If you had all your tools stolen. ...

[RedneckWelder]

All my air tools would be IR (which I have switched to only buying from now on out)

Big Extreme Tools 72" box with a hutch and a Knaack storage cabinet for the cased stuff

Williams for the hardline like I have now, Grey Pnuematic for the impact. Snap On ratchets

Fluke electrical (what I have now)

Same testing and specialty stuff.

 

[jdlong]

As a serious hobby mechanic, I would probably go with Carlyle ratchet and wrench sets. I am impressed with the quality for the prices. High end torque wrenches for sure. Probably Snap On or equal.

Pliers, cutters, etc would be Knipex.

Snap On or Carlyle screwdrivers.

Lisle brake and suspension tools.

IR impacts and Grey Pneumatic impact sockets.

 

[Parrothead]

Ok buddy, need you to put down the mouse, step outside, and breathe.

I'm not "your" buddy. I wasnt talking to you! . . . I was responding the Wee see 716 -- ROFL Your lack of empathy misses the seriousness of this issue. As one guy so eloquently put it, "I never thought I had anything worth stealing until I started collecting tools." Point well taken by me for that comment. I'm in the same boat. What boat are you in bud ??? . . . the 1% US Pig billionaire yacht that looks down their nose at others less fortunate.

All kinds of replies, lengthy, etc., even about extreme violence, but that was all ok with you. Please don't respond to any of my posts again. Theft of a lifetime of collecting is a serious issue!

Well that escalated quickly.

 

[Parrothead]

I've had this happen twice. Both times, no big deal really. Insurance covered nothing either time. The first time they weren't worth the deductible as I was young, the second time was a pita and they were worth a pretty decent amount but because of our insurance at the time they weren't covered. I was working off site and they didn't cover because I was "a contractor" and needed separate insurance for that. Now they're covered no matter where they are and I have about 4x as much. That being said I don't use them professionally and I'd probably severely downsize. I'm kind of over having all I do it even now. I think I have about 90% of the 18v Dewalt line and a full chest usa sockets, ratchets, pliers, wrenches and such. I do less stuff mechanically than I used to and I would rather do other stuff. I'd probably go with Husky and Ryobi and call it a day.

 

[555]

I would only buy what I needed to have and would not replace all my tools. Part of this is my age and part of it is the amount of stuff I've accumulated that I very seldom if ever use.

 

[CutterFarms]

I was just thinking about tho today. I had a hay loft collapse in my old shop/barn last week and I had built a new shop this spring and had moved most of my tools I thought. After cleaning up the aftermath I have gone thru the toolboxes that were in there full of snap on sockets and ratchets, wrenches, several green sets of screwdrivers ect that I haven't used in about 6-7 months. First thought was this is awesome then realized how much I have bought at pawn shops and CL just because it was cheap. I used to have a hard time passing up snap on for 20-25% of retail price but it's amazing how many people will charge off the truck and sell for cash for weekend money. If a person has the time you can put a amazing set of tools together for little to nothing. I wanted a second set of oxygen acetylene torches and had been on CL quite a bit and found a air craft tech on disability that had a set by the time I had left I bought 3 sets of snap on wrenches two sets of snap on old hard handle screwdrivers snap on easy outs and torches for 450.00 would have paid that for torches and the snap on angle wrenches that went up to 1 1/4 but the guy bundled it all together when I asked what snap on he had for sale. The deals are definitely out there if you are willing to look for them.

 

[Derek420]

I've had all my tools stolen twice now first by an ex gf when I took off for a day all my stuff from my dead grandpa's and my dads tools I inherited the stuff I started out with. And again by my mother in law after I couldn't afford to pay my storage building after relocating all brand new stuff. Then I got a job at a salvage yard pulling engines and needed them. She lied and said she didn't but I found most of it and stole it all back under her nose thank God. And now got a lot morr

 

[Derek420]

If it happened again I'd go insane because now I got more and better than I ever have I'd feel like dying. But I'd buy all pawn shop stuff again because I get so much great USA tools from there it's so cheap but since I'm a regular they really hook me up.

 

[Rossco]

Depends really.

If my small but adequate tool kit at work was stolen I get 100% reimbursement on that lot.

Would be mainly CAT with SnapOn taking up the slack. (That's what that lot consists of anyways) Electrical tools are all Fluke issued by the company.

