Snap on Tools

[(RIP) Kaister]

As Steptoe says - its the quibble that fails - or you lose the receipt - or they have to send it back to tha factory for testing or or or or etc.

Snap -on stuff is just replaced .

We had a guy start with us once - and my workmate had just bought a set of snap-on sockets so they were a new design and all shiny.
The new guy has a really old set of snap on sockets and decides he wants a new set - so he gets each old socket and puts it in a vice and squashes it till it cracks.
He does this to the whole set - about 10 sockets.
Waltzes out ot the Snap on van - and comes back with the new shiny set - replaced WITHOUT QUIBBLE.

Snap on tools really are for life.

If you don't need them for life - don't spend the money on them.

 

[Skippy]

Bit of a waste??

As Steptoe says - its the quibble that fails - or you lose the receipt - or they have to send it back to tha factory for testing or or or or etc.

Snap -on stuff is just replaced .

We had a guy start with us once - and my workmate had just bought a set of snap-on sockets so they were a new design and all shiny.
The new guy has a really old set of snap on sockets and decides he wants a new set - so he gets each old socket and puts it in a vice and squashes it till it cracks.
He does this to the whole set - about 10 sockets.
Waltzes out ot the Snap on van - and comes back with the new shiny set - replaced WITHOUT QUIBBLE.

Snap on tools really are for life.

If you don't need them for life - don't spend the money on them.

Was there something wrong with the original set then or was he just a bit of a knob?

Anyway, for what it's worth, RiDE mag seems to recommend the Halfords Prof range. Didn't like the tool chests though.

I eventually went to an independant tool shop who gave excellent service and advice. Bought a 5 (or 6) draw cart cabinet. Could be worth a try.

Also bought a £100 top box in stainless steel cos I wanted a "portable box" that came with a full of spanners, wrenches, bits, sockets etc from Costco! Been great so far

Skip

 

[Fanum]

We had a guy start with us once - and my workmate had just bought a set of snap-on sockets so they were a new design and all shiny.
The new guy has a really old set of snap on sockets and decides he wants a new set - so he gets each old socket and puts it in a vice and squashes it till it cracks.
He does this to the whole set - about 10 sockets.
Waltzes out ot the Snap on van - and comes back with the new shiny set - replaced WITHOUT QUIBBLE.

Snap on tools really are for life.

Hmmm thanks...that's pretty much clinched it for me.


I won't ever be buying snap-on.

I'm not paying an artificially inflated price so that aresholes can just take the piss and get new for old, with the company not bothering about it because they've built that into the price.

I want a good set of tools that won't fail that I can keep and use, not to have to pay to subsidise that sort of thing

 

[Sir James]

Hmmm thanks...that's pretty much clinched it for me.


I won't ever be buying snap-on.

I'm not paying an artificially inflated price so that aresholes can just take the piss and get new for old, with the company not bothering about it because they've built that into the price.

I want a good set of tools that won't fail that I can keep and use, not to have to pay to subsidise that sort of thing

But they last for ever

 

[Deleted account W]

But they last for ever

James, show us your box

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Was there something wrong with the original set then or was he just a bit of a knob?

he was a bit of a knob - and it was an extreme example - but it shows why they cost so much - as Bill says.

Sears tools offer the same quality and guarantee - but you have to go to a store.
I was in a Sears shop in Florida and this real hillbilly turns up with a Sears screwdriver that looked like it had been in the road for a coupla years.
They just replaced it on the spot.

The other 'good' thing with Snap-on is- if you're in the trade - is that they will turn up in a van every week - so you don't have to go hunting - and they also offer a 'rolling account' - basically extended 'free' credit.
You buy what you want and pay a tenner a week.

Good for mechanics and apprentices etc on low money who get paid weekly

 

[Sir James]

James, show us your box

I'm allready reagreting showing the front

 

[Thunder]

Getting back to the subject in hand (not what you got in your hand JB ) I've been using the Halford's Professional range for about 5 years now, sockets , drivers and ratchet spanners and they are great quality and value in my book.

Had to replace one of the ratchets after 4 years and no hassle, straight replacement and no quibbling.

Thye got a great review in Ride a few years back for cost and quality if that helps.

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

i have a set of the halford ratchet rings and the 10mm went... due to letting it get wet too often and not oiling the thing..... something that won't happen if you're working on engines...
but when i went to get it replaced they said that ratchets wern't covered.... a bit of haggling and a manager later i got it replaced but it's worth keeping that in mind

anyway the only problem with snap on is if you're the type of person to lose stuff it's not cheap

 

[MrIFan]

on a budget but want quality? TENG!!!!!!!!

 

[araspitfire]

I love my mostly SnapOn tool collection from when I wrenched on helicopters (20 years ago)...

It is not just about the guarantee...

I find the wrenches and sockets generally have thinner walls, so can get in to tighter places than most other guaranteed brands of tools. They are also made from such high grades of steel, that I have never had trepidation when grinding off an edge when required for an even tighter fit application.. (lots of these in Helicopters)

Cool guarantee story here though.

Years ago my Uncle died, and my dad and I found ouselves in his workshop, looking for things to remember him by....

I took away some WWII vintage broken sockets... seriously old stuff... next time the SnapOn truck came by... all were replaced with only a little fanfair.. (the man was proud to be honouring the guarantee on such old items)

I'm a big fan of the brand, though I'm sure there are other tool makers (German?) that make a simular product...

Al...

 

[Vern]

One of my friends found a "ferret" snap on ratchet when he was cleaning his late grandfathers garage out,must have been made in the 50s.The ratchet had gone,so I took it on the snap on van.None of the new drive kits fitted properly,so it went back to the depot,then back to the states,then back to the depot,then back to me,good as new.They offered a straight exchange,but I thougt my friend would want his grandads one back.

