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Do Expensive Tools Make You a Great Mechanic?
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- Опубліковано 15 сер 2024
- Does buying expensive mechanic tools make you a great mechanic? It's a tool debate I see all the time. While better tools might help make the job easier, they probably don't make you a better mechanic. To me it's more about having the right tool for the job, and the tool that works best for YOU. That means more than the name on it, or how much the mechanic tool costs. #humblemechanic
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What do you think? Expensive tools make you a great mechanic?
No...why because knowledge is first. I'm a barber and I do use more expensive tools. I dont use them for all types of common processes. I own Pittsburgh tools and so far fine..I have Husky and still have not had any break.
But when using tools for sparkplug removal, get the harder steel as cheap ones like Lyole removal has a crappy bolt and it strips out if you use it once and for $10 more, you can get OEM type extractors that are harder steel.
It's the same as hair shears the hardness of the cutting edge make for razor sharp cuts, just don't drop them.
I think your golf analogy was perfect
I have tools that are the envy of a lot of mechanic pals of mine, but I'm a horrible mechanic. I have "flying tool syndrome"
No I don’t think so
I have one on VW/Audi tools, but not in general. I think its a great topic though
I generally buy cheap tools until they break. The ones that break get the upgrade. That keeps me from sinking excess money into a tool I rarely use and the ones I demand the most from are quality.
Same for me. But i dont run a shop so some tools are just bought for rare use. Why spend a fortune on it.
Great comment. Sometimes the answer is just to warranty it as needed though, lol. I'm not talking about something breaking where it'd be unsafe for the tech., but I am talking about internal ratchet wear and tear.
That sounds like a REALLY good idea. Except for the time between when the tool breaks and the time you can get the higher quality tool. But overall, that is an excellent way to do it.
@@insylem I could swear I read that before. Oh yeah, you quoted the original post. Goofy. Lol
@@insylem oh. UA-cam mess up. You did make a new comment. Goofy UA-cam. Yeah, on the way to the better one is sometimes pretty stressful.
Finding that damn 10mm socket makes you a better mechanic!
TRUTH!
And if you find it it is probably mine. I also misplace the 10mm combination if you find it.
10mm and 13mm are always running away from home . And it seems to be less expensive to buy a new set than two single sockets .
I guess im pretty bad because i have lost about 5 in the past 2 years
I have a deep well socket set that I bought back in 87 and still have all of them but the 10mm. Weird.
I agree more or less. I know mechanics who can fix anything with whatever tools are available and I know mechanics who have three bay Snap On boxes who couldn’t fix a sandwich.
I love how you through sandwiches into your comment. I'll add and maybe they can't make a good sandwich without grease on it, lol.
Usually, the bigger the box the lower the skills.
Race Hill Farms that is true, but tools do not a mechanic make. If you can’t do it with Pittsburgh, you probably can’t do it with Snap-On either. (By the way, I love Snap-On Tools. I use them everyday. I just prefer to think that it’s my skill and not the brand of tools I use that makes me a good mechanic. )
Lol Every shops got em love your wording I'm stealing that on Monday
@@DENicholsAutoBravadothrew
When you borrow a low quality tool from a badass tech, it makes you rethink buying all snap on
See that all the time at work with the 2nd years (apprentices).
Oh yeah. Too much expense makes you have fewer tools for sure! I knew a man with a 3 bay Snap On tool chest. Came to find out that within my first few years, I own a lot more tools that make this or that easier, but they're much cheaper, which he doesn't own...but...a huge but...I'll NEVER make as much money as him. I'll never be as fast or as talented. He'll always be the better tech if a shop had to choose between us. The only thing I can out - tech him on, to make up a word, is deep diagnosis. How do you get good at that? Doing lots of stuff that doesn't pay.
It's from his loner tool set, don't get excited.
@@asherdie beat me to it. I rarely loan out my good tools. Especially to people who use every tool as a hammer.
I have good tools and cheap doubles. I use the good ones and loan out the cheap stuff.
Charles, I tell you what...
It’s almost scary what you can get done with cheap tools.
When I had to stock both a tool box for shop work, a service truck for road calls, and do side work at home, I got a whole lot done with some basic stuff from harbor freight and eBay.
Money can't buy skills
If I could go back, I would spend more of my own money on training rather than tools.
@@HumbleMechanic me too
@Monsieurturmoil fuck off
Lack of money can restrict choices and cause hardship. You can sometimes have a lot of money in a way which also restricts choices. @Monsieurturmoil, I think that frequently, attitude and can strengthen happiness in all kinds of places far better than money.
money buys education, experience buys skills
I have always looked at hand tools this way. If I am going to use the tool all day, I will go for a more expensive tool. If it is a tool that I won't use often, I will choose a cheaper option. That's usually my baseline.
From that, there's only 1 cheap tool that I'd make more expensive. I'm rather attached, but the silly thing can be a pain when I have to retighten it's bending neck or warranty it all the time. Duralast 3/8" ratchet.
