Wrenches and Screwdrivers?

[JJ Wavra]

I recently met a snap on dealer at my local, and favorite coffee shop.  I am delighted with the products that I have purchased.  I baught two ratcheting screwdrivers one were the handle bends for extra torgue and one straight.  They are amazing.  The ratcheting mechanism actually works.  What I mean by this is that the ratcheting mechanism is so light you can use it with all types of screws and they won't back out when driving in a screw.  Also, there is a lot of accessories for them.  The shafts are interchangeable between the handles.  As an aside,  the bits are very good quality actually the best that I have used and my dealer told me they have a lifetime warranty also. 

What I did not realize is that if you go to a local dealer they may be cheaper than the website.  My dealer was about $35 cheaper for each screwdriver than the website.  So, the one screwdriver was around 45 and the other was around 55 dollars.  Factor in the lifetime warranty, I'm in my late twenties, and it was kind a of a no brainer for me.

As a side note to keep it fesreal, the ratcheting screwdrivers come in black and green similar to festool. ;D

JJ

 

[tbellemare]

Just a slight update on Paul F's list...

I think SK is independent again. There was a time when Facom had them and they were discontinuing certain Facom lines, like ratchets because of overlap. I think when Stanley bought Facom, they split them and sold out on SK.

I've been selling SK stuff for years and never had a complaint.

I'm sure it pales in comparison to some of the high-end European tools, but it depends on what you're trying to do.

Tom

They also sell 1000 Volt screwdrivers.

 

[Per Swenson]

Consider 3 things all.

application, application, and application.

Thing is, if there aren't 3 full, complete everything in the catalog wrench sets around here there are 4.

20 bucks sez there ain't a 7/16. or 9/16 in any of them. But one, The one thats locked and unopened.

Here at redneck automotive, fix in yer driveway cause thats the way it is. This stuff just disappears.

Nobodys stealing, just gets left in the driveway and under the hood.

Or junior needs a set to go to his sisters house.

So look at what you do with these tools.

Anybody else ever gonna touch em?  Ever?

You workin on the rattle trap in the driveway or the custom/classic/sports car on the lift in your own garage?

We all want the best, or we wouldn't be here.

But with that, we should infuse a little practicality.

Per

 

[Eli]

How's this for staying reasonable? I certainly fit the profile you described Per.
When I moved, I got here before the tools. So of course I needed some 'interim' tools. The local big box had a blow molded flip out set of Crescent wrenches with everything, allens, torx, three sets of sockets, socket handles, combo box end wrenches, screwdrivers. Just over a hundred bucks. I went out to look at it yesterday while I was making smoke and dust in the shed. The 9/16 box wrench is missing! Can't figure out what I did with it. I think it's in the box with the lag bolts, but I can't find that either.  :-[

 

[Mettes]

Hello,

what about WERA, another German brand.  I have some of there screwdrivers and always use there bits.  It's great material, they also make ratchets Wera Zyklop, but no wrenches.
The ratchet is fairly new and seems something worth looking into.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Consider 3 things all.

application, application, and application.
We all want the best, or we wouldn't be here.

But with that, we should infuse a little practicality.

Per

I generally agree with Per's overall commentary, but I have also found many instances in which the less expensive tool simply could not not work at all due to its excessive dimensions.  Recently I installed a fabricated metal bar clamp rack (for Bessey style clamps) from Woodpeckers on the wall of my shop.  None of my Craftsman sockets would fit through the space between adjacent slots so I could drive the lag screws.  But the thinner wall sockets from my dad's Proto and Snap-On tools fit easily.  If I did not have these, I would have had to make another run to the borg to get smaller lag screws.  I have run into the same type of interference/clearance problems many times when working on cars and machinery -- the cheaper wrenches and sockets are too large to fit into the available space at all, and/or their sloppy manufacturing tolerances cause rounded off fastener heads.  Poorly fitting screw drivers bung up the heads of the screws.

