Advice to my 18 year old Self (On Tool Buying)

I'm the minority with you, I do not like locking flex heads, and I have a nice snap-on not locking flex head and when it was knew it was great but over time it loosened up and I just don't like it as much. But I love a good detent ratchet.

If i know i wont use a tool very often i tend to buy the cheapest i find. For Pliers i buy knipex. The are awesome and dont cost that much here in germany. I Started with a cheap vigour tool case and still use it. They have plastic ratchets, so when you drop it on a car it doesnt even scratch anything unless you hit it with the socket. for a upgrade i bought a ks tools extending ratchet. thats awesome. Wera flexible lock 8796 is awesome for spark plugs with the rubber ring spark plug sockets.
also i can recomment a small cordless impact driver. its perfect for all screws. even big screws after you´ve broken them loose.

I don’t get the snap on pliers. Nothing really stands out. I used to borrow them from my boss and they have everything SnapOn. Knipex performs a lot better and a lot cheaper as well. There’s also other Japanese pliers that work wonderfully and much cheaper as well. Material dont wear off after heavy use. Teeth stay intact, grip everything everytime.

To save your pay cheque to buy the SnapOn pliers might not be the wisest choice. Sockets and rachets on the other hand are awesome. My 5 years old sockets from local hardware store fit horrible compares to 20+ years SnapOn sockets. That is where the money lie.

This is a great video. A lot of great advice too. We need a full tour box tour of your box too. 👍👍👍

What camera did you use in this video?

I have been enjoying your channel and am impressed at the percentage of views to subscribers. As a home mech. I enjoy seeing what pro's use. Some tools I really like that I have not seen on your channel are the Milwaukee socket set and Koken extensions. My Advise for young starting out would be the same as many have stated. I have been around long enough to see the quality of the cheap stuff improve considerably. The ability to research the best or best value of a particular tool has never been better. Take care of your tools. If you need an extension you also need a breaker bar. To me There are some tools you want snap on or equivalent out the gate like flare wrenches, but do some research. Avoid impulse purchases. You can only spend money once.

After watching so many videos of guys with Snap-On EVERYTHING, watching this video is a relief seeing that someone agrees with me on many tool choices.
I'm not keen on Craftsman, which is really overpriced for the (lack of) quality it offers.
I have one of the newer GW 120xp ratchets with the slimmer head, and I love it despite the locking head not really locking.
I got a vevor 1/2" socket set and they have a real complete range of sizes and the price is phenomenal!

talking about 6 point vs 12 point for impact sockets, i would recommend getting everything 6 point except for 1 size, get a 12 point 30mm socket for toyota axle nuts because im not sure ive ever seen a 6 point 30mm on a car.
i recently bought an axle nut socket set from gearwrench and it came with a 6 point 30mm socket that i had to trade in on the truck for a 12 point because i kept having to borrow from somebody else

Good option for starter pry bars are the hyper tough ones from walmart, made in the USA, believe its made by Wilde.

The HF Braun mini lights die at a frightening pace :( If you get one that works for more than a few days out of the box anyway. Thru warranty I've been thru half dozen from 2 different stores :/ Finally quit and bit the bullet for Streamlight from tooltruck. $120 or so but rechargeable, fits perfect, and has warranty

Idk I bought a 54 imch master series and loaded it with snap on amd cornwell tools all within a year 😂 I'm talking packed

I found my stream light stinger on a fan shroud of a tractor that came into the shop. Love the light

braun flashlights garbage dont even waste your time buying it even at 7 dollars

I retired from wrenching at 19, moved on to different things, but at 50+ I somehow find myself wrenching again!
I've built up a personal full service shop (auto & motorcycle, lifts, tire machines, etc the whole deal), over the last few years, on a crazy tight budget.
Luckily I still have all of my "Craftsman 188 Piece Set" shit that I bought back when i was a kid, and every used mac, snap-on, craftsman double-stack box I bought back then...

