Tool comparison. Interesting.

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Looks like he bought some pretty decent stuff.

The fuses and wire looming are probably the exact same thing parts stores sell.

I have no experience with anything battery powered from there btw.
 
I only own the HF pick set from that video. First time seeing the Earthquake Cordless Ratchet, just reading the reviews now. Likely not enough use to justify purchase though, but cool to think about.

This thread should be
35.gif
worthy.
 
The right tool for the job...

Nothing new here.

Professional mechanic needs to invest in quality tools. Shadetree mechanic, not so much.

If you have no problems buying stuff from China, HF is for you. If you do, you need to look elsewhere.

Pretty simple. Comes down to choice. Good to have choices. To each their own.
 
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As an aviation professional, Snap On is often the only tool that can do the job. The thin walled box wrenches and swivel sockets fit in tight locations properly and can handle the load. Good thing only a few sizes are needed. 1/4 through 3/8 inch are the common sizes that absolutely require Snap On tools. And the various Snap On screwdrivers are an absolute must.

For my home tool boxes, I have Craftsman wrenches, SK sockets and HF impact sockets and so on. They work just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
As an aviation professional, Snap On is often the only tool that can do the job. The thin walled box wrenches and swivel sockets fit in tight locations properly and can handle the load. Good thing only a few sizes are needed. 1/4 through 3/8 inch are the common sizes that absolutely require Snap On tools. And the various Snap On screwdrivers are an absolute must.

For my home tool boxes, I have Craftsman wrenches, SK sockets and HF impact sockets and so on. They work just fine.


I have to disagree with the Snap-On love fest, sure they make some decent tools but Stahlwille, Hazet and a few others are just as good if not better in many cases and yes they make aviation tools, Stahlwille torque tools are world renowned and considered the gold standard.
PB Swiss make some of if not the best screwdrivers in the world and regarded by many in that industry to be superior.

Snap-On is common in the USA and available and yes they are quality tools but they are not by any stretch of the imagination the be all and end all as far as quality tools go.

https://www.airport-suppliers.com/iwas_s...h-technology-6/

https://www.stahlwilletools.com/

https://www.hazet.de/produktkatalog/index.php?cPath=2_2620
 
I wonder if he used the 20% off coupon on any of that stuff? I thinking he could have bought more stuff for $370.

In the video, he says everything is made in China. He didn't do his homework there are other items HF sells that are made in Taiwan.

I agree with the other members here. If you make your living as a mechanic, then you probably need something of higher quality. For my needs HF fits my budget.
 
Having used Snapon tools at work for years and years, I prettty much put together a 66 GTO for a friend that bought in a box and he had Harbor freight tools you can really tell the difference. My dad bought me a set of Craftsman tools for my birthday in 1968 [I was 15 years old] and the Snapon still feel better. Would I buy Snap on tool for home use? Probably not.
 
I've broken enough Snap-On to know they have their limits. When the local distributor says not to give him more than one broken tool a week, I know they are bust his side to keep costs down ...

I have some HF tools, Proto, SK Wayne, Williams, Craftsman and Un-Break-O. And the Un-Break-O are still unbroken after decades of work
smile.gif


Tractors can get parts stuck so tight that a torch won't move them. Mud and dirt just do a number ...
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
As an aviation professional, Snap On is often the only tool that can do the job. The thin walled box wrenches and swivel sockets fit in tight locations properly and can handle the load. Good thing only a few sizes are needed. 1/4 through 3/8 inch are the common sizes that absolutely require Snap On tools. And the various Snap On screwdrivers are an absolute must.

For my home tool boxes, I have Craftsman wrenches, SK sockets and HF impact sockets and so on. They work just fine.

As an aviation professional, my box is stacked deep with Proto, Wera, Wiha, Klein, and Knipex. My ratchets are Gearwrench. 120 tooth and and I haven't busted 'em yet.

I am a firm believer that Snap-On doesn't make the best of anything. But if you want all your tools to match...
 
A long, long time ago I worked at a British car dealership and learned a trick to getting the flywheel off Jag XK engines. The bolts are 3/4" and an impact socket won't fit because of a shoulder on the flywheel itself and they are always tough to get undone. So you go to Sears and by a 1/2" drive 3/4" chrome standard socket. You use an impact wrench and after 2 or 3 flywheels it cracks because no standard socket is up to that kind of abuse. Take it back to Sears for a new one. Always keep 2 or 3 in your toolbox and you're always ready to go. Sad to see Craftsman tools today that don't match the quality of days gone by because other brands would just blow up when you first hit the trigger.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Cujet
As an aviation professional, Snap On is often the only tool that can do the job. The thin walled box wrenches and swivel sockets fit in tight locations properly and can handle the load. Good thing only a few sizes are needed. 1/4 through 3/8 inch are the common sizes that absolutely require Snap On tools. And the various Snap On screwdrivers are an absolute must.

For my home tool boxes, I have Craftsman wrenches, SK sockets and HF impact sockets and so on. They work just fine.


I have to disagree with the Snap-On love fest, sure they make some decent tools but Stahlwille, Hazet and a few others are just as good if not better in many cases and yes they make aviation tools, Stahlwille torque tools are world renowned and considered the gold standard.
PB Swiss make some of if not the best screwdrivers in the world and regarded by many in that industry to be superior.