Per is certainly right that some tools seem to quickly develop legs and walk away from the tool chest.  So I recommend buying a couple extras of those items.

Dave R.

 

[polarsea1]

Needed that snap-on socket to tighten the 16pt cylinder base bolts on the big stroker.

 

[Michael Kellough]

have a large assortment of screwdrivers spanning a century. I second the suggestion of Wera screwdrivers. I only have a few Weras but they are far better than the next best in handle comfort and versatility of use. That is, you can grasp the handle a number of ways and it's still comfortable and allows quick or high torque use as needed.

 

[John Langevin]

As a young gunmaker, one of the best tips my instructor ever gave me was 'Brownell's, Inc. Montezuma, IA" they make  or sell  a wonderful variety of very high quality, American made hand tools. my favorite are their "Magnatip" screwdrivers; around 50 ground tip, high quality, tool steel  bits with a stubby and longer handle in a case for around $75.00 (haven't checked the price lately). The plain slotted tips ( which constitute the vast majority) are hollow ground so that they won't 'cam out' of a slot, fit virtually any screw ever made and fit any standard hex driver. I have had my set since 19?? and have never broken one.

 

[BIP]

....Snap On stuff also looks prettier.....

Seriously though, I have the Snap On ratcheting screwdriver Master set and love the ratcheting mechanism and ergonomics of the soft grip handle.  As for regular screwdrivers, I have a set of Matco screwdrivers that have very nice grips and are made by a German company (can't remember which one but I believe it starts with "W").

 

[johnbro]

Just more stuff to think about.

Used to be a mechanic--bought a lot of tools from Snappy on his weekly visits. Still have some sockets, wrenches, and a ratchet or two from the '70s.

Thin wall has been mentioned multiple times--it's absolutely true, the higher-end sockets tend to be thin wall which sometimes is the only way to remove a fastener.

Years ago Snap-on patented something call Flank Drive IIRC and it provided a bit more gripping strength--was incorporated into box wrenches and sockets. My newer combo wrenches have something like this on the open-end side as well.

A lot of the difficult aspect of professional auto repair is dealing with stuck fasteners--if you only work on new cars you won't often encounter 30 year old rusted bolts in inaccessible locations. A few things help get those stuck fasteners unstuck (aside from a torch, that is): 1) quality of the fit of the tool--closer tolerances don't permit as much slippage, which results in weaker grip on the flats of the nut or bolt head; 2) strength of the tool when you really really hurk on it; 3) 6 or 12 points--6 has bigger flats so more gripping strength; 3) comfort--as you put more pressure on it can your hand stand it? 4) alignment--if the tool (particularly a socket) starts to angle under pressure it can round off the fastener; 5) swing on a ratchet--ie how little can you move the handle and get a "click".

Amateurs who are repairing the old Chevy or restoring a wreck can encounter a stuck fastener and spend all day puzzling out how to unstuck it. A mechanic gets paid on flat rate--he/she is losing money with every second of screwing around. They'll pay for something that will get stuff loose quickly.

Screwdrivers: Wiha are nice, I like both them and Snapon. My snapons are the only ones in my screwdriver drawer in a fitted case, I don't reach for them first, I reach for them last I hate the little hard plastic handles on screwdrivers (CMan have a bunch with these handles). I like the fat, soft rubbery handles you can really get a grip on. Some bigger screwdrivers have a hex-shape in the shaft next to the handle, you can press down hard while turning with a wrench--kind of like using a bit brace. Has saved my bacon more than once. I think I have one monster slot head screwdriver with that configuration.

Have broken Wiha and Snapon screwdrivers, had both replaced under warranty. Wasn't using as prybar, either, just bad metal I guess.

I currently have a dead Cman 1/4" ratchet and a 30-year-old dead Snap-on 3/8" drive shorty ratchet. It's so old the repair kit that Snap-on gave me won't work.

With C-man I can run the dead tool to Sears and I'm done. With Snap-on I have to hope that I see a truck in a shop when I'm driving by and have time to stop and talk to the dealer. Oh, yeah, I have to keep the broken tool in my glovebox so I'll have it... Maybe there's another way to get my stuff replaced, I guess I should check the web.

