Wrenches - You guys drive me nuts.

[unclethumbtack]

So after reading almost every post on this board, I feel like I am missing out by not having a expensive set of wrenches. Here is what I got
1. Full set of Raised Panel C-mans (of course)
2. Full set of Stanley's from wal-mart( these are actually pretty good)
3. SAE full polished Pittsburgh's (I really like these more than I thought I would)
4. SAE Flex head gear wrenches.

Do I really need to add a set of C-man pro's or some other high end wrenches? Before I got on here and started reading I had no problems never broke one of those wrenches while taking apart old cars to sell for extra money.

 

[Uncle Buck]

So after reading almost every post on this board, I feel like I am missing out by not having a expensive set of wrenches. Here is what I got
1. Full set of Raised Panel C-mans (of course)
2. Full set of Stanley's from wal-mart( these are actually pretty good)
3. SAE full polished Pittsburgh's (I really like these more than I thought I would)
4. SAE Flex head gear wrenches.

Do I really need to add a set of C-man pro's or some other high end wrenches? Before I got on here and started reading I had no problems never broke one of those wrenches while taking apart old cars to sell for extra money.

Bravo, welcome aboard, you will do just fine mate!


BTW: It looks like you might need to go back and brush up on a few missed posts, by now you should have at least made mention of how Snap-on is king, and you don't give a rip; you are going to use a real expensive diaper to polish and caress your wrenches! After you have reached that point you can consider yourself a full fledged member!

 

[davestlouis]

If they work for you, don't worry about it. I have Proto, Easco, New Britain, Snap On, Matco, Craftsman Pro deep offset, Gearwrench, and while I could probably get by with a fraction of what I have, it sure is nice to have the right tool, right at hand, when you stumble on a nut in a weird place, where a normal wrench won't fit.

 

[billymade]

Well, if you haven't figured it out yet; many if not all on this board are highly opinionated tool freaks and quite a few pro techs that use their tools 24/7 at work. With that in mind; you will get people are who passionate, opinionated and hard/fast advice based upon experience and daily use of these tools. Are their cheaper alternatives out there that will "turn a nut"; yes but if you don't want to buy higher quality and more expensive tools; then, I recommend you log out of this site and never come back! Once you have "seen the light" or bought one pro tool and seen the difference there is; its all over.... leave now or the curse of pro tool addiction is soon to follow!

unclethumbtack: Please read this thread before you go any further on this site :
WARNING! about possible SIDE EFFECTS of reading this board!
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18006&showall=1

 

[Red Green]

I have no problem with my Craftsman Raised panels have the 6pt and 12pt sets. I also have a set of the C-man stubbys and really like all of them.

 

[3 at 8]

Gearwrench xl x-beam flex heads would be an excellent addition to your collection without being redundent in style. Get em for half price at sears when there availible. Get the Gearwrench stubbys too while your there.

 

[Merkava_4]

Do I really need to add a set of C-man pro's or some other high end wrenches?

****goes into full snob mode****

You call C-man pro's high end wrenches?

Bawahahahahaha!!

 

[txz28]

I have craftsman panel wrenches. They work for the weekend wrench. Why get something just a little better (very subjective) if what you have works?

Sure I would love to have a set of high end wrenches, but you can get by without them.

 

[Stanger]

I use Gearwrench reversibles and Craftsman raised panels. Besides a few odds and ends, that is all I own. I might pick up a "nicer" set if I find them cheap, but I don't plan on paying full price for anything any time soon. I would rather invest in something that I need, like an OBDII scanner.

 

[unclethumbtack]

I know it seems far fetched but one of my friends worked on one of those TV shows where they customize vehicles, anyways the first time I went to his home shop I expected to see a bunch of SO or matco stuff, but he had mostly raised panel c-mans and mismatched stuff. He did have high end specialty tools like impact guns but I was shocked. He customizes cars all day out of his shop and does great work but some of the fasteners he has to take off have been on cars for 50 years, I asked him about why he does not use a higher end selection of tools he said "why I have had these for years and they work." Even with his testimonial I would really like some nice shiny end wrenches in my tool box. =)

 

[Gregster]

I think my SO Flank Drive Plus wrench purchase was the best tool buy I ever made.