 

[Citation]

I'm a shade tree who has been happy with lower end tools. I grew up using Snap-On but when it was time to buy my own stuff I went to Cman for the price. If I were to start over I wouldn't do too much different than what I did. I probably wouldn't buy one of the $150 or so mechanics tool sets. Instead I would just get a socket set and just a wrench set etc. No reason to get all the fillers. I would be happy with stuff that is similar to the Cman/Husky stuff I have now. I would have fewer overlaps.

The harder to replace things would be my electronics bench tools. I got some killer deals on things like a Hakko soldering iron and Fluke meter. I love them but I would probably have trouble spending replacement cost on some of those tools.

Since I've been pretty cheap over the years I wouldn't change my tool purchases too much.

 

[FMC1959]

If everything was stolen and my insurance covers all of it, I could probably retire.

Of course with nothing to do, I would buy a sniper rifle and go off grid till I found the *******(s) who took it

 

[bsg1]

used Snap On

^^^ this. that's how i buy my tools now (swap meet) and that's how i'd buy them in the event of their untimely departure.

 

[The Muffin Man]

If that were to happen then I would steal that person's life

Anyways...

All my wrenches would be Toptul, Snap-on, or Facom.
Sockets would be Toptul.
Ratchets would be Snap-on.
Screwdrivers would be Wera and Facom, Toptul also.
Electric power tools would be Hilti.
Pliers would be NWS (Hands down best quality and variety.)
Saws, deadblows and all other misc. would be Snap-on, and Facom.
Tool box would be Snap-on, Facom for the tool bags

Can you tell I trust German quality

 

[PhantomEB]

My box and a half, top and bottom was stolen along with most of my air tools, pliers, and vice grips. Slowly replacing them with middle of the road stuff like Mastercraft and Channellocks. Ain't started on the air tools, but sure don't plan on much til down the road, but I seem to be stuck on looking at the better IR stuff. Decided I rather have an efficient garage than oodles of tools I rarely use.

 

[sberry]

I would only buy what I needed to have and would not replace all my tools. Part of this is my age and part of it is the amount of stuff I've accumulated that I very seldom if ever use.

This, at one point I needed it all. I would start right off at Sears for a super sale set, pawn off the ratchets and go to HF for most of what I couldn't fill from there and then pick up some Channelok and Vgrip where the duty cycle was high.
My hardline wouldn't bring much used, doubt anyone would go out of the way to steal most of it.

 

[zer0cell]

First I would try to find out who it was/get them back. If that wasn't possible I would still file an insurance claim as I have taken photos of all my stuff and have most of the receipts. I would then replace the tools as needed and buy things I found on sale. I might even come out ahead, even factoring in the deductible amount... but it would be a real pain to do. Some of my tools are worth more to me than just money for personal reasons. I just hope it never happens.

 

[Allenw]

Losing your stuff *****, I lost a big chunk of mine this winter. We had been working out of the barn on my granddad's place and gotten careless about leaving stuff there and I had been in the hospital and was to weak to get any thing done.

They got my tool box I carried on my truck and worked out of and a couple other small tool boxes plus a lot of scattered misc. stuff that we left in the barn. I think the stuff left with one of the crews working in the area at the time.

I've spent a good $1500+ I didn't have putting some tools together to get me by for now. The little stuff hurts worse to buy then the big stuff, I still need some good screw drivers and bigger hammers and 3/8 and 1/4 socket sets, they got my pry bar too that some old blacksmith had hammered out of a piece of axle just right.

My problem is small to what my friend lost and is still trying to get compensated for. He lost three generations of accumulated tools, parts and supplies plus vehicles. He had a decent machine shop set up also. The company responsible for the fire is wanting to pay off over time and not a lump sum which ***** at his age.

 

[geartow]

Unlikely as they would need to rob 4 places with several hundred mile between a couple of them.

 

[mike_dmt]

Yeah, the urge to take violence is a hard thing to avoid. We feel violated, and most of all vulnerable.

This happened to a close friend of mine recently while he was on a volunteer ministry trip.

Came back to not only his 20 years of personal tools stolen, but his work trucks were sacked, and the house had been mostly cleaned out of anything of value. Worse still is he hadn't backed up the computer holding all of the billing and invoicing info from years past.

Sure, he should have backed his computer up, but still.

