BobcatSig

After undertaking my new project and putting now body work on the 929 (in and amongst other things), I'm finding I need some new and better tools.

There is a Harbor Freight nearby, though their quality is suspect and I'm disinclined to get any more heavy use tools from them. I also checked out Sears for some Craftsman bits, but found it WAAYYY over priced.

I have a Husky (Home Depot) socket set that's held up admirably for the last 12 years or so.

I know Snap-on and Mac tools are fantastic, but where can a garage wrencher like me get his hands on those? Or better yet, are there any other brands I should consider? Where can I buy these; online or otherwise without paying through the nose?

Thanks MCADX'ers!

ND4SPD

Snap-on/MAC are typically sold out of trucks that visit mechanic's shops. From what I've seen they're far more expensive than Craftsman. The Craftsman stuff I have has held up well over the years, no complaints. I try to get stuff on sale so the price doesn't sting as bad.

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BizJetGuy

Depends on what you're buying.

Hand tools (wrenches, ratchets, sockets, etc.) are usually made by the same plant for the higher tier brands - Craftsman, Snap-on, Mac. Even though they are higher priced, they have lifetime guarantees and are very high quality. You do get what you pay for and you can get Snap-on and mac tools online.

I used to live out of the toolbox and had nothing but Craftsman and Snap-on hand tools to bring home the bacon. Even though I've moved off of the floor, I still use those same tools frequently and have had next to no failures.

I would buy nothing but Snap-on screwdrivers. They can grip stripped out screwheads better than any other brand out there.

Power tools are a totally different ballgame...

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BobcatSig

This is mostly for hand tools. I don't have a huge need for power tools ... yet.

I'll check out Craftsman again, and be on the look out for deals.

Any other thoughts out there of where to buy?

BizJetGuy

For Craftsman, just keep an eye on specials at Sears. Your best bet is to buy the biggest set you can. Also, check with local trade schools as there are deals through Sears to get automotive or aviation sets with a pretty good discount.

For Snap-on and Mac, there usually aren't any deals. But it's the best quality out there. The only real difference between the higher end brands is the plating.

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JohnnyDiablo

I bought some craftsman socket sets off ebay for less than retail. It works great for getting those few odd sockets not included in common kits and priced way to high individually

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luvtolean

You can buy directly from the makers online, but Snap On and Mac are pretty damned rough on the wallet. That stuff is worth it if you use it quite a bit, maybe not so much if you have a small garage kit you've been using and don't have many complaints.

I just did a bunch of work at a friend's transmission shop over the weekend using all his nice Snap-On/Mac stuff (and lift) and had kind of forgotten how much nicer premium tools are. (true tool snobs will mix, as each company has their stand-outs) However, just looking around the Snap-On site, I also remembered that he has single drawers in his toolbox that contain over $10,000 in tools. (they have to go through the shop for ins purposes and value all the equipment)

Used can be a good way to get those brands.

There is also SK which does some pretty nice stuff.

Otherwise, Craftsman is the way to go for your average homeowner/hobbyist, and is where most of my standard hand tools come from.

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Shenders1

I've always been fond of SK stuff - IMO, somewhat better quality than Craftsman, and approximately the same price. Downside is inability to get replacement parts at any mall like Craftsman.

Repeater

Power tools i like the Hitachi Lithiom-ion powered tools. Way light and the bat lasts forever. I also have Dewalt and Makita on my top Electric tools.

Blackandddecker sucks a$$.

SK is great but The tool sets from Lowes aren't bad for what you get. Harbor Frieght like u Said is suspect but for tools not used very often they are a good source.

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BizJetGuy

Sorry to break the news but Black & Decker is the parent company for DeWalt.

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G-ForceJunkie

With the exception of screwdrivers, especialy philips head, I find nothing wrong with craftsman or Husky. There is a Sears or Home Depot in most places and the life time warranty is easy to replace the occational broken hand tool. Screwdrivers, accept nothing less than Snap-on unless you enjoy boogered up screws and frustration. One thing to note is that there are really only like 3 big tool manufactures that make tools for everyone, and they have changed over the years. Kobalt used to be made by J.H. Williams, but now Danaher who also makes MatCo and Craftsman since the mid 1990's. Before, Craftsman were made by Stanley, who now makes Husky, Proto and MAC. Snapon make snapon, and their second tier line Bluepoint. FAMCO makes S-K. It all boils down to less of what names stamped on the side, but the quality of the product. Machining tolerances and finish seem to be the two big things that vary between the cheap and the premium tools. Take a look at it and you can generally get a feel for now "nice" it is.

Repeater

Big difference in quality though. I took a chance on a cheap Decker and got what i paid for

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SomeStrangeGuy

Power tools - buy Ryobi, seriously.

Hand tools - Husky/Stanley are the same brand, and HD will sometimes honor the stanley lifetime replacement warranty. It depends how keen they are on being jerks.

I own a fair share of Craftsman, but the shit is so overpriced it's not funny.


My toolbox is alot of Craftsman, Husky, Stanley.

Kobalt is made by Williams - parent company of Snap On IIRC. But, I'm not such a fan of their consumer crap. For the duckets I'd buy Craftsman or SK.

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JohnnyDiablo

Steer clear of the craftsman ratchets unless you really scrutenize em. They have a circlip held in guts on some of em. Those are total crap. The handle looks heavy and cast. There is a better smooth handle ratchet if they might let you upgrade, (story to follow) but heck find yourself some snap on ratchets and be done with it.