I've come to the conclusion that the high dollar tools make you enjoy doing the job more. And thre more you enjoy what you're doing, thre more likely you are to consciously get better at it. That's not always the case, but it worked for me.
I agree with you. As soon as I got my hands on sone nicer Snap-On hand tools, I enjoyed using them much more than their Pittsburgh equivalents. It's like a treat when I get to break out the Snap-On 15° offset Reversible Flank Drive Plus Ratcheting Wrenches (What a name right?)
Personally I enjoy keeping more money in my pocket
@@cbmech2563 Personally I enjoy spending on quality tools from the money I saved by doing the job myself.
It's all relative. What's the point of having money in your pocket if your not going to enjoy it. Heaven doesn't take dollars.
I'm a heavy truck (trash trucks ) mechanic and I use my tools hard . I used to have a few so wrenches in my box for the thin wall box for use on u joint bolts . That is no longer necessary , plus they were so thin they hurt when you pulled on them . There is no longer any need to spend snap-ons exorbitant price for specialty tools , let alone the rest of them . Plus in forty years I've only worked in 2 shops where a truck could be bothered to stop .
What? I can't take a uhaul to my grave!? @@Uninfluenceable
Attention to detail makes a good technician
Doing the right thing when no one is looking makes a good technician.
A hack technician is a hack, regardless of whether he has a snap-on ratchet or a dollar store special
truth
red95gts I was /am a carpenter and one of the sayings we used was" that dog don't hunt " . When someone loves what they do and care about the outcome it shows . Nobody knows everything but not being afraid to ask is another sign of a good hand .
Amen!
"Every tool has a hammer side" - Eric O...all ya need to know about tools to be a great mechanic.
That is so true!
Ha, I am always thinking of Eric O when I am hammering away with a ratchet or a wrench.
@@mph5896 one second I have a really nice, pricey ratchet. The next second I have a really pricey, crappy hammer
All my tools are Stanely, Harbor Freight, and a few Craftsmen.
As I break them I've been buying SKs since I prefer American made stuff that's not called Snap On.
Am I a great mechanic? I haven't heard any complaints.
But, I get the job done. And THAT is what matters to me.
I started out with Craftsman and have used those for years. I also have been switching over to SK to "Upgrade". In all honesty, I have been breaking SK sockets more so than the Craftsman. Like splitting the commonly used sockets like 15mm. Rounding off 10mm 6 point. Its pretty disappointing. Screwdrivers are awesome.
Joshua Lee you know I did some research as far as American Made. The question I ask myself what’s more important a company like HF that hires more Americans or a Top name American name company that hires less Americans to work for them. I also did some research on employees who work for both companies. I was surprised which employees loved or gave their company good compliments for the company they worked for. Look up Glassdoor Overview.
If the internet has anything to say... not wearing gloves makes you a great mechanic haha
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA and a REAL MAN!!!!!
... Nothing wrong with protecting the 'tools' that make it possible to earn your living. I personally like to keep irritants and other chemicals off the skin. Eue de 30wt is nice, but rather not wear it for several days even after using orange scrubby soap.
I almost always wear gloves. Internet be damned. I hate spending 15 minutes washing my hands every time I want to do something clean. Plus then my skin gets dried out and starts falling off. As K03sport said, it's nice to avoid carcinogens on your skin as well. Gloves are so cheap, they are well worth it to me. Plus I put a pair on any time I need to do something clean like prep a spot to paint or work on the interior. It just makes sense.
Having the convenience of a tool truck and warranty like snapon offers is a plus but I agree as long as the Job is done right and the car is fixed right the first time that’s what is important. 👍🏻
i dont find a guy that comes to your shop n pushes tool on you like a drug dealer convenient...and there warranty is shit...atleast with Mastercraft there lifetime warranty NO MATTER WHAT...if they can still read the name on the tool they will give u a new tool no questions asked.
Knipex all the way German dude
I personally preferred buying my higher torque rated Milwaukee 1/2 in. impact for $250 on sale vs. $800 1/2 in. impact from snap on that doesn't even have the same torque spec.
I firmly believe it is NOT the size of the tool box or the amount of money spent on the tools in it. It is, as you said, the knowledge and experience that makes the tech who they are.
We have this conversation in our shop ALL the time.
Great video, keep up the awesome work.
As a home gamer I can say good tools make working in the garage so much more enjoyable. Life's too short to deal with worn out, junky tools. I think I was 30 years old before I realized what a proper sized #2 phillips was supposed to feel like.
I have a really simple rule: If I use the tool more than once a week, buy snap-on. More than once a month, buy craftsman. For tools I use once of twice a year (timing tools for personal cars etc) I will get the cheapest garbage I can find.
Perfect example happened a week ago or so. I work on mid 2000’s Minis and BMW’s. I have been working on these for several years and have only just recently had a reason to buy triple squares. So I got a cheap $25 set on amazon that works just fine for me. If I were a VW tech I’d probably be looking at snap-on ones.
For things you use every day, reliability instills confidence, and confidence makes you a more efficient and effective mechanic.
Actually I just have a good analogy. I had a friend that had a Ford f150 3 valve. Was running bad. He had a person with a lab scoop. He told the truck had a bad injector. That is what the lab scoop said from the wave from. He then asked me if I could change it for him. I then started the truck at first with my ear. I could tell it was not the injector. With a test light and compression tester told him that it was 0 compression the injector was good. Opened up the valve cover to see that the head hade a valve guide exploded. 1500 dollar lab scoop told a story that was one thing but simple comprehension test, test light and so maybe 200 in simple test tools told the right story.
Wow!! A perfect example of the tool is only as valuable as the person using it. Lol. Also DAMN
@Monsieurturmoil You realize the code would have just said "Cylinder 3 misfire detected" at best and not pin pointed the issue, right? I mean I realize you're basically a troll, but I'm just checking. The end determination is still done by humans, and sometimes codes are misleading as well.
@@802Garage or if the code is p0300. What that said general code. A person is a tool that uses the other tools. Also can get a code misfire code that is on a cylinder that is not the problem cylinder.
@@maxvolovich9407 Exactly. :)
You stole my agreeing thunder, lol. @@802Garage
I don’t think expensive tools make you a better tech but I do think good quality tools (may not have to be expensive) make you more efficient and not having issues with rounding off bolts or breaking sockets
You amost got me in trouble bro. The wife almost saw this video.
Thought you loved me 😂😂😂
.you are correct with everything you said. I have all makes. If the vehicle was repaired correctly it doesn't matter the cost of the tool.cheeeeeeeers👍👍👍
I should have added... As long as your wife isn't made... HAHAHAH
HumbleMechanic it came as welcomed relief. I watched your video while i was waiting for my 14 year old daughter come out of emergency appendix surgery. It went well and shes doing great. She can go home in a few hours.thanks for being there when the tension got high.
As a professional tech, basically you hit the nail on the head. Some things it pays to buy quality and some things it doesn’t matter. The stuff I use every day and depend on is mostly good name stuff. But on the same hand my 1/2” impact sockets are the same harbor freight set I bought when I was 16. Electric power tools are definitely worth spending money on though. Not saying you have to get snap on, but get something reputable like Milwaukee, snapon, ingersol, etc vs a cheap no name impact gun. The bigger brands are going to be better in nearly every way. Batteries that cross over to other tools, more powerful, better warranty, etc.
Thumbs up for the golf analogy! Tiger is back baby! Won final tournament of last season in September! See you in April.
NICE! As I was saying it, I was thinking "You need a different analogy" Then I was going to use Micheal Jordan and shoes... Probably even more outdated. HA
@@HumbleMechanic Michael Jordan "shoes" won't make you a better basketball player. However, PF Flyers (ha!) will make you run faster and jump higher. You can look it up.
Hahaha ya gotta get the pumps man.
I worked on aviation. I used Snap on tools mostly. Never tried to buy any cheap tools because they don't consider their tools to be used on astronomically expensive aircraft and their engines.
Bought my first ratchet from Snap on when I started at a Toyota dealership in 1985.
In 2017 the forward/ reverse thing broke.
Not only did Snap on send me a repair kit , but a Snap On dealer that at stopped at a dealership near my nonautomotive business installed the kit for free.
Try that at your Harbour Freight store
I'm an enthusiast home mechanic, and it always annoyed me when people would say 'Why did you only get the 12v impact wrench? The 18/20v ones have like 400ftlbs!' Well, the 12v DeWalt I bought dyno'd at 350ftlbs, and if there's something on my car that isn't going to break loose @ 350ftlbs, there's something very very wrong. I'm not working on half million mile big rigs, I'm putting on sway bars and coilovers and intercoolers. People are obsessed with having 'the best' even when 'does the job without breaking a sweat' is 1/3 the price.
Being a juror member in 2013 over a lawsuit against Snap On, many today still think that Snap On makes all of their hand tools, even the ones with their name on them.
i have noticed alot of lower brand tools shapes sure fo look alot like them
must tool companies out source the manufacturing of their products. Mac and Matco have a few tools that like identical to HF stuff.
Great video Charles, no, more expensive means nothing, a case can be made for better tools, making you more money as a tech, aka better design, less slippage costing you time. I don't care who makes a tool all i care about is does it allow me to do what i need to as efficiently as possible
DAMN RIGHT!!!
Well said FRM.
Thanks for making this video man! As a lube tech at the local vw dealer. I see alot of techs pounding the “tool truck” into me. However when your making 12 bucks an hr and not doing heavy work (suspension/engine diag) you can get alot done with cheaper stuff. My strategy has been buy what i can afford out of my own pay check and buy it cheap. When that tool breaks upgrade it, buy new or used from amazon and keep going. I know this rule doesn’t follow for later on but im less than 500 bucks in and i have everything most lube techs would need and rarely borrow anything. I priced pretty much everything i have (mostly harbor freight) against snap on or even blue point and i was almost 3k in. Later on when i move up i will increase the quality in both box and tools but for now i see this as a great way to start.
