Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Hand Tools). This thread is read-only.
So my boss/friend is moving and I will no longer be able to use this tools, unless I want to drive 2000 miles. So I am looking at buying and filling out my mechanics tools in the next month or so. Would love to get your guys opinions on what I should get and what I shouldn’t get before I go out and spend a couple thousand on tools.
I am willing to spend a little extra for good quality tools but don’t feel like spending snap-on level prices.
The tools will be used on all sorts of equipment (cars, lawn tractors, Skid Steers)
Here is my current wishlist:
Husky 52″ tool chest http://tinyurl.com/mj6zok5
Craftsman 21 pc. Drive Tool Accessory Set http://tinyurl.com/ouy6eta
Craftsman 299-piece Ultimate Easy Read Socket Set http://tinyurl.com/nw3rrnb
Black Hawk 17 piece SAE Combo Wrench Set http://tinyurl.com/osfl9nq
Black Hawk 17 piece Metric Combo Wrench Set http://tinyurl.com/pgk8sqn
GearWrench 81230P 120XP Full Polish Flex Teardrop Ratchet Set, 4-Piece http://tinyurl.com/pjtsxnm
GearWrench 81206P Full Polish Mixed Ratchet, 3-Piece http://tinyurl.com/nheoq28
Astro Pneumatic (6120) 4-Piece T-Handle Speed Bar Set http://tinyurl.com/nerwgoa
TEKTON 4885 1/2″ Drive Deep Impact Socket Set, 11-32mm, 14 Sockets http://tinyurl.com/mqzxy69
TEKTON 4880 1/2″ Drive Deep Impact Socket Set, 3/8″-1-1/4″, 14 Sockets http://tinyurl.com/mls8s7w
TEKTON 4817 1/2″ Drive Shallow Impact Socket Set, 11-32mm, 14 Sockets http://tinyurl.com/md2jbpm
TEKTON 4816 1/2″ Drive Shallow Impact Socket Set, 3/8″-1-1/4″, 14 Sockets http://tinyurl.com/m4l27m4
Tite Reach Pro Extension wrench (1/4, 3/8) http://tinyurl.com/pds67el
TEKTON 1919 Stubby Combination Wrench Set, Metric, 10-Piece http://tinyurl.com/mt43ebv
TEKTON 1918 Stubby Combination Wrench Set, SAE, 8-Piece http://tinyurl.com/mahy6dd
TEKTON 2580 3/8-Inch Drive Crowfoot Wrench Set, Metric, 10-Piece http://tinyurl.com/k2nwgmv
TEKTON 2575 3/8-Inch Drive Crowfoot Wrench Set, SAE, 10-Piece http://tinyurl.com/md93zxh
Already own the TEKTON flare nut crowfoot sets
Astro Pneumatic 9415 16″ Needle Nose Pliers Set – 4 Piece http://tinyurl.com/mw64yc5
Crescent PSX203C X2 Long Reach Pliers Set, Long and Bent Long Nose http://tinyurl.com/mcpwyf7
GearWrench 82812 114 Piece Large Combination Tap and Die Set http://tinyurl.com/k6ryfzr
I also already own a air impact, air compressor, Gearwrench flex ratcheting combo wrenches, and the stuff in my tool bag
I know if Conductor sees this he might be able to recommend some Proto and Black hawk mechanics kits, And from the reviews that I have seen him do they are great quality for the price. I don’t know if they will fit your budget though.
I would get a set of half inch drive crowfoot wrenches as well if you will be working with hydraulics much. Some of the lines get pretty big and they are the only option to get to them.
Look at Gearwrench master sets, they probably have a set that will have most of the tools you might want. Buy them all at once in one set, done and done.
NicholasShetley wrote:
I would get a set of half inch drive crowfoot wrenches as well if you will be working with hydraulics much. Some of the lines get pretty big and they are the only option to get to them.
I will defiantly look look into 1/2 drive crowfoot wrenches
Kato wrote:
Look at Gearwrench master sets, they probably have a set that will have most of the tools you might want. Buy them all at once in one set, done and done.
My problem with pre-made sets is they have a bunch of stuff I don’t need. Like the Gear wrench auto master set has a bunch of screw drivers, hex keys, and pliers. I already have felo screw drivers, knipex pliers, and a ridiculous amount of hex keys. So I don’t want to spend extra money on those tools that I will just get rid of.
