06-22-2006, 04:31 PM
I absolutely love my craftsman set. I use the 1/4" stuff occaisionally, which is nice since that is the kind of thing I would never buy and they get royally screwed in the middle of a job b/c I didn't have it. My mechanic's set (I don't recall how many peices) has paid itself 10 times over, and I've really only added a set of pliers, hammers, screwdrivers, and a set of wrenches and gearwrenches (both presents :-)). I got my torque wrench from Tirerack for $50 with one of my orders a couple years ago, and it still does the job fabulously every time.
Additions to the list:
8) Breaker bar: Get a at least a 1/2" bar and a 1/2"->3/8" adaptor. These are fabulous, simple tools that will serve to be invaluable when working on a 15 year old car with nuts and bolts that haven't come off since it hit the assembly line. I didn't have one until about a year ago, and now I don't know how I lived without it.
9) Rubber mallet: like a sledge, except you probably won't screw up whatever you are hitting. Also comes in handy to deliver an impact to a wrench wrapped around a stuck nut.
Additions to the list:
8) Breaker bar: Get a at least a 1/2" bar and a 1/2"->3/8" adaptor. These are fabulous, simple tools that will serve to be invaluable when working on a 15 year old car with nuts and bolts that haven't come off since it hit the assembly line. I didn't have one until about a year ago, and now I don't know how I lived without it.
9) Rubber mallet: like a sledge, except you probably won't screw up whatever you are hitting. Also comes in handy to deliver an impact to a wrench wrapped around a stuck nut.