quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
a great customer gave me one of these ,he ran a gas station in central Phoenix,
back when I was delivering appliances.

https://shop.snapon.com/product/SSDMR4B

I've had it for 20 years

what a wonderful invention

I have one of those I purchased off the SnapOn truck that used to roll up to where I worked. I keep it in the glove box of whatever vehicle I'm driving at the time.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
I really cannot abide cheap, poorly made tools. I buy good tools and those are the ones I use, always.

This ^^^^^

I had a longer answer, but henryaz said the same thing in fewer words.

Like guns are for shooting: Tools are for using. I have no safe queen guns. Likewise: I have no toolbox queen tools.

I have a cheap toolbox in the house, primarily for the wife, largely because I know they'll seldom get used and most likely lost, an whatever she's doing, the tool quality will have nearly zero effect.

I've been turning wrenches actively since my early teens, and was advised then to begin buying tools, and have done so throughout my teen and adult life. I have a number of rollaway and stationary boxes and chests full of tools, and there aren't any that I consider saving only for the times that require "the good stuff." They're tools. Most of them are worn, beaten, and scratched. They're initialed, and shadowed in boxes for tool control.

I have snap-on, mac, quite a few craftsman, and numerous others, and a lot of specialty tools air tools, etc. I buy tools off trucks, at Lowes and Home Depot, online on ebay or direct, at auto stores, even harbor freight for some things. I have a drawer full of scrapers made from a Cessna 210 windshield that are used for scraping sealant out of fuel cells, and paint from aluminum, and like any mechanic, a lot of special purpose-modified or built tools that can't be found or bought. I have a cylinder base wrench made for large bore radial engines that's an original Wright WWII wrench, modified with a snap-on locking socket extension, and a set of splined torque adapters that enable the wrench to be used on any aircraft engine cylinder, at any angle. You can't find one, you can't buy one, but I made this one and wouldn't trade or sell it. Likewise, a plethora of wrenches that have been ground, heated and bent, cut, angled, thinned, welded, or otherwise modified for specific purposes; some only to loosen a single specific nut on a particular model engine...but it's the only tool that can do it.

I have tools that I didn't have a use for when I bought the tool, but it looked too handy to pass up. 20 years later, it turned out to be the only tool that could have done a specific job, and it proved invaluable, and paid for itself in that one use. I have snap-on thin-wall sockets that worked in places that no other socket would go, and were the difference between doing the job or not.

Knipex smooth-jaw plier wrenches in every size made: invaluable. I use them constantly. Ratcheting screwdrivers of all sizes and lengths and handle shapes. All kinds of quarter-inch drive sockets and ratchet handles. Ratcheting wrenches; gear wrench makes some good ones. Multi meters, circuit testers and trouble shooting gear, and all kinds of jumper leads and bonding wires for a lot of different purposes, many made specifically to do a particular job at the time. A boat load of deburring tools, files, etc. Rivet guns, drills, die grinders, and other tools. Various safety wire pliers, and drawers full of different kinds of pliers. Drawers of hammers of different types.

It all gets used. Not at the same time, some more often than others, but none are sacred, and none are show pieces. They get "broken out" any time there's a need.

Same here, everything gets used except my Klein needle nose and Knipex pliers. Only on delicate or special projects. The problem is everything gets mislaid, wet, oily and forgotten. They are spread between house, garage, and pole barn, so they are always being relocated, and I’m walking out in the rain or snow to find them.

The Grobet swiss needle files and Starrett precision screwdrivers only come out on special occasions. When the quality of what I am working on is equal to them.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
Knipex smooth-jaw plier wrenches in every size made: invaluable. I use them constantly.

Did you even go for the 400mm/16" one? I admit to being tempted but haven't justified it to myself yet.

They also make the Cobra Pliers up to a 560mm/22" size. I don't think I have any use for them but they're tempting just as a novelty.

quote:

You all missed the point of the post, I think?

sorry did the best I could,
that's the extent of my good tools

My most frequently used tools:

A Unicorn Magnum pepper mill.

An Xlite screwdriver handle with two reversible bits (flat & Philips blades).

A good, but no-name, locking box joint forceps.

A 5” Knipex pliers wrench. And a less-used 6”.

A Craftsman ordinary pliers.

A 10” Vice-Grip locking pliers.

I don't really grasp the concept of 'good tools'. All my tools are good, and I take care of all of them, however, I don't baby any of them. Never understood the concept of 'saving' a tool.

A long time ago, my grandfather told me to "never trust a repairman who has all new tools".

I have a " tool roll " of hand tools for energized electrical work . Screwdrivers , needlenose pliers , crimping tool , etc. These tools are certified to 1000 volts and I only break them out when the job requires it . I don't want to gouge the insulation on the handles by working on something when conventional tools will suffice .

For woodworking, I use mostly power tools and those are mostly Festool or Makita.
When I get around to doing a fine woodworking project (if ever) I will break out my Lie-Nielsen planes and Bridge City squares and marking tools.

I have a variety of tools ranging from Snap On, Knipex, Mitutoyo, Klein, GearWrench, Tekton, Astro, Craftsman, Wiha, Proto, Wright, and SK. I don't have any junky tools so I use whatever is needed.

My first pick would have to be a Snap-on spline adapter. They made these about ninety years ago before somebody figured out how to make a working ratchet.

The spline adapter is made in such a way that you push down on it and the splines engage each other so you can adjust accordingly, but will release and counter rotate the proper degrees in the other direction.

Works great with set screws, valvetrain adjustments, and bearing preload in confined spaces.

The “good” ones are the ones I’ve inherited. Other tools are replaceable.

When I break out the Fluke 87V and the Wiha insulated set, it’s about to get real.

I use tools professionally and hard, even abusive sometimes when bosses and clients are on my ass and I need to get shit done, so all my tools are "good" tools. That doesn't mean I'm above getting some from Hazard Frought Harbor Freight where appropriate, or buying the equivalent or even the same tool (just a different brand name) from Amazon or other vendor instead of the high-priced tool trucks. But I don't have one "tier" of tools for certain jobs and a different one for others.

Have some special Hazet tools I inherited. Many snap on and other tools that I do not allow others to use. These two are maybe a bit more special than hand tools, and absolutely no one gets to use or borrow them.....Sun 504 distributor tester that works perfectly, and a Bosch fuel injector tester/cleaner that is used for mostly diesel applications but works for Porsche mechanical fuel injectors.....

quote:

...Originally posted by Skins2881:
You all missed the point of the post, I think?...

Some of us are gearheads...some of us are not...

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
My first pick would have to be a Snap-on spline adapter. They made these about ninety years ago before somebody figured out how to make a working ratchet.

The spline adapter is made in such a way that you push down on it and the splines engage each other so you can adjust accordingly, but will release and counter rotate the proper degrees in the other direction.

Works great with set screws, valvetrain adjustments, and bearing preload in confined spaces.

These were made in coarse and fine tooth versions: http://alloy-artifacts.org/so-early-sockets-p3.html