The newer C-man and SK tools are excellent, no complaints. So are some stubby combo wrenches I bought from Costco, probably made in China. I don't hurk on them, of course.

I have some odd-sized screw drivers that I don't use often but they get me out of jams. Once is a slothead (C-man) that's about 2 feet long. There was a particular screw on a car I had that couldn't be reached without it. I used it last weekend to adjust the carb on an old F150 without having to climb up on the bumper. I have a wide, short Cman slot head that I use a lot, it's also great for opening varnish cans. I have a skinny slot head that's rarely used as a screwdriver but is handy for getting dog poop out of my boot soles, digging out little crevices from goop, stuff like that. Every once in a while I find a tiny screw in a tiny hole that only this driver can reach. I probably have 30 screwdrivers...

 

[thraskots]

Old post, new reply! ;D
I would definitely go for Facom. I work on the shipping industry (i' m a marine officer) and good tools are of absolute importance
(you see in the middle of the Atlantic there are no shops to replace your broken No 16 wrench when you need it . Facom even though
are pretty expensive are a must-have. When i'm at home  (like now) i do a lot of furniture making and most of the hand tools i use are
Facom and Bahco. The difference between Facom and all the others is in extreme precision. If you try to fasten a hex bolt with an ordinary
adjustable and with even the cheapest Facom you will probably understand what i am talking about. Frenchies know how to make their
tools work for you. As for rigidness they are Precision-hardened,  anti-corrosion treated and manufactured as per ISO 6787 and DIN 3117
standards.   

 

[Dave Ronyak]

As a young gunmaker, one of the best tips my instructor ever gave me was 'Brownell's, Inc. Montezuma, IA" they make  or sell  a wonderful variety of very high quality, American made hand tools. my favorite are their "Magnatip" screwdrivers; around 50 ground tip, high quality, tool steel  bits with a stubby and longer handle in a case for around $75.00 (haven't checked the price lately). The plain slotted tips ( which constitute the vast majority) are hollow ground so that they won't 'cam out' of a slot, fit virtually any screw ever made and fit any standard hex driver. I have had my set since 19?? and have never broken one.

I concur.  I purchased one of their lesser sized sets ~30 years ago as a gift to my father who did gunsmithing as a side business -- he was a professional automotive and heavy truck mechanic most of his working career.  I inherited that set at his passing.  He permanently torque twisted a couple of those bits taking apart some firearms, but never broke any.  Nor did he ever strip any of the gun screws or burr their heads.  The set I have has a very compact, quality ratcheting lever arm which grips the bits by their 1/4 inch drive heads.  I frequently use that mini-ratchet with other hexagonal 1/4 drive bits if I need more torque than I can apply with a common screwdriver handle.

For the benefit of those not familiar with quality firearms, the threaded fastners that are visible are frequently uniquely fitted to their tapped holes so their slotted heads are perfectly aligned and the contours perfectly match the surrounding metal.  You cannot simply go to a store, or even a gun dealer and buy an exact replacement screw.  Obviously, good tool and techniques are critical when working with these fasteners. 

Dave R.

 

[norwegian wood]

do snap on dealers have flex with their pricing? or are their prices the same as you see on snap-on's on-line catalogue? i have seen the snap on truck around from time to time but never had a chance to speak with him. just wondering if snap-on is like festool and sets the price. i have a feeling that is how it is. But the online prices seem way too expensive for wood workers to bother with. if i was working with them all day like i do with wood working tools then i would understand.

 

[Tinker]

I used to buy all Snap-on tools.  Eventually, my son and his best friend developed an interest in wheeled, whether two, three or four, vehicles.  they would borrow my tools as they worked better than the junk tools they managed to afford.  they started the hobby at around 11 or 12 years old.  Everytime one of my Snap-ons would be borrowed, it iether found its way into one of the boys tool boxes or were left lying on the ground right where they left them.