DR99 wrote:
I know if Conductor sees this he might be able to recommend some Proto and Black hawk mechanics kits, And from the reviews that I have seen him do they are great quality for the price. I don’t know if they will fit your budget though.
Yes I would fully expect a pro to recommendation from Conductor. I don’t know right now if the price is justified for the amount they would get used. I am a maintenance manager at a large assisted living facility, and I would be using the tools to maintain the equipment and fix my own truck when it breaks.
I work at a body shop and spent a hell of lot of money to what is now known as crap-on , the sets I bought a couple years back still work great but it just seems that there goin down hill quickly, gearwrench are great I haven’t had no problems and I also picked up a dewalt 204 piece set at sears for like 200$ I believe and they been great we also work on semi trucks and these dewalts haven’t let up no slips or breakage yet I’ve had them for about almost a year. I bought these just so that I can beat on them and plus there lifetime warranty also.
Jens Olson wrote:
My problem with pre-made sets is they have a bunch of stuff I don’t need. Like the Gear wrench auto master set has a bunch of screw drivers, hex keys, and pliers. I already have fell screw drivers, knipex pliers, and a ridiculous amount of hex keys. So I don’t want to spend extra money on those tools that I will just get rid of.
Understandable
Bigmikez wrote:
I work at a body shop and spent a hell of lot of money to what is now known as crap-on , the sets I bought a couple years back still work great but it just seems that there goin down hill quickly, gearwrench are great I haven’t had no problems and I also picked up a dewalt 204 piece set at sears for like 200$ I believe and they been great we also work on semi trucks and these dewalts haven’t let up no slips or breakage yet I’ve had them for about almost a year. I bought these just so that I can beat on them and plus there lifetime warranty also.
I haven’t had any problems with gearwrench either but I have had friends that had problems warranting tools. I have gear wrench ratcheting wrenches and love them. I am bouncing between gearwrench and craftsmen for the sockets.
I like craftsmen because they have the ultimate set that I can get and be done. There is a sears less than 5min away if a socket breaks. And there is pre made foam liners for craftsman socket sets (http://foamfittools.com/details00515.php)
I did really consider dewalt for this tools box/set because they don’t have as complete of a lineup of sockets, and my OCD will require all the sockets to be the same brand.
Hmmm….
Questions:
1: How important to you is full polish on wrenches? There are some satin Blackhawk tools that are the best value on the market. My Blackhawk article from last week has some links you might find are just the ticket http://professional-power-tool-guide.com/2014/05/blackhawk-tools-a-well-kept-secret/. Read the article and educate yourself on Blackhawk before you purchase your hand tools. They are a truly great value.
2: what type of ratchets do you prefer? Style, tooth count, etc.?
I think you’re right on with the Tekton impact stuff. I’ve used the shit out of mine and they are great for the money and have a lifetime warranty where many don’t and excellent customer service.
You build one hell of a set of Blackhawk and Tekton for $2,000. I’m on the road at the moment, but I’ll be happy to provide some links when I get stationed.
Conductor562 wrote:
Hmmm….
Questions:
1: How important to you is full polish on wrenches? There are some satin Blackhawk tools that are the best value on the market. My Blackhawk article from last week has some links you might find are just the ticket http://professional-power-tool-guide.com/2014/05/blackhawk-tools-a-well-kept-secret/. Read the article and educate yourself on Blackhawk before you purchase your hand tools. They are a truly great value.
2: what type of ratchets do you prefer? Style, tooth count, etc.?
I think you’re right on with the Tekton impact stuff. I’ve used the shit out of mine and they are great for the money and have a lifetime warranty where many don’t and excellent customer service.
You build one hell of a set of Blackhawk and Tekton for $2,000. I’m on the road at the moment, but I’ll be happy to provide some links when I get stationed.