I think the cost is irrelevent when it works so well all the time,and i don't know anyone who has splashed out on a flash new kit,we all bought ours,a tenner a week untill we had all the stuff we needed.

Blue point aero snips,as soon as they are blunt,break them,get a new sharp pair.No quibble,time and time again.

Also,what are the chances of finding a halfords outside the UK,feck all.

Buy snap on and forget about them

 

[Sir James]

One of my friends found a "ferret" snap on ratchet when he was cleaning his late grandfathers garage out,must have been made in the 50s.The ratchet had gone,so I took it on the snap on van.None of the new drive kits fitted properly,so it went back to the depot,then back to the states,then back to the depot,then back to me,good as new.They offered a straight exchange,but I thougt my friend would want his grandads one back.

I think the cost is irrelevent when it works so well all the time,and i don't know anyone who has splashed out on a flash new kit,we all bought ours,a tenner a week untill we had all the stuff we needed.

Blue point aero snips,as soon as they are blunt,break them,get a new sharp pair.No quibble,time and time again.

Also,what are the chances of finding a halfords outside the UK,feck all.

Buy snap on and forget about them

He's right you know

 

[sjwb]

I think that pretty much clinches it! Despite the tight wads and amateurs Snap-On are the best.
I started buying mine 40 years ago and still have them all - never broken a thing. And yes my trade was in spannering.
Steptoe is correct, ask the Snap-On man about his second hand stock I bought my roll cab for £100, ex paint shop and when cleaned indistinguishable from new; I think they were £300 at the time.
Go on, spoil yerselves

 

[mark71]

I have been buying Snap On tools for the last 30 years since I was a young apprentice and you have to be sensible about it there is no point on paying out for a snap on hammer when a normal one will do but there again on ratchets, spanners and sockets i would pay out for good stuff.
Also very good tools as good as maybe are Britool and Facom which are a lot cheaper in fact I have had a set of 3/8 facom socets for the last 10 years and they are great no problems at all but as they say choose whose advice you listen to as most is crap as it is free.
My policy is where my hands are involved ie sockets and spanners I dont scrimp and get the best I can afford.

 

[Steptoe]

When i buy something, i only like to buy it once. Do you get that, ONCE, thats ONCE only in my life will i buy a snap-on whatever. And it will be used nearly everyday, nearly every day of the year, every year.


Work out the cost over that time, and it's very very cheap. For a thing of beauty, of quality, that does the job superbly, and is a pleasure to use and also makes my job easier.

Don't find out the hard way by buying inferior tools, then having to buy proper tools after they've let you down. Doing it that way usually cost you more in the long run.

And even better, you can then sell it after all those years of use and work, for more than you'd have paid for it in the first place - Try doing that with your Halfords pro set of tools.

Tools like screwdrivers i have two sets - a cheap set for hitting and leavering, quality set for the use that they were made for, unscrewing.
Torq bits are the same - a cheap set for hitting into stuck allen bolts, and a quality set for undoing torq heads.

 

[vfxmark]

My Snap-on combination wrenches (spanners to you lot) are 30 years old... never had to replace one. My Snap-on screwdriver handles date from that time, though the blades have been replaced since then. Most of the ratchet handles are 25 years old... - one replaced under warranty.

I also have other brands of "professional quality" tools and they work just fine. the box and open-ends of the snap-on combo wrenches both fit in places that the other brands do not (or at least not without a bit of grinding down)

I hate to say it, I enjoy the way they feel as much as anything.

Many people have become addicted to Snap-on tools because the dealer will allow you to buy them on time...
...I know mechanics who can't leave their job because they owe too much to the Snap-on guy.

As far as I am concerned, the sockets, ratchets, wrenches, etc are worth getting Snap-on if you can afford the cost and can protect them from being borrowed by friends...but pretty much anything labelled "Blue Point" is outside manufacture distributed by Snap-on, and can probably be found for less elsewhere.

Mark
once wrenched in earnest
also in Poughkeepsie and Evanston

 

[The Burpster]

Lots of dosh but worth every penny!

I started using Snap-on when I was doing competetive trials and did my own work (all part of teh fun). Other tools didnt seem up to repeated use.

A good mate of mine (an engineer by trade) told me either a) use chocloate tools on good fastners or b) good tools on chocolate fasteners but never c) chocolate tools on chocolate fastners. SOUND ADVICE!!!!!!

Seeing as most fasteners on bikes are made of Cadburys this leaves one option.... (see a above)

About 2 yrs ago a thieving **ite broke into our workshop and stole mine.... The insurance paid up £4.5k thank God..... I was gob smacked how much I'd spent on them over a 10yr period they now live in the house with my guns and dogs!!!

Look for 2nd hand to start or MAC tools (probably just as good without the name and rep. ) or Facom which are 1/2 the price (of Sanp-On) but one of the best bits of engineering to come out of France!!!

 

[The Burpster]

Hummmn

I hope Steptoe agrees with me....!?

 

[Global Rider]

I've had Snap On tools since I first bought them in 1974. With the exception of a few sockets and a ratchet rebuild kit, they are still original.

The Snap On warranty is all very nice, but more importantly is having a tool not fail when you need it most...when stores are closed. And that is why I use Snap On. They've even replaced my sockets when the chrome was peeling.

Then you have a complete selection of tools, making it one-stop shopping.

Their torque wrenches are top notch. I have three and calibrate them regularly. Even my 30+ year old Snap On torque wrench is within specification.