Tool fettish

My new job is the first I've had which required me to have my own tools.

Well, since I really don't have bills or debt, I am in a good position to indulge my tool fettish. I've got a 72" stainless steel rolling cabinet with wood top (it's actually a kitchen box but it's bloody lovely) to hold the bulk of it. I just ordered a matching stainless mini box to replace the little roller from Northern Tools which isn't quite big enough.
I've picked up a lot of stuff I've always wanted: a drill index with fractional, letter and wire sizes in titanium nitride, a HUGE metric tungsten tap and die set, standard set, lots of gearwrench stuff (an AWESOME ratcheting tap handle set) etc etc etc and today, new in box, for a mere C note, a hydraulic hole knock out set.

I am literally setting the standard at the plant, and some of the guys are actually being inspired to up their game, getting more / better tools. I am quite aware that a cheap tool can get the job done, but it is rather distressing to see professional maintenance using crapsman and husky.

Funny thing is, I see a lot of shoddy, sub standard work around the plant. It makes me wonder if one can truly judge a mechanic by his tools.

Do better wrenches buy better tools? Do better tools make a better wrench?

I won't use a crappy wench in a severe condition after breaking knuckles so I don't buy them. You have to use cheap tools with caution just like all other cheap stuff IMO. And no, I don't believe the tools make the mechanic. But a good mechanic with good tools is hard to beat.

I have a tool fetish too and unfortunately that is an expensive one to have. Although, I did buy some Pittsburgh hollow punches and a rivet gun the other day from hf. The snap on man didn't have a rivet gun so I decided not to have him order me one. I bet I can get by for a little while on the cheapie. Time will tell though. Haha
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What kind of job are you working at? High quality tools darn sure make most jobs go better and faster. Two of my favorite tools are my Snap On 1/4” and 3/8” air ratchets. You can’t imagine how good those things are, until you actually use them.

BTW, a rivet gun is the one and only tool where I prefer Craftsman over a Snap On. To me the Snap on does not have enough leverage. Maybe my hands are just not tough enough. :)

"....Do better wrenches buy better tools? Do better tools make a better wrench?....."

To the first part........ of course they do, they are probably making their living with them.

To the second part hell no. Knowledge, skill and attention to detail are what makes the technician good. Better tools and using the correct ones usually make a job easier but they can't replace the knowledge, skill and attention to detail part. I think we all know at least one guy with a very expensive box o tools that we wouldn't let anywhere near our stuff.


I personally prefer the thicker beams on the older Craftsman and SK Wayne wrenches to the thin style ones. Some people might turn their nose up at those wrenches but I'll put my work and the cars my shop has turned out up against anybody's. :p:D:D:D



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I personally prefer the thicker beams on the older Craftsman and SK Wayne wrenches to the thin style ones. Some people might turn their nose up at those wrenches but I'll put my work and the cars my shop has turned out up against anybody's. :p:D:D:D



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I have some of the "Newer wrenches" with the thin beams its no wonder they need gloves to pull them. I'll stick with the heaver tools. I have 2 shops here at home since I'm retired 1 is for wood working the other is automotive each has many tool boxes with many tools I used to install overhead cranes and do maintance in many shops. (Millwright) You need good tools that can do the job, and do it right.. After all who wants to do the same thing over again

i have fewer tools than most. old mac tools box that is 30 years old and worn out. i scored a husky tool set last year on black friday for 100 bucks. 1/4 3/8 and half inch. full set of wrenches and allen metric/ usa . just never got all wound up in tools. i do have several high end spray guns .

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Originally Posted by Driver50x

What kind of job are you working at? High quality tools darn sure make most jobs go better and faster. Two of my favorite tools are my Snap On 1/4” and 3/8” air ratchets. You can’t imagine how good those things are, until you actually use them.

BTW, a rivet gun is the one and only tool where I prefer Craftsman over a Snap On. To me the Snap on does not have enough leverage. Maybe my hands are just not tough enough. :)

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I'm a technician at Fedex Express. We have 176 pieces of equipment here at our location. I over see the maintenance on another location where there are 22 trucks. We have a vendor there so what they can't fix or don't want to fix, I get to. We have semi tractors, trailers, straight trucks, pick up and delivery trucks, aircraft loaders, aircraft de icers, aircraft ground power units, cargo dollies, baggage carts, transition decks, air craft jacks and all the equipment for working on the air craft. A lift truck, cold busters, air start, all kinds of stuff. This requires a large variety of tools to have as well.

