[TstebinsB]

It's time for me to start building a tool set. I've never owned any tools because I've always been able to use my dad's. He doesn't do heavy work (plumbing, carpentry, electrical, roofing, heating, and masonry ) anymore but when he did, he used anything that worked. I'd like to stick to one brand though so that doesn't help me. Which company do you guys recommend? I don't have any specific uses for the tools except for general house/car repairs and maintenance. Thanks.

[Detach]

well...my brother is an auto mechanic and he swears by his Matco tools but, those are some hardcore tools (that means expensive usually) but i have a ratchet and wrench set from good ole' craftsman and they're wonderful and for what you listed, they would work great...and they have a lifetime warranty :P I took back one of my grand dad's old craftsman ratchets that didn't ratchet (this thing was atleast 1940s i believe) and they looked at it said okay and pretty much handed me a new one :P (i exagerated the ease)

[Brother Jeeter]

I have used Proto, Mac and Craftsman hand tools. The Proto and Mac are FIRST RATE! IMHO there are none better. But for a guy who wants to change his own spark plugs and do some routine home repair/maintenance, Craftsman will do a fine job. There is also a hefty price differential between Craftsman and the other two, you need to consider.
I have had experiences very similar to Detach, walk in with the broken wrench and walk out with a new one.
I have a Craftsman half inch drill that is almost forty years old. It has been abused badly and it is still truckin' right along.

Regards,

Jeeter

[Ditch Doc]

I third Craftsman!

[Bruno]

I buy mostly German or Swiss tools. Nearly everything I've got is professional grade.
If there's one thing I hate when working around the house, it's working with crappy tools.
I'd rather pay more and have a good tool, than pay less and have to make do. And the work is so much easier (and better) for it.

A former colleague of mine bought a 40$ pneumatic drill. While building his house he had to drill 40 holes through conrete. Had to get warranty replacement 5 times.
His justification: hey, it's cheap and if it breaks I get a replacement...

I don't stick with 1 brand because different brands are best with different things.
My panasonic electric screwdriver is the rolls-royce of screwdrivers.
Angle grinder and pneumatic drill are Bosch (Blue)
Files, Chisels and saws are bahco
Hedge trimmer is garderner grade metabo
...

Sure, buying these tools was a serious investment (didn't buy them all at the same time of course), but as a friend of mine once said:
The joy of working with quality tools remains when the pain of paying for them is long forgotten.

[Brother Jeeter]

Hello Bruno,

Craftsman aren't 'crappy' tools. They are just more within the budget of a man who doesn't NEED a Professional tool. The few Craftsman tools I have taken in for replacement had given stellar service, right up until the tme I 'forced' them a bit too much. I have always been big, strong and inclined to 'give it just what it needs and about another half turn.'
To MY way of thinking, 'crappy' tools are the ones you get in a plastic package, containing three different sizes of pliers, a ratchet and sixteen sockets, four screwdrivers and a two foot level, ALL for seven dollars and forty nine cents.
I can see nothing wrong with your choice of tools. And I agree, every tool you own doesn't need to carry the same brand name. Here in the USA, Craftsman is a good quality tool, at a reasonable price. Not the best, but certainly not a "Flower of Crapcanistan" either.
TstebinsB specified he would be doing general house and car repairs. My assumption was that he wanted to acquire reasonable quality tools on some kind of budget. Hence, my recommendation of Craftsman.


Regards,

Jeeter

[bpave777]

I've got a mix of Craftsman and Snap-on.

Since I don't have a full set of Snap-on I still rely on the Craftsman for various jobs. However, I can't tell you how nice it is when I do a job with just using my Snap-on's. The quality is obvious.

It's going to be a long road until I fill my mechanics toolbox (also Snap-on), but I'm determined.

[JMS]

I use tools professionally and tend towards Craftsman, Klein, and Proto for hand tools! Power tools I prefer Milwaukee!

[JMS]

Originally Posted by bpave777

I've got a mix of Craftsman and Snap-on.

Since I don't have a full set of Snap-on I still rely on the Craftsman for various jobs. However, I can't tell you how nice it is when I do a job with just using my Snap-on's. The quality is obvious.

It's going to be a long road until I fill my mechanics toolbox (also Snap-on), but I'm determined.

Snap on is the cream of the crop but as far as longevity goes, I perceive little difference!

[bbshriver]

I'll also vote for Craftsman. You can get a decent set of tools in the $200-500 range versus the $50k range (and yes I do know people who owe the snap-on man more than $50k). Craftsman is "acceptable" quality.. sort of the 90/10 rule.. 90% of the quality for 10% of the price. If you can afford Snap-on etc, then do so, for the rest of us there's craftsman!
I have a few Craftsman tools, but not a full set yet. My plan is basically at some point to get one of the super complete sets of Craftsman and then augment with Snap on or similar when I need specialty tools, and maybe buy Snap On from time to time for common use tools.

