basic Tools Wanted - starting from scratch (1 Viewer)

[Beehanger]

Gooday Gents,

Rebuilt engine project is coming to finishing point and ready to take it on the road. been using shop tools at work, and have 1 screwdriver to my name.

If anyone has some decent sets of wrenches / sockets breaker bar, hand tools etc etc up for sale I'd be interested.

And, if you see any at a garage sale near you and you;ve beeen on the forum awhile I'd consider sending you some a paypal to pick em up for me.


can't wait to drive this thing, and have the tools in the back to go with it for when something enevitably goes wrong.


Best,
Dan

 

[RUSH55]

Where in Idaho are you located?

 

[PAToyota]

I'm a fan of the "complete" tool sets offered by a number of manufacturers. Here is an example from DeWalt:

https://a.co/d/gPDbXu9

A big advantage is that everything has its place so you can find it quickly and - particularly out in the field - you can know if you haven't put something back. I see people that throw a bunch of random stuff in a tool bag or tool box and then it is always a hassle to find what they need (looking at every socket or wrench for the right size) or end up losing items because they just toss everything - or maybe not everything - back in at the end.

Over the years I've had sets like this from Craftsman, Kobalt, and DeWalt in my various vehicles. I'm sure there are other options out there. Harbor Freight has definitely been getting better in the past few years, but their ICON and Quinn tools (which I respect) don't quite have a "complete" set available yet (wrenches, sockets, and bit sets all together). There are some "complete" Pittsburgh sets, but I still feel a lot of the Pittsburgh line is crap.

I then typically carry another tool box or bag with a few select specialty tools I may need for that vehicle - a towing bag, ratchet strap bag, specialty tool bag, etc. After a bad experience having to replace a serpentine belt, I have a serpentine belt kit in the two vehicles that use them. It also doubles as a breaker bar when needed.

Some may see my tools as excessive, but 1) driving older vehicles you have to acknowledge you may need them and 2) I've used them fairly often to help others that weren't as prepared - and quite often for people with much newer vehicles than mine. If your budget is limited, get what you can afford now. Black Friday and Christmas are coming up and you can probably find some deals and sales. Slickdeals or DealNews can be good to watch. Then keep your eye out for future sales and get a larger set later on. You can put the smaller set in your daily driver and the larger set in your wheeling rig.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I agree with @PAToyota. I have mostly Snap On tools in my home shop but I keep these types of sets around the house and in vehicles. I also made sure the children had this type of set when they left home.

Here's a fairly complete Craftsman set for $100: https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN/5004894175

They also come in gun metal chrome which I really like - but that's just aesthetics.

Add a Craftsman screwdriver set, a few Knipex pliers, and a couple of vise grips and you can tackle most jobs without spending a fortune.

 

[SteadfastRocky]

I would start at the pawn shops around you and try to find US craftsman, snap on, SK, Wright, Williams, MAC, Proto or the like.

As a tool sales guy, I would tell you if you are going to buy new, Koken is by a mile the best sockets, extensions and ratchets around from a fit and finish standpoint. And from my time wrenching they are outperforming some other big truck brands.