He filed the report, knew it was a meth-head son of the neighbor, from craigslist ads posted the next day. The cops were useless, as usual. "No justifiable reason to enter" or some ****. The laws defend criminals every day....

So, hes somewhat depressed/pissed over having to go over the list of what was taken. Who can blame him?

It's a thing that happens. Keep a low deductible, and record what you have. That's a tiny speck of advice for any of us that have things that might be hard to replace.

 

[jd_1138]

Yeah, the urge to take violence is a hard thing to avoid. We feel violated, and most of all vulnerable.

This happened to a close friend of mine recently while he was on a volunteer ministry trip.

Came back to not only his 20 years of personal tools stolen, but his work trucks were sacked, and the house had been mostly cleaned out of anything of value. Worse still is he hadn't backed up the computer holding all of the billing and invoicing info from years past.

Sure, he should have backed his computer up, but still.

He filed the report, knew it was a meth-head son of the neighbor, from craigslist ads posted the next day. The cops were useless, as usual. "No justifiable reason to enter" or some ****. The laws defend criminals every day....

So, hes somewhat depressed/pissed over having to go over the list of what was taken. Who can blame him?

It's a thing that happens. Keep a low deductible, and record what you have. That's a tiny speck of advice for any of us that have things that might be hard to replace.

Wow that *****. Yeah the laws defend criminals way too much. My wife's aunt/uncle have an insane 45 year old son who finally got a GF and moved out, but the GF asked him to start paying half the rent, so he wants to move back in with mommy/dada. But they told him no. He has left messages saying he's going to kill them.

They went to file a restraining order against him, but the police won't file it because they don't know his current address (he refuses to tell them). So apparently, if you don't tell anyone your address you can go around and make death threats and the police will do nothing.

 

[jd_1138]

Losing your stuff *****, I lost a big chunk of mine this winter. We had been working out of the barn on my granddad's place and gotten careless about leaving stuff there and I had been in the hospital and was to weak to get any thing done.

They got my tool box I carried on my truck and worked out of and a couple other small tool boxes plus a lot of scattered misc. stuff that we left in the barn. I think the stuff left with one of the crews working in the area at the time.

I've spent a good $1500+ I didn't have putting some tools together to get me by for now. The little stuff hurts worse to buy then the big stuff, I still need some good screw drivers and bigger hammers and 3/8 and 1/4 socket sets, they got my pry bar too that some old blacksmith had hammered out of a piece of axle just right.

Ugh, that *****. Did you go to any local pawn shops to see if your stuff is there? Or CL and OfferUp (a phone app that makes CL look like an upscale department store)?

I just picked up a NOS set of Vaco screwdrivers off ebay for $18 shipped. They are a joy to use and fit so well into fasteners -- no chewing up fasteners at all. Hopefully you can pick up some good bargains on quality tools and not have to buy junk at HF or Wally World. Junk tools are cheap, but are a pain to use and aren't worth too much when you replace them with better stuff.

 

[speed bump]

Cheaper main line hand tools and better/more power tools. 99.9% of the time anything above a junk grade combo wrench is a combo wrench. The same can't be said of an impact or a DA.

 

[MDK22]

$5,000 for tools? Go...

My Answer is in there.

 

[Allenw]

Ugh, that *****. Did you go to any local pawn shops to see if your stuff is there? Or CL and OfferUp (a phone app that makes CL look like an upscale department store)?

I just picked up a NOS set of Vaco screwdrivers off ebay for $18 shipped. They are a joy to use and fit so well into fasteners -- no chewing up fasteners at all. Hopefully you can pick up some good bargains on quality tools and not have to buy junk at HF or Wally World. Junk tools are cheap, but are a pain to use and aren't worth too much when you replace them with better stuff.

We watched craigslist, not really any local pawn shops and the ones in the surrounding areas I have never found a decent hand tool so if they are dealing in good tools they aren't going on the shelf. There were some local fences called on my behalf, you don't ask questions you just say thank you. One local suspect asked me about some tools he had been offered but they weren't mine.


I was hit on a Friday night, a neighbor was hit the same night, really suspect a planned hit by some one that had been working in the area and going home.

It was on a little blacktop road that loops around back to the main high way.

