Are either of these a good value for the money? If so, which

>>16215011
The tools are fine, except the modern craftsman ratches are absolute shit.
The sets posted are a good place to start building a tool box, but I would buy a nice set of ratchets also

I have that toolbox. I dig it.

>>16215088
Would you consider the 270-piece kit unnecessarily large, or good for a beginner? I want to try to avoid getting tools that I don't need, but I'm new to DIYing so I don't know what I'll need right now.

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>>16215098
Those look straight. What does the 270 even have? Looks like the 240 gives you plenty of sockets.

But if I were you, look for a nice socket set alone like the big one in this pic (if it on sale of course). Then grab those folding hex keys (metric and SAE, probably on sale for like $10ea), then a nice assorted pliers set, a real screwdriver set, and a set of open ended or ratcheting box wrenches. Add a couple more little things for home improvement like a tape measure, hammer, level, vise grips, etc and you can get those as you need them.

Those mechanics sets are straight but they are basically a ratchet set with a few extra things you may or may not use. IMO it's best to get a good socket set with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" ratchets and then buy more inclusive and better sets of the hex keys and box wrenches and screwdrivers.

>>16215204
You are a faggot

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40x hex keys/allen wrenches might be a little overkill.

My experience with those kits is that you are paying for the box. Personally I would've gone for something more compact. Also, get a dead blow hammer and a breaker bar.

>>16215204
So you recommend doing it piecemeal, and just getting a good socket set for Black Friday, if one's on sale?

>>16215098
Looks like a big part of that 270pc kit is the box wrenches. It gives you 12 of them, which is nice and will cover the common stuff but you will probably find youself wanting more or larger ones in the future so I stand by saying just find a good socket set and then get the wrench and hex key set seperately. That way for a couple bucks more you will have a socket set with everything you need plus better hex keys and better/more wrenches.

Remember don't be afraid to spend the money either because the stuff should last you decades if you take care of it.

>>16215216
(You)

>>16215230
And if that's the case, what socket set do you recommend?

>>16215235
meant to direct

>>16215235

to you

>>16215235
whoops, meant >>16215240

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>>16215230
Yeah of you find a good deal on the socket set then go for it. Because either way you will def need pliers and probably good screwdrivers and a few other small things to really do home improvement shit. Breaker bar and those ratcheting box wrenches for suspension stuff on cars too.

Look at Lowe's too, I think they have some sales going on and the Kobalt tools are similar to Craftsman in price and quality. Can't go wrong either way for the weekend warrior.

Funny thing is for little home improvement jobs, this POS set I grabbed on clearance at Meijer a few years ago has been more useful than any of the big "mechanic sets" simply because it has a hammer for hanging pictures on the wall and some pliers and a tape measure.

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>>16215257
>>16215240
Idk I'm lookin at the Sears one right now. Ace might have some Craftsman sets on sale too and still gotta look at Lowe's.

Pic related is a bit more expensive but looks nice because it has real screwdrivers as well as a good selection of open ended wrenches. Add a pliers set to that and that's a solid mechanic setup aside from a few other little things.

>>16215277
Hmm, that's a bit more than I was hoping to spend but it has everything, so I'll mull it over until I decide where I want to go tomorrow.

>Idk I'm lookin at the Sears one right now.
The 230-piece one?

>>16215260
you are a faggot

If you only work on japanese cars like honda/toyota

1/4, 3/8 rachets with 8mm, 10mm, 12, 13mm, 14m, 16mm, 18mm, 22mm sockets is all you need. and maybe some box end wrench (or reversible ratchet combo wrenches of the same socket sizes specified)

and a jis screwdriver

for the most part its all a backyard mechanic ever needs.

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>>16215297
I was looking at the Sears website just to see what else was on sale but it mostly looks like those mechanics sets are the only ones on sale.

I'm gonna see what's on Lowe's now.

Pic related is pretty cool since it looks like it gives you an actual hammer and shit. I gotta wait for the post to load since I don't even remember which one I was looking at.

>>16215303
4u

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>>16215297
I was lookin around at everything and I still don't see a good ratchet and socket set that doesn't come with a bunch of other stuff.

That 230pc set you originally saw looks nice so if you are set on that, go for it. Otherwise after looking at this set more >>16215338 that one honestly looks like you could pull that out of your trunk and pull an engine with it. It is definitely set to cover everything for a car but it won't come with five different 12mm sockets like the original two you posted.

