# Where do you buy most of your tools?



## downtownjr

I used to be big on the Craftsman tools from Sears. These days I find myself at Harbor Freight just to be able to afford some items. Only the sales get me to the Sear's Craftsman aisle. How about the rest of you?


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## JD4755

Snap on and mac tools


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## Riverside Cattle

The one time in my life I won a drawing at an ag show I got a set of pliers and screw driver made by SK. I really like them and they have held up to my abuse. I have bought a few more of their tools. Most of my toolbox is filled with craftsman and junk but I am slowly replace with SK.

-RSC


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## jd6400

Snap-on man is in town on fri. am. usually stops by, or craftsman.


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## greenacres

snap on because I am tired of crome peeling and geting in my fingers


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## haymaker 515

there is a difference !


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## Byron Seeds

I buy alot from Napa used to be really big on Craftsman but I seem to be at the Napa store alot so I just buy them there.


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## hvy 1ton

Mix of Snap-on Matco, Proto, SK, and Craftsman. Moving away from Craftsman and more Snap-on and Proto. Still have a lot of craftman stuff, but the quality is on the decline with the new stuff. Bought a big Proto ratchet after smashing my knuckles when the Brand New 1/2 ratchet slipped.


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## Feed Hay

I used to be a Craftsman fan, but they are not what they used to be. Switched over to Snap-on tools a few years back. A good tool is worth the price. Been happy with Snap-on so far.


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## NEHerdsman

Depends... Craftsman or better for the tool box in the shop, Harbor Freight to stock the bucket in the back of the pickup that goes out to the fields...


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## purplewg

I too used to be a Craftsman fan but the last set I bought of end wrenches I think were miss marked. The half wouldn't fit a half inch nut. The quality is way down unless you buy the newer professional line they have out and then you might as well buy Snap-on. I have a mix of Crapsman, Snap-On, SK and others.

I recently purchased a replacement 1 3/8 inch 3/4 socket at TSC for $6.99 (farmhand or some such). Crapsman wanted $24 for the same socket. The new TSC tools have lifetime warranty also. I have also bought Kobalt (Lowes)and like them. I was told they are made by Snap-On for Kobalt. Don't know this to be a fact.

I keep the china tools in the tool boxes on the equipment and the good stuff in the shop.


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## swmnhay

Crapsman,LOL.That reminds me I have a couple ratchets that don't work that I need to take back.Hope they are covered they are about40-50 yrs old.Dad bought them,hand me downs.

Now I usually buy TSC or Runnings.Snap-on Craftsman don't seem to grow any better when they get plowed under.


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## mlappin

I usually goto auctions and once in awhile find good tools. Snap-on, Proto, Mac and S-K are worth the money even if you have to buy em brand new. I used to buy tools from T&E which were made in the USA at one time, just bought a set of metric impact sockets from em and those were made in Taiwan so I won't be buying anymore of those. Like what's been pointed out, the cheapies go in the tractor tool boxes.


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## okhillbilly

I have bought them all Snap-on, Matco, Mac, S-K, Craftsman. I have been an mechanic (semi's, boat's and auto's) for 25 years. I like Snap-On myself. But since I don't buy tools every day or have an account that I owe money to Snap-On the local dealers won't replace any broken tools I own. So as far as Snap-On is concerned they will never get another dime from me. Most of the local drivers have quit them due to the corporation raising the sales quota's around here. I hope you all that buy thier tools have better luck with your salesmen than I do. I'm done with them. I'll buy S-K or Proto or some other brand and just throw it away when it breaks.


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## Cannon

I mostly buy Snap-On, we don't have a problem with broken tool replacement. I know a lot of company's say " life time warranty" and that's fine except I don't want them to break. When I am 50 miles from East Egypt I don't want my tool to break in the first place. Some of my Snap-On's have given up on me but not many. I have broken Craftsman and they were replaced fine, but I was out of it when I needed it. I also like S-K and Proto but I get better service from Snappy Ron (our Snap-On dealer) .


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## nwfarmer

I have found that I can afford more Harbor Freight tools. Stock my PUs, each of the tractors and my tool box in the shop. I do break Harbor Freight wrenches but I figure if I break 5 or 6 Harbor Freight wrenches it is still cheaper than 1 good wrench. Having several sets I always have another of the same size handy. I have never broken a Harbor Freight 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 wrench. Buying them in a set for a couple of bucks each is a big savings.


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## barnrope

I keep a set of Planter wrenches in each tractor and vehicle. I buy the cheap ones so when the get planted I am not out much. They don't have too good of a germination rate though.


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## Mike120

I've got a mixed bag of mostly craftsman and TSC. I've tried Harbor Freight but the only thing from there that I haven't broken is a hammer. I guess I haven't pounded on anything hard enough. I agree with the logic that at their prices you can afford to throw a bunch out but at my age my knuckles are more important than the cost of a cheap wrench.