 

[ecotec]

I have thought about this before... Well, I would not rebuy my raised panel craftsman. I would buy something that felt more ergonomic. I would not rebuy my Craftsman sockets. I would probably just shop at estate sales for Wright and Proto. I pass up this stuff all the time, since I really don't need any more sockets. I can't really justify buying it just to have better, either. But if I was starting with nothing...

Mostly, I would just buy the same stuff I have now.

As far my hand box for work... Our contract states exactly how much money we get if our tools are stolen. It is far less than it would cost to replace everything. I have considered replacing all or most of my tools in it with similar tools found at estate sales and garage sales for pennies on the dollar, to lower my risk. I have changed out a few things... I changed out my Eklind Allen keys with some Craftsman ones I had. I changed out my file marked USA, to the only half round I own that is not marked USA. I took my Knipex out of my work tools and put Channellocks back in. I took out my made in France drywall saw and put in an old Stanley with no COO on it. I took out my Klein 1005 crimpers, and put in some old Gardner Bender ones I have. I took out my Bahco hack saw and put in an old Craftsman. I used to want the best in my work tools... This world has too many dirt bags in it.

If someone stole your tools... And you do something to them... And I am on the jury... I would NEVER find you guilty.

 

[colin39]

Bben there, all our police wanted to do was issie an incident number for the insurance and get me off the phone, spent the last 8 years building 22years of tools. Never again there now insured, ill be retiring early.

 

[Roberts210]

Hisp gang members broke into my shop in 1998 when I was living in Los Angeles. They got my Milwaukee D-handle drill, a Porter Cable locomotive sander, a toolbox full of S-K wrenches, etc., a Delta 1172 tenoning jig, and my jobsite boombox of course. But they looked into a box of old Stanley planes and then didn't take those. The planes were worth a lot of money but thankfully the thieves were ignorant about vintage Stanley planes. I never saw any of it again, but the thieves came back the next morning when I had the shop door open and drove by real slowly... four of them in a Chevy lowrider, laughing at me. "Hey maaaaaan, how ya doin'? Harharharharhar." I thought to myself, "I am damm glad I don't have my shotgun handy." I did recover from that loss, but I bet some of those scum-punks are in prison and hopefully a few of them are under the grass by now.

 

[kctyphoon]

Gearwrench / tekton / channellock / LEARN

 

[48548]

I would kill myself

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Nothing. Already got one bullet for the 4570 all I need when I find the guy with the truck big enough to tow my tools. Lathe counts as a tool right. Need a forklift to move that, break your neck trying to get my toolboxes out of the garage. Got my craftsman rolling toolbox base with a top to is so heavy I reinforced the casters. Plus the other rolling toolbox that we removed casters from. Plus the 3 foot deep 5 foot wide desk of tools and the 4 foot wide tool bench. I don't think someone could steal them all. And if they did most have my marking or my stepdads since he gave me tools so be easy to locate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[48548]

Funny you and I only need one bullet... Different out comes.... but I am cool with it. We all can check out when we decide.

 

[66354dream]

I'd probably replace them mostly with SK.

 

[jd_1138]

We watched craigslist, not really any local pawn shops and the ones in the surrounding areas I have never found a decent hand tool so if they are dealing in good tools they aren't going on the shelf. There were some local fences called on my behalf, you don't ask questions you just say thank you. One local suspect asked me about some tools he had been offered but they weren't mine.


I was hit on a Friday night, a neighbor was hit the same night, really suspect a planned hit by some one that had been working in the area and going home.

It was on a little blacktop road that loops around back to the main high way.

Too bad you didn't get them back. What part of Oklahoma do you live in? When I was a kid, we lived near Elk City for 3 years. That was in 1980 to 1983. My dad was born there and he grew up there. I was born in California but when my parents divorced in 1980 we moved to Oklahoma for 3 years then we moved to Texas.

 

[Allenw]

Too bad you didn't get them back. What part of Oklahoma do you live in? When I was a kid, we lived near Elk City for 3 years. That was in 1980 to 1983. My dad was born there and he grew up there. I was born in California but when my parents divorced in 1980 we moved to Oklahoma for 3 years then we moved to Texas.

About an hour north of Clinton, which is about a half hour east of Elk City.

 

[bb_max]

If someone stole all my tools, they're a better man than I, because it would take me days to round them all up myself.
Some at home, some at my folks, a bunch at work (scattered between 2 boxes, some community boxes, my desk, etc), some in my truck...