how much do you spend a year on tools?....

[kmaysob]

i know its not diesel related but i wanted to see how much my fellow diesel heads spend on tools a year. in the last year i have probly spent 2-3 grand on tools. i just ordered a streamlight tonight . http://mypolicestore.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=574
in the last six months i have been ordering several expensive tools. such as a welder,weller soldering station and several new tools to take to work.
so post your list

[whunter]

Roughly $3,000.00 every year for the last thirty two years.
As a working mechanic, a percentage of my tools = wear out, break, are stolen and lost every year.
The most I have spent in one year was $7,800.00 USD on tools..
The least I spent in one year was $150.00 USD on tools..

Originally Posted by whunter

Roughly $3,000.00 every year for the last thirty two years.
As a working mechanic, a percentage of my tools = wear out, break, are stolen and lost every year.
The most I have spent in one year was $7,800.00 USD on tools..
The least I spent in one year was $150.00 USD on tools..

That sounds about right!

My current tool truck balances:
Snap-On: $1,578
Burnt Images: $3,800 (My tool box was about $3,000 of that).
Store bought: ~$1,000

Tool trucks are such a bad idea. They are like toy stores for mechanics! I get on the Snap-On truck to give him my $40 weekly payment and end up walking off with another $150 in tools.

[greasybenz]

I know snap-on is top of the line, but why dont you guys go for craftsman?
I mean its more affordable then snap-on and no matter what happens to the tool wether it cracks in half or it grinds out return it to sears and they will upgrade you to the latest one for free with no receipt or questions asked.

I had a 18mm wrench crack on me recently and took it to sears and they replaced it with a new one on the spot. When my dad had his old vw beetle he was trying to untighten something on the car cant remember what exactly but he had to put his foot on the tool to give it more force and snapped it, returned it to sears bada bing bada boom new upgraded tool.

Originally Posted by greasybenz

I know snap-on is top of the line, but why dont you guys go for craftsman?
I mean its more affordable then snap-on and no matter what happens to the tool wether it cracks in half or it grinds out return it to sears and they will upgrade you to the latest one for free with no receipt or questions asked.

I had a 18mm wrench crack on me recently and took it to sears and they replaced it with a new one on the spot.

Those are EXACTLY the reasons I choose Snap-On. (1) I have yet to break any Snap-On ratchets, sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, or air-tools. You know their motto "There is a difference." (2) I don't go to them, they come to me!

I keep telling everyone, if Sears would start a "Craftsman truck" (Like Snap-On, Mac, Matco, Cornwell, etc.) they could make HUGE $$$$$$$! It would never put the others out of work but it would sure give them a run for their money.

[Hit Man X]

I think I've broken one Craftsman socket in the last ten years or so. It was a 17mm deep well, 3/8" drive twelve point. Crushed my hand against the Z71's frame during that... didn't feel too nice!

Also I have quite a few of the Husky ones from HomeDepot, very pleased with them for the cash.

No clue on yearly spending on tools, probably $2-400

[Matt L]

Originally Posted by greasybenz

I know snap-on is top of the line, but why dont you guys go for craftsman?
I mean its more affordable then snap-on and no matter what happens to the tool wether it cracks in half or it grinds out return it to sears and they will upgrade you to the latest one for free with no receipt or questions asked.

I had a 18mm wrench crack on me recently and took it to sears and they replaced it with a new one on the spot. When my dad had his old vw beetle he was trying to untighten something on the car cant remember what exactly but he had to put his foot on the tool to give it more force and snapped it, returned it to sears bada bing bada boom new upgraded tool.

For people who wrench on the side, occasionally stopping your job to replace a broken tool isn't a huge deal. That's why I buy a lot of Craftsman tools. If you need the tool to make your living, it's another story.

[Brian Carlton]

I spend about $400 or so per year on tools. Of late, I've been buying M/B specific tools when I find them at a good price.

I recently found the RIV timing light over in Great Britian for $60.00!!!!!

It appears to be an older model of the current one..........hopefully it works when it gets here.

Craftsman and Husky tools have proven to be more than acceptable. IMHO, handing a pile of money to Snap-On for the tool to sit in the toolbox 99% of the time doesn't make any sense.

I do need a new 1/4" drive ratchet and Craftsman sucks. Teeth too coarse and too much friction. So, I've got my eye on a used snap-on on e-bay.

