shorto85

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by meanEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">payments weekly:

cornwell $100
snap-on ec $50

i still buy from mac, snap-on and matco on a weekly basis so depending on if i buy anything or not, it can get more expensive. when i changed dealers, i found the new one was missing alot of specialty mandatory tools that i needed to buy for myself. i was spending about 400 a week for about 2 months.


this is teh dude i am training, he is just there to show relativle size.
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Wow that is a huge setup! I'm just starting out though so I don't have a need for all of that yet . I always seem to be buying new tools though!

19civic93

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ~RTErnie~ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ive been looking at SK, Snap on (OMFG its expensive), and craftsman. Seems like craftsman is entry level...SK is middle of the road, and snap on is ELITE. Im not made of money, but I'd like to get a set of tools that I can have for the rest of my life. I have around 1500-2000 bucks to invest at the moment...and I can pick up things as I go.

I also need to get some more metal fab tools...of my own :-P

What do you guys suggest for an air compressor? Speedaire 80gallon?

thanks </TD></TR></TABLE>
i got a ingersoll 2 stage 60 gallon and love it. 15 cfm at 175 psi. i never run out of air. i can run my dynabrade da's all day and not go below 140-150 psi in the tank. you might want to get an 80 gallon since you run a shop. as for tools. i got snap on and craftsman. i 3g's worth of snap on and it doesn't look like much. i guess it depends on the accuracy of the application your working on to determine what brand to go with. all my tools are just for a hobby and i just buy a little here and ther when i can. since you have a shop you can write it all off anyway. i'm still not done buying stuff. it seems to never end. i'm still planning to upgrade my mig to a millermatic 251. here's everything i've accumuated so far.

getnasty

19civic93 please tell me you are a painter.. your sata collection looks nice

19civic93

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kaotic Kustoms &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">19civic93 please tell me you are a painter.. your sata collection looks nice</TD></TR></TABLE>
paintings just a hobby. i don't do anything with cars for a living. here's the last car i painted.

Bantam

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by beepy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have mostly Husky tools (Home Depot) but I inherited some Snap-On tools from my Dad. The Husky's work fine, but the most-used tool in my box is the Snap-on 3/8" ratchet. It has such fine teeth on the gear that I only have to move about 10° to get to the next ratchet position. Husky is probably 45°. That really makes a difference in tight spots.

Plus, the Snap-On tool chest I have is 40 years old and still perfectly good. Locks still work, castors work; just needs a little paint.

It's like this: Both a Breitling and a Timex watch will get the job done. The Breitling costs $5000 and the Timex costs $50. But there are situations where the infallible craftsmanship of Breitling comes in handy, which is why they are issued to aviators in the armed forces.</TD></TR></TABLE>

husky has a new line of "professional" grade sockets and ratchets that are better for regular use, and their ratchets have more teeth so you dont have to turn it as far.

I wouldnt spend wads of money on a tool box or sockets, since for the most part, you wont get your investment back.

beepy

I think I have seen those. The black tools with the laser etch for easy viewing? I would get a set but I already have too many tools.

LSiTurbo

in response to what Kookz said about breaking a tool and waiting.

After you spend so much money with these guys like most of us have... they will go out of there way and deliver whatever it is you need to you anytime during business hours. Hell, my Cornwell and Matco guys have met me on sundays and even at like 9-10pm when were working late.

I have a Big Matco Box, i love it, its huge, i payed alot of money for it, but i think its well worth it in the long run. I used to have a craftsman box where once you fill the drawers up they dont open easily and end up shifting your tools all around inside.

I have all Snap On, Matco, some MAC, some Cornwell.

LBHgti

I would stay away from Husky if I were you. They're not bad tools, but the home depots around here that used to carry individual pieces are now carrying only sets. I busted a 18" long 1/2 inch flex ratchet and brought it back to the store....the guy told me I was SOL because they no longer carry it....and you can't get husky any where else. You should buy tools based on these reasons: #1 - Quality - Snap On, Mac, Matco, Cobalt and craftsman are all good tools. The $2 WalMart wrenches are not good tools.

#2 - Availability: You do not want to have to mail order all your tools, nor do you want to make a bunch of phone calls tracking down a tool truck to show up at your house. If you work for a shop and the truck comes by once a week, thats easy, if you have to go find the truck it can be a pain in the ***...I'm irritated with Matco tools for this very reason, our Matco guy is an *** and a flake, and I've got a bunch of broken matco stuff that I can't get replaced because I can't find a dealer to come by our shop. expletive Matco. Buy tools that you can source locally. Thats where sears comes into play.

#3 - Warranty: This goes along with #2. tools cannot be replaced if they are not available.

#

DC2 to AP2

ive been using facom tools for the last few years and i love them over anything else.

dfoxengr

how do you return your broken sk facom tools?

DC2 to AP2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how do you return your broken sk facom tools?</TD></TR></TABLE>
i goto griotsgarage.com (they are local to me) and exchange them for new ones.

dfoxengr

where else sells SK? that site doesnt give a location either...

and will the snapon man come to your house?

DC2 to AP2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dfoxengr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">where else sells SK? that site doesnt give a location either...

and will the snapon man come to your house?</TD></TR></TABLE>

griotsgarage.com is located in tacoma, wa. awesome customer service

.RTErnie

there are two SK dealers in my tiny *** town...between the two of them I can get hooked up. I forgot I have a "discount" at all the autopart stores (guess I just never figured id be buying tools through them lol)

meanEG

i forgot about that as well. i bought some napa tools before. sam earranty as the good brands of course less money and the best part. you call them up and they will deliver a new one if it breaks. i used a few things from napa and i liked them alot.

XDEep

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by InfamousDC2FI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Harbor freight all the way baby </TD></TR></TABLE>

:lol:

best value imo = get a complete craftsman metric set, then get premium (snapon/mac/matco) sockets/wrenches that you use most often. i.e. 10,12,14,17,19mm for hondas. swivel sockets and ratcheting wrenches are the next most used for me.

green91

I used to say i wouldnt own a snap-on tool. After being a full time mechanic now for nearly 2 years.. im slowly getting rid of my craftsman collection for real tools.

Doing alignments was all it took for me to get a set of snap-on flank drive plus wrenches.. stupid craftsman crap would spread out and round off bolts. With the flank drive plus wrenches i can do pull ups on them and not round a bolt. Their sockets are the same deal.. plus my snap-on guy is awesome about replacing stuff even if its not broken. If a pin gets worn in a swivel or anything, he replaces it. No questions asked.

I bent my 1/2" breaker bar handle in the middle by using a cheater bar and he replaced it no questions asked. ******* land cruiser crank pulley bolts

Some MATCO is good.. they dont make their own tools and in my personal experience alot of their tools are re-branded craftsman professional tools. For an entry level set of home tools.. craftsman pro are good.

Heres my latest setup, the new classic 96 roll cab from snap-on. notice my portable air condition next to it

franktype-r

You obviously havent worked professionally in this trade before. The quality of Snap-on and mac are unsurpassed. You get to realize the good from the bad when you work in a general shop , and on cars that are 10+ years old. My tools are my life and how I make my living, so I buy the best so I dont have to worry about pissing around with rounded off bolts and broken ratchets.... my 2 cents