Snap on tools

[Ickisrulz]

You might want to check out Tekton. These tools are made in the US and Taiwan.

You can buy directly from Tekton.com. They give you free shipping and a 10% credit of your purchase for future shopping sprees. I have gotten all my orders within 3 days. They don't collect sales tax either.

These are very nice hand tools that have received excellent reviews. Their sets are complete; no missing sizes. They also sell open stock. So if you just need a 38mm socket, you can have it in 3 days for $10. If you should break something, you take a picture of the item, send it to the company and they will replace it. They have a lifetime guarantee.

[tazman]

Back in the late 60s and all the 70s my father, who ran an auto salvage business, used S&K wrench sets. They had a lifetime warrantee.
I took a couple of them back to a dealer when they broke. I was using a 2 foot cheater bar on the end of a breaker bar with standard 1/2 inch drive sockets.
The dealer said,"Next time use a shorter bar."
You don't see them much anymore.

[jonp]

HF has a new line of higher quality tools that all have lifetime warranty. Craftsman still does lifetime. With that it's hard to spend Snap-On money for tools.

[Paper Puncher]

I think you can buy Snap on online at https://shop.snapon.com/categories/700010 .

You can go here and see if a local guy will contact you https://findfranchisee.snapon.com/ .

I quit buying Snap-on, Mac etc when time was no longer money. I can't justify $725 for a six point deep/shallow metric/inch 44 pc set.

When the truck used to come to the shop you could let the driver (franchise owner) know you where looking for a used set of this or that and if he had a chance to buy one back he would make you a good deal on it.

[popper]

Yea, unless you make a living off tool use, anything that works, works. I did break a craftsman whitworth socket in the 60s, replacement was hard to find. Bro worked for Hilti for a while, then they reduced quality and he left.

[Finster101]

I have been turning wrenches for almost 50 years. I have Snap On, MAC and Matco in my box. I consider those three of equal quality over all. Some individual tools have a better feel from brand to brand but I can not say I have more warranty stuff from one or the other. The big thing is how good is your dealer. I quit buying Snap On for a while because the guy with the route guy thought he and his tools were God's gift to mechanics everywhere. He didn't last long. The sad part is, when I'm gone my wife will get pennies on the dollar when she goes to sell them.

[farmbif]

as a professional mechanic earlier in my life I would buy and use all brands, snap-on, Mac, Cornwell, sk, proto, matco, Martin, craftsman. what I like about Mac open end wrenches is the have contact with 4 surfaces of a nut bolt or fitting, real good for working on hydraulic fittings, sk makes a compact head fine tooth racket that will get in spaces others cannot. sure can't go wrong with a 1/4" drive snap on set. but snap on warranty isn't what it used to be., they used to flat out replace anything that didn't work right or broke, these days they will give you a little repair kit for a ratchet, send you on your way and wish you good luck. ive got a broken pair of snap on pliers in my truck for the next time I see a snap on guy one of the handles of the pliers snapped off.

[Mal Paso]

Craftsman wrenches are now Made in the USA by their new owners Stanley and are good quality.

Snap-On makes decent Scanners too. Most of the competition is chinese and Snap-On was the only brand that would consistently do the job. I bought a used Ethos for $600. I bought it to do ABS brakes but it's got multiple scopes for real time data. You can turn injectors off, even retrieves barometric pressure, had no idea my truck keeps track of that.

[Carrier]

I have been turning wrenches for almost 50 years. I have Snap On, MAC and Matco in my box. I consider those three of equal quality over all. Some individual tools have a better feel from brand to brand but I can not say I have more warranty stuff from one or the other. The big thing is how good is your dealer. I quit buying Snap On for a while because the guy with the route guy thought he and his tools were God's gift to mechanics everywhere. He didn't last long. The sad part is, when I'm gone my wife will get pennies on the dollar when she goes to sell them.

Yup been through a few of those type of tool truck guys. But I will say in defense of the good ones that they are taking a risk giving 1000’s of dollars to someone who is paying very small payments and the tool truck owner has to pay Snap On or Mac every month. I’ve seen many rip the tool man off never to be seen again along with the tools.
What I try and get apprentices to do is buy a basic set through one of the big box stores. We don’t have Sears up here anymore as a set of Craftsman was a good deal. That way if they decide this isn’t what they want to do then not out much.
But there is always that one or two that gets sucked into buying the $6000.00 plus Snap On or Mac tool box and then they can’t afford to but the tools that they really need.

