Snap-on vs craftsman

[EGProject]

Mind you I love my 2 Snap-On 3/8ths ratchets. I had two older Craftsman ones as I got into the trade, but quickly swapped them for Snap-On. Almost all my speciality sockets (German cars are all about weird shit) are Hazet, MAC, Snap-On, VIM or Lisle. I had a few left over Craftsman hex sockets, but broke most of them my first month.

But almost all my 3/8ths chrome stuff is still mostly Craftsman as its not loaded as much as the 1/2" sockets and I honestly don't have the cash to go out and buy a full size flank drive Snap-On socket set.

One thing that I swear by and some people don't know about are pressurized cooling system fill tools. I used our shop one for about a month and then bought a Matco one along with a pressure tester. Newer cars basically require it, and it makes filling stuff a breeze.

As a lot of older techs will say - you make a lot of your own tools as well. I have a 24mm and 36mm box wrench bent to fit inside crank pulleys to turn cranks and a cut down 22mm wrench for 02 sensors.

 

[civicious]

good luck finding a snap-on truck when you need one. sears is a 10 minute drive

I've got one snap-on rep's personal cellphone number, one Matco rep's personal cell, and a district Matco rep's cell in my phone. I've hung out with all of them outside of work, know where they live, and know their routes. One of the Matco guys has come across town more than once (away from his usual route) to move my toolbox from one shop to another for me - for free. I've had him drop off replacement tools at my house for me on more than one occasion.

I have NEVER had a broken tool, and had it be an issue for more than a few hours - EXCEPT when it was a Craftsman or Duralast, that I've actually had to go out of my way to drive somewhere to get it replaced.

 

[klyph]

If you're breaking name brand tools, I need to introduce you to my friend PB blaster. Unless you're flat rating shit, you shouldn't have to put that much abuse on your tools. And a cheater pipe on a ratchet? Seriously? Get a breaker bar, dude.

 

[TofuBoi]

But seriously what's the cost of a full equip tool box????

 

[90 accord]

thats too open ended of a question.

It all depends on the profession, specialty, etc. do you need calibrated torque wrenches, micrometers, dial/test indicators, depth mics, etc.

i have close to $1000 invested with my 2 torque wrenches, my 3 mic's and calipers alone. My 1/4 in ratchets, sockets and exentions are pushing $800 total. My wrench sets total around $800 as well. Have i overspent? maybe, but i wont ever have to spend money on those tools again, and i have a pretty badass set at home from all the tools that the previously mentioned replaced

 

[K2e2vin]

If you're breaking name brand tools, I need to introduce you to my friend PB blaster. Unless you're flat rating shit, you shouldn't have to put that much abuse on your tools.

Depends on what type of work you do.

 

[EGProject]

Some bits are just bound to break. I'm sure civicious can attest - ball end hex and torx bits are just bound to break soon enough. I've twisted a pair of Snap-on T30 bits in 3/8ths and broke a few 6mm ball end and flat end hex drivers. Also, breaker bars usually break the swivel section , not the bar itself. Some axle nuts require you stand on the bar to break them free - and in the case of VW/Audi axle bolts they are torqued to 150nm, plus a 90 degree turn.

 

[installer383]

Well Snap-On versus Craftsman..............Hello guys I'm new to the forums but I work on cars for a living. Besides the fact that I have a 5000 dollar Snap On Box with at least 10,000 dollar Snap On tools. My opinion is there is alot of awesome stuff that snap on makes but just cause it says Snap On doesn't mean it's good. For instance Snap On Drills suck! Snap on Multimeter really suck! My best advice is...... if you can justify spending bucks on tools then yea Snap On is the best stuff but sometimes for certain tools it's better to go another route. For meter's I like Fluke for drills I like Makita...........All my ratchets,sockets,racheting wrenches and screwdrivers and Snap On...........but it's not easy to pay 20 bucks for 1 socket or 20 bucks for 1 screwdriver. Plus Snap on comes once a week.........Craftsman you can go any day and they are really cool for warranty. If you're a mechanic Snap On! But if it's a hobby most of the Craftsman stuff pretty good if not just as good as some Snap On stuff. Bottom line a screwdriver is a screwdriver but for Specialty tools Snap On is the best.

I'm new to this site and lord knows I know nothing of Honda's but I am an installer by trade so any Radio,Amp,Speaker,Alarm questions I can help out. It's been a while since I had a project car and now I got two 94 honda Prelude's which one will be for my girl and the other one is gonna be my project. So I hope you guys can help me out when I need it.