Buying some tools

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Y'all know craftsman makes and owns snapon right?

Very wrong.

Up until 1994 Craftsman tools were made by Stanley. After that a company called Danaher Tools as they out bid Stanley for the contract.

Danaher also makes MatCo tools, Armstrong and KD tools.

Stanley owns MAC tools, along with Proto and Husky.

Snap-On is made by Snap-On in the Kenosha Mfg Plant. Snap-On makes the tools that are sold by Lowes under the Kobalt name, though they are not made using the same processes or machining of the Snap-On name brand tools. There are also Blue Point tools made by Snap-On which are of a lower quality.

 

[Destroyer000]

ive got 2 sets of impact sockets. 1/2 long metric and standard paid 20 bucks a set from MIT ... i beat the crap out of them and they have been just fine.. i couldnt see going out spending all that $$ on just a name.. dont get me wrong some things you have to spend the $$ on to get the quality of it but somethings you can get with out.

 

[straycat]

Well I'm graduating college in 2 weeks, I have some money saved up, and before I lose my student discount with Snap-On I want to buy a good set of sockets. I am set on buying a full set of short and long 3/8 metric and standard but that only leaves me with enough money to buy 1 full set of 1/2" sockets. So I am thinking should I buy half a set of metric and half a set of standard or just a full set of metric.

You need to buy all of them, Bro!!! You will need them if you are doing your own maintenance!!!

 

[straycat]

i wish i could afford snap-on

I won't wast my money on snap on crap....these tools are way too over priced. I have buddies who bought these tools years ago and spent $25,00 with a roll around chest or two, and most of the tools they have bought.....they never used or will ever use. They also wind up with broken tools a lot they tell me!! I have Craftsman tools that are over 25 years old and then get used every week and they have never broke on me!!! I have only had 1 adjustable wrench break on me EVER, and Sears handed me a new one when I walked in and showed the salesman at the tool counter.....no questions asked and I did not have to wait for an area rep to inspect it as my buddies have had to when ever they break a crap snap on tool!!!! They have to wait to get it replaced.....haaaaaa haaaaa!!!
Eat me snap on you over priced tool company....you will never ever get my business!!!!!
Remember this...you can buy a nice used car or truck for the price you will pay for a Snap On tool roll around setup...I would rather have the money spent on the car or truck and use Craftsman!!!!!

 

[97fordrunner]

I've got a full set of 1/2 standard and Metric impacts and hardly use the Metric. Of Course I'm in Heavy Truck Repair. Anything bigger than 1" I have been buying shallow as I need. And X10 on the ratchet wrenches are the greatest I use mine everyday a lot just make sure you get the reversible ones.

 

[wrecking-crew]

I won't wast my money on snap on crap....these tools are way too over priced. I have buddies who bought these tools years ago and spent $25,00 with a roll around chest or two, and most of the tools they have bought.....they never used or will ever use. They also wind up with broken tools a lot they tell me!! I have Craftsman tools that are over 25 years old and then get used every week and they have never broke on me!!! I have only had 1 adjustable wrench break on me EVER, and Sears handed me a new one when I walked in and showed the salesman at the tool counter.....no questions asked and I did not have to wait for an area rep to inspect it as my buddies have had to when ever they break a crap snap on tool!!!! They have to wait to get it replaced.....haaaaaa haaaaa!!!
Eat me snap on you over priced tool company....you will never ever get my business!!!!!
Remember this...you can buy a nice used car or truck for the price you will pay for a Snap On tool roll around setup...I would rather have the money spent on the car or truck and use Craftsman!!!!!

Crap? Yeah, right. You use the tools whenever you need to but at a dealership, tools are the life of the mechanic. They use them everyday, which Craftsman would not be able to hold up as long if used like that.
The only reason it takes a while to get the tools back and why the tool guys are pricks about it, is because they make no money on doing that. The drivers only drive a truck with the Snap-On name. They buy what they sell from Snap-On.

Craftsman is still a good brand for home use, but when you depend on tools everyday for a living, Snap-On or Matco. Something that comes on a truck is better than what is available to the public.

 

[97fordrunner]

I buy Mac & Snap on to cause they come around and I have no Sears near me and even if I did I still wouldn't go buy it. Only thing I have thats Craftsman is a set of standard wrenches and thats cause they were almost 60% off when I was walking through sears during the Holiday season.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Snap-on tools are awsome tools. But when they broke, it was a royal pain in my butt to get replacement. It got so bad that I just replaced broken tools with low-grade replacements. Later, I just got my own Craftsman tools for my own use rather a shared tool box. Much easier to get what I need and replace whats broken with Craftsman's.

