Upgrading Mechanic

[Sco Deac]

If you live somewhere that doesn't see a lot of tool trucks there is a good chance you are in a rural enough area to have decent AG dealers. The Case IH tools are good (many rebranded Williams/Snap On). Same with the CAT and New Holland lines.

 

[cherrybomb]

If I were you,I would seriously consider the Proto brand,they are much cheaper than snappy.Many company's maintenance shops they are the go to tool.Government uses a lot also.A broken tool is a real let down.Price is not the only factor in a tool purchase.

 

[buffalobill]

I am sure it didn't occur to him to use an impact socket instead of a thinwall chrome socket. My point was I don't notice the tools wearing out. We have some that been used a lot. I spose we could mic them but they seem to work as well as they always did.
I did add a new 3/4 deep impact a while back as I was 1 short anyway and it does seem a pinch tighter than the old ones but it isn't much and in all fairness the old have been well hammered doing wheel work and buildings. I don't exactly recall now, we may have broke one but I remember buying a new one from Lowes.
As I mention wrenches will stretch against impacts if you hit them enough. I found a couple 9/16 loose and tossed them out and it took me a minute to realize they were ones we loosened hundreds of bolts in clamps with. We ran them off over some rusty threads, held the wrench with a heavy glove on and rattled them.
I got a few we really brutalized and they are still super, a small Olympia I still carry in my road set comes to mind. 3/8 and I have hit it with a 20oz nail hammer repeatedly on brake bleeders. TSC carried them and they are tuff little buggers.

I like quality stuff as much as the next, but cheap **** that gets the job done, again and again,
hold a special place in my heart, lol..I remember an ace brand 3/8 ratchet that took hours of deadblow hammer beatings but worked like a champ. I miss the old ace brand tools, tough stuff for a good price..

 

[sberry]

I am all for quality stuff and I have it too. I have a Bud has a Massaratti, yes its nice. I like Caddilacs too but one of the most impressive and comfortable cars I have ever owned is a little 97 Caravan, the short version. Everyone that ever drives it comes back and says something, usually what a comfy nice driving little car it is.
When I was younger choices were different and I was more pretentious, there were people ahead of the curve with some of this and I wasn't an early adopter. A lot of it just found its way in and after a while we couldn't ignore the fact that it just worked and way better than we expected.
I lot of people got ruined by some real early import things, an India adjustable where I could ruin the jaw on a 12 inch oir strip a combo but now that stuff has mostly passed as good cheap became competitive with just cheap junk. Not much difference in cost and so the real garbage pretty much went by the wayside. You probably can still find some if you look hard enough but the vendors also went shopping and found a socket set decent from China for less than a dollar difference and when the cost is so close why bother trying to save the last cent.
You can buy tools cheaper than HF but they are not an good and why bother. When one is 30 and one is 3 there is some incentive but when scrap is 3 and decent is 4 or 5 it changes the equation.

 

[turfgnome]

Guys you do know that if this guy lived where he had no options for good tools he would not have a harbor freight either....

 

[buffalobill]

If I lived for the out in the sticks, I'd buy sk, proto, or Wright for everything I own, then buy backups of common use tools in frequently used sizes, then baby them anyway.

 

[buffalobill]

There has to be something besides ebay and amazon, I'm only 2 miles from my local ace, and it's a good one, knowledgeable staff, little bit of everything, and they will order stuff they don't have. Even if it's an hour drivd, there has to be an auto parts store, home Depot or lowes, or a tractor dealer.

 

[cherrybomb]

On threads on this site,some how guys start to tell how they beat and abuse their tools,"hitting their ace ratchet with a deadblow"Its no wonder tools don't stand up.I understand its yours to do whatever,but there comes a time when a tool can't keep up.Then they slam that mfg.I do a PB or equivalent,then breaking bar,then socket or combo,rarely a problem.Sorry to vent,on abuse.

 

[CR888]

Sometime s you don't have access to all your tools and need to do something, but you have a trusty Taiwan ratchet in your truck with you.....yes they get 'abused', but that's kinda why you brought it in the first place. I think we live in a time where 'cheap' hand tools are tougher than ever.

 

[Zewnten]

Thanks for the help guys. Sorry I let the thread drag but life. I had really leaned towards Carlyle but dealing with my local NAPA put me off, warranty is a problem with them when a brand new wrench arrives with a huge piece of chrome missing. I went and bought the Harbor Freight 300 is piece mechanic set, for the sockets, and I am planning on buying the gear wrench lon panel wrench set. Thanks again, I learned a lot

 

[redvalkyrie]

I'll echo everyone's opinions. All good advice. I have a tool from at least every manufacturer and Wright and Armstrong have always impressed me.

That said, and I might catch hell for this, but Toptul from Dennis on EBay would be my choice. I started buying Toptul in the early 2000s when they were trying to make a push into the US. I stil haven't had one break. Their wrenches, ratchets, and sockets are tough to beat. Thanks to Dennis, the tools are easy to get, inexpensive, and delivery is super quick. Tekton is nice and the customer service is great but they do lack long pattern wrenches.