What's in your toolbox?

[Habana Mike]

Needed some new tools to work on the Spider. Metric.

Decided on Beta Tools from Italy. 

Latest addition is an apparently very necessary torque wrench. 

Close tolerances are specified for a majority of the fasteners, particularly the cam cover nuts. At almost 500km on her now, she's due for some tightening.

 

Nearing the break in period I finally opened her up wide this weekend. The sound of the engine and the exhaust as you rip through the gears is pretty amazing!

 

[Chas.Alpha]

My nice stuff is all Matco and Snap-on, but most of the time I just use my Craftsman. On a GMC pickup with 350,000 miles, tight tolerances are no longer an issue!

[Rhinoww]

First, you can eat off that engine. Looks mighty pretty. 
 

Second my tools are mishmash of all sorts of brands. I inherited my dad’s tools which were mostly craftsman. All sorts of other tools from museum quality woodworking tools to single use demolition tools from harbor freight. But if I’m gonna use it more than once I tend to buy quality. Glad I have not matched my MB 107 with MB tools. That would have gotten expensive quickly 😀

[SCgarman]

31 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

My nice stuff is all Matco and Snap-on, but most of the time I just use my Craftsman. On a GMC pickup with 350,000 miles, tight tolerances are no longer an issue!

Many of the old USA made Craftsman tools were contracted by Snap-On and Mac. I have a ton of them from my father and his father. The new stuff is junk, no surprise. 

[El Presidente]

Gorgeous Mike. 

My tools are not quite to that standard. 

 

Di gave this set for my birthday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TBird55]

[Habana Mike]

2 hours ago, Rhinoww said:

First, you can eat off that engine. Looks mighty pretty. 
 

Second my tools are mishmash of all sorts of brands. I inherited my dad’s tools which were mostly craftsman. All sorts of other tools from museum quality woodworking tools to single use demolition tools from harbor freight. But if I’m gonna use it more than once I tend to buy quality. Glad I have not matched my MB 107 with MB tools. That would have gotten expensive quickly 😀

Craftsman were great tools back in the day. Also have many at hand from my dad and other purchases over time. Needed a metric set though for the European car.

[cgoodrich]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

Gorgeous Mike. 

My tools are not quite to that standard. 

 

Di gave this set for my birthday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@WarriorPrincess knows you too well and doesn’t trust you with tools that will actually hurt you! 🙄

[Nevrknow]

Back in the day Craftsman were top of the line. Also with lifetime replacement. Young and broke in high school I would find entire rusted sets at yard sales. $5 for an entire box/chest. People shaking their heads as I bought them not knowing the next day I was headed to the mall for FREE BRAND new replacements. 18 years old and had most people beat on tools. Not bad. 🙂

[rckymtn22]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

Gorgeous Mike. 

My tools are not quite to that standard. 

 

Di gave this set for my birthday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can't hurt yourself with those!

[HarveyBoulevard]

I have this big red toolbox in my garage. It has the phone number to the plumber and the electrician and the pool guy and the roofer and the HVAC tech and the mechanic. I think it has everything I need.

[Corylax18]

16 hours ago, Habana Mike said:

Needed some new tools to work on the Spider. Metric.

Decided on Beta Tools from Italy. 

Latest addition is an apparently very necessary torque wrench. 

Close tolerances are specified for a majority of the fasteners, particularly the cam cover nuts. At almost 500km on her now, she's due for some tightening.

 

Nearing the break in period I finally opened her up wide this weekend. The sound of the engine and the exhaust as you rip through the gears is pretty amazing!

 

That engine bay is beautiful! I have three torque wrenches. Why? Because they come in three common drive sizes!! Haha 

Mike, You might want to dig a little deeper on the BETA stuff, or really any tool manufacturers different lines. I looked at BETA Tools at one point and they make some great tools. They also rebrand and sell some VERY run of the mill stuff under their "Easy" line. Its all made in China and Taiwan and "assembled" and packaged in Italy. Its hard to tell, from the photos, but it looks like the black plastic box is labelled "easy." Dont feel obligated to buy Metric tools from Eurpoean manufacturers either. The Big 3 moved to all metric fasteners in their production 30-35 years ago. Less than half of their Vehicles are manufactured/sold In the states so freedom units where just costing them more time and money. Dodge/Ram/Chrysler/Jeep are aren't even US comp FCA(Fiat Chrysler Group) is based in Eruope. I do almost all the work on my 2010 f150 and nearly all my tools are metric, I only have  few imperial sockets and wrenches for random stuff around the house. 

For about 1/3rd the money you can go get some "Icon" line tools from Harbor Freight that with a lifetime, no questions asked warranty. If you find one on the street you can bring it to a harbor freight and they'll give you a new one free, right off the shelf. I dont own any of it myself, but I've only heard good things. 

There are really only about 5 or 6 full line tool manufacturers these days and they contract production for the hundreds of tool brands. Craftsman was purchased by Stanley Black and Decker a few years ago and has started to show some improvements again. They promised their new line would be "100% US Assembled" (not manufactured) which turned out to be BS, but the new tools look good. 

Tolerance isn't really an issue in most tools today, again, only a few factories are doing most of the production, plating, packaging etc. Anything that costs you more than $20 bucks for a set is going to be manufactured to similar specs until you jump to the really pricey stuff. Even then, all tools sold in the US should meet minimum strength standards. You can get higher quality tools for less money (relatively speaking) than ever before. I've had great luck with GearWrench on the mid level (mostly Chinese made but nearly pure copies in design/material grade to snap-on) and Hazet, out of Germany. I only spend the extra money on the German stuff for heavy duty, higher torque applications though. 1/2" drive and up. Stuff like lug nuts on my truck (150 Ft-lb spec)

[Chibearsv]

I've got most of the tools every homeowner should have along with others for maintaining another hobby 🤫.  The star of my show is the Snap-On ratchet screwdriver that I bought nearly 40 years ago.  While the rest of the tools have a home in the basement, this one stays nearby since it gets used all the time.

[Rhinoww]

14 hours ago, Habana Mike said:

Craftsman were great tools back in the day. Also have many at hand from my dad and other purchases over time. Needed a metric set though for the European car.

The metric have been the gap fillers for me as well. 

[In-A-Gadda-Davidoff]

Probably 90% of my hand tools are Snap-On, with some exceptions based on personal preference.  My wrenches are almost entirely Mac because they feel better in my hands than Snap-On.  I prefer Knipex pliers, and Wera screwdrivers.   

[NicPac]

This is the newest addition to my ‘tool box’. The Steelwrist addition to my excavators is a game changer. 

[Fuzz]

Mike, don't bother with any tools for your Alfa. Just use the money to put a couple of Alfa mechanics on retainer. 😜