1. Conductor you have convinced me Blackhawk Combo wrenches it is. (List has been updated)
2. As for ratchet I like teardrop style and I do like the look of the gearwrench 120xp. I like higher tooth count 72+ but am not dead set on a tooth count. I would say higher the better unless you loose strength. I don’t really torque the crap out of bolt with my ratchets I have breaker bars and impact for that. My everyday ratchet right now is the Wera Zyklop 3/8″, eventually I will round out the set with 1/4 and 1/2. The Wera is in my service bag and does not get dirty. My goal for this set is it stays in the shop and can get oily and grimy instead of the wera.
Send all the links you think I should look at I will read them all.
I have had great luck with the warranty on my craftsman sockets. If they have the socket in stock they will replace it no questions asked.
Dont waste your time and money on Gearwrench tap and die sets. Trust me dont cheap out on taps you will be sorry. Also make sure the taps are HSS(high speed steel). not carbon steel. same with your dies.
I’m a machinist and tool lover.
Carbon steel taps and dies never last more than once or twice in my experience with them,they just arent hardened or tough enough to make them worth it.
I have a Gearwrench tap and die set, it’s the best set I’ve used to date. I’ve used them quite a bit and they haven’t shown any signs of wear, and none of the taps, even the smallest ones, have twisted or lost teeth. The dies haven’t lost any teeth, and everything is still sharp as new. With taps and dies the bottom line is if they fail you weren’t using them right. I have a long history of using all kinds of taps and dies, and any time they’ve failed it was because they weren’t being used properly.
Of course crap tools are crap tools, no matter whose name is on them, but so far every Gearwrench tool I own has been perfect. That’s why I keep buying more, because I like them, they work perfectly, and if they ever do fail Gearwrench has a lifetime warranty.
So yup, don’t talk bad about Gearwrench, I might cry and then you’ll feel bad…
Of course, I like Ryobi too so maybe I’m just an idiot.
I would try to stay away from Craftsman products I’m not too sure about the future of Sears long term, so you might have warranty issues down the road. Plus they keep closing stores to getting a replacement might not be convenient anymore in the future too. I doubt the Craftsman brand will die it still has some value to it I bet a big box store would end up buying it if they get a good deal on it. I honestly thing Sears should just open Craftsmen stores. They had the concept years ago it was called Sears Home and Hardware it was a place that you could just but tools and some of the Kenmore appliances they didn’t carry major kitchen appliances though just some small appliances and water heaters and such. It was a cool concept till sears killed it. I wanted to work there back in the day for the store discount as a teen! Wasn’t old enough or had a better job by then.
Haha, no KatoI used Ryobi tools for many years although lately they have been annoying the hell out of me. I would buy gear wrench if I had a need for some of their tools I don’t do a ton of Mechanical work. The one thing on my list of things too buy is definably some good wrenches. The Husky wrench set I used to fix my grandmothers wheelchair the other day were horrible they just rounded off every bolt I was pissed.
DR99 wrote:
I would try to stay away from Craftsman products I’m not too sure about the future of Sears long term, so you might have warranty issues down the road. Plus they keep closing stores to getting a replacement might not be convenient anymore in the future too. I doubt the Craftsman brand will die it still has some value to it I bet a big box store would end up buying it if they get a good deal on it. I honestly thing Sears should just open Craftsmen stores. They had the concept years ago it was called Sears Home and Hardware it was a place that you could just but tools and some of the Kenmore appliances they didn’t carry major kitchen appliances though just some small appliances and water heaters and such. It was a cool concept till sears killed it. I wanted to work there back in the day for the store discount as a teen! Wasn’t old enough or had a better job by then.
If you say stay away from craftsman who would you go with?
Personally I plan on going with Carlyle for my hand tools. They are sold at our local parts store and if you are a mechanic why wouldn’t you go with them since you won’t have to wait on a truck to come by. Odds are you will be there anyway to get parts. I feel that they are better than snap on and they are a good bit cheaper too. They might be out of your budget though.
I would either go with Kobalt or Husky to stay within your budget. I have used both companies sockets and they have seemed to be decent quality for the price. If anything pick up some nicer ratchets to use. I see you have a Werea ratchet already, so you know what a quality tool already.
The big box brands don’t have a nice socket only setup like sears though which sucks. Like you mentioned you don’t want all that extra cheap crap they toss in the kits.
