i plan on buying a new complete set of tools. i am starting school in aug and am going to take out a student loan to buy tools. i will be going to school for auto mechanics. what brands should i buy? how much should i plan on spending? any special tools to consider buying? before i get my bones jumped for taking out a loan let me tell you why. because a lot of tool companies give half off discounts to students. thanks everybody. have a good one
what tools should i buy
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Snap-On has a good student program last i heard.
Good tools without question, if you are going into this business for keeps buy Snap-On. 10K should set you up okay with a mid size box with what your going to need plus a few air tools.
Good tools without question, if you are going into this business for keeps buy Snap-On. 10K should set you up okay with a mid size box with what your going to need plus a few air tools.
Get the best you can without burying yourself in debt payments.
I always had good luck with the SK line of wrenches and racthet/sockets.
My IR 231 impact gun is still going strong after 14 years(I sold it to a coworker when I changed jobs. He then sold it on and it's still in daily use) If I had to buy it again I would get the polymer IR 2131 because I did a lot of undercar work and those extra ounces matter when you're holding it overhead.
If you get Snap On, remember to engrave your initials on EVERYTHING. Also, your toolbox has a lock. USE IT.
I always had good luck with the SK line of wrenches and racthet/sockets.
My IR 231 impact gun is still going strong after 14 years(I sold it to a coworker when I changed jobs. He then sold it on and it's still in daily use) If I had to buy it again I would get the polymer IR 2131 because I did a lot of undercar work and those extra ounces matter when you're holding it overhead.
If you get Snap On, remember to engrave your initials on EVERYTHING. Also, your toolbox has a lock. USE IT.
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Originally Posted By: AlienBug
Get the best you can without burying yourself in debt payments.
I always had good luck with the SK line of wrenches and racthet/sockets.
Right, I'd procede very cautiously before going into debt. I'd also be careul with those for-profit auto mechanic trade schools. Before you know it you can be buried in student loan debt that cannot be discharged through bankruptcy. In other words it follows you until you pay it off or die.
Buy only what you absolutely need to get started and nothing more.
You'd be suprized how much can be accomplished with a good basic set of hand and air tools. I have tons of tools I've accumulated over the years, mostly at swap meets for rock bottom prices. However, I only use a fraction of them regularly.
Craigslist has good buys as well.
Get the best you can without burying yourself in debt payments.
I always had good luck with the SK line of wrenches and racthet/sockets.
Right, I'd procede very cautiously before going into debt. I'd also be careul with those for-profit auto mechanic trade schools. Before you know it you can be buried in student loan debt that cannot be discharged through bankruptcy. In other words it follows you until you pay it off or die.
Buy only what you absolutely need to get started and nothing more.
You'd be suprized how much can be accomplished with a good basic set of hand and air tools. I have tons of tools I've accumulated over the years, mostly at swap meets for rock bottom prices. However, I only use a fraction of them regularly.
Craigslist has good buys as well.
There's nothing wrong with Harbor Freight or Craftsman sockets and other hand tools. Yeah, they aren't Snap-On. But for something that'll inevitably grow legs despite your best efforts, better it be something cheap to replace instead of expensive.
For specialty tools, check out Garage Journal's classifieds.
For specialty tools, check out Garage Journal's classifieds.
If you buy snap on for their student discount get commodity tools like sockets and wrenches that you can easily resell if not flip. Watch ebay pricing for inspiration.
Important, work in a jiffy lube or tire store on the weekends your first semester in to see if you are cut out for it before you amass too much debt. The school may also have an apprentice/ job placement/ networking setup; press all the flesh you can while you're in there. Be careful if they limit it to graduates; that would put their interests above yours.
Important, work in a jiffy lube or tire store on the weekends your first semester in to see if you are cut out for it before you amass too much debt. The school may also have an apprentice/ job placement/ networking setup; press all the flesh you can while you're in there. Be careful if they limit it to graduates; that would put their interests above yours.
Nothing can compete with a student discount.
You should look at Snap On and Matco. You can pick up SK, HF, and Craftsman after you graduate when money isn't as tight. Also, a HF ratchet has no resale while a Snap On ratchet will resale for more than you paid.
Student loan interest rates are 3%; Snap On credit interest rate is 28%. Buying tools with student loans isn't a bad idea. Do NOT use or apply for Snap On credit - even for a tool box.
You should look at Snap On and Matco. You can pick up SK, HF, and Craftsman after you graduate when money isn't as tight. Also, a HF ratchet has no resale while a Snap On ratchet will resale for more than you paid.
Student loan interest rates are 3%; Snap On credit interest rate is 28%. Buying tools with student loans isn't a bad idea. Do NOT use or apply for Snap On credit - even for a tool box.
I'd go with a harbor freight toolbox to get started. With commodity prices like they are vast expanses of metal are getting more expensive at (IMO) a faster rate than the tools inside. The best deal of course would be a garage sale craftsman or whatever box from long ago back when they used better gauge steel. Also anything electronic is going to depreciate, if you need a scantool get a couple hundred dollar one like an innova 3160 and wait until you're near graduation for a fancier one. If you work at a dealer they'll have the dealer computer so you'll probably just want one of your own for simple I/M readiness checks or code clearing etc.
