I love cheap tools do you?

[Gregski]

obviously I am being sarcastic

for those of you not familiar with the contraption it is a steering wheel puller, not sure what happened to the other bolt I think they only gave me two of those, who says the Chinese don't have a sense of humor (jk)

this is after single use

[Troy Sr]

I would just get better quality bolts!

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Troy Sr

I would just get better quality bolts!

yes sir that's exactly what I did, got some grade 8 from Ace hardware, problem solved... for now ha ha

[old Rusty C10]

being old i have a collection of craftsman tools back when Sears was a good quality store

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by old Rusty C10

being old i have a collection of craftsman tools back when Sears was a good quality store

ditto, and I remember being able to go in there with a rounded off Craftsman flat screw driver and walking out with a brand new one no questions asked, then they started asking for your email address, then your phone number, then they started exchange your life time warranty Craftsman metal box measuring tape for that Stanley yellow plastic box junk

personally I think life time warranty is the worst thing our fathers could have done for us as it was very short sighted, there is nothing wrong with getting a use out of a tool and then having to buy a new one at the end of it's life span

[truckin 79]

I thought you meant yard/garage sale tools. I always find myself buying needle nose pliers, screwdrivers and wrenches if they are cheap like less then a dollar. I actually have bought to many tools and I am going to sell some at my upcoming garage sale. I am going to sell single tools for a dollar, so I should make .25-.75 profit

[FleetsidePaul]

For one time use. I can't see forking out big bucks for a tool. I have a lot of cheap junk that I only used once.

[Rich84]

When I started as a carpenter's apprentice in 1984, the journeyman told me to get a Sears card and to buy craftsman hand tools because of the warranty. First thing I bought was a 16' tape measure for measuring and cutting Acoustical ceiling tile and a pair of linesman's pliers. I still have both, never used the warranty.
The cheap stuff is disposable.

[KW5413]

Originally Posted by Gregski

obviously I am being sarcastic

for those of you not familiar with the contraption it is a steering wheel puller, not sure what happened to the other bolt I think they only gave me two of those, who says the Chinese don't have a sense of humor (jk)

this is after single use

Back in a galaxy far, far away...I was a QA inspector for a LARGE fastener company. We called those butter bolts.

[LS short box]

Where I used to work we called them "mush" bolts.

[lousyflyer]

Back around 1985(?) I bought a neon green ratcheting screwdriver from Snap-on for interchangeable bits. I think it was $32.00 and everyone said I was insane for paying that much for a screwdriver.
The guy on the Snap-on truck said it would be "The last screwdriver you will ever buy". He was almost right.
I bought a short one, a long one, a T-handled one, and another regular one over the years.
But sadly, my first Snap-on screwdriver finally started malfunctioning about two years ago. I went out to the truck and asked if it could be overhauled. He said a rebuild kit used to be available but now they just give you a new replacement under warranty. He said pick out the one you want. They now cost $70.00 so I made money AND got to use a sweet screwdriver for 35 years!

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Rich84

When I started as a carpenter's apprentice in 1984, the journeyman told me to get a Sears card and to buy craftsman hand tools because of the warranty. First thing I bought was a 16' tape measure for measuring and cutting Acoustical ceiling tile and a pair of linesman's pliers. I still have both, never used the warranty.
The cheap stuff is disposable.

I bought a husky ratchet at a yard sale for a buck I think. It was old and beat up and gave up the ghost a couple years later. I said oh well. It was only a buck.

Then I was at Home Depot and they had a sign that said that Husky tools had a lifetime guarantee. So I figure WTH my Husky wrench is broken.

They gave me a new ratchet with no questions asked. I couldn't believe it. And they didn't want the old one which I thought was crazy. I could have come back two days later and returned it again. I didn't do that but I could have.

Husky stands behind their warrantee. They don't care who you are or how you got the tool. If it breaks they will fix it.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Rich84

When I started as a carpenter's apprentice in 1984, the journeyman told me to get a Sears card and to buy craftsman hand tools because of the warranty. First thing I bought was a 16' tape measure for measuring and cutting Acoustical ceiling tile and a pair of linesman's pliers. I still have both, never used the warranty.
The cheap stuff is disposable.

Gosh Rich , you must of put that 16 ft tape on the shelf after using it for a day or so,, I also am old Carpenter who has bought many tapes,,, and working building forms in the mud and sand took the lives of I do not know how many Sears tapes that I took in and traded for
a new one . .but hey ? I do understand working with putting up acoustical track they will last longer ,, good for you ,, I do have some metal cased tapes also ,, but from home and not from work..

[Steeveedee]

I bought a set of 3/4" drive sockets from HF many years ago, to pull the "giant" nut off the axle to replace the left front hub and bearings on my '05 Corolla. The trashed discs in my spine changed the direction that repair went in...I had to take it to a shop. 2 weeks out of warranty. I had pulled the clip for the boot off, but when I realized I couldn't get the nut loose, I put a hose clamp on it to take it to the shop. Less than a mile, but I didn't want to take a chance on trashing the "CV" joint on the way there. They even put that fact on the repair bill.