None of the store brand sockets are very good at the moment. Not to sound like a broken record, but again, Blackhawk sockets are USA made and great quality for an affordable price. SK is another great source for sockets and drive tools. They are USA made, great quality, and the finish is every bit as good as Snap-On. They are more than Blackhawk, but still way less than the trucks.
For ratchets, there are lots of good ones. My person favorites are the Proto, J4757F, J5257F, and 5457F. They are 72T round heads with a 13T engagement. No other ratchet on the market has that much engagement. The 120XP’s are nice, but I turn and run from anything owned by Apex. They have outsourced a ton of American brands and it took me 3 calls and well over a month to warranty a wrench. Another good option is the Carlyle 90T rats. They are Taiwan sourced, but still nice.
As for T&D’s, carbon is fine in an auto shop, you can always replace them individually with HSS as needed, because you’re going to drop close to $1000 on a basic HSS set if it includes SAE and Metric. The Irwin PTS sets are probably the best carbon sets for your intended purpose. I have a review coming out soon on a $450 Mac sat (that I love), but it’s mostly rebranded Irwin. Norseman is another good T&D option, but a little harder to shop for than the Irwins
Kato wrote:
I have a Gearwrench tap and die set, it’s the best set I’ve used to date. I’ve used them quite a bit and they haven’t shown any signs of wear, and none of the taps, even the smallest ones, have twisted or lost teeth. The dies haven’t lost any teeth, and everything is still sharp as new. With taps and dies the bottom line is if they fail you weren’t using them right. I have a long history of using all kinds of taps and dies, and any time they’ve failed it was because they weren’t being used properly.
Of course crap tools are crap tools, no matter whose name is on them, but so far every Gearwrench tool I own has been perfect. That’s why I keep buying more, because I like them, they work perfectly, and if they ever do fail Gearwrench has a lifetime warranty.
So yup, don’t talk bad about Gearwrench, I might cry and then you’ll feel bad…
Of course, I like Ryobi too so maybe I’m just an idiot.
I wasnt trying to knock gearwrench,to be honest I own alot of Gearwrench tools such as wrenches and pliers etc. They have been nothing short of fantastic. and there’s nothing wrong with Ryobi either so I dont think you’re an idiot.
Working in machine shops for over 20 years tends to make one jaded about certain types of tools like taps and dies 😉
It’s not easy to differentiate between machine shop and auto shop use since im not a full time auto mechanic,just a weekend warrior in that respect 😉
I just wanted to make sure he got decent stuff that will last him and im glad to hear that gearwrench taps and dies are actually pretty decent.
Tools in machining industry are generally pretty pricey.
The one thing I saw is that I would lose that tool box and look at something like a 44″ (maybe with top cab) from Harbor Freight. That’s a seriously flimsy box you have listed…
HF boxes are the best value out there. Leaps and bounds ahead of my Craftsman
A bunch of the guys at work bought those Hf boxes,they are actually pretty nice.
You’ll get alot of opinions about which brand(s) to get or what brand(s) to avoid. There are those who will bash because the internet gives them a place to be heard and those who will praise because brand x is what they have so its the best.
I’ve been spinning wrenches for nearly 40 years and have just about every brand there is. I have armstrong, bahco, cornwell, craftsman, carlyle, sk, proto, easco, indestro, blue point, gearwrench, harbor freight, knipex, channellock, husky, and many others. The list is just to extensive to name them all.
After all of this time I can honestly say there really isn’t a whole lot of difference between them all. Some fit my hands better, some are stamped so they are easier to see, some have finishes that I prefer, etc etc.
The biggest thing is buy what you can afford. There is a reason why our country is in the financial mess it is in now. If you can only afford one of something get the one that is the easiest to warranty. Even tool truck tools will and can break. Over time you will develop you own personal preferences on what you like.
All in all nearly every hand tool brand I have has done fine with just a few exceptions in certain circumstances
DR99 wrote:
I would try to stay away from Craftsman products I’m not too sure about the future of Sears long term, so you might have warranty issues down the road. Plus they keep closing stores to getting a replacement might not be convenient anymore in the future too. I doubt the Craftsman brand will die it still has some value to it I bet a big box store would end up buying it if they get a good deal on it. I honestly thing Sears should just open Craftsmen stores. They had the concept years ago it was called Sears Home and Hardware it was a place that you could just but tools and some of the Kenmore appliances they didn’t carry major kitchen appliances though just some small appliances and water heaters and such. It was a cool concept till sears killed it. I wanted to work there back in the day for the store discount as a teen! Wasn’t old enough or had a better job by then.