Also I was surprised on a job interview last fall that a shop considered impact wrenches the tech's responsibility. I thought it was just "hand tools". HF's "Earthquake" is the bang-for-buck unit there.
Waste some time, lots of time, on Garage Journal's epic tool forum.
Also I was surprised on a job interview last fall that a shop considered impact wrenches the tech's responsibility. I thought it was just "hand tools". HF's "Earthquake" is the bang-for-buck unit there.
Waste some time, lots of time, on Garage Journal's epic tool forum.
Speaking as a finance guy, not a mechanic - avoid debt if at all possible. Spend as little as you can to get started - if your venture is successful and profitable, you can buy better equipment later.
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
Those who sacrifice freedom for temporary safety deserve neither freedom or safety!
Personally guaranteed debt is the opposite of freedom... especially student loan debt which can't be discharged in bankruptcy.
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
Those who sacrifice freedom for temporary safety deserve neither freedom or safety!
Personally guaranteed debt is the opposite of freedom... especially student loan debt which can't be discharged in bankruptcy.
Originally Posted By: BubbaFL
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
Those who sacrifice freedom for temporary safety deserve neither freedom or safety!
Personally guaranteed debt is the opposite of freedom... especially student loan debt which can't be discharged in bankruptcy.
His tools will have more equity and liquidity than his diploma, unless he leverages that diploma with appropriate networking and work experience. This thread should help him find the best for his $.
And his tools will hold equity WAAAY better than most textbooks that are designed for rapid obsolescence per the scam artists who market them.
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
Those who sacrifice freedom for temporary safety deserve neither freedom or safety!
Personally guaranteed debt is the opposite of freedom... especially student loan debt which can't be discharged in bankruptcy.
His tools will have more equity and liquidity than his diploma, unless he leverages that diploma with appropriate networking and work experience. This thread should help him find the best for his $.
And his tools will hold equity WAAAY better than most textbooks that are designed for rapid obsolescence per the scam artists who market them.
Does the School make a recomendation as to the basic tools needed? I would not jump into this too quickly. Can you talk to students who have graduated and get their recomendation? Many years ago I bought a complete Craftman set, consisting of box & open end wrenches, sockets in 1/4,3/8 & 1/2 inch sizes in a nice Craftman tool box. Over the years , I've added air impact wrenches and other tools as needed. I was 18 years old at the time and I am still using those tools at 74 years old. I broke one socket removing a Porsche axle nut with a 4 foot pipe helper. Creftman replaced the socket with a new one at no cost and that was almost 30 years later. Buy good enought so you doen't need to buy the same tool over because that is where it gets really expensive. Another thing I've learned is that one does get greasy hands and a very neat looking super smooth crome wrench slips easier than a slightly rough finish. Ed
+1 If he is going to be a working mechanic he has to have high quality tools.
That junk from Sears, Lowes, HD and HF is barely good enough for joe schmuckatelli in the back yard never mind a working pro.
You are 100% correct those Snap-On will always have value.
IMO taking a loan out for tools for a mechanic is an investment in yourself. The better the tools the better you can work and that translates to better money.
That junk from Sears, Lowes, HD and HF is barely good enough for joe schmuckatelli in the back yard never mind a working pro.
You are 100% correct those Snap-On will always have value.
IMO taking a loan out for tools for a mechanic is an investment in yourself. The better the tools the better you can work and that translates to better money.
It really depends a lot on where you expect to be working when you leave school.
If you spend $15,000 on a box and your first job is at a dealership that provides a nice shiny (and empty) $20,000 Snap On tool box that's exactly the same model and color as what all the other techs are using you might wish you skipped the box and spent some of that money on the tools.
If your first job is at a shop that specialises in German cars, those thick hex wrenches regardless of brand made for American and Asian makes are pretty awful. The fractional wrenches and sockets might be completely useless, and if you don't have a good set of Torx (including inverted Torx) and triple square, you might have an issue.
Skip the electronic everything at first except for a decent digital multimeter and a basic OBD code reader. For the multimeter, don't buy a top of the line Fluke just yet because you may find yourself buying equipment that includes the same functionality very soon. Also, keep in mind that there's a huge change going on in the voltages your multimeter will need to work with. Hybrids and all that, you know.
If you find yourself doing a lot of routine maintenance at a gas station you might find that a $300 torque wrench was not needed right away, and that J2534 pass through device.... yeah.
You'll definitely need: a good flashlight; a droplight; a mirror on a stick; a magnet on a stick; iguana on a stick; a compression tester; comfortable pliers in a few sizes; a digital micrometer; a brake micrometer (digital or mechanical); a 3/8 drive air ratchet; a 1/2 inch impact wrench; 1/4 drive ratchets, extensions, and metric hex sockets; 3/8 drive ratchet, extensions, and hex sockets; a couple of hammers; a die grinder; a drill and both right-handed and left-handed bits. For these items, don't worry about buying top quality. You'll get plenty of use out of them.
If you spend $15,000 on a box and your first job is at a dealership that provides a nice shiny (and empty) $20,000 Snap On tool box that's exactly the same model and color as what all the other techs are using you might wish you skipped the box and spent some of that money on the tools.
