What's you're favorite brand(s) of tools

[Rob-D]

Deere, Milwaukee, Mitutoyo, Starrett, Emco Maier, Wolf, Miller, Snap on, Agilent, Tektronix, Rohde & Schwarz, DeWalt, Brown and Sharpe, Lie Nielsen, Fluke, Kenametal, Wiha, Seiko, Omega, Carhart, Klein, Greenlee, Stihl, Leica, etc.

It's a long but distinguished list.

I've been inside Seikos and Rolexes. I like Seiko and Omega better. I like the big Miller welder but the small 110v Lincoln.
I don't like woodworking tools from Japan. I know they are 'shishi' now but I think we have different ergonomics, different hand and body sizes, their tools just don't balance for me. Did you ever use a Lie Nielsen plane? Perfect! I don't like Estwing hammers, I like wood handles. Some of the old Delta tools were great, their big table saw was a workhorse, I don't know who owns them now?
If I could have any small lathe it would be a Schaublin (Swiss) but the Emco
Super 11 (Austria) is a great machine.

Rob

 

[tybee]

Multi-pliers,machete's,tree saw's for shooting lanes,and some knives.GERBER
Boone

I love my Gerber multi tool. I bet that machete's awesome!!!

 

[mjncad]

Some of the old Delta tools were great, their big table saw was a workhorse, I don't know who owns them now?

Rob

Delta was owned by Pentair after Rockwell, now Black & Decker owns Delta and Porter-Cable.

Ah ha...I knew I'd forget some things.

Ball-Pein hammers: Estwing, I have five of them from 8 - 32 ounces.

Multi-tool: Victorinox.

 

[tybee]

Delta was owned by Pentair after Rockwell, now Black & Decker owns Delta and Porter-Cable.

I've got one of the old Rockwell era Delta Radial Arm Saws. They don't make them like that anymore!

 

[MESSMAKER]

Stanley sockets and ratchets are as good a Craftsman,Kobalt or Husky in my opinion.

Starrett,Browne and Sharp make very nice measuring tools

Lots of good knives out there, Cold Steel is very nice.

Porter Cable, Paslode and Senco air nailers.

Lee valley make some very nice stuff, whatever it is.

Dewalt drill bits are great.

Subaru/Robin utility engines.

 

[Hawghauler]

Chevy smallblocks

 

[Kernopelli]

I have a Gerber multi tool that I love and carried it the tool pouch on my enduro bike. I broke the jaws trying to cut something I had no business attempting to cut and sent it in to Gerber for repair. I told them it was broken due to abuse but loved it and to please fix it and send me a bill. Within a week or two I received a brand new tool for free. I called them and told them I wanted to pay for it and that it wasn't necessary or fair for them to replace it but they insisted and thanked me? ! I can't say enough good things about both their tools and the company!

I also like Estwing tools. I used to know one of the Estwing family members. He was kind of a quirky old hippy. He wasn't active in the company but sat on the company board of directors and I don't think he really knew a hammer from a chisel. From what I understood, he would go up to Rockford a couple of times a year for meetings but other than that didn't have much involvement. He worked full time as a county health inspector, which is how I knew him. No one could ever figure out why he chose to do this, his boss assured me he that due to his position in the families company that he certainly didn't need to work. But I say kudos to him, at least he wasn't sitting on his butt and I don't ever remember him bragging about being a member of "THE" Estwing family, he was a very common guy. In fact I made the joke one day that I had one of his hammers and that's how I learned I really did have one of his hammers.

 

[rjkobbeman]

Fogot...Hammers: Estwing

Depends what you are hammering. For driving nails all day, try a Stiletto Titanium. Outrageously expensive, but a full-size framing hammer is only 15 oz and drives nails faster than a 24 oz framer.

You got that right. For those that don't have one, they don't know what they are missing. For those that do, I'm sure we all agree with you.

I never would have imagined what a difference the right hammer can make.

I too use nail guns, but sometimes a hammer is required.

 

[tractorsanmore]

Snap-on rachets , extensions , sockets , etc..
Mac wrenches , screw drivers
Ingersoll composite impact wrenches
Ingersoll air compressors

 

[mike550]

snap on

 

[mjncad]

I've got one of the old Rockwell era Delta Radial Arm Saws. They don't make them like that anymore!

As I may have said before; the only Delta tools I hear people rave about are the Rockwell era ones.

 

[Rob-D]

snap on

What's your EXACT address there?

 

[VABlue]

Heh! I showed my wife that pic and she said "so what"... Sometimes it's not worth explaining.

