Tools & Fabrication - Picking Good Tools: Please Help a new gearhead

Ok, Well I am relatively new to being a gearhead, Ive always loved cars yada yada but only since I got the Maro *1 year ago* have I been trying to DIY as much as possible, I love to learn things that interest me.

That being said, I've decided to go to school for cars which starts in a few weeks, I want to get the Assoc. degree and get ASE certified. Not a career choice but I will keep wrenching on my cars & perhaps /family/friends cars if needed, The degree will pay for itself imo with the money saved from taking my cars in to a shop and I'd rather DIY so who cares if it doesn't.

We obv. need tools for school, I want High quality tools and am willing to pay for quality!!(not gonna spend like 10k tho off the bat!) Now,I have a very basic Craftsman 260pc set for my weekend tasks or whatever at home, but I want my class tools to be Better

**gonna use every day 8hrs or more for about 2 years then for apprenticeship and Home**

Upon buying my First *and only so far* Snap-On combo wrench, and holding it in one hand and the craftsman in the other, I can tell the difference in quality;

Don't get me wrong here boys, I am not knocking anyone's tools and do acknowledge that Craftsman is sturdy and suitable to get the job done, I own some don't I.

My question is, Who makes Superior tools?????!? I feel There is Absolutely No way Snap On makes the Best EVERYTHING but I know they're good.

Please chime in here since I am still a college student, I'd like to keep it around 5k to work with atm and if I fk up on my selection I can't swap setups for a while *tuition bills etc*

I would like to know Who makes the best whatever, Please.
Especially:Ratchets, Pliers, Screwdrivers, Sockets, Impact guns air & battery power, & Torque wrenches to name a few.

at the Minimum, I am thinking That I would like to have Snap On for the hand tools I use all the time like Wrenches&ratchets and the rest could be interchanged with something that is better or a bit less expensive if I max out my $ on the startup tools.

I was told the snap on sockets round edges off and don't grip as strong but that's hearsay.

I love the way the SO wrench fits my hand, much better than the Craftsman.

How does Matco, MAC, bluepoint stack up here??

I need enough stuff to get by in a garage for school: highlights of list are pliers most types,wrenches, ratchets/sockets,feeler guages, screwdrivers manual&ratcheting, drillbits, prybars, digital thermometer, TOOL BOX.

also want to get a impact gun for myself.



THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INFO!!! Keep negatives to yourself please, I just want to have the best tools I can afford so I can focus more on learning& Skill, not worry about my equipment and have something that will last me for the cars to come.


Thanks again for helping me get set up!

Not bashing MAC by any means, but IIRC they're Stanley with a different nametag. I always used Snap-On and Matco when I worked at dealerships. Some tools I liked the feel of a Matco, some Snap-On. That and it depends on how soon I needed it and what driver was coming that day. I have a set of 10-19mm Snap-On ratcheting wrenches (non-reversible, you flip em over). I like then because they're thinner and a little longer than the Matco. But I have Matco screwdrivers because they fit my hand nicer and have a little felt/sandpaper insert thats nice to grip when you're hands are greasy. Either way you can't go wrong. I have a lot of Blue-Point stuff as well (Snap-On's cheaper brand) and they're holding up just as well also.

actually, while mac's parent company is in fact stanley, the tools are made at a completely different factory(here in tx). that said, I'm a huge mac tools fan. imo snap-on is too expensive for what you get (and rather spotty on warranty and service here), cornwell looks like trash, matco is ok, i buy from them a little. i prefer the design of the mac wrenches, they're squared off and fit my hand more comfortably. opinions will vary on what the best is, and when you're talking about the big 3(mac, snap-on, matco) you really can't go wrong as long as you know that your distributor will warranty items and be around consistently. in the 3 years i've been buying from mac, my distributor has missed 2 weeks, and thats because he was in the hospital. as far as impacts go, i'd say ingersoll, or the mac red composite series, if your working on cars get the mini. also since you're going to school, there should be a vo-tech discount. i'd look into it.