If your first job is at a shop that specialises in German cars, those thick hex wrenches regardless of brand made for American and Asian makes are pretty awful. The fractional wrenches and sockets might be completely useless, and if you don't have a good set of Torx (including inverted Torx) and triple square, you might have an issue.
Skip the electronic everything at first except for a decent digital multimeter and a basic OBD code reader. For the multimeter, don't buy a top of the line Fluke just yet because you may find yourself buying equipment that includes the same functionality very soon. Also, keep in mind that there's a huge change going on in the voltages your multimeter will need to work with. Hybrids and all that, you know.
If you find yourself doing a lot of routine maintenance at a gas station you might find that a $300 torque wrench was not needed right away, and that J2534 pass through device.... yeah.
You'll definitely need: a good flashlight; a droplight; a mirror on a stick; a magnet on a stick; iguana on a stick; a compression tester; comfortable pliers in a few sizes; a digital micrometer; a brake micrometer (digital or mechanical); a 3/8 drive air ratchet; a 1/2 inch impact wrench; 1/4 drive ratchets, extensions, and metric hex sockets; 3/8 drive ratchet, extensions, and hex sockets; a couple of hammers; a die grinder; a drill and both right-handed and left-handed bits. For these items, don't worry about buying top quality. You'll get plenty of use out of them.
Originally Posted By: yonyon
You'll definitely need: a good flashlight; a droplight; a mirror on a stick; a magnet on a stick; iguana on a stick; a compression tester; comfortable pliers in a few sizes; a digital micrometer; a brake micrometer (digital or mechanical); a 3/8 drive air ratchet; a 1/2 inch impact wrench; 1/4 drive ratchets, extensions, and metric hex sockets; 3/8 drive ratchet, extensions, and hex sockets; a couple of hammers; a die grinder; a drill and both right-handed and left-handed bits. For these items, don't worry about buying top quality. You'll get plenty of use out of them.
Even as a weekend warrior I can accomplish much with my set of tools that is about as extensive as what you list. And, being a weekend warrior without access to many specialty tools, some of those tools get used "creatively". Even the cheap ones have held up well over the years and some "creative" uses.
You'll definitely need: a good flashlight; a droplight; a mirror on a stick; a magnet on a stick; iguana on a stick; a compression tester; comfortable pliers in a few sizes; a digital micrometer; a brake micrometer (digital or mechanical); a 3/8 drive air ratchet; a 1/2 inch impact wrench; 1/4 drive ratchets, extensions, and metric hex sockets; 3/8 drive ratchet, extensions, and hex sockets; a couple of hammers; a die grinder; a drill and both right-handed and left-handed bits. For these items, don't worry about buying top quality. You'll get plenty of use out of them.
Even as a weekend warrior I can accomplish much with my set of tools that is about as extensive as what you list. And, being a weekend warrior without access to many specialty tools, some of those tools get used "creatively". Even the cheap ones have held up well over the years and some "creative" uses.
Originally Posted By: yonyon
iguana on a stick;
??????
I'm getting further out of the loop everyday....
iguana on a stick;
??????
I'm getting further out of the loop everyday....
I didn't get that one either...
if they are going to work, get the cheep tools. if they are for home get sears, or lowes, they have good tools,at a good price.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: morris
if they are going to work, get the cheep tools. if they are for home get sears, or lowes, they have good tools,at a good price.
If they are to be used as a livelihood and have the ability to be well locked/protected, why not get good ones, especially if you can get a stellar deal?
Id echo the others' comments about how to purchase the tools, but of course it would be trolling and nonsense, so let's just all jump on the payments bandwagon! The tools will be a very valuable asset though, and having good ones, if it makes jobs easier, means more efficacy and thus more money.
I'd personally go snap-on or an equivalent US-made high quality tool set. Maybe from various vendors according to who has the best this or that.
Id start making a list based upon school recommendations and experience from DIY work, then post it here to get opinions on who makes the best for each item. I'd imagine that ALL the tools arent required at once, and so I'd consider buying slowly over time on an as-needed basis, which would possibly help prevent idle tools from walking. Id also consider taking stuff home if these schools are the kinds of places where tools tend to walk...
if they are going to work, get the cheep tools. if they are for home get sears, or lowes, they have good tools,at a good price.
If they are to be used as a livelihood and have the ability to be well locked/protected, why not get good ones, especially if you can get a stellar deal?
Id echo the others' comments about how to purchase the tools, but of course it would be trolling and nonsense, so let's just all jump on the payments bandwagon! The tools will be a very valuable asset though, and having good ones, if it makes jobs easier, means more efficacy and thus more money.
I'd personally go snap-on or an equivalent US-made high quality tool set. Maybe from various vendors according to who has the best this or that.
Id start making a list based upon school recommendations and experience from DIY work, then post it here to get opinions on who makes the best for each item. I'd imagine that ALL the tools arent required at once, and so I'd consider buying slowly over time on an as-needed basis, which would possibly help prevent idle tools from walking. Id also consider taking stuff home if these schools are the kinds of places where tools tend to walk...
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