Fast forward>>>  eventually, the boys were able to buy better tools as thier interests developed into more raodworthy vehicles.  They learned from both fathers that good tools seemed to work better than the cheapies they had been buying. Since both boys were working for me, and I paid them well, they started purchasing much better equipment.  A couple of times, i actually borrowed from them.  I could not wait for the chance to use their tools so I could just drop them where I had used them.  About the second time this happened was the last time.  I went to borrow and discovered they had also learned the value of buying VERY good padlocks.

Once the two boys were out of my yard and on their own (both are still basically in the same biz I had taught them years ago, son has own excavating biz and friend is manager of very large landcaping biz, so something must have worked alright), i started reloading with good ol' snap-on.  By then, I was hiring "strangers" and tools would just plain disappear into thin air.  I'm back to buying crapsman.  By time I retire, i won't need Snap-ons anymore.
Tinker

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I really like the Wera stuff.  The screwdrivers, tips, everything is really nice.  I belive they have tips and such that fit the Centrotec.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I don't own any Centrotec chuck or bits... yet, but the Wera bits and bit chuck certainly look much like the Centrotec products.

Please test their interchangeability and let us FOG members know.

Dave R.

 

[Tony M]

do snap on dealers have flex with their pricing? or are their prices the same as you see on snap-on's on-line catalogue? i have seen the snap on truck around from time to time but never had a chance to speak with him. just wondering if snap-on is like festool and sets the price. i have a feeling that is how it is. But the online prices seem way too expensive for wood workers to bother with. if i was working with them all day like i do with wood working tools then i would understand.

They do run sales on a weekly basis, which sometime include a free tool or some type of collectable snap on novelty. You may also be able to hook up with tools that have been repossessed

 

[Bill in seattle]

Thought I'd throw my .02c in as well.

I was lucky to inherit (though unlucky to loose my father in law) a few years back. He was a mechanic all his life and worked on the early Chevrolet production lines building engines for the first corvettes and such. He also was a avid racer and well known pioneer in the sprint car and nascar circuits. (or bootlegging back then) 
When he passed away I was given his tools by his wife who knew they would be most appreciated by me as he taught me a thing or two about wrenchin, more so than any of the other family members.
Most all the tools are snap on,  mac, and  s-k as well as some older earlier series craftsmans.. They got used everyday and still hold strong and in good shape pushing 40 50 years or more now. I can only believe that I will be able to pass them on to my sons someday. Now I add on to these

There is a difference between good tools in the way they fit, feel, balance and hold tight as well as  get into places others can't.  Lesser tools And I do own many of them as well, just don't compare. I do keep them separate from the tools people come to borrow though and the kids only use them when I'm with them,(I think)

My opinion is get the best you can afford for what you are going to do with them. If you take reasonable care and don't abuse them they should last a lifetime or more as in my case. Spend more on quality if you are going to use them all the time or less if just now and then.
One thing I have learned is to keep the good stuff at home or in the shop if you can and then get ok basic sets for the car, truck or boat ect. Those are the ones that tend to wander off the most or collect rust or lost. I think of these as the broke down get me home emergency tools. If somebody breaks in and decides they need them more than me, (happened,) then I don't fret it as much. When I get home then I'll get the good ones out to dig into the repair work.
Its also kind of cool seeing louis name engraved on the wrenchs or sockets while I'm wrenchin wondering if these tools could talk............ ?

Bill

 

[JJ Wavra]

do snap on dealers have flex with their pricing? or are their prices the same as you see on snap-on's on-line catalogue? i have seen the snap on truck around from time to time but never had a chance to speak with him. just wondering if snap-on is like festool and sets the price. i have a feeling that is how it is. But the online prices seem way too expensive for wood workers to bother with. if i was working with them all day like i do with wood working tools then i would understand.

I found a local snap on dealer who was around 30-40% less than the internet price.  they can sell them for what they feel comfortable at is what I thought he said.

JJ