your best cheap tool surprise ?

[ckadams00]

Northern wrenches, especially stubbies. And as always, the famous Duralast ratchet.

(Notice the center wrench?)

Northern wrenches are cheap as dirt, but extremely well finished and as strong as needed. Ive used mine many times to hold the nut while using my 1100ft lbs matco impact. IMHO, they are better then any other import stubby.

Where do you find "Northern"?

 

[DrkMtnDew]

Where do you find "Northern"?

northerntool.com

They sell some great stuff.

 

[concealer404]

I picked this up for $10.

http://www.harborfreight.com/46-piece-bolt-puller-set-37824.html

I didn't think there was any way it was going to work. I was surprised. Very slick piece of equipment, i will use the hell out of this, already got my money's worth removing two steering wheels.

 

[dankicksass]

My vote goes for GearWrench 56 piece ratcheting screwdriver set.

Scored it for $12 from sears some 4 years ago and it has served me very well. You can use it as a nut driver and as a screwdriver. Ratcheting mechanism is flawless. Very nice and easy to use for most low-torque situations when doing car work, such as interior and electrical jobs.

I love that set. I've got three or four of them, every time I see them on sale half off, I get one or two.

 

[monster1]

HF deadblow hammers, husky stubbies(Chinese), HF soldering gun.

 

[7.62]

I picked this up for $10.

http://www.harborfreight.com/46-piece-bolt-puller-set-37824.html

I didn't think there was any way it was going to work. I was surprised. Very slick piece of equipment, i will use the hell out of this, already got my money's worth removing two steering wheels.

Came here thinking I'd post this exact thing. Works great as a steering wheel puller for the 10 or 12 bucks it cost me.

 

[concealer404]

Came here thinking I'd post this exact thing. Works great as a steering wheel puller for the 10 or 12 bucks it cost me.

I almost bought the steering wheel puller... but it was $40.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

CP impact sockets from walmart 5-6 years ago, use them daily

 

[chrisexv6]

My vote goes for GearWrench 56 piece ratcheting screwdriver set.

Scored it for $12 from sears some 4 years ago and it has served me very well. You can use it as a nut driver and as a screwdriver. Ratcheting mechanism is flawless. Very nice and easy to use for most low-torque situations when doing car work, such as interior and electrical jobs.

Same here! Got 2 of them, 1 for garage and 1 for inside.

Also, the fiberglass wire pulling kit from HF (posted in the HF pass/fail thread). 33' version is $6.99 constantly. Also their 50' red fiberglass fish tape for 5.99

HVLP gun from HF...item # now 66222, used to be 43130 or something like that. The old model was actually made in Taiwan and is a good quality piece (especially for the 34.99 price). Can use Porter Cable nozzles/tips since its basically made in the same factory.

$8.00 Ideal plain jane wire strippers. Nothing fancy but they work on fine wire gauges and are locally available. Invaluable in my alarm install since Im working with small gauge wire for the contacts

HF digital inspection camera. Hugely helpful trying to fish wires without completely destroying drywall. A little expensive for a "cheap tool", I think I got it down to 70 or so after coupon and sale at HF.

 

[fourtythree]

Benchtop wrenches. Found them in a repo'd car about 7 years ago, they were brand new, still in package and never been used. Today I use them as my main wrench set.

I bought a set of Benchtop wrenches in the 90's from Kmart. I was broke and needed something cheap. After about 15 years of abuse, they're still going. Good wrenches.

 

[fourtythree]

Northern wrenches, especially stubbies. And as always, the famous Duralast ratchet.

They look exactly like a set of stubbies I bough on clearance from Pepboys. Haven't used them, but they certainly look nice. I think their brand was Powerforce, or something like that.

 

[Ascinder]

HF 4 1/2" angle grinder- I have (ab)used/dropped/beat that thing for 5-6 years now and it's still going strong. Also a ratcheting T-handle screwdriver they used to carry there. Probably never used all my other screwdrivers combined as much as I have used this one. I think it's made by a company called sabertooth tools. I liked it so much, I bought another one, but they changed their ratchet to a coarser design which is absolutely worthless now

 

[JDS968]

Lots of cheap tool surprises, love those! Hmmm, what are my favorites...

First thing that comes to mind is my Harbor Freight 18 Piece Disc Brake Pad and Caliper Service Tool Kit (#97143). I figured it was cheap enough to give it a try, and if it sucked, I would use and abuse it until it broke and then get something better. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the fit and finish are excellent and it seems to function better than some tool truck sets I've tried. I'm very, very happy with the material quality, machining, and finish, and the case is even great. Most importantly, it has both right and left hand threaded spindles, necessary for Jag X-Types (plus I'm guessing Ford Mondeos/Contours and Mercury Mystiques, at least). The equivalent Snap-On/Blue Point set has only 7 adaptors and appears to only have the right hand threaded spindle...and for that, costs $270? Doesn't even look like it would get the job done. And MAC is selling (DBC18B) what looks suspiciously like the exact same tool set in a slightly different case...I wonder how much they charge, since their website won't tell you any prices. Anybody have that one?

