Building a Beginner Mechanic Tool Cart UNDER $1500

why would the job not just provide tools to new employees

Your look doesn’t help your cause.

For tools you know you're going to use guaranteed every day I would spring for something nice, with the buy once cry once philosophy, but also because a nice tool won't ruin your day like a finicky tool might.

Then there's the dumb tools, hammers, pry bars, oil filter wrenches, basically tools with no moving parts and those you can cheap out on.

This was a very good video though, love that he wasn't brand loyal because the brands aren't always loyal to you.

Nice. Making technicians buy tools twice instead of buying once.

I’m not a certified tech and have absolutely no training but I’ve been really enjoying working on my own car I’ve done some basic repairs and preventative maintenance but I don’t know if I want to pursue it, people are leaving the industry for a reason right?

Definitely dont need electric tools those are luxury

Great video 🔥🤘

This is a great video! I’m a DIY car guy and thanks to this video it made me realized what tools I have and what I didn’t have. Definitely saved me time and money. Also thanks to this I got the Milwaukee combo kit (impact driver/drill) with a free 50 bit kit and a free 3/8 ratchet . Definitely a game changer for me for $250 out the door

The yellow box is badass 👌

First thing they told me when I started was don’t get on that tool truck and blow ya money they’ll get ya 😂

That's a good starter setup. I've been turning wrenchs for a few decades now and within the last few years started buying off the tool truck. You can still have the great success off cheaper tools. It's not the tool that makes the mechanic good that comes with experience and time.

whats really sad is this same cart in the uk is being sold for £500 more almost triple the price in the us and its mostly sold higher because its sold under a different brand name which is a shame because i'd really like to invest in one for my personal space i have

I just started working at my first shop 3 weeks ago and they have me as a lube tech. Once I'm done all my shit I slowly go over to the diesel guy and work with him until a oil change comes in, lol.

Very nice. As opposed to Snap-On's "Apprentice starter set" which is over $3k,and is insultingly basic. Worst mistake a new tech can do is think he needs $25,000 in Barbie boxes, only to make $40k his first year.

I hate Lowe's, but Husky and Kobalt have done me right for budget tools.

Apprentice here! I wish I started out with something like this and had the advice from my trainer to start out cheap, I was dragged in by the tool truck and ended up with around $700 worth of debt in the first 6 months, I had a us general 52 inch toolbox and I only recently invested in a roll cart, I took my big box home for personal use and it was the best decision I’ve ever made, bigger box doesn’t mean better box!

I hope all Newby get to see this. This is really good. Thanks.

I am done working on cars. I would give my tools away ,

Tekton has some really good no blow hammers that i think are better than the harborfreight brand and mabye a good set of bolt biters from gearwrench would be a good additon to an aprentice toolbox

Tekton

This is extremely incorrect and could be fatal to a young's technician career, we all know red is the fastest color, not yellow.

I expected better

I think it when starting out but starting ff that get the job done and breaker bars will save your ratchets but the replace the high use items a 72 tooth 3/8 ratchet made by snap on I know kinda expensive but you can feel the difference. Actually I had a 30 tooth ratchet but that compared to a 72 tooth is night and day.

lmfao 🤣 his face reaction when he saw that 1/2 inch torque wrench lol

Icon is pretty good !

Two additions or substitute ideas

I personally have ryobi impact, drill and driver which all will be cheaper than the Milwaukee and the impact you got plus they all use the same batteries which can simplify it a little. Though i an partial to Ryobi since i was already using their power tools and things for diy before i became a mechanic so it made more sense for me to just stay in the system then buy new tools and batteries. In my experience the ryobi power tools have been pretty tough having dropped them from hoists several times and the worst damage was just the battery fell out and i just had to press the button on the side of the battery cause it got stuck pressed in. Then i could just put it back in and it ran just fine.

The other thing is I personally got a 1/2 inch drive extendable rachet from harbor freight with an adapter set and I could get away without a breaker bar because i could extend the rachet to 18 inches which did it most of the time. I've beaten that thing up and it is still going strong. I find it gets small enough that you can use it without over tightening (though sometimes i have to choke up on the handle just to again reduce my torque so I don't over tighten things) but overall I found it's a great tool. Though in my shop I was taught to just get the feel for correct tightness and didn't really pull out the torque wrench all that much. Anyhow hope this helps

I had a cart exactly like this years ago and I saved a lot of space by buying a couple of the magnet bar tool holders from harbor freight and bolting them to the lid. That’s where I put my ratchet wrenches. I had to replace the gas struts with cables though because the lid didn’t go back far enough and the weight of the wrenches would close the lid on me. In all, I think it was $50 or so and I had freed up an entire long drawer of space. Also bolted a large metal foot locker type box to the side, added shelves and had a hazmat locker. Best home garage box ever!

