favorite tool brand?

[SEASean]

I have a mix of Snap on and Craftsman...it is funny you guys mention Harbor freight. My dad bought a hammer from them few years back and when I was helping him on a project, I grabbed it and was giving it a few good whacks when the thing nearly exploded scared the crap out of me.

[Hunter has a Bimmer3]

I don't own any but have used a lot of Facom and Matco and loved them.

[duggi]

I don't have many Craftsman tools. But, for the work that needs done, my Ampro tools work great! They make damn near anything I need, except size 21mm and up wrenches. For the jobs I do on my car and other people's car, Ampro works fine for me. The only Craftsman tools I have really is my magnet bowl and my 32mm "scepter" wrench for the fan clutch... which is a great defensive weapon, I must add!

And yes those gearwrenches make the rear suspension so easy! 30 minutes for both sides to replace shock mounts!

...me loves my 32mm wrench...makes me feel like darth vader...

[Tucker]

If you make your living with them every day as I do, Snap-On can't be beat. Dealer quality may vary, but the tools speak for themselves. I have some Matco stuff, mostly because I needed something on the day the Matco guy showed up. Pretty good quality generally, but there's a lot to be desired. Most of the BMW-specific tools come from Hazet, and are pretty good. Do not buy anything that says Mac on it, ever. That company is f***ed, and the tools are garbage. Stanley is Mac's parent company, btw. For the DIY or shadetree guy, Craftsman is the standard and their pro-series stuff is honestly really good for the money.

[mogie]

About 1/3 of my stuff is craftsman, all the other stuff is random stuff i've accumulated, both name brand and high quality China crap

[SD45T-2]

Im the only cornwell,klein,park tools Guy here?
C-mon.

I also have Snap on,Matco,blue point,Craftsman & tawain in my box

[ross1]

Snap -On box filled with everything from Snappy and Mac to Wal-Mart and the occassional Harbor Freight.
Actually Wal-Mart's house brand for a while was "Popular Mechanics", Chinese made but very decent, probably better than Crapsman which I have avoided for years.
I have a set of Stanley chrome combination wrenches that are my favorite. Just the right length and comfortable to hold.
I don't care if something will be replaced a hundred times for free, I'd rather not have it break and fit properly to begin with. Are you listening Bob Villa?

[wkohler]

Snap -On box filled with everything from Snappy and Mac to Wal-Mart and the occassional Harbor Freight.
Actually Wal-Mart's house brand for a while was "Popular Mechanics", Chinese made but very decent, probably better than Crapsman which I have avoided for years.
I have a set of Stanley chrome combination wrenches that are my favorite. Just the right length and comfortable to hold.
I don't care if something will be replaced a hundred times for free, I'd rather not have it break and fit properly to begin with. Are you listening Bob Villa?

Why do people have such a problem with Craftsman? Break something and take it back for a new one. That's great. Go to Harbor Freight and you get the finger before you even pay for the product the first time, then the "Don't you come around here no more" stare as you leave.

[ross1]

Snap -On box filled with everything from Snappy and Mac to Wal-Mart and the occassional Harbor Freight.
Actually Wal-Mart's house brand for a while was "Popular Mechanics", Chinese made but very decent, probably better than Crapsman which I have avoided for years.
I have a set of Stanley chrome combination wrenches that are my favorite. Just the right length and comfortable to hold.
I don't care if something will be replaced a hundred times for free, I'd rather not have it break and fit properly to begin with. Are you listening Bob Villa?

Why do people have such a problem with Craftsman? Break something and take it back for a new one. That's great. Go to Harbor Freight and you get the finger before you even pay for the product the first time, then the "Don't you come around here no more" stare as you leave.

