Where do you buy tools?

[Steve]

Other than Sears of course.......do you go for what you can obtain easily, or do you buy less frequently and try for the higher quality tools from catalogues or from the Snap-On truck? Just curious.

 

[Basil]

If I need something where quality is important to me, like with wrenches, etc., I almost always buy Craftsman (I still have my set from 30 years ago and have only broken one very tiny wrench). Sometimes, if I just need a quicky tool for some job I will go to Sante Fe tool, a local company that is near my work. On a few items, like my sand blast cabinet I went to Harbor Freight.

Basil

 

[tony barnhill]

Quality tools: Craftsman
Quickie tools: Harbor Freight or local hardware/tractor supply company (you'd be surprised what they have in stock)

&, always visit the traveling tent tool sales - there are some pretty neat cheap tools there - things you wouldn't use often enough to invest 'quality tool' dollars.

 

[Mark Beiser]

I'm a HVAC technician, so I need to have a full range of electrical, plumbing and carpentry tools, as well as specialized tools for HVAC work.

Most of my hand tools I get from Home Depot since they have a good range of Klien tools.

I don't use sockets, drive tools, and such enough to justify the cost of Snap-on or similar quality tools, so I stick to Craftsman for sockets and such.

I tend to break Tiawan made tools, so I don't buy them. I did buy a Great Neck T60 torx socket at Auto Zone a couple of weeks ago, but I twisted it in half one handed.

 

[aeronca65t]

Mostly Home Depot or Sears.
I also occasionally use Wal-Mart

(don't laugh, some of their name-brand stuff is OK)

I've bought stuff from Harbor Freight and Northern, but a lot of it is truly sub-standard, even for my amatuer use.

 

[Eric]

Sears or Canadian Tire's Professional series. I've never been happy with any cheap tool I've bought, but as an amateur, I've never seen any advantage to going higher price than the Craftsman level of quality. I'd have to break a lot of Craftsman tools (which almost never happens, except for heavy duty pry bars (screwdrivers

)) before I could justify the price of Snap On's.

 

[Bret]

Personal tools: I too shop at Sears for most of my home & garage tools. However, I acquired most of my automotive test equipment either on-line or the local NAPA store.

Work tools: My employer provides most of my test equipment, calibration & measuring devices. Or for anything I need that might be considered “exotic” I normally obtain them on-line through various sources and expense the cost to my employer.

Cheap tools? Well, I do visit Harbor Freight Tools whenever I get the chance and I subscribe to their newsletter and get their email specials. I can usually find something I like on sale either for me or as a gift. While I get most of my air tools at Sears, Lowes or Home Depot, I picked up most of my air hoses and other accessories at Harbor Freight. Certain tools items that I don’t commonly use more than once or twice a year (such as pipe wrenches) can be found at HF for about half the cost you’d find the same item listed for at other stores.

Example: This might be sacrilegious to a professional plumber. But I picked up a nice 3 piece set of adjustable pipe wrenches (6”, 8” & 13”) for about $10 at Harbor Freight. While one 13” Craftsman pipe wrench at Sears will run ya about $15 to $20.

Who cares if a cheap tool breaks after two or three uses, if we’re talking about six months or a year or more between uses.

[ 01-06-2004: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[Jim Weatherford]

I recently consolidated my tools, I purchased a Craftsman roll-around top of the line, mid size tool box. I also purchase a complete set of Craftsman wrenches, sockets and a variety of hand tools, like screwdrivers, hex wrenches, metric and SAE taps and dies, etc, etc. I got everything “on holiday special” and saved a bunch over Snap-On and N-K. I sorted and matched my odd collection from the last 30 years and divided them up and gave then to my sons. Occasionally, I buy a small hand or power tool from Home Depot, Grainger, Post Tool or other tool and specialty tool suppliers.

I have a good selection of Klein tools as well from my days as a C-10 Electrical & B1 General Contractor. I set up my new tool box divided by metric, SAE and electrical tools. I have 24 piece High-Voltage DC insolated set that cost more than my new Craftsman tools and boxes together, these I use for DC power work, where a slip of the tool can flat out kill you. Try 400 Volts DC and 4,000 Amps!

I have a good selection of battery and AC powered bench and hand tools from Milwaukee, Delta and Porter-Cable too. I have a nice aluminum 3 Ton floor jack & 4 steel floor stands. I am also pretty weird about loaning my tool too, simply stated; I don’t! I’ll be glad to help, but… get your own hand tools.

 

[PC]

"Life's too short to use cheap tools."

For basic hand tools I think Sears, Depot or Lowes are great. They have high quality tools, made right here in the good ol' USA. They rely on volume so don't expect to find unusual or specialized tools.

For a DIY'er it might be hard to justify Proto or Snap-On on purely practical grounds but there's just something about working with a really nice tool that feels right. I've never regretted saving up a little longer and spending a little more on a top quality tool. I've almost always regretted buying a cheap one.

