Snap-On Tools?? Worth it or not....

Hey all. A round for the house....

I am currently a student at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. I have
about 6 months left so I am starting to plan my tool purchase. I
guess by now you all know where I am going with this but I just
thought I would come to the source. As an MMI student I get about a
50% discount on Snap-On tools. That sounds great but 50% of something
very expensive is still very expensive.
My question is: If the money is not an issue, are Snap-on tools that
much better than Craftman or other manufacturers? Thanks all.

 

There are other very good manufacturers out there, but just about every
pro mechanic I know still uses Snap-On.

Make your own decision. I'd buy them, if I were in your position.

 

Nothing beats users comments/experiences:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#66c85a3adff9dcd4

http://groups.google.com/group/alt....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#c3690df142731ceb

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#ec5285dd08e1dedd

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#c818c33c8c09f052

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#27e6e8f895be5644

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#bafb2b9375707324

http://groups.google.com/group/alt....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#ea83e0ecb595a721

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#a0ff5ff672afc135

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....en&lnk=st&q=+"snap-on+tools"#630e2cf0721a80f7

and on, and on, and on....

 

In a nutshell, my advice is to shop around.


I got a similar discount when I took a m/c course. But other local
suppliers (Canada) of Husky and Jet gave discounts of up to 20% on
similar quality basic tools that were already only 50% of the Snap-On
prices. There is a brand here in Canada called Mastercraft Maximum
which seems just as good at a fraction of the price, although Snap-On
does have a few special tools that nobody else has. This brand is one
of those that laser-etches the sizes which helps me recognize them
quicker, last time I looked, Snap-On still wasn't doing that, so I'd say
they are a bit complacent. I have also been told that there are a
couple of brands that are made in the same factories as Snap-On, I
forget the names. I didn't need many new tools so only bought a couple
of heavy-duty totes and some extra long screw-drivers. The
screw-drivers are crooked! I didn't return them because I like to show
them to people who natter on about tools. The thing about tools is to
know them, eg., which sockets are better for not rounding bolt heads,
when not to use 12-point and so forth. Still, some of the Snap-On stuff
is not always matched by all tool versions from the other mfrs, eg.,
they'll have two models of impact driver - only the heavy-duty model
will be comparable to the Snap-On (when it comes to impact drivers, you
know you already are in a dubious position, so you want the best one you
can afford). The warranties for the other brands are similar to
Snap-On, usually no-questions-asked for obvious defects, but that
doesn't mean they'll replace a Phillips screwdriver that you have
mangled. The great thing about Snap-On is that truck will come to your
shop but you may still have to do without a torque wrench for two weeks
while it gets re-calibrated, better to have a couple of each size I say
and check them against each other.


I've met mechanics who did their whole apprenticeship with just a 20"
three-drawer tool chest, as 80% of the time, all the tools you need will
fit in that. Their shops had the other tools they needed. Organization
is just as important as tool quality, I have extra ratchets which have
the frequently-needed sockets on them all the time.


I think you'll find that you'll probably have to go to the specialty
motorcycle tool mfrs for quite a few m/c-specific tools, Snap-On won't
have them, last I looked its specialty tools were oriented mostly
towards HD's.

 

paul c wrote:
....

eg. MotionPro - neighbour is a Porsche mechanic. He was telling me how
much time they were wasting trying to reach some little out-of-the-way
a/c fasteners on one of the new models so I showed him my MotionPro 90
degree driver which I only got to adjust carb jets. He borrowed it for
a couple of weeks until his shop ordered several of them- none of the
factory tools were as good.


A former MI instructor, Mike Nixon, has a nice web site with
instructions on how to make a few tools, like a five-dollar high-current
ammeter, it's at http://www.motorcycleproject.com/

 

If money's not an issue, you've hit the big lottery, and paid off the
school, car, etc... then maybe snap-on but only because they come to
the shop and there's limited downtime chasing down tools. As long as I'm
spending someone else's money, get the whole kit from A to Z, and two of
each common wrench and ratchet too. Mactools also has trucks in some
areas. Craftsman had a really good rep, but not so much now, and YOU
have to go to THEM when you really need that 9/11th knutson adjuster
that's sitting on the Snap-on guy's truck.

OK, so my son graduated MMI last June, did NOT win the lottery, and
doesn't have a rich father... so he and planned his tool list as a
combination of snap-on for mostly specialty stuff, craftsman, Mac, and a
handful of needed but low usage tools from Harbor Freight. Craftsman
boxes on sale, inserts and organizers from Harbor Freight, and a box of
my old beaters for the shop monkey to "borrow" a screwdriver or pliers
from.

You know basically what you'll be working on and with, so purchase
according to that, but don't forget either the metrics or english tools
that you think you WON'T need. You never know when the boss is going to
have a YamyKawaHonZooki wander into the Hardley shop, and tell YOU to
"fix that thing".

Good luck with the career- my son loves it.

 

Also look at how easy the tools are to clean up. If they really get all
oily and greasy AND have a rubber grip, you'll cuss like mad trying to clean
them. Some just fall apart when the grips let go. Snap-On usually just
wipes free of muck quickly.

The only drawback of Snap-On or Mac is waiting for the guy to show up for a
replacement - and hope he has one in stock. If he goes on vacation, you're
screwed. They also tend to change salespeople a lot so you may have to
flush out a new one if your old one bails (usually because he defaults on
his biz loan).

You can write off the tool costs on your taxes if you work in the field. If
someone steals them, you can get quite a bit off the insurance if you saved
your receipts. Buddy of mine has about $70,000 in Snap-On stuff. I do like
his battery powered impact gun for the quick bolt or nut blasting. They
carry them on their wreckers as well. It puts out a lot of torque for a
non-air unit.

Fwiw, Harley's old Kiehn carbs have some really funky Phillips head screws.
You can round those expensive little things out without the right driver.
Craftsman had one that fit them really well. Shop required them.

B~

 

Thanks for all the info everyone!! I mostly have a mixture of
Craftsman and Harbor Freight stuff at home. Basic stuff from Harbor
Freight like pry bars, air tools,etc. For sockets and wrenches, all
Craftsman. They have served me well, but that is for my weekend
wrenching not everyday use. My instructors have also told me not to
waste big bucks on a Snap-on box since most of the Harley dealers
supply the boxes so the garage looks uniform. I got a Craftsman
catalog with about 14 different sets. Its hard to walk away from them
when you get so much more for the money. However, we use Snap-on at
school and I can feel the difference. The Snap-on tools feel much
heavier. They also have sets geared toward the manufacturer where the
Craftsman sets seem more tailored for the automotive community.
Thanks again for all the feedback!!!

 

I have a set of sockets, ratchets, box, open end and combo wrenches,
screw drivers, etc., purchased in 1971, the current stuff is not
nearly as good as the old stuff.

DJ

 

I was told by one of the instructors at school that Snap-On is
actually made by the same company that makes Craftsman? Is this
true? But then again the production process can be different for each
line.

 

bob prohaska's usenet account wrote:
....

I wish the wrench mfr's would state the number of teeth in a rotation,
preferably label it on the body. It really bugs me when I use a 1/4"
ratchet that has the same number of teeth as the average 1/2" one. I
suppose professional mechanics aren't bothered by this, but I'm not a
pro, so my time is more valuable to me!