I agree the older wide wrenches are nice but they sure don't work well in most tight locations. I've got some SK wrenches and wish I would have purchased more at auctions over the years.

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Does anyone know how many different brands of tools Stanley makes? It's my understanding they make a couple of high end brands. And how many brands are made in the USA?

Thanks Denny, I knew about Mac and Craftsman and a couple of the other and that's quite a list.

I thought I had blustered on often enough it was common knowledge that I work industrial maintenance. Although I consider myself an electronics technician first and foremost, my current job is 90%mechanical. The stuff I "come behind" is really mind blowing. I can totally accept the quick fix for production, but only if it is actively followed up and fixed right. NOW, since three never seems to be time to come back and re-fix it, I say dam the production schedule and fix it right the first time. It makes more product in the long run, but some folk just don't think that way.

Today the tool fairy appeared while I was at work! Lavishing me with grace and favor in return for the many dollars I sacrificed upon the altar of Amazon.

A gearwrench flex head set 8mm-24mm a bearing puller set and the proper "wirefly" insulated crimper for the wirefly shrink tube crimp connectors. I held off spending the $30 for their proprietary crimper until I had a chance to try my lobsters on them.

I love SK, I've got a couple ratchets which I have abused severely for decades and just keep working. Also an SK wrench set recently acquired and their finish is exceptional!

I also love the older craftsman: at what point does an executive say "let's betray our loyal customers, and gradually cheapen our product until it is an embarrassment to be seen in his tool box"? THAT is what I feel crapsman has deliberately achieved. And I might drive the extra distance to Home Depot (and somehow endure their superb customer service) to avoid Lowes and their shameful embrace of their new acquisition of Crapsman. Lowes stopped carrying gearwrench and their own brand, Cobalt, is hidden in the rear. I like cobalt tools, they come off the same assembly lines as Matco, and they have a superior finish and look compared to crapsman.

I feel the same way about the newer craftsman tools. Their ratchets are pitiful these days. Rebuilt instead or new replacements. No thanks. That's not how you sold them....

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I'm a tool truck junkie, have been for decades!

"Way back when" I was a young man going to school. I worked nights in Quality control at Western Forge in Colorado Springs.
They made Craftsman Hand tools. Look for a small wf inital on handles of the wrenches and screwdrivers, that is where that tool was born.
My job was to purchase a complete set of screwdrivers and hand tools each month from all the competitors and then test them all to destruction.
At that time Montgomery Wards, lots from the different trucks like Snap on, and any one who claimed to be a top line tool maker.
The screwdrivers and torque wrenches were twisted on a huge wheel setup to breaking. At that time no one would even come close to matching
the screwdrivers from Craftsman. The best torque wrenches were the Craftsman that were a beam with a long rod parallel with the handle.
They would outperform any ratcheting types that you set to a number. The amazing thing was when the long rod got stuck in your tool box and bent,
you bent the rod back to zero and it was just as accurate as when new. Only a few of the box end tools would equal the strength of the Craftsman ones
and they were on a spotty now and then chance. I became a firm believer in the true quality of the line. And yes, they have changed. Since I could
also work on the line, I made all my personal tools and still have them. Some of my Dad's box end wrenches are beautiful. Because he was a farmer/rancher
it seemed like every bolt on the plows and such would always be rusted. The set he had was twice the length as normal ones and my Dad was well known
for breaking tons of bolts. At least he got them out so they could be replaced and the equipment could be used.
I watch for old Craftsman hand tools at the estate and yard sales. I rarely purchase new Craftsman.

I still have one of those beam torque wrenches I bought back in the 60 (one of my first tools).. I trust it and occasionally use it.


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I have several of the beam torque wrenches-the inventor of them lived close to here

I love my reversible gearwrenches. It's not a tool really but I recently got a head light, why did I not get one of these sooner ! So much easier than trying to position a drop light. Recently bought a set of husky black sockets with the little ribs, they suck big time, slip off the bolt.

A couple years ago we got bump caps with led's in the bill of them. Those were awkward but handy. :LOL:

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