When my father-in-law (a professional mechanic and engine builder) passed away, I inherited many of his much-used Snap-on tools. I will say, I am consistently impressed with how good the Snap-on tools feel in the hand and how well they have held up. My father-in-law probably bought them in the early '80s and used them everyday for 30 years. Now I use them as a hobbyist and they don't seem any worse for wear.
Another "feels good in the hand" .
When my dad used to fix windmills, he would use tools that might be the same quality as Harbour Freight, and the customers always complained: "Why do we pay you so much, and you STILL show up with Biltema tools?!"
I personally own A Duralast kit and some specialty tools that I bought almost 4 years ago and I've never ever have had a tool break on me. I have always trusted Duralast tools. I have a couple of Craftsmen tools and they're great as well. All of my tools have been very dependable as I've used them multiple times throughout the years. I just strongly believe that if you use the tool for what it's meant for then it'll last you a lifetime and you'll never have to worry about buying more tools than you already need.
YET - these same people will spend $1,000 on Cell phone, $6 on a energy drink, they smoke/drink and have no problems 'burning' money on that... Working at a Yamaha/Kawasaki shop, learned many years ago you get what you PAY for. Not only that, the same people will buy a car/truck that cost $50,000 (no problem there either)....
Yep. Seen all that. It’s something that people do. My favorite was customers coming in head to toe in north face gear, new iPhone, iPad, MBP, a giant Starbucks, but say they couldn’t afford $30 for new wiper blades.
The thing is they were right.
@@HumbleMechanic I agree 100% - kinda thinkin what world do they live in.
Yeah but that's why we work hard, so we can buy the stupid shit considered a luxury. If I can save a few $100 on a socket set it's more I can spend on a handy-j at the local dirty book store glory hole!
Hahahahha. That’s very specific.
@@HumbleMechanic #kiddingNOTkidding #$20is$20 #thestruggleisreal
The way I look at it is it’s almost like an investment I’m an apprentice technician and I have always been taught “look after your tools and they will look after you” and if snap on comes with a lifetime guarantee you might aswell get it at the start instead of getting a cheap one and having to buy the expensive one later on anyway
I use a selection of Craftsman and Pittsburgh tools, plus some 30 year old stuff my Dad used to use-and my VW’s, BMW,s and Audi’s get fixed just fine. I don’t work in a shop but as a DIY’er the end justifies the means! 👍👍👍🛠🛠🛠
there are guys in my shop who just refuse to spend any money on tools and it does hinder them, but mostly it's because they won't buy the tool, not because they wont buy and expensive tool. for example, there are a couple guys who have to drag out an air hose every time the need a drill or impact because they wont spend the $150 on a cordless set. there are also guys who have thousands in tools that they will never use. I'll admit some tool truck stuff is super nice, and I dont blame people for liking it. I'd love and set of MAC precision torque wrenchs but theres not way im buying them because they wont make me any more money.
Old told vs New tools. I love finding old gems at garage sales. Made in the USA vs China metal. Quality vs one use and done. Lots to consider, when being budget minded.
Love finding tools at yard sales. One of my best was a 5 gallon bucket 1/3 full of loose loose wrenches and sockets. $10. Found a 1/2 inch drive and a 3/8 drive snap on ratchets from the early eighties. Just had the 3/8 one rebuilt for free.
Nice! I got a full set of proto wrenches 3/8 to 1 1/8 for $20, at an estate sale. My favorite so far.
Better mechanics require better tools. I wouldn't be able to do my job without my $7000 tool set and I still find myself needing a better or different tool to do the job from time to time. And why do a job if you don't have the tools to do it properly? It's just safer to turn it down or get the correct tools to do the job.
I've had bosses which really needed to listen to you. I need that occasionally myself. That said...doing jobs other people don't want to do isn't quite the same as being wise about what you should do to make money, especially if it's slow. My worst paycheck was when I decided to change an engine for the first time, but that week was pretty dead. It was the right time to stretch myself and try something new.
I've been a DIY guy since I can remember and I have always used Craftsman tools but recently within the past year I've been getting tired of the "sloppy" feel that their ratchets and sockets have and with the really cramped spaces of my 90 300zx I felt like it was time for an upgrade. I saved up and bought some Snap On ratchets and a Snap On socket set off ebay (trick to save money I learned from you btw) and honestly I was blown away of the quality compared to my last tools. The extra clicks in the ratchet made all the difference in really tight spaces while working on the Z. All of that being said though Iv'e still always got the job done with regular ol' tools from Sears, HF, Home Depot, etc. So the skill of the person will always out match the expensive tool in the end. Not going to lie though I love my Snap On tools though.
Coulda got them for half the price straight from Bahco. Google the "tool truck equivalents" garage journal thread. It has a listing of what manufacturers like snap-on matco cornwell etc re-brand and charge a premium for their name on the exact same tool from the same factory.
