Damn you really stocked up! Very nice set for sure. How much did the snap-on stuff run you? What's the total damage?

 

Hm,, I spent about $1100 in Matco stuff. And Snap On I spent $3200. I'm in school to be a Honda tech so I get about 50% off alll Snap On, Matco, and Mac. So really I have over $10,000 worth of tools since I already had a bunch of Matco and Snap On and Craftsman stuff. Basicaly I have 2 full sets of everything I need, one mainly Craftsman with some Matco and Snap On, and my good set which will be for work which is like 75% Snap On, 25% Matco. It is just crazy being 18 and knowing how much money I have in tools haha, who knows how much I'd buy without the discount. Would;ve just got everything used probably.

What's funny is that this is only my first stage of buying stuff... here's my plan.

Stage 1: Everything general that I'll need. Our school gave us a tool list and each company priced it out, but our list flat out sucked. Only like $2,200 for the stuff from each brand. I decided to make my own list from looking through the massive Snap On catalog. Personaly, I think my tool setup is perfect. Since I work for a dealer I see what is used the most and what is needed, versus the people at school who aren't at a dealership and don't know what is used in the real world.

Stage 2: I'm going to buy all my air tools.
-1/4" 90* die grinder
-Cutting wheel thing
-Air ratchets
-Matco 1/2" impact
~I already have the 1/2" Snap On impact equivalent of the Matco (mg725), but I like the Matco more. The Matco seems a lot smaller and lighter, and same power. The Matco will be for work, Snap On for home.
-Matco 3/8" impact
I can't think of anything else atm.

Stage 3: Buying anything else I really want, more specific and specialty stuff.
-Additional ratchets, because having like 8 isn't enough haha
-A really nice set of tap and dies
-Torque sticks
-Probably a 3/8" torque wrench to replace my Craftsman
-Any other pliers or anything like that
-MAYBE a pneumatic brake bleeder, makes things so easy ha
-Anything else I think I might ever use while I have the discount

Stage 4: Buy my Snap On box. I already have a 2 bay and a top at my house, it is from HF though. So getting the Snap On box will be right before I graduate since I'll have no room for it. Only reason Snap On wins me over Matco for box is the drawer slider lock in the handles.


I still have a lot more stuff I want to buy, so I'll be spending a few more $1000. But school for me is 2 years and really cheap, so instead of student loans from going to a 4 year I'll pay back tool loans ha. I have everything thus far paid for, so I'm not in debt lol. And I'm not going to waste my discount. I was talking with a tech a few monthes back and he did the same program I'm in, and he we saying how he is still paying off his tools to Mac like 2 years later, but wishes he bought more. So I'm going all out. I have the most tools by far compared to my class, and it is nice to have quality tools.

Everyone knows it isn't necessarily the tools that make the tech, but it sure as hell is helpful when you;ve got good and reliable tools to back you up.

 

Good deals. And I hear ya, I've been there done that(went to a co-op tech school for 2 years). Yeah definitely buy up all the tools you possibly can, even if you get into a bit of debt from it. It's worth it in the long run because after the discount you're screwed lol. I bought some tools for some co-workers since a couple knew I could get discounts. Hell I know a couple people in my class who bought small boxes and re-sold them for more than they paid but cheaper than retail lol.

 

Yeah my schooling is a 2 year co-op. I'm in class full time for 2 monthes, then work and the dealer for 2 monthes, and it alternates like that for 2 years straight. And all the companies made sure to tell us we can't buy for others or buy and sell stuff haha. Even getting used stuff on ebay I'd be paying the same or more for my brand new stuff. And I know a 2 bay box will be a good size for me, not worried about going bigger. But the Snap On guy told us just get the 2 bay from them with the discount (we can't buy bigger than a 2 bay from them) and in a few years when you want something bigger, sell your box to the truck and you'll probably make money on it and buy a bigger box.

But I'm a complete tool *****. I want the best and the most lol. I'll be sad once all the Snap On stuff has to go to the dealer once I'm a full tech, leaves my second set of not as good tools for me at home haha. Oh well, get to use all the Snap On stuff at home while I work on my car and get it ready for autox.

 

More Snap On stuffs came that was backordered.

-16 oz deadblow ball peen
-3/8" locking flex
-1/4" ratchet
-32mm socket
-8mm flank drive plus wrench (I have my whole set now, 8-19, 21, 22, 24)
-Torx socket set




And I'm still waiting for:
-1/4" locking flex
-1/2" ratchet
-3/8" soft grip compact swivel head
-3/8" magnetic socket holder tray thing
-32 oz ball peen


Almost have all of my first order here... trying to decide whether I want to order some stuf for my car or some more Matco stuff lol.

 

I finally got around to getting pics of my modest setup yesterday:


(Yes, that's a driveshaft next to the air tank. The question is "why don't you have a driveshaft lying around?")