I've taken a liking to Kobalt hand tools. I won't say they're the best, but for the money and ease of acquisition they get my vote. Craftsmen is another brand I won't hesitate to purchase. My power and nail guns are a mismatched collection of brands. Since I'm not a heavy user of them, they tend to last me for awhile.

 

[some zilch]

hand tools- harbor freight. i work on machinery worth $500k plus every day, (asphalt milling machines/reclaimers/quarry machinery/pavers/huge excavators/etc) and your snap-on wrenches dont do any better of a job than my HF. my job is more about getting the job done, than showing off your tools doing it. if you want to make a fashion statement w/your tools, be my guest. ive got other things to spent my $$ on, and not be in debt to my eyeballs. $100+ for one wrench is just outrageous, but some people eat it right up.

air tools: IR
elec tools: dewalt or milwakee

basically i use whatever gets the job done. i love people that needs $50k worth of tool truck tools to change oil in their car, and have a huge toolbox that takes up 1/2 their 1 car garage. to each their own.......

 

[Rob-D]

hand tools- harbor freight. i work on machinery worth $500k plus every day, (asphalt milling machines/reclaimers/quarry machinery/pavers/huge excavators/etc) and your snap-on wrenches dont do any better of a job than my HF. my job is more about getting the job done, than showing off your tools doing it. if you want to make a fashion statement w/your tools, be my guest. ive got other things to spent my $$ on, and not be in debt to my eyeballs. $100+ for one wrench is just outrageous, but some people eat it right up.

air tools: IR
elec tools: dewalt or milwakee

basically i use whatever gets the job done. i love people that needs $50k worth of tool truck tools to change oil in their car, and have a huge toolbox that takes up 1/2 their 1 car garage. to each their own.......

Don't know how much time you spent under cars but I built engines and machines for over 50 years. If you can't tell the difference between Snap on and HF you should be buying HF. Go tell that story to a top race mechanic and see the answer you get back!

 

[CurlyDave]

I too use nail guns, but sometimes a hammer is required.

The way I heard it is that every guy who owns a nailgun owns several hammers and always carries one when uses the nailgun.

 

[crazyal]

The way I heard it is that every guy who owns a nailgun owns several hammers and always carries one when uses the nailgun.

You've never met my step brother. He'll spend 15 minutes struggling to find a way to get his paslode cordless nailer into a space that a hammer would have done in seconds. Of course I was always an air nailer fan and couldn't see the need to buy butane cylinders or charge batteries. But after building a house with one and not having to drag an airline around changed that.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Harbor Frieght tools - boat anchors

:laughing:
:laughing:

I can't wait until I can be a tool snob. For now my favorite brand is whatever gets the job done...

Hammers: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Clamps: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Pliers: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Prybars: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Tubing benders: Craftsman pipe wrench.
and so forth...

I do have some real tools. I'll mention a few preferences:

The Powerbuilt brand of hand tools that Checker Auto sells is surprisingly well built, especially when considering the price. They come with a lifetime warranty too.
Any Milwaukee tool I've ever bought or used has always been nice.
Dewalt makes a great drill.
I love my Porter Cable router.
I love my Freud Biscuit Joiner.
I don't remember the brand of my micrometer, but it is awesome. Super precise, easy to read, and sturdy. It's analog. I like the personality of analog measuring tools.

I'd rather drag a cord around than screw with battery life of cordless tools. For that matter, I'd rather drag a generator around than screw with battery life of cordless tools.

 

[Rob-D]

:

Hammers: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Clamps: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Pliers: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Prybars: Craftsman pipe wrench.
Tubing benders: Craftsman pipe wrench.
and so forth...

That's good!
Don't knock Craftsman. I don't know how good they are now but I used them for years when I didn't have the bucks to buy pro stuff. I did a lot of good work and brought tools back that I had no right to return for new and they just threw them in the garbage and handed me new ones.

Rob

 

[Iplayfarmer]

That's good!
Don't knock Craftsman. I don't know how good they are now but I used them for years when I didn't have the bucks to buy pro stuff. I did a lot of good work and brought tools back that I had no right to return for new and they just threw them in the garbage and handed me new ones.

Rob

I have a set of Craftsman deep sockets that were given to me as a gift. I really like them! For some reason I can't bring myself to pay Craftsman prices as I think there are other tools out there the same quality. Since I've heard the rumors that the return policy has been watered down, I find it even harder to buy them. Any I've had have been very good tools. But, I've had other good tools too.