sources for auto tools

"Building Race cars for others you need the best."

That is a different situation than using once or twice. When I did tool and die work, I had 2 sets of micrometers. Good ones and then really good ones. I only used the really good ones for when I worked in .0001's (ten thousandths of an inch). I kept a dual set all the way to 4". Good indicators, my own vernier height gauge. I get it when you are using them to make a living.

Harbor Freight tools, for the most part, are NOT for the professional, they are for the use once or twice crowd.

HOWEVER: :)

414180903.jpg
 
thats a-lot closer to being the truth than not!
more than once I've been shocked at the asking price, of tools being displayed

more than once Ive told him hes on serious drugs
 
"Building Race cars for others you need the best."

That is a different situation than using once or twice. When I did tool and die work, I had 2 sets of micrometers. Good ones and then really good ones. I only used the really good ones for when I worked in .0001's (ten thousandths of an inch). I kept a dual set all the way to 4". Good indicators, my own vernier height gauge. I get it when you are using them to make a living.

Harbor Freight tools, for the most part, are NOT for the professional, they are for the use once or twice crowd.

HOWEVER: :)

414180903.jpg
"Building Race cars for others you need the best."

That is a different situation than using once or twice. When I did tool and die work, I had 2 sets of micrometers. Good ones and then really good ones. I only used the really good ones for when I worked in .0001's (ten thousandths of an inch). I kept a dual set all the way to 4". Good indicators, my own vernier height gauge. I get it when you are using them to make a living.

Harbor Freight tools, for the most part, are NOT for the professional, they are for the use once or twice crowd.

HOWEVER: :)

414180903.jpg

You can always buy used.

Or Go China Route.
Chu Man Fu Tools.

Those 5- axis Mazak CNC Machine centers are real expensive at $2-3 million dollars each.

I am still a mechanic at 49 now.
My Tools fail break nothing gets fixed.
Out of Auto side now and back on diesels fleet work school buses.
Worked in several shops in Chicago & in past local GM Dealerships.
Unless your Rich & Famous to begin with or related to the Boss your all on your own.
Tools break and & your not working & you do not feed your family.

So You need the very best if you can buy it.
If not do not become a True Mechanic. You will last just 1-2 weeks and get tossed in the trash like a Chuna Tool.

Another way around all that.
Go Underground Street Outlaws Racing.
Your a Hero.
 
I never use a cheap tool that when it breaks, I get hurt. Or it doesn't measure correctly. etc.

Tools are cheap though to make, even SnapOn are cheap to make.

We have a tool forging company local to me. When they changed names, they sent at least one big dump truck full of quality name brand sockets, breaker bars, ratchets, you name it, it went to the dump and they watched it being buried. The truck driver grabbed a bunch when they weren't looking for the neighbor.

Instead of selling them, they buried them. That is how cheap tools are to make.

There is a difference between US cheap and China cheap, at least there used to be.
 
I never use a cheap tool that when it breaks, I get hurt. Or it doesn't measure correctly. etc.

Tools are cheap though to make, even SnapOn are cheap to make.

We have a tool forging company local to me. When they changed names, they sent at least one big dump truck full of quality name brand sockets, breaker bars, ratchets, you name it, it went to the dump and they watched it being buried. The truck driver grabbed a bunch when they weren't looking for the neighbor.

Instead of selling them, they buried them. That is how cheap tools are to make.

There is a difference between US cheap and China cheap, at least there used to be.

Matco Tools are OK & Lower priced.
Made in China most.
Works.

Don't know.
I have talked to Old Timers and Snap On has always been expensive. Just Engineered & field tested best, & Holds up best.
I guess not tools for a Home Hobbyist.
Pro Tools with holy sheet prices.
 
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FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Stanley Black & Decker has announced it is opening up a new manufacturing plant at AllianceTexas in Fort Worth, which will bring in about 500 jobs.

The company said its new plant will manufacture Craftsman mechanics tools like sockets and wrenches. It recently bought the Craftsman brand in 2017.
 
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Stanley Black & Decker has announced it is opening up a new manufacturing plant at AllianceTexas in Fort Worth, which will bring in about 500 jobs.

The company said its new plant will manufacture Craftsman mechanics tools like sockets and wrenches. It recently bought the Craftsman brand in 2017.
That is Good News Grumpy !
 
https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=icon hand tools&cid=sitebanner_lp_iconhandtools

harbor freights ICON tool line is a serious step up in quality over the existing pittsburgh line


btw this is interesting
Just a heads up....Lowe’s is now honoring craftsman tools warranty.
I took 4 well used and worn ratchets which would skip and bind. They matched them up with somethimg new on their rack and replaced with no questions. Good time to get those warrantied if you have them laying around.
 

855-385-1880


us%2FQFCTJJXKY0-66NZ8KV0%2Foriginal_img-v3%2Foutside-micrometer-set-m100-1.2.jpg

if you decide to get into engine assembly, you'll need a set of micrometers, now the linked set is obviously not top quality, but I've found it adequate to use and allows the person using it to assemble the engine without issues

855-385-1880 vevor


81QgyC1GshL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
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yes its such or so good a deal,
I just purchased a back-up set
 
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Did you pickup a cow milking machine while you were at it ??? ;)

They have quite the assortment of tools !