Otherwise if you can find a good deal on a socket set alone (something with shallow and deep and the 3 different size ratchets plus some extensions) then keep an eye out for a sale on something like pic related and that will help you immensely with car projects and shit around the house.

>>16215380
How are these for a complete socket set?

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42-piece-1-4-and-3-8-inch-drive/p-00934845000P?adcell=DRTV3#

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-24pc-reach-and-access-add-on-set/p-00930024000P?adcell=DRTV4

You could buy all that shit for half the price at harbor freight. But without the faggy little box to store it all in.

>>16215548
Nah, that isn't what you want. Those are hex and torx and those goofy star sockets. Good to have depending what you work on but def not an actual socket set or replacement for it.

Honestly after looking, I think the 230pc kit plus a set of assorted pliers and open ended wrenches will go realy far and still come in <$200 if you get a good deal on the wrench set and pliers. A screwdriver set wouldn't be bad either but the 230pc kit gives you all the bits and the interchangeable screwdriver which will work most of the time and will have the torx and square bits for that random stuff which is cool.

And this one >>16215338 still looks pretty cool too and would be great to have in the car. Looks like it only has the 3/8" and 1/2" ratchets but you can buy a small 1/4" set for $20.


>>16215556
Eh, not really. Those black and green Pittsburgh Pro ratchets aren't too bad, but one of those with like 8 sockets is still $20 or $30. And the ratchets that come with the big HF kits are complete trash, along with any screwdrivers and other random tools they give you that always fail. Plus when the Craftsman stuff goes on sale for 40%+ off, they are close to the same price as the HF kits for better tools.

HF is good for some stuff but fuck buying the kits since 25% of the stuff will be useless.

>>16215011
You must realize that regardless of your first tool set you will probably want to upgrade later on down the road. Think of this as a temporary investment to get yourself started. A good basic set of tools will cost several thousand dollars and cannot be purchased as a kit.

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>>16215548
I might actually grab that second kit if I end up at Sears too. I don't need it and have other shit that could do the job but you can never have enough extensions and those hex and tox bits are really nice to have when you find the one job that needs em.

That's the thing about tools. It's a good idea to grab the stuff on sale so you don't have to run out on a Sunday afternoon and drive to 5 places and pay $8 for that one long torx socket on the fucking BMW that you can't reach with anything else.

Plus whether building bullshit Ikea furniture or taking off an engine cover on a plastic fantastic Audi, popping those little hex sockets on a cordless drill will speed things up so much.

I just spent a shit load of money on various tools so I could work on my motorcycles and have learned a good bit of info.

1. Avoid all-in-one kits from big box stores like home depot. They are made with shitty metal that deforms easily and you'll end up stripping the tool itself or the bolt you are working on. Find some non-chinese brand name shit that is reputable and has good reviews. All you really need is a good socket wrench, socket set, allen set, and some individual wrenches if you want but this isn't really needed. Just get a dynamic wrench instead. The only thing you will use a traditional wrench for is to hold nuts in place on the other side of a screw or bolt.

2. Don't get an impact driver. This was one of the biggest wastes of money I have ever done. They are useful in theory, but when you're working on 10+ year old seized nuts, impact drivers are useless.

3. Get a T-handle tool if you can. Shit is amazing.

>>16215688
Fuck, I might as well get the second one, then, because I have a Mercedes and there are a fuckton of Torx bolts everywhere.

>>16215684
You need to stop talking to the Snap On rep so much.

Yeah good tools aren't cheap, but it doesn't cost nearly that much for some dude trying to fix little shit around the house and do small jobs on the car. Especially if you shop smart and buy stuff on sale.

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>>16215710
The 230pc and 270pc will have all the torx bits included with those 1/4" screwdriver bits so you can either use them with that black screwdriver or use a 1/4" socket and stick the bits in the socket if you need the torque for the tox bolts.

Otherwise the first kit of those two links here >>16215548 would be more useful if there are lots of torx and hex bolts that require tome torque to get off. Only reason I said I would get the second kit with the extensions is because I bought the larger version of the kit in the first link last year around this time when it was on sale.

>>16215750
Ah, OK. I think I didn't see which post you replied to so I was thinking you were referring to the very first link for some reason.