IR guns are pretty much the standard but ive been hearing alot of good things about the Aircat stuff. my next gun will probably be an Aircat since im a cheap ass lol.
the proto stuff from stanley is really nice as well but like mentioned id go with whatever you can get readily avaliable to you. snap-on, mac and matco aren't really an option for me since i dont have a truck stop by at my job so replacements can be a hassle for me. craftsman stuff is easy for me since im on the road alot and i can stop off at a sears and exchange it there (this is becoming more of an issue though).
if i was doing some serious wrenching though, craftsman wouldnt even be in my vocab. their quality seems to be tanking and i think its just a matter of time that the warranty goes away on all hand tools. the fact that the last few things i bought were made in china really makes me :(
go with what you can get the best deal on, you should be getting some serious deals being a student just dont go into serious debt doing it like half my mechanic friends did

too much to read but if your rich, get snap on, hands down. if not rich, get craftsman tools. Air tools, i would go with IR

i like some of the kobalt tools too... klien pliers or however u spell them is another good name

as for screw drivers.. i kinda like the rubber handle ones that snap on makes.. kinda expensive. but feel very good in your hand!... as long as u dont saturate them in gas or oil for long periods of time. the rubber will never get bad on ya

Thanks guys, Keep it coming please! I heard we get 20-30% discount from Snap-On For sure, perhaps matco too and they will both come to demo at our school and show us their lineup. There is a Snap-On truck that lives down the street from me.

I am not rich, but I will be paying up front no Credit, I have about 6k to work with.

I am also dissapointed with the new craftsman ratchets :(

suggestions on pliers/sockets? seems like im gonna stay with Snap On for wrenches/ratchets/torque wrench, matco/mac for the rest.

Thank You :)

for pliers and screwdrivers, i have mostly Klein stuff since its the stuff i use the most. the stuff holds up and i beat the crap out of it, falling off buildings and such so thats the reason i keep coming back. my linesmen pliers are my hammer as well as 5 other tools lol
kobalt stuff is nice but its not for the serious wrencher, i think its on par with craftsman on some stuff but some of the stuff has been harbor freight quality. id check out some other people's stuff if you could to get an idea what you like. ask alot of questions like you did on here and you'll be all good.

if you are going to leave your tools at school i would invest in a good box first. i have over 25k invested in tools i everything from $5.00 wire strippers to a $60.00 set that i bought from matco which i never use. i've had the $5.00 strippers for over 10yrs and they still work great. i feel there is no brand better then the other.

i prefer matco to snap on as they are usually cheaper and they have monthly sales on tools, so i buy them on sale or try to atleast. but i have a lot of both and lot of craftsman also. basic stuff i think craftsman is ok, but ratchets and screwdrivers are different you can't beat snap on or matco for them.

see about running a truck account. as long as you don't go crazy on the buying its not a bad thing. i on the other hand get on the tool truck and i'm like a girl at a shoe sale.

I refuse to leave my tools at School regardless of brand. I will have a toolbox maybe 3-4 drawer that I will carry to class, we park by the shop so it'll be in the hatch if we aren't working or by my side, and in the house at night. Hopefully I can get one with a lock if not I'll have hawkeyes.

Snap-On For and matco IR for impacts. I love the snap ons for feel and use there slimmer which let me get in tighter places easier. There made in the USA which keeps money here and not shipping it overseas.

dont kid yourself, snap-on/ mac/ all manufactors are using over seas factories to make some of their stuff. not all of it but some is made in tawian and china. google it and im sure you'll find some disappointing results. at this point the only thing made in america is the people.

dont kid yourself, snap-on/ mac/ all manufactors are using over seas factories to make some of their stuff. not all of it but some is made in tawian and china. google it and im sure you'll find some disappointing results. at this point the only thing made in america is the people.


he's 100% correct. everyone does make some stuff overseas. alot of bluepoint stuff is made overseas. some mac is, there was a thread on here a while back, where someone bought some new snap-on shit and it was made overseas. like i said in my last post, it doesn't really matter as long as your tool guy will warranty without a problem. i'm really hard on my tools and have only ever broken 3 tools in 3 years. all warranteed without problems

If you can afford the best tools to keep forever, buy Snap-on or FACOM. You will never be disappointed :)

Some things you can substitute, such as screw drivers and pliers, hammers, mallets, extentions, universal joints.

