What Am I missing?

[Vortaku]

For starting out roughly a year ago, I have been slowly gathering tools up. It is a bit awkward as I do not have a box, yay for second floor apartment life. So I was wondering where to go from here. I will list out what I have so far and try to link or describe accordingly.

Buddy Blaster 52 - Trusty Cook US made deadblow hammer
Buddy Blaster 64 - Trusty Cook US made deadblow hammer
Ratcheting Wrenches - Gearwrench Taiwan made
Socket/Ratchet set- Kobalt
Mini Bolt Cutters - Knipex 71 01 200
SP11SET- Matco 11 piece plier set with bag(china made)6" diagonal cutting 6.5" duck bill, long nose, and long nose bent. 11" hose grip 3/4,1/2, and 5/16. 11" long nose bent 90,45. 11" long nose and duck bill.
Ratcheting Screwdriver - Snap-On
screwdriver set 1 - Felo Soft Handle
screwdriver set 2 - Wera Kraftform Classic (ty to cnttxmdc for these from gjss 15)
Pass Through Socket Set - Kobalt Extreme Access (it is out on the truck not sure if its the 1/4 or 3/8 but it is super handy! again ty to cnttxmdc for these from gjss 15 )
Bits Bin - Plano 1363 (ty to cnttxmdc for these from gjss 15)

Where should I go from here? I feel like I have a fairly decent set of tools, especially for only being a year and a student with no taxable income. Some of it was gifts, some was bought by me.

Where am I lacking? Obviously storage, but aside from that? I need a regular few sets of pliers such as Davefr suggestions here. I got more of a specialty set from matco then the basics LOL

Don't buy a set. Buy these 3 and you can do 99%.
Snap On 196 NCF
Knipex Cobra
Klein Dikes

Power tools are something I will just **** it up and by when I actually have a garage to be using them in and the like. I will just grab the best I can afford.

Looking forward to reading this thread. I know that everyone has different needs, but I am looking towards working on motorcycles and cars newer and older in my garage, when I get there.

 

[Richard Cranium]

What about breaker bars, Pry bars, tap and die set, thread chasers. and the list goes on.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Battery tools, brake tools.

 

[kctyphoon]

I'd get at least one sort of impact.. They make life so much easier..

You also don't need to go crazy with top shelf pliers. Channellock will serve you just fine.. Despite what many people might say, quantity over quality IS better (a lot better) when you have nothing.. For $100 or $200 you can get yourself a respectable set with variety of channellock pliers.

I belive I got all these for around $200, give or take -

Cheapest place is eBay - and you can pick and choose from models you won't find in some stores.

2nd drawer- all Dewalt ratcheting and combo wrenches, HF extending ratchets, green roto heads I replaced with crescent roto heads. I have 2 pair or ring nose pliers in there now as well and some straight and wobble extensions. Front and back of the drawer has the HF strip magnets that keep all those wrenches on the right organized and in place. They are all magnetically stuck to each other, but any one will pull out and not disturb the bunch. It's the most compact wrench storage I could come up with.

I made a shelf the holds my gearwrench 3/8 and 1/4 sockets sets that have the 84 tooth ratchets, and a 120xp. Top compartment holds impact sockets, long reach crescent double X pliers, and some other stuff like Dewalt folding Allen wrenches, folding torx set, drill bits, universal joints..

I bought a sunex folding shelf to put on one side of the cart, and a sunex locking screwdriver and prybar holder that keeps that stuff and breaker bars. Bottom shelf has some hammers, worklight, gloves, flashlight, and there's a bunch of other little things here and there. It's a lot of storage in a small footprint for a 2 drawer husky tool cart. One day it might actually make it out of my house, and stored outside in one of those small Rubbermaid shelter things (like you'd keep garbage cans in) in my Driveway against my house.. It's been in my dining room for months now..

 

[Vortaku]

What about breaker bars, Pry bars, tap and die set, thread chasers. and the list goes on.
Battery tools, brake tools.

I guess bars wouldnt be a bad idea.

I'd get at least one sort of impact.. They make life so much easier..

I want a battery impact so bad. But for the time being my truck is new and has dealer service free. When that goes away bet your bottom dollar I will be getting me an impact. Battery if I am not into a garage yet, if I am then I get to buy a compressor too!

 

[R.Anderson]

Second floor apartment living, I am thinking you are asking the wrong forum for a list of tools. The answer you will get here will require you to get a garage.


How about a tool chest with room to grow for your small arsenal Anyone starting off a tool set starts by buying what they need. After that buy for what you plan on doing.

 

[Vortaku]

Second floor apartment living, I am thinking you are asking the wrong forum for a list of tools. The answer you will get here will require you to get a garage.


How about a tool chest with room to grow for your small arsenal Anyone starting off a tool set starts by buying what they need. After that buy for what you plan on doing.

I want a garage so bad, not in the cards yet. Soon I think!

I have been debating on it. But not sure where to even start looking for a chest. I dont have alot, but it seems like it could fill up most the small 3 drawers I have seen. So then it is kinda like, where do I go now LOL

 

[kctyphoon]

You can make yourself something like this for now, and store it in a closet.. It's a Stanley rolling container, that I hung parts of a husky 5 gallon bucket organizer inside of. It'll hold and organize a lot of stuff.. This is what I using before I got that cart, and gave me a reason to upgraded some of my cheaper tools when I did. The vertical organizers are a lot better then just dumping tools into a container.. The bottom is lined with several wrench rolls that have a few different wrench sets rolled up to keep them organized and compact. You can grab the whole roll and take it under a car with you instead of just a handfull of wrenches.

Two more tool suggestions - a LIGHTED extendable mirror with articulating head, and a strong magnetic pick up tool with extending handle.. Very inexpensive, but very valuable.

