Open Thread: Tool Time
Feel free to get esoteric
Alright, Substackers: I’m looking for tool recommendations. In the process of fitting out my barn/shop, I’ve bought a lot of tools, but I know I’m going to need more. Some of the things I’m looking for:
Vintage USA-made bench vise
Vintage USA-made bench grinder
Open-end and ratcheting wrenches
All sorts of specialty tools for FWD race cars, motorcycles, race cars with motorcycle engines, and so on
Possibly a drill press and woodworking saws
Feel free to use this post to discuss:
Who makes the best hand tools — vintage Craftsman? SK? Snap-On? The astounding ion-gold Nepros sets from the Kyoto Tool Company, seen above?
Where’s the best place to get used tools? Is a used Snap-On wrench better than a new Icon from Harbor Freight? (I’m already up on KB Tools and have placed a few orders)
What will I need later but don’t know I need?
Do we trust the Project Farm dude?
What’s your most-used tool? What do you regret buying? What do you wish you’d done differently?
That’s all for now; tomorrow I’ll have a Made In The USA on SSDMR4BG, aka The Best $76.50 You’ll Ever Spend.
We most definitively trust the project farm dude. I've been taking his advice almost as long as I've been taking yours.
The service technicians at my company have been slowly transitioning over to Harbor Freight they seem to be quickly filling the void left by SEARS era Craftsman in the most important way. That is when you rely on your tools to make a living, availability and no questions asked warranty replacement carry more weight than brand recognition and perceived quality. The techs all echo that all tools break, and its much easier to find a local Harbor Freight than it is to meet up with a tool truck guy, not to mention the cost benefit analysis. Now as traveling service technicians their use case is different than a traditional mechanic or mill wright who works at the same place every day.
I currently have a mixture of classic USA made Craftsman, Proto, SK, Williams, Snap-On, and ROW Gear Wrench, Craftsman, and Harbor Freight, hand tools. I wrench a bit more than the average home consumer, but well short of a professional (nights and weekends).
They are all pretty good for general consumer use. I'd say I've been the least impressed with the modern non USA made craftsman ratchets since they seem to break the easiest when abusing them vs my Snap-On, Williams, and Gear Wrench ratchets. Maybe it's just me but I've only ever broken tools, regardless of brand, when using them in a manner well outside of their original design intent.
I will say that I think Williams is a sleeper. In SAT analogy terms Willams is to Toyota as Snap-On is to BMW. Dead nuts reliable, no frills, all function.
I buy specialty automotive tools cheap on the first go around, and if I use them enough to wear out the cheap set I'll upgrade in quality accordingly. Some of those items just don't get used as often as they need to justify the cost of the "better" quality brand. I'd rather have all the specialty tools of a cheaper quality versus trying to McGuyver a work around for not having the right specialty tool.
When I was younger I always dreamed of having my garage look like the inside of the SnapOn truck, now that I have the means to make that happen my cost benefit analysis always skews cheaper.
This has become a bit longwinded so my last piece of advice is regardless of which quality set of screw drivers you have, always buy the cheap set of Harbor Freight acetate handle screw drivers when they are on sale. They are great disposable tools to abUSE on all those tasks we use screw drivers for that are not part of their design brief.