I am going to take an opposing position here. I fully agree that for tools
that are going to take a beating day in and day out, nothing beats
professional grade equipment. But for things that are only used once and a
while, I go for the cheap Chinese stuff. For instance: each of my trucks
and cars has a basic tool set made up of cheap wrenches, screw drivers,
pliers, etc. They are stowed in a kit in the trunk for emergencies. Would I
spend the bucks for sets of Snap-On gear just to sit in the trunk? For my
tractors, I sometimes need a 3/4" socket set, and I use the Harbor Freight
set that cost me about $50. For once a month use, how could I justify a
$300 set? If one of the sockets should break, I will go out and buy a good
replacement, but I haven't broken one yet. On the other hand, I am not
willing to risk losing blood using a 98-cent screwdriver - I buy top
quality for daily use. And my 1/4" and 1/2" socket sets are 30-year old
SK's - every so often the smaller sizes wear too badly to use, and I go to
the auto parts store and replace them.
So there is no right or wrong answer to Scott's question - it really
depends what you need the tool for and how much of your ready cash you are
willing to drop.
Mike Sloane (msloane@worldnet.att.net
----------
> From: Gorman, George <GGORMAN@dsava.com>
> To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: I know it is probably an old question but . . .
> Date: Friday, January 17, 1997 12:44 PM
>
> Scott:
>
> Got my blast cabinet through TiP in Ohio. They advertise in Hemmings,
etc.
> Prices are OK and service is great. I'm in VA too and I ordered my
cabinet on
> a Tuesday, it showed up UPS on Thursday and I was blasting on Friday.
Highly
> recommended. Oh, and there blast media tends to be a few bucks cheaper
than
> everyone else I've seen.
>
> For shop tools, air tools, etc. try Harbor Freight, but make sure you
get high
> quality stuff (Ingersall-Rand, etc.) - although my everyday air tools
were
> bought at Price Club in a "5 for $99" special. I used Harbor Freight for
my
> super IR impact wrench to supplement the wimpy one I got in the special
deal,
> plus for parts washer, presses, etc. Lots of tool suppliers and what's
cheap
> (or on sale) in one catalog may be expensive in another. Eastwood and
> especially Griot tend to be on the high end of the scale. Bye the way,
where
> are you in VA? I'm in Manassas
>
> George Gorman
>
>
>
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