I have been mechanic for about three years and I bought a husky tool set, a harbor freight tool cart and a Milwaukee M12 impact. So far I have had no problems. I'm starting to buy more expensive specialty tools.
After decades of craftsman tools and cheaper tools. Moving up to snapon tools and ever tool boxs, makes for a whole lot better wrenching experience and satisfaction of owning the more expensive tools. They work so much better for me. Plus it reduces the frustration of using lesser tools and wobbly tool boxes.
I've been keeping my Jeep yj, 89 Jetta, 75mbg, 1980 Dodge truck running using the same crescent socket set I bought from Costco 15 years ago. And a generic breaker bar from Napa.
Got a nice torque wrench and nice air gun.
But I'm just an at home DIYer.
I have Snap On ratchets and I have Harbor Freight ratchets. If I break a Snap On ratchet 5 minutes after the Snap On truck leaves, I have to wait a week. If I break a Harbor Freight ratchet, I hop in my truck, drive a mile and get a brand new one, no questions asked. Back to work!
The handiest ratchet I own happens to be a Harbor Freight indexable head ratchet. That tool DEFINITELY makes me a better (paid) tech because it gets in places none of my Snap On ratchets can reach. It cost $17 so I guess that goes against the idea of better/more expensive tools making someone a better tech.
Excellent video! I've had this conversation with quite a few coworkers. These are same points I made, with an important caveat. Don't buy expensive test and diagnostic equipment if you don't know how to use it, and don't actually plan on delving into it and learning.
I have many Proto hand tools bought by my Father back in the 50's. Don't know if they were cheap or expensive but I do know they were/are good!
I'm a lube tech just out of UTI and FACT, waiting to get into STEP. I own mostly harbor freight tools including my box, impacts, sockets, ratchets, etc. There are only a couple Pittsburgh tools I wouldn't personally recommend (wrenches and cheap u-joints). I'm currently considering going into 2 grand of snap on tool debt, but I am just as good at my job if not better than the guys at my shop that own more expensive Mac, Cornwell, Matco, and Snap-on tools. Better tools may make your job easier, but tools don't define the work that you do. There is plenty of time to get faster, and more efficient at jobs. The first step is just doing it right, and tools don't play as large a role in that as your head and hands do. Thanks for the video Charles.
Its more important to have the necessary tool than the best one. Always start with the cheap ones and upgrade later when necessary. The price difference is so big that it always makes sense.
I do my own car work so my motto has always been if you buy a tool it should last you decades, If you go to cheap then odds are the tool will break right when you need it most.
And it's always your car your working on at that moment which makes parts runs a pain.
Thank God for Canadian Tires 60-70% off sales, wouldn't have 1/4 of the tools I have now without those. Lol
I've had good luck with cheap to mid range stuff. They are much better than they were 20 30 years ago . I just started a job at a shop a few weeks ago. I have a small HF steel cart, a Pittsburgh tool kit, and some other cheap tools. So far I've done an engine drop and timing chain on a 3.5 ford, numerous smaller jobs like brakes and alternators, currently doing wheel bearings on a 3500 cummins. If you have the skills you can get it done with Pittsburgh and off brand stuff....
I’m a DIYer so I don’t use the tool truck lol. But I did buy a good set of Sonic hand tools as my go to everyday use tools - they weren’t cheap but totally worth it and I will have them for a very long time. If I need a tool that I’m only going to use once or twice I’ll see if harbor freight has it or if I can rent it from the local auto parts store. I also just bought a Milwaukee 3/8” electric ratchet and absolutely love it for my DIY tasks.
I do agree that tools do not make the tech, but id also like to throw in never overlook a yard sale, i bought a used ampro compression gauge for 2 dollars and I have been sharing it with other techs for 9 years now, still works! Service manager questioned my readings on a dodge 4.7 once and we compared it to a snap-on gauge that the new guy had and it was spot on. Never a bad idea to compare readings to check validity.
also one thing to consider every time you buy a tool you vote with your money for that tool to cost how much you bought it for.
First, thank you Charles for responding to my email quickly. Second, no, expensive doesn't take away from knowledge and experience. For me as a DIY I did buy expensive Milwaukie impact tools because I wanted the best since I use them all the time in my garage. But I also have Harbor Freight tools which do the casual work for me, if they break and they do break now and then I run down the street and get another one. For a DIY, it doesn't make sense to go expensive on tools. Of course if you are a serious DIY doing heavy lifting on car repairs, mods, racing then yeah go for it. Of course all the cheaper tools will eventually add up, $50 here, $100 there and before long you realize you could have bought quality tools once and for all for the same amount LOL
I've been spinning spanners for a fair few years & I found that in the early days you had to buy for example, Snap On or Stahlwille hand tools because cheap tools were complete rubbish. Nowadays you can buy cheaper alternatives that have lifetime warranties such as Fuller or Powerbuilt etc & can have confidence that they are going to stand the day to day hard use that professional mechanics give their tools & expect their tools to take in their stride.
