Socket set recommendations and kit question

[roldar]

Hey,

So I wrote up a big long post asking for advice on tool sets how many of what type and this and that. Then I noticed it was WAY too long, and I do apologize for the length of this one in advance. So I'll just hit on socket sets cause that's probably going to be my biggest expense.

I'm going to Haiti (in about a week, just found out yesterday) to work on and train others to work on gensets and do some construction work. I've lived in west Africa for a while and I know that the tools available are going to be junk (or assume so). So I need a set to take with me.

So I need a good but not too expensive set of sockets 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive. I know the 1/4 won't get a lot of heavy use so I can skip on them as long as I can cover them with 3/8 drive stuff. And I have bad luck with 12 point, I'm quite good at finding machines that have nuts that are almost rounded off and then really messing them up trying to use a 12 point socket.

But I've not worked on a lot of gensets over 25kVA, and I'm not a polished Diesel mechanic. I'm mostly going to be responsible for PM on the gear and the fleet mechanic will do the big work, but I'll still need something to use. So what will I need more of 3/8 or 1/2 drive sockets?

I want good tools but I also don't want to spend a lot of money. I left a brand new Craftsman set in Guinea when I bugged out and wouldn't want to spend more than $200 on a whole set of sockets. And stolen is a lot more likely than political turmoil bug out.

I went to Sears today and looked at this one:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00936260000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

And this is the one that got left behind:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00933182000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

They have a lot of extra 'junk' in them I don't need, duplicate size 6 & 12 point sockets, crappy pliers, nut drivers and bits. But they are about the best deal I've found as far as the money vs quality goes.

I'm looking for a Knipex Pliers Wrench anyone know of a retailer around TN so I can get it second day'ed and not pay too much in freight? Amazon's got them for about $50 with 2 day shipping.

Anyone have any tools I must have in my kit aside from:
screwdriver set (probably get a Pratt & Read set from Northern Tool)
Pliers set (not sure on brand but will get good and cheap, Channel lock if all else fails)
Kinpex pliers wrench (not sure I need it but looks really useful)
Wrenches (got a set of Gearwrenches today at Sears, do I need regular or stubby wrenches)?
Multi-meter (just a basic digital job nothing special)
Oil filter / strap wrench
1/4" drive for the torx, hex, allen, S-1, etc. bits I have just in case they put more specialty fasteners on there.
Hex tools (nothing special, will grind off the ball ends when I get there)
Magnetic pick up tool
tie downs, bungees, and velcro straps
Pickle fork (only have large, broke the small one)
Vise Grips (have a really big one, medium, two small, and a medium needle nose)
Leatherman ALX (daily belt carry)
Flat and half round ******* file w. handle
dull cheap knife (scraping gaskets, prying, will get locally and knock the edge off)
plastic bolt/nut/thread gage (got it at the Lowes)
steel rule (90 degree, compass, and circle center finder if I can find them cheap enough in time)
tape measure (have a 25' might get a 100m tape if the project needs it)
center punch
calculator (nothing fancy but scientific)
EZ Outs and drill bits (broken bolt extractor)

Any other ideas?


I've got a 2kg straight peen hammer I'd like to take but I think I can get a 2kg hammer there, maybe not straight peen but you never know.

Drifts, chisels, and punches? Should I take or make? I think make on site.

 

[astrodoggie3000]

I can tell you that the Knipex plier wrench will be one of the most used tools in your kit. Amazon is about the cheapest iv'e seen them... buy it!

 

[JayL]

These are the oil filter wrenches I use for work in the garage. Worked well for me.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SR4Q8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SR4PY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[astrodoggie3000]

I would ditch all but the long nose vise grips and get you some Knipex 10" alligator pliers and a pair of diagonal cutters. The plier wrench will work just as well as any of those vise grips will, and save you some weight. You might consider a small pry bar too.

 

[crewchief888]

heres my $0.02

3/8 dr 6pt std & metric, deep std, long flex ratchets, assorted ext
1/4 dr set std/metric deep and shallow std, flex ratchet, screwdiver handle, assorted ext
1/2 dr shallow std or metric (depending on your application) std, long ratchets, assorted ext.
drive adapters
side cutters, wire strippers, crimpers.
assorted screwdrivers,
hex and torx bits
wrenches (sized to your application)
test light
DVM, (autoranging) extra leads/alligator clips
paperclips (for backprobing elec connectors)
jumper leads
needle nose & std vise grips
12" pipe wrench
large pair of channellocks
filter wrenches, or pliers.
hammer
prybar

hopefuully if you're training, your "trainees" may have some tools

 

[KEH]

For gasket scraping i reccommend a cheap wood chisel or 2, maybe 1/2 and 3/4 inch wide.

If you really are concerned about theft I'd get a harbot freight set, but the people you are going to work with may not know the difference, so really you don't have a reasonable alternative to Craftsman--or Kobalt.

No experience with what you are going to work on, but from experience I find that sometimes it's nice to have some 12 point as well as 6 point. The 1/4 drive stuff should be 6 point IMO.

Regarding the nice Cman set you had to leave behind, I hope one of 2 things happened:
1. You knew a deserving person to give it to.
Or
2. You pitched it where none of the slimy creeps could get it.

Congratulations on getting out safely.

KEH

 

[roldar]

Thanks for all the help. I'm reworking my buy list and I'll post a final list with pictures before I ship out.

I'm ordering the Knipex and filter wrenches now.

I've been told that Stanley tools are available in country but I'm not going to hold out and get a set of tools just to make sure I got something that doesn't fall apart on the job.

I did give that set of Craftsman tools to a buddy of mine along with most of the contents of my place.