1673632108868.png
 
no! I just try hard to buy anything in the world of tools, that I can afford to purchase, that helps increase my skill and tool use in building better engines each time I build a new engine, thus I have a large and ever expanding set of engine assembly , precision tools , and a desire to learn everything I can about engine assembly, and yes an ever increasing number of tool chest's and ever increasing skills as I learn to use those new tools. (yeah I admit I'm a tool junky) yeah, you might be amazed at the quantity of tools and tool chests and knowledge I gained over the last 55 plus years and over a hundred plus engine builds, ( yes I certainly made mistakes on the first few engines, just like every one does, but that's all part of the learning curve, every one goes through if your serious about learning the skill set required to build engines correctly,!) and its one reason I try hard to post as much information/ knowledge, and frequently upgrade or post new info, about engine assembly and tool use, as I can to prevent readers from making mistakes I can now avoid, due to learning from my mistakes and mistakes I see other people make!

 
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my mic set arrived today, it looks like its a decent value
us%2FQFCTJJXKY0-66NZ8KV0%2Foriginal_img-v3%2Foutside-micrometer-set-m100-1.2.jpg


here's a set of similar tools to what I used for DECADES

yeah it takes time and it costs a bit more than you might expect to work on engines,
yes you'll need the typical mechanic tools (ratchets, sockets, wrenches, screw drivers etc)
but its a hell of a lot cheaper in the long term to do as much as you can rather than pay local machine shops
yeah I have more tools, I failed to list yet,
but this gets you a decent start


https://www.tooltopia.com/Fowler-FOW72-646-300 $97
https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-...ine-stand-57745.html?_br_psugg_q=engine+stand $300
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/tools---equipment/lift-equipment/engine-hoist-stand/63ea21c7f96a/power-torque-tools-2000-lbs-engine-stand/ptt0/pt34710?q=engine+hoist/stand&pos=5 $235

https://www.amazon.com/Anytime-Tools-MICROMETER-Machinist-Precision/dp/B000JMW4AS $149
https://www.amazon.com/Tooluxe-03703L-Torque-Wrench-Hardened/dp/B0019VMI0Y/ref=sr_1_26?hvadid=634138162205&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9026987&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14552529798781837907&hvtargid=kwd-26093134744&hydadcr=1610_13556224&keywords=torque+wrench'&qid=1697297821&sr=8-26 $21
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pro-66788 $70
https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-4000-...ocphy=9026987&hvtargid=pla-368968694334&psc=1 $87
https://www.harborfreight.com/needl...wECTJJWoocqp2Xti0trenypmNbpdCtNBoCauUQAvD_BwE $7

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-3...ickedid=629946432628&wickedsource=google&wv=4 $115
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SER2078 $40
https://www.cjponyparts.com/proform...BRmtqX-UKRXzC9_F1fmz1vuBz3p-AEFBoCLCoQAvD_BwE $83
https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Perform...hvaSp6v3a5oFdmqRbFd6S-SMhfv1BCrBoCrGgQAvD_BwE $69
https://www.jegs.com/i/Proform/778/67561/10002/-1 $18
https://www.jegs.com/i/Proform/778/66806/10002/-1 $18
https://www.jegs.com/i/Proform/778/66790/10002/-1 $12
https://www.amazon.com/Moroso-62191...lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER $85
https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/80597/10002/-1 $129
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Smal...l6Kqhr5dbODtNvmV3-wwsYY8CFWQkInxoC3DUQAvD_BwE $33
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pro-67492?rrec=true $31
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton...al-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-blue-56641.html $240
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283990629671?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr=1&amdata=enc:1sAiEPpRmTrWk6T19NvaARg30&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=283990629671&targetid=1644837434763&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9026987&poi=&campaignid=20394037589&mkgroupid=146829523890&rlsatarget=aud-1480434318228:pla-1644837434763&abcId=9317243&merchantid=6296724&gclid=CjwKCAjw-KipBhBtEiwAWjgwrJkH-U3zgHZIprfjvb6MzPPGDGb7irn0vugqxM9Ilm5j2FA7Pfy7-xoCSeIQAvD_BwE $27
https://www.amazon.com/VIVOHOME-Eng...ocphy=9026987&hvtargid=pla-584070357106&psc=1 $80
https://www.amazon.com/Tool-International-Mountain-Construction-MTN512005/dp/B09WQ2W52W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3VSI2QDZ28JDP&keywords=jack+stands+12+ton&qid=1697299539&sprefix=jack+stands,aps,173&sr=8-1-spons&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 $125
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...1w84VOvAFhnN7JcVpEzy3VJ9qJmJOyuRoCMd8QAvD_BwE $100


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you tend to get what you pay for, and there is no tool that can't be busted lf abused!
now there are bargains and much of the cheap stuff is crap quality
 
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