Torque Wrench

[TresCrows]

Snapon and the other guys too have this thing called a catalog, you can order from it-- /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif .
Oh, some people look askance when they find out how many tools I have and the dollar value actually hits them between the eyes. They forget mechanics make their money with them. The investment return ratio has been very high, better than most do in the stock market especially given events of recent. Your tools don't cheat on you like Martha Stewart either. Considering the market, it looks like retirement may have to be postponed---forever /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif . Better go get those tools cleaned up. Well the market is a long term investment, just like tools so things should be OK, right Martha? Do any of you guys have your friendly local CEO's giving you stock tips. During the French Revolution they cut the heads off the pompous elite--let them eat bread, they said! I think some heads in the gutter would do wonders for honesty. You may be what you eat, say and drink or whatever it is JMIII says but a guillotene over the head would improve the attitude I think. J

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>some people look askance when they find out how many tools I have and the dollar value actually hits them between the eyes</font color=blue>

Yep, if they don't understand about mechanics, tools, and costs, it can really seem surprising. Your estimate of the value of yours doesn't surprise me at all. I know at least two mechanics who have $16,000 or more just in their toolboxes; not counting any tools, and these are automotive tools; not aircraft. Of the two guys I have in mind, one is the #1 mechanic at a Lincoln/Mercury dealership and the other owns the rattiest, dirtiest, run down, little old converted gas station building in town (not the kind of place any passersby would even consider taking a car for repair), but he builds high dollar race cars and gets paid well for it.

 

[Rowski]

I've got a<A target="_blank" HREF=http://buy.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&qt=1&tool=&INV_ONHAND=&FREIGHT=&qty=1&Item_id=52390&PartNo=KRL1003BPCM&Price=7%2C260.00&ListPrice=7%2C260.00&FORMNAME=2&Desc=Roll+Cab%2C+Triple+Bank%2C+23+Drawers%2C+Royal+Blue&SUB_Cat_ID=1151768&SUB_Cat_NAME=Krl1000+Series+Tool+Storage+Units&Cat_ID=1151568&Cat_NAME=Tool+Storage&group_id=3403&group_NAME=Roll+Cabs&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog> KR1003 </A> which is chucked full/w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif! I have replacement insurance value of $30K, this does include the hand held electrical testing equipment. I've also got quite a few special tools made by myself. Snap-on is the only door to door tool truck here so I don't have any experience with the others. I do have some (very little) Napa professional tools, not the evercraft stuff. The Napa professional hand tools seem pretty decent quality. I know if you go to a Napa store and ask for their proffessional tool catalog. I think Napa is starting to do a door to door tool truck.

Here is the link to <A target="_blank" HREF=http://buy.snapon.com/catalog/catalog.asp>Snap-on on-line catalog</A>. Best be sitting down when you price some of the stuff /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif.

 

[MikePA]

Yikes, $7,260 just for the tool cabinet, then put Snapon tools in it!!! I sure hope you guys have insurance on this stuff. You probably have more in your tools than we paid for our first house. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Rowski]

I got a good deal on a used one. It was like new, no scratches, I still payed around $5K. Makes it hard to justify having $30K in tools and getting payed (on average) between $15 and $20 per hour. But that's the way it is! You bet I got insurance, for replacement value. Lucky for me the shop pays for this/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

BTW, that cabinet ways almost 1K lbs with nothing in it!

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

My Dad was a mechanic by trade and did work both at his employer's place and at home. He had a full set of everything each place representing an investment made over decades. It was amazing the tools he had. When he was in his fifties, things starting going metric on domestic vehicles and he made the decision that he was too close to retirement to effectively redouble his investment in wrenches, sockets, etc., so he would pass on the newer cars and eventually was doing alignment work 100% of the time.

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Snap-on is the only door to door tool truck here so I don't have any experience with the others.</font color=blue>

If he's the only door to door truck in the area, then he really has a good territory./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif And I certainly have never meant to imply that Snap-on tools are not great tools; just that there are others as good. Before my brother became a Matco Tool distributor, he worked as a mechanic and had a lot of Snap-on tools himself. On his last job as a mechanic, he just had a $4,000 Matco toolbox because he thought their boxes were a little better quality than Snap-on. And when he became a Matco distributor, he sold that toolbox and all his Snap-on tools (lots of mechanics willing to pay premium prices for even used tools that have that Snap-on name/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif). Snap-on, MAC, and Matco were all 3 calling on the garages in my brother's territory, but fortunately, my brother made friends with his competitors, they worked out schedules so they called on the garages at different times, didn't knock each others' products, and any of the 3 would warranty any of the 3 brands; they just met periodically and swapped tools when necessary. It worked out to their advantage and to the customers' advantage.

 

[Bird]

Mike, my brother used to tell folks that those toolboxes cost about the same as good steak; about $5.95 a pound./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Of course, they usually weigh from 400 to 1,100 pounds empty./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif And I think every professional mechanic I know has more invested in his toolbox and tools than I paid for my first house./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif