WHY do you all buy tools?

[Bustawrench]

The tools I own fall into three catagories...........

1) The tools I use to make my living. I buy the best I can afford and if I can't afford the best, then I save until I can.............unless it's an emergency, but that only happens once in a while.

2) The tools I own to maintain my home and vehicles. I buy mostly good quailty DIY grade tools for this, with some good stuff (snap-on, SK, proto) thrown in and some chinese junk, if it's something I need once and will never need again.

3) One use, project specific tools. Here, I buy the cheapest tool I can find, without going to far out of my way, that doesn't look like it's going to fall apart on the way home from the store.

I don't buy tools for the heck of it (well, OK, maybe one or two, here and there).

I could care less about impressing anyone.

 

[nissan_crawler]

If I did not have a real damned good selection of tools I would have to tote the wifes car off and pay a mechanic for everything. Imagine how much I have saved by handling about 95% of my own vehicle repairs in 30 years? I have no clue what the dollar value of my hand tools is, but you can bet paying a shop for repairs over that 30 years would have outrun the dollars I spent on those tools.

Besides, after I have fixed the cars with my thousands of dollars worth of tools, I still have the added value of owning the tools themselves.

Pretty much where I'm at. My family thinks I have so many tools, however, I have very few tools that haven't paid for themselves at least once. If I can pay somebody $500 to do something, or buy the tools for $500 or less, why not buy the tools? They already paid for themselves with the first use, and I have them if they're needed again, and that time, they're basically "free".

 

[Torque1st]

Always make sure you get a professional shop estimate on vehicle repairs so you can show it to SWMBO.

 

[Merkava_4]

If I can pay somebody $500 to do something, or buy the tools for $500 or less, why not buy the tools?

It may be hard for you to fathom, but most people out there are not wired for fasteners and machines; you should consider yourself very fortunate.

 

[myslow2002gt]

I'm an Engineer by day, but I wrench on the side quite often (side jobs and my own). I've always lived by the idea that having the proper tool makes the job easier, so needless to say I purchase new tools often

 

[SteveU]

Always make sure you get a professional shop estimate on vehicle repairs so you can show it to SWMBO.

+1 Doesn't hurt to have a flat rate manual to figure out what a repair takes book time & multiply X dealership labor rate. Finding out a repair would cost several hundred in labor seems to make them more understanding toward buying the necessary tools to do it yourself.

 

[swgray]

What are some of the reasons you buy tools?

A. NEED them to finish a job/project
Maybe to start a project, but not to finish it. That could mean it went horribly wrong.

B. NEED them for your profession
Thats a lot of it. Bad thing is I'll buy one for work and one for home, as I'll certainly need it at home, too. Right?

C. WANT them to make your projects easier
Similar to A. I could do that, if I had this.

D. WANT them because you're sure you'll need them sometime

Another similar to A. If I ever do this again, I'll buy that to make it easier.

 

[dwilliams35]

Can't say it really suprises me that nobody will admit to E.

 

[PAToyota]

Can't say it really suprises me that nobody will admit to E.

Read more carefully - I did...

 

[dwilliams35]

Read more carefully - I did...

Didn't really see that as counting: I've got tools that have gone way beyond their life as tools and are now decoration: I was operating under the criteria that E would apply to somebody that went out and got five grand worth of Snap-ons to impress the neighbor who only had two grand worth of Craftsmans.

 

[bugdust]

I usually buy tools to start a specific project or becasue I need it to finish a specific project. I also buy tools if I know I will need it in the near future, again, usually for a specific project. I'll borrow a tool once. If I need it a second time I try to buy it.

My brother owns a full-service mechanic shop (tires, alignments, computer diagnostics, engine & trans rebuilds (on-site), 4x4 & diesel specialists) & body shop (full resto to insurance jobs, magazine featured customs as well) so he has more tools than anyone I know. I have a friend that is an engineer but also has quite the tool collection. Between those two and a friend in marine construction I have access to just about anything I've ever needed. I have torches, air tools, welder, sandblaster, some handtools, some basic home repair stuff, etc. but I still buy tools frequently.

 

[PAToyota]

Didn't really see that as counting:

I read "E" as no reason for having it other than wanting it for the sake of having it. I do suppose that inherited tools have a reason, though - memories of the original owner. Likewise, I suppose that oddball tools could be construed as a learning experience...

 

[Dust]

I'm an apprentice mechanic. I have a good set of tools now that enable me to do virtually everything I tend to do, so I don't buy tools that much any more. I could still use a few things, but I can get by without them for now.

However, I did just buy a couple eight point sockets for when I do spare tires. I work on Chryslers, and the spare tire winch is a half inch square drive, so I got a socket to just pop on my air ratchet instead of dicking around with the spare tire tools from the car.

Could use some more electrical tools as well. Some probes, jumpers, inductive ammeter, and some other odds and ends would come in handy.

 

[eschoendorff]

If I did not have a real damned good selection of tools I would have to tote the wifes car off and pay a mechanic for everything. Imagine how much I have saved by handling about 95% of my own vehicle repairs in 30 years? I have no clue what the dollar value of my hand tools is, but you can bet paying a shop for repairs over that 30 years would have outrun the dollars I spent on those tools.

Besides, after I have fixed the cars with my thousands of dollars worth of tools, I still have the added value of owning the tools themselves.

I would gladly trade half of my tools for half of your knowledge and experience.

 

[wythors]

When I was growing up, my dad had a small green tool box (which I still have) that contained a couple of different screw drivers, three pairs of pliers, a handfull of drill bits, a claw hammer, a hack saw and a few other miscellaneous tools. If he needed to do something around the house, he always had to "make do". My mom never saw the value of spending money on tools. When I grew up and started working in the auto industry, I saw the techs using their tools and how much easier it made the job to have the right tool for it and I started buying my own. Over the last 20 years I've built a nice collection and will always spend the money if I know I'm going to need a tool to do a specific job. I NEVER borrow because I NEVER loan tools.

 

[EXTREME]

When i was a technician, i bought to make my life easier, at least something every week when the snap on/mack trucks came around; even if i didn't need anything. Just made life easier. Pop always said you can't do the job if you aint got the right tools.

I don't work at a dealership anymore, and rarely buy out of necessity. Whenever i'm out i usually will pick up a couple tools i don't have just in case.

I hate new shiney tools. I like the finish on my tools to be worn off with cuts and scrapes on it. Means you've been using it!