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So, I decided to work on my car.

tite681

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May 4, 2008
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39
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The Golden State
First post here at this cool site. As my title states, I decided to work on my car. So, in order for me to work on my car, I have to buy tools. Now I can't seem to stop. It started off with a 190 piece Craftsman set. I started to see more tools that I needed and tools I didn't like in the set. Then the floodgates opened. After reading a few posts, I realize that I am not alone.
I've been reading through a lot of the posts here and it's good stuff from experienced knowledgeable people. At least I know I'll be spend my money wisely.
 
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wrenchr

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Welcome to your new addiction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you have questions ask away!!!!!
The Craftsman set is a very good start aside from the ratchets.
Get snap on or SK ratchets and you will have a good foundation.
 

T56 Impala

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Dec 8, 2007
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Roswell GA
Welcome to the club!
Try to buy before you need.
Keep on the look out for sales.
Don't forget to post up if you find a deal we may have over looked!!!!!
Join the Craftsman Club for special discounts.
Check your local pawn shops and swap meets.
Be very careful thouh, this can cost you a bunch of money real quick. Even with sales and such. My "fix" cost me nearly $1000 last month!!! (Money well spent if you ask me. :) ) I have friends who drink that much in a month. Hell, I used to do it myself!!!!
 

Uncle Buck

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Mar 7, 2005
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Kansas
You don't have to buy it all in a year, I am sure many do but I have been buying tools new and used for over thirty years, a little here and a little there. Generally I buy nothing more than I actually have cash for at the time cause I do not like debt.

While many different brands, and types of tools are discussed here routinely not all of them are must haves on an immediate basis and many of these tools are luxuries one buys only after a good basic set has been established. To my mind many brands of quality tools will do the job just fine for a home wrencher. Do not buy into the rhetoric of only Snap-on will get the job done cause it simply is not so! Establish a want list with a logical order for acquiring the tools on the list and as others indicated do not rule out used tools based on the bling factor.
 
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tite681

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May 4, 2008
Messages
39
Location
The Golden State
I believe I have everything I need for now except a tool chest. It kinda ***** having your tools spread out in 3 seperate portable toolboxes, but I'm still calculating how much storage I really need.
 

jay50

Banned
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
3,894
First post here at this cool site. As my title states, I decided to work on my car. So, in order for me to work on my car, I have to buy tools. Now I can't seem to stop. It started off with a 190 piece Craftsman set. I started to see more tools that I needed and tools I didn't like in the set. Then the floodgates opened. After reading a few posts, I realize that I am not alone.
I've been reading through a lot of the posts here and it's good stuff from experienced knowledgeable people. At least I know I'll be spend my money wisely.


You are indeed a sick person and have come to the wrong place with your addiction to tools...:lol_hitti

Will recommend Craftman tools when they are on sell. They get the job done and can find some good deals on sale and with the Cman club.

Just don't try to buy it all at once...:bounce:
 

Mike83

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Jan 24, 2008
Messages
2,156
Location
Wisconsin
Whatever you calculate as your current tool storage requirement, multiply by 10 and you might be covered for a couple years! I outgrew my small tool boxes very quickly!

Also, buy as good as you can afford at the time. I always end up buying up again anyway so I try to go as high quality as I can.

Never underestimate the convenience of the Sears warranty. It can be much easier to deal with than chasing down the Snappy Man or mailing to SK...
 

Uncle Buck

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Whatever you calculate as your current tool storage requirement, multiply by 10 and you might be covered for a couple years! I outgrew my small tool boxes very quickly!

Also, buy as good as you can afford at the time. I always end up buying up again anyway so I try to go as high quality as I can.

Never underestimate the convenience of the Sears warranty. It can be much easier to deal with than chasing down the Snappy Man or mailing to SK...

My experience as well, not that I have needed it much though.
 

billymade

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Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Messages
7,461
Location
New Mexico
Unfortunately, there is no 10 step program here; we are all addicts but we can help you work with your addiction to acquire more good tools and hopefully which is quality and what junk to avoid! Your among friends and fellow tool addicts! Welcome!:bounce:
 

64merc

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Jan 24, 2008
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2,816
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Texas
Welcome!!

Oh, and be prepared for your tool expenditures to at least triple in the coming months!!!
 
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tite681

Active member
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May 4, 2008
Messages
39
Location
The Golden State
I personally like Sears. They're not too far, there when I need them, and have GearWrench sales pretty often. I like GearWrench products.

As for tool storage, I'm considering going with a Craftsman 26" Cabinet and Chest. It's in my price range and fits where I need it. But which one? The Ball Bearing and the Easy Glide feel the same to me. For the same amount of money, I can get more tool real estate with the Easy Glide. Other than the drawer mechanism, are they pretty much the same? Thanks in advance.
 
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kf4zht

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Mar 20, 2008
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Location
Calhoun, GA
One thing I have found is don't buy tools retail unless you need them for a project. Instead set aside some money and make it habit to hit up pawn shops, flea markets, garage sales, ebay, craigslist and others. Alot of times you can end up with a heck of a deal on some good quality tools and pay half of what you would for chinese ****.

Also buy an OA torch, if you are working on older or slightly rusty cars it is worth its weight in gold.
 

malibu101

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Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
3,908
Location
Walnutport PA
Also buy an OA torch, if you are working on older or slightly rusty cars it is worth its weight in gold.
And an air compressor with a good impact wrench and a cutoff wheel tool.

If heating and impacting don't work, just cut it off. :thumbup:
 

T56 Impala

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Dec 8, 2007
Messages
3,650
Location
Roswell GA
You really need to shop around for a box. They are all a matter of taste from what I have gathered here. You can go:

Super High End: Snap On, Beta. Never even buy again. It will last you a lifetime. They sell big ones, and small ones and they all have add on sections. You will keep it for ever. The cost is astronomical. Even more so for a weekend warrior!