I wouldn’t place much credibility in this post.
Is there a retailer right now that has a guaranteed future right now? Lets see— JC penny has recently shuttered some stores. Staples and Radio shack has announced closures of hundreds and hundreds of stores. Best Buy is shuttering stores. Target sales took a hit with the security breach. Wal-mart is showing same stores sales declines. Well Amazon looks pretty good. However they benefit from show rooming. What happens if and when Sears and best buy goes away. Where are folks going to look at the products? Not to mention states are after Amazon for lost sales tax revenues.
I forgot Home depot. They shuttered stores at the beginning of the recession. Now the closest one near me is a hundred miles away.
I guess you must be reading stock broker experts internet blogs. Yea the same assholes that were touting mortgage backed securities and credit default swaps several years ago as a no loose investment. I lost about a half a million dollars in my 401k when the market crashed.
The craftsman hardware stores you are talking about. There is a reason why they killed it. It wasn’t profitable. See the thing is most people don’t do things themselves any more. They hire a lawn service, carry their car to jiffy lube for oil changes, call a painter to paint a room, etc etc. No time to do these things when one is running to soccer practice, working over time, caring for elderly parents and other things.
Now as far as Sears closing full line stores… Yea there will be more, however a Sears Hometown store almost always follows up. So there is still a place to exchange broken tools or buy new ones. Look at the most recent Sears P&L. Sears division showed a slight sales increase with gains in its SYWR programs. They are still the number one retailer in tools and appliances. Whether or not their current strategy will pay off remains to be seen
Retail brick and mortar is over saturated right now. Something like 48 square feet of retail space for every person in this country. Everybody in the business is going to be downsizing over the foreseeable future
Well Placed a big order last night.
Ended up getting the 15pc Gearwrench Combination Wrenches. Sorry Conductor, I did try to order the Proto but both Zoro and ToolUp said the set was discontinued by their supplier. I thought the gear wrench was a nice compromise and I little less expensive.
Got the Tekton stubby wrenches, Tekton Crowfoot sets, Gearwrench 120p Regular and Flex head ratchets, Gearwrench 2x needle nose pliers, Craftsman Ultimate Socket set, and Craftsman 21pc extensions and adaptors
And I will be going down Friday to get the Harbor freight 56″ tool cabinet.
This should get me buy till my amazon finger wants something else.
NC-Fordguy wrote:
DR99 wrote:
I would try to stay away from Craftsman products I’m not too sure about the future of Sears long term, so you might have warranty issues down the road. Plus they keep closing stores to getting a replacement might not be convenient anymore in the future too. I doubt the Craftsman brand will die it still has some value to it I bet a big box store would end up buying it if they get a good deal on it. I honestly thing Sears should just open Craftsmen stores. They had the concept years ago it was called Sears Home and Hardware it was a place that you could just but tools and some of the Kenmore appliances they didn’t carry major kitchen appliances though just some small appliances and water heaters and such. It was a cool concept till sears killed it. I wanted to work there back in the day for the store discount as a teen! Wasn’t old enough or had a better job by then.
I wouldn’t place much credibility in this post.
Is there a retailer right now that has a guaranteed future right now? Lets see— JC penny has recently shuttered some stores. Staples and Radio shack has announced closures of hundreds and hundreds of stores. Best Buy is shuttering stores. Target sales took a hit with the security breach. Wal-mart is showing same stores sales declines. Well Amazon looks pretty good. However they benefit from show rooming. What happens if and when Sears and best buy goes away. Where are folks going to look at the products? Not to mention states are after Amazon for lost sales tax revenues.
I forgot Home depot. They shuttered stores at the beginning of the recession. Now the closest one near me is a hundred miles away.
I guess you must be reading stock broker experts internet blogs. Yea the same assholes that were touting mortgage backed securities and credit default swaps several years ago as a no loose investment. I lost about a half a million dollars in my 401k when the market crashed.
