In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

The Tool Thread

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by Guido Salvage, Sep 29, 2015.

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  1. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Even kobalt tools are very nice and huge step up from HF or NT. You can buy 4 sets of wrenches for what one Snap on costs!! I could not believe the cost of snap on when I saw the catalogue when I worked in my father in laws shop.
     
    clemsonfor, Jan 24, 2016
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  2. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    Yup, a lot of guys bought "import" big wrench sets for working on heavy equipment instead of the name brands. Northern was one popular choice and HF was the other. I still think the truck brands are worth the money for the everyday sizes (under 1"/25mm or so) to a professional tech. One very notable exception however, I have Proto wrench sets at work and they are excellent! (Full polished combination box/open, with their anti-slip open end) Maybe the ergo is not quite as nice as Snap-On but for the money, they are excellent tools that will last and are functionally superior to the Harbor Freight type stuff.

    I have not found any ratchets/sockets that I like as much as Snap-On's stuff (and my personal sockets are Craftsman, upgraded to Snap-On ratchets tho!) but considering that's how they got in the tool biz decades ago, I wouldn't expect any less.

    I also like/own some of Snap-on's screwdrivers but I have a full set of SK's top offerings at work and they are every bit as good.


    Yes and no. You might get through the same job once or twice with the HF tools. They aren't a bad way to dabble in mechanics if you're unsure of what it is you want to do or it's just a job to you. They work great and are probably just as good if not better than the much more expensive Craftsman stuff but they in no way, shape or form hold a candle to the quality and durability of professional grade tools. A lot like Pro saws vs consumer saws, they all cut wood. But the pro saws will do it day in, day out, get the job done in less time, are more reliable, and are more comfortable to use for the operator. And like the saws, there is always the enthusiast community that appreciates the quality of the tool even if it's overkill for their intended use.

    My employer didn't see the value in quality tools either. So they tried the cheap stuff. Westward (we're tight with Grainger, lol) and Harbor Freight. They worked ok for some real light duty use, or where we knew it was going to get tore up anyways. But surprise, surprise, we found ourselves replacing the majority of them much more frequently. It was downright entertaining to see how long they didn't last in the mech shops. And even if the replacement is "free", there is still a very real cost in replacing that tool. Have to borrow the same tool from another building/shop, have to pay somebody to return it, internal paperwork, etc.

    Nothing wrong with buying HF tools, especially for home/DIY type use. But to say they do the same work as pro-grade tools is a stretch.
     
    MasterMech, Jan 24, 2016
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  3. Bret Hart

    Bret Hart

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    I picked up a set of HF 1/2" drive deep impact sockets to save my Snap-On's from hammer damage from driving in races and seals which I do a lot of. Think the set has 11 sockets in it and was only $19. Turns out they're pretty decent quality and at that price I don't really mind beating them up. They work great in the press as well.
     
    Bret Hart, Jan 24, 2016
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  4. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    No seal/race driver set? Lol, the $19 socket set was probably cheaper though!
     
    MasterMech, Jan 24, 2016
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  5. Bret Hart

    Bret Hart

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    I've got the HF seal/race driver set as well. Also $19 and it works as well as the pro tool set I used to have and got stolen. Doesn't work for installing bearings and seals in rollers though. Shaft is always in the way.

    Truth is, I've been picking up a lot of HF tools the past few years for modifying for special jobs or those tools that just don't get used very much. I grabbed both metric and standard ratcheting wrenches a while back on sale and stupid cheap and it turns out they're much better than I thought they'd be. Definitely not Snap-On quality but as good as the ones I buy for the resort from Napa.
     
