Tool Purchasing Preferences

[Bigblue&Goldie]

We are all tired of arguing ad nauseam about HF vs. Truck Tools and Made in USA vs. Imports! I figure instead of the constant preference threads that pop up that turn into the same old ******* match, I would start a poll where you can state your preferences for us all to see. I tried to cover all basis, but I'm human so I'm sure I missed some options!

 

[ChevyEFI]

I vote a thread with a poll > a thread with a forgotten-to-add poll.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I vote a thread with a poll > a thread with a forgotten-to-add poll.

The way the poll function works, you post the thread and are then directed towards a poll creation page.

 

[Finky198]

I own plenty of harbor freight stuff screwdriver bit set, step drills, torx and hex bits, double flex ratchet, infrared thermometer, torque wrenches, pro impact sockets

They have there place I use mostly snap on, craftsman, Klein, knipex

Harbor freight pro impacts are probably the best deal around

For 10 bucks I have had mixed result with there torque wrenches. Some are very accurate others not just have to find a good one. My 3/8" one is within .5lbs across the board my 1/2" was out almost 3lbs brought it back got another one it was within 1lbs across the board

For 10 buck if your Have a good one are careful and test them regularly they work fine. I would like a snap on and or digital but I just can't justify them for the price I wouldn't use it enough

 

[Farmall450]

I don't know why, this just doesn't seem to cover all the bases. But I guess it would have to have a 1000 questions to cover everything.

 

[Farmall450]

Set up a poll to determine what goes in the poll.

Is that what this is?

 

[Ruger_556]

This is surprising... 2% like HF tools and yet every other post on here is how awesome they are

 

[carterbeauford]

I believe in buying the best tool in a specific category regardless of COO or name.

wrenches, sockets, ratchets: Snap-On, Gearwrench, Craftsman Industrial
pliers: Knipex, Channellock
screwdrivers: Snap-On
power tools: Milwaukee
air tools: IR
woodworking: Veritas

this stuff comes from all over the world and has served me well. sentimental to work on USA made tractors with USA made tools but it's all in my head.

 

[Farmall450]

This is surprising... 2% like HF tools and yet every other post on here is how awesome they are

Most of us are the over 50% who only buy the good stuff, AKA "very selective"

 

[AV tinker er]

I don't turn wrenches for a living anymore but I do still repair mine, my friends, coworkers, and people from church's cars on the weekend. I use the little money I charge to fund my tool habit. That said I have relaxed a little on something's.
I'll use the example of my 6" HF palm orbital buffer I bought to wax the cars 2 a year. Has worked flawlessly (can't say that for the pads though), so I can't justify buying a higher end one. Many here, myself included, have used the Pitt Pro impacts w/o problems. The earthquake impacts are a good buy. I love industrial brands, as they, to me, seem a better buy than truck brands now. Don't get me wrong I love the feel of a F80 or SO wrench in my hand. If I still paid the bills turning a wrench I wouldn't slack in some areas; I just can't justify anymore.

 

[zkling]

Used USA for me.I try my best to avoid HF but they do have some very good value items. I honestly am not sure if I have spent $20 total at that store :

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Polls are not intended to be ironclad; but are general in nature..

No single checkbox would work for me, so I checked the four that were the closest accumulation... dang if the four I checked are the top four so far....

 

[firebox40dash5]

I'll buy HF stuff here and there. If it's made decent, I don't plan on using it much, and the price is right, sure. I don't own any of their sockets, wrenches, etc. I'm matching-tool OCD, and they just don't have the breadth of product I want, so I don't buy any of it. Not to mention I can't count on buying a single if I lose one.

If I can swing the money, I'm pretty ambivalent between SO/Matco or industrial, usually Armstrong. I don't have much Armstrong, again with the OCD and breadth... plus half the time since Armstrong isn't as "mainstream" I can get Matco for not much more. Outside of that, I like Gearwrench. I like USA tools, but GW has proven to be a really good value for me. Pliers are Channellock, rebranded Matco Channellock if needed, and Snap On. Snap On gets the nod for dead blows, and Wilton for regular hammers.

Yeah, I'm kinda a Danaher/Apex *****.

 

[The Ratchet Man]

I went to the HF parking lot sale yesterday to look at that welding cart in the other thread, which I'll be getting in a little while. Then went to Sears and bought a a couple of open stock Cman Pro wrenches. Then got home and there was new Snap-On in the mail box. I had a bunch of boxes to check in the poll.

 

[muddinguy]

95% truck brands just for convenience of them coming to me. I buy my rubber gloves for work and a lot of home tools from cman and hf

 

[CJM8515]

I dont mind HF stuff, but you gotta be choosy as some of it is absolute garbage and other stuff is well worth it. Example: My HF comp tester is spot on vs my matco set and was cheap as dirt vs the matco. But Im very selective on the items I buy from HF and check religiously online to make sure it snot junk. IE the 5" buffer that uses the 6" pads is a good deal but the pads are so so since they are to big-but at cost it doesnt matter to me.

I also own tool truck stuff, stanley/husky and some others. I always buy the best tool I can afford for the money. I used to have an entire tool truck stocked box, sold most of it and found I could use an abuse the other big box store brands and such just as good and very few things broke so Ive been happy. If I was a in shop all day and wanted to spend big money I would-but Im not anymore. I will admit the tool trucks do have some handy specialty stuff tho.

 

[ibedayank]

it is a mixture of cost, quality, amount of use, and availability and where it is made. If I have the CASH on hand when I need the tool I will always choose made in the USA and best quality I can get. The more use I see the tool getting the more I am willing to pay to get better quality.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Although my poll isn't perfect (was limited to 10 options), it's interesting to see the makeup of the board.