Mixed wrench sets

[muddyjoe15]

Trying to piece together wrench sets makes me look at the option of filling in the set with one or two diffrent brand wrenchs in the set is some times cheaper. Say like a matco set with a mac KS here and there.

How many of you guys have sets like this and use them, or does it bugg the **** out of you not having a full set?

 

[Fedwrench]

If it works, and I only a buck or two for it, I can get past the brand mix. Besides, I may prefer a certain type of wrench for a particular job that may not match my other wrenches. Of course, I don't own any Hansen socket racks either.

 

[reptilezs]

mixed sets are fine with me. always good quality of course. its easier to find the size you are looking for after a while too. generally its cheaper but takes a while to piece it together

 

[muddyjoe15]

mixed sets are fine with me. always good quality of course. its easier to find the size you are looking for after a while too. generally its cheaper but takes a while to piece it together

Espsically when you find them for dirt cheap!

 

[Outlawmws]

In my primary box, I prefer them matched, but do have some in the larger sizes that I got from my dad, that were past the 15/16, usual limit in a bought set.

For the "road box", at least before I had to go to Metric, anything goes, and the wrecking yard roll has all mix and match cast offs.

Now my sockets, I've never managed to get a matched set. I had one once upon a time, but after a friend had my original set stolen out of his car, the replacements were ad-hock.

Maybe someday I'll get lucky at a yard or estate sale...

 

[Wrenches of Death]

How many of you guys have sets like this and use them, or does it bugg the **** out of you not having a full set?

It doesn't bother me at all. Mismatched is OK, not only with wrenches, but with sockets, punches, pliers, ratchets, etc.

No color coordination either!

"Everything has got to match" Martha Stewart types always stressed me out.

I'm not talking about someone attempting to fill a collection of some specific vintage manufacturer or something like that. I'm talking about the guy that while buying new current tools with only fill his Brand_X box with Brand_X tools even if it costs double.

WoD

 

[muddyjoe15]

I'm not talking about someone attempting to fill a collection of some specific vintage manufacturer or something like that. I'm talking about the guy that while buying new current tools with only fill his Brand_X box with Brand_X tools even if it costs double.

WoD

I think it bothers me more when someone has Top Brand_x very exspensive box and then fills said box with Low Brand_SHI......

 

[back2class]

I HATE mismatched sets! I could care less about owner marks, rust spots and so on. But mismatched just is not allowed in my stuff for things like wrenches and sockets. For me it is just too hard to feel organized and keep track of what is missing that way. Now things like punches, pliers and so on, sets don't matter to much to me. I am a little **** about screwdrivers, but will allow strays in if I don't have one like it in the "set"

At one point I had mismatched wrenches....never again!

 

[smallcarguy]

I’ve been married to the same woman for 20 years, lived with her for 3 before that. That level of monogamy just isn’t going to fly when it comes to my tools. My box has got all shapes, sizes, and brands. Most of them are Americans, but there is the occasional European, and even a few Asians in there.

 

[2oolhound]

I had mismatched when I started out. You get to know each one for it's own attributes. When you need a particular wrench you don't think "I'll need a 9/16th for that" you think "I'll need my 9/16th Thorsen for that" and you can picture it in your head before you go to your box. Like what was said above, you'll spot it faster because they don't all look the same. It actually worked fine for me although I recently bought a complete set. I'll need to start using them more to know how much I like working with the stereotype set.

Another good thing is you are working with different styles and designs, long, short, thick, thin etc. so when you are ready to score a matched set you know what ones you'll like the best.

 

[Ritter4.0]

I think matched sets are boring.....All my wrenches and sockets are mismatched, mostly pawn shop finds and from the classified section on here.

Nobody else in the shop I work in has more than 10 different brands in their socket or wrench drawer, most are probably under 5. I like it haha.