    Bret Hart, Jan 24, 2016
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  6. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Good point on that explanation. I guess if I had that same 1/2" wrench on 20 bolts a day the shoulder would errode. I never thought about it like that. They work perfect for me at the house working on all my own stuff but I dont do bit every day. It also allows me to have multiple sets of wrenches where I could not with pro tools. And like you said for the home mechanic there probably fine. Which is what I am. Now I run older stuff and do more jobs than most so I turn wrenched more often than many diy guys but still not everyday.
     
    clemsonfor, Jan 24, 2016
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  7. Guido Salvage

    Guido Salvage

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    I have been picking up tools here and there, got a couple of boxes last week. Picked these older wrenches up yesterday.

    image.jpg

    The ratchet on the left is a Snap-On, the Vice Grips are original Peterson's and the small pliers are Blue Point. Not bad for $5.00.

    image.jpg
     
    Guido Salvage, Mar 6, 2016
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  8. gmule

    gmule

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    I think a lot of people don't realize just how much a use a tool will get in a professional setting. My 10, 12, and 14 mm impact sockets look almost chrome from being used so much.
     
    gmule, Mar 11, 2016
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  9. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Yea I realize. My father in law was a mechanic and owned his own shop...at one point had 4to 5 mechanics working for him. I spent a few days in their working. Some summer time help and holidays and days off etc.
     
    clemsonfor, Mar 11, 2016
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  10. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    Today's CL haul. 6" Delta jointer + Rockler knife setting jig, Jet dust collector, and box 'o dust collection parts. I've been looking for a jointer for a while, but when I got there the guy wanted to do package deals... Couldn't resist the price.

    image.jpg image.jpg
     
    Shawn Curry, Mar 18, 2016
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  11. HDRock

    HDRock

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    Nice :thumbs: your going to like that dust collector , next up, running dust collection piping , I put most on the ceiling , some on back wall.
    Oh yeah you will like that Delta jointer too,I love my DJ 20
     
    HDRock, Mar 18, 2016
    #171 Top
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  12. unclefess

    unclefess Guest

    very nice ,that dust collector will be better on your planer than the small diameter hose , i hope you still have some room for more tools :Dnice jointer, if you want to upsize someday there is a powermatic 60b in my way :whistle:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 19, 2016
    unclefess, Mar 19, 2016
    #172 Top
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  13. fishingpol

    fishingpol

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    Nice score. I have the Reliant brand of that dust collector. I installed 2.5" metal duct to all my tools, and 4" to the table and miter saw. All run up high and drop to the tools with flex hoses and blast gates. The collector bags are due for a washing soon to get the fines out.
     
    fishingpol, Mar 19, 2016
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  14. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    Actually the first thing is getting the shop cleaned up :hair: and figuring out where the new machines will go. :)

    I've been chipping away at it for a few weeks now, but the arrival of new machinery, especially the dust collector, I really needed to get it done.

    I managed to get it all cleaned and sorted out this morning. Figured I best take a few pics so I can look back and remember it this way. :)

    image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
     
    Shawn Curry, Mar 19, 2016
    #174 Top
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  15. unclefess

    unclefess Guest

    did you get the guard for the jointer ?
     
    unclefess, Mar 19, 2016
    #175 Top
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  16. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    Yeah, I didn't realize it was missing until I got home. I texted the guy back and he said he never had one either. The spring mechanism is still there and it looks pretty simple to make a replacement. Could be a fun little project.
     
    Shawn Curry, Mar 19, 2016
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  17. HDRock

    HDRock

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    Good to have a guard on there, I sliced my thumb to the bone on my jet jointer I had when I first got it I was cleaning the coating off of it.
     
    HDRock, Mar 19, 2016
    #177 Top
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  18. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Uhhhhhh that just gave me the willies
     
    clemsonfor, Mar 19, 2016
    #178 Top
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  19. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    NO, but keep that thing away from my thumb!:rofl: :lol:
     
    fuelrod, Mar 20, 2016
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  20. Guido Salvage

    Guido Salvage

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    Today's $5.00 pawn shop buy. All but the Vice Grips were in a case of Kobalt ratchets/sockets and did not belong with them.

    image.jpg
     
    Guido Salvage, Mar 23, 2016
    #180 Top
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