Where do you buy top quality tools?

[wnstwolf]

Ok this may be a loaded question as we all have our idea of what tool maker is best but here goes...

In my youth I thought craftsman was top end tools and to some degree they were at least for me. I then went to work for a Honda dealership and snap on and Mac trucks came in and I was hooked. Fast forward and I find myself needed a new tool now and then and not sure where to go to buy something that my grandkids will use. Talking hand tools like large sockets and wrenches. I seem to need some metric and sae that go past the largest in my 1/2 snap on set.

Can non pros not working out of a shop walk up to a parked snap on or Mac truck? Do you guys have a certain web site you go to. Looking at the home page of this site there are some great ads I just have no history with them.

Sorry for such a general post I just don't see Sears as that quality place anymore.

 

[zkling]

Online either through retailers/vendors or individual sales.

 

[gnxtc2]

It depends on what type of tool your looking to buy

ToolTopia for the majority.

Love my Snap On ratchets. I know the Snap On guy. Before I buy anything from him, I look at his cost and what retail price is. I TELL him what I want to buy it for which is usually half way between his cost and retail. I understand that he needs to make money but I refuse to pay retail. If he doesn't agree, he looses the sale.

Billy T.
[email protected]

 

[wnstwolf]

Thanks bill that is my fear if I go up to a parked snap on truck I am a target for full price. I need 22,24,28 wrenches and sockets as well as some large sae sizes. These are costly when I google them at retail. As my job has me moving around tough to get a good enough relationship with someone at a shop that I would have buy for me

 

[lynnbilodeau]

You can find most Snap on tools for sale on ebay, used at half price.

Or, there are a couple guys on this board selling used Snap on.

 

[crewchief888]

i get all my top quality tools from HF..













i find quite a few industrial and truck brand single wrenches and sockets at pawn shops.
they arent perfect by any means, but still usable

 

[Tronyadorable]

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/_layouts/15/stanleyproto/distributor.aspx

 

[OutsideMachinist]

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/_layouts/15/stanleyproto/distributor.aspx

Love proto. Still have to be careful where you buy them. Full retail or retail plus more (Grainger) prices are crazy.

 

[sonvolt]

Harry J Epstein

 

[wild cowboy]

You can find most Snap on tools for sale on ebay, NEW at half price.

fixed it for you!

 

[T45]

If you know what you want, just go on e-bay...

 

[southalabama]

Damn crew chief best me to it

Online.

Harry Epstein. Ebay. amazon.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/_layouts/15/stanleyproto/distributor.aspx

yep

 

[heytrid]

ultimate garage

facom 440 would be my choice

I fell in love with a coworkers MAC precision torque, they feel SO amazing in your hand, decent amount of weight and the edges seem to fit my hand very well.

 

[Cato]

Sorry for such a general post I just don't see Sears as that quality place anymore.

Sears tools may not be as glamorous as Snap On, but they still get the job done; and, at a reasonable price. If you're a nationalist, much of it is still USA. Even the Chinese stuff is pretty good. To keep the price competitive, Sears tools are best bought on big sales like President's Day.

Otherwise Husky Home Depot is A-OK, so is Harbor Freight.


Now if you have to have some of the most expensive tools on the market, then Snap On can be bought online from their website.

 

[TheRobotCow]

I'm sure if you stopped at a shop/dealership and asked them for their tool guys info they'll help out. And it wouldn't hurt to ask about how their tool guy is(how willing they are to make a deal/how rude they are). I rather deal with an actual dealer than a random eBay/Craigslist seller, sure it might cost a bit more but since you're buying from a dealer you'll be able to contact them and warranty your tools through them as well.

Are you looking for just regular chrome sockets or impacts?
I do like the Mac Knuckle Saver wrenches as well as the Snap On flank drive plus(and flank drive) wrenches. Have you looked at WrightGrip wrenches and Grey Pneumatic sockets? GP only makes impact sockets though. If you knew the part number of the tools you're looking for you can find them on eBay(contrary to what I said earlier) for good prices.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nicksnothereman]

Ok this may be a loaded question as we all have our idea of what tool maker is best but here goes...

In my youth I thought craftsman was top end tools and to some degree they were at least for me. I then went to work for a Honda dealership and snap on and Mac trucks came in and I was hooked. Fast forward and I find myself needed a new tool now and then and not sure where to go to buy something that my grandkids will use. Talking hand tools like large sockets and wrenches. I seem to need some metric and sae that go past the largest in my 1/2 snap on set.

Can non pros not working out of a shop walk up to a parked snap on or Mac truck? Do you guys have a certain web site you go to. Looking at the home page of this site there are some great ads I just have no history with them.

Sorry for such a general post I just don't see Sears as that quality place anymore.

Some of the import stuff is potentially better than some of the us made stuff just the warranty is harder to use. If you don't care about that I don't think I've ever heard a knock against koken or facom on here (to my recollection) but larger sizes in sae probably don't exist with these companies. So...

I don't know about the larger sized sockets and wrenches, I would just use armstrong (or craftsman made by armstrong). They make good stuff in my opinion, price can be meh though.

With the truck guys you should probably call them to see when/where they're gonna be free at least with the snap on guy. The others probably wouldn't mind a walk up; cornwell you could probably walk up to his house and he wouldn't care.

 

[HairMetal]

I'm lucky to have a local Stahlwille dealer with good prices.I've bought some Snap On and other stuff on ebay.