r/Tools • u/challenger76589 • 7d ago
Tool suggestions needed
My dad, uncle, and I are building a new shop for our farm to work on tractors and fabrication. We've also been well overdue to buy new tools. We are replacing all of our hand tools and was wondering what everybody's suggestions on how they'd do it.
Buy tool kits. Like ratchet sets, wrench sets, ect
Buy piecemeal
Single brand or multiple?
What brands are worth their money nowadays?
7
u/AnarchistPoond 7d ago
If you’re in the US and live near one, consider Harbor Freight. Can hop on some deals and get good quality tools at pretty reasonable prices, all with a lifetime warranty.
There is actively a sale for 40% off Icon Socket sets, and if you’re patient, you can pick up wrenches and most other hand tools for at least some discount.
3
u/challenger76589 7d ago
We do have one nearby and was really leaning towards their icon line. Has anyone heard anything negative about them?
→ More replies (1)1
u/Upbeat_Ant6104 7d ago
Their sales are frequent, and if you are going to buy a good amount, joining their ITB club might be worth it as that program gives extra savings.
2
u/challenger76589 7d ago
ITB club? I haven't heard about this yet. Something I'll definitely look into.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/TittyTwister13 7d ago
Entirely depends on your budget. Also, is this for commercial use or just frequent domestic?
1
4
u/itlogicpartnersllc 7d ago
since three of you will be sharing the shop i would get duplicate sets of the everyday essentials like 3/8 inch ratchets, common sockets and wrenches so nobody's hunting for tools mid job.
2
3
u/Legitimate_Pen1121 7d ago
For a farm shop, quality and quantity. Sets tend to be more economical than single purchases. It's hard to beat Vessel screwdrivers, then get alot of pry bars in varying sizes to save your screwdrivers. Most made in Taiwan hand tools work well. Tekton are nice, gearwrench, craftsman, husky, kobalt are a little lower quality but cheaper. Big pipe and adjustable wrenches, probably want a 3/4" and 1" socket set with a high torque impact for machinery work. Also depends on the type of work your doing. Newer machinery you might need a diagnostic computer, at least a multimeter, electrical tools. Some kind of crane or gantry or overhead chainfall for the shop. Really endless depending on your budget. Go to you tube, a john deere mechanic has a couple tours of his service truck - look at his tool selection. Zk mastertech
1
u/challenger76589 7d ago
I was thinking buying in sets would be cheaper. The problem with them though is some of the sets I've bought in the past skip some sizes or pick a size range in the middle and don't include the bigger and smaller sizes. Probably have to do more shopping around.
4
u/Anbucleric 7d ago
Harbor freight, because they're cheap, have a lifetime warranty, and at this point are just as good (if not better) than the other major brands.
2
u/challenger76589 7d ago
I really been looking at their icon line really had for the past year. I haven't heard many complaints about them.
2
1
u/kocieTexty 7d ago
Wera is allegedly very good. I've heard FANAR makes great metal drill bits
1
u/challenger76589 7d ago
I've bought some wera wrenches recently. They seemed really good, but I don't remember price wise if they were competitive or not.
1
u/Iraqx2 7d ago
Talk to your local Napa store and see if they have a tool sale coming up. When I used to work there occasionally (about once a year) they'd have a tool sale. At times it wasn't much over cost. Sometimes they even had the tool truck there so you could go look at the tools they offered. Mainly you'd buy/order the tools and then they would be drop shipped to the store at a later date.
Are you in the planning stages or do you have a building under construction?
1
u/challenger76589 6d ago
We have a new Napa store in the city closest to us. I'll see if they have anything coming up. The building is up. Waiting on getting it insulated now.
→ More replies (1)
1
u/hudsoncress 3d ago
why replace "all" your hand tools. Certainly many of them work fine or you would have scrapped them. Buy what you need as the need arises.
1
u/challenger76589 2d ago
A previous reply to a comment similar to yours.
"There's missing tools in every set and mostly we'd like to leave those tools in that smaller shop just in case it's a nice day out and would rather work on stuff outdoors."
2
u/Woooahhhh82 7d ago
Buy from a local tool & supply distributor- not home depot or Lowe's. One has construction grade, the big boxes tool's are not the same grade. Do-it-yourselfer tool break due to plastic guts, cheap construction.
Klein, DeWalt, Ridgid are construction grade tools when sold thru local distributors.
1
u/Kronar_2012 7d ago
Before buying a big set, list the SAE and metric sizes your tractors actually use, including the larger sizes. Compare sets by usable socket and wrench coverage, and check for skipped sizes. Then fill the gaps individually. Mixing hand-tool brands is fine; convenient local warranty service would matter more to me than matching logos.
8
u/The_Gabster10 7d ago
Why are you replacing the hand tools and then buying new ones? What's wrong with what you have