Now-a -days i love how much "cheap tool" quality has improved, and when I need something new (or just want it!), I do most of my shopping on Amazon.
I don't need snap-on lifetime quality (? is that even real anymore?), and I enjoy and use a set of Duralast or Tekton wrenches at a level that they will probably outlive Me.
I might do a Toolbox tour (or hey, come on out to my shop and put it on YOUR Chanel!) with the 7 or 8 full boxes I'm running, much of the drawer content is vintage stuff, some going back to Great Grandfathers ....
Anyhow, love your channel. Good Stuff.
When I feel like geeking on tools, you are my first stop.

Sorry but GearWrench has become junk

Best toolbox channel on YT.

gearwrenches notches are exactly why (minus my 2 snap on ratchets and 1 titan) every ratchet is gearwrench in my box. the detents make me moist. especially the other set that has optional lock. so good

Yess!!! What an amazing video. So informative and the camera angles are compelling

Good video, with some good advice, i used to hate seeing young kids feeling almost pressured by some people into buying from snap on vans. I generally tried to talk em out of going down that route, even helped some by passing on some of my older stuff . Most kids dont need a box that cost thousands. Ever

They aren’t the cheapest but I think the value is there in the gray pneumatic duo socket set basically you could buy one set and be done because of how thin they are you can do 90% of anything you would need a chrome for

No! I HIGHLY disagree with the band wrenches you showed. Get the Blue point band wrenches! The have spot welds and i have put three foot pipes on them to remove hydraulic filters on mack trucks etc. constant full time use out of them and they never broke! Snapon only few days ago asked me if i needed anything warrantied and i told him about these blue point band wrenches ive used for five years and i said "Yeah, theyre bent and floppy but still work great!" he gave me another new set for FREE! I paid $100 for them five years ago. And they still worked GREAT! Unneccessary warranty but it was very nice of him!

The thing is....when I started out in 2008....harborfreight just wasn't an option...their tools were literally garbage...I started out with the U.S.A.made craftsmen tools....then started buying on tool trucks...but even amazon wasn't really an option back then like it is now

I'm a buy once cry once person. But that doesn't mean I buy all expensive tool truck stuff. For instance, I would skip the Harbor Freight prybars and go straight to Mayhew because I know they would fit my needs and are better quality. Or, I have the Tekton chrome sockets in deeps and shorts and I highly recommend them. But I use mids most often so I bought a Koken set. I also recommend buying used. Many good deals out there.

Buy a thread chaser kit, being new. You’re bound to mess threads up. I got the Lang which is pretty much tool truck rebrands. It’s a life saver to this day. Chaser is to fix threads, tap is to create new threads remember that.

Im 30 a father of 2 girls. Im a steel plant foreman at nights i do a LOT of maintenance at work and do a ton of home makeover and vehicle repairs. I have a serious problem with wanting to deck out my garage. This channel is great. I love seeing what to set goals for as i age up and my kids move out in 15 years. But now the thought of spending 200 dollars on a set of pliers is unfathomable to me. Even at work we run Milwaukee but im always watching your channel and torque test to see what we actually need at the shop so im not throwing our company's money away. I cant wait to see how many subs you have in a year. Great job man.

The Milwaukee best M12 Fuel 1/4 driver, Fuel Drill, 4amp and 2 amp batteries, charger and bag.
199 at HD.

I like to buy cheaper then if I use it enough to where it breaks I replace with nicer stuff. Also if it's like certain items I get nice from the gate like line wrenches

2 things. #1 I second the Gearwrench ratchets and wrench's both are fantastic and have yet to break any of them. #2 get the m-12 fuel drill and driver combo kit it comes with 2 batteries and a charger (and a bag useful for road calls) and its $200 at home depot right now and I have seen it cheaper occasionally it really is the best starter kit for a new tech.

Great video mate.

If a guy could only go back in time. I wonder what problem you would create for yourself?

Great common-sense video, Thanks for sharing. A couple of observations, first. I know you mentioned the magnetic drain plug tool as being something you didn't really need. I would disagree because, as a new tech you'll probably find yourself doing many waiter oil changes. That drain plug tool is an excellent investment in keeping the hot oil & plug away from your fingers. Secondly, Snap on pliers are great but, I'm not sure a new tech really needs Snap on. I would run with Tekton. Wide selection, some made in the USA, excellent customer service and warranty service if needed. Many new techs don't stay in the business so, there's no need to overspend on the basics. Again, good job!!!