What you NEED to buy quality:

Wrenches
Ratchet drives
Sockets
Torque breaker handle

If you can afford it, get yourself some crowfoot tools from Craftsman (believe me, they do come in handy).

Sirclip pliers you can get Stanley. I use Stanley screw drivers, and they have been good to me.

If you can get BETA tools, you are also in safe hands. Its an Italian brand of excellent quality.

Britool is British, also right at the top.

Whats your budget?

ok, for the most part i agree about the hammers. but my question is why would you would you scrimp on extensions and universals? they are being put under the same stresses as the sockets and ratchet drive parts.

ok, for the most part i agree about the hammers. but my question is why would you would you scrimp on extensions and universals? they are being put under the same stresses as the sockets and ratchet drive parts.
Whoever said scrimp? I just said no need to spend the extra on the brand name.

I use Heyco (a very high quality German brand) and Craftsman. Both are cheaper than Snap-on and Facom.

My extensions are Heyco, Craftsman and BETA. These are all up in the top 10 best tool brands. I did not ask him to buy some rubbish fleamarket stuff, he just doesn't need to pay for the name :)

i have no complaints on my craftsman plus if you break them you can take them to a actual store. Plus the price is way better. Im sure the snap ons and macs are nice i just cant afford 300 dollars for a wrench set.

ok guys, well we get 50% off snap on tools. snap on demo tomorrow, prob. just getting that set, matco comes thurs. I wanted to swap items in my set but I doubt that's allowed with the discount, so I will just get the whole set, sell what I don't wnt and replace it with other stuff I.E screwdrivers pliers etc.

Thanks for all the suggestions, thinking I will supplement with matco mostly.

Snap on and Matco sets come with a box.

All around I personally think Snap-On makes the best tools. I have a lot of Matco and Cratftsman tools as well, along with a Matco box(I got very good deals on Matco stuff when I was in school). I will admit some of the prices are pretty crazy but in the end you get what you pay for. I just recently lost my Matco 17mm wrench and decided to replace it with a Snap-On. The build and quality isn't night and day but it's definately an upgrade. The open ended side of the Matco wrench is absolutely useless.

If you're not in the business Craftsman tools are fine, I still buy them. But if you're a mechanic it makes more sense and is sometimes much easier to buy Snap-On or Matco since they come to your work.

I kind of jumped the gun and didn't read the first post so let me add some stuff.

Don't go crazy and buy a bunch of tools all at once. Honestly, I don't see why that 260 piece Craftsman set won't do you fine. BUY TOOLS AS YOU NEED THEM. Especially since you're just getting into the business and who knows if you'll still be doing this in a couple years to come. There's a "rule" that my instructor told me awhile ago and I still try to go by it, although you can't always; If you ask someone to use a certain tool more than once, then buy your own.

Pace yourself when purchasing tools and also consider that this is not the best time to get into the business. I know, I'm currently at a GM dealer.....

the craftsman set is missing stuff, our school is NATEF certified and super anal, I will be using these tools at minimum 6+ hrs a day, for the next 2 years, then possibly for 2 years at an internship. the craftsman will not suit for that purpose.
We are not aloowed to borrow or use anyone elses tools, but that is a good rule anyway.

we also had a demo from Pro tools who carries kd and gearwrench some other stuff, much cheaper but yea, all these companies have lifetime warranties and a rep that comes by. I think i'm gonna get all snap on wrenches and then the rest of the shit will be matco+ ingersol Impact. thanks for all the input

I love SnapOn hand tools, IR air tools (have some SnapOn air stuff though), and Fluke multimeters. There's a few companies that make good scan tools...