 

[M6erfan]

I've been in your shoes with the whole apartment thing. Your fine and seem to have most of the basics covered.

A couple of tools I'd recomend are a good 3/8" torque wrench and a hand impact driver (really saves your regular screwdrivers and is invaluable with stuck fasteners).

Buy tools as the need arises, try to keep it simple.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I would add depending on what you use them for a small set of cold chisels/center punches/pin punches/taper punches
Atleast one file
Thread gauges metric and standard
And I have no clue what you're buying for but that would help the list immensely.
Vice grips
I can just name off what I have. Taps and dies learn on harbor freight ones trust me, the punches and cold chisels, Allen wrenches Allen wrench sockets I like double box end wrenches over ratcheting ones for some stuff, brass drift I think it's called, brass hammer a couple c clamps multimeter soldering iron wire strippers caliper, tape measure and I have some more stuff but that's all that I can type at the moment


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[2oolhound]

A 26" x 18" roller cabinet should fit in an apartment, store all your tools with room to grow and with a plywood top be used as a work bench. Lots of guys mount vises on them. It will be easy to move around too, even outside since you have elevators.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Ball peen hammer. Shop scissors / tin snips. Tape measure. 1/4" hex bit screwdriver assortment.

 

[WWheeler]

Since you have a base set of tools started I would try to figure out what type of projects / repairs I was going to be attempting in the very near future and then search youtube for similar.

As you watch the videos, and quite often one video will lead to another and another, make a note of every tool needed for said projects / repairs that you don't already have and move those items up to the top of your list of things to start shopping for.

That would be a lot more practical than just buying tools willy-nilly based only on what others suggest.

 

[shockwave]

Need

Impact screwdriver set
Knipex cobra
Hex,torx and xzn sockets
Set of extra long wrenchs like mountain or ezred or gearwrench 120xp
Socket adapter set
Multi meter or power probe and a test light
A good set of crimpers snap on or otc makes very good ones

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Maybe a couple of 1000v electricians screwdrivers. If we knew what you plan on doing that would help. Because caterpillar mechanic buys different tools than a lawn mower repair man who has different and less tools than someone who works on cars.
You're gonna want a ball peen hammer like was suggested, brass hammer, claw hammer, hacksaw, linemans pliers, I don't know if you have socket extensions. If you plan on working on cars how much work do you plan on doing? Moderate repairs? If you plan on doing more than say replacing intakes or water pump stuff such as replacing timing chain, struts, and some suspension components you'll want 1/2 drive. But basic shallow metric and standard and extensions. Fill in deep set when you think you need it. Then you just buy the odd large sizes as the need arises such as a 36mm I have. I don't have all the sizes leading up to it. I could probably get by with 10mm 13mm 15mm 14mm and 36mm for working on my entire car except removing lug nuts. You come to learn your common sizes and eventually double up on the few you use the most

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[Teenager with old tools]

I want a garage so bad, not in the cards yet. Soon I think!



I have been debating on it. But not sure where to even start looking for a chest. I dont have alot, but it seems like it could fill up most the small 3 drawers I have seen. So then it is kinda like, where do I go now LOL

Start looking on Craigslist second floor will be hard but you could buy a top box then when you get a garage buy the bottom to it or a bottom that will work


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[2002maniac]

Since you're in an apartment and don't do service on your vehicle I think you have the basics covered. Get a few soft bags for mobility.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

box about this size will be great for you. Just not this one. Doesn't have good slides at all. Find a used one about this size I got by with it when I had about the tools you do


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[T45]

Basic Mechanics Tools -
For nuts & bolts (auto) - (Sockets, Wrenches, Screwdrivers, pliers) - 3 drawer rally box

Basic Contractor Tools -
for the home (incl. wood) - (claw hammer, level, square/angle, drill/driver, saw) - soft bags or cantilever box

Electrical -
diagnostic & repiar (multimeter, crimpers, stippers, shrink wrap, heat source) - open top carrier

Machine shop -
precsion work (torque tools, micrometer, caliper, tap/die/chasers) - small toolbox

Electronics -
(precision screwdrivers, specialty bits/set, soldering iron) - desktop, or soft carrier

Each of these groups are families of distinct tools. For alot of folks, it makes sense to dabble in each category. For a city dweller or apartment dweller, it honestly may not make full sense to invest heavily in things you don't need. Take advantage of the fact that services are available in your area.

 

[hickfied]

I also live in a second floor apt.

I will say this; i have purchased enough tools to put 99.99% of the people on this site to shame. I purchase everything that i can make a profit on by selling on ebay. Doesnt matter if I already have 50 of them, if profit can be made it is bought. I don't go to yardsales, i only go to pawnshops and every so often i cherry pick estates, as well as creative uses with the craftsman student discount combined with points offers, and the snap on mac matco tool group on facebook.

Do not buy junk, which is not noted by brand but quality. All my impacts sockets are harbor freight, but ive sold 20+ sets of matco and snapon. On the other had, all my ratchets are snap on and ive sold 200+ craftsman.

Dont buy loose tools wether it be sockets, wrenches, pry bars, chisels, punches, etc. only buy sets in good shape from companies still in business or it will cost you more in the long run.

Ive got a 72" box with 4 side hangs in my buddys shop over flowing with tools. I didnt wait to buy the tools when needed; i bought because it was cheap. I am now 27, started buying tools two weeks after i turned 18. I now have enough tools to wrench on anything.

If you really want to know what to buy next; buy the next thing you see that is stupid cheap. If you already have it, then sell it on ebay and use that $$ for your next purchase.

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[jw3]

If you're just starting out and don't have a air compressor big enough to run air tools, a corded 1/2" impact will do all kinds of things. I have a DEWALT. It's been valuable. It's $125.00 give or take. Extention cords are cheap relatively speaking.


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