I had my house broken into a few years ago and I just finally settled my insurance claim. I had a complete set of mechanics tools I received from my father and I am now looking to rebuild. What would be the shop 'essentials'. I am also looking to buy any tools at a good price. I have budgeted around 5~6k. I currently have a cman 26" 3 tiered box that is loaded with some pliers, the 168 pc socket set from cman and some other misc. items. mostly speciality items like a 200mhz portable oscope, a snap-on solus scanner and other tools in the like. So any ideas would be greatly helpful. Thank you.
Looking to build my tool collection
- Thread starter sandog_79
- Start date
arkangel06
Banned
a good set of SAE and metric combination wrenches in standart and stubby lenghts
a 1/4'' 3/8'' and 1/2'' ratchet with deep and shallow sockets for all
Welcome to the forum by the way! sorry to hear about your loss
a 1/4'' 3/8'' and 1/2'' ratchet with deep and shallow sockets for all
Welcome to the forum by the way! sorry to hear about your loss
vartz04
Well-known member
air tools and a compressor.
SpiderGearsMan
Banned
air tools are critical
wreckercologist
Well-known member
good quality tap&die set, e-z outs/extracters, quality punches and chisels(don't skimp there!), magnetic pick up tool, drop light, creeper.
The Muffin Man
Well-known member
The essentials that I wouldn't skimp out on are screwdrivers, wrenches, and ratchets.
Wrenches that I really like are Cornwell, Snap-on, Toptul, and Wright to name a few. All of these brands excluding Toptul can be found used on ebay for a fraction of the retail price and are a terrific value if you are patient. For me it has been more practical to start off with a long pattern wrench as well as a stubby set. For some brands a long pattern wrench isn't available though. Depending on the environment or nature that the tool will be used, this may not be a huge deal however you would know best.
Screwdrivers are a little harder to recommend in my opinion. Many companies manufacture great screwdrivers that will resist wear and provide good ergonomics. Its best to give many different screwdrivers a try or at least hold one or two before buying a set. Something that will feel great in my hands may not feel comfortable in yours.
Edit: PS, Welcome to the forum!
Wrenches that I really like are Cornwell, Snap-on, Toptul, and Wright to name a few. All of these brands excluding Toptul can be found used on ebay for a fraction of the retail price and are a terrific value if you are patient. For me it has been more practical to start off with a long pattern wrench as well as a stubby set. For some brands a long pattern wrench isn't available though. Depending on the environment or nature that the tool will be used, this may not be a huge deal however you would know best.
Screwdrivers are a little harder to recommend in my opinion. Many companies manufacture great screwdrivers that will resist wear and provide good ergonomics. Its best to give many different screwdrivers a try or at least hold one or two before buying a set. Something that will feel great in my hands may not feel comfortable in yours.
Edit: PS, Welcome to the forum!
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Steve from Socal
Well-known member
Throw all that stuff away and head directly for the nearest Snap on truck and buy the master blaster deluxe El Supremo ProFessional universal tool kit and the matching roll cab and tractor to move it.
Somebody has to take up the cause now that whats his name is banned!!!
Seriously; do as much research on each type of tool you want and if possible try them before you buy them. What some people rave about others rant about. Ebay and Craigs List are great places to shop and so are hock shops. I do prefer to have matched sets of things like wrenches, sockets etc, but you are not setting a table where everything has to match.
Steve
Somebody has to take up the cause now that whats his name is banned!!!
Seriously; do as much research on each type of tool you want and if possible try them before you buy them. What some people rave about others rant about. Ebay and Craigs List are great places to shop and so are hock shops. I do prefer to have matched sets of things like wrenches, sockets etc, but you are not setting a table where everything has to match.
Steve
Merkava_4
Banned
Get all Cornwell (non-ratcheting) combination wrenches - my second choice would be PROTO 500. 
Here is a very good tool set, at a reasonable price. Lots of air tools and impact sockets etc....here, cost 4700.00 bucks with the box/cart
http://www.cornwelltoolsonline.com/CQTProdData/_____XPLMAS.html
http://www.cornwelltoolsonline.com/CQTProdData/_____XPLMAS.html
fordracing200
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2009
- Messages
- 629
go to go to harbor freight, get a die grinder of each kind, a 3" cut off wheel, and some zip ties, then go to sears and get impact sockets, a 1/2 and 3/8 impact swivel, go to ebay and find some used snap on 80 tooth 3/8 and 1/2 and a t72 1/4 inch ratchet, then go to www.tooltopia.com and order a 1/2" nitrocat 1000ft lbs impact gun, along with going to tractor supply and snagging a 60 gallon CH compressor...get a harbor freight manual hose reel and 50ft of goodyear rubber 3/8 hose, get some HVLP milton type v fittings from northern tool, the 44" toolchest from harbor freight, and....I think thats it....oh and don't forget to snag the 5 drawer toolcart for 189.99 at HF while your there. links..
compressor
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tools/...eg-60-gallon-cast-iron-air-compressor-3310006
Impact
http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=36675
Toolbox
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90320
compressor
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tools/...eg-60-gallon-cast-iron-air-compressor-3310006
Impact
http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=36675
Toolbox
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90320
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Nealcrenshaw
Well-known member
Do you strickly want "Made in the U.S.A" on your tools or is "Drop forged China" and
"Made in Taiwan" OK? This could affect the budget significantly.
"Made in Taiwan" OK? This could affect the budget significantly.
Do you have that impact? It seems like it would get annoying how the foward/reverse is set up. Compared to the Titanium IR impacts.
Get all Cornwell (non-ratcheting) combination wrenches - my second choice would be PROTO 500.
Yep. If you want some nice combo wrenches, Cornwell is the one. Those things are NICE. And that's coming from a "500" owner.
Have some patience and watch Craigslist and the local classifieds, then go make some poor guy that has to sell his whole toolbox and tools a fair offer. The market price for a complete box and tools is a LOT less than buying the tools used individually, so take advantage of your need for a full set of tools. Maybe buy a couple and sell off the overlap that you don't need.
Autoguy
Well-known member
I have just completed my SO wrench sets and tools collections, good luck
rallenc
Well-known member
Sandog,
Sorry to hear about your loss. As you have Had the "pleasure" dealing with an insurance company perhaps you could give some pointers or "lessons learned" when dealing with tool collections and insurance. In lurking through the posts it is preety apparent that a great number of members tools are acquired in the "secondary market"; flea markets, ebay etc... where receipts are not readily available and the replacement cost is not even close to what was spent.
This is not meant to be a hijack, so Sandog, if you could start another thread along these lines I know I would get a lot out of it.
Thanks for the consideration.
Roger
SpiderGearsMan
Banned
haven't seen a cornwell dealer around here EVER
you guys on the payroll ?
you guys on the payroll ?