sears tool set, which to buy?

[Steve S]

If you are seriously going pro get all the hard use tools made by Snapon they cost more but well worth it. You will be buying them sooner than later. Hammers, punches drills taps and dies for example won't make a difference so Craftsman will do the job,but sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers,ratchets etc do make a difference. You will not believe that sockets will wear out till you use then all day long. I am not impressed with Snapon air tools though. Unless they have changed Ingersol Rand which I have out performed and outlasted my Snapon air tools.

 

[bob15]

I would buy the tool box from Sears with the $400 and then get the tools elsewhere. Other options beside Craftsman are industrial tools such as Proto, Armstrong, SK and Wright. Wright wrenches come either full polished or a super smooth satin finish. Socket are super tough and their fine tooth ratchet has almost no back drag. You can find them at www.wrighttool.com .

Another option is a place called harry epstein (http://store.harryepstein.com ). They sell tools that are either closeouts or companies gone out of business. They have good prices on Bonney tools (my favorite), which were as good as Snappy. Bonney and Snap-On were the first 2 companies to have lobular box end wrenches and sockets, 20 years before the others started making them.

If Snap-On is ever desired, watch E-bay. Much, Much cheaper, and who cares if the tool is new or used??

Get the basic tools first, then down the road you will see if there is a need for a metric crow foot or the box end torx bit wrench. Both 12 point and 6 point tubing wrenches would be the first specialty tools after the basics that I would buy.

bob