High end: Mac and top end Craftsman. I'm sure there are others. These will last you forever. Not as flashy or as accepted by some folks in here, but still some of the best. They are far from cheap but are as good as the Snap on IMO.

Weekend warrior style: Middle range Craftsman, CSPS, Stuff from Grizzly, Northern, and various others. They seem to be pretty good but you should know what to look for. Ball bearing full extension slides, good drawers, good casters...... read a few threads and you will find out all you need to know.

Cheap stuff: Some is better than others. Craftsman, HF, Grizzly lower line stuff and others. Costco and Sam's club sell some decent ones every once and a while. I have a very solid box from Costco. I have never seen another like it. I got it cheap too.

Keep a look out for sales. Buy the best you can afford. I would suggest you stay away from the cheap Craftsman stuff. If that's all you can afford, get the HF boxes. They are much better and bigger for the money. Grizzly has sales on their stuff all the time too. If you can stand the green colour, they are not bad. If you must insist on staying USA only, well, start saving! Snap On/Mac boxes ain't cheap but as I said, they will last forever. You can find deals on them on CL and eBay too.

Things you should look for: (I'm sure others will add to this)

Double walled sides.
Strong drawers. (Try to twist them)
Smooth action on the slides.
Easy locking drawers.
A good lock on the entire thing.
Easy to roll casters with locks.
Well mounted handles. (Grab them and pull, if the side distorts any it will never work when full of tools.)
A size that fits where you want it to fit yet is bigger than what you think you need.
Cost. As I said, deals can be found if you are willing to wait.

Lastly, no matter what you buy, don't let *some* of the people on here tell you that you bought a crappy box. If you like the cheap friction slide Craftsman box, then buy it and be happy! If I knew then, what I know now, I doubt I would have gotten the one I did. I would have likely gotten the HF box (in yellow!) or the Grizzly of the same style. (I don't mind the green It reminds me of Aston Martin for some reason.) If I had unlimited funds....well....Beta all the way!!
 

wrenchr

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Jul 29, 2007
Messages
11,603
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Michigan
I personally like Sears. They're not too far, there when I need them, and have GearWrench sales pretty often. I like GearWrench products.

As for tool storage, I'm considering going with a Craftsman 26" Cabinet and Chest. It's in my price range and fits where I need it. But which one? The Ball Bearing and the Easy Glide feel the same to me. For the same amount of money, I can get more tool real estate with the Easy Glide. Other than the drawer mechanism, are they pretty much the same? Thanks in advance.

The difference is when it is loaded down with your tools. Ball Bearing all the way!!!
 

Slide

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Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
33
Location
Texas
Hello. I'm Mike, and I'm a toolaholic.

:D

Not sure about your neck of the woods, but regarding tool storage, there are frequently some good deals on the local craigslist here (Dallas). Especially if you are a home DIY-er, and don't mind a small scratch or two on the box. I've seen some Snap-on roll cab's go for a fraction of their original cost, just so the original purchaser can get a bigger one or pay off the mortgage on the one they have.

Now you need an air compressor... and a welder ... and .....
 

Danglerb

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Sep 6, 2007
Messages
9,736
Location
SoCal
This is a flexible hobby, how much you spend and what you get only needs to please one person, you (until the wife finds out anyway).

Any decent, even indecent box is way better than no box. I bought a Craftsman scratch and dent for $120, about 1/3 of retail, thats 27w, 18d, and 42h, and I expect it to be too small before long, but it is also a very convenient size, so I may work out a way to split my tools into several storage areas. 36w and 24d would sure be sweet, but the box would exceed the cost of my tools.
 

eschoendorff

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Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
8,991
Location
Michigan
Buy tools. Put them in here:

cardboardbox.jpg


until you finally have enough tools to justify a box.

Toolboxes don't fix cars - tools do. Especially the tool holding the tool.
 

davestlouis

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Dec 9, 2007
Messages
1,689
Location
Lake St. Louis MO
I have been thinking...with all the money I have ******* in tools and cabinets I could pay for a lot of $125/hr dealer repairs. Wouldn't be nearly as fulfilling though. I'm not much of a tech but I do enjoy fixing things. That's my deep thought for the day, thanks for coming.
 

Jiffycake

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
156
Repairing or modding my car is a hobby for me, I enjoy doing it. Also, I'm pretty sure I have less money invested into tools than the labor I would have paid for someone to do the work for me.
 

wilbilt

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Aug 17, 2006
Messages
5,602
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NorCal
Our daily drivers are up in years. The newest has 218K miles on the clock, and still getting around on the automatic transaxle I rebuilt at 141K.

I don't have the cash to pay others for things I can do myself, so I am glad I have tools, hands, a brain, and stuff like that.
 
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tite681

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May 4, 2008
Messages
39
Location
The Golden State
Repairing or modding my car is a hobby for me, I enjoy doing it. Also, I'm pretty sure I have less money invested into tools than the labor I would have paid for someone to do the work for me.

Yeah, that's pretty much my outlook. Just a few more mods and I'll feel like I made my moneys worth.
 
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Danglerb

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Sep 6, 2007
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I have been thinking...with all the money I have ******* in tools and cabinets I could pay for a lot of $125/hr dealer repairs. Wouldn't be nearly as fulfilling though. I'm not much of a tech but I do enjoy fixing things. That's my deep thought for the day, thanks for coming.

You haven't lived until you have three mechanics each charging $125/hr scratching their heads and trying to fix your car at the same time.

Me owning some tools isn't a substitute for that either, but I don't have to do that many easy jobs to pay for my tools.
 
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