When you are mechanic, tools become who you are. And you are only as good as the tools you have.

 

[88_Eddie]

i've had craftsman sets for the last 10 years. why spend all that money when craftsman has a lifetime warranty? all you do is take it in there and they had you a new one. i've taken sockets of my dad's that are 25 years old in there and gotten new ones.

 

[bilzy7]

Are you going to... Crap can't think of it but they give 1k bucks towards snap on tools? I was gonna go as automotive seems to control my life but I'm alrdy a year into my CNS degree...

 

[bilzy7]

UTI that's it!!!

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yeah I would say just get craftsman as long as you live near a sears then you will have no problem replacing them, I bought the gigantic 350 tool set from them and I love it, I have all the sockets and wrenches I need, they even included some like the 16 and 17mm that other tools sets leave out.

 

[kcm1582]

1/2" drive is just one of those things you just don't really use a lot of in the automotive industry hand tool wise...usually always using 3/8 drive and 1/4" stuff.

Now if you are talking impact sockets...then get the metric and standard deep sockets.

I have a full set of Craftsman impact sockets, would I be better off just using them for all my 1/2" drive work and just saving the extra money for something else?

Well I guess everyone is different. The only time I use 1/2" is impact sockets and if I'm using my big breaker bar to get something loose.

Other than that I've got my long handled Snap-On dual-80 bent handle flex head 3/8" drive ratchet in my hand most of the day. Oh and ratchet wrenches.....they are worth their weight in gold.

Most of the work I do is with my 3/8" set that's why I am buying all of them. I have my eye on the Gearwrench reversible sets maybe I'll put them on my birthday and christmas lists.

Y'all know craftsman makes and owns snapon right?

Um, no they dont. Danaher tools make Craftsman, Snap-On makes their own.

Crap? Yeah, right. You use the tools whenever you need to but at a dealership, tools are the life of the mechanic. They use them everyday, which Craftsman would not be able to hold up as long if used like that.
The only reason it takes a while to get the tools back and why the tool guys are pricks about it, is because they make no money on doing that. The drivers only drive a truck with the Snap-On name. They buy what they sell from Snap-On.

Craftsman is still a good brand for home use, but when you depend on tools everyday for a living, Snap-On or Matco. Something that comes on a truck is better than what is available to the public.

Very true. I work in an independent shop, but I hope to get hired at a dealership. My Craftsman tools have been holding up pretty well but do fall short from time to time and while I have a discount I want to upgrade to better tools and save some money in the long run.

i've had craftsman sets for the last 10 years. why spend all that money when craftsman has a lifetime warranty? all you do is take it in there and they had you a new one. i've taken sockets of my dad's that are 25 years old in there and gotten new ones.

The extra money goes into higher quality steels, and tighter manufacturing tolerances which result in a better fitting higher quality socket. I have rounded over bolts with a Craftsman socket that I was able to go back in with a Snap On socket and take off.

Are you going to... Crap can't think of it but they give 1k bucks towards snap on tools? I was gonna go as automotive seems to control my life but I'm alrdy a year into my CNS degree...

Never heard of that but those schools cost 30K+ to go to and are tech mills they just push people through the program as fast as possible. I'm at the local community college which is a Ford MLR certified program and also offers an associate degree.

 

[kcm1582]

Yeah I would say just get craftsman as long as you live near a sears then you will have no problem replacing them, I bought the gigantic 350 tool set from them and I love it, I have all the sockets and wrenches I need, they even included some like the 16 and 17mm that other tools sets leave out.

I already have a Craftsman "mechanics" set which isn't bad but I am looking for upgrades.

 

[4.0B2]

sears in memphis will tell you that their LLT does not cover tools for professional use. so therefore they do not cover tools used daily on the job...

i have a lot of snap on stuff- mainly b/c that's who comes to the shop.. and that's who my dad always used. i won't say its better than craftsman. b/c i don't own a lot of craftsman. but the craftsman stuff i have has been good... my kobolt stuff has surprised me...

now in the tool box in my truck, most of that is Harbor freight stuff.. just b/c stuff gets stolen and lost and i can't afford 2 pro sets. therefore i have a cheap set that stays in my truck and a good set that stays in my snap on box at the shop. just for occasional use- the HF stuff is pretty good to. i have the 3/8th drive long color coded sockets that i've had cheater bars on, and they still look new...

but to the OP- for 1/2in stuff- just get a set of longs in each IMO. its not often you need a short 1/2 drive, if you do- use 3/8in usually.