tools to start with

[mcard95]

I am in auto classes in college now and would like to get my tool collection started. to be a tech, what tools should i start to get other than the wrenches, ratchets and sockets? and what brands of tools do people perfer to use besides snapon and craftsman?

 

[d.mcfarland]

I'm going to try to save you right now. Just read ... a lot. You just asked the most vague question and will get answers that will make you question everything you know.

Just for your info, if you are just starting ... buy what you can afford. Use discounts to your advantage. Your brain is your best tool.

 

[HaroRider]

Go to Harbor Freight and go *******.

 

[genevabuck]

Go to the MAC website and download their catalog. In the back the have a set building program that gives you a good idea of what you will need. Snap On has a set building program, as well. To start, I recommend:

Hammers and Dead Blow Hammers
Punch and Chisel Sets
PryBar Sets
Pliers Sets
Vice Grips (Various)
Torx and Hex Sockets
Extension Sets
Scrapers, Hooks and Picks
Wire Strippers
Flex Head Ratchets
Spark Plug Sockets
Battery Tools
Brake Tools
Snap Ring Pliers
Line Wrenches
Ratcheting screwdriver with bits
Breaker Bar
Torgue Wrench
Universal joints
Adapter set

 

[texasfiremedic]

I agree with d.mcfarland. Way to many list and everybody has an opinion about each. That discount will help you a lot. Don't go nuts on the buying.

And good luck.

 

[woodstockva]

Here is the best advice you will ever get....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMNwHiZ02ic

 

[Givl Reggin]

Go to Harbor Freight and go *******.

No. Use Harbor Freight for the stuff you can't get readily. Otherwise stick with all Snap-on - Craftsman is all China made junk nowadays.

 

[TheLS1Lover]

For ratchets, wrenches, and screwdrivers get a good brand, Snap-On, Mac, Cornwell, Wright, etc. Sockets, just get something that works, I still have a lot of Craftsman sockets but am weeding them out, I have broke under 5 of their sockets.

 

[espyking83]

SK sockets
Snap on ratchets
Proto or Wright wrenches
Wera screwdrivers (Kratform classic ~$20)
Channellock pliers (the premiere brands are much more expensive but the quality isn't much better or is worse).


Buy used, this site has a great classifieds section.

 

[espyking83]

Also, spend money on a good 1/4 or 3/8" ratchet, you will use them more often. Same with a good ratcheting screwdriver. Your first box should be a Harbor Freight or a 2nd hand nicer box, don't be that guy with a $4,000 box filled with Pittsburgh tools, it should be the other way around.

 

[TheLS1Lover]

Also, spend money on a good 1/4 or 3/8" ratchet, you will use them more often. Same with a good ratcheting screwdriver. Your first box should be a Harbor Freight or a 2nd hand nicer box, don't be that guy with a $4,000 box filled with Pittsburgh tools, it should be the other way around.

I wanted to quote this for the truth! You should heed this warning! My first box was a Harbor Freight US General and it served its purpose. Once you get to the point where you need a new get a name brand then.

 

[HaroRider]

No. Use Harbor Freight for the stuff you can't get readily. Otherwise stick with all Snap-on - Craftsman is all China made junk nowadays.

lol I was just kidding

Without knowing much about the guy and what companies he can get discounts for, and what his budget is like its hard to answer.

 

[espyking83]

Here is my first box, the cart was a hand me down from my Dad, and I bolted on a $100 side box onto it that I bought from a coworker. It worked like a dream for my first 4 months, until I started accumulating more tools, I'll just include the best deals because I have a limited amount of time. And yes, I know my shadowing looks like ***:

My newest box, bought off a friend for $500 and couldn't be more happy with it:

First wrench set, $30 Cal-hawk set. Worked perfectly fine for what you'll be doing for a while:

My current wrench set, Proto Challenger that I bought from here for $50, I'd put them up against ANY wrench out there today, albeit not as polished as some:

-Gear Wrench ratcheting wrenches, bought on sale at Advance for $15
-SK stubbys, bought on sale from ToolBarn for $50.
-Hand me down Klein adjustable wrenches
-Store brand Allen wrenches, $6
-Hand me down ignition wrenches

-SNap On wobble heads, bought on sale off the truck, $45
-Snap On 3/8" ratchet, bought on Ebay, $17
-Cornwell JR 30 3/8", bought here for $45
-Koken Zeal 1/4" ratchet, bought on sale from Global Ratuken $27
-Proto 3/8" deep well set, bought on Ebay $25
-SK 3/8" socket set, Ebay for $17
-Williams 1/2" ratchet, bought set from amazon $80

-Wera ratcheting screwdriver, bought on Amazon for $40
-Williams ratcheting screwdriver, Amazon $32
-Wera Kratform classic set, Amazon ~$20

Large Proto wrenches. They easily retail for over $100 a piece, bought all three here for $75 shipped.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

I still have like 5 1/2 empty drawers
I like it, but it has some drawbacks.
I work in the diesel field.

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[zkling]

Hi, Welcome to GJ

Before you buy much of anything I'd try to find a professor that actually cares and ask them what you will need. Maybe they even have a forecasted schedule for you based on the program. Ex. Say someone told you to get a multimeter for ~$100. But you really won't need it till Electrical class 2 years down the road. Well that $100 could have been put towards something else in the time being.

