Tools?
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,960
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
Tools?
I wanted to see what everyone's opinion is here. I want/need to start buying tools for my garage so I can have stuff to work on the bike and just tools for the home in general. I'm slightly overwhelmed on where to begin. From what I have researched, looks like a mechanics tool set, regardless of manufacturer, might be the way to get started. I also need a good jack for the garage for the bike.
I was told by a friend of mine that Craftsman no longer warranties the torx sockets and sockets in general? Is this true?
I don't need $10K worth of professional tools, just looking for guidance on what everyone thinks on brand and what tools to get started. Obviously as life goes on the tools will pile up. I am starting from scratch here, and looking for opinion on what you guys who have had experience would get started with if you were at the beginning again.
There's Craftsman, Kobalt, etc. I was at Lowe's the other day and they have a sockets for life guarantee and the tools seem to be of good quality (enough for my uses), but I myself like many others have grown up around craftsman tools.
Lowe's has a 200+ piece set that looks appealing for $99.99 in a box, Sears has a similar craftsman set for $199.99?
Open to any and all opinions. Obviously I know I need some hammers, ladder, and screwdrivers, but what else would you start with and what brands, if any, do you guys favor?
Thanks for your help.
Gabe
I was told by a friend of mine that Craftsman no longer warranties the torx sockets and sockets in general? Is this true?
I don't need $10K worth of professional tools, just looking for guidance on what everyone thinks on brand and what tools to get started. Obviously as life goes on the tools will pile up. I am starting from scratch here, and looking for opinion on what you guys who have had experience would get started with if you were at the beginning again.
There's Craftsman, Kobalt, etc. I was at Lowe's the other day and they have a sockets for life guarantee and the tools seem to be of good quality (enough for my uses), but I myself like many others have grown up around craftsman tools.
Lowe's has a 200+ piece set that looks appealing for $99.99 in a box, Sears has a similar craftsman set for $199.99?
Open to any and all opinions. Obviously I know I need some hammers, ladder, and screwdrivers, but what else would you start with and what brands, if any, do you guys favor?
Thanks for your help.
Gabe
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,960
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
http://www.lowes.com/pd_338518-22328...7C1&facetInfo=
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,960
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
Thanks for your input. I guess we don't realize until we're older how much the brands that our parents used affect our "comfort zone". I just can't see barring any horrible experience anyone has had why I should pay $100 more for the same set that says Craftsman when the Kobalt tools also have the lifetime warranty and on all the sockets as well.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,881
Likes: 7
From: North Georgia
Lots of folks will also speak-up here regarding a good lift. I have one I got through Harbor Freight and it has been working good for over five years now. Sometimes a good wheel chock is good to have, I have a nice Condor model, but there are others doing the same work for less money.
My one other addition for you are the shop manuals. Check eBay and Craig's list for used manuals. Most are in good enough shape where you don't need to spend MoCo prices for new books.
When you're setting up you shop area, leave room for you laptop somewhere. Great to have web access when you have that emergency question about something.
My one other addition for you are the shop manuals. Check eBay and Craig's list for used manuals. Most are in good enough shape where you don't need to spend MoCo prices for new books.
When you're setting up you shop area, leave room for you laptop somewhere. Great to have web access when you have that emergency question about something.
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,960
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
Lots of folks will also speak-up here regarding a good lift. I have one I got through Harbor Freight and it has been working good for over five years now. Sometimes a good wheel chock is good to have, I have a nice Condor model, but there are others doing the same work for less money.
My one other addition for you are the shop manuals. Check eBay and Craig's list for used manuals. Most are in good enough shape where you don't need to spend MoCo prices for new books.
When you're setting up you shop area, leave room for you laptop somewhere. Great to have web access when you have that emergency question about something.
My one other addition for you are the shop manuals. Check eBay and Craig's list for used manuals. Most are in good enough shape where you don't need to spend MoCo prices for new books.
When you're setting up you shop area, leave room for you laptop somewhere. Great to have web access when you have that emergency question about something.
My wireless internet reaches in the garage (thank god), I can't tell you how many times already that has come in handy when doing stuff lol.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 932
Likes: 14
From: CENTRAL IL
love my hf table lift. as far as hand tools personally would go with craftsman over Kobalt but that a really only personal preference ( and most of my cman stuff is real old). And at the reisk of bringing the wraith of tool snobs down on me harbor freight pittsburg professional line has been showing some poretty decent quality too, not snaop on , but pretty darn good and very reasonable. the torx bits from hb have been as good or even better than some of the big names ones lately.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,471
Likes: 5
From: Ocala, FL
Don't rule out Craigslist as a great option for tools. I see tool boxes full of quality tools on there reasonably cheap quite often. I have gotten quite a few deals there just by being patient and watching.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
Since your looking for a starter kit and don't make a living with the tools, I'd follow the advice you've already gotten. Buy the Kobalt, it is true that Craftsman has discontinued their warranty on a number of their tools and they aren't the same quality they were 20 years ago. I have a box of broken Craftsman tools that they won't replace. Any of the Kobalts I have broken(very few) have been replace with a smile. I make a living with my tools so most of mine are Snap-on, Mac, and Matco. Another tool company is Proto, they make good tools, just don't buy their cheaper version Stanley. As for the HF bike lift I have two of them, the "center stand" and the table top, both have worked great for me as well. Also look into a small air compressor, bike tires can be decieving, check your pressure before you head out, a low tire or flat tire gets pretty squirrly, just don't use it on air shocks, use a hand pump for that.
Make sure that which ever bike jack you get, make sure you always strap it down.
Make sure that which ever bike jack you get, make sure you always strap it down.