What Brand Of Tools are the BEST?!

[wilpetty]

I am looking at buying a mechanics set of craftsmans tools. It is on sale for 199 and it is 255pc set with a box. There is also a 305 pc set for the same exact price but no box. Which of the two sets do you guys recomend to have? I am just going to have it in the blazer. I hear the box was crappy quality but I dont think I can get a toolbox that would organize the larger set so I am leaning towards the one with the box. Also should I go with crafstman or is there another brand or set you all would recommend for the same price I just like the fact they are the most popular and have a lifetime warranty. Any input is appreciated. Even a war over brands

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00935255000P

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00941309000P

 

[sweetk30]

fyi you dont need to cross post here at ck5 .

as a mechanic of old and newer i hate those socalled sets.

i see guys buy them and not use 1/3 or 1/2 of them .

do your self a favor get the stuff you need so you have a better set you will like more in the end.

i buy stuff as i need it so i dont have a box full of stuff i dont use half of.

and yes my sig line pic is my tool box . i got a little storage room in there.

 

[K5 Jess]

Get the set with the box. Then u can add or subtract what you want as yiu figure out what our actually gunna use out in the trail.

 

[ARAMP1]

I was never one for "sets". Craftsman has some good deals every once in a while. I'd also look at Kobalt and Huskey in the same price point. To me, it'd be easier to get to a Lowes or Home Depot than a sears. If you're looking at cheaper tools with a lifetime warranty, i'd also look at Harbor Freight if you have one close. I've never used them, but have heard good things about them (compared to imported Craftsman, etc) over at garage journal.

 

[ryoken]

here's a nice 200 piece set..


tools


























































sorry couldn't resist... I guess the sets are ok, it's just those deals have always been loaded with useless baby allens, etc to boost the numbers up.. for the home guy crapsman does ok.... but ya might wanna look around at some other stuff like SK, Matco and such... not sure if ya save much money on the sets of craftsman, might be worth adding up the important tools, and just piece together what ya want..

if your gonna turn wrenches for a living, Snappy, Mac tend to be the best route...

 

[wilpetty]

Holy crap that is expensive! Yeah I am not turning wrenches for a living...Going to law school in a year and a half...Definitely looking towards a less expensive route...My father-n-law has the set with the box and it isn't a very good box, so I would rather get the set with just the larger amount of tools and buy a box, but I can't find a good toolbox I could put in the blazer and keep everything organized....Will definitely do more shopping. Hate it that craftsman seems to have started getting their tools from china, not sure if that is all true but I've heard it multiple times

I am also leaning towards a set just because it is one trip to the store that will get everything I need. Just like to learn about cars and fix things, so definitely not looking for anything hardcore. Harbor freight is a great place to go but I really want namebrand stuff on my main set I'm going to have

Btw Ill delete the other thread, just wasn;t confident I would get a response here

 

[80' 427]

I have a bit of cornwell and a quite a bit of snap-on. I figure mine is like a gun or anything else worth owning. Spend as much as you can.

 

[wilpetty]

I agree I would enjoy getting the better quality but it is just way out of my price range if I am going to get everything I want available. If I get craftsman I am going to opt for the larger set and get a seperate box because I hear everyone saying that box sucks. Any suggestions for a tool box to put in the blazer? Preferrably one I could easily organize. Full size toolboxes and ones I can remove are both an option

 

[Stomis]

For affordable good tools I still stand by gearwrench. MAC is behind the times and crap, snappy is over priced, and although not as much matco is still overpriced.

Craftsman to me is just ergonomically terrible and for the pro line price point you'd be better off with gearwrench or sk.

 

[Deuling]

I like my channel lock socket set. All the sockets have there own home and snap in. I HATE the toolboxes that the sockets just sit in and fall all over every time you move it. The cresent sets are nice too. Id go that way over the craftsman box. Takes up really no space to because they are flat. Grab a tool bag that zips shut to throw screwdrivers, flashlights, extensions, universal bits, allen wrenches etc. Thats what i do, works great in a rig. And you can ratchet strap it all down and not have tools bouncing all over.