 

[ibedayank]

as long as it gets the job done it can be a mismatched set ... tools are tools not jewlery

 

[GTO]

as long as it gets the job done it can be a mismatched set ... tools are tools not jewlery

There used to be a guy on here who treated his SO tools like jewlery.
Very weird

 

[jeffk14]

There used to be a guy on here who treated his SO tools like jewlery.
Very weird

Not just on here. I've seen quite a few of those guys around over the years. A few were decent mechanics. Most were not.

I've got mostly mixed everything. Snap On, HF and everything in between, including vintage Mustang, SK Wayne, New Britain and others that were all pieced together by my grandfather.

The eclectic nature of my tool collection is what makes it uniquely MINE.

 

[woody 73]

Funny you should bring this topic up; this week I was at a show that lump was doing and a vender tried so very hard to sell me a mixed set of wrenches. Now don't get me wrong but from my collector base I want a complete set ,so I turned down his offer. He did not looked surprised in fact he started laughing and he said that everyone in the past two days had told him the same thing!

 

[kythri]

I think it bothers me more when someone has Top Brand_x very exspensive box and then fills said box with Low Brand_SHI......

People bothered like such should really get a life.

I want a big box, and am shopping around (and have been for a while) for the right deal on something from Snap-On either 56" or 72".

There's gonna be some apoplectic tool-snobs when I take pictures of it filled with Craftsman, GearWrench, Stanley and other "Low Brand Sh*t" tools.

 

[muddyjoe15]

People bothered like such should really get a life.

I want a big box, and am shopping around (and have been for a while) for the right deal on something from Snap-On either 56" or 72".

There's gonna be some apoplectic tool-snobs when I take pictures of it filled with Craftsman, GearWrench, Stanley and other "Low Brand Sh*t" tools.

NO, im sorry im mean Sh*t brands like hing hong chong, or wing wang chinese stuff! Mostly you see that in begginers who think that having a very exspensive box means your a mechanic. I have no problem with c-man gearwrench or that lot. As a matter of fact i think the tools as wal mart are much better value then a good bit off the tool truck!

Sorry i did not mean to offend anyone.

 

[Krokodil]

I hate mismatched set in my home box! For the mobile box, its ok, but at home, big no no!

 

[cowboy73]

All I require is that the wrench fits and it doesn't break or screw up the fastener. I have a mix of wrenches in my box. Matched sets are fine but does the thing you're working on really care? Having the right size of wrench or socket is way more important in the long run.

 

[therealwormey]

it bugs me a bit,if i lose one i get a replacement of good quality of any brand till i can flea market/yard sale/ebay a closer match,the then replaced replacement becomes a spare or double,if i find a set with a couple oddballs at a good price i dont mind bad enuff to pass up a deal,got a drawer of spares for heat bending/cutting or grinding thin to make "specialy tools"

 

[Shipfittin]

It doesn't bother me to have mix matched wrenches. Like I have Husky ratcheting metric and Craftsman ratcheting standard. I use my Duralast ratchet with Craftsman sockets all the time, doesn't bother me.

Just like at work, when your gonna be grinding in a tank all day, it's not a fashion show.

 

[Big Gus]

Nope, mixed wrench sets don't bother me one bit.

My SAE set goes from 1/4" - 2" and is a mix of Craftsman, Thorsen, and HF chicom...all of the raised panel variety.

My metric set goes from 6mm - 21mm and consists of Craftsman, Snap-On, and Duracraft...both raised panel (6-9mm) and polished (10-21mm).

I will say that with a mixed set, sometimes it is easier to find the wrench you're looking for just by looking on the bench for the specific brand because you know that size is that brand. I believe someone else mentioned this exact same thing.

 

[crewchief888]

for the most part all my sets of wrenchs and sockets are mixmatched in some way or another.
my primary working set of wrenches are SO from 1/4" - 1"
then matco 1 1/16"- 1 1/4" SO 1 3/16 & 1 5/16, then a set of 1 3/8- 2" some chwan made.
my angle heads are the same, mix match 3/8"- 1 5/8" all truck brands.

most of my working sockets are matched sets, except 1/2"dr deep, & 1/2"dr impact wobbles

most garage tools are sets ive bought over the years to build a 2nd set.