Building up a tool set.

[MGregoir]

Last weekend I changed a wheel bearing on my car and it made me realize that I probably should build up a decent tool set, or at least start doing so.

I work for an industrial supplier and have access to a lot of products at cost and 7%, including the full Proto line.

I don't want to spend too much money, but I want good stuff to fill in gaps in what I have access to.

To change that wheel bearing I needed the following I didn't have:
- 36 mm deep socket (for axle nut)
- 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 foot-pounds)
- 1/2" drive torque wrench (25-250 foot-pounds)
- I broke a 13 mm socket undoing the hub bolts and need a decent set of metric sockets
- 6" three-jaw puller

I can get a Proto 6006C 3/8" drive micrometer torque wrench for less than $100, so I was thinking about getting that, a fine drive 3/8" ratchet (I know they don't like torque but that's what a breaker bar is for) and a set of 3/8" drive standard and metric sockets. I have decent combination wrenches and I don't deal in big fasteners or torque when I work so I figure that if I spend my money on what is going to work best and the longest. I'm 21 so if I buy it now, as long as I don't lose anything, I'll probably not wear them out in my lifetime.

Right now I only use the half inch drive for torquing wheels and large nuts like the axle nut (175 foot-pounds). I have a beam bar torque wrench I use for doing lugs because it's accurate enough, and I don't know if I can justify the expense of having a half inch torque wrench laying around to be used a few times a year.

I need some good C-clamps and a decent jaw puller as well. Bessey and OTC, or what does the hive here reccomend. As well, is my logic on the right track?

 

[Steve S]

wait till Sears has a sale on craftsman tool sets you well save $$$$$.

 

[MGregoir]

In Canada, the Craftsman tools aren't as good as the US made ones, they seem to mostly be Taiwanese made rather than made in the Matco/Danaher plant in North Carolina, and without a local Sears department store, I can't do over the counter exchange, either.

There are three different Proto dealers in town where I can exchange. That and I have a hard time passing up Proto at in some cases less than half list. I can get a Proto torque wrench for 25% less than Craftsman/Mastercraft regular price.

 

[1sttruck]

Other than expensive stuff like SnapOn and others or Craftsman it's hard to find tools with a wide range of sizes and types. I buy the Craftsman tools when they're on sale or clearance, as they'll often have sets on clearance. As an example I picked up a large set of english and metric combo wrenches on clearance for $30 or so. I use beam type torque wrenches, a Craftsman 1/2in and a 3/8in, models that cost about $20, don't need calibration, will last a lifetime, and even if you get a click type you can use them to check calibration.

I have a SanpOn tool chest, some pliers, sockets, etc., but have filled in with Craftsman over the years. I started with Proto wrenches but they don't have the same pattern anymore so I ended up replacing and expanding with Craftsman. SnapOn wrenches are nice, I have a 10mm that I bought for comparison, but didn't find it worth a least 5x the cost.

The Sears 2 jaw puller works fine, but my C clamps are either the Jorgenson beams or the 'Adjustable;' C clamps which use to be made in the US. Danaher makes a lot of the Craftsman tools, NAPA too, and I'll look at those as well as other US made tools. You can rent a big torque wrench or borrow one from parts stores if you buy parts there.

 

[ewetho]

Proto tools are by Stanley (Who makes MAC Tools) so if price competitive by all means you have made a wise choice. Better than Taiwan stuff.

US Made Craftsman tools are OK but not great. I like MAC and Snap-On. Some Matco stuff is great too but most of the hand tools I am partial to the others.

However my triple bank Matco Box ROCKS!!!

 

[kingrob]

Craftsman hand tools are generally, for me anyway, the best bang for the buck you can get. I prefer Snap-On but I've come to the realization that I don't make the same kind of money that I did ten years ago so from here on out it's probably Craftsman all the way.

Stanley is notoriously hit and miss. The less moving parts, the less of a chance of failure.

Matco is also good.

If you're not rebuilding race cars in the shortest amount of time possible most any good "clicker" torque wrench is sufficient, and I've had great luck with my Craftsmen at an eighth of the cost of the snap-ons.

 

[MGregoir]

I think that the Proto (Stanley's industrial equivalent to Mac and made in the USA) torque wrench for 3/4 the price of a Craftsman one is probably a sound investment, same thing for the ratchet and socket sets. Combination wrenches I am not picky about, but a decent set of sockets for the most common sizes and a good ratchet and torque wrench to make is all I need to be happy.

 

[Buffman]

I've never had an issue with any craftsman tools. When I do break one I take it back and get a new one. Just as any tool company some of their stuff is garbage. I bought some torx screwdrivers (craftsman) for work because the tool crib guy is a moron thinking we overtorque the screws with them, but not the wing units he gives us. The T10 and larger units don't have this issue, but the T6 and so forth don't seem to be made of good steel. As taking one little screw off practically twisted the end of. I ended up just buying some wiha made drivers that are great..

 

[1sttruck]

The key with a lot of tools is the heat treatment, and whether they're forged as opposed to cast. Over 30 years ago a friend gave me a film can full of bits from his dad's tool chest, bits used on an aircraft assembly line in SoCal, and I used some of those bits for over 10 years before breaking any of them, and I still have most of them. As a comparison some of the SnapOn bits used in the SnapOn impact driver (great driver) didn't last more than being used a few times (not so great bits, too brittle I guess).

 

[onion]

Lots of people aren't too familiar with Proto tools, as they're generally sold through industrial suppliers rather than retail outlets. I have several Proto tools that I've picked up over the years, though, and have had few problems with them... I'd say that the quality is on par with Craftsman. Not as good as Snap-on or Mac, but MUCH cheaper. I'd want to look over any proto tools before buying them... but generally wouldn't have any reservations about it.

As far as your tool collection goes, the way I built mine is this: I started with a basic set of tools, then I bought whatever I needed thereafter. Around $20,000 later, I have a pretty complete set. You probably won't need that many for home use.

 

[alreadygone]

What Onion said.

Bob