Hey guys... I know everyone has a favorite brand of tool... I'm looking to "expand" on my current set Ideally with some classic stuff... craftsman, williams... old s an k... old proto stuff. Just all around heavy duty stuff that was made here on our shores. Already have a couple old grinders an what have ya that are gonna get gone through sooner or later.
I inheirited a bunch of Par-X wrenches and stuff. I'm told they were originally sold on Snap-On trucks, as a less expensive alternative. Kind of the Blue Point of the 50's and 60's......
My absolute favorite kind is "Plomb" (ancestor of Proto) from the 1940's. I can never find enough, but have almost enough to consider it a real mechanic's set. I also like middle aged Snap on stuff, roughly WWII through about 1965--the classic period when the extensions and such were unbelievably thin and strong.
Better get old stuff, even the good stuff is off shore these days. In the next month or so I'm gonna weed out some stuff. I'll throw the S/K, Proto, etc aside for ya if ya want. Keepin the cheap stuff for loaners though.
i have a bad habit of breaking everything craftsman makes. yeah, a lifetime warranty is good, but id rather not use it, ya know? at work we use all snap on stuff, and it holds up pretty well. we give those tool hell too. a lot of the stuff i have in the garage now is old no name stuff from work, but is pretty good. i also have a good bit of s and k stuff, and i like that. but ive always like the polished snap on! trey
I hear ya on breaking stuff... I switch over to impact style if its gonna be THAT tight. Or from deep well to shorties.
Yea, the warrenty doesn't cover your knuckles. I broke a Craftsman extension a couple of years ago, and my finger when it banged into the master cylinder. No I wasn't using a cheater. Anyway, they gave me a new extension free of charge. Didn't cover my trip to the store, or my sore finger either. The upside is... well there is no upside. Old, american made are the best.
"Stay away from Snap-on ratchets" Amend that to "Stay away from Snap-On ratchets that are younger than you are". If young, amend again to "Younger than your mother". If it has survived continuous field testing since say, 1955, it's probably ready for some serious use now.
y'all dont laugh but I got a box full of JC Pennys wrenches from 3/16 all the way to 1 7/8. My dad bought them in the late 60s while working the the JC Penny's service dept (yes they use to do cars). I have used them on everything including binding chains on Ditch Witch 6510 trenchers. Have yet to even bend one.
My dad has used Craftsman since the 40's, so that's where I started. The new stuff sucks. You can't pop the head out of the ratches easily any more, so when it gets gummed up from being used at the dry lakes, you return it. Gimmie a break. True story: I had to replace my 1/2" drive torque wrench, and I dropped $75 on a new Craftsman. It didn't work well, and was really hard to see what torque it was set for, as the handle would move around. I took it back (and found out that the warrenty on torque wrenches is only 90 days). I told the clerk it was broken and wanted a refund, not a new one. She put a "clearance" sticker on it, and put it back on the shelf. Ahhhhhhh!! I bought some Husky 1/2" drive stuff from Home Desperate and haven't broken any of it yet. Tackett
[ QUOTE ] Any of you guys found a use for crows feet? I havent... [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, Shovelheads, if your trying to take off the heads in the frame. O2 sensors on some newer cars. When you don't have them you'll need them. I have a variety of craftsmen, snap-on, mac, cornwell, cheap. a little of everything.
I have all my dads old Proto wrenches and sockets and some old MAC stuff... I bought craftsman professional... the quality and price say it all. I really dig snap on screwdrives etc..
Last weekend when I went to the all Ford swapmeet which covered four buildings the size of football fields in Columbus. I found an old complete set of ratchet and sockets made in the 1920s by Starrett. These were the type that actually had a square hole in the ratchet and the adapters fit into it. $30 can't beat that. Four hours later... and not one damn flathead part but dfid find a stromberg for 25 bucks.
[ QUOTE ] y'all dont laugh but I got a box full of JC Pennys wrenches... [/ QUOTE ] I too have JCpenny tools .
I hear ya on the "old" tool stuff... the problem for me is finding em that still have corners on the sockets... and the ratchets still rotate, or hold a socket. Guess I need to try harder? The other one... 6 pointers... Dunno about you guys but a 12 just dont cut it in my book. Guess i'm s'poilt
These are definetly older then me... and also to rich for my blood http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2363373812&category=42264
You guys remember the guy that redid the lathe on here? Lots of chrome... and polished stuff... flat black paint. That was sweet! Just rememberd that...
My hands can't take the edges of the new wratchets and wrenches. I like the old round ones you can put some weight on without cutting into your finger joints and palms. Gettin old I guess.
Not getting old... getting old is paying for someone else to do it... I'm the same way, I love the rounded edges or better yet completely round handled tools. that and vicegrips... dont have to squeeze quite as hard to get the same effect
crowsfeet. should ya' be working on something with power steering,they are good for getting at the line fittings on the steering box where theres no room for a wrench,keeps hands out of knuckle bustin'territory. the also work well on some sending units (oil press etc..),that are located too close to the firewall.
[ QUOTE ] Last weekend when I went to the all Ford swapmeet which covered four buildings the size of football fields in Columbus. I found an old complete set of ratchet and sockets made in the 1920s by Starrett. These were the type that actually had a square hole in the ratchet and the adapters fit into it. $30 can't beat that. Four hours later... and not one damn flathead part but dfid find a stromberg for 25 bucks. [/ QUOTE ] Like this???
Thats purty cool! So ya just slide an adapter in there an they drop down a size? ... bet I could break some 3/8ths sockets with one'a dem!
i got a little of everything,snap-on,mac,matco,craftsman.the ones you REALLY need to be snap-on are the line or flare-nut wrenches.the screwdrivers are nice too,i have the ones with the triangle handles,and i love'em but they're discontinued.got lucky at the pick n'pull,found a triangle handle #2 phillips lying on the ground,my old one was wearing out a little,and i'd have to trade it for a square handled.i have a lathe and a drill press,bench grinder,welder etc. etc. but the really amaszing part is how little i get done! -george
The last Ford service bulletin I read recommended Wilson tools. Along the same line, does anyone recommend a good drill press?
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