my philosophy is get it fairly cheap and if you end up using it enough to break it, that's when you get the good one. also important is that you will know what features to look for since you now have experience with that style of tool.
@@Sundirre No but that also doesn't mean I'm going to go out and buy a $600 wheel truing stand to use once a year when a zip tie will work just fine and cost me 1 cent.
I started at a dealer right out of technical high school at 17 in '87. My first tools were Craftsman. The Snap-on dealer set a $300 limit due to my young age. He said that too many "kids" got in over their heads in tool debt and then stiffed him when they left the trade. Since my duties were limited to oil changes, PDI's and simple services I only bought the tools that I needed. My first impact gun was a well used CP with an extended anvil I bought at a farm auction. It still had plenty of power for my needs at the time. I bought a Craftsman top and bottom box on sale. I later traded that setup in on a used Matco top and bottom. As my experience and duties grew I bought the tools I needed. I kept my weekly payments low and didn't buy more until I had paid the bill off. Not every tool needs to be Snap-on. I had Craftsman, Mac and Matco. Having all Snap-on isn't going to make one a master tech when starting out. The tool doesn't make the repair. The mind that directs the tool makes the repair.
@@ToolBoxTour yea but a good tool will last a long time and something that is indeed made here in the red white and blue helps our hard working people, some companies old as the hey day of industry in the usa and helped build it, but its getting harder and harder to find so it would be good if possible to keep the industry alive, and not neccessaryl snap on, klein is a very good brand too and channellock, as an example for something that is good and not quite as expensive, which matco and snap on can very much bee and exorbantly so
@manga12 The advice i got was to buy a cheap toolkit and see what you will actually use, and then replace the used cheap tools with quality ones, not necessarily high end or expensive
@@manga12that’s bullshit, snap on tools are marked up 500%+ while they pay the people actually manufacturing the hand tools made in the us pennies on the dollar so they can take all the surplus value made by their laborers and funnel that value into stock buybacks. 53 years ago minimum wage payer 95 ounces of gold a year today it’s 6-14 ounces a year with an increased expectation of labor productivity
I’ve been in the business for 6 years now best thing I have found is start cheap when those cheap tools break buy quality ones and just improve over time don’t go into debt not everything has to be snap on. Just go at your affordable pace.
I had the same thought process and found for most of my tools I don’t need tool truck brand and mid tier tools are fine and i never actually replace with higher end stuff
I think this is very good advice. I still regularly use a set of spanners and sockets that I've had for >30y. I've added to these but most sets do most things.
When I started out a dwell meter was a high tech tool. tools were basic, no soft handles or even vinyl dip. Craftsman tools were readily available and priced and easy to replace, all US made (30 -40 years ago when I started) but now tools are always evolving so you will always want something better. I look for life time warranty and ease of replacement. Good topic here.
Ah the days of Sears. I used to love shopping around buying from there. I tried to warranty a craftsman tool recently and after about 3hrs on the phone with someone overseas, they said they were sending a replacement. Never showed up. That put a bad taste in my mouth after that.
Im 30 a father of 2 girls. Im a steel plant foreman at nights i do a LOT of maintenance at work and do a ton of home makeover and vehicle repairs. I have a serious problem with wanting to deck out my garage. This channel is great. I love seeing what to set goals for as i age up and my kids move out in 15 years. But now the thought of spending 200 dollars on a set of pliers is unfathomable to me. Even at work we run Milwaukee but im always watching your channel and torque test to see what we actually need at the shop so im not throwing our company's money away. I cant wait to see how many subs you have in a year. Great job man.
Thanks so much. The snap-on pliers are honestly one of those things that comes down to preference. I used them everyday and I loved them. The Knipex stuff is awesome too.
@@ToolBoxTour however if I had a home project or a vehicle project that those pliers would save me even an hour to play with my kids I would go buy them right now. I just don't use them frequently enough or ever even been in a situation where the pliers I was using was the limiting factor. When I saw your little guy walk out I just thought about how even with girls tools are great to bond with your kids over. My girls love "helping" me fix/build things around the property. What's funny is I never went to school for maintenance my entire mechanical aptitude comes from thousands of hours holding a flashlight for my dad and a general curiosity and drive to figure things out. 150k subs by year end. Let's go!
Things I wish I had when 18, cordless ratchet, real code scanner that shows realtime data, and more advanced sensor troubleshooting like an Xtool bluetooth, would have saved me millions of hours troubleshooting things.
when it comes to tools, i would always recommend getting something with a great warranty policy. Nothing better than not having to pay for replacing a tool/attachment.
As a 20 year old who has been at a dealership for just over a year, I don't see the need to spend more than I have to. I will admit I have my fair share mac tools that I used my student discount, and a snap on ratchet that I also used my discount on before I graduated this past spring. And I love all of my Milwaukee battery tools. All of my sockets are Tekton or Sunex, and extension and bit sets are ICON, which I also love ICON brand. My box is the $600 US General 7 drawer which you can get on sale for less. It's a perfect box for me, which I have organized very well to fit as much tools as possible, with room to grow. For someone who is just starting in this industry, realistically, you need about 3k minimum starting out, but most people that I know my age agree that 5k puts you in the best spot. This big thing is staying out of debt, and buying as you go.
That US General full bank cart is an AMAZING value. I've come across a few used ones and you can find them for around $400 used. Unbeatable value! Good to hear ICON is treating you well.
The m12 impact driver, in my opinion, is one of the most useful tools to own whether you are automotive technician or just a homeowner/weekend warrior. Well worth it for the majority of people who do any work for themselves
In the late 70s we mainly had Craftsman and Snap-on. Now we have more choices out there. Snap-on has gotten crazy pricey. My box: Craftsman, Snap-on, Gear Wrench, Icon, Pittsburgh, DeWalt, Mac, Proto. All are great tools with no issues. Craftsman still has the best warranty. Snap-on now wants you to send the defective one back before they issue you out a new one. Big hassle.
I always tell the young guys starting out it’s better to have a lot of cheap tools than a few expensive ones in a big empty box. Stay away from cordless air lasts way longer and is cheaper. Upgrade to snap on or Mac when it breaks or is on sale. Take your old tools home to use there. Oh and if you borrow it more than once buy it. I don’t mind loaning out a seldom used specialty tool to someone starting out but if your trying to borrow a 1/2” impact and a 19mm deep every day we are going to have a problem.
I worked with a young dude that only buys snap on. He was constantly borrowing tools from me. Him and the other guys bought snap on socket sets "on sale". It was a basic socket for $1,000. I think 19mm was the biggest one in the set. $1,000 in sockets and still borrowing sockets constantly. There's way too many quality sockets out there now to be spending that kind of money. I absolutely love gearwrench tools.
@@aaadamt964 I’ve been pulling wrench’s over 30 years. I have the big macsimizer box and cart. Most of my tools are Mac/snap on and other higher end brands. But I have all the old craftsman I started out with along with the cheap tools from princess auto(Canadian version of harbour freight) at home or in my truck. My nephew listened to me 3 years in he has most everything in a husky box. Starting to upgrade and buy cordless tools now. No tool debt other than a bit on truck account.
For pros 100% agree on air tools. I tried them back to back once and a $25 McGraw (harbor freight) cutoff tool was harder to stall than a $300 Milwaukee angle grinder. Way smaller and lighter too. At home electric is better until you get the big compressor though. Fun fact: a typical 110v electric outlet can only output enough electricity for 2 horsepower continuous, and a 2 HP compressor can't keep up with a die grinder. So it's actually a law of physics that using air tools is gonna suck until your garage is wired for 240 power.
@ToolBoxTour being that I'm just learning by working on my own car and I'm taking care of my family on just my income I'm all about having a lot of cheap tools over a few expensive ones. I can't even afford a toolbox yet-I'm using an old bureau out in my garage but it's getting full! All that being said...what's your opinion on diehard tools?
I'm a CNG fleet mechanic. I got a vevor set that was 10 to 36 no skips it's great i use it everyday I think the set was 70 bucks on Amazon definitely recommend for anyone starting out
STARTING TECHNICIANS: this video is great advice! follow it for sure 100%. dont dig yourself into a hole with the big brands. ALSO get your own tire pressure gauge, tire core removal tool, torque wrench. and then the tools you see you are borrowing more then try to get those also. thats the best advice i can give!
Ahh the age old question. If I could do it all over again. Thanks for continuing the debacle with more solid advice from a veteran. Glad to see your little one is by your side as well. Keep up the great work brotha.
I started out with a craftsman pro set in 1987. Top & bottom box. Over the years, I replace them little by little with snap on and Mac. Started with ratchets, then basic 3/8 sockets, then screwdrivers. Upgraded to a bigger craftsman bottom box in ‘97. Then snap on 9 years later, and again in 2012. Never new Snap on boxes. Good used boxes. ( KRL 1023) Nowadays, the Carlyle line at Napa is decent. I would buy them. Many brands of sockets are good too. Capri, ect. We didn’t have the plethora of options then, like now. I had a IR 231 for years. Still have it, but don’t use it. It has sentimental value. First tool I got after trade school in 1987. My late uncle bought it for me. Replaced it 15 years ago with the light weight IR composite. Spend money on a good torque wrench though. The only Hobo Freight I can get behind, is the big roll cart. I bought one 2 years ago. It’s decent. Side note : the used KRL 1023 I bought off a Cornwell truck. When the Cornwell (Frank) guy sold his route, to go run the family concrete business in Granby Colorado. I teased him about the killdozer guy. Turns out, Franks dad was who the killdozer guy was after. 😮
Man, thanks so much for sharing. A good torque wrench is definitely worth spending good money on. Also, sentimental tools are something that I really appreciate. Holding something in your hand that’s been through hell.
The Air Force introduce me to speed handles. I have a 3/8s speed handle in every box, home box, truck box, and work box. It made me very efficient until I was given a Milwaukee battery rachet. Then I bought a Ryobi battery rachet for home use. I still use the speed handle first because it is already in the box vs looking for charged batteries. I always recommended it to the apprentices. I work on theme parks rides and the speed handle is best when it comes to removing the fiber glass panels.
Bought cheap to start, and when something broke from use, I replaced it with a quality tool. Still have alot of cheap stuff that lasted, and now a bunch of nice stuff that still works great.
I’m in the aviation world so my recommendation to new techs is the following. 1. The toolbox is just that a place to store your tools. Get something affordable and focus on buying tools to fill the box. Buy a box with room to grow. 2. There are a few tools that some premium brands knock out of the water if your going to buy snap on or similar get the tools that those brands do well. For example Snap on pliers as mentioned. 3. Buy cheap stuff to fill your box then as you figure out what you use most slowly replace tools with premium. 4. Snap on is everywhere most of the time. the convenience of having the tool warranties done weekly at your place of work is awesome. Buy from the truck that serves you for the convenience factor.
Best advice I heard in this was “Battery Tools - more of a convenience vs need” .. Heck yes. Especially these days when they are manufactured to fail after said time .
Great video brother but you forgot to mention Sunex Tools.... As an auto mechanic + Aircraft A&P this brand saved me major$$$$$$$ and 15yrs later those tools still look and work amazing!!!
Start with basics, buy what you need when you find out you need it. Upgrade the most common tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, ratchets, prybars, hammers, drills) when you can afford it. The best mechanics I know still use the same old craftsman tools they started with. Dont get sucked into spending thousands of dollars on tools, it can easily become an addiction just like anything else.
@@ToolBoxTour I could see working in a shop that being a problem. Master mechanic has a huge snap on box full of snap on tools. Probably cost over $30,000. I work out of a service van with limited room. We don’t really get to compare tools with each other. Most of our tools are all whatever the local wholesaler sells (Klein, Bahco, Ridgid, Milwaukee.) I’m not automotive so nobody I know uses Snap-On. Lots of Home Depot / Lowes tools. Whatever we fit in a veto tool bag is what we use 99% of the time. All the big money tools are in refrigeration specific tools which are always company supplied and paid for.
Hey I started in the 70s and you had some pretty good quality tools Snapon, Mac, SK , Craftsman, Williams, Bonny, and others. All American made. You needed Snapon for specialty tools. Craftsman at the time was very good and popular. They also had great warranty. You could buy a master set with tools or purchase a box and keep adding. Most tool trucks had simply red boxes Craftsman added a black box. I had small Craftsman box but upgraded to MAC combo unit I still had up to several months ago when I sold it. I should’ve kept it.
2 things. #1 I second the Gearwrench ratchets and wrench's both are fantastic and have yet to break any of them. #2 get the m-12 fuel drill and driver combo kit it comes with 2 batteries and a charger (and a bag useful for road calls) and its $200 at home depot right now and I have seen it cheaper occasionally it really is the best starter kit for a new tech.
Ratchets and sockets: Husky (best value and feel ) Screwdrivers: craftsman or husk Pliers: Doyle from Harbor freight Specialty tools: lisle or Carlyle Power tools: Rigid (because they have great impacts and 90 degree drills) Also, an electric ratchet is a better investment than a snapon regular rachet. Hercules is great.
I think your advice is spot on. Some people can swing the best from day one, but most can’t. Starting with tools that can get the job done is priority Learn the job, then you will understand the tools and how good they need to be. Used or cheap FF tool box. No need to have a box that is twice the cost of your car, starting out.
8:54 For oil filter loosening, the lobstah claw is the best and there’s a low cost version at Harbor Freight. I bought the Mac Tools version when it was considered new and it’s been the go-to tool for oil filters where you can access it 90 deg offset. If you need a standoff to engage the filter, then the right sized cup is best with a lot of leverage.
I started a handyman buiness. Long story short . I didn't buy any specific tool until I actually needed it for the job that I already sold. Then I would build it into the price and the customer would pay for the tool that I would add to my collection for future jobs.
I agree. I have quite a bit of snap on and mac, and honestly my gear wrench tools are some of my favorite. Buy cheaper tools and when they break buy a higher quality. I also agree that between gear wrench and craftsman the gear wrench are much better tools
After watching so many videos of guys with Snap-On EVERYTHING, watching this video is a relief seeing that someone agrees with me on many tool choices. I'm not keen on Craftsman, which is really overpriced for the (lack of) quality it offers. I have one of the newer GW 120xp ratchets with the slimmer head, and I love it despite the locking head not really locking. I got a vevor 1/2" socket set and they have a real complete range of sizes and the price is phenomenal!
I'd highly recommend the Channellock oil filter pliers. The Harbor Freight ones are decent, but once they're covered in oil and used for a few weeks, the slip joint nut will no longer hold tension and they will slide to the largest position with minimal force. Tightening the nut will only hold for one or two uses and no one has time to stop and tighten their pliers ever 10 minutes. After many smashed fingers, I got the Channellock ones on Amazon for $25. Much better design over the slip joint.
Get a good harbor freight roll cart to start. Don’t get some Uber cheap(quality) tool castle that you will regret. Remember the tools are the essentials. How you store them is optional. Just keep them safe. Great recommendations Mr. Tool Box Tours (aka My Hero).
For the Toyota filter socket I recommend avoiding the AST one in the video. I recommend either the BluePoint or Matco one because you can use either a 24mm socket or 1/2" ratchet with or without an extension. The one in the video wears out after a while and the 24mm socket starts slipping especially if you have to use an extension. -Former Toyota Tech
I am just a dude that likes tools as well. Not a mechanic. I really enjoyed this basic video, thanks for all the tips, especially the battery ones. I’ve replaced batteries but never scrubbed a new terminal.
the way i look at it is start with cheap tools and add to the set with expensive, i have Mastercraft 6-19mm and 1/4-1” wrench sets and i’m looking into extending the sets with snap on 1-1/16-1-3/4 or 2” and 20-24&27mm wrench sets, and my half inch sockets that go up to 20mm and 7/8 with mac tools 21-33 and 15/16 to the biggest half inch drive SAE sockets, eventually i’ll replace it all but it’s cheaper to get less tools and go up to a full set
For the oil filter wrench I found this one that’s as good as the one Matco sells. It might even be the same but rebranded. It was on Amazon. The Lisle oil filter wrench pliers 50750. Really good quality and better grip than most I’ve bought before. Lisle has some stuff that doesn’t hold up well, but those pliers are my favorite if the filter is accessible enough. If not usually the three jaw pliers work for me. The three jaw I did get from Matco but you could probably find another brand that’s pretty good.
