Re: [T2] cheap tools

[Jim Arnott <jrasite@xxxxxxxx>]

What Hoop said.  

I have an eclectic collection of tools gathered over the years. 
Snap-on, Mac, Bonney, a few Craftsman, a few Harbor Freight. Most of the
former live in my tool box.  In the VWs there lives a small tackle box
with the tools necessary to emergency repair each of them.  Included in
that tackle box is a 17 piece HF Pittsburg Forge combination end wrench
set.  The quality of these wrenches is 80% of my Snap-ons.  The cost?
$19.95 for the set.  I buy them by the half dozen. If I loose a wrench
on the road, so what.  The set is cheaper than a 13mm Snap-on.

Additionally in each box I carry 5" genuine ViseGrips, a couple
screwdrivers, a plug socket with the correct extension(s) for that motor
and a decent (read Craftsman or swap meet Snap-on) ratchet. A 10mm 1/4
drive socket and ratchet completes the hard tools.  I also carry a $10
multimeter in the FI buses and a test light in the carb'd VWs. Total
expense for each tacklebox? Less that $50 new.

For a timing light, I use an old non-inductive pickup Balkamp.  Metal
case and nearly indestructible. Cost $5 at the swap meet. I've owned
inductive pickup lights and they are waaaaay to fragile for me. This one
works. Though sometimes it'll knock you on your a$$.

I also own a 3/4" drive socket set that I paid the princely sum of $29
for twenty years ago.  Chinese, Indian, I don't remember... Some third
world country. The sockets have survived just fine behind my CP 3/4
drive impact. (850 lbs ft torque).

On a budget?  Home use? Buy the mid priced Harbor Freight stuff. The
cheap stuff (40pc socket set @ $3.99) will ruin fasteners.  Their
Pittsburg Forge stuff is better than Craftsman. Buy the $20 wrench set,
the $30 socket set and a selection of their faux Craftsman screwdrivers
and they pay the shipping. Buy your multimeter and your timing light at
the local pawn/second-hand store.

You'll have everything you need except the special "use once" tools* for
less than $75.

* and I can tell you how to fake a few of those...

Jim Arnott
WetWesties
(and semi-pro automotive technician for thirty-five years.)