Best tools you own

[Shran]

My favorite ratchet is a cheapo Evercraft 3/8 long handle flex head. Just seems to fit most places I need to use it and has held up to a ton of abuse. I use it more often than my "nice" ratchets.

Favorite power tool is a Milwaukee 3/8 cordless ratchet... Close second is their cordless right angle die grinder.

I have a bunch of Snap-on, Mac, Matco, etc... Like most of it... Matco is kinda on the cheap quality side of things, modern Mac is junk. Old Snap-on is awesome, new stuff is hit/miss... I have a pair of side cutters that I can't warranty because their stupid laser etched logo wore off.

Cornwell and Gray Pneumatic are a couple other brands I like.

 

[racsan]

Look at this guy flexing that he has the money for a mortgage payment

I bought those years ago, I kept splitting 13mm crapstman 12 point sockets, and I prefer a 6 point anyways. It was a very worthwhile investment. The mac ratchet was bought shortly after, had been using one @ the boat dealership and liked it, a standard 3/8” ratchet aint got much handle for leverage. At the time crapstman didn’t offer one. I dont know what the $ would be now for it all but this was about ‘91 or ‘92. the snap on sockets were $200 and the mac 3/8” long handle flex head was $50. I have had to replace one 13mm shallow socket & put a rebuild kit in the ratchet but its been a worthwhile purchase.
Cheap tools actually cost in the long run, I bought a cheap flareing tool once to do brake line, it wouldnt hold the line tight to get a good flare. I thought it was me & not having done that in a while. Got frustrated with it and bought a good kit, its still in my box today.

 

[holyford86]

You can buy good tools once or cheap tools over and over. The good ones won't break on Sunday afternoon and leave you stuck. I have an SK 1/2" breaker bar that I bought in the early 70's and a Snap On bar that I bought a few years ago at Carlisle on a rainy Friday for $50 from a guy who looked pretty depressed sitting their with his stuff under a plastic sheet. I don't remember the last time I used the SK.

I own a bunch of Snap-On and Mac and other good name brand stuff, I've broke them all at one point or another but the frequency is far less than most cheap tools.

 

[James Morse]

https://www.powerprobetek.com/product/power-probe-3-master-combo-kit/

I think this is the one to get. Been looking at these a while. Kit car builders, where you have to wire the whole car, swear by them. I ran into issue of rear stuff (wiper, lock, fuel door) not working on wife's Rabbit, usually it's the wires break at the hatch, but to really diagnose, this would be the ticket. Can you make testers out of wire and batteries, yes, but it seems like this tool has pretty much everything you need and would save a ton of time and frustration and wondering if your tests are valid. I usually spend more time trying to rig something up to test, than actually testing.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Its not my favorite, but the one I use the most, and that is my cordless angle grinder. I call it my pocketknife.

 

[snoranger]

https://www.powerprobetek.com/product/power-probe-3-master-combo-kit/

I think this is the one to get. Been looking at these a while. Kit car builders, where you have to wire the whole car, swear by them. I ran into issue of rear stuff (wiper, lock, fuel door) not working on wife's Rabbit, usually it's the wires break at the hatch, but to really diagnose, this would be the ticket. Can you make testers out of wire and batteries, yes, but it seems like this tool has pretty much everything you need and would save a ton of time and frustration and wondering if your tests are valid. I usually spend more time trying to rig something up to test, than actually testing.

I just ordered that kit for my new service truck. We have 1 of them in the shop toolbox. The PP3 is pretty much the perfect tool for any basic electrical work. It great for lighting issues.
The short finder doesn’t work worth a damn and a short to ground... the entire truck just make it beep. And corroded wires... if there’s even 1 strand of wire still sort of making a connection, it won’t help you find the problem. If you have a legit open circuit, it’s a great tool and will help you find the problem quickly. (We dont call it a short finder, we call it the Beep, beep, beep... we starting calling it that to pick on someone, now it’s just the name of the tool.)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It's not a hodge podge, it just means you know enough about Fords to mix parts. My Mustang has an 86 Crown Vic roller cam block, 96 Explorer (GT40) heads, 77 Mustang II exhaust manifolds that I ported to fit the heads, among other things. The Chevy guys can just throw stuff together because they know it won't live long anyway.

87 crown vicish shortblock, HO cam, E7 heads, Explorer accessories, Wieand Stealth intake, Edebrock 1403 4bbl, Hedman 88400 headers, duraspark lightning system...

 

[broncc]

-engine crane
-needle scaler
-work bench and lighting

 

[Roert42]

-engine crane
-needle scaler
-work bench and lighting

I forgot about lights, lots of lights. Almost more important that the 3lb hammer.

 

[gaz]

NO QUESTION,

The Craftsman Max Axess Universal set. It works with every/any fastener head style, best set of tools I've ever used, all in one set.

 

[RustyShackleford94]

The one tool thats never failed me

My next favorite is my snap on flex head ratchets. Broke a raised panel craftsmen leaving me with a “boxers fracture”, will never buy another cheap ratchet. I love my cheap Tekton sockets though.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

haha my crappy Tekton T handle allen set just won't break or dissapear, on the contrary always seems to be wherever its needed.

 

[Roert42]

I like Tekton tools. They seem to have some very nice QC on the stuff I bought. They also seem to be one of the only inexpensive brand that sells full sets, not just the common sizes.

Their warranty is pretty good too.
I broke an 8mm wrench when I was using it with a 2' cheater bar. You go on their website, upload a picture of the tool showing the part number, and they mail you a new one. Not as fast as a too truck warranty, but the snappy guy doesn't show up to my house, so I guess that the best I can do.

Had to deal with S.K. online warranty after i broke some of their stuff. Not a fan. Took them about three months to respond to my email, then they only warrantied the socket not the wobble extension. Didn't ask for a picture though, so that's nice.

 

[19Walt93]

The one tool thats never failed me
View attachment 68017
My next favorite is my snap on flex head ratchets. Broke a raised panel craftsmen leaving me with a “boxers fracture”, will never buy another cheap ratchet. I love my cheap Tekton sockets though.

My torches are much older, the cart is steel and the tanks are retained by chains. By the way, your torch head is on backwards- the oxygen knobs should both be on the same side.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

My MAPP gas torch is amazing. Its made alot of things alot less headache. Oh and my 6ft custom cheater pipe....its my 1/2in rachets greatest enemy.