Total Motorcycle Community Forums

slimcolo wrote:I carry cheap tools in my tool bag and leave my snap ons in the shop. I tend to lose tools carried on bike.

I do that as well. I have some craftsman tools that are on the cheap side in my tool bag that I carry from plant to plant. I would rather lose those than my good wrenches. I use my craftsman ratchets I mentioned above daily for the past 6 years and have never had to replace one.

one of the good things about buying snap-on, mac, or macco is that they most of the time have a truck come by your shop once a week or once ever other week this can be a time saver. You do not have to go to some store to get a replacement tool, this can be a big problem when you are putting in a lot of hours in or there is just not that store convient to you. Yes you will end up spending thousands on tools, if your school has a discount use it. (50% off snap on I wish I could do that). as far as buying go to flea markets are a good source, pawn shops have these name brands unfourtanlly supplied by theives but you cannot help that, just my thoughts.

First "The few snap on tools I've used I didn't like. They were clunky and large"

I have a feeling they were not Snap-On tools. IMO, among the best things about Snap-On is their slim profile.

Snap-Ons and MAC are great hand tools.

Craftsman are decent, serviceable hand tools.

I have not used MATCO.

If you are going into the automotive/motorcycle repair industry, you need a complete set of tools. You can't get a 'beginner's' or "hobbyist's" set. No, your co-workers will not want to let you use their ordinary, everyday tools. if a guy has a specialty tool that no one else has, sure, but try borrowing a deep well socket 3 times in a day.

Buy a set of Craftsman. It will be 1/10th the cost of Snap-On or MAC. Buy premier quality tools once you can afford them. You can piece-meal replacement tools, you can't piece together a box you are going to take into work.

At least you have the advantage today of (generally speaking) having to buy only metric.

true for auto's. I rarely use a standard tool on any vehicle I work on nowadays. Cant say the same for work as 90% of the tools I use are standard.