I’m a DIYer. But if I started today. I’d go Tekton socket sets, Gear wrench(GW)/Pittsburgh Ratchets, GW extensions and 44pc wrench set. Knipex pliers or Channellocks if I wanted to save. Craftsman USA screwdrivers. Project farm tested these as some of the best but cheapest, too.
talking about 6 point vs 12 point for impact sockets, i would recommend getting everything 6 point except for 1 size, get a 12 point 30mm socket for toyota axle nuts because im not sure ive ever seen a 6 point 30mm on a car. i recently bought an axle nut socket set from gearwrench and it came with a 6 point 30mm socket that i had to trade in on the truck for a 12 point because i kept having to borrow from somebody else
When I first started working on stuff regularly, I was like 13 years old. My grandparentsbought me the 500 piece craftsman tool set (Mid 2000s) when most of the stuff was still usa made i still have and use a decent amount of the stuff but alot is just a backup. Over the last 20 years iv worked on basically everything (submarines, tractors, semis, old and new cars and trucks, industrial maintenance) and always insisted having atleast some of my own tools, even when things where supposed to be supplied. My absolutely favorite 3/8" impact sockets are a set from O'Reilly's that come in a molded rubber sleeve. Iv probably bought 6 sets of them. Also impact sockets from harbor freight. Buy good ratchets, they don't have to be tool truck brand. Milwaukee battery powerd stuff will save you hours.
Worked as a truck mechanic for 12 years. Out the trade now. I never understood the guys with the huge boxes, jam packed with every socket, bit set and unique tool that never or very rarely got used. I spent my career working with a standard size top and bottom box, it was almost full. If I had to borrow a tool 2/3 times, I bought it. I worked with a guy who managed to work out of a top box of half broken tools. It's amazing what this guy could do with just a 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 socket set, spanners, screw drivers and pliers.
What’s a big box to you though ? Just curious like a lot of people work out of 52-55” boxes nice and fine i have a 68” epiq how ever I didn’t just jump into it right at the start of my career. I was at it for 5 years before getting that box. I HAVE to have both SAE and metric (freighltiner and trailer work it’s all a mix)
I like the Matco flex head ratchets, granted they are expensive for a newbie. The mechanism doesn't get in the way like the Snap-on and you can choose to have it be locked in at an angle, or free moving. Not to mention I prefer the Matco Comfort grip to Snap-on's plastic grip. Please get a bunch of magnetic parts trays because they are so cheap, along with some dry erase markers. That way you can label the tray then set it aside not having to worry about remembering what goes where.
Im 2 years in as a diesel tech. All of my sockets, wrenches & rachets are Tekton or gearwrench depending on who had the better price at the time of buying. I started with a 3/8 milwaukee impact and slowly bought more milwaukee tools based on what i was borrowing & sticking to one battery platform. My hand tools started as cheap husky and craftsman but as i started breaking them i bought a mix of Knipex, Wiha & Icon mainly with klein & channel lock mixed in. Random tools like magnets, pry tools, hammers, etc... are Harbor freight & haven't needed to upgrade yet. My only Bluepoint tools are filter band wrenches & hose plier clamps.
I'm a buy once cry once person. But that doesn't mean I buy all expensive tool truck stuff. For instance, I would skip the Harbor Freight prybars and go straight to Mayhew because I know they would fit my needs and are better quality. Or, I have the Tekton chrome sockets in deeps and shorts and I highly recommend them. But I use mids most often so I bought a Koken set. I also recommend buying used. Many good deals out there.
@@ToolBoxTour I really like the Koken sockets. They are more of a matte than shiny chrome, which I like because it’s a bit of grip when greasy and they don’t show scratches as much.
Get yourself a nice set of gear wrench ratchet and socket set, tekton is also good. Channel locks pliers set. Grey pneumatic are great impact sockets as well as tekton. Every thing else just get it at harbor freight. If your a student at an auto/diesel school I know snap on has a 50% of tools. I enrolled into a community college for a class to take advantage of that deal later on. Once you start working on more complicated jobs I’ll recommend a 3/8 Milwaukee ratchet, it’ll help you be more efficient especially when your flat rate.
I bought a Sunex 3/8” impact socket set that has 7mm-22mm in short/deep/swivel in a carrying case. I’ve used it with Milwaukees 3/8”, 1/2” impact, and breaker bar. Part #3351
Buy a thread chaser kit, being new. You’re bound to mess threads up. I got the Lang which is pretty much tool truck rebrands. It’s a life saver to this day. Chaser is to fix threads, tap is to create new threads remember that.
The best impact socket set on the market is an Amazon metric set branded meiwaltee for $78 it goes 8-22mm no skip then 24,27,30&32 In both shallow and deep. And they have the professional thin wall taper like the Pittsburgh pro/icon and Quinn sockets not the cone too taper like the Pittsburgh cheap sockets Also those craftsman prybars with the strike caps are well worth the money and have put up with some abuse from me.
Excellent advice. One of the best ways to appreciate a great tool is to start with something more modest. Also, your 120XP ratchet set is the older version (Part # ends in KD). The newer ones (Part # ends in P) have a different logo and way more backdrag. I cut the pawl springs down 2-3mm which helped a lot, but still not as good as the KD ones.
@@ToolBoxTour The rest is exactly like the old one. A lot of sellers show pics of the older KD ones but ship the P ones. The older ones are actually more expensive online.
For screwdrivers I have swapped to all vessel I work on just about all stainless and they been the only ones thus far that hold up. Not super pricey and have options to suit your need
Vaughan Manufacturing makes very good hammers and pry bars. Much of their product line is still made in the US. Top tip, you can buy their seconds (stuff that didn't make it by QA) much cheaper. I have a full set of Vaughan ball peen hammers that I bought as seconds for about half of full price, and you would be hard pressed to notice what's wrong with any of them.
@@ToolBoxTourharry j epstein is a good site for the grayvik. the only thing you gotta do is file your claws and sand the tit left on the face. Never had trouble with the grayviks, theyre half price or less and hold up. I'm a big vaughan fan as well, they made all of craftsman's branded hammers and pry bars as well, which are cheap second hand.
I managed to get a pretty full starter toolbox sent from an estate sale for 200 bucks. Full set of quarter, 3/8 and half inch drive ratchets and sockets. Metric and imperial wrench set etc. I’ve definitely had to add to it, but for everything that I’m doing, which is mostly suspension work and basic bolt ons it supported me pretty darn well I must say. Wouldn’t buy things like compressors or tanks things like that used but I don’t often hear people talking about trying to get stuff used. I wanna edit this to say that I am not a professional mechanic or body tech or anything like that. Im thinking for the 16 year-old kid wanting to get into being able to work on his first car. If I did this stuff every day, I would want the ability to have warrantees and relationships with the people that I was buying my tools from 100%.
yeah its tricky buying some tools used like pneumatic or cordless tools. You never know how badly they've been abused or the current condition they are in on the inside. Thanks for the perspective Hunter!
The NEBO Slim Work Light is about $24 like new on amazon and around $35 new. It's adjustable, super bright. I've dropped it countless times, both in coolant buckets, rain gutters during road calls, and its still kicking lol. Ultimate light for a new guy imo. Keep it up!
Honestly, been waiting for this video from you. Always wondered what your opinions were. Also take it for what it’s worth. You’re the guy with the successful UA-cam channel. I’d love to see you your opinion when guys show you tools. Tell them capabilities that they didn’t know about that you heard from previous videos. I’ve learned stuff from the guys that you interview and would like to be reminded of those tips they gave you and just stuff that you know. You might be able to pass that onto the guy interviewing at the time. Had no idea that those new snap pliers were so good at taking out fuses. I’ve had those for months now and use them all the time.
Check local swap meets and flea markets too. You can often find quality used tools for pennies on the dollar. I'm doing this with my grandson, so far we've gotten a nice rolling chest and all the basic stuff for less than $300, all good name brand stuff. He's excited about these finds, plus we often come across specialty stuff, also very inexpensive.
This is interesting question. I would stick with snap on ratchets. Koken sockets(thats if they were even around LoL) because they are pretty inexpensive. I would still recommend snap on because of paying weekly and warranty. Id also recommend the IR 2135 i bought in 09 and I’m still using it. The 1/4 ratchet is my favorite.
