ok, got a tool box for christmas... - Original Pony Car

**aar0s** · 12-28-2009, 10:37 PM

but i gots no tools to put in it! well, a few pair of pliers and some screwdrivers, a rubber mallet and a allen head tool thingie. Bought a 1/4 craftsman set of sockets on the 'bay a few min ago but no ratchet that i can keep in the box.
I have a set of tools in a nice plastic carry-all box that mom got me for xmas a few years ago that I'm going to put in the truck but I'm needing stuff to fill the box in my garage.
So my thoughts are buy good tools and buy them once, unless some tool steals them. But has anyone ever had a problem with less expensive sockets rounding off bolt or losing their size and messing up bolts?

I figure i cant go wrong with craftsman, we have a sears here in town, one breaks i take it in, worst case is they send it off and i have to use the one from the kit in the truck.
but i am watching some blue point stuff on eBay also...
snap-on is out of reach, even the used stuff is stupid!
haven't looked at the matco stuff yet.
Whats y'alls thoughts/favorite tools?

**94gtfreak** · 12-29-2009, 01:17 AM

I have a whole "Napa" brand tool kit that I got from the school. It seems pretty good so far. I haven't had any problems with anything rounding off or breaking yet. But Craftsman would probably be your best route. Just my .02 though

**BlownFiveLiter** · 12-29-2009, 03:01 AM

Almost all of my tools are Craftsman. IMO, you can't go wrong with them for personal use. I think they even have a professional line now, too.

I got an iPod Touch and I've been surfing the web with the thing constantly, on my wireless network. It's hard to believe this tiny thing can do so much. I think my first cell phone was twice the size of this and all it could do was make phone calls.

**aar0s** · 12-29-2009, 01:48 PM

ok, wife got the busted ratchet swapped out so now i have a 3/8 drive set for the box, the 7 pc 1/4 drive set is on its way and ill need to come up with a drive for them, I think that sears is having a sale on some tools, ill check that out. I have a set of gear wrench standard size open end with the ratcheting box ends so that will cover that need for a while. I need to pick up some metric sockets and look on ebay for some crescents and ill be about set except for a few small things that i don't need but want (liners and such)

**aar0s** · 12-31-2009, 05:24 PM

did you know that kitchen drawer liner can be used in tool boxes for the same thing? Its a hell of alot cheaper than the sears liners. Oh the things you will learn!

**94gtfreak** · 01-01-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aar0s

did you know that kitchen drawer liner can be used in tool boxes for the same thing? Its a hell of alot cheaper than the sears liners. Oh the things you will learn!

Nope...did not know that...

HA! Learn something new everyday!

**aar0s** · 01-05-2010, 06:16 PM

ok, i gots the sockets from ebay today and realized that i didnt want to just throw everything in the box like my buddy did and never be able to find anything. Dont really want to drop 20 bucks on a plastic thing thats going to break so how do you guys keep things separated in yalls boxes?
Been thinking about it, ill try to post some pic's of my idea in a day or two, too cold to mess with it now!

**BlownFiveLiter** · 01-05-2010, 06:48 PM

I doubt the plastic organizers would break, honestly. I have a 300 something piece Craftsman mechanic's set that came in a plastic toolbox and aside from the dirt and grease, it's in no worse condition than it was in, back in 1997 when I bought it. I have it sitting on top of my Kobalt toolbox that has just about all of my other tools in it (pneumatic stuff, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.). I was looking at some socket organizers at Sears a while back when I was thinking about putting them all into the main box and the plastic ones they had seemed pretty rigid.

**aar0s** · 01-05-2010, 06:58 PM

yeh i might have to go back and look at them again. Im funny like that, ill look at something simple for a week before i buy it!

**aar0s** · 01-06-2010, 06:37 PM

whats the difference between 6 pt and 12 pt sockets? are the 12 pt more prone to strip bolts?

**BlownFiveLiter** · 01-06-2010, 08:57 PM

I think they're about the same, in terms of stripping bolts. 12 point sockets along with 12 point nuts/bolts have more surface area and generally will be more difficult to strip when used together, versus their 6 point counterparts.

**aar0s** · 01-06-2010, 11:19 PM

ahhh so i guess that i shouldnt use the 12 pt sockets on regular 6 point bolts. I dont guess ive ever seen a 12 point nut or bolt.

**BlownFiveLiter** · 01-07-2010, 01:23 AM

I wouldn't see any reason why not to use a 12 point socket on a 6 point bolt. I've been doing it for years. My ARP head studs are 12 point, actually.

**aar0s** · 01-07-2010, 07:55 PM

got myself a used snap on 1/4in drive tonight. was checking out other stuff in the truck, man they have some nice chit!

**BlownFiveLiter** · 01-07-2010, 10:06 PM

When I worked at a Chevy dealer back in like 1998ish, I used to go drool over the stuff in the Snap-On truck.