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## Vol

I buy about half of them off ebay (better tools) and the rest either from TSC or Harbor Freight.


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## txhayman

I too keep the good ones in the shop and the HFs in the truck. I loose too many tools in the field to take any chances. I have my shop tools laid out like surgical instruments in my tool chest drawers so I can easily tell when I have something missing.

You really have to be selective on what you buy at Harbor Freight. Many of their tools are doomed from the get-go such as the 3ft - 1/2" drive breaker handle with the thin neck. Get real! I broke that rather easy. The sets of impact sockets I have have held up well, though. Items like electrical terminal ends or MIG welder wire are a good deal when they are on sale. They are the same quality as the ones sold at any of the part stores or TSC. The good thing about it is the manager of the HF store that I buy at realizes that all they sell is a bunch of Chinese junk and he is quick to replace or refund. That comment takes me to my next point which is --- Just think about all of the waste that America goes through as a nation on a daily or yearly basis due to all of the inferior Chinese junk that doesn't last and gets thrown out. I'm not talking only about tools but everything...like hand sprayers, vacuum cleaners, lawn chairs, etc. I don't like this "buy from China" thing that we are force into on a daily basis. I'll get off the soapbox.


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## maknhay

^^^^^^ I'll have to agree with you. All the cheap crap available to buy has been brought on by ourselves (well, not me LOL) Everyone wants to buy on price only, so to be competetive quality has been trimmed down to meet the lower selling price. I'm fairly selective on the types of tools I buy Tiawan made. Very occasional use in the shop yes, but tools for the equipment in the feild that you need to rely on........top shelf only.


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## haystax

If you are unhappy with Snap-On service call the 800 number and ask for a corporate account. Our Snap On truck guys are real jerks and don't give "poor" farmers the time of day because we don't pay their ridiculous interest on truck accounts. I've had good luck with online sales and service from snap on.

SK is getting easier to find and replace and they are damn good tools. Snap On really only labels tools, they don't build anything so many times there are better tools to be had. Bluepoint by Snap On might as well be Harbor Freight.


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## bullet81

I have had really good luck with SK tools. I really like that mosts of my SK tools come in hard plastic cases so it has been easy to keep track of them. I really like mac also!!!!!


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## NCSteveH

In the shop it's Snap-on and SK, in the truck and on the tractors it's mainly SK and Napa, Love my gear wrenches and surprisingly one of the best set's of sockets I bought for the truck is made by sun-ex, 12 yrs of abuse and haven't busted or rounded one yet.


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## Building guy

I'm the same as you. I buy most of my tools, equipment at Harbor Freight. I've found the quality to not be that bad. You can't afford to fix anything anymore. It costs more to fix something than to buy new a Harbor Freight. Don't know if I would use them if I were in the building or construction business though.


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## cdunn

like Craftsman and have a lot but Harbor Freight is just as good and has a life time warrenty so why not cheaper but napa does have good stuff i use mine 5 days a week and if it has a lifetime warrenty and cheaper it does just as good


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## TheFastMan

My brother buys most of the tools and they are mostly Craftsman. He goes to UNOH and supposedly gets a discount through Snap-On and I think Mac, so he has been getting some of them, but they are still pricey even discounted. We have pretty good luck with Craftsman, we have broken our share, but they surprise us every now and then. Some friends of ours have a cash crop farm a few miles from us and they use a lot of Harbor Freight stuff. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for, but it seems to work for them. Where I work we sell a lot of cheap tools and some better stuff. Everyone wants the cheap crap even though I point out the obvious differences in quality and features. They buy the cheap tool, then it usually gets returned, not long after, in pieces. I figure if you are going to rely on it to get a job done, you might as well spend the money on it.


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## somedevildawg

Don't buy anymore snapon, ridiculously priced, no real discount for cash. Napa has good tools, probably built by sk or proto. Gear wrench is a good tool as well, if it's a disposable, like harbor freight, I don't buy unless it will be a one use deal, if it makes it through, I did good, if not, stupid me, I know better. Stuff gets built in china, shipped to port here in the states and within 5yrs I would bet that 90percent is in your local landfill, doesnt really matter what it is, china learned about planned obsolecence long ago, only theirs was planned fall apart, I buy nothing except Apple products from china. They seem to control their manufacturing process to high standards, the other day I had to buy a half inch torque wrench, traveled all over town to find one not made in china, found one by Atd made in America couldn't believe it, probably from components made in china, so far been a good tool tho.


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## jcsites

I can really rely on Snap and Mac. Almost most of my tools are from them. And they are durable also.


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## swmnhay

Found a few good buys HERE.

Buzzard Gulch Tools Homepage


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