mechanics

[Farbin Kaiber]

I think a three bay rollaway filled with the basics is totally reasonable. If you are a professional technician, $15,000 is a reasonable expense to have invested. There is nothing wrong with putting 10-12% of your yearly pay into quality equipment.

[Kershaw]

Dude, I have the oldest set of tool here on R3V. I love tools but can't justify buying them. It kills me to pay for tools..ugh

i have my grandfathers tools. craftsmans from the 60s. i dont use them though. very high quality, you can tell by the rachets. although, craftsman does sell a legit made in america rachet now, it's a high quality piece. i have one, but it doesnt come in their sets.

most of my tools are craftsman. i save HF for "that one tool im only going to use once." they really are throw away tools.

[der affe]

It is simple, stay off the snap-on truck and go on the matco or mac truck instead. Their tool quality has risen dramatically while snap-ons has fallen. Except for some stuff, they are pretty close to each other in quality, but not in price.

Pay 50%-60% the price for 90% (of the same quality as snap-on). They all have a lifetime free replacement (except snap-on will not warranty drill bits, the others will though) & come around each week.

Just don't buy the low line stuff from any of them.

[LJ851]

The way i do it is to pay cash for all the tool truck purchases with the exception of big ticket items. Those i make weekly payments on and do not buy anything else until they are paid off. After a while you you (obviously) just dont really need anymore tools than you already have, no need to rush.

Greg is right about Snap-on quality of late, it has really gone downhill. My old Snap-on sockets looks like an artist polished and chromed them, the newer ones are not nearly as nice. It pays to look closely at the tools you are interested in, a Snap-on battery charger is a Century battery charger and available at Northern for half as much. Always buy high quality measuring tools and tools that if they break will cause bodily harm.

[MikeDE]

I would never get my bill over any amount that would raise my weekly nut to over $50. That, and I started paying him in the shop instead of going on the truck.

[bmwmech1]

...That, and I started paying him in the shop instead of going on the truck.

Haha... that's the key! I'm not ashamed to say the I have a HF top and bottom cabinet, but it's full of Snap-On, Mac, IR, Schley, Stahlwille, etc., tools. I have plenty of vintage special tools, metal working equipment, welders, the list goes on and on. I really believe in quality tools and the right tools for the job, but could never justify spending $5-10K on a cabinet and have empty drawers because I was broke from buying the cabinet, lol! My next door neighbor is a tech for Nissan and has a really nice Snap-On bottom cabinet, which I am envious of, with hardly any tools in it. I asked him why he didn't have a top cabinet or more tools and his answer was "I'm still paying on my bottom cabinet and the wife says no more until it's paid off". My answer back was to think about what $6200 worth of tools looks like in a lesser expensive cabinet and he said " yeah, that's what I should have done", lol. To each his own, I guess. Thankfully, I'm not in a pissing contest with other techs at my shop... I own the business, so the only people I have to impress are my customers...:-D

Garey

[MR 325]

It is simple, stay off the snap-on truck and go on the matco or mac truck instead. Their tool quality has risen dramatically while snap-ons has fallen. Except for some stuff, they are pretty close to each other in quality, but not in price.

Pay 50%-60% the price for 90% (of the same quality as snap-on). They all have all have a lifetime free replacement (except snap-on will not warrenty drill bits, the others will) & come around each week.

Just don't buy the low line stuff from any of them.

Amen to this!!

[Keith M]

I don't want to think about it, $50k is a good guess. Between the three of us, well over $100k. This isn't all stuff of the Snap-On truck, a lot of metal working tools and wierd stuff needed for what I do. Snappy dealers love to get you on a credit acct and the best way to avoid spending too much is just to save up and be a cash only customer.
I still thing Snap-On hand tools are the best made. Mac's are just rebadged Stanley tools like you can buy at Ace Hardware.

[mamzak]

I definitely don't get the people who've got 50k in Snap-On tools but I do agree it's important to spend money on the tools you actually NEED. If you take care of them you'll have them forever.

QFT

There are definitely items that you SHOULD buy from the truck, and other items where it makes way more sense to buy something lower end. For example, I own a very high quality Snap-On Torque wrench that cost me lots of coin because I need the reliability and accuracy, and on the other hand I own a cheap shitty $15 die grinder, because although it might only last a year, I can buy 7 for the price of one Mac or Snap-on die grinder that performs the same function as accuracy and performance are a non-issue.

If I had all teh monies, I probably would splurge and buy lots of shit off the truck because it does have a "wow factor" when you pull your drawer out but meh...