I definitely agree on the HF 1/2 Impacts Pittsburgh pro sets. I had shallows and deeps until my buddy felt like he needed them more than me. I replaced them with the Icon sets. I had the Pittsburgh sets from 16-28 and never had one fail. They are a great value for the money and are absolutely solid. Same for the Icons. No issues with either. For prybars. The older craftsmans if I remember right we're made by Mayhew. They have done great for me! But I love your videos man. Keep it up!
I would by multimeter with current clamp style. Its so easy to mount it with the clamp so you can see it and the current clamp is so easy to measure charging current and such. And you can get usable ones for 50-100e
if you’re starting out or even a veteran you can use harbor freight. my buddy works on semis as his family owns a trucking company and he uses alot of harbor freight tools. even if they break guess what walk in the store hey this broke. boom they give you a new one. i never know why anyone pays soooo much for snap on. only way is if the tool jacked me off maybe.
Yes! The harbor freight stuff is super easy to warranty and makes it very appealing. I’d say some snap-on tools may not be worth the money, but many of their tools really are amazing. It’s just preference.
As someone who just started my line tech position while I was training all I did was look at everyone’s tools and seen what I need the only thing I really splurged on was my snap on ratchet since it helps break all the bolts on old Hondas for alignments and shi
It really depends on risk and needs. I have some harbor freight stuff and I have a lot of starrett measurement tools. It’s ok to save where you can and get the best when the need exists.
Spot on ! That Inova multimeter is the same one I have been using for around 15 years. I’m not doing deep drive electrical for the most part, and that cheap little multimeter has served me very well. The Gearwrench recommendations are spot on as well. I started out as a Snap On junkie, but in the past 10 or so years I’ve been buying a lot of Gearwrench stuff. When I started out back in the early 90’s the choices were a lot more limited then today. If I was starting out today, it would be a lot more Gearwrench/Capri/Icon/Tekton in my box then snap on.
I own that Gearwrench serpentine belt tool….it’s still new in the box, because it’s too thick to fit anywhere. I’ve since tried the Gearwrench extra long double box ratcheting wrench. It’s the bomb. Fits in tight places, and makes turning tensioners a breeze. You’ve got to try one.
gearwrenches notches are exactly why (minus my 2 snap on ratchets and 1 titan) every ratchet is gearwrench in my box. the detents make me moist. especially the other set that has optional lock. so good
I have recently done so many wins researching the best tool model to buy, but then (with that knowledge) buying the cheapest alternative that would work (often at less than 10% of the price for the good brand) if I find the good one on a discount later and upgrade the stop-gap one was for free, or more likely, I realize I was wrong on some of the features and the good one becomes a totally different model. But there are tools where buying cheap will cost you: Ill fitting spanners that rounds bolts, weak steel screwdrivers that rounds the slot. etc.
One way to save money on a tool box is to buy a good quality used one. There’s plenty of used Snap-On, Mac, and Matco tool boxes for sale on offer up or FB market place.
im not a mechanic i am a hvac tech but i swear by knipex, wera, milwaukee and dewalt they work well and never break so thats personally what i would recomend to anyone
That toolbox roll out was funny. Had the same one that I gave away a few years ago, after I bought some much larger/nicer boxes. It worked well for me, just limited on space.
I have been absolutely thrilled with my purchase of quinn 1/2" and 3/8" impact sockets. Over 100 pieces for $250. I use them for everything, and so far, they rock
@@ToolBoxTour glad to be here, watched your tools for starting out video and the one with Mike the former speed shop owner. I saw a mill in his shop but didn’t see him go over any machining tools, measuring tools, and fixturing tools. Maybe it was in the 6 hour video but I only watched the hour and a half version. Maybe a missed opportunity to delve into tools that are used outside of the automotive repair and modification industry.
Buy once, cry once does not mean by the most expensive tool(s) and you're good. It does mean do your research and if you have to save up to buy the best tool for the job then buy it, preferably only once. They also say the most expensive tools in your box are the ones you never use. If you are constantly using a particular tool, say a brake piston compressor tool (taking your example), you do not buy multiples of them as you get more funds. Those brake tools you showed are a great example of what NOT to buy. The big socket video clip is a great example of what TO buy when you don't use those tools continuously. Techs nowadays have so much info at their fingertips not to be ignorant to what to buy. Us old timers wasted a lot of money figuring it out. Your videos do a great service to our community because it lets us see what other techs have before buying. Sorry for going on and on. TY
I do agree sockets snap on are not required however that didnt stock me from buying them. For anything that moves swivels, pliers most ratchets. Usa or german
Good video, with some good advice, i used to hate seeing young kids feeling almost pressured by some people into buying from snap on vans. I generally tried to talk em out of going down that route, even helped some by passing on some of my older stuff . Most kids dont need a box that cost thousands. Ever
Yeah. I really think the younger guys shouldn’t even go on the trucks. If there’s something they absolutely need, just tell the dealer what you need when he comes into the shop.
my philosophy is get it fairly cheap and if you end up using it enough to break it, that's when you get the good one.
also important is that you will know what features to look for since you now have experience with that style of tool.
Great advice Evan!
do you really wanna use cheap tools on 10k $ bike, where parts are expensive
@@Sundirre i hear ya, that’s why I said “fairly cheap” specifically. Too cheap and it’s chinesium…
@@Sundirre No but that also doesn't mean I'm going to go out and buy a $600 wheel truing stand to use once a year when a zip tie will work just fine and cost me 1 cent.
I started at a dealer right out of technical high school at 17 in '87. My first tools were Craftsman. The Snap-on dealer set a $300 limit due to my young age. He said that too many "kids" got in over their heads in tool debt and then stiffed him when they left the trade. Since my duties were limited to oil changes, PDI's and simple services I only bought the tools that I needed. My first impact gun was a well used CP with an extended anvil I bought at a farm auction. It still had plenty of power for my needs at the time. I bought a Craftsman top and bottom box on sale. I later traded that setup in on a used Matco top and bottom. As my experience and duties grew I bought the tools I needed. I kept my weekly payments low and didn't buy more until I had paid the bill off. Not every tool needs to be Snap-on. I had Craftsman, Mac and Matco. Having all Snap-on isn't going to make one a master tech when starting out. The tool doesn't make the repair. The mind that directs the tool makes the repair.
Very well said. Thanks mileser!
@@ToolBoxTour yea but a good tool will last a long time and something that is indeed made here in the red white and blue helps our hard working people, some companies old as the hey day of industry in the usa and helped build it, but its getting harder and harder to find so it would be good if possible to keep the industry alive, and not neccessaryl snap on, klein is a very good brand too and channellock, as an example for something that is good and not quite as expensive, which matco and snap on can very much bee and exorbantly so
@manga12 The advice i got was to buy a cheap toolkit and see what you will actually use, and then replace the used cheap tools with quality ones, not necessarily high end or expensive
your first mistake is buying any tools for payments, i only buy tools with money that i have already made
@@manga12that’s bullshit, snap on tools are marked up 500%+ while they pay the people actually manufacturing the hand tools made in the us pennies on the dollar so they can take all the surplus value made by their laborers and funnel that value into stock buybacks. 53 years ago minimum wage payer 95 ounces of gold a year today it’s 6-14 ounces a year with an increased expectation of labor productivity
Capri, sunex, icon, GP, lisle, husky and milwaukee all great for starting been doing it for 5 years now I still use tools from those brands
Awesome. Thanks for the recommendations!
I’ve been in the business for 6 years now best thing I have found is start cheap when those cheap tools break buy quality ones and just improve over time don’t go into debt not everything has to be snap on. Just go at your affordable pace.
Affordable pace is an amazing way to say it. Thanks Seth!
I had the same thought process and found for most of my tools I don’t need tool truck brand and mid tier tools are fine and i never actually replace with higher end stuff
It also makes you realise which tools you use a lot - so your most used tools are top quality just do not cheap out on a set of cordless drills….
I think this is very good advice. I still regularly use a set of spanners and sockets that I've had for >30y. I've added to these but most sets do most things.
That's how I did it most of my tools are ICON that I bought in 2019 they're still running strong only replaced one Ratchet so far
When I started out a dwell meter was a high tech tool. tools were basic, no soft handles or even vinyl dip.
Craftsman tools were readily available and priced and easy to replace, all US made (30 -40 years ago when I started) but now tools are always evolving so you will always want something better. I look for life time warranty and ease of replacement.
Good topic here.