Also anyone getting their box set up now can get 6 batteries 2 chargers and a 3/8” extended reach ratchet and the p262 half inch mid torque impact at Home Depot for the ryobi days for only 398 plus tax. Way better than dealing with hoses

People workin on Toyotas will at least need an m12 triple square if they ever need to do a bead gasket job. They’re good to have. Need to get myself a torx and triple square master set.

So in the US if you work as a mechanic you need your own tools? Thats hillarious 😂😂 In Finland the workshops will have everything you need for free, u dont own them though.

Any advice for where to get torque specs for wheel nuts?

Why’s it getting better and more opportunities? I just started and it seems solid. Thanks for the video

I became a mechanic because of you 4 years strong so far crazy journey had roughly $2000 tools stolen from me just to rebuild everything even better I have this box and it’s spilling over with tools lol can hardly push it around anymore gonna have to upgrade soon

What box do you recommend for intermediate techs?

If you do a lot of tires get a better 1/2 gun asap

IDK I recommend starting with impacts then further on get mids. Just get a good ratchet. Broken a lot just on oil changes

I realize when watching videos like this that I could easily become a technician. I inherited tools from my grandfather. Fun part about that is he was a Ford mechanic that worked in his garage, also one of the few in town that Snap-on would pull into his house driveway.

Those general roller carts are great! Couple guys in our shop have them. Only thing that sucks is those struts go bad pretty quick. Funny enough subaru rear gate struts were an exact fit and we threw one in. Opens better than new with a tired gate strut lol.

I would reccommend the Pittsburgh 225pc mechanics tool ser over the gearwrench tool set because yku get a tin if sockets for 1/4 in, 3/8in, and 1/2in drive. There arent that many wrenches but you can get the kit on sale for $99.

ok, granted i am only up to the hammers, but what is the point of trying to put together this affordable cart when you don't talk about what you picked and why? maybe you do that later on, but i have better things to do.

We did this at our dealership and the apprentice during the lunch break sold the toolbox with the tools for crack

i made the mistake of having a halfords box (english tool brand more for home use than anything) and the snapon dealer at my vw dealership was willing to give me 1500 for a box that i paid about 300 for in return for a 40" stack and side cab that costs well over 6k with interest it is what it is but i love the box its a shame i didnt look around first i wish i would have cause i could have spent £700 and got a pretty decent sgs 72" box new currently looking for a roll cart for all my power tools, i work on the commercial vehicle side of vw so theres a lot of pretty horrible vehicles that roll through so my box and what not gets a nice break clean at the end of the week

Sonic tools cart. Nuff said!

Torque oil filter housing and oil drain plug lol

Super helpful. Thx for vid man

I got the m12 hammer drill a year ago over the impact driver or both. I knew I could use hex bits with the drill so I was fine with getting it.

Make friends with your local Mac or Snap On tool truck guy...they will save you "trade ins". I got my first snap on tool chest for $75 from my Mac dealer...someone painted it black over the red...who cares. $75 for an $800 box. Used tools, too. My Mac 1/2" impact gun...$40...about a $600 gun...our class a had the same gun, gave it to me for parts spares, after buying the most expenaice snap on carbon fiber gun...and having to borrow his old one back when his new 1200ftlb or whatever gun failed to break a nut lose hahaha. Mastercraft wrenches and sockets are more than fine to start! Specialty sockets like large one for axle nuts...just buy individually as needed. You'll have em all in no time. Used tools can generally be sold for what you paid for them. GET A Good set of pry bars and breaker bars...cheap ones break. If i can break them and im only 135lbs, you will too. Trust me. Screw drivers are worth spending on, imo. Cheap ones stripping screws costs too much time, and a good set isnt that expensive. First high dollar spend was blue point gear wrenches, and snap on driver set. Both time savers. Oh...i got a 1/2" mac torque wrench...about $400 wrench...for I think $40, from the Mac dealer. Our snap on guy sucked and would juat try to demo and sell us garbage new products. Mac dealer was AMAZING. I had more tools than the guy who hired me in no time. And i never had to pay upfront, just had a running tab. So if he had a trade in or something i wanted, it was mine, whether i had the money on me or not.

Live learn and progress that’s the model. Keep up the great work young/new techs