Sure pricey... but when I use them I get a giant smile on my face.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I know it seems far fetched but one of my friends worked on one of those TV shows where they customize vehicles, anyways the first time I went to his home shop I expected to see a bunch of SO or matco stuff, but he had mostly raised panel c-mans and mismatched stuff. He did have high end specialty tools like impact guns but I was shocked. He customizes cars all day out of his shop and does great work but some of the fasteners he has to take off have been on cars for 50 years, I asked him about why he does not use a higher end selection of tools he said "why I have had these for years and they work." Even with his testimonial I would really like some nice shiny end wrenches in my tool box. =)

Don't waste your money if the raised panels have been meeting your needs so far. I have Cman raised panels in SAE and metric, in 6 & 12 point, and they do everything I need them to do. I keep hearing the new ones are junk, but my 6 pointers are only a couple of years old and so far they have done just fine by me.

All I am saying is just because 100 guys stand around screaming about how you have to have this or that top tier brand of bling bling wrench should not cause you to dump tools that until you arrived here were suiting your purposes just fine. Everyone here knows I am quite outspoken about the fact that tons of my tools are old and do not shine, but most are all quality brands so they suit me just fine. Just don't be easily led to follow the masses if what you have works fine. DO YOUR OWN THING MAN..........BE AN INDIVIDUALIST!

 

[billymade]

I think the earlier Craftsman wrenches were better, stronger and thinner; then the currently shipping stuff. This seems true especially of the 70s and ealier stuff.

 

[rsanter]

if you are not breaking them and they are getting the job done then you do not need the upgrade

I actually rairly broke a tool untill I got much deeper into the car hobby. if you start to wrench professionally, if you get into a series of full on restos or builds or if you deal with old stuff that has rust and the parts wont come apart, then you will start to break tools and need to do some upgrading

bob

 

[Uncle Buck]

I think the earlier Craftsman wrenches were better, stronger and thinner; then the currently shipping stuff. This seems true especially of the 70s and ealier stuff.

All of my 6 & 12 point combination sets were bought no longer back than the mid 1990's and none have given me any issues at all.

Plus I do not polish anything! My tools work.

 

[Hoot]

Craftsman raised panels were one of my first tool purchases, and I still carry those wrenches in one of my car tool boxes. And I have a set of Stanley metric wrenches that I used in Germany and keep in those in my hoopty. Never had a problem with either set.

That being said, I still shop for Craftsman stuff, but I also look for a lot of the other USA brands. The only tools I avoid at all costs is the super-low quality China stuff.

 

[trackwelder]

I have craftsman panel wrenches. They work for the weekend wrench. Why get something just a little better (very subjective) if what you have works?

Sure I would love to have a set of high end wrenches, but you can get by without them.

For the same reason people buy 50" flat screens. By the way my only tv is a 19" color set. I have hundreads of snap on wrenches. I hate craftsman panel wrenches.

 

[Fedwrench]

If what you have has served you well, and does what you need to do why change?
I think the only thing you would miss is the money spent on the new wrenches.

 

[Junkman]

You don't need more wrenches, you need a better tool box...

 

[davestlouis]

and shiny 80 tooth ratchets...just kidding, I like my old Plomb 24 tooth ratchets just fine.

 

[jim m]

****goes into full snob mode****

You call C-man pro's high end wrenches?

Bawahahahahaha!!

yes I do the only broken wrenchs in my box are 1 dunlap cant warranty whats not around any more and 2 snap ons tryed to get them warranted and the guy on the truck turn me down even after I bought so stuff from him
never had a problem warranting a craftsman tool except once it was a pimple faced kid at our small home town sears that tryed to tell me that my looking plyers life time warranty was over becouse the tools useable life was over its broken

Jim

 

[Bolster]

I still have the raised panel Cman set my dad gave me in the late 1970s, and I will never get rid of it, or stop using it.

Sure, since then I have added SO, Plomb, Proto, etc, but those ol' Cmans helped me afford cars in HS and earn my way through college...I'll pass on my fancy tools to my kids, but I hope to be buried with my Cmans!

Moral of this story: Keep your Cmans. Add other brands as you can and "celebrate diversity." Of tools, that is.

 

[bmwpower]

The problem with Craftsman is that they don't make a bunch of different styles and lengths like Snap On does. If the raised panels were available in longer lengths, they wouldn't be that bad.

That's not the first time I've heard of a pro guy having mediocre tools and/or a small quantity of stuff. Maybe they are smarter than we all are in that we fall for the hype??

 

[nissan_crawler]

****goes into full snob mode****

You call C-man pro's high end wrenches?

Bawahahahahaha!!