 

[doonjumper]

i hate those socalled sets.

i see guys buy them and not use 1/3 or 1/2 of them .

do your self a favor get the stuff you need so you have a better set you will like more in the end.

X2
The box's are nice as its a clean way to store your tools but Most of that 255 pieces is just fluff. Buy what you need as you go.

 

[eel757]

Harbor fright tools are good for things you don't use that often but for higher use tools go with a good brand like craftsman it will save your knuckles. As far a tool boxes do not buy craftsman they are junk mine is 3 years old and the tabs that hold drawer rails in have broken off the same thing happened to my brothers box as well. I would go to harbor fright for a box the quality is way nicer

 

[xenomarine]

I second harbor freight for boxes, I have the US General 13 drawer roll cab I got on sale for like $375. Check the website for coupons and MAKE SURE YOU PRINT THEM OUT AND BRING THEM TO THE STORE. They won't honor the sale otherwise. I love my roll cab, definitely 100x more solid than any craftsman box I've seen or owned. Drawers are stable and don't swing back and forth, and have a nice feel to them.

 

[-stew-]

Harbor frieght is a ****ing embarrassment. They are the lowest of the low end. If they sold illegal aliens they'd be one stop shopping for putting Americans out of work. The only self-respecting reason to set foot in one of their stores is to spill gas and toss lit matches.

 

[boz42]

Local Lowes stinks when you have to swap a tool. They sweat you over the receipt. I don't own any myself but I went to swap some for my Dad on a outing & they gave me a really hard time.

 

[blazinzuk]

Harbor frieght is a ****ing embarrassment. They are the lowest of the low end. If they sold illegal aliens they'd be one stop shopping for putting Americans out of work. The only self-respecting reason to set foot in one of their stores is to spill gas and toss lit matches.

I completely disagree, there impact sockets are super thick, hence they won't break, 6 point so they don't round off. I have hung and bounced on a 6 foot breaker bar on their composite ratchets. Didn't break, oh yah did I mention I snapped the drive off of my Matco, thats why I was using the HF one.

If you choose carefully at HF you can get some good stuff. You can also get crap.

Snap On, Matco, Cornwell all good tools. Great tools in fact.

The big problem I have with most craftsman sets is there is lots of crap you don't need.

I don't use 1/4 drive tools hardly at all. Mostly 1/2 drive. They need to make a set like those with only 1/2 drive tools.

Craftsman will do just fine. While there are certainly superior ( by a long ways) tools out there a weekend warrior will be fine with em

 

[eel757]

Harbor frieght is a ****ing embarrassment. They are the lowest of the low end. If they sold illegal aliens they'd be one stop shopping for putting Americans out of work. The only self-respecting reason to set foot in one of their stores is to spill gas and toss lit matches.

Ya but its sad when some of there tools are better than craftsman.

 

[82355]

Just buy the Craftsmen set for what you are going to do. When (not if) the ****ty Craftsmen ratchets break, replace them with better quality.

Martin

 

[ashman]

Harbor frieght is a ****ing embarrassment. They are the lowest of the low end. If they sold illegal aliens they'd be one stop shopping for putting Americans out of work. The only self-respecting reason to set foot in one of their stores is to spill gas and toss lit matches.

tell us how you really feel... don't hold back.

there is certainly plenty of crap there, but there is good stuff too and for a weekend warrior like myself, cheap is usually just fine.

 

[6872xtc]

I wrench for a living and can tell you my opinion is buy whatever sockets you want, even in one of those sets, if that's what you decide, but throw the crappy ratchets away immediately and go buy some good ones. I bought some Matco 88 tooth ratchets when they went on special a few years ago and now have 7 of them just at my house!! They are not cheap as others by any means but make things so much easier when you use them due to the small amount of swing required to make them click once. I have ran into lots of guys that thought Snap-on and Matco are a waste of money, but I have had some of their ratchets technically break while doing a job out in the middle of nowhere, but still finish the job for me. By the way, I have a lot of craftsman sockets that I use and I agree that you don't need spendy sockets, and I like gearwrench brand too.