Ah the days of Sears. I used to love shopping around buying from there. I tried to warranty a craftsman tool recently and after about 3hrs on the phone with someone overseas, they said they were sending a replacement. Never showed up. That put a bad taste in my mouth after that.
Im 30 a father of 2 girls. Im a steel plant foreman at nights i do a LOT of maintenance at work and do a ton of home makeover and vehicle repairs. I have a serious problem with wanting to deck out my garage. This channel is great. I love seeing what to set goals for as i age up and my kids move out in 15 years. But now the thought of spending 200 dollars on a set of pliers is unfathomable to me. Even at work we run Milwaukee but im always watching your channel and torque test to see what we actually need at the shop so im not throwing our company's money away. I cant wait to see how many subs you have in a year. Great job man.
Thanks so much. The snap-on pliers are honestly one of those things that comes down to preference. I used them everyday and I loved them. The Knipex stuff is awesome too.
@@ToolBoxTour however if I had a home project or a vehicle project that those pliers would save me even an hour to play with my kids I would go buy them right now. I just don't use them frequently enough or ever even been in a situation where the pliers I was using was the limiting factor. When I saw your little guy walk out I just thought about how even with girls tools are great to bond with your kids over. My girls love "helping" me fix/build things around the property. What's funny is I never went to school for maintenance my entire mechanical aptitude comes from thousands of hours holding a flashlight for my dad and a general curiosity and drive to figure things out. 150k subs by year end. Let's go!
Those snap on pliers are amazing though, only snap on tool I've ever been tempted by. You can buy just the ln46acf for around 70$
Knipex pliers superior for a fraction of Strap-On price
Things I wish I had when 18, cordless ratchet, real code scanner that shows realtime data, and more advanced sensor troubleshooting like an Xtool bluetooth, would have saved me millions of hours troubleshooting things.
See now that scan tool makes A LOT of sense. It would lay for itself in short order.
Certain tools, yes buy the nice one when you can. My typical response to "buy once, cry once" is "buy it twice for a quarter the price"
Man 18 you started ok.but you said when you retired 😂 seriously your like 30 😂..unbelievable
Man your channel deserves so many more subs. I pray your channel blows up and I’m sure it will.
Thanks Ronnie! I’m happy either way 🙂
when it comes to tools, i would always recommend getting something with a great warranty policy. Nothing better than not having to pay for replacing a tool/attachment.
I agree!
As a 20 year old who has been at a dealership for just over a year, I don't see the need to spend more than I have to. I will admit I have my fair share mac tools that I used my student discount, and a snap on ratchet that I also used my discount on before I graduated this past spring. And I love all of my Milwaukee battery tools. All of my sockets are Tekton or Sunex, and extension and bit sets are ICON, which I also love ICON brand. My box is the $600 US General 7 drawer which you can get on sale for less. It's a perfect box for me, which I have organized very well to fit as much tools as possible, with room to grow. For someone who is just starting in this industry, realistically, you need about 3k minimum starting out, but most people that I know my age agree that 5k puts you in the best spot. This big thing is staying out of debt, and buying as you go.
That US General full bank cart is an AMAZING value. I've come across a few used ones and you can find them for around $400 used. Unbeatable value! Good to hear ICON is treating you well.
Top notch comment 👍
The m12 impact driver, in my opinion, is one of the most useful tools to own whether you are automotive technician or just a homeowner/weekend warrior. Well worth it for the majority of people who do any work for themselves
In the late 70s we mainly had Craftsman and Snap-on.
Now we have more choices out there.
Snap-on has gotten crazy pricey.
My box: Craftsman, Snap-on, Gear Wrench, Icon, Pittsburgh, DeWalt, Mac, Proto. All are great tools with no issues.
Craftsman still has the best warranty. Snap-on now wants you to send the defective one back before they issue you out a new one. Big hassle.
It's great to see so many options available now compared to back in the day!
I've been pushing the Tekton hand tools.
I like the company, people, and warranty.
Everything is very affordable.
I’ve heard such good things about Tekton and their customer service. Thanks for watching!!
I have a small number of their tools and have been impressed so far.
I just bought the 34 piece ratcheting wrenches. Man I love them!
Getting started in the trades and needed a set of deep sockets for a few months now, just picked up a set from Tekton last week and love them so far
I always tell the young guys starting out it’s better to have a lot of cheap tools than a few expensive ones in a big empty box. Stay away from cordless air lasts way longer and is cheaper. Upgrade to snap on or Mac when it breaks or is on sale. Take your old tools home to use there. Oh and if you borrow it more than once buy it. I don’t mind loaning out a seldom used specialty tool to someone starting out but if your trying to borrow a 1/2” impact and a 19mm deep every day we are going to have a problem.
“better to have a lot of cheap tools than a few expensive ones.” That’s amazing.
I worked with a young dude that only buys snap on. He was constantly borrowing tools from me. Him and the other guys bought snap on socket sets "on sale". It was a basic socket for $1,000. I think 19mm was the biggest one in the set. $1,000 in sockets and still borrowing sockets constantly. There's way too many quality sockets out there now to be spending that kind of money. I absolutely love gearwrench tools.
@@aaadamt964 I’ve been pulling wrench’s over 30 years. I have the big macsimizer box and cart. Most of my tools are Mac/snap on and other higher end brands. But I have all the old craftsman I started out with along with the cheap tools from princess auto(Canadian version of harbour freight) at home or in my truck. My nephew listened to me 3 years in he has most everything in a husky box. Starting to upgrade and buy cordless tools now. No tool debt other than a bit on truck account.
For pros 100% agree on air tools. I tried them back to back once and a $25 McGraw (harbor freight) cutoff tool was harder to stall than a $300 Milwaukee angle grinder. Way smaller and lighter too.
At home electric is better until you get the big compressor though. Fun fact: a typical 110v electric outlet can only output enough electricity for 2 horsepower continuous, and a 2 HP compressor can't keep up with a die grinder. So it's actually a law of physics that using air tools is gonna suck until your garage is wired for 240 power.
@ToolBoxTour being that I'm just learning by working on my own car and I'm taking care of my family on just my income I'm all about having a lot of cheap tools over a few expensive ones. I can't even afford a toolbox yet-I'm using an old bureau out in my garage but it's getting full! All that being said...what's your opinion on diehard tools?
I'm a CNG fleet mechanic. I got a vevor set that was 10 to 36 no skips it's great i use it everyday I think the set was 70 bucks on Amazon definitely recommend for anyone starting out
If I could do it all again, my box would be full of gearwrench and tekton. Although I would keep my snap-on ratchets and box.
STARTING TECHNICIANS: this video is great advice! follow it for sure 100%. dont dig yourself into a hole with the big brands. ALSO get your own tire pressure gauge, tire core removal tool, torque wrench. and then the tools you see you are borrowing more then try to get those also. thats the best advice i can give!
Ahh the age old question. If I could do it all over again. Thanks for continuing the debacle with more solid advice from a veteran. Glad to see your little one is by your side as well. Keep up the great work brotha.
Thanks for watching Andy!
GW wrenches sockets and ratchets. Snap-on Knipex for pliers. Vessel for screwdrivers. Another great video
Thanks for the recommendations! I might have to try out those ERNST wrench organizers you were showing on your channel. They look really nice.
@@ToolBoxTour thank you, they are awesome best bang for your buck IMO
I started out with a craftsman pro set in 1987. Top & bottom box.
Over the years, I replace them little by little with snap on and Mac. Started with ratchets, then basic 3/8 sockets, then screwdrivers.
Upgraded to a bigger craftsman bottom box in ‘97. Then snap on 9 years later, and again in 2012. Never new Snap on boxes. Good used boxes. ( KRL 1023)
Nowadays, the Carlyle line at Napa is decent. I would buy them.
Many brands of sockets are good too. Capri, ect.
We didn’t have the plethora of options then, like now.
I had a IR 231 for years. Still have it, but don’t use it. It has sentimental value. First tool I got after trade school in 1987. My late uncle bought it for me. Replaced it 15 years ago with the light weight IR composite.
Spend money on a good torque wrench though.
The only Hobo Freight I can get behind, is the big roll cart. I bought one 2 years ago. It’s decent.
Side note : the used KRL 1023 I bought off a Cornwell truck.