The craftsman hardware stores you are talking about. There is a reason why they killed it. It wasn’t profitable. See the thing is most people don’t do things themselves any more. They hire a lawn service, carry their car to jiffy lube for oil changes, call a painter to paint a room, etc etc. No time to do these things when one is running to soccer practice, working over time, caring for elderly parents and other things.
Now as far as Sears closing full line stores… Yea there will be more, however a Sears Hometown store almost always follows up. So there is still a place to exchange broken tools or buy new ones. Look at the most recent Sears P&L. Sears division showed a slight sales increase with gains in its SYWR programs. They are still the number one retailer in tools and appliances. Whether or not their current strategy will pay off remains to be seen
Retail brick and mortar is over saturated right now. Something like 48 square feet of retail space for every person in this country. Everybody in the business is going to be downsizing over the foreseeable future
So just because I don’t have confidence in Sears possibly lasting long term you had to troll my post thanks i appreciate that. I didn’t personally attack your intelligence now don’t insult mine.
Actually Sears is killing the Hometown and outlet stores. They’re spinning off as many brands as they can, like lands end and craftsman selling them through other retailers.
Sears will keep their heads above water for a few more years by selling kmart and real estate. Unless they pull a bunny out of their ass they won’t last as a retailer.
The sears here is now in a 700sq ft office space. Once it closes there won’t one within 300 miles.
I’ll agree with DR if you’re buying craftsman warranty could be a pain or nonexistent in the future.
DR99 wrote:
NC-Fordguy wrote:
DR99 wrote:
I would try to stay away from Craftsman products I’m not too sure about the future of Sears long term, so you might have warranty issues down the road. Plus they keep closing stores to getting a replacement might not be convenient anymore in the future too. I doubt the Craftsman brand will die it still has some value to it I bet a big box store would end up buying it if they get a good deal on it. I honestly thing Sears should just open Craftsmen stores. They had the concept years ago it was called Sears Home and Hardware it was a place that you could just but tools and some of the Kenmore appliances they didn’t carry major kitchen appliances though just some small appliances and water heaters and such. It was a cool concept till sears killed it. I wanted to work there back in the day for the store discount as a teen! Wasn’t old enough or had a better job by then.
I wouldn’t place much credibility in this post.
Is there a retailer right now that has a guaranteed future right now? Lets see— JC penny has recently shuttered some stores. Staples and Radio shack has announced closures of hundreds and hundreds of stores. Best Buy is shuttering stores. Target sales took a hit with the security breach. Wal-mart is showing same stores sales declines. Well Amazon looks pretty good. However they benefit from show rooming. What happens if and when Sears and best buy goes away. Where are folks going to look at the products? Not to mention states are after Amazon for lost sales tax revenues.
I forgot Home depot. They shuttered stores at the beginning of the recession. Now the closest one near me is a hundred miles away.
I guess you must be reading stock broker experts internet blogs. Yea the same assholes that were touting mortgage backed securities and credit default swaps several years ago as a no loose investment. I lost about a half a million dollars in my 401k when the market crashed.
The craftsman hardware stores you are talking about. There is a reason why they killed it. It wasn’t profitable. See the thing is most people don’t do things themselves any more. They hire a lawn service, carry their car to jiffy lube for oil changes, call a painter to paint a room, etc etc. No time to do these things when one is running to soccer practice, working over time, caring for elderly parents and other things.
Now as far as Sears closing full line stores… Yea there will be more, however a Sears Hometown store almost always follows up. So there is still a place to exchange broken tools or buy new ones. Look at the most recent Sears P&L. Sears division showed a slight sales increase with gains in its SYWR programs. They are still the number one retailer in tools and appliances. Whether or not their current strategy will pay off remains to be seen
Retail brick and mortar is over saturated right now. Something like 48 square feet of retail space for every person in this country. Everybody in the business is going to be downsizing over the foreseeable future
So just because I don’t have confidence in Sears possibly lasting long term you had to troll my post thanks i appreciate that. I didn’t personally attack your intelligence now don’t insult mine.
You are welcome.
Seriously though, I was merely countering your opinion and it is regrettable you took it the way you did. Also I’m failing to see how your intelligence was insulted as I made no comments concerning it
I get it, it’s fashionable to rag on Sears on the net especially given some of the decisions those at the top of Sears make. However nothing positive comes from such rhetoric.