**aar0s** · 01-07-2010, 11:04 PM

I bet they charged you for that honor, their chit is expensive! The drive was more than i wanted to pay but its a nice piece and should last me forever without a problem. unless some ass hat steals it. My old drive would lock up while i was taking off or putting on a bolt/nut. then i have to beat it against my hand and force the lever with a screwdriver to get it back right. junk.

**aar0s** · 01-08-2010, 11:33 PM

instead of buying a set of metric sockets i was thinking about just buying the ones that i would need. Whats the most common size of metric nuts/bolts that you guys find on your cars?

**94gtfreak** · 01-09-2010, 06:57 PM

Snap on it just plain outrageous! I'll stick with craftsman tools before I'd buy their stuff.

I use everything between an 8mm and 15mm on mine.

Torq armd twinscrew · 01-19-2010, 04:29 AM

Craftsman is FINE tool for home use. I have some of it in my own small shop at my house. At work where i turn wrenches for a living, i've tried and used craftsman, but found that i needed a better tool. I have eventually upgraded most of my tools to the high end of the spectrum.

Things i have found useful since i have been wrenching-
*Craftsman 1/2'' impact sockets are the best on the market for the money- buy them, you won't regret that at all.

* Buy mac or snappy brake line wrenches- craftsman head spread instantly causing rounded fittings.

* Never use chrome sockets on an impact. First off they could explode (happend to me) secondly, they ruin the hog ring on the tip of the impact anvil.

* Matco Screwdrivers are the BEST in the trade. They are made by a german company i can't think of the name. They are triangular, have felt like material that is not affected by oil or grease, and have a hole in the top of the handle to put another screwdriver through for EXTREME torque.

* Buy 6 point sockets when you first start wrenching, they will round less fasteners and are generally tougher and less prone to breaking.

* If you are going to use craftsman ratchets, know that when you are putting extreme torque on them, and you get the fastener to finally loosen up, you risk a chance of the ratchet switching gears and then you will ram your hand into whatever is closest to it.

* Get a good set of visegrips. Only buy Peterson or Irwin brand. Irwin bought out peterson, but the good ones still say original. All other visegrips are shit.

* Channel lock is about the best maker of pliers around. They are made in the USA and have lifetime warranty.

* Get a thread file set, and tap and die set. There is always that one time you think the nut is on straight and it crossthreads leaving you phucked at 3am. Trust me i know.

*Impact swivels are all you need, don't spend any money on the chromies unless its 1/4'' size.

Thats all i can think of off the top of my head. I'll add to it when i think of more.

**aar0s** · 01-19-2010, 01:34 PM

Whoot! thanks for the list. I got a set of channel lock pliers for xmas. bought the snap on 1/4 drive but its short, wish it was a little longer and my 3/8 is kobalt, works good.
I didnt even think about the impact swivels, ill add those to muh list!

Torq armd twinscrew · 01-20-2010, 04:37 AM

Here are what those screwdrivers look like. They are made by Witte.

**aar0s** · 01-20-2010, 01:28 PM

those look sweet, if i didnt already have a drawer full of screwdrivers (wife bought me the big pack of craftsmen for Christmas) id track some down.
right now im watching ebay for some of the craftsmen sockets with the laser etching on the side, a metric set, but i lost out on a nice metric/standard set last night by 50 cent in the last 10 sec! might just go down to the store and buy them rather than ebaying it.
any specialty tools other than the pullers torq armed mentioned? anyone ever use the plastic tools for taking up interior trim parts?
tomorrow is the night that the snap on guy is at the shop down the street when i get off work, i may see what he's got as far as used metric sockets.

Torq armd twinscrew · 01-21-2010, 05:09 AM

I forgot to also mention that you don't want to go cheap on prybars. Trust me on that. I like matco for the only fact that they have a cap on the top of them so you can beat them with a sledge hammer. I thought i saw some craftsman ones with this feature as well. DONT BUY CHEAPO PRYBARS!

Always can use line up punches and chisels. Craftsman has some decent ones. If you buy cheapo ones, the steel won't hold up and you will spend more time on the bench grinder fixing them.

Brass drifts are a good buy as well. There are times you can't use steel punches or drifts without ruining parts. A good example would be removing a heater motor squirrel cage fan. If you mushroom the heater motor shaft, your phucked and will never get it slid out.

Handheld butane soldering torch with heatshrink adapters is a must for soldering. Nobody wants to have a extension cord inside there vehicle. Especially if its been drug on the shop floor and has grease dirt or oil on it.

Become a member of The Garage Journal They have tools on there for sale all the time. They also have people that just watch ebay and report good buys for members. I'm a member there.

**BlownFiveLiter** · 01-21-2010, 05:42 AM

Some of the garages on The Garage Journal freakin' sweet. I love to look at that site every now and then.

**aar0s** · 01-21-2010, 07:48 AM

another thing my wife got me was a set of craftsmen prybars. her grandpa use to be a mech and her mom insisted that she buy them.
ill have to check out that website at lunch today.