I used to buy exclusively Snap On screwdrivers because the bits always fitted the screws properly, BUT, I used to break them regularly. The philips bits were always breaking. Yes the warranty is great, no problem getting them replaced, but who wants to step into the tool truck every week or so with a handful of broken tools. I tried Kingchrome, they were much cheaper, had nice comfortable handles & in the 10 or 12 years I've had them, never broken a tip.
So no, it doesn't matter if you've got expensive tools, just provided the tools you have are good quality & you do the job properly.
You can always check the tool trucks for trade in/repoed tools and tool boxes. Good videos from a retired 40+ year Vw/Porsche/Audi dealer tech in Anchorage Alaska. Thanks
Good tools make money, they dont cost money.
good does not have to equate to expensive. I have a set of GreatNeck sockets I bought in 1999 that I still use everyday. 8mm to 19mm short and deep well 3/8 drive for $40. Never broke one but have lost the common 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, and 15mm. Same range of sockets on the trucks would be at least $300
I've been a marine industrial mechanic for 13 yrs & have only owned Pittsburgh gearwrench & craftsman & I've had enough problems with craftsman that I took them home Pittsburgh and gearwrench was very few issues but all issues were fixed easily and quickly by both brands
Of course they do just the other day I tried using a screwdriver from HF and I couldn't remember how to even use it. But as soon as i picked up snap on I was able to rebuild the whole engine with it in under an hour
I work in the video game industry, but people argue just as much about the tools. If you buy it from snap-on or harbor freight though, the bolt still comes off the same way. The most important aspect is the knowledge you carry, because even without the right tools that knowledge can get you where you need to be.
When it comes to mechanic tools, I just get whatever I want, because it's my money :p
It’s funny people (I’m sure I’ve done it plenty) y’all about tools like whatever they have is best period. Well yes it may be best for you, but not best for everyone.
Worked with my autos teacher on replacing the starter for my 2007 civic dx sedan. Not an easy feat by any means even for a Honda but we just used regular tools, nothing fancy and got the new starter in.
Where I work. Is what’s available or what’s nearby as a tool company. Harbor Freight is down the street like a 5 minute drive. That way we don’t have to wait for a tool truck company to show up to replace a tool. For example where I work we all buy same type of 2 or 3 HF ratchet or wrenches and save our receipts or have it email to us and if wrenches or ratchets breaks we return it. As far electronics stuff HF doesn’t have a good selection like a Power probe you mentioned in one your top 5 tools to have as mechanic. BTW your Power probe video made me realize how it makes my job easier to find electric problems. Thank you very very much.
Great video Charles! When it comes to performance items that require heavy use and longevity, like an impact wrench, I go with name brands like Makita. For rarely used tools or hand tools where they'll work no matter what, at least my intended purpose, I go with the best value for the dollar. Paying $10,000 for a toolbox seems beyond me both mentally and financially. Sure, the quality might be better, but not $9,500 better than the HF or HomeDepot box. You're really paying for the name and clout (your pride?) that goes along with it at that point. I'd rather use that money on something else in life (if I had $9,500 laying around anyway).
Of course expensive tools make you a great mechanic, that's what my Snap On dealer keep saying.
Hahahha
I never even changed a tire in my life at one point. I decided to buy a snap on ratchet and i was rebuilding engines that same day. Somewhat true story.
Being an Aircraft mechanic in the Military has really sunk this concept in. Contrary to popular belief, in the Military we do not always have the most quality tools, some of them, in fact, go way back to WW2 and they're still kicking... But at the end of the day, you have to get the job done and make it work, there is still a mission to complete and that Aircraft has to fly... If you can fix a plane with a shit tool, you can fix anything with a quality tool.
In my country, not many professionals pay snap-on price for common hand tools. Normally we spend the high dollars on specialty, precision or power tools such as pullers, timing tools, torque wrenches, vernier calipers, micrometers, impact tools, etc. A decent quality taiwanese or chinese made ratchet, socket set, wrenches, pliers, or screwdrivers work quite well, wont round off fasteners and wont break (if used properly).
But I really love my Snap on wrenches, sockets, ratchets and extensions. Especially the locking extensions (no more sockets falling off).
Something my father told me about tools many years ago " Cheap Tools Cost you Twice as Much"!
If you make your living and support your family working with your tools, try to buy the best you can afford.
There is nothing worst than having a tool fail or let you down when you need it.
But having the best does not make you the best!
Ergonomics is key when you run a business. Availability is very important for a mechanic that works for a Ergonomic company. Sometimes companies can’t wait for tool truck to deliver and HF happens to be a lot closer to get the job done. At the end that’s what really matters is getting the job done quicker and of course professionally.
I have been using Harbor Freight tools for years. Just finished rebuilding an engine with them, runs great. I rarely have them break, I use the Pittsburgh "Pro".
That was one of my first big buy's.. lighter quieter impact gun. Impact guns.. you get what you pay for.. my matco still going strong. Had a CP lasted a couple years.
Tool box.. depends on use. Harbor freight.. wobbly and rollers will wear out after couple years on high use drawers. Frame will also need reinforced.