Probably the very best cheap tool surprise, and my best cheap tool purchase period, is my Ace Hardware Pro Series 12 Piece Torx Bit Socket Set (#29192). I use the damn thing every day and couldn't be much happier with it. Hell, I even still use the plastic holder they came on (probably should get something better, but it's working just fine for now). I've used everything from the T10 to the T60 with great results. Okay, one or two of the 3/8" drive ones below T60 I've probably never used (is there really such thing as a T47 bolt, or is it just a myth invented to sell sockets?), but most of them I have, and certainly the T30 and T25 have seen more than their fair share of action and don't seem any worse for the wear. Also, I will put the T60 on a 3/8" drive to 1/2" drive [non-impact] adapter and put that on my MG725 and use it to impact off (and back on) the bolt holding the lower A-arm to the knuckle on the larger Jags. First time I did it, I expected that I would probably twist the **** out of the socket, and then I would give in and buy a real impact T60 off one of the tool trucks or something. Except I went slowly, and found that it survived and wasn't even dinged in the slightest. And every time since. Still not the slightest damage. At some point I may get an expensive T60, T30, T25, maybe even T20, T15, and T10, but this set refuses to give me any excuse to do so.

 

[astrodoggie3000]

You know that MAC brake set is the same one... just marked up like 500 percent! If you can get past the made in the US and name brand things, there is a cheap world out there for you. You can spend all that extra savings on good beer and trips to Disney Land with the family.

 

[shoturtle]

They look exactly like a set of stubbies I bough on clearance from Pepboys. Haven't used them, but they certainly look nice. I think their brand was Powerforce, or something like that.

Powerbuilt was the tool supplier for pepboys. But I think they are the same as the northern, there are others that are from the some factory kolbalt, titan and some other ones out there. Made in taiwan. Nice chrome.

I have the BGS version with the matted chrome. I like the texture feel instead. And it was a bargain of 17 euros.

 

[sberry]

Number 1 is the B&D 4 1/2 grinder from the box store, walmart or Kmart, an absolutely super tool which I suspect is a re-jacket of the same Dewalt that goes for 90 or 100, has outlasted several others in a welding shop where it is a daily driver. Best grinder I ever own especially if you consider the price. Pick one up, feel how heavy it is. Its something that come together just right, well worth the 10 extra over the HF types.

 

[plung]

HF 1/2" breaker bar.

 

[chappys4life]

The nothern stubbies have been great I bought a 22mm one while working on some front suspension for my e30 its took a pounding with no issues.

Also I have had great luck with hf breaker bars and impact sockets. Work really good and a great deal for what you get.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Seems like every weekend I out-do myself at garage sales with good deals!!

 

[GarageEnvy]

Another vote for the HF dead blow. I've beat on it like an orange headed step child and it hasn't failed yet.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

i got those to. i like them

 

[wreckerman5357]

Provided that it lasts, I like my HF die grinder. I needed a strainght die grinder to run a strip disc. I did not want to spend the money to get an IR that matches my composite angle die grinder. I use it everyday but only at about 30-40 PSI due to the rpm limitations of strip discs, perhaps this will help it last. I only paid $10 for it, so if it lasts more than 2 months I will call it a win.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

there was supposed to be a quote in the last reply. CH impact and impact sockets. several things from HF

 

[Lkdelta]

Lots of cheap tool surprises, love those! Hmmm, what are my favorites...

First thing that comes to mind is my Harbor Freight 18 Piece Disc Brake Pad and Caliper Service Tool Kit (#97143).

Is doing it this way with this set better than a C-clamp.... or just different?
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piece-disc-brake-pad-and-caliper-service-tool-kit-69053.html

 

[bobcatdan]

Auto darking helmet from HF. I don't buy much there and normally feel dirty when I do. I don't do a lot of welding and most of it is qucik little jobs. Right now I really can't justify a nicer helmet for how much welding I do. It simply works like it is suppose to.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Is doing it this way with this set better than a C-clamp.... or just different?
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piece-disc-brake-pad-and-caliper-service-tool-kit-69053.html

That set has the tools required to wind rear disk parking brake piston back into the caliper. You con not do it with just a C clamp.

 

[cheechi]

If we're talking about cheap tools that have turned out to be very good, I've got a few
HF nailers & staplers, sockets, drill & dremel bits (for light duty), bench grinders, benchtop sander, air tools.

Skil benchtop drill press, amazing for a hundred bucks. Lowe's sockets, I think every set I bought from them was clearance priced. I think I got the 'full set' of Kobalt screwdrivers for $8 or so.

I have a bunch of misc hand tools that are either no brand or wouldn't know where they came from, but they aren't broken yet.

If we're talking about good tools we got cheap, I've got a few more

Cman made in USA torque wrenches, 3/8 & 1/2 for about $11 each.
Fein MultiMax $100 (instead of $200 for the cheap kit)
B&D 2 amp rotary tool, about $40 because I couldn't afford the cheapest Dremel at the time. Still going and better than everything but the very top Dremel today.