When the Cornwell (Frank) guy sold his route, to go run the family concrete business in Granby Colorado. I teased him about the killdozer guy. Turns out, Franks dad was who the killdozer guy was after. 😮
Man, thanks so much for sharing. A good torque wrench is definitely worth spending good money on. Also, sentimental tools are something that I really appreciate. Holding something in your hand that’s been through hell.
The Air Force introduce me to speed handles. I have a 3/8s speed handle in every box, home box, truck box, and work box. It made me very efficient until I was given a Milwaukee battery rachet. Then I bought a Ryobi battery rachet for home use. I still use the speed handle first because it is already in the box vs looking for charged batteries. I always recommended it to the apprentices. I work on theme parks rides and the speed handle is best when it comes to removing the fiber glass panels.
Speed handle! That tool is so nice to have.
Bought cheap to start, and when something broke from use, I replaced it with a quality tool. Still have alot of cheap stuff that lasted, and now a bunch of nice stuff that still works great.
I’m in the aviation world so my recommendation to new techs is the following.
1. The toolbox is just that a place to store your tools. Get something affordable and focus on buying tools to fill the box. Buy a box with room to grow.
2. There are a few tools that some premium brands knock out of the water if your going to buy snap on or similar get the tools that those brands do well. For example Snap on pliers as mentioned.
3. Buy cheap stuff to fill your box then as you figure out what you use most slowly replace tools with premium.
4. Snap on is everywhere most of the time. the convenience of having the tool warranties done weekly at your place of work is awesome. Buy from the truck that serves you for the convenience factor.
Yeah you really have to look at convenience vs cost when you buy off a truck. Easy warranty, but much higher cost.
your right on the money my friend. Im a retired mechanic and I still love tools, your suggestions are right on the money.
I just bought the Vevor 1/2" 26 piece deep metric impact set 6 months ago, and I've been very happy with the set. 10mm-36mm with only one skip.
Good stuff! Hard to go wrong with impact sockets. And with minimal skips, it’s a solid set.
Best advice I heard in this was “Battery Tools - more of a convenience vs need” ..
Heck yes. Especially these days when they are manufactured to fail after said time .
Great video brother but you forgot to mention Sunex Tools.... As an auto mechanic + Aircraft A&P this brand saved me major$$$$$$$ and 15yrs later those tools still look and work amazing!!!
Start with basics, buy what you need when you find out you need it. Upgrade the most common tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, ratchets, prybars, hammers, drills) when you can afford it. The best mechanics I know still use the same old craftsman tools they started with. Dont get sucked into spending thousands of dollars on tools, it can easily become an addiction just like anything else.
The tool addiction is REAL. Trying to keep up with the Jone's in the next bay can get out of hand really quick.
@@ToolBoxTour I could see working in a shop that being a problem. Master mechanic has a huge snap on box full of snap on tools. Probably cost over $30,000. I work out of a service van with limited room. We don’t really get to compare tools with each other. Most of our tools are all whatever the local wholesaler sells (Klein, Bahco, Ridgid, Milwaukee.) I’m not automotive so nobody I know uses Snap-On. Lots of Home Depot / Lowes tools. Whatever we fit in a veto tool bag is what we use 99% of the time. All the big money tools are in refrigeration specific tools which are always company supplied and paid for.
What a great video sir. I'm 61 and have accumulated tools all my life, but for starters, this may be the best I've seen. Well done!
Hey I started in the 70s and you had some pretty good quality tools
Snapon, Mac, SK , Craftsman, Williams, Bonny, and others. All American made. You needed Snapon for specialty tools. Craftsman at the time was very good and popular. They also had great warranty. You could buy a master set with tools or purchase a box and keep adding. Most tool trucks had simply red boxes Craftsman added a black box. I had small Craftsman box but upgraded to MAC combo unit I still had up to several months ago when I sold it. I should’ve kept it.
2 things. #1 I second the Gearwrench ratchets and wrench's both are fantastic and have yet to break any of them. #2 get the m-12 fuel drill and driver combo kit it comes with 2 batteries and a charger (and a bag useful for road calls) and its $200 at home depot right now and I have seen it cheaper occasionally it really is the best starter kit for a new tech.
Oh man there’s some fantastic Father’s Day deals going on right now at Home Depot. I can’t go in that store or I’d be broke.
Ratchets and sockets: Husky (best value and feel )
Screwdrivers: craftsman or husk
Pliers: Doyle from Harbor freight
Specialty tools: lisle or Carlyle
Power tools: Rigid (because they have great impacts and 90 degree drills)
Also, an electric ratchet is a better investment than a snapon regular rachet. Hercules is great.
Thanks for the input!
Impact socket capri are well priced and don’t skip well worth it
I think your advice is spot on. Some people can swing the best from day one, but most can’t. Starting with tools that can get the job done is priority Learn the job, then you will understand the tools and how good they need to be. Used or cheap FF tool box. No need to have a box that is twice the cost of your car, starting out.
Thanks Tom! Learning the job first is definitely some good advice.
8:54 For oil filter loosening, the lobstah claw is the best and there’s a low cost version at Harbor Freight. I bought the Mac Tools version when it was considered new and it’s been the go-to tool for oil filters where you can access it 90 deg offset. If you need a standoff to engage the filter, then the right sized cup is best with a lot of leverage.
I wish someone would make a video like this for body work, grate video!
I started a handyman buiness. Long story short . I didn't buy any specific tool until I actually needed it for the job that I already sold. Then I would build it into the price and the customer would pay for the tool that I would add to my collection for future jobs.
I agree. I have quite a bit of snap on and mac, and honestly my gear wrench tools are some of my favorite. Buy cheaper tools and when they break buy a higher quality. I also agree that between gear wrench and craftsman the gear wrench are much better tools
After watching so many videos of guys with Snap-On EVERYTHING, watching this video is a relief seeing that someone agrees with me on many tool choices.
I'm not keen on Craftsman, which is really overpriced for the (lack of) quality it offers.
I have one of the newer GW 120xp ratchets with the slimmer head, and I love it despite the locking head not really locking.
I got a vevor 1/2" socket set and they have a real complete range of sizes and the price is phenomenal!
I'd highly recommend the Channellock oil filter pliers. The Harbor Freight ones are decent, but once they're covered in oil and used for a few weeks, the slip joint nut will no longer hold tension and they will slide to the largest position with minimal force. Tightening the nut will only hold for one or two uses and no one has time to stop and tighten their pliers ever 10 minutes. After many smashed fingers, I got the Channellock ones on Amazon for $25. Much better design over the slip joint.
Get a good harbor freight roll cart to start. Don’t get some Uber cheap(quality) tool castle that you will regret. Remember the tools are the essentials. How you store them is optional. Just keep them safe.
Great recommendations Mr. Tool Box Tours (aka My Hero).
Haha thanks john. I’m here to serve!! 🦸🏻♂️
For the Toyota filter socket I recommend avoiding the AST one in the video. I recommend either the BluePoint or Matco one because you can use either a 24mm socket or 1/2" ratchet with or without an extension. The one in the video wears out after a while and the 24mm socket starts slipping especially if you have to use an extension. -Former Toyota Tech
Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to look into those.
Streamlight strion goes crazy. Love it.
i will say that impact gun is top tier! i have a similar one w not issues over the last 13 years!
I am just a dude that likes tools as well. Not a mechanic.
I really enjoyed this basic video, thanks for all the tips, especially the battery ones. I’ve replaced batteries but never scrubbed a new terminal.
I’m glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for watching Jason!
the way i look at it is start with cheap tools and add to the set with expensive, i have Mastercraft 6-19mm and 1/4-1” wrench sets and i’m looking into extending the sets with snap on 1-1/16-1-3/4 or 2” and 20-24&27mm wrench sets, and my half inch sockets that go up to 20mm and 7/8 with mac tools 21-33 and 15/16 to the biggest half inch drive SAE sockets, eventually i’ll replace it all but it’s cheaper to get less tools and go up to a full set
Very good advice given wish I had advice like that 35 years ago thanks for looking out for the future techs love the channel
Thanks for that! Hope it helps some younger guys out there.
The genius 3/8 impact set no skips 8-22shallow and deep for 45$ cant go wrong..walmart hyper tough prybars made in usa by wilde 36" for 23$
Walmart hyper tough pry bars, they are 10-20$ each depending on length but they are made in the USA and have striking caps
For the oil filter wrench I found this one that’s as good as the one Matco sells. It might even be the same but rebranded. It was on Amazon. The Lisle oil filter wrench pliers 50750. Really good quality and better grip than most I’ve bought before. Lisle has some stuff that doesn’t hold up well, but those pliers are my favorite if the filter is accessible enough. If not usually the three jaw pliers work for me. The three jaw I did get from Matco but you could probably find another brand that’s pretty good.
