Best Tools Sets

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I have had good luck with the craftsman stuff. me and my buddy use them a ton and the sockets don't really get messed up unless you beat them with a hammer or something. As for the ratchets, we have put a lot of miles on them and have had 4 foot pieces of pipe on them for leverage and never broke one. I do find that the ratchet hurts your hand after using it for a while or using it on some really stubborn bolts.Its kind of a square handle. If you were using the tools every single day I would invest in a more comfortable ratchet.

Sometimes I do some freelance mechanical work at a friends shop. He lets me use his tools and He has all snap on tools in his box. The ratchet he has is really neat, it has a flex handle and it can also be used as a speed wrench. It is also very comfortable and gets into difficult spots. The snap on stuff is great quality but, I don't think I could ever afford it.


As for harbor freight stuff, my friend bought a 1/4 inch ratchet set for real cheap to just have laying around or in the car or something. Well the set came with an 11 mm but no 12 mm. well that blows since his toyota is mostly 12mm bolts. Then one day we go to use the 10 and it doesn't fit. we go get name brand 10mm from the garage and it fits on the bolt. So the 10 doesn't fit 10s the 12 is non existent, this set is damn near worthless at this point!

I was hoping to get some impact sockets from HF but after this I don't know.
 
My tool box contians a mix of brands but mostly Craftsman that i got 40 years ago. The USA made stuff is great. Not so sure about their offshore stuff these days...
I also have some Proto, Easco, S-K and a few Cornwell, Mac and Snap-on (what little I could afford) All of them served me well for years in the body shop and many more years in my home garage.

Check this site for american made tools:
http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html
 
I've never had a problem with Craftsmen but it seems like all their kits only come with 8 point sockets/wrenches. Luckily, I have a bunch of old school stuff that's 16 point. If you're just starting out you may want to look at.....dare I say it...Wal-Mart. Although China made tools they carry a lifetime warranty. Walk in and get it replaced, upgrade as you go. At least they used to guarantee their stuff. It'd been 10 years since I've gotten a tool their. Also, for stuff you don't rely your life on or use often, Harbor Freight is fine.
 
I still have the MAC stuff I bought in high school for auto mechanics class. It lasts forever, works perfectly, and I Love it...

For hand tools I use craftsman or the stuff from Lowes or Home Depot, as long as it is 100% guaranteed (thru the store, not mail-back).

Make sure they fit bolts and nuts accurately. I have thrown away a set of wrenches and sockets because they fit loosely, ruining bolt heads.

Also, make sure you handle wrenches before purchase. I have one cheap set I hate because the handles are too thin. They hurt your hand when you really pull on them. I bought them on vacation when a car broke down and only use them as spares.

The two areas I don't recommend cutting corners is on screw-drivers and impact sockets/extensions. I love Snap-On (or MAC) for those. Cheap screwdrivers ruin screw heads, paint jobs and hands... Cheap impact sockets split and cheap extensions break in half.
 
I started with craftsman stuff..... At work we use older American made craftsman stuff which works alright, but we are slowly upgrading to mattco and snap on.


I would not recommend the craftsman ratcheting wrenches or the 1/4" ratchets, they are just plain garbage and I have many skinned knuckles to prove it. I bought Mattco and ratcheting wrenches and have never looked back., thinking about the snap on ratchets though. It is nice to have the tool trucks visit every week though.
 
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