taikowaza

I just spent some excellent time reading through this thread. All this advice is very much appreciated. Thanks guys.
I went to Sears today and had a look see. There is one kit I like, it's the 155 piece kit and it's small enough to fit in a rig. Lots of the other kits come with really big cases and when I saw them today I realized they'd take up too much space. This weekend there is one kit for $100 off, it comes in a big case. $129 for a 182 piece set seems like a pretty good deal. I think I'm going to swing for the 155 piece set tho, lots of people seem really happy with it. Also it's been discontinued and they're clearing it out. I've got bits and bobs (as you said, Fae Tal)and I'm happy with that, but I'd like to have a kit that I take good care of and start to use that instead.
Stick Figure, the way you described the ratchets, and how long they take to click, was very useful. I could understand that right away. My costco ratchet took a long time to 'click' and this was challenging as I was trying to tighten the 3vze distributor cap after adjusting the timing with the ISR mod in. There was no room to move and I really wanted an extension with a very rapid 'click' but I could not get it to engage. I finally had to use a wrench that I barely fit in there, it wasn't an exact fit and it was a real pain. I could imagine that a nice snap-on in that case might have made it a lot easier.
I am not familiar with the other two names you used (Matco and S&K) and I would like to learn more (I'll start googling them after I post this). I am not sure if they make 'toolkits' either, I have noticed that the high-end tool companies don't seem to sell 'kits' but more each tool as a seperate investment. Not sure if I am understanding that quite right yet. In the meantime I may get the 155 piece Craftsman, to complement my other 'random' tools, and then invest in the other tools as I need them. Oh yeah, one other thing I bought, was a magnetic tray. I saw that when I was at Deathcougar's place, he used his snap-on magnetic tray, it was such a great way to keep track of all fasteners. When the snap-on truck came by NIX99, and I went in one of those trucks for the first time, wow I was impressed with that! Tool mecca. But I went with the Craftsman magnetic tray and it is pretty cool.

jackwolf

"Oh yeah, one other thing I bought, was a magnetic tray."

X2
I've got a few, HF stocks them also. Here is one, holding a pair of brass rings.

CyMoN

I have a mishmash of tools but I got a great deal at a pawn shop a few years ago
got the craftsman socket rail and sizes 6mm through 21 which you cannot but from sears that complete for 25$
I now only buy hand tools that I can take in no questions asked replacement.

I have some great neck wrenches and sockets and AZ wants a receipt to do a exchange on them great thing is after a month or two their receipt fades out.

right now they have the fathers day sales still going on until tomorrow last week I bought the 26 pc wrench set for 50$ usually 79$ bought a few extensions and today I bought the nine pc deep well set and had to buy the 11mm one to make the set complete.

around Christmas and Fathers day sears seems to have the better deals and I refuse to pay the normal market price they sell them for and I have been waiting to buy the tools I got this last week since Christmas.

toyNG

Let me get this straight...

- the 182 piece kit is normally $229, and is on sale right now for $129
- the 155 piece kit is normally $150, and is on sale right now for $135
- You are planning to get the 155 piece kit even though it costs more and comes with less.
- WHY??!!

maybe I'm missing something...

taikowaza

Hi ToyNG you got it right. "- the 182 piece kit is normally $229, and is on sale right now for $129
- the 155 piece kit is normally $150, and is on sale right now for $135
- You are planning to get the 155 piece kit even though it costs more and comes with less.
- WHY??!!"

The 182 piece kit comes in a HUGE box. I picked it up today, it's absolutely massive. The reason I like the 155 kit, is that it's in a box where every tool fits into its own compartment, and they don't spill all over the place when you open it up. My costco kit and another kit I have is completely messed up everytime I open it, takes forever to find what I need. I have a metal kit as well and that's solid, but it's also always disorganized on the inside.
The 155 kit has a ton of amazing reviews because none of the pieces fall out, and it has a really nice selection of tools that are actually useful instead of random as some of the large piece kits are.
I checked out the 192 piece kit also, it's a 'tri-fold' box, but everytime you close one of the sides, all of the tools fall out and you have to jam it in place like a book. The 155 kit folds like a briefcase and each component is stable.
I hope that makes sense! Also, the 155 kit I have some coupons so I end up getting it for less than the 182 kit. You can get coupons by signing up on the mailing list at the website.
In a nutshell, the case is why I like the 155 piece kit, and the extra pieces in the 182 are mostly extra allen keys etc I think. Sometimes that's how they pad the number of pieces in a kit.

jackwolf

I'll take a pass but forward it anyway.

http://dealnews.com/Craftsman-182-Pi...dealnews_today

Stick_Figure

while i agree that organization is key for the tools, that case is only good as long as that case contains EVERYTHING you will ever need. When you need that 19mm wrench that the craftsman sets usually don't include, you won't have a space for it. As more of this happens, your going to have to find a new tool storage system anyway. I grabbed a duffel bag from a cabellas w/ like 20 pockets, that i keep in the truck w/ some basic tools.

jackwolf

Looks like Elbe Wheelin - algranger has got it all figured out.

