 27. That's more less how head sizes work.

 

[M6erfan]

Huh?

You don't have a wrench for 18mm bolts so you need a 27mm combination?

What does that mean?

M18 bolt

 

[sberry]

The reason I say by discount here is most of them are likely to be the same exact wrench. Till you get to the makers, Proto etc, the others are generic and not much risk to a 13$ wrench,,, and the good news is that stuff is brutally tough. Using it every day might be different I spose but seen a lot of that abused stuff in gang boxes. Seemed to work.

 

[Wamsutta]

Those Gray's remind me of SK with the wide hips.

I hope the beams are rounder.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

They might even be some what nicer. Everybody does, what I gather is the Cromwell style, even Snap-On, now. The Proto and Gray are old style satin oval.

 

[larry_g]

Are we to assume the title is a statement or a misworded question?

Facts not in evidence;

1. is the tool needed right now?
2. will the tool be used frequently.
3. Does it have the 'show well' or just get the job done.
4. Does it have to match other tools in the set?
5. Does COO matter in the purchase?
6. Hobby mechanic or professional?
7. Just starting out in wrenching, upgrading, or retired (like me)?

And probably many more that I'm not listing at the moment.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[setfocus]

I use a 1 1/16" wrench for 27mm. It's a bit sloppy but close enough for my needs... don't see that size lot on cars/pickups

I cheap out on large wrenches. Kinda hard to strip large bolt heads. My 22-25mm, 30mm, 1 1/16", and 1 1/8" are China or taiwan craftsman. 21mm and smaller are snap-on, same with 1" and smaller... With the exception of my 20mm c-man industrial. Only expensive large wrench I have is a 26mm matco

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[joel63]

I use a 1 1/16" wrench for 27mm. It's a bit sloppy but close enough for my needs... don't see that size lot on cars/pickups

I cheap out on large wrenches. Kinda hard to strip large bolt heads. My 22-25mm, 30mm, 1 1/16", and 1 1/8" are China or taiwan craftsman. 21mm and smaller are snap-on, same with 1" and smaller... With the exception of my 20mm c-man industrial. Only expensive large wrench I have is a 26mm matco

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You have a specific need for a 26mm wrench or do you just want to be prepared for whatever comes up?

 

[KnurledNut]

I use a 1 1/16" wrench for 27mm. It's a bit sloppy but close enough for my needs... don't see that size lot on cars/pickups

I cheap out on large wrenches. Kinda hard to strip large bolt heads. My 22-25mm, 30mm, 1 1/16", and 1 1/8" are China or taiwan craftsman. 21mm and smaller are snap-on, same with 1" and smaller... With the exception of my 20mm c-man industrial. Only expensive large wrench I have is a 26mm matco

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I was gonna recommend this too.
If anything it should be a hair tighter.
1-1/16=26.98mm

 

[setfocus]

You have a specific need for a 26mm wrench or do you just want to be prepared for whatever comes up?

I probably should have cheaped out on it. Wanted it for rear toe adjustment on w-bodies, when I was an alignment tech. Not sure why I spent so much on a single wrench... I wanted it and my matco guy had it on the truck

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[setfocus]

I was gonna recommend this too.
If anything it should be a hair tighter.
1-1/16=26.98mm

Huh. Never did the conversion. Maybe my 1 1/16" is a pos. It's a full polish, not pro or industrial. Wish I had bought the raised panel like my others

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[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I also don’t have a 27mm wrench lol I have every size from 6-24 in wrenches and 4-36 in sockets. I go bigger in SAE stuff. Only time I’ve ever used a 27mm was on my Volkswagen Beetle steering wheel to remove it never needed the wrench for anything I’m a auto mechanic so don’t go above 24 very often though when the hardware store has their 50% off New Years sale I’m probably going to get one of the bigger wrenches. Likely will be the 27 if they aren’t sold out.


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[quadrcr87]

18 and 1/2 again equals 27. That's more less how head sizes work.

That is a useful tip that I had not heard. I ran through all of the thread and head sizes common on a dirt bike and that formula checks out. Thanks!


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[Downwindtracker 2]

It's not hard and fast, I can think of few exceptions, like 13mm (8mm), 17mm(10mm) and 19mm(12mm) .

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

What come out of this the interchangeability of 1 1/16" and 27mm . So I thought to check the openings of my 1 1/16" combos. I only found one, I thought I should have three . I guess it was a case of skipped size and maybe a loss. More reason to pick up a 27mm

 

[SuperCat]

If you're going to use it a lot, pay more money for better quality. Otherwise, I would check out the HD and Mastercraft wrenches in person and see if the quality meets your needs. In the end, buy what you like, because you have to use it.

In a somewhat related story, for many years I never owned a 22mm wrench until I discovered one day I needed one. I was going to replace a PCV valve on my 2002 Corolla and found I did not have that size wrench for the job. I had to use an adjustable wrench, which I did not like doing, but it got the job done. I found a used combo wrench at the flea market a week later for a dollar, so I bought it and put it in my toolbox. I have never needed that size again. Just thought I would throw that out there, your mileage may vary.

And don't forget, this is GJ, so you have to post a picture of your new purchase and give us your evaluation/review.

 

[MushCreek]

I've always gone kind of middle-of-the-road when it comes to tools. I avoid the really cheap ****, as well as the really expensive tools. It's interesting that the only two combination wrenches I have that rusted are Snap-On. Not a lot, just plating flaws, but still. The only reason I have them (1-1/8 and 1-1/4) is because they bought them for us at a place I worked. The rest of my stuff is Craftsman and SK.

I bought new sets of Gearwrench 1/4" and 3/8" drive, and have been very happy with them. The ratchets are the smoothest I've ever felt.

Power tools I read reviews and forums to see what people like. There seem to be certain stand-outs for each kind of tool, and it's not necessarily the highest price. Examples would be Bosch jigsaws, Bosch or Porter Cable routers, Milwaukee drills, etc.

I buy the cheapest of the cheap (Harbor Freight) when it will be used for one project. The HF flooring nailer worked fine for the one and only wood floor I'll ever do.

Some of my trade tools as a tool maker are high end, but if I'm being honest, they really don't work much better than the cheaper tools. I have a very expensive Etalon micrometer, and a dirt cheap imported one. In blind tests, I get the same measurements with both. The Etalon sure is pretty, though.