I started working on cars in 1972, Craftsman was a quality brand then. Now, like everything else sold as a Sears house brand it is built to a price rather than quality.
I have plenty of scars from Craftsman tools giving up and breaking or slipping off a fastener because they don't fit well.
The "better" Asian imports, not the dollar store zillion piece socket sets for $4.99, are every bit as good as current Craftsman, sometimes better and almost always less money as they aren't putting Bob Villa's kids through college.
Most all of CM's power and air tools are Chinese made. For example; a friend has a CM (air)trim nailer that is absolutely identical to one I purchaed for $12 at Harbor frt. My friend paid several times that, but his says Craftsman. No different warranty on power tools either.
I'd love to own all "pro" tools but have a tough time justifying it as a hobbyist. The cost is so much higher for sometimes only a little better.
I recently met a retired mechanic who had the biggest toolbox I've ever seen. I think he said the BOX was 30 Gs worth! He was a tool junkie and had probably handed over a good portion of his pay every month to some guy in a white and red truck. I just can't afford to compete with guys like that so my choices are usually among the better imports. Some are surprisingly good quality.

[wkohler]

As far as I'm concerned, the only power tool brand worth buying is Milwaukee - and not the Home Depot Milwaukee stuff. I thought this discussion was about hand tools.

[de.abeja]

Im the only cornwell,klein,park tools Guy here?
C-mon.

I also have Snap on,Matco,blue point,Craftsman & tawain in my box

Klein= Electrician

Park= Bicycle Mechanic

Cornwell= Steam locomotive mechanic with a handlebar mustache.

[davestlouis]

I started taking inventory the other night, just to see what I had...I counted 20 3/8in drive ratchets, including several that I didn't even remember buying. I think I may get sick if I really look at how much I have tied up in this stuff.

I for one prefer Danaher corporate ratchets to Snap On, I have some Craftsman Thin Profile ratchets, NAPA Pro, MATCO, Allen, K-D, and a few Snap On and Bahco, along with several Williams and Stahlwille.

Sockets are a mishmash of Snap On, MATCO and elcheapo, wrenches are Snap On, Proto, Craftsman Pro, MATCO and Easco.

I have all sorts of assorted vise grips, some Grip On and some fancy orange and black pliers whose name escapes me at the moment.

If my wife knew what this stuff cost she'd shoot me.

[Jays535is]

Starrett & Mitatoyo

[Pat]

I prefer snap on for almost everything. People say get craftsman, free replacement down the street etc. Its a lot easier tho when your stuff DOESNT break. I like Ingesol Rand for most air tools tho, lightweight and tough.

[SD45T-2]

Im the only cornwell,klein,park tools Guy here?
C-mon.

I also have Snap on,Matco,blue point,Craftsman & tawain in my box

Klein= Electrician

Park= Bicycle Mechanic

Cornwell= Steam locomotive mechanic with a handlebar mustache.

Ha HA Ha

so true

[Mike W.]

Im the only cornwell,klein,park tools Guy here?
C-mon.

I also have Snap on,Matco,blue point,Craftsman & tawain in my box

I've got some Klein tools, but those are for work, not the garage. Good stuff for my trade, but not for my hobby. Ok, not for my obsession.

[NH Bimmer]

Mostly Craftsman, some S-K, a little Husky, some odds and ends. Love the Craftsman warranty, but I've only had to use it three times that there wasn't abuse involved. Two ratchets died - much use, sometimes as breaker bars (it's okay to hit the handle with a 2lb. sledge, isn't it?), and one 15mm socket that cracked (see above). I haven't even busted a socket when using it with my impact wrench (DeWalt 18v, BTW). Snap-On stuff feels nice, but so doesn't the high end Craftsman, and it's much less expensive and mostly made here (unlike Husky, etc.).

[maddoge28]

plum.... lots of very old plum tools.

i have a coil spring compressor from harbor freight.... sounded like a great deal at 12.99.... never used it though.

[Mpowered02]

At work (i'm a Level 2 BMW Technician), I have a 3-bay Matco 4S rollaway chock full-o Matco hand tools that I bought with my student discount while I was going through STEP a few years ago. And I couldn't be happier. IMHO, all of the "professional" brands (Snap-on, Matco, Mac, etc) are fairly similar in quality...for me the deciding factors were A) that I really like the quality of the Matco Toolboxes over the others, and B) that the Matco sales guy at the time was much cooler and more helpful than the Snap-on guy. The Snap-on guy was kind-of a schmuck, acted like he couldn't care less if we bought stuff from him, and barely gave us the time of day. Needless to say, I spent my money with the Matco guy.

