What SOCKET set and tools should I buy?

They have a 40 piece socket set and a wrench for 3.99$ at harbor freight right now, probably made of tin foil though

 

Or recycled Chinese nuclear reactor containment vessels.

 

In regards to Harbor Freight hand tools, I think it is worth spending the extra money to get the Pittsburgh Professional line. I think it is the best HF offering in terms of the intersection of quality and value.

 

That would be good stainless anyway.

 

Idk if this has been said earlier in the thread yet but a 10mm for sure .

 

I again call bullshit. Rushing in to get’r done with shit tools often leads to shit results. Maybe thats all your skills allow so better tools won’t result in better results or less damage or less hack jobs. If I walked into my dealers service bay and one mechanic had all snap on and the other had all HF. Which one would I want to work on my truck? The simple fact is everyone makes excuses for buying shit tools because no one wants to admit their tools are shit and their skills may match the quality of their tools. My favourite quote is “the enemy of great is good. As in good enough”. So if all you expect from yourself is good enough then buy good enough tools. If you want professional results then buy tools accordingly.

I have some tools that have been with me over 30 years including my first tool chest I bought at 16. Now that sounds like a good value and great quality. When the crap fails and you have to replace it sometimes multiple times how does it rate in terms of value or overall spend?

 

Also, time and money. Hard to make great things quickly and cheap.

I'm always surprised how much stock people put in lifetime warranties. If one of my tools break, I'm not interested in getting the same tool again. I'm looking to upgrade. The last thing I need is to be elbows deep in a project and have to run out to replace a broke tool. Typically, I only have limited time to work on my own truck so I can't spend time replacing tools that don't work. That said, I'm just more willing to use mid-grade tools in the garage than I am on the trail. I have a tool kit in the truck and it's there because I'll have to rely on it at some point. So I don't want to compound problems by having my tools break in the middle of nowhere.

 

Total horseshit. There are times where good tools matter, but anyone can change a set of shocks with a harbor freight tool set just as well as with a snap on set. Tools don't make the man.

Good tools can make a job easier, they will be more comfortable in the hand for long periods of time. Snap On will have tighter tolerances and work better on a tight nut, but not having a $100 ratchet with a $25 dollar socket ain't going to keep a guy from changing his own brake pads, but they just might keep him from doing that in the first place.

It ain't always the tools, it's some knowledge and being smart enough to understand what is actually happening when using those tools that will ensure how well the job is done. But hey, if a Snap On tool set is what makes up the difference for you, then so be it.

 

The Lowes here is carrying craftsman tools now.

 

I used to have a set of HF 12 ton jack stands for use on my Dodge 2500 Cummins. Other than those, I had a fairly comprehensive array of USA made Craftsman hand tools. Unfortunately for me, they not sit in my ex-wife's storage unit on the other side of the country. So I started over with a 200+ piece set of Kobalt's last year during Lowe's Fathers Day sale. Until I get out of my apartment, I don't have anywhere to do my own wrenching anyway.

 

Best brand is UTN and AFF.
use the neighbor's
ask friend for

 

The only harbor freight tool that I've ever had last any length of time is the Chicago Electric 1/2" drive battery impact wrench. It's not very powerful compared to a proper air impact, and the batteries last about three minutes on a charge, but within its wheelhouse it's very handy. Great for changing tires and the occasional stubborn bolt. I will use HF for when I need something peculiar and I think I'm gonna use it like twice in my lifetime.

Craftsman ain't what it used to be but is generally okay for non-professional use.

Snap-On or Mac if you need the tools to make money.

I recommend everybody pony up for a Snap-On 3/8th ratcheting wrench though. Once you've used something with more than 90 teeth it's impossible to go back.

 

I've got an SK swivel ratcheting wrench. After using for a few years now, I don't know if I could get used to one in a locked position.

 

I got my basic Husky set at Home Depot probably 15 years ago and I'm still using it today. That said, the ratchet has finally worn out. For $50 bucks 15 years ago, I'm satisfied.

Seeing that fancy new Husky set listed in the comparison is awfully tempting. Might have to set a price watch and gift my old set to an aspiring DIYer.

 

Most of my stuff is Mastercraft or Stanley.

 

I gave this some time before jumping back in.

My brother in law has zero mechanical skills. His tool collection isn’t much better than dollar store and he doesn’t know any better. I slowly have been purging my toolboxes and getting rid of things I have multiples of multiples and have been passing them on to my BIL. He has been getting more involved with fixing stuff on his own instead of simply calling me. One day I was over to help and he stopped and said “Thanks for all of the tools. I always though I was just incompetent but I realize now that part of my problem is my tools are shit. With your tools I am not stripping everything or just destroying stuff.” He actually is learning now because he isn’t giving up 5 minutes in when his tools cause him to bugger stuff up.

While @Woodrow F Call isnt wrong in that tools don’t make the man they sure make a man give up sooner or lower the quality of work he can accomplish. So the total horseshit comment is horseshit in itself.

There is a difference between tradesmen and hobbyists. You can’t ask tradesmen and hobbyists the same question regarding tools and expect both to agree. I am not suggesting that everyone without exception or circumstance should use Snap-on level tools. I wouldn’t and don’t. But like fine wine there is a huge difference between the low end and even the mid grade and so on. As a tradesman I invest in my tools. Hobbyists spend money on tools and its an expense. Different mindset.

 

@Exracer2

My comment still stands. My point was not that the lowest quality tools is all you need. My point was someone doesn't need a $30,000 set of Snap On tools to do most if not all jobs someone on this site might do.

To paraphrase what I read "You can't do a good job without top notch tools." That is absolute horseshit. Most people with a little attention to detail could do a good job with some decent tools.

 

Also, your Craftsman made in USA tool bought 20 years ago is now replaced with a Chinese piece of shit.

Lifetime warranties mean very little. What if Snap On goes out of business? I have a lot of their tools, but they do last forever it seems.

 

Ive been doing this stuff hobby wise all my life.

Ive used cheap tools, mediocre tools and high end tools.

Your cheap cheap stuff sucks. Generally this is your low quality, no name crap. Ratchets barely work, screwdriver strip, sockets break or don’t fit right. ect. These are the crappy sets they sell generally as impulse items.

Your middle of the road stuff works for just about all the hobbiest. I’d refer to this has your higher quality craftsmen/gearwrench/stanley(all the same pretty much), as well as the higher quality harbor freight tools. Harbor freight actually has a decent line of tools that’s about the same quality as most mid grade tools, with pretty hassle free warranties.

Then you got Cornwell, Snap on ect. These are quality tools at a much higher price. Pretty much these companies make their money on financing and service. But, that’s usually the needs of shops. Pricing isn’t nearly as important as sevice and availability. Honestly for your hobbiest though, your cost to value ratio isn’t as good

 

Buy extra 10mm sockets....just because.