Building up your tool box. Need a new tool......Do you buy it?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,062
Likes: 2
From: Southwest OHIO
they are about the same price now days... but with craftsman you have the same warranty and they are cheaper, so i buy nothing but craftsman. unless its something special that craftsman dont carry, like dogbone adapters, but im not buying a 100 dollar 3/8 dog bone thats smaller than my pinky finger! i just borrow the tools from the old man, hes been a mechanic for 40 years, and has owned his own forklift and hydraulic repair business for 20 years. so we have about every tool in the book. some tool that most mechanics dont even know existed.
but i am building my own collection at home, just wish i would have bought a ball bearing chest instead of the cheapy chest... thats one thing you dont want to skimp on!!! BUY A GOOD CHEST THATS LARGER THAN YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 372
From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
Sometimes I buy tools just to buy tools, especially if its on sale and I might need it some day. I hit a lot of auction sales and will buy flats of tools for $1-$2. I end up with lots of specialty tools that I have no idea what they are for.
I have 4 mid size roller cabinets, many other boxes, cabinets, peg board etc. filled with tools.
Occasionally I need to buy a tool I don't have, strange thing is its usually a screwdriver or a tape measure.
I have 4 mid size roller cabinets, many other boxes, cabinets, peg board etc. filled with tools.
Occasionally I need to buy a tool I don't have, strange thing is its usually a screwdriver or a tape measure.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
From: western Montana
I used to buy snap on,when i was wrenching at auto places,but now I'm wrenching for the postal service,they provide tools for work.I buy craftsman now,way easier to return, without trying to chase down a snap on guy.Just yesterday I was looking at broken snap on tools i have because tool guy always seemed to be "out" of that tool when i tried to return them.
I have always had a tool fetish and feel that a Fella can never have enough and I am also Blessed with a wife that does not mind if I spend money on tools because she realizes the value of money spent on tools versus money spent on labor, If you spend it on labor you get it fixed, but if you buy the tool you can fix it over and over so in the long run they are a great investment. That coupled with the old adage that if you want it done right you have to do it yourself makes for a very nice collection. I to have mostly Craftsman because of the ease of trading out broken ones, but I am not afraid to buy a Snap-on or Mac if I need a specialty that Sears just does not carry. I have been craving those Blue-chrome ones I have seen in there lately but cannot justify buying doubles just because they look cool.
I am a Cabinet man by trade so I built a really nice Roll-away out of Cherry that has Full extension Industrial grade slides on the drawers that are made out of Maple that can be operated with one finger even when loaded down. It is on 8" locking casters so it is no problem to roll over obstacles such as cords etc. and the best thing is that I built it all from left over materials so all it cost me was time.
I love my tools. Sniff, sniff..........
I am a Cabinet man by trade so I built a really nice Roll-away out of Cherry that has Full extension Industrial grade slides on the drawers that are made out of Maple that can be operated with one finger even when loaded down. It is on 8" locking casters so it is no problem to roll over obstacles such as cords etc. and the best thing is that I built it all from left over materials so all it cost me was time.
I love my tools. Sniff, sniff..........
i used to be a heavy equipment/truck&trailer wrench before i got married and had kids, every payday i would be on the tool truck paying my bill fro mthe previous visit and ensuring that i would need to visit the tool truck again on his next visit.
my ex made my tools disapear right after i moved out and went to get them. to this day i dotn know how she managed to make them vanish, when we got married i had to rent a tow truck just to move them to the new place LOL. now i get by with a torque wrench, a 200 piece socket set and soem various other hand tools
my ex made my tools disapear right after i moved out and went to get them. to this day i dotn know how she managed to make them vanish, when we got married i had to rent a tow truck just to move them to the new place LOL. now i get by with a torque wrench, a 200 piece socket set and soem various other hand tools
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 521
Likes: 5
From: Port St Lucie, FL
i love tools! i work at lowes selling tools for the time being while im in school so its tough not to go broke...i actually rarely buy the kobalt tools i sell, i just prefer craftsman...im slowly building up my collection though