For air...I use almost exclusively IR for my impact guns (3/8" and 1/2"), air ratchets (1/4" and 3/8"), etc. although I do have a Central Pneumatic (Harbor Freight) angle grinder that I use almost daily and has never given me any trouble. Not bad for a $15 tool...

At home, I have a small box of mish-mashed tools that I pieced together over the years of wrenching on my own projects before I ever started doing it professionally. Some Craftsman (regular and Professional), some Harbor freight, some NAPA, and some random no-name brands. What I refer to as "hobby" level tools. Some (like the cheap Harbor Freight stuff) are pretty much "disposable" since they're so cheaply made, but whatever....as long as it gets the job done for the time being, right?

Anyway, if you're wrenching professionally, I'd say it's definitely worth it to invest in the "professional" grade tools. For shade tree, DIY stuff...the "hobby" level tools will work just fine. That is...unless you just have a ton of $$$ burning a hole in your pocket. If that's the case, the professional stuff will work just as well in that setting too...if you don't mind blowing $5-10K for tools you may not use every day. If you can afford to do that...more power to you. If I could afford it i'd have a complete set of Matco tools at home as well...along with a lift, a compressor, and a full set of IR air tools too. Well, we all can dream can't we?

[davestlouis]

I almost forgot, Knipex pliers...not cheap, but they work great.

[maddoge28]

At work (i'm a Level 2 BMW Technician), I have a 3-bay Matco 4S rollaway chock full-o Matco hand tools that I bought with my student discount while I was going through STEP a few years ago. And I couldn't be happier. IMHO, all of the "professional" brands (Snap-on, Matco, Mac, etc) are fairly similar in quality...for me the deciding factors were A) that I really like the quality of the Matco Toolboxes over the others, and B) that the Matco sales guy at the time was much cooler and more helpful than the Snap-on guy. The Snap-on guy was kind-of a schmuck, acted like he couldn't care less if we bought stuff from him, and barely gave us the time of day. Needless to say, I spent my money with the Matco guy.

For air...I use almost exclusively IR for my impact guns (3/8" and 1/2"), air ratchets (1/4" and 3/8"), etc. although I do have a Central Pneumatic (Harbor Freight) angle grinder that I use almost daily and has never given me any trouble. Not bad for a $15 tool...

At home, I have a small box of mish-mashed tools that I pieced together over the years of wrenching on my own projects before I ever started doing it professionally. Some Craftsman (regular and Professional), some Harbor freight, some NAPA, and some random no-name brands. What I refer to as "hobby" level tools. Some (like the cheap Harbor Freight stuff) are pretty much "disposable" since they're so cheaply made, but whatever....as long as it gets the job done for the time being, right?

Anyway, if you're wrenching professionally, I'd say it's definitely worth it to invest in the "professional" grade tools. For shade tree, DIY stuff...the "hobby" level tools will work just fine. That is...unless you just have a ton of $$$ burning a hole in your pocket. If that's the case, the professional stuff will work just as well in that setting too...if you don't mind blowing $5-10K for tools you may not use every day. If you can afford to do that...more power to you. If I could afford it i'd have a complete set of Matco tools at home as well...along with a lift, a compressor, and a full set of IR air tools too. Well, we all can dream can't we?

you dont have a compressor?

mines from sears, 10 yard sale.

then i have a copco diesel with 185 cfm for other stuff... like 120 pound jackhammers and such

[C.J.]

I use a large hammer, monkey wrench, Vise-Grips, flame thrower, duct tape, and swear words to fix Ratty.

[mercury26]

Craftsman, Mac Tools, Hazet, Snap-On, Stahlwille and Schwaben.

Cheers,

Chuck

[Mpowered02]

you dont have a compressor?

mines from sears, 10 yard sale.

then i have a copco diesel with 185 cfm for other stuff... like 120 pound jackhammers and such

Heh. Yeah, I have a compressor....well, kind of. I bought a tall "professional" 60gal compressor from Craftsman several years ago. That was back when I was still living back east. When I moved out west didn't have any space for it in the moving truck so I was forced to leave it behind. Don't really have enough space for it in my garage here though anyway...

[shagrath]

Never buy soldering irons from Advance Auto Parts.