Need tool advice

[wardenclyffe]

Hi - new here but could use some advice.

I have an assortment of cheap tools (husky, kobalt, Evolv) that I want to start upgrading.

I mainly do house projects, a little bit of car work (but only to the extent of replacing shocks and leaf springs...no engine work or rebuilds) and then general hobby stuff.

I would prefer to have USA made where possible (better quality, keep American jobs etc) but my budget isn't large or I have to make choices on what to get.

Do I need a 1/4 or 1/2 drive ratchet and sockets? Do I need 12pt or 6pt sockets or both?
I've only ever had 3/8 drive.

I need a set of metric and standard wrenches, was planning on getting combination wrenches. I like the idea of ratcheting as well. Should I get 12pt?

I also need some precision, small screwdrivers (hex, torx, regular and phillips) and small nut drivers.

What brands would you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[Gmonkee]

Upgrade to your uses first. See a bike repair or maybe the lawnmower? Improve what you have to meet that need first.
Homeowner stuff is spotty work and no need to spend a lot or really even stock up well to prepare for most repairs.

I went from heavy equiptment to autobody and homeowner stuff. I could sell off 90% of the old work tools and not miss a beat. In fact more than half are already gone.
The plumbing kit seems to be the most specialized of the lot, everything else is double duty home and work anymore.

 

[gsingh]

Wrenches, yes get 12pt. Having 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 would be good for the work you described. Cant go wrong with SK, Armgstrong, Proto, Wright.

I have SK sockets in 1/4 and 3/8 drive. They have nice finish and lifetime warranty. Cant help you with 1/2" because all I have is snap-on and I spent a small fortune on them.

Wrenches - I have gear wrench ratcheting wrenches, nice enough for what they are. Been using them for 4+ years now professionally and not a problem so far. Also got a set of wright grip wrenches. These are also nice 12pt and don't cost that much. I paid $245 for a set that goes from 7mm to 32mm.


Hex and torx is all snap-on for me. Someone else might chime in with a suggestion.

 

[KZ1000J]

Welcome Warden...Like you, I'm new to GJ too.

My projects sound a lot like yours and I agree with Monkee...upgrade as projects come to you. I have Husky & Kobalt too and I feel that for occasional use, they are fine; no need to upgrade there.

Most of my ratcheting is with 3/8 and 1/4 inch...have plenty here. 12 pt. is standard, I've found 6 pt. are helpful on partially rounded fasteners...they seem to grip better.

KZ

 

[SASORacing]

Upgrade 1 thing at a time. Spend your nights browsing for your next tool. Google it. Go on amazon and read the reviews. Compare prices. Search these forums.

Take it 1 tool at a time. Become an expert at it before you buy. Do this for every tool, keep notes. Mark your calender for any upcoming sales you discovered on certain tools.

And yes ratcheting combo, offset, reversible wrenches are my favorite tool I bought so far. Second fav. Is a cordless 3/8 impact gun good for screws and bolts! Both of these are life changers!

 

[Rickster]

Get a 1/4 dr socket set right away, very useful around the house. I'd go with possibly an SK set, they have a nice fine tooth ratchet. I believe they make a nice set of SAE & Metric in one storage box. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYCJA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Ratcheting wrenches are a great addition but also have sets of standard combination wrenches in SAE & Metric.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Hunt ebay for deals on brands such as Proto, Blachawk, Williams, Wright, SK (harder to get deals on), Armstrong, Craftsman (Not ratchets or wrenches), KD USA, Napa (before Carlyle), Allen USA, Bondhus, Mayhew, and Klein. All of these brands are either industrial brands or parts store brands and are of good quality. My tools are a mishmash of all of these brands with some random Gearwrench (Taiwan), Cornwell and Snap On mixed in.

Cripe Distributing on Ebay is a good source for random sets.
Toolsdelivered.com is excellent for Williams, which is superb quality
Sears has some killer deals if you learn how to work their rewards and coupons

Buy stuff as you need it or else you will end up with a bunch of stuff that will sit for years before it gets used.

