What Tools Do You Use?

**310stanger** · 05-24-2006, 08:47 PM

most tool boxes nowadays are work stations, and go out and not up. for the guys that dont understand the snap on thing. its not "rich aholes" that necessarily buy them or who they are intended for. snap on doesnt market their tools to the home user, hence why theres no stores that sell snap-on. a sales guy drives around in a truck to dealers to push their expensive products. they are intended for professional techs that have their livelihood based on turning wrenches. most guys dont buy their tools off the snap on guy outright. you pay weekly. whereas if the average shmoe off the street that doesnt have an account with the snap on guy where he has your cc number and your address, you have to pay in full. so yes, your gonna say oh thats a rip off when i can go to sears and get the one tool i need right now but will never need again for 9.99. but buy that cheap tool and try and use it for a living, when it breaks it can be very inconvenient. its not good to strip and destroy things on customers cars. they dont like that. its annoying to be in the middle of a job and have the tool break. its frustrating to try and beat the book time and use a tool that makes the job harder. the tools pay for themselves. if a tech can complete a job faster and move on to the next job because he uses a tool that allows him to do so, hes gonna. otherwise hes working for free. do you like to work for free? the one tool company that truly does tick me off cause their prices are ridiculous and they dont really offer anything thats head and shoulders above the rest is matco. fuck matco. the only thing i have from them i actually like is a metric 3/8 drive impact socket set. its pretty nice. but in general matcos sale prices are equivalent with mac and snap ons list. and mac and snap on are better names.

**86TransAm383** · 06-23-2006, 04:30 PM

make my living with tools and i tell you if you can do it with a craftsman set well ok but i have found that craftsman doesnt make tools that fit like its not 1/2 its not 9/16 or 13 or 14 then i grab a snap on wrench and its a 1/2 with no slipping at all. the hell with it craftsman they will do if its 8:45 at night and sears is 2 blocks away and you want to drive you car to work the next day fine but other than that no thanks.

**ramrod** · 06-29-2006, 01:13 PM

I was raised off of Snap-on, and Craftsman! I thank My grandfather for that!

**jimbo98z** · 06-30-2006, 12:59 PM

I use craftsman, and haven't had a lot of trouble with them breaking, but I'm not out there using them all day every day. I've broken a socket and bent a screwdriver (which was my stupidity because I didn't have a prybar on hand) and Sears takes them back, no questions asked. Most people I know that are professional mechanics use Snap-On stuff, and I have a few things they make that I couldn't find with craftsman (mostly specialty tools for my old porsche, which is a total PIA to find tools for).
Basically, for normal uses, there's nothing wrong with Crafstman stuff, and it will last a while. I mean, I've got some craftsman box-end wrenches that my grandfather bought before my dad was born, and he got his money out of them.

**Chad97z** · 08-07-2006, 09:33 PM

whatever is cheapest.

nightstalker50 · 08-07-2006, 10:10 PM

my toolbox has a little of everything for air tools i use Cornwell and Matco for hand tools are Craftsman , Bluepoint ,Cornwell ,Mac and Matco i buy a shitload of tools on ebay during the winter when i am off from work lots of good deals to be had

**Fire Chicken of Doom** · 09-01-2006, 10:02 AM

between me and my best friend (everything in my garage) we have only craftsman and snap on from tool chests, to aircompressors and air tools down to screw drivers.

**formula_power** · 09-02-2006, 12:21 PM

i am a craftman type just as good as everyone elses and i can get them replace very easily

**0rion** · 09-04-2006, 05:24 PM

I use craftsman and have never had an issue with them. I use them a lot too so it's not like I just use them every other week or something. I would love to try some snap on or mac stuff sometime to see what I'm missing. Those 2 seem to be the way to go but for the money I'll stick with my craftsman stuff.

**Smokey-01-WS6** · 09-07-2006, 06:16 PM

I mainly use craftsman hand tools, but when it comes to craftsman air tools they blow dogs for quarters! im picky on my air tools, you get what you pay for. i have the IR titanium 1/2" 3/8" impact guns they are the sheet! Matco 1/4" pistol grip impact. MAC 3/8, and 1/4 closed head air ratchets also the sheet! Mac air hammer and drill, matco air saw, cut off wheel, and 90 degree die grinder. just my .02 its what i have an make my living with

**Nasty TA** · 09-13-2006, 09:36 AM

I only use snap on tools because they feel the best in my hand, made in america and are the best tools out their. They come to me and replace what i break no questions asked. The best use the best. I'm a perfesional mechanic and only use the best.

