Brand Of Tools

[Puddle Jumper]

Thanks Guys

 

I really appreciate all your help in regards to types of tools to purchase. The reason my toolbox is lacking is because I currently work for a civillian company that works on a military aircraft....hence the employer supplies tools. I am currently working on building my toolbox as I one day plan on working on a civillian registered aircraft in order to obtain my AME license.

Thanks for all your help, keep em coming

PJ

[RedRag]

I have a sweet Facom 1/4 drive ratchet had if for about 10 years and don't ever touch SnapOn one. BUT.....Stanley now owns the rights to Facom. At least in the US. When they bought Mac Tools it went in the crapper.

 

Get a set of 30/60 degree off set wrenches from snap on. (1/4" up to 7/8") If you cant afford the set buy the 9/16, 11/16 and 5/8" ones to do b-nuts. Also a snap on "S" box end wrench, one end is 3/8 and the other is 5/16. Works great for RR fuel controls and Pt gov's, also the bomb for bell hydraulic pump nuts.

 

Craftsman is good to have around, when that late night comes around and you have to take a torch and a grinder to a wrench. You'll cry less than you would doing a heat and beat on a Snap-On at 2am.

[Underslung]

Stanley owns Mac, Facom owns SK

Its awful hard to beat SK ratchets & wrenches , Snap on , Proto , Mac , Klein pliers, Fluke meters and Daniels. If you check ebay most stuff can be purchased used in good shape for a third to a half of what the bandits on the truck want for it.

Tools like women , trucks , boats , houses etc are a personal choice but I would recomend that a guy working on multi million dollar equiptment at least buy North American quality tools and stay away from the mastercraft/ Canadian craftsman/Princess auto offshore junk thats pedaled to the guy wanting to change his oil on Sunday.

[RedRag]

Here's a link to the Stanley buying Facom and owning MAC. I got the Facom story from my SK guy and was hoping he was wrong. Nope......

 

http://www.stanleyworks.com/bu_facomtools.asp

[Three_Per]

People always talk about warranty like its all that matters. "if you have a lifetime warranty its all good you are protected" and other such stuff like that. BUT if you work in the field warranty means #$%& all no mater what the company if you have an essential tool break in the field you can't take it in to the local CDN tire, sears etc dealer for a no hassle replacement. All that matters is quality and functionality. To add to that I notice many people with cheaper branded tools and they tend to not take care of them as much as someone who has invested a lot of $$ in their tools. so if you want to get the job done right and have your peers look at you as a "professional" buy the best and take care of it.

[Underslung]

thanks for the update redrag, it appears things have changed and I stand corrected

[Lunchbox]

To add to that I notice many people with cheaper branded tools and they tend to not take care of them as much as someone who has invested a lot of $$ in their tools. so if you want to get the job done right and have your peers look at you as a "professional" buy the best and take care of it.

 

I think it's all relative, and depends on the person. Owning brand name tools dosen't make an engineer 'professional'. Their attitude and work ethic defines their professionalism. I've seen guys with all Snap-On gear that were disorganized and dirty. I've also seen guys with cheap a$$ tools that were extremely competent and professional.

 

I buy tools purely for their functionality. If it works/fits, is reliable and dosen't break, it's good enough for me. Some things only Snap-On sells. Others only available through MAC. The odd time, Canadian Tire is the only one who has it. But I'm not going to pay $30 for a brand name wrench that is of the exact same quality as the $5 one. I will however, pay $50 for a good set of duckbills, rather than cheaping out on the $20 low quality version.

[splitpin]

I think it's all relative, and depends on the person. Owning brand name tools dosen't make an engineer 'professional'. Their attitude and work ethic defines their professionalism. I've seen guys with all Snap-On gear that were disorganized and dirty. I've also seen guys with cheap a$$ tools that were extremely competent and professional.

 

I buy tools purely for their functionality. If it works/fits, is reliable and dosen't break, it's good enough for me. Some things only Snap-On sells. Others only available through MAC. The odd time, Canadian Tire is the only one who has it. But I'm not going to pay $30 for a brand name wrench that is of the exact same quality as the $5 one. I will however, pay $50 for a good set of duckbills, rather than cheaping out on the $20 low quality version.

 

Good post Lunchbox. It's not so much the tool, but more the person using it.

[212wrench]

"It's not the arrow, its the Indian"

-Lee Trevino

 

When asked about the differences in golf clubs. He won the British Open using a putter that he bought in a bargin bin in Holland for $4.

[RedRag]

Well said. My 1 7/8 crowsfoot for 407 tailrotors is stamped made in china, works fine. But, I have busted no name wrenshes and have seen cheap 12 point sockets destroy nuts.

 

I guess it comes down to how much you want to spend....

 

I have a putter I could have sold him for 3 dollars, it doesn't seem to work right for me. So it must be broken, it can't be my problem.