I haven't used those tools since, either. #sad

[LS short box]

As a tech for a manufacturing company we bought Snap On for the tools we really were going to beat on and need replacement on a regular basis. Never had a problem from the Snap On dealers. I had a plastic dead hammer from Snap On I had for over 30 plus years and it died about two years ago. Called the local Snap On guy and he said come and pick out a new soft hammer.
But if I know I'm going to mod a wrench or socket to make it work I buy cheap.
So my first big tool purchase was from Fleet Farm and they had Wright Tools. They were for my home work shop tools and I still have them today. 40 years and I wasn't easy on them. No failures.

[dmjlambert]

I have mostly Craftsman hand tools from years ago, and I like old used Craftsman tools. So I buy replacements on eBay if I lose a socket or need fill-in tools for my set. It is a pretty cheap way to go.

Also something cheap is a used Ingersoll Rand air impact wrench from eBay.

I bought new a Gear Wrench ratcheting combination wrench set and a few Gear Wrench box-end ratcheting wrenches, and they are very nice considering they are non-Craftsman tools. They were so cheap and so well made I couldn't resist.

For uncommon tools I like Lisle brand a lot. I use my Lisle 48700 Throttle Pedal Depressor a lot for testing brake lights. I test them often, because the tool I use to do it is so cool that it's fun. And I have a dozen other Lisle tools. They have a lot of really odd tools that you didn't know you need, and the quality is good and price reasonable.

[Steeveedee]

Lisle and Cal-Van...I have a drawer full of those kind of tools from my mechanic days!

[Rich84]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Gosh Rich , you must of put that 16 ft tape on the shelf after using it for a day or so,, I also am old Carpenter who has bought many tapes,,, and working building forms in the mud and sand took the lives of I do not know how many Sears tapes that I took in and traded for
a new one . .but hey ? I do understand working with putting up acoustical track they will last longer ,, good for you ,, I do have some metal cased tapes also ,, but from home and not from work..

There is no mud where you are hanging a finish ceiling..LOL. The company I worked for gave us a goody bag every Christmas with utility blades and a 25" tape measure.

[burnin oil]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

I bought a set of 3/4" drive sockets from HF many years ago, to pull the "giant" nut off the axle to replace the left front hub and bearings on my '05 Corolla. The trashed discs in my spine changed the direction that repair went in...I had to take it to a shop. 2 weeks out of warranty. I had pulled the clip for the boot off, but when I realized I couldn't get the nut loose, I put a hose clamp on it to take it to the shop. Less than a mile, but I didn't want to take a chance on trashing the "CV" joint on the way there. They even put that fact on the repair bill.

I haven't used those tools since, either. #sad

I put a couple of those sockets on the 1" impact and snapped 2 extensions and the adapter. The socket is still good 👍

[FleetsidePaul]

My ex wife called me a cheap tool once... Okay it was more than once.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Rich84

There is no mud where you are hanging a finish ceiling..LOL. The company I worked for gave us a goody bag every Christmas with utility blades and a 25" tape measure.

This reminds me of one time going in to a sears store and checking out 4 ft levels ,, I took the level over to a pillar that held up the ceiling and put the level up against it to check it out to if it was on or not .

The clerk lady came over to me and said: lots of guys check out our levels on that post and the post isn't level ..( no, she did not say Plumb" and so with out me trying to explain to her what I was finding I told her to ring me up and she says: you can bring it back when you find it is not a good one "" ??

[72c20customcamper]

Blew the rear brake from the master to the distribution block on the frame of my 85 this morning . Stopped at autozone because I had no line wrenches . Well I still didn’t have a set . Notice something wrong ? Must be for the elusive round fitting .

[72c20customcamper]

I made a new line this afternoon

[kipps]

3/4" drive sockets can be cheap. They're usually built with so much extra meat around the opening, and the tolerances are not critical, that even cheap manufacturers still produce something that will handle abuse. I've heard of guys welding 3/4 and 1" drive sockets back together if needed, if that tells you anything about how non-critical their tolerances are.

One good source for cheap tools is estate auctions and sales. Look for tools that show evidence of heavy use and abuse. Don't worry about name brand on those; the 'pre-testing' that tool has experienced is better testimony to the tool's quality than any fancy name would be.

Harbor Freight has improved a lot over the years. They're my go-to place now for tools where I need something now. No other brick-and-mortar store comes close to their selection, customer service, and quality. Their tools, particularly the Icon brand, are considerably better than Lowes' Craftsman tools. Yes, there's better stuff out there. But it usually means ordering it online, and waiting for it to arrive.

My 3/4" socket set was bought off the back of a traveling salesman's pickup for $80, back in 2007. The breaker bar I use with the set is a 36" Icon from Harbor Freight that I bought for $90. I don't expect to break any of the sockets, and now that I have a decent breaker bar, that should last quite a while too.

[Greasey Harley]

I keep my little puller in a box with all the bolts.
Any time I dont have the correct bolts, I go buy them in grade 8, and put them in the box when I'm done.
It works great.
Now it's pretty rare the right bolts aren't in my kit.

... I started this kit with a cheap puller, but it eventually stripped out, this one is a Snap-On.