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Posted by derch on April 9, 2008, 2:54 pm
Hey all. A round for the house....
I am currently a student at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. I have
about 6 months left so I am starting to plan my tool purchase. I
guess by now you all know where I am going with this but I just
thought I would come to the source. As an MMI student I get about a
50% discount on Snap-On tools. That sounds great but 50% of something
very expensive is still very expensive.
My question is: If the money is not an issue, are Snap-on tools that
much better than Craftman or other manufacturers? Thanks all.
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Posted by The Older Gentleman on April 9, 2008, 3:00 pm
> My question is: If the money is not an issue, are Snap-on tools that
> much better than Craftman or other manufacturers?
There are other very good manufacturers out there, but just about every
pro mechanic I know still uses Snap-On.
Make your own decision. I'd buy them, if I were in your position.
--
BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F, SL125 & SH50
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
"What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time
and hassle for no tangible benefit."
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Posted by Anonymous on April 9, 2008, 3:32 pm
> Hey all. A round for the house....
>
> I am currently a student at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. I have
> about 6 months left so I am starting to plan my tool purchase. I
> guess by now you all know where I am going with this but I just
> thought I would come to the source. As an MMI student I get about a
> 50% discount on Snap-On tools. That sounds great but 50% of something
> very expensive is still very expensive.
> My question is: If the money is not an issue, are Snap-on tools that
> much better than Craftman or other manufacturers? Thanks all.
Nothing beats users comments/experiences:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.tech/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/66c85a3adff9dcd4?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#66c85a3adff9dcd4
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tools.repair+advice/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/c3690df142731ceb?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#c3690df142731ceb
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.motorcycles.tech/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/ec5285dd08e1dedd?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#ec5285dd08e1dedd
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.aviation.homebuilt/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/c818c33c8c09f052?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#c818c33c8c09f052
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.tech/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/27e6e8f895be5644?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#27e6e8f895be5644
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.crafts.metalworking/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/bafb2b9375707324?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#bafb2b9375707324
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tools.repair+advice/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/ea83e0ecb595a721?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#ea83e0ecb595a721
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.crafts.metalworking/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/a0ff5ff672afc135?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#a0ff5ff672afc135
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.tech/browse_frm/thread/6f94f4b4376b4ab/630e2cf0721a80f7?hl=en&lnk=st&q=%2B%22snap-on+tools%22#630e2cf0721a80f7
and on, and on, and on....
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Posted by paul c on April 9, 2008, 3:33 pm
derch wrote:
> Hey all. A round for the house....
>
> I am currently a student at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. I have
> about 6 months left so I am starting to plan my tool purchase. I
> guess by now you all know where I am going with this but I just
> thought I would come to the source. As an MMI student I get about a
> 50% discount on Snap-On tools. That sounds great but 50% of something
> very expensive is still very expensive.
> My question is: If the money is not an issue, are Snap-on tools that
> much better than Craftman or other manufacturers? Thanks all.
In a nutshell, my advice is to shop around.
I got a similar discount when I took a m/c course. But other local
suppliers (Canada) of Husky and Jet gave discounts of up to 20% on
similar quality basic tools that were already only 50% of the Snap-On
prices. There is a brand here in Canada called Mastercraft Maximum
which seems just as good at a fraction of the price, although Snap-On
does have a few special tools that nobody else has. This brand is one
of those that laser-etches the sizes which helps me recognize them
quicker, last time I looked, Snap-On still wasn't doing that, so I'd say
they are a bit complacent. I have also been told that there are a
couple of brands that are made in the same factories as Snap-On, I
forget the names. I didn't need many new tools so only bought a couple
of heavy-duty totes and some extra long screw-drivers. The
screw-drivers are crooked! I didn't return them because I like to show
them to people who natter on about tools. The thing about tools is to
know them, eg., which sockets are better for not rounding bolt heads,
when not to use 12-point and so forth. Still, some of the Snap-On stuff
is not always matched by all tool versions from the other mfrs, eg.,
they'll have two models of impact driver - only the heavy-duty model
will be comparable to the Snap-On (when it comes to impact drivers, you
know you already are in a dubious position, so you want the best one you
can afford). The warranties for the other brands are similar to
Snap-On, usually no-questions-asked for obvious defects, but that
doesn't mean they'll replace a Phillips screwdriver that you have
mangled. The great thing about Snap-On is that truck will come to your
shop but you may still have to do without a torque wrench for two weeks
while it gets re-calibrated, better to have a couple of each size I say
and check them against each other.
I've met mechanics who did their whole apprenticeship with just a 20"
three-drawer tool chest, as 80% of the time, all the tools you need will
fit in that. Their shops had the other tools they needed. Organization
is just as important as tool quality, I have extra ratchets which have
the frequently-needed sockets on them all the time.
I think you'll find that you'll probably have to go to the specialty
motorcycle tool mfrs for quite a few m/c-specific tools, Snap-On won't
have them, last I looked its specialty tools were oriented mostly
towards HD's.
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Posted by paul c on April 9, 2008, 3:43 pm
paul c wrote:
...
> I think you'll find that you'll probably have to go to the specialty
> motorcycle tool mfrs for quite a few m/c-specific tools, Snap-On won't
> have them, last I looked its specialty tools were oriented mostly
> towards HD's.
eg. MotionPro - neighbour is a Porsche mechanic. He was telling me how
much time they were wasting trying to reach some little out-of-the-way
a/c fasteners on one of the new models so I showed him my MotionPro 90
degree driver which I only got to adjust carb jets. He borrowed it for
a couple of weeks until his shop ordered several of them- none of the
factory tools were as good.
A former MI instructor, Mike Nixon, has a nice web site with
instructions on how to make a few tools, like a five-dollar high-current
ammeter, it's at http://www.motorcycleproject.com/
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