Awesome. Thanks for sharing!
I’m a DIYer. But if I started today. I’d go Tekton socket sets, Gear wrench(GW)/Pittsburgh Ratchets, GW extensions and 44pc wrench set. Knipex pliers or Channellocks if I wanted to save. Craftsman USA screwdrivers. Project farm tested these as some of the best but cheapest, too.
talking about 6 point vs 12 point for impact sockets, i would recommend getting everything 6 point except for 1 size, get a 12 point 30mm socket for toyota axle nuts because im not sure ive ever seen a 6 point 30mm on a car.
i recently bought an axle nut socket set from gearwrench and it came with a 6 point 30mm socket that i had to trade in on the truck for a 12 point because i kept having to borrow from somebody else
When I first started working on stuff regularly, I was like 13 years old. My grandparentsbought me the 500 piece craftsman tool set (Mid 2000s) when most of the stuff was still usa made i still have and use a decent amount of the stuff but alot is just a backup. Over the last 20 years iv worked on basically everything (submarines, tractors, semis, old and new cars and trucks, industrial maintenance) and always insisted having atleast some of my own tools, even when things where supposed to be supplied. My absolutely favorite 3/8" impact sockets are a set from O'Reilly's that come in a molded rubber sleeve. Iv probably bought 6 sets of them. Also impact sockets from harbor freight. Buy good ratchets, they don't have to be tool truck brand. Milwaukee battery powerd stuff will save you hours.
I got the same craftsman tool set when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing Allen! I’ll have to check out those socket sets from O’reillys.
Worked as a truck mechanic for 12 years. Out the trade now. I never understood the guys with the huge boxes, jam packed with every socket, bit set and unique tool that never or very rarely got used. I spent my career working with a standard size top and bottom box, it was almost full. If I had to borrow a tool 2/3 times, I bought it.
I worked with a guy who managed to work out of a top box of half broken tools. It's amazing what this guy could do with just a 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 socket set, spanners, screw drivers and pliers.
What’s a big box to you though ? Just curious like a lot of people work out of 52-55” boxes nice and fine i have a 68” epiq how ever I didn’t just jump into it right at the start of my career. I was at it for 5 years before getting that box.
I HAVE to have both SAE and metric (freighltiner and trailer work it’s all a mix)
@@Tcorellis-j6d 27/28" box. To me that size is a standard lol, however a lot of mechanics had 50"+ snap on boxes.
Started as a heavy duty diesel tech and I’ve been using gearwrench and Sunex and they are completely fine and strong
Good to know they hold up in the heavy duty world. Thanks Rudy
I like the Matco flex head ratchets, granted they are expensive for a newbie. The mechanism doesn't get in the way like the Snap-on and you can choose to have it be locked in at an angle, or free moving. Not to mention I prefer the Matco Comfort grip to Snap-on's plastic grip.
Please get a bunch of magnetic parts trays because they are so cheap, along with some dry erase markers. That way you can label the tray then set it aside not having to worry about remembering what goes where.
Im 2 years in as a diesel tech. All of my sockets, wrenches & rachets are Tekton or gearwrench depending on who had the better price at the time of buying. I started with a 3/8 milwaukee impact and slowly bought more milwaukee tools based on what i was borrowing & sticking to one battery platform. My hand tools started as cheap husky and craftsman but as i started breaking them i bought a mix of Knipex, Wiha & Icon mainly with klein & channel lock mixed in. Random tools like magnets, pry tools, hammers, etc... are Harbor freight & haven't needed to upgrade yet. My only Bluepoint tools are filter band wrenches & hose plier clamps.
I'm a buy once cry once person. But that doesn't mean I buy all expensive tool truck stuff. For instance, I would skip the Harbor Freight prybars and go straight to Mayhew because I know they would fit my needs and are better quality. Or, I have the Tekton chrome sockets in deeps and shorts and I highly recommend them. But I use mids most often so I bought a Koken set. I also recommend buying used. Many good deals out there.
Koken is awesome. How do you like their sockets? I have heard a lot about their ratchets but not much on their sockets.
@@ToolBoxTour I really like the Koken sockets. They are more of a matte than shiny chrome, which I like because it’s a bit of grip when greasy and they don’t show scratches as much.
Get yourself a nice set of gear wrench ratchet and socket set, tekton is also good. Channel locks pliers set. Grey pneumatic are great impact sockets as well as tekton. Every thing else just get it at harbor freight. If your a student at an auto/diesel school I know snap on has a 50% of tools. I enrolled into a community college for a class to take advantage of that deal later on. Once you start working on more complicated jobs I’ll recommend a 3/8 Milwaukee ratchet, it’ll help you be more efficient especially when your flat rate.
I haven’t heard much about Milwaukee ratchets. How do they compare to gearwrench or snapon? Thanks for the recommendations Adrian!
I’m 100% with you on the pliers. Those 3 do 90%. Get some knipex cobras and a good flush cut pliers and you’re good to go.
I absolutely love my 72” tool vault.
I bought a Sunex 3/8” impact socket set that has 7mm-22mm in short/deep/swivel in a carrying case. I’ve used it with Milwaukees 3/8”, 1/2” impact, and breaker bar.
Part #3351
I have a few Sunex tools and they’re awesome! Thanks for the recommendations.
I have that set and I've used the crap out of them for 2 years with no issues? Good stuff!
@@coreymartin-wk1fi yes sir it is! I’ve removed some pretty rusted out bolts with those sockets and haven’t cracked one yet.
Buy a thread chaser kit, being new. You’re bound to mess threads up. I got the Lang which is pretty much tool truck rebrands. It’s a life saver to this day. Chaser is to fix threads, tap is to create new threads remember that.
Awesome recommendation with the thread chaser kit!
The best impact socket set on the market is an Amazon metric set branded meiwaltee for $78 it goes 8-22mm no skip then 24,27,30&32 In both shallow and deep. And they have the professional thin wall taper like the Pittsburgh pro/icon and Quinn sockets not the cone too taper like the Pittsburgh cheap sockets
Also those craftsman prybars with the strike caps are well worth the money and have put up with some abuse from me.
I agree gear wrench over craftsman all day made the exact same mistake myself when I first had to get the tools for my job
Honestly the old stuff wasn’t bad. New stuff isn’t the best. But Gearwrench has always treated me right.
Excellent advice. One of the best ways to appreciate a great tool is to start with something more modest. Also, your 120XP ratchet set is the older version (Part # ends in KD). The newer ones (Part # ends in P) have a different logo and way more backdrag. I cut the pawl springs down 2-3mm which helped a lot, but still not as good as the KD ones.
Oh wow. That’s good to know! I wonder how the rest of the quality of the ratchet is.
@@ToolBoxTour The rest is exactly like the old one. A lot of sellers show pics of the older KD ones but ship the P ones. The older ones are actually more expensive online.
Cool, thanks for the info!
For screwdrivers I have swapped to all vessel I work on just about all stainless and they been the only ones thus far that hold up. Not super pricey and have options to suit your need
I love Vessel! Some of the best.
Vaughan Manufacturing makes very good hammers and pry bars. Much of their product line is still made in the US. Top tip, you can buy their seconds (stuff that didn't make it by QA) much cheaper. I have a full set of Vaughan ball peen hammers that I bought as seconds for about half of full price, and you would be hard pressed to notice what's wrong with any of them.
Thanks for the info! Where would one buy the defect hammers?
@@ToolBoxTourharry j epstein is a good site for the grayvik. the only thing you gotta do is file your claws and sand the tit left on the face. Never had trouble with the grayviks, theyre half price or less and hold up. I'm a big vaughan fan as well, they made all of craftsman's branded hammers and pry bars as well, which are cheap second hand.
I found my stream light stinger on a fan shroud of a tractor that came into the shop. Love the light
Oh man. Love that!
I managed to get a pretty full starter toolbox sent from an estate sale for 200 bucks. Full set of quarter, 3/8 and half inch drive ratchets and sockets. Metric and imperial wrench set etc. I’ve definitely had to add to it, but for everything that I’m doing, which is mostly suspension work and basic bolt ons it supported me pretty darn well I must say.
Wouldn’t buy things like compressors or tanks things like that used but I don’t often hear people talking about trying to get stuff used.
I wanna edit this to say that I am not a professional mechanic or body tech or anything like that. Im thinking for the 16 year-old kid wanting to get into being able to work on his first car. If I did this stuff every day, I would want the ability to have warrantees and relationships with the people that I was buying my tools from 100%.
yeah its tricky buying some tools used like pneumatic or cordless tools. You never know how badly they've been abused or the current condition they are in on the inside. Thanks for the perspective Hunter!
The NEBO Slim Work Light is about $24 like new on amazon and around $35 new. It's adjustable, super bright. I've dropped it countless times, both in coolant buckets, rain gutters during road calls, and its still kicking lol. Ultimate light for a new guy imo. Keep it up!
Awesome! Good to know about the NEBO!
Honestly, been waiting for this video from you. Always wondered what your opinions were.
Also take it for what it’s worth. You’re the guy with the successful UA-cam channel. I’d love to see you your opinion when guys show you tools. Tell them capabilities that they didn’t know about that you heard from previous videos. I’ve learned stuff from the guys that you interview and would like to be reminded of those tips they gave you and just stuff that you know. You might be able to pass that onto the guy interviewing at the time.
Had no idea that those new snap pliers were so good at taking out fuses. I’ve had those for months now and use them all the time.
That’s a fantastic idea!! Thanks Mike.
Check local swap meets and flea markets too. You can often find quality used tools for pennies on the dollar.
I'm doing this with my grandson, so far we've gotten a nice rolling chest and all the basic stuff for less than $300, all good name brand stuff. He's excited about these finds, plus we often come across specialty stuff, also very inexpensive.
Swap meets are absolutely a gold mine sometimes!
This is interesting question. I would stick with snap on ratchets. Koken sockets(thats if they were even around LoL) because they are pretty inexpensive. I would still recommend snap on because of paying weekly and warranty. Id also recommend the IR 2135 i bought in 09 and I’m still using it. The 1/4 ratchet is my favorite.
I definitely agree on the HF 1/2 Impacts Pittsburgh pro sets. I had shallows and deeps until my buddy felt like he needed them more than me. I replaced them with the Icon sets. I had the Pittsburgh sets from 16-28 and never had one fail. They are a great value for the money and are absolutely solid. Same for the Icons. No issues with either. For prybars. The older craftsmans if I remember right we're made by Mayhew. They have done great for me! But I love your videos man. Keep it up!
Right on!
I would by multimeter with current clamp style. Its so easy to mount it with the clamp so you can see it and the current clamp is so easy to measure charging current and such. And you can get usable ones for 50-100e
if you’re starting out or even a veteran you can use harbor freight. my buddy works on semis as his family owns a trucking company and he uses alot of harbor freight tools. even if they break guess what walk in the store hey this broke. boom they give you a new one. i never know why anyone pays soooo much for snap on. only way is if the tool jacked me off maybe.
Yes! The harbor freight stuff is super easy to warranty and makes it very appealing. I’d say some snap-on tools may not be worth the money, but many of their tools really are amazing. It’s just preference.
As someone who just started my line tech position while I was training all I did was look at everyone’s tools and seen what I need the only thing I really splurged on was my snap on ratchet since it helps break all the bolts on old Hondas for alignments and shi
Looking at what everyone else is actually using is super underrated. When you see all the tools collecting dust in a box, you know not to buy those.
Icon (hf) makes those slip joint snap on pliers now for around 20 bucks.
It really depends on risk and needs. I have some harbor freight stuff and I have a lot of starrett measurement tools. It’s ok to save where you can and get the best when the need exists.
i’ve had my stream light usb pro for about a year now and i love it
Nice!
Spot on ! That Inova multimeter is the same one I have been using for around 15 years. I’m not doing deep drive electrical for the most part, and that cheap little multimeter has served me very well. The Gearwrench recommendations are spot on as well. I started out as a Snap On junkie, but in the past 10 or so years I’ve been buying a lot of Gearwrench stuff. When I started out back in the early 90’s the choices were a lot more limited then today. If I was starting out today, it would be a lot more Gearwrench/Capri/Icon/Tekton in my box then snap on.
The innova meter has treated me right for a long time. Glad I’m not the only one. Thanks for watching!
I own that Gearwrench serpentine belt tool….it’s still new in the box, because it’s too thick to fit anywhere.
I’ve since tried the Gearwrench extra long double box ratcheting wrench. It’s the bomb.
Fits in tight places, and makes turning tensioners a breeze.
You’ve got to try one.
gearwrenches notches are exactly why (minus my 2 snap on ratchets and 1 titan) every ratchet is gearwrench in my box. the detents make me moist. especially the other set that has optional lock. so good
Moist lol 😅
Best toolbox channel on YT.
Hey thanks Ken!!
I have recently done so many wins researching the best tool model to buy, but then (with that knowledge) buying the cheapest alternative that would work (often at less than 10% of the price for the good brand) if I find the good one on a discount later and upgrade the stop-gap one was for free, or more likely, I realize I was wrong on some of the features and the good one becomes a totally different model.
But there are tools where buying cheap will cost you: Ill fitting spanners that rounds bolts, weak steel screwdrivers that rounds the slot. etc.
One way to save money on a tool box is to buy a good quality used one. There’s plenty of used Snap-On, Mac, and Matco tool boxes for sale on offer up or FB market place.
Fantastic video I have that scanner and it works great. Thanks for your honesty
im not a mechanic i am a hvac tech but i swear by knipex, wera, milwaukee and dewalt they work well and never break so thats personally what i would recomend to anyone
Awesome. Thanks for sharing Jason!
That toolbox roll out was funny. Had the same one that I gave away a few years ago, after I bought some much larger/nicer boxes. It worked well for me, just limited on space.
Yeah you can find some great tool storage solutions and not break the bank.
Please more vids like this! I love the toolbox tours but upload some of these types of vids to every now and then. Great vid👌🏼
More to come! Thanks!
I have been absolutely thrilled with my purchase of quinn 1/2" and 3/8" impact sockets. Over 100 pieces for $250. I use them for everything, and so far, they rock
That’s a great deal!
itd be cool to see different tradesman toolboxes. from mechanics, to heavy duty equipment mechanics, to machinists and tool makers them selves.
Well you’re in the right place 🙂. Welcome to the Toolbox Tours channel
@@ToolBoxTour glad to be here, watched your tools for starting out video and the one with Mike the former speed shop owner. I saw a mill in his shop but didn’t see him go over any machining tools, measuring tools, and fixturing tools. Maybe it was in the 6 hour video but I only watched the hour and a half version. Maybe a missed opportunity to delve into tools that are used outside of the automotive repair and modification industry.
Tekton, GW, knipex, Klein, wera, wiha. All great budget brands
Starting out buy what you can afford and then upgrade over time as you can buying used and new where you have to.
Buy once, cry once does not mean by the most expensive tool(s) and you're good. It does mean do your research and if you have to save up to buy the best tool for the job then buy it, preferably only once. They also say the most expensive tools in your box are the ones you never use. If you are constantly using a particular tool, say a brake piston compressor tool (taking your example), you do not buy multiples of them as you get more funds. Those brake tools you showed are a great example of what NOT to buy. The big socket video clip is a great example of what TO buy when you don't use those tools continuously. Techs nowadays have so much info at their fingertips not to be ignorant to what to buy. Us old timers wasted a lot of money figuring it out. Your videos do a great service to our community because it lets us see what other techs have before buying. Sorry for going on and on. TY
I do agree sockets snap on are not required however that didnt stock me from buying them. For anything that moves swivels, pliers most ratchets. Usa or german
USA or German 🤘
I always recommend grey pneumatic sockets cause they have most drives and most sets come In blow molded cases
Yeah the blow molds are great to keep things organized!
Good video, with some good advice, i used to hate seeing young kids feeling almost pressured by some people into buying from snap on vans. I generally tried to talk em out of going down that route, even helped some by passing on some of my older stuff . Most kids dont need a box that cost thousands. Ever
Yeah. I really think the younger guys shouldn’t even go on the trucks. If there’s something they absolutely need, just tell the dealer what you need when he comes into the shop.