Now if this is just for personal use, well what projects are you trying to accomplish?

 

[TheLS1Lover]

I still have like 5 1/2 empty drawers
I like it, but it has some drawbacks.
I work in the diesel field.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

Excuse me, is there any way you can resize the pictures? They are quite big.

 

[espyking83]

And to answer your question, I'd say you're safe buying anything from:

SK
Bonney
Martin
Proto
Wera
Wiha
Facom
Armstrong
Mac
Matco
US Craftsman
Gearwrench (Chinese but solid quality for the money)
Williams (Taiwan or USA)
Blackhawk
Cornwell
Blue Point
Knipex
Koken
Kyoto Tool Company
KD
Indestro
Billings
Klein
Wright

You can buy all of those used and still in good quality quite easily with the exception of Koken and KTC.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

Excuse me, is there any way you can resize the pictures? They are quite big.

I don't think there is. They were taken from my phone. Hmm

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[espyking83]

I don't think there is. They were taken from my phone. Hmm

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If you use photo bucket you can edit them on the site, or even on your phone. Just found that out today, lol.

 

[Dusty61]

I am a shop foreman at a trans / engine shop, actually we are part of a recycling yard, basicly what we do is R&R's, engines, transmissions/transfer cases, and axles. we don't do oil changes, brake jobs, or anything like that (unless its an up sell) for a new tech i tell them to do this job you will need some decent tools, i recommend that my R&R guys have:

Service cart (the harbor friehgt one is pretty damn good for the money)
good quality impact gun, 1/2 and 3/8 and a good air ratchet.
set of metric sockets, shallow and deep and swivel (if you work on AG stuff or older cars add SAE to that list)
set of wrenches
set of pliers (needle nose, slip joint, cutters, crescent, vice grips, ect)
screw drivers
pry bars
extensions (in trans work a LONG extension, 30+ inch)
ratchets/breaker bars

I suggest a good set of sockets, i personally like and have the harbor freight in 1/2 drive, have yet to break one, my 3/8 are all Snap on or MAC but that is because i might use one or two of my 1/2 drive sockets 2 or 4 times a day, my 3/8 drive i use ALL day, so i bought the best ones. its been said here, don't buy a high end tool box and fill it with cheap tools, yes they will work, but i had a US General tool box for a long time and they held my snap on stuff just fine....

 

[2mJps]

If you can find some small older shops and ask what tools the guys their have. I hadnt been in a shop other than my own and some friends tell last week i was in a shop with about 15 mechanics and i was realy surpriced at what they didnt have.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

Yea, i just uploaded them via tapatalk. I re sized my picture layout on my phone. ill take some new ones tomorrow.

 

[rtole]

I have a little tidbit. If I could have started over again......buy all impact sockets first. That is all I use. Unless I need a sae 3/8 drive. I have 1/4, 3/8,1/2 sockets in short, deep and short swivels, metric and sae. (except 3/8 for the moment) I dont touch my chrome hardly EVER. I also have impact torx, and hex heads in metric and sae. All three drive sizes. All grey peumatic. I could never have afforded all that in a truck brand. I have a couple heavy use sizes that I bought snap on replacements when the cheaper stuff isnt up to the task. It has helped me stay cheaper and not have to borrow. I have up to 36mm, so I have a good selection. I will be working on 3/4 stuff next. If your going to do this for a living, you will need impact sockets. I would by them first. Or at least get 1/2 in impact sockets. I have never used my chrome 1/2 set. Impact sockets are less likely to break.

 

[rtole]

I started with the big craftsman set, as I wanted better, I bought and passed the cheaper stuff to family and freinds in need. Find a ratchet that you like.....many acceptable options for less than snap on prices. I am pleased with the gearwrench 120 series. I have a set I have been using, they wont replace my dual 80s ever, but they are nice.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

I resized them I hope you are able to view them



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[FOCUS.FREAK]

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[brit road garage]

i was in your position about a year ago, pick up yourself a tool cart from HF, a good set of metric/sae wrenches, good quality 1/4,3/8/1/2 ratchets make sure the 3/8 is good quality you'l be using it the most. good set of pliers, breaker bar, impact wrench (if you need it), screwdriver set good quality. and a quality socket set. you can start making some money with that. and what ever you do don't blow your budget on a big named tool boxes you make money off your tools not your box

 

[Unmarked Bill]

This is all you need, really, but we can keep it at my place for now:

http://buy.snapon.com/catalog/parts/pro.asp?group_ID=676788

 

[Dave455]

You can do good work, and I have, with 'mid range' tools!

By 'mid range' I mean tools that are a notch above the poor quality Chinese and little better Taiwnese, but are still not Snap On money!

For me, that was lesser known British and European brands. For you that will probably be tools from firms like SK and Wright! Now, you can't get everything from them, so you get some wrenches and socket wrenches, then see if you can get a coupla hammers, and maybe a pry bar from Epsteins, some screwdrivers from the local hardware store, and before you know it you have a good quality set of tools, mostly made in the USA, and at a fraction of the cost it might have been!

If you get a good discount, by all means get a few Snap On bits, or whatever, but just get the tools you use the most, not the whole box load!

At all costs, avoid buying imported and rebranded tools off the tool trucks! If you really want imported tools there are many cheaper ways to obtain them, and better tools to buy!