[whunter]

Originally Posted by Hit Man X

I think I've broken one Craftsman socket in the last ten years or so.

I have broken hundreds of Craftsman tools.
Roughly 30% of my sockets and wrenches are Craftsman.
All my Craftsman tools have three backups = mac, proto, husky, etc.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by whunter

I have broken hundreds of Craftsman tools.
Roughly 30% of my sockets and wrenches are Craftsman.
All my Craftsman tools have three backups = mac, proto, husky, etc.

Any opinion on S-K??

[whunter]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Any opinion on S-K??

Better than Craftsman, not as good as Snap-On.

[barry123400]

If you are an amateur like myself it is different. I ask people if so and so brand has been good for them. I then buy what I can reasonably justify the cost of. Or use a stratagy of best quality for the money. Breakage is sometimes directly contributed to by asking too much of whatever you are using rather than using a little heat or something else when indicated. Or using too small a drive size when a larger is really required. This of course applies to rustbelt areas particularily. When scavaging parts in central alabama it was always a treat to loosen the undercarrage bolt and back it out by hand after the first few turns. In otherwords the climate you live in is going to have some bearing on how much you spend. Yes I have stood in the line in snap on trucks. It never failed to suprise me how many dollars worth of tools I could hold in one hand . One time I found a brand of tools that were great and fairly priced. Thought I was set for life. They were also the toughest I ever saw. The company was either brought up by someone else, or went out of business so there went that plan. If you do not have a lot of money to spend and just starting I have found the relatively cheap black oxide finish impact sockets to be fairly adaquate for hand wrenching if you can get the socket into the space. Keeps your expenditure down. The bright chrome cheap stuff it pays to stay away from. Twelve point sockets in cheap or even reasonable price ranges most guys I know will not buy. I just buy 6 point sockets myself and not soft stuff. The reason is not just the resultant broken or stripped socket as that is pretty minor. The main reason is the resultant injury you can do to yourself when it lets go. Just a couple of my opinions. My attitude might be a little different if I used the tools everyday commercially repairing cars. For amateurs like myself I never mind the cost as the first time I use it it usually has paid for itself. After that it is free. As crazy as it sounds in theory the more I spend on tools the more I save as most my tools last me a lifetime. Of course I like top end tools too as the feel is nice to start with. Average year 100-500 dollars total tool expenditure.

[jaoneill]

Snap-on rachet fail (bought used in 1967) and it was replaced without question. I bought a rollaway full of sae Snap-on tools at that time (1967) and have added a lot since. Oother than a 1/2" breaker bar that let go when it was tested with a 6' cheater pipe, that rachet was the first thing that I have ever had a problem with.
We also have an assortment of tools from s-k and about every other manufacturer out there, hate to even think about the total investment over the past 40 years, but the bottom line, as with most other things is that you pretty much get what you pay for. The 50 year old snap-on sockets will still hold better [are less likely to slip and fudge up the head of a bolt) than a brand new craftsman or s-k.
Since embarking on the MB hobby two years ago I have spent about $1,500 on metric stuff, but I already had the basic sae from 1/4" drive to 3/4" drive and open end/box to 3", along with most of what anyone would need for fixing almost anything mechanical, from pullers to hones, tire changer to milling machine. A fairly complete farm shop where we have done it all.

Should be one h-ll of an auction when I am gone.

Cheers,
JIm

[greasybenz]

Now ive never had a snap-on truck come to the house nor have i bought anything from them, ive only used them in auto class in high school. But how long does it take for them to get there?

A sears is like 4-5 blocks away from my house and im not a lazy person so ill walk there if my car isnt drivable, get my tool replaced on the spot and come back home. no big deal, and the prices are good for all the tools and you will constantly find them on sale.

I guess if a sears is a couple miles away then thats understandable that you would go for snap-on. But for me being 4-5 blocks away and paying less for the tools is just a advantage.

and craftsman is better then the walmart tool box i bought for $17 i have that box in my trunk just incase something breaks down the road and need some tools.

[Hatterasguy]

Not much maybe a couple hundred bucks. Snap on are sweet but expensive. Craftsman work fine and come with a good warranty so I get most of my tools from them.

Kind of funny I didn't need to buy tools until I got the MB's.