I have taken those craftsman ratchets back so many times just to see the counter guy open a parts box, circlip spanners and replace the guts with more plastic innards and hand it back. Wouldnt even let me pay the difference to upgrade. Someday I will get a yes on an upgrade from a new guy.

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BobcatSig

Wow!! Great advice guys. Thank you. I'll keep an eye out. I'm mostly a hobbyist right now and my wrenching is your usual spark plugs, oil change, tire change, and minor adjustments. I leave the valve checks and the like to the pros.

Hammer

Bob, the snap on stuff is nice......no one here will rebuttal that. But is it worth it for home use? No. I have some snap on stuff left over from when I twisted wrenches and I do prefer them, but if I need to add a tool to the box I usually go craftsman. They are not the same standard as snap on, but they are not 4 times the price either. You can pick up a decent starter set for a couple hundred dollars and add as needed later on. Plus if/when you break them you can bring them back to sears for a replacement and not have to chase down a truck.

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luvtolean

Husky or Craftsman is all you need.

As someone else said, watch for Crapsman sales, and buy a big set.

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JohnnyDiablo

If you buy a big set of craftsman stuff. Find out what size sockets you need for the rear wheel nut and your steering stem top nut and make sure your set has them.

Through the years I have bought multiple craftsman sets to only have a collection of dodgy ratchets and 4 or 5 of the same sockets. I still had to go out and buy the top nut socket on its own.

I had this idea of a big craftsman swap along time ago. Just imagine sending in all your duplicates and getting the few sockets you are missing or need.

Hey I can dream cant I?

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luvtolean

So? DeWalt does not equal Black and Decker.

The big sets stop at about 30mm max. (and I have like 5 of them)

If your axle and stem nuts are larger than that, which is likely, you'll have to buy them separate.

This is one of the best sets ever. Don't know if you can get them anymore, but I used them constantly when I had access.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

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Someone needs to present the facts and the physics rather than just the rhetoric. Poor old Carmelo doesn't understand the physics of a motorcycle. - Jerry Burgess, on spec tires and changing engine rules

BobcatSig

Really, what I'm looking for is the brand(s) to continue to fill holes in my chest. Right now, the base of my tools are made up of a Husky socket set I bought over 10 years. They've held up quite well.

I just picked up a set of Harbor Freight deep impact sockets to address my rear axle and steering stem nut. I had a set of wrenches I used on my F4, but the 929 has bigger/different nuts. One thing that I need and would use often is a set of metric T-handle allen keys. I saw a 5 or 6 piece set at Sears, but they wanted somewhere just over $20, to which I told them (in my mind) to go F@ck themselves. I'm still looking for that.

I realize that the HF set is going to be junk, as is the ratchet I bought with it. But I need it now and is should suffice until money isn't so thin. (It's amazing how much I spend on a new bike!) So it should do for now. In the meanwhile, I'll keep an eye open for Husky or Crafstman sets/bits to supplement or fill holes in my tool chest.

As far as where to buy ... the general consensus I'm getting is that most retailers have you by the balls. Leaving me only to wait for sales or just bite the bullet and take the hit in price. There is always the occasional fleaBay deal, but I would imagine that shipping my be cost prohibitive, no?

luvtolean

Properly done tools cost money. They have to choose a decent steel and heat treat it correctly for it to work and last. Much of the Craftsman stuff is still Made in the USA too.

Harbor Freight hand tools will cost you much less, but I think they're the rip off.

Twenty bucks for a set of T-handles is nothing. You don't want to see my typical monthly tool-whoring bills.

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Someone needs to present the facts and the physics rather than just the rhetoric. Poor old Carmelo doesn't understand the physics of a motorcycle. - Jerry Burgess, on spec tires and changing engine rules

Purpdust

In canada we have MasterCraft (My guess is it is made to the same spec at the same factory as Craftsman) If Sears is anything like Canadian Tire (MastercCraft retailer) and you are willing to wait. Every will go on sale at some point and usually 60% to 70% off

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BobcatSig

Oh sure, I get it. Like I said, the HF was cheap and purchased knowing that it was temporary. I'm lucky in the fact that I don't wrench to earn my keep. So I'm allowed some flexibility. But don't kid yourself, I'm a firm believer in the mantra of, "you get what your pay for." I fully expect the HF stuff to crap out on me in 6 months. In the meanwhile, I can pick up some better stuff that will be more permanent.

As for whoring your tools ... I can only imagine. My friend that does all my major and internal work on my bike has a garage that would be any Snap-On or moto geek's wet dream. I can't even begin to fathom what his tool bills are like! The neat part is that on occasion he lets me use his tools when I'm in town.

ND4SPD

Here you go Bobcat:

Craftsman 245 pc. Mechanics Tool Set with Easy-To-Read Sockets in 3-Drawer Chest - Model 34245 at Sears.com

Do in-store pickup and use this code for another $5 off: SDEALS197

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luvtolean

If you are only going to be working on metric stuff, you could also consider a metric only kit.

Sears.com

This one is closest to the last kit I bought. It seems like a steep price, but it's actually not a bad deal.

Craftsman 283 pc. Mechanics Tool Set, Metric - Model 33284 at Sears.com

__________________
Someone needs to present the facts and the physics rather than just the rhetoric. Poor old Carmelo doesn't understand the physics of a motorcycle. - Jerry Burgess, on spec tires and changing engine rules