Do you buy professional tools or cheap ones?

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
The thing to do with SnapOn (notice my misspelling of the name.

) is to buy used.


That is exactly the way I view it......80% of my Snap-on stuff was pre-owned bought at pennies on the dollar, Though my ratchets & the PS service tools pictured above were bought new off the truck.

SO ratchets are in high demand & hard to find at a good price, Even though the 36 tooth ratchets are outdated & have been for over 10 years....Ignorant people still try to get "Dual 80" retail for them.

Like Trav said.....You need patience & BUY the tool when you come across a good deal!!! When scraping E-bay....Try typing Snap-on different ways like you did!

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Those are very nice wrenches. I have these 8-22 mm from Stahlwille but would buy the Snap-On in a heartbeat also if I needed some.






I like how the larger sizes are 12 point. There should be no concern of rounding because of the size.

120* of swing on a chunky wrench kills. I removed the PS line on my truck's steering box this way... Took quite some time, but I got the job done with the tools on hand.

 

[Trav]

Yes the 12pt is the way to go with the larger sizes, trying to swing a long 6pt is a PITA. Stahlwille does not blast, plate or chrome finish these, it is a special steel alloy that is lighter and much stronger than normal tool steel and has a naturally smooth semi gloss finish that feels nice in the hand, they do not spread or slip.
Shiny polished chrome is seen as a sign of cheap tools in Europe just the opposite of US buyers. To US buyers these wrenches look cheap and unfinished.

https://chadstoolbox.com/96838171-stahlwille-24-7es-line-wrench-set/

I paid about $100 for them over there at a tool shop.

 

[Y_K]

TBS Aachen Listing They are not very talkative when it comes to customer service, but the goods come home. I had to wait once for a month with no word from them, but it all ended well. Prices there include VAT, no shipping quotes, but the shipping is reasonable. Beats Amazon.de in terms of item pricing

 

[Starman2112]

I’m just a DIYer, but I still want decent tools. Brands in my toolbox include:

Tekton
GearWrench
Craftsman
Channellock
Klein
Klutch
Stanley
Kobalt
Husky
Pittsburgh

 

[RedVic]

Originally Posted By: clinebarger
Originally Posted By: 9050lx
My tool boxes have tools collected since I was 12.Anything that works, wont easily break.Craftsman is cheap and available,in stock and usually fine for most things.Snap-on tools?Ya gotta be kidding on those prices.I don't care how well made it is.I love seeing the prices people will pay for them.


I'll never understand why most people are either "foam-at-the-mouth" Snap-on fan boys OR "foam-at-the-mouth" Snap-on haters??



I own 95% Snap-On because they are a quality tool that I don't have to worry about breaking when I need it most. Saying that I am not a fan boy, I think MAC made good tools, Matco is good, Cornwell makes a good tool, but once you get away from the professional brands the quality starts to go down, by quality I mean the design of the product, how it feels in your hand how it wears long term.

My thinking is buy it once and don't worry about it breaking when you need it most. Or you can buy the cheap stuff and when you need it most it will end up breaking and you have to stop what you are doing drive to the store and get it replaced or buy a replacement, that is just a pain the rear end to me. If you happen to break the cheap tool and store is closed you just put your entire project on hold until the store opens back up.

With a professional grade tool while yes you can break one 99 times out of 100 it is because you abused it. I have multiple wrenches and sockets so if on the rare chance I was to break a Snap-On wrench or socket I haves others in my tool box to keep right on going. I no longer turn wrenches for a living so yes I would have to either send the tool to Snap-On or get with one of the local tool trucks to get it replaced but the likely hood of me breaking a Snap-On tool is rare, in fact over the past 40 years I have only broke two tools, one a Snap-On torx drive socket bit about 37 years ago and a MAC 3/4 inch drive ratchet that the gears stripped in the head but that was because of a very long cheater pipe to break loose lug nuts on a truck about 39 years ago. So I guess you can say in the past 40 years I really only had one failure and that would have been the torx bit as the 3/4 inch ratchet was clearly abuse but the MAC truck put in a new set of gears in the ratchet head and that was that.

I have a very nice set of quality tools that one day I can pass down to one of my grand sons if one of them shows interest in doing their own repairs.

 

[Stag]

I buy both. Some stuff is from HF or other value priced makers from Spain, India. Some of my tools are ones I have had for 30-45 years; mostly Craftsman. But much of what I have I have bought 2nd or 3rd hand at garage sales, estate sales, business liquidators, etc. Some Snap-on, Mac, Bonney. I have a lot of older Plumb items. My favorite set is a Blackhawk 3-line socket set with the rotating handle extensions, speeder wrench, etc. A bunch of woodworking tools, USA made. A nice big Wilton Bullet vice that is a joy to use. All of which I paid very little for. A big, beautiful and rock stable Lista dual pedestal work station that I bought from my employer at it's "yard sale" for a 10th of it's original cost.

 

[tbm3fan]

Always go for quality. Can always find great quality tools being sold used on eBay without paying the brand new price.