[samari46]

My Dad worked as an electrician for the railroad. Most of the stuff he bought for himself. Klein was for most pliers,cutters,screw drivers and wire strippers. I have his little box of Sk 1/4" sockets,ratchets,extensions and little tiny breaker bars. As for my self worked for a public utility as an operating mechanic then supervisor. Always bought Craftsman. Then Proto, Armstrong, Williams and probably forgot the others. When Craftsman went overseas bought a lot of Kobalt from Lowe's. Have a impact gun I got when I bought a Craftsman air compressor. It was a freebie and naturally needed sockets. So a mix of Craftsman, Kobalt. Have a gig roll around tool box in the garage. Garage hasn't seen a car or truck in almost 15 years.Chock full of tools. But since both the riding mower and Kubota are under the carport, bought one of the big Kobalt tool sets as I have bad knees and running back and forth searching for tools gets old quick. That stays new the carport. So probably maybe 3-4 complete sets of both inch and metric hand tools. The impact gun has 2 sets of short and deep inch sockets, the same for metric. No extensions or swivels for those. Don't get me started on wood working stuff. Could fill easily one of the huge job boxes. But started out with Craftsman, Porter Cable, Hitahachi, Rockwell, De Walt and Kobalt. Frank

[smithnframe]

Shiny and way over priced!

[GregLaROCHE]

[QUOTE=tazman;4989567]Back in the late 60s and all the 70s my father, who ran an auto salvage business, used S&K wrench sets. They had a lifetime warrantee.
I took a couple of them back to a dealer when they broke. I was using a 2 foot cheater bar on the end of a breaker bar with standard 1/2 inch drive sockets.
The dealer said,"Next time use a shorter bar."

I still have my father’s 1/2” drive S&K socket set. Don’t need to replace it. The box has rusted/worn out, but the tools are still in great shape. I’ve just been thinking about 1/4” drive.

[RU shooter]

[QUOTE=GregLaROCHE;4989923]

Back in the late 60s and all the 70s my father, who ran an auto salvage business, used S&K wrench sets. They had a lifetime warrantee.
I took a couple of them back to a dealer when they broke. I was using a 2 foot cheater bar on the end of a breaker bar with standard 1/2 inch drive sockets.
The dealer said,"Next time use a shorter bar."

I still have my father’s 1/2” drive S&K socket set. Don’t need to replace it. The box has rusted/worn out, but the tools are still in great shape. I’ve just been thinking about 1/4” drive.

My SK 1/4" drive set has seen a lot of use and sometimes abuse and I've never had a ratchet or socket break . My 3/8" set I can't say the same about their about the same age but I've busted probably 6 sockets between the standard and metric sets causing much cursing and bloodletting a few times

[Rich/WIS]

About 25 years ago needed a socket set for small jobs and bought a set made by Stanley, had a decent selection of common size sockets, a spinner handle and extension. IIRC paid about $20 at Walmart. A year or so ago the ratchet finally quit but noticed the nested box it came in had a label that said it had a lifetime warranty. Shipped it back to Stanley and a few weeks later got a brand new ratchet wrench. My tool collection has a real mix, Craftsman, Snap-on, Blue Point, Stanley and a bunch I am not sure of. For electrical work pretty much all Klein.

[skeet1]

I'm glad someone mentioned the HF brand, I wanted to but was fearful that someone might be offended using HF and Snap-On in the same post.

[Ickisrulz]

Craftsman wrenches are now Made in the USA by their new owners Stanley and are good quality

I don't think this has happened yet. There are plans in place to bring some Craftsman tool manufacturing to the US.

[GregLaROCHE]

I'm glad someone mentioned the HF brand, I wanted to but was fearful that someone might be offended using HF and Snap-On in the same post.

I just found this comparison between Snap on and Harbor Freight. Some may find it interesting.

https://youtu.be/ck_O5U1Tyz8

[Omega]

I'm glad someone mentioned the HF brand, I wanted to but was fearful that someone might be offended using HF and Snap-On in the same post.

I use HF hand tools, they have a lifetime warranty, reason I bought Craftsman back in the day, so I have no problem buying them. I worked for a John Deere dealership for a year, as a lot manager, I needed tools but didn't get a stipend due to not being a mechanic, so went to HF and purchased some because I didn't want to leave my Craftsman at the shop, and didn't want to carry them back and forth either. I started buying HF tools when I needed something for a specific project, and didn't want to spend full retail. Figured if it made it through the one use, it was worth it, but honestly most of them have become my go-to tools. I still have an HF angle grinder ($14) from 10 years ago, I got it because it ran off the plug in back of my Tacoma, though it bogs down if too much pressure is used, it does the job quite well. The way I figure is that if I am making money off the tools, then I invest in good ones, for hobby or other non-essential use, any ole cheap tool will do.

[RU shooter]

The HF impact sockets are decent but I don't put a lot of faith in most of their stuff . I twisted the head right off a 18" 1/2 drive breaker bar from there and I'm not a huge guy

[Mal Paso]

I don't think this has happened yet. There are plans in place to bring some Craftsman tool manufacturing to the US.

Already happened. I have a set of high polish metric combination wrenches, Craftsman, Made in USA.

I just found this comparison between Snap on and Harbor Freight. Some may find it interesting.

https://youtu.be/ck_O5U1Tyz8

I bought that wrench. LOL Thanks!