What brand of tools do you use/prefer?

[JustHatched 12,103]

Going of of @Sinister thread https://www.rockstarsocialclub.net/forums/topic/19520-how-much-ya-wrench/, what is your brand of tool you prefer to use?

For hand tools like wrenches, sockets, etc.. I have mostly old Craftsman tools, I have been buying some Kobalts lately though. While Snap On, Matco and S&K are great tools they are way out of my price range when the old Craftmans work just fine.

For battery/electric tools I use Dewalt or Milwuakee, I prefer the Milwuakees, from the days of being a contractor we used those and Skil brand.

Air tools, Ingersol Rand is the way to go, pricey but they last. I got several IR tolls when I was worked for Alamo Group, the IR rep I was able to be the sole dealer for the company hooked me up.

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Sinister
typo in title

[CatManDoza 3,473]

Makita all the way for me, admittedly I don't have loads, just a combi, a rattler and a multitool, but I just love Makita. 

Never seen the big deal with milwaukee. Pricey and do the job, but loads of people I know with the have had motor problems

[Danielle 3,007]

I would say Makita if we could afford to always buy it. We have a Makita drill and jigsaw and we bought a planer/thicknesser just before christmas but it's small (only widths up to 30cm). I got Jesse a Bosch router because it was half price in amazon Black Friday and our orbital sander is Erbauer because it was the cheapest. Our chisels and saws are Irwin and we have a few kits from Wera that were pricey but worth it. At work we use Makita/Wera and our metal working bench tools and riveter are Clarke. I wouldn't buy Clarke tools myself but I guess they are the cheapest for my boss.

 

[Banketelli 3,655]

Privately, I use Makita. Most of my friends use it so it's easy to borrow something without having to worry about power.

At work, we use Hilti for almost everything. It's just on another level. Would love to be able to buy it for private use but couldn't afford it anyway. For cutting and pressing pipes we use Rems.

 

[Burgermauger 262]

I use Canadian Tire brand Mastercraft hand tools, basically the same as Craftsman. I don’t know how other tradesmen afford Snap On or Mac. I can buy 3 tools to 1 of those brands, with the same break it and replace it warranty. 

Cordless I use Ridgid, I like their battery replacement program. They’re not as good as Dewalt but close. 

Air tools I us IR (ingersol rand) great tourque.

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Burgermauger

[Skorpion 2,497]

I'm not much of a handyman so my knowledge of tools is limited compared to a lot of you. I do know enough to get things done and to make a decent choice, but if I can pick it up at Bunnings then it's worth it no matter the brand. (Bunnings is arguably the leading hardware store here in Aus).

Most of my tools are Stanley, except for power tools which are Ozito.

I don't have a need for top range tools. Many of the brands mentioned here already are brands that I know to be of quality, but are far more expensive and beyond my needs.

I do enjoy getting my hands dirty and working with tools, but it's just something I have limited need for and can't afford as a hobby, so the cheaper reliable options work well for me.

[CatManDoza 3,473]

8 minutes ago, Skorpion said:

 (Bunnings is arguably the leading hardware store here in Aus).

 

cheeky sausage sizzle while you're there??

[zztop911 1,609]

3 hours ago, CatManDoza said:

Makita all the way for me, admittedly I don't have loads, just a combi, a rattler and a multitool, but I just love Makita. 

Never seen the big deal with milwaukee. Pricey and do the job, but loads of people I know with the have had motor problems

I have a couple Milwaukee M12 Fuel ratchets. I love 'em! Brushless motors, stronger but smaller head, extended reach neck, higher torque are a few high points. Use the hell out of them with no problems. HUGE productivity booster is a big thing for me, since I can only work so long before the pain make me stop.

I'm not really brand loyal. I have tools from many mfg. Lot's of specialty use tools. My air compressor is one that I built myself from a couple OLD compressors. I rebuilt the old two-stage compressor, installed on a 100 gal. tank my Uncle gave me and bought a new motor. Took me two times to find the best pulley set up. VERY quiet and I ALWAYS have plenty of air. Huge overkill for my shop, but it was cheaper most any cheap throw away big box store compressor.