I can’t help wonder a few years when General Motors and Chrysler were in dire circumstances what comparable rhetoric helped the situation.
The wonders of the interwebs 🙄
Any of you guys use Sunex tools? I’ve been using them for years. I have a set of impact swivel sockets that are just as good as my snap-on, mac,matco.
I have seen them in catalogs but not in person.
Dr.Kelso wrote:
Any of you guys use Sunex tools? I’ve been using them for years. I have a set of impact swivel sockets that are just as good as my snap-on, mac,matco.
Sunex has some good stuff and some lower grade stuff. Their impact sockets are probably their best offerings. Good stuff.
I actually have this socket set
Not bad for a stanley honestly. If you dont work on cars daily its a decent set to get for the money, I’ve had my set for 3 years and have used it for several car projects. I have the 201 pc set though
My uncle also owns this set
Good ol channellock!Its been great to him, he’s done a lot of engine work with them and pretty much rebuilt 2-3 engines with it
The 301 piece Harbor Freight set I hear is just the best bang for your buck out there period. So help you if you buy anything full price at Harbor Freight. They’ll accept numbers off a coupon from your smart phone. Fine folks I’ve dealt with. I wait for the 20% off your entire purchase of $100 or more, making a list of tools I’m going to buy. And man, when you go into HF with $100, you leave with a cart-full my friend. And so much of their stuff has lifetime warranties. I’ve gotten things that didn’t have a warranty warrantied! Absolutely no hassle whatsoever. I’ve warrantied things over and over, so many things. Mostly the 22pc screwdriver set, which isn’t the best. But they’ve just come out with new screwdrivers and man, they are leaps and bounds better.
But I personally wouldn’t buy the 301 piece, though there’s a lot of reasons a lot of people would and should. But I would take that same amount of money, and buy the items separately. I love their color-coded sockets. I’m a mechanic and I use them everyday. They don’t make 6-point shallow 3/8″ and 1/2″ color coded sockets though, though ONE TIME I SAW ONE. It was one socket out of the set and it was a six-point baby. Must have been a mistake. I did take a picture, and its in my folders somewhere.
So then I bought Tekton sockets because I’m cheap. Man they look terrible, like the cheapest lowest quality sockets you could imagine. And when I put that thing on an exhaust bolt – melted off like hot butter. Utter junk. That was just my experience, but since then, I’ve sworn off everything and anything Tekton. So disappointing.
So then I tried buying 6-point 3/8″ and 1/2″ Genius sockets (because HF doesn’t have 6-point color coded sockets). And they’ve been wonderful. They seem thicker and more robust than your normal socket, and I even use an impact on them (though you should never do this of course!). They just seem strong and they’ve been holding up for about a year. And Genius is really affordable and priced right for a cheap old bugger like me. The 1/4″ HF color coded sockets, the color coded deep sockets, they’ve all been marvelous and I have no complaints.
The screwdriver set and other things that come with the 301 piece I just think are terrible. For $10 you can get their new screwdrivers with those beautiful red comfort grips. The wrenches that come with it make me sad and so do the ratchets and extensions and pliers. HF makes great ratchets, extensions, and pliers. Oh their $30 super thin ratchet is a masterpiece, but don’t you go torquing like crazy on it. Nonetheless, I’ve warrantied one without a hassle, though they’re usually not in stock, and I think that’s because they’re misused and break a lot and that whole thing. I like their extra long wrenches, I do, I use them as a mechanic and they’re good. Their quick release extensions are absolutely amazing and you’ll spend so much more at other places for the same thing. They’ve got a great selection of pliers and man I just love HF it’s just so wrong and yet so so right. Their impact sockets are approved, get the more expensive kinds with the clear labeling, they’re only a few dollars more and made of better metal. Garage Journal has a thread about good and bad, approved and unapproved tools at HF. Oh they’ve got some junk, but from what I’ve seen, they’ve got mostly good stuff. But you gotta know the difference.
Their red toolboxes are absolutely 100% certified and approved. I know many mechanic friends, (including myself) who have their red tool cart or their red tool cabinet ($360 or so) and they are just fantastic. I hate teardrop ratchets man, they don’t flex or extend or rotate or bend or anything. But they are what they are.