I dare say my Snap-On wrenches offer nothing over my C-Pro's, other than a slightly thinner box end, which has yet to be an issue, even on aircraft.

 

[autoace]

****goes into full snob mode****

You call C-man pro's high end wrenches?

Bawahahahahaha!!

don't call the kettle black!

 

[goodfellow]

I gotta get a bigger popcorn machine -- AND a bigger lounge chair to read these threads.

 

[dps]

you are going to use a real expensive diaper to polish and caress your wrenches!

I believe you'll find that microfiber actually makes polishing a bit easier, though caressing is perhaps nicest with the diaper.

 

[Merkava_4]

I dare say my Snap-On wrenches offer nothing over my C-Pro's, other than a slightly thinner box end, which has yet to be an issue, even on aircraft.

I actually ran into a situation like that in A&P school: we were doing some kind of exercise on a small turbine engine that required the removal of a fastener (can't remember whether it was a nut or a bolt) that was surrounded 180 degrees by a recessed area in the case half. A chunky NAPA box end wouldn't fit between the fastener and the wall it was surrounded with, but a PROTO slithered right in there no problem.

 

[MAD]

don't call the kettle black!

Merkava_4's kettle is polished chrome. He makes his tea in the microwave oven right in the cup, so he doesn't discolor the bottom of his kettle with heat from the stove.

My tool usage is very different from Merkava_4 but I would loan my wrenches or my kettle to him any time if he was my neighbor.

Wouldn't want to borrow anything though.

 

[buening]

It's kind of like owning a Honda Accord and dreaming for a Porsche. The Honda works just fine and will always get you to where you want to go, but the Porsche will just give you bragging rights and a bigger ego

 

[speed bump]

Damn you have a full set of anything. I think I might have a complete set of GW SAE stubbies but other than that every wrench set I own is a bunch of different brands.

 

[sberry]

I am with the hot rod guy, I have hundreds of wrenches of all types. 1 small set of SO 6 pt flanks. I might buy something because I need MORE but never better and adding hi dollar fancy wrenches will not make me a lick better mechanic.
Good tools are so competitively priced these days that it doesn't do anything for me to pay 30$ for an end wrench I could source just as decent for 3. Just means I have to do 10 times the work to make it pay.

 

[sberry]

One of the best mechanics I know has what most people would consider a very limited crappy set of tools.

 

[bomber]

I had a friend that had a great selection of Snapon tools (due to an incredible discount he got through his work) . . . . .I was bemoaning my collection of mis-matched misfits -- he said,

"tools are like an education. Some people are really smart and do great work with a 6-grade education -- you and I both know people with PHDs who can't do anything useful. You do great work, don't sweat your tools."

WIse words, I thought then, and still think -- which doesn't keep me from lusting for a full set of Snapons . . . . . ;-}

 

[goodfellow]

My father-in-law worked 45 years as a line mechanic. He raised four kids, put 'em through college, paid off his mortgage and had a good retirement. All of that was made possible by a mid-size 1950's Craftsman Tool box combo and middle chest, and a full set of Craftsman tools.

It ain't the tools -- it's the guy using 'em!

 

[krusty the clown]

some people buy expensive cars and live in tar paper shacks, some people drive rusty beaters and live in expensive homes. to each his own..........

thats why there are many options out there for us to chose from!

 

[eschoendorff]

If they work for you, don't worry about it. I have Proto, Easco, New Britain, Snap On, Matco, Craftsman Pro deep offset, Gearwrench, and while I could probably get by with a fraction of what I have, it sure is nice to have the right tool, right at hand, when you stumble on a nut in a weird place, where a normal wrench won't fit.

This guys summed it up pretty well...

 

[383astro]

I dare say my Snap-On wrenches offer nothing over my C-Pro's, other than a slightly thinner box end, which has yet to be an issue, even on aircraft.

Crawler, where do you work at?

 

[bushhawg73]

To each their on. I have Mac, Snap on, Matco and Cman raised panel wrenches. If it is my most used wrenches, open - box end combo, I spend the money on a Snap on or other pro model. If it is somthing I want but do not use often I look for deals on used or buy Cman's.
I want a set of deep offset box end wrenches. The snappy's are about 400.00 for a set of sae and metric. The Cman's pros are 80.00 for the same set. The cost and use means I will get the Cman's unless I find a deal on a different set. That way I can buy more tools.

 

[speed bump]

Crawler, where do you work at?

I believe he works for Cessna as a jet mechanic on business jets if I remember correctly.