I use 40 year old Craftsman 1/2 sockets and wrench. Those old sockets just won't break even used in a impact wrench. I have some SK metric sockets from 20 years ago. I got alot of Chinese sockets and wrenches I lend out to others. They brake or strip all the time.

Bosch air tools. Matco too.

My next list of tools will include a Lincoln welder (MIG/TIG) and varous lengths of Craftsman 1/2 braker bars and a torque wrench.

 

I use what ever I find first, craftsman, snap-on, SK, Husky, Proto or what other brand may be in my rollaways.

 

For hand tools I think I will go with the Craftsman tools...
Has anyone had experience with the other Sears brand 'Companion'? I honestly never had seen them untill yesterday .. I asked if they also had the lifetime waranty and they do not...


Thanks everyone for the help and the words.

Hey DH6twinotter.. do you fly the twin otter on floats? That is sweet if you do.. my dream is to retire and start up a float plane biz with a DHC-2 or a DHC-3... no turboprop..the old smelly Radial engines

 

Dont get any hand tools without a lifetime warranty.
You will kick yourself later if you do.

 

I dont suggest using any chrome sockets on any impact tools. We used to explode a craftsman socket or two on an impact gun (ok, if you are wearing a full faceshield). If you did use it on a 1\2 inch gun then it must have been a very weak one. I know on my IR or Snap-on guns I could explode one in about 5-10 secs of impact. Quite a sight but very dangerous......we were young and bored......what can I say.

Does Bosch make airtools?

 

ah crap...I bought a ratching comb wrench set caz it was cheap of that brand and I though they had a lifetime warranty.

 

That's good advice. Just make sure you know what tool you need before you get half way through the job and then don't have a drivable vehicle. There are some odd sized wrenches/sockets/allens needed to work on these vehicles (12mm allen, 35mm socket, and 24 mm crescent wrench come to mind).

I tend to follow the minimalist approach to tools. I like to carry everything I need with me so I can do repairs in the field. That kinda forces me to only buy what I really need. You can do a complete engine swap with one medium-sized bag of tools plus a hoist, two good torque wrenches (in-pnd and ft-pnd), and a pipe for added leverage.
- actual bag of tools used to swap a mitsubishi montero engine - oooohhhh aaaahhhhhhh

There's a hodgepodge of craftsman, generic, husky, and other brands in that greasey bag.

Oh yeah, I really like my ratcheting craftsman box end wrenches. They make it a lot easier to wrench in tight spaces.

 

Good point!

40 year old Craftsman are cold dropped forged alloy steel either with a rockwell hardness of 72 (scale A).

In my opinion classic Craftsman tools are worth their weight in gold.

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On to another subject: Radial and inline airplane prop engines (Merlin - Allison - Royles Royce) kick @ss. Turbines are ok, but I respect the die hard piston.

 

I buy Craftsman as it's a nice inbetween level of tools. I did however buy a 200+ piece Mechanics set a few years back for a couple hundred dollars. It's had everything I've ever needed. As someone else stated, Craftsman does make a better line of tools then these, but what I've found, is that when I break something, I just take it in, and rather then having them give me the even replacement, they've always been willing to give me the credit of that replacement, and then I spend the extra bit to get the better tool.

The way I've seen it, is if I break it, it must be one I use a lot, so I'll get a better one when that time comes. To buy a whole set of more expensive tools that I might not ever use seemed wasteful to me, however.

Bill