Ultimately.. is the thing holding the tool that matters.
I think that for tools which cost a lot of money, it has to be really justified. For example. A long 3/8" ratchet, which really needs to be 1/2", but sometimes it just has to be smaller? Go expensive. It made me buy twice. Despite this analogy making me have a very needed $180 ratchet. I own a bunch of Pittsburgh and Duralast. Some of which I think needs warrantying more often then a truck tool, and sometimes not. If it's a very critical tool to get fixed when it's broken do you want to wait a week if the truck WAS just here or do you want to run to a store?
I am just a hobbyist trying to work on my classic cars in free time. I recently bought a house with a shop after a deceased mechanic. He was a pro but I can't just work with 'his' cheapo worn out tools - they scare me. I don't need the best quality tools but when there is a bit of a play in an angle grinder or worn out bushings in a drill I just can't enjoy the work. The way I see it is it helps if you can feel the limit of your tools and don't go too far beyond (scaffolding pipe on a rachet for example). You need to be able to pick the right tool for the job otherwise you either screw up the object or the wrong tool.
Only gain to be noticed is efficiency and versatility, Yes you will do that job faster with power tools, can you get it done with a ratchet though? Yes, Would that job be better for you if you had the following tools? For sure. But everything a technician does comes down to what he knows, experience and talent.
Excellent topic Charles. Too many youngins think a mortgage payment worth of tools make them the next big thing when they can barely change brakes and plugs without breaking something.
Yep, seen a lot of dudes spend INSANE money on tools... and not even use them
That's a great question... of course tools make a great difference & totally agree with you "it's not the tool, it's the individual." Three years ago if you had ask me to check on the engine oil. I would have not known what you were asking. I fell on this out of necessity and could not afford or had the time to go get train in order to achieve the task at hand. What I have learned from watching creators like yourself. Is that... the tool does not make the mechanic, the tools help... but if you don't have the capacity to learn and recall the information when you need it that nice expensive tool you have will not help you at all. The same goes with diagnostic tools, because as Mr. O & Scanner Danner have said in the past, they have complained about the limitations on the Snap-On scanners. Mr. O is very vocal as to how important it is to have another choice because they all have limitations there's no single scanner that provides all required services. My take away from all of this is... if you cannot read and understand the information provided by the scanner then that's an expensive paperweight. Thanks for taking the time to make this video...
I have used Pittsburg tools for a long time. I was using a short pry bar from them to adjust a 53 foot 18 wheeler trailer. It was able to lift the entire passenger side off the rack it was sitting on. If i go to a shop to have a car worked on i dont care what tools they use but that they have the correct tools.
I have pulled wrenches for 27 years now . My box (yes it's a Snap-On box , but it's great!!) is full of both high end tools and cheaper Princess Auto tools . I buy what I need to get the job done . And if the cheaper tool is going to work , then I will get it .
As a DIY, with every new job I tackle, I usually find one tool that I wish I had which would make the job so much easier.
I paid the extra dollars for my Mac battery 1/2” nut smacker, and I use it everyday. It feels like a higher quality impact then the previous one I had “Mikita”.
Bought a 15$ half inch drive wrench from amazon I've used it about 100 times and still works awsome
Nice
Love the video. I'm not a professional mechanic and my random tools do the work. If I break a cheap one twice then I won't buy that one again. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I do own a bit of harbor freight hand tools and they work well enough for my weekend projects. I usually read reviews on the tools I want well before I buy it.
I have some took truck brand tools, but most of my tools are from napa, the carlyle brand. They are great. But if they break it's close enough to drive to napa If they break vs waiting for the truck. and they are high enough quality to where I don't have to worry about them breaking. Most of my Carlyle stuff I have had daily use with and it's been over 4 years and no problems. So, expensive tools do not make you a better tech. It's how long it's going to last before you need to replace it.
Man I used a 3/8 husky ratchet for years and years, until I broke it because I put too much stress on it. I knew I was using it beyond its intended use, but stupidly kept going with several feet of cheater bar on it. Was seriously sad when the internal mechanism gave up, but equally impressed that it was able to crack some super tight suspension fasteners with it, given that the 3/8 craftsman ratchet I used before the husky took a dump trying to break loose lug nuts, also not the right tool for the job, but much less torque required for those.
Recently I have come to believe strongly in this philosophy of tool buying.
"Buy the best you can afford in the best condition you can find........Used....." The reason for this is as follows.
1st of all your almost guaranteed to have a very well built tool that will get the job done... and probably better than the cheap tool.
2nd you can almost always sell "said tool" for the same price you bought it for. (exception for battery operated tools and electronic diagnostic tools)
3rd When you look down into the drawers of your tool box and see all those nice Snap On or (insert your favorite brand here) tools, you will have a heightened sense of pride in your tools and therefore will tend to take better care of them.
Now this "buy used philosophy" can be followed by buying cheap tools as well but I feel it works best for high end tools made by companies like Snap-On, Klein, Matco, Mac etc.
