What brand of tools?

[Merlin68F100]

Just for the sake of argument the folloing statement is true:
ALL TOOLS COST THE SAME.

Now what brand of tools to buy? Craftsman, MAC, Snap On? Husky

[bryantracing460]

If that statement was true, I don't see a lot of difference. Most all have a lifetime gaurantee. I usually buy craftsman b/c there is a Sears nearby.

BTW welcome to the new forums glad to see you finally made it.

[Merlin68F100]

Thanks, I guess I missed the memo about the change over. I went to the old address and noticed the last poster on all the threads was Keith. I guess that should have sent up a few red flags...

I hear what you are saying about the life time warrenty on most quality tools. I may be changing career directions and if I do it means buying a whole new set of tools. I to have been a craftsman guy, but I think it was because my dad was a craftsman guy.

This time around I figured I would get some input from people that use tools and not people that sell tools.

[FORDification]

I would have to agree with the recommendation for Craftsman. While most decent brands these days have a lifetime warranty, the fact that you can get a replacement at any Sears outlet nationwide is very convenient. However, Snap-On has always been regarded as the tool of choice for the professional, and if I were to go to work as a mechanic in a garage I'd probably go with Snap-On, since the factory rep would be going through there every couple of weeks to replace anything that had gotten broken, and would save me a trip to Sears.

I suppose it would come down to what brand of American-made tool with a lifetime warranty is most readily available where you live. If any of the auto parts stores in your area carry a good line of these tools, I'd go with them, just for the ease of future replacement.

[Merlin68F100]

I just have to add this story. 2 years ago I bought a Craftsman framing nailer on Ebay. This model shoots strip nails that are at 28 degrees. I have shot a half case of 3 in clip head 33 degree nails though it and I guess this helped tear up the impact unit. I took the nailer to the Sears maintenance shop here in Marietta and they sent it to Texas to have it fixed. They told me they would call me if the charge was going to be over $89.00 2 weeks later it came back refurbished and they told me it was under warenty and it cost me NADA, ZIP, Zero beer tickets.

I just got a spot in my heart for Craftsman tools.

[jor]

Most of my tools are Craftsman but I think they are really a step down from Snap-On. The Snap-On tools are generally thinner, a better shape and just feel better to work with; they are just too expensive for most of us shade-trees though. If I were a professional, I'd go with Snap-On. Also (I could be wrong on this) it seems to me that the Craftsman stuff is not as good as it used to be years ago. This is probably just a case of longing for yesteryear or something but they just don't seem to be quite the quality they were.
jor

[DuckRyder]

Been there done that, got the MAC tools to show for it.

The Craftsman "Professional line" is very nice and takes care of my primary complaint about craftsman which was that they are hard to keep clean.

If you are going to be going into a large shop. There will probably be a Snap-Off, MAC, and possably an SK and/or Cornwall man come by, generally once a week. I would chose based on which rep I liked the best, particularly between Mac and Snap On. The best tools don't do you any good when the rep is a flake.

All things being equal (including the rep and the price) I'd probably buy Snap-On. Things being un-equal (especially the price) I do buy MAC, and pretty often Craftsman.

[lobuck76]

I usually buy craftsman or S-K. I think for the money the craftsman stuff is hard to beat. I have a nice set of snap on screwdrivers that I've had for 15 years plus. They've replaced the most of them, except for the handles. Lateley I'm noticing the handles splitting on some of them. I'm gonna have to chase that rep down and get some new handles.To me the fatter end wrenches don't seem to be as rough on the hands as the skinny snap on wrenches.
S-K makes some very nice snap ring pliers. I invested in 3 pairs awhile back.
My .02 Ron

[oldschoolrods]

Most of my tools are craftsman, but through my maintence job at a thrift store I have been able to get one 7/16th snap on wrench, a snap on timing light (old one but works), and a mac screwdriver.

[willowbilly3]

My tools I still have from spinning wrenches as a trade so I am reeal partial to Snap on and Mac. Of the two I probably lean toward mac but I always bought more snap-on because thery had easier credit. But once I quit being a tool whore, Snap-on hung me out to dry.
Of the medium priced tools I have always like S-K the best, I never had any of the Craftsman pro line as it is fairly recent but the best they had 15 years ago was clunk and akward. And while their warranty is great, who wants to have to go to the store to get new guts in a rachet right in the middle of a job?
Watch your local NAPA store for their big sales. They have decent tools with a nice finnish and they have some smokin deals on them a couple times a year.
Also watch the classifieds. Whole sets of Snap-on and Mac tools come up for sale every so often. Figure on paying about 25 cents on the dollar, no more.
Be wary of those sets that Sears sells as they are usually their budget line and really no better than Import stuff except for the warranty. Warranty don't mean much when that socket that cracked rounded of an exhaust nut in an inaccesable place.
If you are buying used tools good names to look for are Crescent, Plumb, Williams, Bonney, Husky, Spartan. Many of those names are history now but a still some of the best tools ever made.

[lobuck76]

I got a set of gearwrenches awhile back, after getting some positive input on them on another thread. I got the ones that swivel. Man I love 'em. Should have bought some sooner.

[cobraF100]

I use Craftsman tools for the most part.I just dont like that when you take it back they just give you one that was repaired,and mite not look as good as the one that you had that broke..

I'd like to try the Husky Brand sometime to see how they are.

[oldschoolrods]

I scored a set of husky half inch drive at work a while back. The rachet was shot though, had to buy a craftsman, but they worked great for putting my trailer hitch back on. My dad has a set of Proto, they're a pretty good tool aslo.

[oldschoolrods]

Crap larry I never thought of that, dumbass me I threw it away. I still have one of the extentions that was also no good, maybe I can get a new one of those though.

[hillbilly]

I am now a foreman but was a tech for many years. I have roughly $30,000 in tools. I have Snap On, Mac, Matco, Craftsman, S-K, Cornwell, & various other brands. I am partial to Snap on or Matco. Your tool rep does make a difference because I won't buy any Mac tools now. Craftsman or Napa tools are good for the home mech, but you can't get a lot of the specialty tools from them. Just my 2 cents.