Doug:
Hmmm. Let's see. I've used S&K a few times, Snap-on just about as many
... never my own, mind you. I've used them at friends' shops. Yes,
they're lovely quality, but my pocketbook shrieks, runs into a dark
corner and covers its head when I see the price. I've got Craftsman
tools, mostly, in my shop here (I'm a home mechanic like yourself, for
the most part)
My basic wrench and socket sets are Craftsman; I have two spare tool
kits (special use), one in the B and one in the Rabbit, both of which
have a mix of Craftsman and South Seas Special tools. I have one really
good screwdriver set, made in Germany, with wooden rounded triangular
handles; the rest of my screwdrivers are ... well, if it looks rather
like a screwdriver, I've bought it and hung it on the rack. They find a
variety of uses, from paint-stirrers to prybars to medium-grade chisels.
I keep a set of Stanley screwdrivers around in both home and specialty
toolkits for those times when I need a lot of screwdrivers and don't
feel like shelling out a ton of money.
I have a timing light, multi-meter (includes dwell), compression tester,
two floor jacks, four jackstands and two ramps, most of which came from
Sears at one time or another. Fairly good quality; I've never had any of
them break or fail to function.
I've bought a variety of specialty tools over the years, and made a few
others. I have a Z-S carb tool, and one I made from a SSS screwdriver
for working on the Weber. One of the handiest little purchases was a
ratcheted right-angle phillips screwdriver. Wonderful and only about
$10. I have a band wrench and several sets of Craftsman locking pliers
(vise-grips, to you southerners on the list). Again, good quality and I
wouldn't have paid any more for them from anyone else than what I did.
My pliers, a variety of needle-nose pliers, wiresnips and metalsnips,
and an odd assortment of special-use miniature pliers and electronics
tools came from Western Electric; I inherited a lineman's set of tools
from a relative. I've never found better in any store, so I assume
they're very high-quality stuff (but generally unavailable, I'd
suspect). Upshot being that many good automotive tools may be had from
non-automotive sources.
I wouldn't bother with mechanic-quality tools unless you do a LOT of
mechanical work, and really just enjoy the fine tools. Craftsman's good
enough for almost everything I do, and I'd stick with that. They're
expensive enough as it is.
Corey
75 MGB 'Rags'
RD#373750
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