**Smokey-01-WS6** · 09-16-2006, 11:57 AM

wow, you sound like my snap on rep. He's a douche bag, and a pushy SOB therefore i do not own any strap on tools and i will never buy any strap on tools from him. not that they are bad or anything my strap on dealer is just an ass**** to everyone in my shop. i will buy from anyone else though depending on the tool Mac matco Cornwell Sears what ever lasts and has a lifetime warrenty

**02gixxersix** · 09-28-2006, 05:18 PM

We have all snap on tools at work and they are nice and really expensive and what not, but a lot of the stuff I think is hceaply made. A lot of it has to do with them ordering stuff made of the wrong material but most of all the apex bits snapp off ALL THE TIME. Too soft IMO. But most of the stuff is nice. I go Craftsman all the way but the Dewalt stuff is awesome.

**cailey37** · 09-29-2006, 11:23 AM

Got a combination of Craftsman, Snap-on, and MAC......just depends on which one will get the job done.....

**98Z-28Camaro** · 10-11-2006, 06:38 PM

Mac tools here

**Nasty TA** · 10-13-2006, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Smokey-01-WS6

wow, you sound like my snap on rep. He's a douche bag, and a pushy SOB therefore i do not own any strap on tools and i will never buy any strap on tools from him. not that they are bad or anything my strap on dealer is just an ass**** to everyone in my shop. i will buy from anyone else though depending on the tool Mac matco Cornwell Sears what ever lasts and has a lifetime warrenty

Well i'm not a duche bag and not a snap on rep. I am a A&P mechanic and a vette and f-body mechanic. We don't have time to run to sears to get a tool. If i need something he bring it to me, sears won't do that. If i go into sears to get a tool warrentied out in my work uniform they wont warrenty it. That a bunch of crap. So i stopped buying them for work. I only used them at home around the house or in my road bags for my cars. I use what feals the best in my hand and get the job done without breaking. I love my snap- on tools and will keep on using them.

**lrader99** · 10-16-2006, 02:27 PM

Its nice being able to see everyone's point of view...there is no doubt in my mind that each company is different the way a craftsman socket grabs on a bolt is different from a snap on...snap on i very expensive...but is the cost always worth it is another question..a novice may not see that while someone more experience may greatly prefer the best tool that they can buy be it whatever brand...I personally hate bashing my knuckles. and i dont like the added length of the snap on wrenches, though they do make for easy clean up...snap on has better gears in their ratchets but i like the feel of the craftsman better...and i havent ever broken a craftsman impact yet... most of my tools are craftsman, including my 3 boxes(the box doesnt make you any money its just holding all the tools)...but for precision equipment i will forever buy snap on...i own 3 torque wrenches 2 for every day use and they are craftsman but i also own a snap on digital torque wrench for building engines and trans work...all my mic's and gauges are starrett, and most of my air tools are IR and craftsman...and cornwell makes the nicest set of torx ive ever seen...no one else has a set that has 1/4" and 3/8" torx,tamper proof, and inverted with inverted all the way up to an E20...its just an amazing set

**Hi-Po** · 10-16-2006, 08:10 PM

Matco mostly. The saleman for Matco is the only one worth a damn where i work. So he gets my buisness. 2135 Titanium IR impact is the only way to go when you need serious power in 1/2". Some snap on/ no Mac. Quite a few Craftsman. Problem with them is they dont have enough large sockets and wrench's.

**Hi-Po** · 10-16-2006, 08:12 PM

Also, any tool I break at Cat they have to replace. No running to the store for me. Just a quick run to the tool crib.

**Steve Crowe** · 10-22-2006, 07:22 PM

Pretty much Snap-On around here for the real work but I've got a small collection of Craftsman as well. Also a double-handful of those specialty tools from various manufacturers and of course I can't resist occasionally buying some things from the wholesale tool places but keep most of it in separate boxes.