[snakester14]

I am in college and working over the summer so I figured I'd pick up a decent starter tool set. Was cruising the craftsman website and liked the 260 piece with tool box.

Any advice would be appreciated as i'm looking to pick up a set sometime this week.

Thanks,
Jake

[Mr_Harry]

I've had good luck with craftsman.

[rustywrangler]

I have several craftsman kits. Look for the setups with the most sockets. You gotta look close. Some of those are jacked up with numbers and suddenly you have 65 allen wrenches. Know what I mean??

That being said, the 260 kit is a decent one with all 3 sizes of ratchets.

[turtlerace]

Originally Posted by rustywrangler

I have several craftsman kits. Look for the setups with the most sockets. You gotta look close. Some of those are jacked up with numbers and suddenly you have 65 allen wrenches. Know what I mean??

That being said, the 260 kit is a decent one with all 3 sizes of ratchets.

X2!
Watch out for sets that are full of filler pieces like allens or ton of screwdrivers. Then you can just piece together the rest of your arsenal as you need it by buying it piece by piece.

[mcneil]

If you're trying to save a buck, go used with craftsman. It's garage sale season, so check locally and on ebay for anything with the craftsman logo. Just take the chewed up pieces back to craftsman for exchange, since they have a lifetime warranty on hand tools.

If you get the right clerk, they don't care much, and just exchange everything no questions asked.

[ImpactFabWorks]

I got a 302 piece set on black friday this last chrismas for $169. But I think craftsman is well worth the money and they have a great warranty

[BESRK]

Although I like Craftsman tools.. and have a bunch of their hand tools, I think they've changed their tool exchange warranty in recent years. I remember when I could walk in to a Sears with a handful of cracked sockets and broken ratchets and just grab new stuff off the shelf.

Now, they open a drawer and tell you to fish around for a used replacement. If they don't have a used version, then you can go to the shelf. Last time I exchanged a broken ratchet, the salesperson tried to make me settle for a "standard" ratchet while my broken one was the "deluxe" model.. the polished one. It took a supervisor to approve the exchange with a new ratchet of the same model. Kind of ticked me off a little. I still like their tools though.

[snakester14]

Well looks like I'm debating between the 260 piece craftsman kit on sale http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00934260000P?&cName=Tools+Weekly+Sal es&sName=Featured+Items&prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockTyp e=G7

Or this 301 piece set from Harbor Frieght which seems more complete
Professional 301 Piece Mechanic's Tool Kit

Opinions?

[elephantrider]

between those two i'd go with the craftsman set.
my jeepin buddy has that same set and its a really
good tool set.

[explorerlyon]

Good timing, I have been looking at the same set. The larger sets like this basically have doubles of sizes in 6pt and 12pt. How often is everyone really using 12pt? There seem to be sets for less money that have all the same 6pt, just not as many 12pt.

[snakester14]

Originally Posted by explorerlyon

Good timing, I have been looking at the same set. The larger sets like this basically have doubles of sizes in 6pt and 12pt. How often is everyone really using 12pt? There seem to be sets for less money that have all the same 6pt, just not as many 12pt.

Yea thats what I noticed, and the 260 piece maybe has some more deep sockets?

explorer have you looked at any of the other craftman sets?

[ImpactFabWorks]

If you are INVESTING in tools don't buy crap. Buy something with a warranty, No matter the quality of a tool it's probably going to break. A long with our craftsman tools, I have a lot of snap-on. I break usaully at least a ratchet a year and a few sockets. I walk into sears and walk out with new tools, or I hit the snap-on truck and get new tools. don't spend your money on crap tools so they can break in a month and have to spend more money on crap tools

[chriskeenan]

i have the same craftsman tool kit, bought it 3 years ago, and its got everything I've ever needed to work on the jeep or any thing else aside from the torx bits and a breaker bar, I'm very happy with it, the case is somewhat sturdy and has a good amount of storage in the top part to keep a few extra tools but doesn't lock and the flaps over the drawers sometimes are a bit to open, i keep mine strapped down in the back of my jeep, the sockets stay in their trays very well but do rattle a bit with a large bump, the tools are excellent, the case it comes in is good but has some small flaws, i paid about 200$ for mine three years ago on sale

[explorerlyon]

Originally Posted by snakester14

Yea thats what I noticed, and the 260 piece maybe has some more deep sockets?

explorer have you looked at any of the other craftman sets?

The other set I have considered is this for $99: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00937154000P?vName=Tools&cName=Auto+ %26+Mechanics+Tools&sName=Mechanics+Tool+Sets&prdN o=1&blockNo=1&blockType=L1

Dosen't have all the 12pt and has a few less sockets in some of the sizes. But, I think it has all you will really ever need.

Still hoping someone will pipe in on 6pt vs 12pt. To me, having duplicates in every size of 6pt and 12pt just seems like clutter in the tool box.

[Wheelin98TJ]

There are cases where you need a 12 point, but they are pretty infrequent.

One example is the 3 bolts that hold the unit bearing to the knuckle. They are 12 point 13mm bolts.

Ford 8.8 axles use a 12 point 12mm bolt to hold the rear driveshaft flange adapter to the flange.

The D35 cross shaft bolt is a 12 point 1/4".

Those are just a few examples I can think of off the top of my head.