I mean you could by a used Harbor Freight Chinesium ratchet on ebay for $??? but your most likely going to pay more in shipping than you will for the actual tool itself.
Just my 2 cents.....
In closing Ill leave you with this Quote.....
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin
l am a diyer, worked at a dealer for a bit, wasn't working out for me. Met the Snap-on guy, bought a few things almost 1,000 worth. Sold some of the stuff, (which l regret, greatly) but, kept 1 flex head 3/8 and a set of vice grip brand vice grips, so when l need to work on my car or anyones, l have the piece of mind of "l know l bought the best" (my opinion) l have broken lug nuts loose with this ratchet! A lot of people aren't big on the price, but you get what you pay for in my mind.
My opinion is sockets and hand wrenches off the trucks, fit fasteners better, everything else is pretty much your own preference, I have that same Craftsman ratchet, been using it for over twenty five years as a go too, love the curved handle
Spot on. I try to get the cheapest tool that will get the job done for as long as I want to get the job done. If it's one job and I'm done, a harbor freight tool will probably work. If I want something to last the rest of my life, I'm not going to cheap out. I was gifted a cheap pneumatic tool set and it's basically worthless. The set has an air ratchet that I never use because I'm faster by hand. The impact is weaker than my 1/2in ratchet.
30yrs ago when I started wrenching I couldn’t afford good tools. Eventually I bought mostly snap-on. What a difference. Crap sockets and flat wrenches tend to be thicker. Though these days every hardware store has much better quality tools a available
Well Said in a great vid!
My thoughts are this:
Regardless of brand, if the tool you're using is able to get the job done, it's a great tool....
Don't get me wrong, use Milwaukee, DeWalt, Skil, Snap On, & other contractor grade tools....but in the end, if you get the best tool in the budget you have & it gets the job done; that's all that matters!
Cheers, A
I am currently apprenticing at a small shop. Just me and a journeyman. Our journeyman has a craftsman toolbox that he bought used 30 years ago. It still works great. Almost every single tool he owns is craftsman or master craft or something cheap from our parts store. He has has all of his tools since he started at our shop 25 years ago. I currently have a cheap box and all cheap master craft tools. So far I have had almost nothing break, and anything that does gets replaced for free with lifetime warranty.i bought one snap on tool and I regret it. It is overpriced and I am sending it in for its second warranty in less than 1 year.
In today’s age especially it really pays to look at the individual tools when shopping. When I started the internet was young and info tended to be local and scarce.
Another thing to remember is that if you haven’t shopped HF or the box stores recently it may pay to set old notions aside and look at what’s happened in recent years. Competition being what it is most retailers have been upping their game when it comes to offering higher end tools. Really filling out that once huge gap between home gamer and pro tech levels.
I just ordered a Menards Masterforce box to replace my old beat MAC service cart. It’s somewhat short of the standard Snap-On cabs but well above the Craftsman stack I started with.
Even harbor freight has upped its game in terms of boxes, but not enough to swing my vote.
better tools are important,but can't make one a better technician.. but talent, desire,experience, yes.
Expensive tools at my place of employment, cheap tools at home it may not make me a better mechanic but I always enjoy getting to use my expensive tools on personal projects more than the cheap stuff. Everything seems to go a little bit better
I dont buy cheap and i dont buy the most expensive. I go for something in the middle. Happy with them. Happy with the car i have that i work on with these tools, my 2003 jetta tdi. 386xxxKMs on it. Runs like a champion
Great video! I did my valvecover gasket and oilfilter housing gasket with a 10 dollar ratchet set.. and its still all in place, without leaking👍🏻
LOL NICE!
It's only when the tool starts rounding bolts etc I think it makes a difference, but then you have last time, buy cheap buy twice on important stuff in life or hit the midway road. But totally agree with what you said! Great video.
A cheep socket can round off the head of a bolt that might take hours to get out while a good socket probably wont, baseed on how you use them.
Ratchets, sockets, car jacks, jack stands -harbor freight all day. Cheap, lifetime warranties, accomplish the same tasks. Zero issues using my Pittsburg torque wrench. A lights a light , magentic trays, mirrors, these whether they cost $6 or $60 for brand name, perform the same tasks.
Power tools is on a review basis. Buy the best one your money affords you with good feedback from other users.
Specialty tools too.
Diagnostic, that's a save up and buy the best you can afford deal. Get the OBD readers that are compatible with the most vehicle brands, with quick updates and the most long-term software and hardware support.
My dad has been using Craftsman tools for 30 years. I have been using my snapon tools for 3 years. I will say expensive tools MIGHT be able to make jobs easier because of extra R&D done for them. But nothing replaces skill. My dad is 60 years old and still runs laps around me with his tools
Real answer? ABSOLUTELY. If I walk into a garage and the mechanic doesn't have a Snap-on lightbulbs, i'm GONE.
45 years ago, when I was young and doing a lot of wrenching, I bought Craftsman tools as what I believed to be the best value in decent quality hand tools. Today, I would not waste money on that brand and would have to hunt for something else.