I've pretty much got enough Craftsman tools so now I mostly find myself buying from industrial suppliers. It helps to live in the world's foremost metropolitan/industrial/aerospace neighborhood but these days the world of tools is a mere mouse click away. Everything's as local as the guy (or gal) in brown shorts.

Chasing down the local Snap-On, Matco or MAC tool truck might feel strange at first but I highly recommend everybody try it at least once. (Start with something small to avoid excessive sticker shock) You just might get hooked.

Amazon has good prices on power tools. I always check them first. They stock most of my favorites, Milwaukee, Bosch, Porter-Cable, Fein and lots more. For Festo you have to go directly to the Festool USA. No problem, they have excellent customer service. There aren't too many places to get Metabo but with a little googling they'll turn up.

For specialized tools I like to stick with specialty suppliers. There lots of online suppliers for electronic tools like Weller, Klein, Xcelite or Erem. I Usually get measurement tools, Mitutoyo, Starrett, Brown and Sharp, from Enco or IPS.

My favorite source for detailing tools and supplies is Top of the Line in Arkansas but I usually get chemicals locally from Detailing Depot in Costa Mesa.

For woodworking tools I usually check with Rockler, Woodworker's Supply,Klingspor or Lee Valley first but there are tons of good suppliers out there. I'm still trying to convince myself I need some traditional Japanese hand tools.

I buy bicycle tools from my favorite local shop, Two Wheeler Dealer in Brea, CA. Mostly I'll be rational and buy Park or Wrench Force but sometimes you absolutely have to get Campagnolo.

I buy ski tools from Tognar Toolworks.


PC.

 

[ThomP]

Unlike Aeronca65t, I have had very good luck with Harbor Freight. I don't have many of their hand tools, but I have a good selection of machine and power tools. The worst of which I would rate as "adequate". The thing that amazes me is that many of the things in the HF catalog are elsewhere for much more. One example is an Aluminum racing hydraulic jack; in HF it's $169, elsewhere it's >$400.00!!

My hand tools are mostly SK Wayne. I once worked in an Auto Parts store and that's what they sold. I found the SK wrenches to be smaller than Craftsman wrenches where it counted and fit in places the Craftsman wrenches wouldn't. The only disappointment with the SK tools (in 30+ years) were the ignition wrenches that were both larger and inferior to the Craftsman model. The SK were replaced after breaking three of these little wrenches and I am NOT the "take a hammer to the 1/4 inch wrench" type of guy.

 

[coldplugs]

Somehow I never got around to putting my 2 cents in on this thread. I guess I'm the only one who doesn't head for Sears or mailorder - I try to get to the Liberty Tool Company, which isn't too far from us.

If any of you are planning a vacation in Maine, I suggest you take a trip to see this - there aren't many places like it anywhere.

(Note to Silent Unicorn - this isn't too far from your summer place - I suspect you know about it)


Click on this link and then pick Liberty Tool and take the photo tour.

https://www.jonesport-wood.com/

 

[Paul Johnson]

About 35 years ago I remember asking a mechanic at the local BMC dealership where I worked in parts, why he paid the extra for SnapOn when the warranty for Craftsmen was the same. He told me that if a wrench snapped and he hurt his hand, he'd earn no money, and could not afford to take the chance. Later, when I turned wrenches for several years, the wisdom became apparent, not to mention the efficiency of using a well balanced tool. So now I have a nice collection of good stuff, but have to admit that any fill ins needed now are Craftsmen again. Just as an aside, #2 son is a machinist at the plant that builds the Craftsmen wrenches, and tells me that they will turn out 56,000 pieces per shift.

 

[lawguy]

If my livelihood depended on them, I'd probably get Snap-On every time I could. My firm spends over $100,000.00 a year on books and research materials, and we wouldn't ever think of skimping.

However, As I use my tools less often than I want to, I usually go Craftsman on hand tools and other mechanics tools and shop the respected mid-level brands for my wood-working tools, like Delta, Craftsman, Ryobi, Skil, etc. For my purposes, the stuff works great. I was just using my Ryobi compound miter saw with laser guide over the weekend, and it works great. As all of you know, for some LBC lovers, wood working tools are mechanics tools.

 

[lawguy]

Well, whatever the "best" brand is, if a person is a professional, I would think they would want the best (in the home shop, good enough may just be good enough). It doesn't really speak directly to competence, but if a mechanic bought all his tools at "Big Lots", what would you think?

Besides, it's nice having the truck come to you....especially adroit drivers arrange to come on pay day, cash pay checks and take their payments right there and then.

 

[Mr jaja]

I have most of my tools 35 years and more. Facom, Hazet and Stahlwille are the Names. Also I have some Craftsman and Snap-on. Craftsman is too bulky, snap-on is to Smooth and hard to hold with grease fingers. Most time I buy at the Swap meet and look for brand name. Sorry no Taiwan (only for making one time tools)