Snap-On is common in the USA and available and yes they are quality tools but they are not by any stretch of the imagination the be all and end all as far as quality tools go.

https://www.airport-suppliers.com/iwas_s...h-technology-6/

https://www.stahlwilletools.com/

https://www.hazet.de/produktkatalog/index.php?cPath=2_2620


What's common though is that they're all first world made tools, not dumped Chinese junk that cost taxpayers their jobs in exchange for a minimum wage retail bozo... and people complaining about paying unemployment tax...
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Cujet
As an aviation professional, Snap On is often the only tool that can do the job. The thin walled box wrenches and swivel sockets fit in tight locations properly and can handle the load. Good thing only a few sizes are needed. 1/4 through 3/8 inch are the common sizes that absolutely require Snap On tools. And the various Snap On screwdrivers are an absolute must.

For my home tool boxes, I have Craftsman wrenches, SK sockets and HF impact sockets and so on. They work just fine.


I have to disagree with the Snap-On love fest, sure they make some decent tools but Stahlwille, Hazet and a few others are just as good if not better in many cases and yes they make aviation tools, Stahlwille torque tools are world renowned and considered the gold standard.
PB Swiss make some of if not the best screwdrivers in the world and regarded by many in that industry to be superior.

Snap-On is common in the USA and available and yes they are quality tools but they are not by any stretch of the imagination the be all and end all as far as quality tools go.

https://www.airport-suppliers.com/iwas_s...h-technology-6/

https://www.stahlwilletools.com/

https://www.hazet.de/produktkatalog/index.php?cPath=2_2620



There are some excellent German tools. No question! Maybe I should have qualified it by saying: (commonly and locally available) as the Snappy truck is here, and has been here, every week for the last 30 years, with high quality tools, available immediately.

Gulfstream, for example, uses Snap On tools.

I do not make the claim that they are the best. But the OEXL line of combo wrenches are fantastic, as are the angled 30/60 degree open ends. Those angles being something difficult to find in other brands. And the Snap On swivel sockets are really hard to beat. As they are stiff enough to retain hardware in position in difficult locations.
 
As someone said, the right tool for the job. As long as you are assessing your needs properly, you can choose an appropriate combination of build quality, ergonomics, safety, expected lifetime use, and utility.

I do like a good tool but I don't need Snap-On or Mac tool catalog tools for automotive work; I don't do anything but my own vehicles. In Electronics, where I do sometimes take on jobs for others, and where the work I do for myself requires a certain level of quality tooling, I use a combination of North American, European, offshore, and Japanese tools. The Japanese stuff is expensive but top shelf, I would say better than Snap-On quality. Have a few Knoppix (Germany) tools as well; worth the money.

There is something to be said for tools that won't fail you in the middle of a job; the aggravation isn't worth it in my opinion and getting a replacement costs time (= money). Only the rich can afford to buy junk (and buy the same item two or more times, and still own junk); poor folk like myself need quality tools that I only buy once and use forever.

There is also something to be said for buying some tools from the same manufacturer. For example all my battery tools are Milwaukee, all my corded ones Makita. It's not so important the exact brand you choose ... you could go with Ryobi if your needs fit ... but it pays to look at the whole catalog and insure that they make everything you might need, even if you're not buying at the onset. Then stick with that brand. You will save money on batteries, chargers, and consistency over time.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Cujet
As an aviation professional, Snap On is often the only tool that can do the job. The thin walled box wrenches and swivel sockets fit in tight locations properly and can handle the load. Good thing only a few sizes are needed. 1/4 through 3/8 inch are the common sizes that absolutely require Snap On tools. And the various Snap On screwdrivers are an absolute must.

For my home tool boxes, I have Craftsman wrenches, SK sockets and HF impact sockets and so on. They work just fine.


I have to disagree with the Snap-On love fest, sure they make some decent tools but Stahlwille, Hazet and a few others are just as good if not better in many cases and yes they make aviation tools, Stahlwille torque tools are world renowned and considered the gold standard.
PB Swiss make some of if not the best screwdrivers in the world and regarded by many in that industry to be superior.

Snap-On is common in the USA and available and yes they are quality tools but they are not by any stretch of the imagination the be all and end all as far as quality tools go.

https://www.airport-suppliers.com/iwas_s...h-technology-6/

https://www.stahlwilletools.com/

https://www.hazet.de/produktkatalog/index.php?cPath=2_2620


What's common though is that they're all first world made tools, not dumped Chinese junk that cost taxpayers their jobs in exchange for a minimum wage retail bozo... and people complaining about paying unemployment tax...



If someone can't afford high dollar tools, do you expect them to hire the job done instead?
 
He had a small pile of oranges and a large basket of apples that each cost the same. There is no proof here, only that HF tools cost less and you get more HF tools for a fixed dollar amount than Snap-On tools. But we already knew that.

If hand tools are your livelihood then you need ones that don't fail. And if they do wear out then you can get them replaced or fixed easily without you needing to drive all over.
 
I'll be honest, most of my hand tools (heck even the toolbox) is Harbor Freight. I do like their sockets and ratchets, never have broken anything yet. I have a collection of Craftsman stuff from the 70's all the way up to early 2000's. Most of them were my late grandfathers so I tend not to use them much. I keep a set of HF ratchet and regular wrenches in my work toolbag as well so if I lose or break one it's no loss. For odd or specialty items I'll go to a better brand. My Torx set is Snap-On from atleast the 80's. Electrical tools are always Klein or Greenlee, cordless tools have been DeWalt. I do have a HF electric 1/2 impact that is a total dud for the most part. I'll use it to put wheels on, but for removing bolts it's as useless as, well you know the old adage.
 
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