I bought craftsman and SK back in the 70s but back then they were really good tools

Buy a good used toolbox, I bought two different Snap On rollaround for $500 over the last 20 years . Bought a Mac MB 502 top box for $100 back in the 80s bought a max side cabinet with all six shelves for $100 back in the 80s so buy used.

I do agree sockets snap on are not required however that didnt stock me from buying them. For anything that moves swivels, pliers most ratchets. Usa or german

That harbor freight pen lights is pretty good for the price. Mine just went out after a year, but i used it has a hammer a few times still works just flickers sometimes lol.

The Ingersoll Rand Titanium is a good impact. But it has one fatal flaw I hate. No brake, it doesn't even slow down when you let go of the trigger and if not careful will kickback as it winds down.

The Blue-Point and others do this but not bad as Ingersoll. After using cordless impacts, if you grab that old Ingersoll or any old air impact, you will hate it and not just for the air hose.

Don't go too long without a complete set of basic tools. If you only got Chrome sockets, they ain't gone last long. If you don't have a complete set of 1/2 inch drive sockets, using adaptors and 3/8 for everything, you will wear out even Snap-on and Mac sockets quick. Like under the car if you can use 1/2 Dr, don't grab that 3/8. You just gone wear out your tools quicker because even though it might work, it's the wrong tool for the job.

Everything is crazy tight these days. Unless you work on new Toyotas or Hondas, you probably should never use a 3/8 impact on wheels. You end up just beating up all your 3/8 Dr tools for no good reason.

Air impacts or all air tools really, require that the shop have clean dry air. Many shops have water in the lines, harbor freight hoses that tangle themselves into a knot. So it depends on where you work as to if you should even use many air tools. Water shoots through it, it's trashed in a week.

I recommend the best roll cart you can buy, and don't even buy a tool box. These jobs don't pay enough to invest a hundred thousand or more in tools and boxes. And long as you are working for somebody else, it will never pay off. There is no big payday coming.

It never made any economic sense to pay over $45 per week on tools. Just don't do it.

I loved the change-up. Cool to see what you have and get your opinion on certain things. Love the toolbox tours as well but when you've watched all of them on your channel it gets a little repetitive..

G'day mate, The advice I will give is, Toolbox holds tools, Fancy expensive boxs are just that.
With sockets I would buy mostly impact not chrome. Ratchets, one longer and one short. I still only have two 3/8 ratchets and one 1/4 drive. Four 1/2 ( one worn out but cant through it out) and two 3/4. Wrenches, buy a set of combos and add any missing or larger sizes as you need them. cheers and thanks for all your vidios.

When I first started working on stuff regularly, I was like 13 years old. My grandparentsbought me the 500 piece craftsman tool set (Mid 2000s) when most of the stuff was still usa made i still have and use a decent amount of the stuff but alot is just a backup. Over the last 20 years iv worked on basically everything (submarines, tractors, semis, old and new cars and trucks, industrial maintenance) and always insisted having atleast some of my own tools, even when things where supposed to be supplied. My absolutely favorite 3/8" impact sockets are a set from O'Reilly's that come in a molded rubber sleeve. Iv probably bought 6 sets of them. Also impact sockets from harbor freight. Buy good ratchets, they don't have to be tool truck brand. Milwaukee battery powerd stuff will save you hours.

Guys start hitting estate sales ATM. I was given tons of American made tools today at estate sale.

I’d recommend getting a good breaker bar in 3/8 and 1/2! A good 3/8 stubby impact on top of a 1/2 too.

Good video man!!!

Ahh the age old question. If I could do it all over again. Thanks for continuing the debacle with more solid advice from a veteran. Glad to see your little one is by your side as well. Keep up the great work brotha.

Capri, sunex, icon, GP, lisle, husky and milwaukee all great for starting been doing it for 5 years now I still use tools from those brands

The first rule every new technician should is, if you borrow it 3 times, you buy it. If you borrow a tool 3 times or more, you know you can justify buying it because you will use it. Also, stay off the tool trucks if all you are buying is basic hand tools. One thing i do for shop or specialty tools is buy the cheaper versions (depending on the tool type and use), and if i break it, I upgrade to snapon.