 

[SASORacing]

^ amazing 1/4 socket set get it, but get the 48pc version because it has very necessary adapters and a.swivel for only $15 extra. That ratchet is bad though, get a better one. But yeah I have that socket set and it's very nice and complete, and cheap.

 

[devoncoolman]

Usa made and cheap are hard to get both. Going used is ur best bet. If u want new buy sk, armstrong, wright. Are 3 good examples of affordable us made tools. There are tons of choices but going better quality then those arn't necessary. But u can also look into proto, cornwell, mac, & snap-on. But the price goes up the further down that list u go.

 

[erty67]

I have an assortment of cheap tools (husky, kobalt, Evolv) that I want to start upgrading.

I mainly do house projects, a little bit of car work (but only to the extent of replacing shocks and leaf springs...no engine work or rebuilds) and then general hobby stuff.

I would prefer to have USA made where possible (better quality, keep American jobs etc) but my budget isn't large or I have to make choices on what to get.

Do I need a 1/4 or 1/2 drive ratchet and sockets? Do I need 12pt or 6pt sockets or both?
I've only ever had 3/8 drive.

I need a set of metric and standard wrenches, was planning on getting combination wrenches. I like the idea of ratcheting as well. Should I get 12pt?

I also need some precision, small screwdrivers (hex, torx, regular and phillips) and small nut drivers.

What brands would you recommend?

Thanks!

For what you use it for, I would think Husky/Kobalt is fine for a lot of things.

 

[devoncoolman]

I agree with erty67. I see tons of guys on here upgrading their tools to mac or snap-on because alot of us have professional tools. But i do this for a living and prefer pro grade tools. For home use and minor/hobby auto repair. Husky and craftsman get the job done. You are probably better off keeping what u have and just adding on to it.

 

[John in OH]

Lots of good advice already provided in the preceding posts! Take your time, upgrade one type of tool at a time as the budget allows or as projects dictate, do lots of research! Upgrading your tools will be a really fun task and you should make the best of it!

I’ll throw in my 2 cents worth based on the base criteria that: 1) you prefer USA tools, 2) are not a professional mechanic, and 3) you don’t want to spend a fortune on tools for knock-around work. Remember too, there's nothing wrong with a lot of the Husky and Kobalt tools!

Combination wrenches – Wright Tool WrightGrip is the best combo wrench currently available at a reasonable price. Terrific wrenches in performance, quality, fit and finish. Get either full polished or satin as you prefer.

Ratcheting combo wrenches – Nice as a secondary tool to the regular combo wrench set. The Gearwrench line has worked fine for me in my limited, non-pro service and are often available at good discounts from Advance Auto, but not USA.

Sockets – 1/4 and 3/8 drives for sure. 3/8 will be your workhorse size for 75% of the jobs you do. But since you often do leaf springs and shocks, you’ll need 1/2 drive also. The 12-point sockets are most common and will meet most of your needs, but I actually prefer 6-point sockets. Lots of good choices for the sockets … Wright, SK, Proto, Williams, or NAPA’s non-US Carlyle.

Ratchets – good luck with this one!! If you ask 50 GJ members for their recommendation of the best ratchet, you’ll get 70 answers! Your preference on type (round vs. pear; quick release vs. not; flex vs. rigid; etc.) but, again, Wright, SK, Proto, Armstrong are all good. I’ll add one more that I like and that is NAPA’s Taiwan-made Carlyle brand.

Pliers – Channellock. Or Wilde, although they are usually rebadged to some other name.

Screwdrivers – for the price, I like the red & black handled Craftsman Pro screwdrivers made by Western Forge. Unfortunately, Sears no longer carries them; however, the same screwdriver is available as the SK cushion grip (but green & black handles, of course!).

Again, all the above is just my personal opinion. Good luck and have fun upgrading!!

 

[motofool33]

If you pull up ebay you can get williams taiwan sockets stupid cheap. And the USA versions are not much more. I only paid 12$ for my metric 1/4 set same for sae.

6 point for 3/8 and 1/4 forsure. 12 point for 1/2 I'd say since it's not used that often.