Sometimes you just have to grab some tools and go enjoy the great outdoors. Does he have a ten thousand dollar tool cart back home? Maybe. But it was Costco tools that put his u-bolts back on before his axle fell off.

Good Job

Love it

OpenFire

everyone here seems to love craftsman...but the few times i have ordered new things from them online (maybe a bad idea to get tools without being able to look them over first) something has been wrong with them.

i understand they have the warranty, but i would much rather not have something be wrong in the first place then have to go into sears to get a new tool

overall im sure theyre fine, probably just my bad luck, but i prefer alltrade/powerbuilt. they just feel like a more solid product, and are very affordable. they have some very nice kits for cheap -- LOOK ON EBAY!!!!

bigt

i get the salvage from costco.. th ose tool kits are a HOMEOWNER TOOL KIT.. i get alot of my tools from there they are pretty good stuff.. some huuuuuge 20 ton jack/stands and 3 ton jacking jack stands, engine hoist,air lines, drills dewall and they have kawasaki air tool sets and a big kawasaki socket set with deep and shallow impact small and big!..

i started with the basics and add as you need tools for each job..ie clutch alinment, air flanger,snap ring pliers and so one... if im only gonna use the tool a few times and its kinda light duty ill go to harbour freight of canada called princess auto!

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

i have been adding to my tool collection for 30 plus years
I have a lot of Snap On Matco some Mac and some Craftsman.

when I go out in the woods I take only the best tools if I need to fix something I don`t want something to break at the wrong time. I bent a 9/16" wrench almost to a 90 one day trying to back off a brake that had camed over

To each his own I do have some cheaper sockets I use around the shop.

Unless it has changed Craftsman tools have no warranty for Industrial use . I used to have the wife take them back

Even the best tools rust if you don`t care for them.

REALGRAVEROBBER

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fae_Tal

going to jump back in here and add that there's absolutely nothing wrong with adding to your tool collection piece by piece. I sure as hell can't afford to go out and buy a 200+ piece set and box...

I've been accumulating bits and bobs for years now. there's no shame in having a few "throw away" tools mixed in with your nicer stuff...

Kits:
I completely agree. Usually the big kits are cost-effective for the volume, but ~20% are things a person will not use.

However... I did buy a this kit and would do so again.

Piece-by-piece: If you know you'll use everything in the above sort of kit, go for that, then pick and choose quality levels of tools based on how often you use them. My shopmate (we share a shop) buy top-shelf stuff but goes to Harbor-Freight for big crude stuff he rarely uses.

For things I use often (1/4"-drive, screwdrivers, ratcheting wrenches, light hammers: I'm mostly a motorcycle mechanic) I get Blue-Point or Mac. For other things (soft-blow hammer, etc.) a cheapie might be okay.

Cheap Tools: This is as controversial as an oil-choosing topic, but if you get cheap tools, or better yet get mid-quality tools at a pawn shop, decide if you like or use this or that, then buy a good-quality tool (BP, Mac, Craftsman, etc) then the orphan goes into your 'mobile toolbox or loaner-tools toolbox' which is ready for late-night emergencies, etc.

Ultimately, I think it's good to (1.) not get rushed, and (2.) don't overspend until you are confident it's justified. A $300 tool that is used once a year may not be justified.

My $0.02.

prorunner

I bought a craftsman tool kit from sears, I like the plastic box it comes in with locking doors, it makes hauling it in my 4runner nice and easy, they hold up good too, and I have peace of mind if I ever break anything or a ratchet gets rusted out I can bring it back for a new one no hassle. I also picked up a 4 inch C clamp (useful for the timing belt tensioner, and compressing calipers) a breaker bar and a 250lb torque wrench.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...6&blockType=G6

zlathim

Be careful. Some ratchets have very fine teeth. These ratchets are for use in tight spaces, but will not hold up to high torque. I have a Matco ratchet that clicks about five times for every one click of my craftsman ratchet, but I have to be careful so that I don't ruin it. I never use it to break loose bolts or torque them to german specs (gutentite).