3/8"dr. drawer. Just metric and just barely more than I'll actually use on Subarus. The only reason I bought sizes I won't use is because my tool OCD would kill me with gaps in the layout.



1/2"dr drawer. It has the empty holes from my last setup when I was still working on imports and domestics (as opposed to only Subarus) and still used standard sizes. When I finish buying 1/2"dr (which isn't a priority as I barely use 1/2"dr) I'll get a new foam sheet and cut it out to fit.



Impact drawer. Eventually it will be separated into two separate drawers (air tools and impact sockets), but I still need a 1/4"dr air ratchet, 3/8"dr impact, cutoff wheel, 90° die grinder, and more impact sockets, among other things.



Wrench drawer. Eventually the panel removal tools will be moved to their own drawer and I'll do a new cut-out to accommodate the ratchet-wrenches and 18mm/19mm wrenches.



Screwdriver drawer. One of the few drawers I'm actually finished with.



Pliers draw. It will most likely stay the same as it is now, with the exception of a few more odds 'n' ends.



Electrical testing/diagnosis with a torque wrench thrown in for good measure (lulz pun). It will eventually be divided into Electrical testing/diagnosis in one drawer and PMI (Precision Measuring Instruments) in another.



The chassis/redundant tools/I-don't-have-anywhere-else-to-put-this drawer.


And today's purchase:

(Telescoping magnet [to replace the second one I've broken this year], flexible pickup tool, mirror, pad spreader [which will be replaced with a better one later], one of those stupid cube things for a brake job I'm doing tomorrow, new soldering iron, universal set, 3/8" to 1/4" adapter, and a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter)


The bad part is I still have over $2k' worth of tools on my "to-buy" list including more toolbox add-ons. I might eventually upgrade to a bigger box, but until then I'm going to add a side cabinet and side caddy to my current box and max that out, buying a new box only when I run out of room. Also, trying to buy tools while paying back student loans and trying not to go further in debt sucks and takes a long time. The silver lining is tax writeoffs though


*edit: and missing from the toolbox pics are the top tray (misc. stuff), top two drawers (misc. stuff and papers), and air tools accessories drawer (tire inflators, air chucks, tire pressure gauges, air nozzles, etc).

 

The foam cut out is cool, but I could never take the time to cut it all out lol. One of these days I'll take new pictures of my setup is it has completely changed.

 

It's actually not bad if you only do a drawer or two a day. I think I spent about 3 hours total on my 3/8"dr drawer, and that included tracing a layout, deciding I didn't like it, re-designing the layout, and tracing it again. The only downside is the sheets are pre-cut for a 26"w drawer, so if the drawers are any wider you're kind of SOL. The box I have my eye on to replace this one down the road is quite literally two of my boxes side-by-side (52" wide) with 26"w drawers, so I can just buy $240 worth of foam and start again lol

But until then, I plan on having foam cutouts in all my drawers in the current box once I'm actually "done" buying tools.

Really, I don't have much left to buy, but what I do have left to buy is expensive. Here's the basic run-down:

Craftsman 6-drawer side caddy (small)
Craftsman 6-drawer side cabinet (large)
misc. Craftsman 3/8"dr sockets (to complete the layout)
Craftsman 27-piece impact set (1/2"dr)
Craftsman 9-piece swivel impact set (1/2"dr)
Craftsman 9-piece deep-well impact set (3/8"dr)
Craftsman 3/8"dr 3" impact extension bar
Craftsman 3/8"dr 6" impact extension bar
Craftsman 9-piece swivel impact set (3/8"dr)
Craftsman 15" 1/2"dr flex-head ratchet
Craftsman 1/2"dr deep-well sockets (12mm to 22 and 24mm)
Craftsman 1/2"dr shallow-well 12mm socket
Craftsman extractor set #2 (to complete the set I have now)
Craftsman 14-piece torx/inverted torx socket set
Matco dual piston brake pad speader
Matco 1/4"dr 10.8v impact wrench
Craftsman Professional 3/8"dr impact wrench
Craftsman Professional 5pc 45° offset box-end wrench set
Craftsman 10pc crowfoot wrench set
GearWrench 12pc x-beam ratchet wrench set
GearWrench 10pc "stubby" ratchet wrench set
GearWrench 2pc double-x pliers set
Craftsman NEXTEC 12v drill
Craftmsan drawer organizer foam sheet sets (x6)
Craftsman double-ring stool
Craftsman Professional LED work light
Central Pneumatic 1/4"dr air ratchet
Central Pneumatic 90° die-grinder
Central Pneumatic cutoff wheel

Of course, I'm still adding to the list. Basically, it'll be around another year or two until I actually have everything.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BTD142H.../dp/B000P9CZJK

I have the Makita impact driver as well as the drill, I love these things. Plenty of torque, really compact, and charges in 15 minutes. Defintely reccomend this to anyone.

 

i have one also but mines a 18v craftsmen and it will strip a lug nut lol. they have plenty of power