Man, I knew SnapOn tools were expensive, but… WOW! You’d need to have a TV show to afford that!
I agree with ok4450 about the Craftsman ratchets. On the few occasions that I’ve had to use one I found the gears to be of such poor quality and have so much slop in them that the ratchets are virtually useless in a production environment. What good is a ratchet that takes so much space to swing to the next tooth that you can’t use it in an average modern-day car? Or a wrench that rounds off bolt heads instead of loosening them?
Overall, I don’t think Snap On, Matco, etc, are comparatively more expensive than quality tools and equipment in any other profession. I was looking at cameras and really liked a Nikon SLR setup, but I can’t see why I’d need to pay $2000 to take pictures when my $99 smart phone works just fine.
Did I mention that Weller soldering guns seemed to have hit a skid also… 
Weller was the sh*t to have as far as soldering, but the last Weller I bought basically fell apart after 2 years. I bought a Blue Point that has been working fine for 10+ years.
Man, I knew SnapOn tools were expensive, but… WOW! You’d need to have a TV show to afford that!
TSM you’re only seeing half of it. What are you going to do with all those tools? Keep them in milk crates? No, now you have to buy a big “window blocker” toolbox that you need to hire a tow truck to move. You want to talk money? I have a large rollcab, stainless steel top, riser hutch, cabinets on top of that. Retail price was $12,000 in 2001 dollars. I never would have bought it if my employer at the time hadn’t paid for half.
Why would I buy a craftsman wrench made in China for twice the cost of a husky wrench when both offer the same warranty?
When Sears has sales on tools…it’s almost impossible to beat their prices. Their regular every day price is about the same price as Husky sold at Home Depot.
We have a great tool store, R&R Public Wholesaler
I’ll have to stop up there and check this place out.
It’s fun to see the Snap-On truck in the Sears Auto center. And it’s NOT there for service.
@texases
Thanks! They say a picture is worth a thousand words and your pictures illustrated perfectly what I was trying to convey… It appears some eyes were opened as to the actual disparity in costs and what your money buys.
I’ve almost completely switched over to acquiring Kobalt tools now. I find the fit and finish is excellent and the prices competitive…
wentwest I bought my Craftsman basic tool kit in 1975 it was exactly $49.95. I still have the steel box and nearly all of the original tools.
Did you send for the personalized name plate? I still have my toolbox, circa 1976.
texases I don’t recall the name plate offer. It may not have been offered when I purchased mine.
"I’ve almost completely switched over to acquiring Kobalt tools now. I find the fit and finish is excellent and the prices competitive… "
One thing I’ve appreciated with the Kobalt is that you can actually read the socket size. On some of my socket sets, I have to get the magnifying glass and shop light to read whether its a 10mm etc. I also like the color coding. I color coded all my sockets with red for SAE and Blue for metric and it was nice to see Kobalt following the same practice.
One thing I've appreciated with the Kobalt is that you can actually read the socket size
That is a gripe with most sockets…and the Kobalt sockets are easy to read. What I did to get around that was I have a magnetic socket holder and each place for a socket is labeled. When I’m done with the socket it goes back in it’s place. I really don’t have to struggle trying to read the socket.
@MikeInNH I agree. Using socket holders is critical. If I put them down I end up spending twice as much time looking for the socket 5 minutes later. Magnetic parts bowls are very helpful for sockets, too; use separate ones for tools, and nuts and bolts. I buy things like that at Harbor Freight. And I use a lot of plastic cups from food stores to hold all sorts of stuff, but after a while I find my tools all over anyway.
sockets are extremely hard to organize without having ten different boxes. I like to carry my tools close to my work, so ive got most of my ratchets and socket stuff in two trays from a very large tool box that stack on each other. that way I can carry one in each hand and have most every thing close at hand. I have similar trays for my wrenches, and an old plano tote tray with drawer for my drill bits and screw bits of all types. then another tray with all my allen wrenches and a bucket with tool sleeve for all my misc. tools, and my electrical pouch of course.
I purchased a nice 1/2" drive SK socket set for my daughter to give her soon to be husband for Christmas 1979.
It was sitting in the front window of an old, independant auto parts store. It had a lot of dust on it and the cardboard promotional insert the fit in the green steel lid was sun faded, and said SAVE $32.
When I enquired about the price, it turned out they had had it so long they had no idea what the price was. The counterman scratched his head, looked at the SAVE $32 and said “give me $32”.
My favorite set of ratchets & sockets is a Mr. Goodwrench. Back in '95 when I bought the Saturn, they were offering “maintenance seminars” to new owners. I figured “what the heck” and I went to one. It turned out to be way, way too basic, but I won the door prize, a good sized “Mr. Goodwrench” ratchet and socket set lined with SAE on one side and metric on the other, in a molded carry case. I’ve no idea who makes them, but they’re good tools. I guess they figured anyone who buys a Saturn is going to NEED good tools. They were right.
I have a Wen soldering gun that my dad gave me back in 1956 for completing a summer school typing class. I used it quite a bit to wire up electronic kits and do repairs on radios, televisions and other soldering tasks. It still works, but I can’t seem to find anyplace that stocks the tips for this gun. I dread the day when the present tip burns out.
Back in the '70s I knew a TV repairman who fashioned a tip out of a piece of wire coat hanger.
@Triedaq Yeah I always wanted one of those but it wouldn’t fit in my tool box anymore. Here’s a couple sources. Actually EBay looks good if you are serious. I hadn’t bought anything from Ebay for years but just did two purchases that worked out well. I refuse to go through the bidding but purchasing worked fine.
https://www.ebay.com/b/WEN-Welding-Soldering-Tools/46413/bn_7726244
As long as someone has revived a 6 year old thread I will mention that I have made new tips for my old soldering gun by bending 12 gauge electrical wire.
I believe I have the same red Husky box that Triedac hasm it was given to me by my in laws who were great Green Stamp users. It had a 3/8 ratchet and breaker bar, one or two extensions and SAE standard sockets short and long 3/8 through 3/4 plus a 13/16 spark plug socket. The ratchet is now a Craftsman and 3 of the sockets have been replaced and I have added a 5/16 but it still stays in the beat up rec box.