I've only used Craftsman because the others are so expensive. So I don't know how the others feel or work but I do know that Sears has great customer service, or at least the one in my town. Any time I've had trouble I just walk in and they trade my messed up whatever for a brand new one right of the shelf. I've only had to do this twice, both times with drill bits that broke, but it was super easy, if warranty matters at all to you.

Ok, Well I am relatively new to being a gearhead, Ive always loved cars yada yada but only since I got the Maro *1 year ago* have I been trying to DIY as much as possible, I love to learn things that interest me.

That being said, I've decided to go to school for cars which starts in a few weeks, I want to get the Assoc. degree and get ASE certified. Not a career choice but I will keep wrenching on my cars & perhaps /family/friends cars if needed, The degree will pay for itself imo with the money saved from taking my cars in to a shop and I'd rather DIY so who cares if it doesn't.

We obv. need tools for school, I want High quality tools and am willing to pay for quality!!(not gonna spend like 10k tho off the bat!) Now,I have a very basic Craftsman 260pc set for my weekend tasks or whatever at home, but I want my class tools to be Better

**gonna use every day 8hrs or more for about 2 years then for apprenticeship and Home**

Upon buying my First *and only so far* Snap-On combo wrench, and holding it in one hand and the craftsman in the other, I can tell the difference in quality;

Don't get me wrong here boys, I am not knocking anyone's tools and do acknowledge that Craftsman is sturdy and suitable to get the job done, I own some don't I.

My question is, Who makes Superior tools?????!? I feel There is Absolutely No way Snap On makes the Best EVERYTHING but I know they're good.

Please chime in here since I am still a college student, I'd like to keep it around 5k to work with atm and if I fk up on my selection I can't swap setups for a while *tuition bills etc*

I would like to know Who makes the best whatever, Please.
Especially:Ratchets, Pliers, Screwdrivers, Sockets, Impact guns air & battery power, & Torque wrenches to name a few.

at the Minimum, I am thinking That I would like to have Snap On for the hand tools I use all the time like Wrenches&ratchets and the rest could be interchanged with something that is better or a bit less expensive if I max out my $ on the startup tools.

I was told the snap on sockets round edges off and don't grip as strong but that's hearsay.

I love the way the SO wrench fits my hand, much better than the Craftsman.

How does Matco, MAC, bluepoint stack up here??

I need enough stuff to get by in a garage for school: highlights of list are pliers most types,wrenches, ratchets/sockets,feeler guages, screwdrivers manual&ratcheting, drillbits, prybars, digital thermometer, TOOL BOX.

also want to get a impact gun for myself.



THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INFO!!! Keep negatives to yourself please, I just want to have the best tools I can afford so I can focus more on learning& Skill, not worry about my equipment and have something that will last me for the cars to come.


Thanks again for helping me get set up!

im gonna be honest w/ you man. my father has 100% snap on and i've used his tools since i was 16, im now 20 and using the same tools. They are simply badass. air ratchets, sockets, wrenches.... i believe we use GEARWRENCH brand gear wrenches though.
When it comes to dependability you WILL NOT beat snap on. it expensive... but it is because you are getting what you pay for.

snap on reps have horribLe! customer service and treat students like shit in my experience so far, matco isn't much better shady driver and lazy too. I went with snapon for my tools, and am supplimenting out the stuff I don't like with matco (pliers race set,BOX=POS!!) it's a shame, that the big dog companies treat the little guy like shit, basically the attitude I and my classmates have been getting is "buy our stuff or get lost, give us your money and fk off"

My school offers craftsman and gear wrench tools.And some other name brands.We use them when ever there is work to be done.