Hand Tools. What do you like?

[Diezel]

I believe there is still a Snap-On dealer that sells to the kids attending WyoTech.

Actually, a few friends of mine went through Wyotech. I can say for sure. The people there DO get "Student" pricing through Snap-On. At a severely discounted rate compared to what us other folks paid.

 

[speedydave]

There is a catch though...no time payments. Want that tool wagon for half price? Cash n carry baby.

I had a payment plan. Paid it off early, though.

They do limit what you can buy, though. Pretty sure that tool wagon wouldn't be allowed.

 

[TheRobSJ]

When I went, it was still just a small time school called Sequioa Institute. And the dealer was cash and carry only, but anything in the catalog was available.

One of my apprentices graduated Wyotech like a year ago. I seem to remember him saying the guy allows time payments, but only on stuff like tools sets.

And if a fresh out of school apprentice ever showed up with a tool wagon, the first words out of his mouth better be he inherited it from his dad or something. Or he'd get shamed right out of the shop.

 

[BURNROPE]

I've been buying Snap-On Tolls since the early 70's. I bought their biggest top box for $100.00, now it's their smallest top box and it's about $1300.00. The Snap-On dealers I've dealt with would always let me buy $200.00-$300.00 worth of tools and I'd pay them off $20.00-$30.00 a week with no interest. Although I couldn't afford
them at today's prices.

 

[billswim]

I use this 1/4 drive snap on ratchet every day! Say what you want about craftsman being "good enough" but when you use a tool every day, it has to fit your hand and not have sharp edges etc. Yeah it was expensive, almost $100 I think. Plus I like it so much i bough two more so I don't have to remember where I laid it down last This little one even has the 80 tooth ratchet making it a dream to finesse and the hinge allows it to turn into a speed wrench instantly.

Did someone say pliers? I buy almost every strange pair of pliers I see. You never know when this or that angle will be needed.

As for tool storage, I worked out of an off brand 10 drawer top box. for a number of years until I filled it up. Bought the same brand bottom box a few years into it. My snap-on guy always wanted to sell me a box but I always told him I wouldn't buy one until he discounted the shot out of one. I think it took him 10 years until I got one at a ridiculously low price plus 0% financing! I finally just filled it up. Keep your eyes out on the truck and tell your driver you'll be interested in a trade in box. I just picked up another used off brand box for $125! He sold some guy a new box for thousands and gave him some credit for his old box.

 

[jt2]

Good grief, Bill. You have more pliers than the Phillipine Air Force.

 

[Cycle61]

Good grief, Bill. You have more pliers than the Phillipine Air Force.

And I love the 80(or whatever) tooth ratchets of the Snap-on pliers. Somehow they just feel so much better than Craftsman/whatever else. I've got a 3/8" drive that is far and away my favorite tool in the box.

Speaking of which, I need a new toolbox. The open bin I've been using for years gets ridiculously disorganized at the track.

 

[Kornholio]

Admittedly I've paid a small fortune for my Knipex collection, but that's due to my days as an aircraft mechanic.

 

[billswim]

Hahaha!! they only have a pair of 'em right?

Shitty pic that was. I don't know why that pic came through so small. You can't even get any detail. I took 'em and uploaded 'em both with the same settings.

 

[Cereal KLR]

Dam Snap on discontinued the fine tooth 3/8 ratchet years ago. Perfect for REAL tight places, just a touch would advance it. Sadly they were a bit fragile to moose handed mechs and stripped the teeth off.

There was always one guy per shift on the truck getting it rebuilt

 

[auntiebling]

i've tried to stay out of this thread because i know it'll be expensive!

to get even, i'll say y'all should go visit

www.garagejournal.com

Mitutoyo micrometer (I have a hell of a time reading the marks on the barrel, so the number dial helps)

the vernier scale on the barrel is way more accurate in my experience. i assume you have a mechanical number readout, if so the slop in the gears driving it can put you off a couple thousandths. if a couple thousandths doesn't matter, might as well just use a dial caliper

I'd love to find some cool vintage box...will have to see what Urban Ore and the Depot for Creative Reuse might have. Maybe UC Surplus.

vintage boxes are expensive in their own right, but definitely a better deal. i lucked into a well worn large machinist top box at a parking lot sale motion pro had a few years ago. even had some tools left behind in it and chunks of metal that have proved usefull.

 

[planegray]

+1 to buying the "trade-in" boxes from a tool truck... I've gotten some pretty good deals that way.

I can't remember if I still have the bent one.... only 3 wheels touched at once, I didn't care

 

[Abacinator]

For everyday use it's hard to beat the Snap-On flank drive wrenches, even at their price point.

I wrench so infrequently at home that I just have a small set of Horrible Fright combo wrenches.

LOL. Yesterday the Snap-On guy offered to trade me straight across for my tool cabinet just to get a big-ass matco Harley Davidson box and a (actually really nice) Cornwell cart off his truck. Even offered to throw in an MG325 3/8 impact gun! I wouldn't bite. I like my box. It's a purty blue.

 

[Kornholio]

That must be one hell of a purty blue box!

 

[Abacinator]

It is! And I definitely wouldn't give it up for some gaudy orange box with hotrod flames and a big-ass harley logo blasted across it that, while appearing larger, has slightly less interior volume

The cart was really nice, though. And I DO need a 3/8 impact gun

 

[TheRobSJ]

It is! And I definitely wouldn't give it up for some gaudy orange box with hotrod flames and a big-ass harley logo blasted across it that, while appearing larger, has slightly less interior volume

The cart was really nice, though. And I DO need a 3/8 impact gun

And that Snap-On MG325 is pretty friggin awesome. I use mine even to bust lug nuts.

 

[Diezel]

I use this 1/4 drive snap on ratchet every day! Say what you want about craftsman being "good enough" but when you use a tool every day, it has to fit your hand and not have sharp edges etc. Yeah it was expensive, almost $100 I think.

There was a previous post of mine in another thread. Regarding that EXACT ratchet.

I paid $75 for mine (which replaced the one I stole from my dad years ago). I handed it back to him at my wedding, on fathers day. His and mine, are still rolling along like champs. His being 23 yrs older then mine.

 

[billswim]

Dam Snap on discontinued the fine tooth 3/8 ratchet years ago. Perfect for REAL tight places, just a touch would advance it. Sadly they were a bit fragile to moose handed mechs and stripped the teeth off.

There was always one guy per shift on the truck getting it rebuilt

Well, they started making 'em again!!

i've tried to stay out of this thread because i know it'll be expensive!

to get even, i'll say y'all should go visit

www.garagejournal.com

I will not click link. I will not click link. I will not click link...

There was a previous post of mine in another thread. Regarding that EXACT ratchet.

I paid $75 for mine (which replaced the one I stole from my dad years ago). I handed it back to him at my wedding, on fathers day. His and mine, are still rolling along like champs. His being 23 yrs older then mine.

I remember that post

 

[auntiebling]

I will not click link. I will not click link. I will not click link...

makes hotrod porsches look cheap....

 

[Dubbington]

Regarding wood work, I cant tell you how many times I've use my speed square. I have a 12" and a 6"