Yeah, I'll stick with the 230-piece kit then.

So do you think it's worth getting the first AND second kits from >>16215548 as well? Or not really?

>>16215011
Allen wrenches are basically trash on cars and bikes. You want a good set of 1/4 and 3/8 drive Allens.

I'd recommend buy a second individual set of commonly used thing like 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 17mm, and 19mm.

A set of long double box end wrenches are also INCREDIBLY useful since the profile will let you get with them anywhere and the length/rigidity lets you put a lot of torque out with minimal effort.

I have a mix of ones like these

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-12pc-box-end-wrench-set-mm/p-00933231000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3#

and they are the most commonly used tool in my tool box for oil changes, brakes, and suspension work. IE the bread and butter of home-gamer stuff.

they also help little 100lb me break shit loose with out having to call over a burly man friend to break them free.

snoop on CL and eBay for good Snap-On Dual 80 ratchets not worth the tool truck price but if you can get one on the cheap they are amazing.

>>16215791
What are the torx bolts on? Is it a bunch of small plastic stuff?

I would hold off on that torx and hex kit since the original 230pc kit in the OP will have the bits to use in the screwdriver or with a 1/4" socket. That kit on sale for $30 or $40 can just make life a little easier if you deal with them a lot but you don't need it. Take that money instead and find a pliers set like the green ones I just posted because you will definitely need those. And then keep an eye out for a set of open ended wrenches but that's the kind of shit you can buy at HF for cheap of you can't find a sale on Craftsman because Harbor Freight can't mess up those too bad.

Think about a drill in the future too. You don't have to go super expensive but don't totally cheap out.

My 94 piece craftsman set has been very good to me. All I needed to add was a breaker bar and a hammer.

>>16215837
>What are the torx bolts on? Is it a bunch of small plastic stuff?
Yes, everything on the interior as well as rotors, coil packs, transmission pan, probably a lot of other things in the engine bay and suspension as well. MB apparently has a sick obsession with these, after some further research. Not like I'll need to remove these things too often but the point is that these bolts are everywhere, as well as inverted ones.

>>16215889
Ehh, yeah BMW likes to use them a lot too.

Like I said, the 230pc will give you all the bits you need to deal with them. You pop the bits in the screwdriver for the lighter stuff, or grab a 1/4" socket and put them in there if you need more power to break them loose. That 42pc (or I think the larger is 82pc on sale for $10-$20 more) would be nice but if you don't have shit for tools at all right now, there are a few other things that should be higher up on your list.

Grab the 230pc for $90, that is a good deal. Then pliers, wrenches, maybe a good screwdriver set, breaker bar for suspension for sure, drill or one of those cordless impact sets with a smaller cordless driver, hammer & mallet, and other shit for around the house like tape measure and level. Also don't forget a decent jack and stands before you get crushed.

The jacks are another good thing to go to HF for. Don't get the shittiest cheap ones but wait for one of their ~3 ton ones to go on sale.

>>16215924
Is this a good jack or is this what you mean by a shitty cheap one?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-steel-heavy-duty-floor-jack-with-rapid-pump-68048.html

Also how about these jack stands?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-steel-jack-stands-61196.html

>>16215989
Jack stands look straight. As long as the weight requirements are good then go for it.

And idk about the jack, read the reviews and make sure it will give you the clearance you need. It looks like it is on the cheaper side but has to be better than those AutoZone ones that come in a kit with stands and you have to crank a million times just to get the car up a couple inches.

I think the aluminum low-pro "Race" jacks are the way to go from HF but cost a bit more. You still get a lot for your money at the ~$150 price tag and HF has 20% off coupons and shit that go out from time to time. There are tons of anons here with HF jacks who would know better than me.

But that jack is cheap so you could run with it for awhile and then upgrade to a nice $200+ one when you got some money together. I have had my eye on a couple nicer ones from Northern Tool but I barely wrench on cars anyway so I'm just waiting for an excuse to buy jt.

>>16215011
>http://www.sears.com/craftsman-230-piece-mechanics-tool-set/p-00950230000P
I have the 230 piece, the deep sockets are all 1/4 inch drive, while the shallow depth are 3/8. other than that it will do you fine. always remember vatozone lets you borrow tools for almost forever.