Putting together a toolbox...

[GraysonM]

I'm lucky, I've inherited a lot of snap on, Hazet, Mac, and Matco tools from my father, but it's expensive stuff, and if I had to buy tools, there's no way I could afford everything he's bought over the years.

Craftsmen is good stuff, but after using snap on, the difference is easy to tell.

I tend to think of nice tools like nice stereos. Your stereo sounds great...until you hear someone's nicer (and usually more expensive) set up. Then you cant help but hear everything wrong with your rig. Same is true for tools.

before you go out and buy all nice tools, make sure wrenching on your car is something you actually want to do. If you've bought a beetle I'd imagine that you've probably already committed to it to some degree. Buying a mechanics tool set like the one craftsmen or kobalt makes is a great way to get a lot of tools quickly and affordably. Over time you'll know what you want more from and upgrade those.

BluePoint is a subsidiary of Snap-on that make great tools of very similar quality to Snap-on, but are usually more affordable.

Slightly off-topic, but can someone give some testimonials as to the S/K stuff? I've got experience with a lot of other tools but not a ton with their stuff. Hows it compare to Matco or MAC? USA made?

Thanks guys!

[1970VWGUY]

To get the back drums off & on you need a 36mm or 1 7/16 socket and a torque wrench...

[strelnik]

[strelnik]

[Zundfolge1432]

As a professional mechanic with 40 years experience you can consider what I have to say.

1st any tools that say drop forged and or were made in USA will work for you,and I will assume you know which standard sizes will work for metric. Many,many tools made here prior to 1970s such as Truecraft,wizard,blackhawk,Plomb,(which later became Proto), but my favorite obsolete brand from way back was called "none better". So now days you find these at garage sales,estate sales,flea markets this stuff goes for cheap because people do not recognize these brands. For instance all the stuff branded Plomb carried a lifetime warranty which is still honored at any WW Grainger store, note Plomb went away in 1948, neat huh? SK tools went bankrupt and warrantee coverage is now impossible but that doesn't mean they aren't good tools, just don't break them. Craftsman tools have gotten worse over the years, try to get the older versions. When you get into the premium brands Snap On,Mac,Matco etc you'll do so much better buying used. Again check the auctions and especially better estate sales, and cities and towns in and around where there used to be major manufacturing, when these guys die off the kids sell it all.

If you got a minute ck eBay and use these parameters. 13mm snap on wrench. Buy it now. Or snap on VW tool. Doing it this way you avoid all the pages of bullshit auctions and go for a sure thing. Using this I've managed to buy many tools for less than 10 dollars and some for 5 which often times includes free shipping. One of the obsolete snap on wrenches was a transaxle wrench which fit between the frame horns to remove the fill plug or drain and the other end was 21mm box which fit generator pulley nuts. You'd be surprised what's out there if you have the time to look, getting back to flea markets,garage sales and the like that's where you'll get stuff really cheap. Look at this website www.garagejournal.com. Or. Www.collectingsnapon.com

[BUGGED11111]

I would just get the usual socket set, screw drivers pliers. Anything else I would buy as I need them.
No reason to shell out a ton of money all at once just to have a full tool box

[Zundfolge1432]

[Zundfolge1432]