shoggoth80
Well-known member
So, I like to BS about tools, pretty much as well as anything else. The difference is that I used to work on motor vehicles (old VWs and Japanese bikes mostly) as a hobby thing. I also learned to repair my own stuff because it was a hell of a lot cheaper than taking it to a shop. I am 34 now. I've been mostly doing stuff since I was 17. I started taking an interest at about 14. Dunno if I ever did a true introduction thread or not. Lol.
I have little formal mechanical training. I went to tech school for 2 quarters, and dropped out in my 3rd (I needed to make money, not go broke in a classroom a second time around). I hold a Bachelor's Degree in business management. I work as a fleet mechanic making more than anyone would pay me as an entry level manager. I like this turn. It makes me do the hobbyist thing less though. Still, the worst day wrenching isn't really that bad.
I see a lot of posts on here with folks newer to the trade. That's funny because I have maybe 3 years as a paid mechanic myself. I read a lot of replies that mean well. I think they really do. "Try and get truck brands" "Avoid HF and Cman and stuff, they're not suited to professional use." etc. In my time, I have used a fair bit of a number of brands. A fastener doesn't give a rip about what name tool is turning it. The only person who cares what tools you use should be you. The only thing that matters is getting the job done, making a buck, and not breaking yourself in the process (figuratively or literally). Though it is always good to solicit the opinions of those who do this stuff for a living. We do seem to have differing opinions. This is expected to some degree.
Am I opposed to truck brands? Absolutely not. Are they the end all be all? Same answer. I still have tools that I got as gifts back when I was 17. They've helped me do all sorts of stuff (clutch rebuilds, trans pulls, alternators, brakes... blah blah)... and those were CHEAP tools in hindsight (they still work). Lol. I've also busted up Cman sockets doing head gaskets, the lug nuts on wheels/tires. I've shattered SK ratcheting wrenches on exhaust bolts. Blew the guts out of a well liked Gearwrench rotohead, warrantied it, and beat the **** out of it on a daily basis. Hell, just tonight I had an IR 3/4" impact gun piss the bed. I thoroughly value my Snappy ratchets, but I also really like my home socket collection, which is largely ok made Asian stuff. I managed to get a decent collection of combo wrenches thanks to a friend (bought used from him. Armstrongs). Also managed to get a set of Matco ratcheting stubbies before I lost my tech-ed discount. Always buy good wrenches. Your knuckles will thank you. Get good ratchets.
I also just blanket guess that anyone posting random questions about tools is doing so from a automotive/diesel service industry standpoint. This may be a personal flaw. Get what you can, with what you have. As someone who carries student loan debt that is not being utilized... don't go into debt for a trade. Buy limited things on credit. Buy as much as you can outright. More over... buy what you can afford and make money with. The rest will come. Get what you can to get up and running and making a living. I've seen a number of really nice Snappy and Matco boxes stocked with Pittsburgh and Gearwrench. Once again, no one cares what tools you used to get the job done but you. I've seen cheap boxes with nice tools. I've also seen nice brand boxes stocked with nice brand tools. These belonged to old techs, not tech school grads. Not lube techs. Old school dirty wrenches who had been at it for the last 30+ years. Also, pay attention to those guys. They know what's up.
Not sure where that was all going. Retrospection has value on occasion I guess. So, hi. What's you guys' stories?
I have little formal mechanical training. I went to tech school for 2 quarters, and dropped out in my 3rd (I needed to make money, not go broke in a classroom a second time around). I hold a Bachelor's Degree in business management. I work as a fleet mechanic making more than anyone would pay me as an entry level manager. I like this turn. It makes me do the hobbyist thing less though. Still, the worst day wrenching isn't really that bad.
I see a lot of posts on here with folks newer to the trade. That's funny because I have maybe 3 years as a paid mechanic myself. I read a lot of replies that mean well. I think they really do. "Try and get truck brands" "Avoid HF and Cman and stuff, they're not suited to professional use." etc. In my time, I have used a fair bit of a number of brands. A fastener doesn't give a rip about what name tool is turning it. The only person who cares what tools you use should be you. The only thing that matters is getting the job done, making a buck, and not breaking yourself in the process (figuratively or literally). Though it is always good to solicit the opinions of those who do this stuff for a living. We do seem to have differing opinions. This is expected to some degree.
Am I opposed to truck brands? Absolutely not. Are they the end all be all? Same answer. I still have tools that I got as gifts back when I was 17. They've helped me do all sorts of stuff (clutch rebuilds, trans pulls, alternators, brakes... blah blah)... and those were CHEAP tools in hindsight (they still work). Lol. I've also busted up Cman sockets doing head gaskets, the lug nuts on wheels/tires. I've shattered SK ratcheting wrenches on exhaust bolts. Blew the guts out of a well liked Gearwrench rotohead, warrantied it, and beat the **** out of it on a daily basis. Hell, just tonight I had an IR 3/4" impact gun piss the bed. I thoroughly value my Snappy ratchets, but I also really like my home socket collection, which is largely ok made Asian stuff. I managed to get a decent collection of combo wrenches thanks to a friend (bought used from him. Armstrongs). Also managed to get a set of Matco ratcheting stubbies before I lost my tech-ed discount. Always buy good wrenches. Your knuckles will thank you. Get good ratchets.
I also just blanket guess that anyone posting random questions about tools is doing so from a automotive/diesel service industry standpoint. This may be a personal flaw. Get what you can, with what you have. As someone who carries student loan debt that is not being utilized... don't go into debt for a trade. Buy limited things on credit. Buy as much as you can outright. More over... buy what you can afford and make money with. The rest will come. Get what you can to get up and running and making a living. I've seen a number of really nice Snappy and Matco boxes stocked with Pittsburgh and Gearwrench. Once again, no one cares what tools you used to get the job done but you. I've seen cheap boxes with nice tools. I've also seen nice brand boxes stocked with nice brand tools. These belonged to old techs, not tech school grads. Not lube techs. Old school dirty wrenches who had been at it for the last 30+ years. Also, pay attention to those guys. They know what's up.
Not sure where that was all going. Retrospection has value on occasion I guess. So, hi. What's you guys' stories?
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