[gkobez]

I buy snap on cause I haven't been to a shop where there hasn't been a snap on dealer, whereas all the mac, matco, cornwell, those dealers come and go. Having owned lots of different kinds I really think there is a difference. I also try and buy from only one guy, if you have a running bill with four different trucks it get expensive fast, and that one guy will give you a break if you are a regular/good customer.

[oxymoron]

i think that everybody here is speaking truth everyone has their own unique situation, if a small transaction i have in the works goes through i should be able to put about 1000 towards my snap on tab and invest in some matco items. ive been getting really hungry for hours lately in my shop and higher people are noticing. my friend is giving me an awesome deal on a few of his tools so he can upgrade and im excited for that. i thing getting new tools is better than buying beer and weed at least

[der affe]

Haha... that's the key! I'm not ashamed to say the I have a HF top and bottom cabinet, but it's full of Snap-On, Mac, IR, Schley, Stahlwille, etc., tools. I have plenty of vintage special tools, metal working equipment, welders, the list goes on and on. I really believe in quality tools and the right tools for the job, but could never justify spending $5-10K on a cabinet and have empty drawers because I was broke from buying the cabinet, lol! My next door neighbor is a tech for Nissan and has a really nice Snap-On bottom cabinet, which I am envious of, with hardly any tools in it. I asked him why he didn't have a top cabinet or more tools and his answer was "I'm still paying on my bottom cabinet and the wife says no more until it's paid off". My answer back was to think about what $6200 worth of tools looks like in a lesser expensive cabinet and he said " yeah, that's what I should have done", lol. To each his own, I guess. Thankfully, I'm not in a pissing contest with other techs at my shop... I own the business, so the only people I have to impress are my customers...:-D

Garey

Honestly, a good tool box is worth it for a few reasons.

1. The more tools you stuff into it, the harder it is on the box itself and the drawers and rollers they ride on. Cheaper boxes have sliders instead of ball bearings and can't support lots of weight before they start breaking. For a "hobby" the cheaper box works out, but not for every day in the long run for the professional. It does not have to be a snap-on, but it is worth it for a good box. I have a snap-on 3 bay and another big single bay top, bottom and side box. I also have a matco 4 drawer tool cart along with another mac cart.
I bought the top, bottom & side new, and the second 3 bay used. If i was going to make the purchase again, i would get a matco and save a bunch of money.

2. To keep people out of you box and keep your tools yours. Depending on your shop set up, people may be able to get to where your box is. the dealers and some shops around here are open air shops so with a little determination people can get back to your stuff. It wil also keep the people you work with "honest". the last shop i was at, i had the shop foreman break into my cart and "temporarily" steal about $2K worth of my tools the night i was laid off (i had to arange for a tow truck to get my stuff the following day). when i showed up and saw what had happened, i called the police and filed a police report over the phone infront of the body shop manager and make arrrangements for the police to come and finish it up, the manager disappeared and suddenly the foreman appeared with him and my missing tools and said "oh, i thought they were shop tools....." It was all i could do not to break his hands, so i just loaded them up in my car and left before i did something stupid.

[b*saint]

I do the ol broke musician trick. I go on the truck and look what I want, then go on ebay and buy it new for 50% off. I have probably 10 - 13k worth of tools (including my budget snap on box) I bought for half that. Also Im not a tool truck whore. Im very open minded to other quality tools from around the world, but a lot of times I go back to the truck brands because you can't beat the investment. Hard handle snap on screwdrivers - no european or japanese company can make them better.

For my profession I am a cnc tool service guy. My travel toolbox weighs in at 34 pounds and including my two meters, probably would be 5k in tools.

[mamzak]

Honestly, a good tool box is worth it for a few reasons.
the last shop i was at, i had the shop foreman break into my cart and "temporarily" steal about $2K worth of my tools the night i was laid off (i had to arange for a tow truck to get my stuff the following day). when i showed up and saw what had happened, i called the police and filed a police report over the phone infront of the body shop manager and make arrrangements for the police to come and finish it up, the manager disappeared and suddenly the foreman appeared with him and my missing tools and said "oh, i thought they were shop tools....." It was all i could do not to break his hands, so i just loaded them up in my car and left before i did something stupid.

Holy shit I would lose my mind.

[oxymoron]

yeah people are disrespectful and its always the few people around the shop with no tools or bareely any. i always come in after my days off with my box covered in junk.. but i keep it locked at least. people even borrow my funnel which is made from an old oil bottle with the bottom cut out.. its sad when people are too cheap to get their own free tool.