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#1
10-29-2008, 12:27 AM
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My economic stimulus package..
I'm looking most seriously at Snap On, Craftsman, Matco, Mac, and as well as Channel, Klein, Whia, and other brands US and German brands.. Not looking at all at anything made in China, India or any other 3rd world slave labor nations. The idea is spend between 6-7K max on a total work bench area for both my car tinkering and home improvement, focusing on high quality items and getting as much made in the USA as I can. Can you all weigh in on what I should get? and more importantly, why?
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BMW - X5 4.8i w/all US options packages, 19" Y wheels, White/Tobacco, Huper Optik 50% tint Mercedes Benz - E320 CDI Park Assist, NAV, Folding Mirrors, Premium Sound, Voice Command, Sunroof, Auto Rear Shade, Bi-Xenon 
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#3
10-29-2008, 02:39 AM
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I definitely agree with you on not buying cheap junk tools. There's nothing worse than cheap tools. Having said that though, I must admit to having some cheaper tools in my cabinet. It really depends on what it is and what you intend to use it for. For example, I bought a set of cheap Lowe's house brand (Task Force) files because I rarely use them and just needed them for one particular job. It didn't make sense to go all out on files. Things like screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, socket sets, etc, are worth getting good stuff. How good is up to you and your budget. Be realistic about your needs because most homeowner/tinkerer/hobbyists don't need too much more than say Craftsman for hand tools. If someone makes their living with tools then that's a different story. If your wallet can handle it then I'm sure Snap-On or Matco would be great. Check out Facom tools.
Power tools are a more complicated area. You have to decide whether you want to go cordless or corded. Then, what voltage do you want? Your best bet is to get a combo kit. I recently shopped this stuff and looked at Milwaukee, Makita, Dewalt, Rigid, and Ryobi. I really wanted an 18V Li-Ion Milwaukee drill but for less than the price of just the drill I got a 4 piece 18V Li-Ion Ryobi set. Is the Milwaukee better? Certainly but for my homeowner needs the Ryobi will work just fine. I got a drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, flashlight, and large carry bag for $219 less a 10% off coupon. You can't beat that. I've used them all and they work great. Definitely go with Li-Ion battery. They are super expensive to replace but Ni-Cad is such old technology. Even though I love the Li-Ion cordless convenience I have a backup corded drill, corded circular saw, and corded jigsaw.  If you are willing to spend the money go for the better stuff. I have heard great things about Milwaukee. Dewalt is always safe but their Li-Ion selections are limited. Makita is good too but I have heard that they might be slipping in quality. Check out http://www.mytoolplace.com/ for some decent deals. That's for typical power tools. If you want air tools, I don't know much about that other than having occasionally used Snap-On and Mac stuff which are both excellent. You mentioned a tool box but do you have a good tool cabinet? You must have a nice tool cabinet to store all these goodies in. Those can get pretty expensive too.
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#4
10-29-2008, 02:40 AM
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Quote:
DAMN!!! Is that your kit?
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#5
10-29-2008, 10:11 AM
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 with Presona Non Grata.Heavy use items must be Domestic high end such as Snap On, S-K or Mac. Medium use items either high end or Craftsman. Low use - Craftsman or even Napa. Stay far far away from the Import stuff. Those items could be listed as disposables. If you are budget sensitive or need high dollar items for low use, try a pawn shop. I picked up a nice Makita once. I have ripped apart some Craftsman and Napa sockets, but they were replaced for free. Now all sockets and drivers are strictly Snap on. Hopefully you have cabinets or storage available. New PRO cabinets are gonna soak up your budget immediately. BTW lakai, niccccccceee setup there! 
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#6
10-29-2008, 11:01 AM
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Mechanic's hand tools: Snap-On or Mac. You can spend lots of money here.
Craftsman for home duty, good value at that price point. I have lots of Makita power tools, but they are older ones and I think that they have changed their design philosophy somewhat over the years, targeting the home user more now.
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2007 X3 3.0si, 6 MT, Premium, White Retired: 2008 535i, 6 MT, M Sport, Premium, Space Grey 2003 X5 3.0 Steptronic, Premium, Titanium Silver 2002 325xi 5 MT, Steel Grey 2004 Z4 3.0 Premium, Sport, SMG, Maldives Blue
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#7
10-29-2008, 01:14 PM
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thanks for the input, glad you all bolstered my resolve to get high quality professional grade stuff. I know I don't "need" it but I want it, and as importantly, I want to do my part to help get this economy back on it's feet....
btw... LOVE that MAC setup.. Love the cabinet, and the color. I'm sure that box exceeds my $1500 budget on a tool storage unit. I'm leaning towards a mix of Snapon (wrenches, 1/4" and 3/8" drive Deep/medium and shallow Sockets, ratchets, extensions, breaker bar, and mix of bits, screw drivers, hammer, mallet) There is something magical about the way the chrome snap on feels in my hands.. it's like jewelry. Snapon as well for one of their more moderate priced cabinets ($1500 or so budget, made in Canada). Whia (German screw drivers sets) Bosch (Swiss made jigsaw AC) Makita (American made 18v drill) Makita (unfortunately Chinese made 18v impact drill) Knipex (German pliers and adjustable wrenches) Channel (US made pliers, locks) Stanley (UK made measuring tape/straight edge/angle) And a few other misc branded items... so far I've got just under $7K in all of these items. I just have to call the vendors to place the orders. Any last minute advise to add before I place my order! Last edited by MD11F; 10-29-2008 at 02:00 PM.
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#8
10-29-2008, 01:46 PM
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Quote:
 You might reconsider Makita for your drill and impact driver. I don't have hard proof, just opinions, that Makita are not what they used to be. JCL might have hit the nail on the head (nice tool reference ) in that Makita's focus might have shifted to more consumer mass market.I would also look at Hilti if you are serious about durable drills/drivers. They are certainly expensive and could blow your budget but it is true pro stuff. I had an electrician do some work recently and he was using a Hilti drill. I asked him how he liked it and he told me that he finally went with Hilti after burning out other brands. That's an electrician's use, not a carpenter!
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#9
10-29-2008, 01:56 PM
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thanks... yeah.. the one Makita is US made and seems nice in my hands... the other (the impact) is also nice and compact but made in China.. I can't afford to go with the Air tools yet, but that's the ultimate goal.. these will have to do for stop gap.
The Hilti look great, but would leave me no money for the hand tools alas! Heck, they don't even give you a price.. only do "quote" pricing.. sounds like a "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" price.. ;-) I set a hard budget for this re-work of the garage, and gotta stick to it.
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#10
10-29-2008, 02:03 PM
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Quote:
It's expensive to be cool, isn't it?  I was just throwing it out there. Hilti stuff is no doubt going to be pricey. Air tools are way cool, even with a hose attached. I had an acquaintance who used to own a car repair shop so he'd let me use the lift and his Snap-On air tools. There's something so cool about the sound and feel. I think you will have to get a home garage lift too. Hayaku has one and can give you his insights on this very nice luxury for your garage.
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