Not afraid to spend money on a tool that makes me more productive. A fine example is my German built FLEX XC 3401 VRG Orbital Polisher. It's a forced rotation random orbit buffer. The forced rotation enables this buffer to correct automotive paint finishes over twice as fast as other random orbit buffers but without the chance to burn the paint as old style rotary buffers. $450 for a buffer alone is pretty high, but well worth it. It paid for itself many times over on the first major correction on a restored split window Vette that was done at a famous automotive restoration shop. He was so ecstatic with the results that I did ALL  of his collection AND  his everyday cars. I STILL get calls from him. LOL!

I've got a small collection of old hand tools, mostly old wrenches from Ford over 100yrs old.

[Skorpion 2,497]

15 minutes ago, CatManDoza said:

cheeky sausage sizzle while you're there??

You bet. Is what makes Bunnings so good lol

Edited March 29, 2020 by Skorpion
Typo

[Sinister 2,578]

Wonderful topic, I love tools and have been a mechanic/technician for 26 years now. I buy tools from various places and manufacturers depending upon their use. I will go the cheap route for home but not so much for professional work because regardless of popular opinion there is BIG difference. Pick up a Sunnex Impact Socket in one hand and a Snap On version in the other and that difference is noticed immediately. There are also a limited number of choices for many of the tools my job requires because not everyone makes stuff for heavy duty vehicles.

Here at home I have mostly tool kits from my by Kobalt which is the tool brand sold at Lowe's stores. They also carry the Craftsman brand now that Sears has went away. Speaking of Craftsman, they are now made in China and their quality shows it. I use those tools for jobs around the house and repairs on my cars, lawn tools, etc. Those jobs are low impact and as such cheaper tools are a no brainer 🙂

Work is a different story. I will only use Snap On tools for many things. Impact sockets for example. I also love their ratchets and some other hand tools. I have never used their wrenches though. The old Craftsman ones do just fine. For ratcheting wrenches I use Gearwrench only but it doesn't matter because those wrenches aren't exactly cheap from any manufacturer. Even the ones Harbor Freight carries will set you back over $100 a set. I love Precision Instruments Torque Wrenches.

For air tools I'm an IR user for impacts, Snap On for chisels and whatever is cheapest for cut off tools, buffers, etc. Last ones I bought came from Home Depot. They get the job done and are cheap enough that if they break I will just buy another.

An answer to the question of how we afford the super expensive tools is simple. Unlike going to Harbor Freight we don't pay the full price at once. Those trucks use interest free credit that is arranged by handshake. You can pay whatever you want per week in most cases. Some prefer a set amount but it isn't usually very much. Still, some refuse to buy anything from them but you don't see that often in shops that pay their techs properly. Took me a long time to get a job in one of those shops.

 

Also in my field the customer prefers to see a a technician that takes pride in his work. One that can finish a job and be happy to say, I DID THAT. So many out there that don't and just rush through everything and have lots of "come backs".

 

 

 

When a customer is trusting you to properly perform a critical $10,000 + job on his truck cheap tools just don't cut it 😉

 

 

I love my job 🙂

Edit: Good call on the Makita tools. They make nice stuff.

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Sinister

[Jjss924 576]

Mostly Ridgid for the plumbing tools. Ryobi cordless set leftover from construction days. I kept it cheap because of thieves. I'm replacing it with Milwaukee 12v compact stuff soon. Most of my hand tools are cheap. I do much lighter work now and need very few tools. I spend more on materials these days. I buy used when I can.

[Smurf 947]

 

 

Got a Skil drill with a screwed up chuck that I dont know how to remove & replace the chuck. The other drill is a 900 rpm Black n Decker, but after borrowing a 1900rpm Makita to drill through a concrete wall. I was surprised at the ease of how it went through the wall. Night & day difference compared to the B&D, good hammer drill.