Oh I hate Tekton, but someone change my mind. If someone’s used their tools, abused them, are a mechanic, or whatever, I’m really curious and want to know how your Tekton experience has been, because mine has been terrible. What horrible horrible quality sockets I had from them.
But anyway, that’s what I would do. If you’re looking for a good mechanic’s tool set, HF is the way to go. I hear great things about their 301 piece set but… I would buy the tools separately, I don’t know. I like Genius alright but stay away from their ratchets. Gearwrench makes good wrenches, you’ve got to have ratcheting wrenches, you cannot live or breathe without them. Etc, etc. Tell us what you end up with and choose! And maybe some pictures. Good luck.
My experience with Tekton has been really positive. Some of the earlier Tekton stuff was exactly the same stuff HF was selling. Exactly as in same supplier.
Tekton is constantly trying to improve their line and all of their recent updates have been significant improvements over their predecessors.
Another good thing about Tekton is that their customer service is 1st class. They have a hassle free lifetime warranty and a very strong online presence. I’ve even seen them seek out people leaving negative feedback on Amazon to make it right.
Dr.Kelso wrote:
Any of you guys use Sunex tools? I’ve been using them for years. I have a set of impact swivel sockets that are just as good as my snap-on, mac,matco.
I have the 3/8″ SAE ‘Master’ set with shallow/standard and deep sockets with a universal joint and the SAE mid-length socket set. They seem well made, but I can’t say I’ve used them that much or that my M12 impact wrench will really give them much of a test…
Sets # 3325 and 3327
I use the 17mm&19mm 1/2in universals everyday. I also use the 1/4in 10mm universal everyday. There long needle nose pliers are just ok, nothing special. I did buy a set of matco pro non-slip sockets and they are the best sockets I ever used. They get every bolt and nut I’ve tried loose. They work so well that literally every other tech in the shop bought a set. They make me money every time I use them. I’ve turned a 1hr cat replacement into a 10 min job with these. No more need to grab the torch. I highly recommend them.
Those Matco Pro-Nonslip sockets look just like spline/universal sockets. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen spline sockets as impacts. They look nice. And I think you’ve changed my mind on Tekton. Customer service is one of the most important things with me, and if it’s true they even go out of their way to help customers on Amazon, well they sound like an alright company. Which reminds me, does Sears and Craftsman have the worst customer service in the world? First of all, they won’t warranty Gearwrench tools, that they have in stock in droves, and even warrantying Craftsman tools is a hassle. Maybe this is one of the reasons they’re closing stores right and left and losing money, who knows.
I’ve got those ratcheting double flex-head long Mountain wrenches (also branded with E-Z Red) and they’re spline/universal. Never rounded off a bolt with them and they’re one of my favorite tools period. Rumor from the tool truck is that they’re going to make them locking in the future. Only thing is sometimes they get stuck and you have to jiggle it to get it off a bolt, but that’s a minor complaint, better than not staying on a bolt.
I like Sunex and Genius, and maybe I’ll give Tekton another chance.
I have the EZ-RED long flex ratcheting box wrenches. So far they have been great. Love the length. The Matco sockets are some sort of spline which is why they work so we’ll. One of the guys had a craftsman set of spline sockets and we tried them both on a rusted cat shield bolt and the craftsman just couldn’t remove it. Even though they are impact I only use hand tools with them.
Ive recently purchased some tekton items based on peoples word here,and I have to say they are way nice for the cost.
They have lifetime warranty too so not much to lose by trying them.
When I figure out what else might be handy they offer I surely wont over look them.
I’ve read all of your replies guys and if you’re looking for a best mechanic tool set here’s what you need to read. Don’t ever think about some tool, before analyzing what you really need :rolleyes:
It’s simple…buy American made if you can always….Americans will appreciate the job you keep them. Or you can buy China crap and support a communist country…which hurts our economy and makes us weaker in the global position.
Keeping America strong gives us leverage when dealing with China to put pressure on North Korea from continuing their goal of developing intercontinental ballistic nuclear bombs that will reach the USA and destroy everything you just bought and of course all of us too…..
Not to mention American made tools are the best anyway,, Wright tools …SK…Proto…Snap On…etc…