Whats your Must Have 'Go To' tools?
 

Whats your Must Have 'Go To' tools and shop items. Budget friendly ;-> This is my first time doing serious engine work on a MB and there are lots of hex bolts...

Removed my Oil Filter Stand and Starter. The Oil Stand took forever because I didn't have a 6mm hex for 1/4" drive, just stubbies in 3/8, which I picked up yesterday at Northern Tools.

Plan to get maybe the ball end hex socket sets etc. Before I do, wanted to find out what else makes life easy working confined spaces. Also, doesn't seem like anyone carries 1/4 hex socket sets...

Also, oil was a mess today... suggestions on inexpensive oil absorbent cloths etc for cleanup.

(whine - everything is sore, up and down all day on the crawler... almost fifty and not feeling foxy anymore : (

I just ordered a set of 1/4" hex from ebay for about $20. You're right: Sears doesn't carry them and I wasn't able to find any retail store in town that did--not even Harbor Freight.

I talked to an aircraft mechanic last week and he mentioned that his favorite 1/4" ratchet was the Husky from Home Depot, of all places. I laughed, but plan on checking it out this week. He said it has the smallest increments of any 1/4" he has used and was the best for working in confined spaces. He would know.

As for shop towels, I think Costco has the best deal on the blue rolls. We even use them in the kitchen.

For brakes, I bought this tool ten years ago and it makes changing out pads really easy. http://www.samstagsales.com/images/kk126-00.jpg

It is kind of expensive at $221.69.

just a word of caution my friend....cheap tools are expensive.

if you end up rounding out a bolt because of the cheap wrench, you'll end up paying more in aggravation. i suggest going on CL and buying a USED set of quality tools than going to Northern Tools or Harbor Freight.

cheap tools are very expensive.

Benhogan, your right. I just didn't want everyone to gang up on me with suggestions of Snap On only stuff ;->

Been looking on CL. What I really want is a set of stubbie and longer 1/4" hex sockets, but can't find anyone who has them.

Right now I just want y'all to feel sorry for me ;-< I feel like I did 100's of crunches from getting up and down on the crawler all day. And since I didn't have said 1/4" 6mm hex, I had to be a contortionist with an allen key just to get the LAST bolt off, too me 30 min...

*runs and takes gobs of motrin*

*then runs and looks on ebay*

I have about 1000 lbs of US made high quality tools all the way up to 32mm. Some bigger sockets to 46mm and to 3-1/2" but the bigger ones are Snap-On.

Send me a list:

You can buy Armstrong, Easco, Cornwell, Williams, Proto, all of which are made by Danaher Tools in the US, which sells their entire inventory exclusively to the US military and limited other industrial frims.

Metric and US.

I also have about 75 tool boxes. But I'm far away in Michigan so I'm thinking Ebay for the tools and the local swap meets for the tool boxes which are Proto, Snap-On, Stack-On, Napa and Craftsman.
Plus some other heavier duty ones used for tank repair.

This purchase of mine has netted some very cool tools, including bullet-proof Fluke meters. I don't worry about dropping one of those, lol.

Your probably up there with WHunter ganging up on me...

;-<

What I wouldn't GIVE to attend a rummage sale by y'all.

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ebay can be very, very good if you are patient especially for craftsman tools.