One other "honorable mention", I have had good luck with Kobalt tools from Lowes.

[Smiles]

Originally Posted by Brother Jeeter

Craftsman aren't 'crappy' tools.

Some are and some aren't.

It used to be that ALL Craftsman tools came with a real lifetime warranty. (Not the kind of waranty that defines the lifespan of a hammer as 5 years, and the warranty is good for that 5 year life of the hammer.) Now many are made to meet a retail price point and do NOT carry the lifetime guarantee. Thankfully, you can pretty reliably use this test to figure out if any given Craftsman tool is a good one.

[TstebinsB]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to go with Craftsman. If another brand makes a better tool that I want and I can afford it, I'll switch to that other brand. For now though, there's no need for me to go overboard.

[Bruce]

Tsteb,

One thing that I missed in your original post was what you were going to use the tools for. Hand tools for carpentry, masonry, plumbing, etc. may have manufacturers that the craftsmen who use those tools may generally prefer. Power tools are similar. We recently had some major re-piping done in our pump house and I asked the pipefitters' foreman what angle grinder he preferred "Metabo," he quickly answered; "It's the only one that holds up." I have my own preferences for woodworking power tools from both experience and how the tool holds in my hand. Hand tools are even more a personal thing.

Good luck with your tool shopping,

[Detach]

Originally Posted by Smiles

Not the kind of waranty that defines the lifespan of a hammer as 5 years, and the warranty is good for that 5 year life of the hammer

huh!? hammer's are one of the tools that SHOULD have a lifetime warranty! How the heck do you break a hammer!? It's a piece of wood/fiberglass/other with a piece of metal on top. Ugh...stupid companies...

anyway...another option TstebinsB is pawn shops. I have a few friends who got VERY nice tools (snap-on, mac, matco, proto) at discounted prices and i believe they still have the same lifetime warranty. Haha infact my bestfriends dad goes pawn shop cruisin' twice a month SPECIFICALLY for tools...well and guns too...but those are kinda like tools right?

again though Craftsman is a very good brand for any lay-person(non professional) IMHO

[junkinduck]

I am a mechainc and perfer SnapOn. The biggst problem with them other than the price can be service. If you don't work in a shop where the truck comes around it is hard to get service. I would reccomend to the weekend warior craftsman. They are decent tools with decient replacement policy and a good value. That is what I keep in my pickup for along the road repairs. As for power tools I would stay away from craftsman standard line (I have no experence with the profesional). I would go with different brands for different tools. I like the Porter Cable circular saw and sanders. I so far have good luck with DeWalt rechargeable. Milwakee is good for corded tools. Electrical tools are Klein and multi meters are fluke. Nail hammers I like my Steletto framer and estwing finish hammer. One brand is realy not that pratical as I reread my post.

[jockeys]

My toolbox is a mixture of Craftsman, Channel-Lock, and specialty things that are for dealing with computers and soldering.

So far, no problems with anything.

[Quick Orange]

I love Snap-On for hand tools. You can tell the difference in quality immediately when you use Snap-On, and for heavy, continual applications, there's nothing better. For the rest of us who aren't mechanics by trade though, Craftsman remains one of my favorites. They have good tools at reasonable prices, and they should last you forever. If it breaks, there's usually a sears down the street. Another brand that I've been impressed with is Husky from Lowes. Their warranties are good and easy to deal with. I work all my tools pretty hard, and so far the only one I've broken is a small flathead.

Powertools are a little different. It's a brand by brand thing really. The best is to talk to people that use them daily and see what they like.

[CactusBob]

I agree that Craftsman are good tools, although recently I've had serious issues with trying to get some replaced. The clerks act as if it comes out of there pocket.
Husky tools at Home Depot are really good and there was a time that if you brought in a broke Craftsman they would give you a Husky in return. ( at least here in Tucson). They are also Lifetime warranty
Another one I've had very good service from was ACE, I dont remember the brand name but I walked in with a broken pair of pliers and when the clerk saw them he immediately stepped up and asked if it was for replacement. I was in and out in two or three minutes.
A good way to check their service is to go to a swap meet and find old Craftsman, Husky or what ever and take it in for a replacement and see what they do.
One note of warning if you have kids put a lock on your tool box, Ive lost three sets of Craftsman screwdrivers along with others. When I ask my kids what happened to them they look like this


Bob

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by jockeys

... and specialty things that are for dealing with computers ...

Like a hammer.

[JMS]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Like a hammer.

A sledge works wonders for some of your more common computer problems!