Hand Tools

[photofly]

In the UK, Stanley is cheap crap.

[nekuprocrast]

In the UK, Stanley is cheap crap.

yeah. that was also my first thought about stanley.

[Pat Richard]

Stanley, at least in north america, is the parent company for proto. Two completely different lines of tools though,with proto being on par or better than snap on. Acklands was where i got my stuff.

[nekuprocrast]

i cant buy a thing on http://buy1.snapon.com, i think this site is only in the US.
any reliable online stores where i can grab some?

[Beefitarian]

Does this work?
http://buy1.snapon.com//catalog/catalog ... ore=canada

[Gos]

Canadian General Customer Service Locations,
or to find the name of your local Snap-on Franchisee
Canada: 866-824-0524

Found that on snap-on website

http://buy1.snapon.com/snapon-store/customer.asp

[Gos]

Stanley, at least in north america, is the parent company for proto. Two completely different lines of tools though,with proto being on par or better than snap on. Acklands was where i got my stuff.

I think that Facom in europe is the brand about the same quality than Proto in us. It is part of Stanley company which is the case for Mactools also.

[tyndall]

Remember, when you're standing on a float reaching way into the cowling, $$$$$nap-on and Ma$tercraft make the exact same sound when they hit the water.

[GyvAir]

Remember, when you're standing on a float reaching way into the cowling, $$$$$nap-on and Ma$tercraft make the exact same sound when they hit the water.

Yes, yes they do. Same goes for $400 Fluke meters and $20 on-sale Mastercraft meters when they find the floor from the top of a 15' step ladder.

[dashx]

BTW you might need one of these. There is even an instructional video.


You'll be a star at the gate.......

[justpayme]

hemostats and a 2x4.

[nekuprocrast]

Hey Guys!

im back! recently got a job with Jazz at a component shop. and i'm shopping for tools right now. what do you think of this? -->http://www.sears.ca/product/craftsman-m ... igodigital

need you advice and suggestions!
thanks!!!

[GyvAir]

51-piece-universal-max-axess-socket-set

Looks a little gimmicky to me. They may be the best invention since sliced bread - don't know, as I've never tried them. But, I'm not sure I'd want to be walking into a first apprentice job with a gimmicky looking set of sockets unless I knew they were good. Could lead to some ribbing.

[tyndall]

Hey Guys!

im back! recently got a job with Jazz at a component shop. and i'm shopping for tools right now. what do you think of this? -->http://www.sears.ca/product/craftsman-m ... igodigital

need you advice and suggestions!
thanks!!!

No. Hell no.

Unless you have a specific need (clearance issues) for proprietary sockets, don't bother with them. Stick with simple, basic, boring tools until you have been working long enough to know what you need. I've given away more tools than I've kept because they were a good idea at the time but never got used.

[helicopterray]

Of the tools listed on that Sears page, this one may be best as a 'beginner's set'.


http://www.sears.ca/product/craftsman-m ... 6637-44172

[azimuthaviation]

Buy expensive tools. Its great FOD control.

I always see used Snap on tools for sale on Kijiji and Craigslist (and sometimes here) at about a third to half the price of new. For ratcheting screwdrivers, regular screwdrivers, pliers, cutters, etc buy used. Then break them and take them in for warranty. Brand new Snap on tools at half the price.

For sockets, as well as ratchets, Snap-On is great. You will feel the difference. Tighter tolerance, thinner, has a ridge inside that holds the nut close to the end, nice finish that stays true... Quite expensive but definitely worth the cost. I have a few sets of 1/4 inch drive sockets, various metric and standard, shallow and deep, 12 point and six. Prices range from a set of ten shallow SAE for a little more than 100, to the 11 piece deep metric at about 225. Then of course theres the sizes that dont come in the set that you buy individually, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5/32, 1/8, 5/8...

Some things Im having a very hard time finding are Boeing tools that they used to sell out of their surplus. They must be unique to Boeing because search as I may I can not find the manufacturer, where to acquire them, or any information on them. A search sometimes reveals an Ebay offering but those are far and few between, and ridiculously expensive.

[azimuthaviation]

Oh, and dont show up without one of these

[azimuthaviation]

What king of aircraft use metric bolt patern? They only other standard I have seen is British Standard. Which is a big pain in the ass.

Eurocopter.

Sikorsky S76 (C model and subsequent utilize Turbomeca engines)
Bell helicopters you will find the occasional metric component if it is of European manufacture, such as Saft batteries, P&G, Kannad

[GyvAir]

Gotta admire a guy (justpayme) that creates an account, makes one post advising including hemostats and a 2x4 in your tool kit (pretty sage advise, by the way) and then never logs onto the site again..

[1000 HP]

I carry a lot of tools around in my truck. They are company tools. Some office guy bought us a bunch of snap-on combination wrenches, pipe wrenches and blue point hammers. The ones that don't get the chrome rubbed off of them on the rough roads around here, often end up in the well-head cellar and are never seen again. It's a shameful waste of a real nice quality tool. So if you travel a lot with your tools, Mastercraft Pro Series was 10% of the price and works real well for me. (I do have some Snap-On myself but they never leave the shop)

[DonutHole]

Anything i am going to use every day i buy quality. Wrenches, sockets and ratchets are all snap on. Get good qualityscrewdrivers... I prefer non magnetic everything.

As for a box. I got the biggest snap on short of a pit cart or big king. A frivolous purchase some might say but the enjoyment I get out of walking up to my beast (perfectly organized of course) make it worth every penny.

If you're going heli and envision any field work you're going to need a torque wrench. Snap on is the standard.. 1/4 inch 40-200 in lbs. I got the jet which is noticeably smaller and lighter for the same range.

I'm not a huge fan of buying a bunch of tools and replacing them over time... that's 2 sets of tools.

Bottom line is go out tool shopping... check out all the brands and buy what you like.

[Alloy]

Helllo,

First, you only need a couple freakin expensive snap-on tools.

1- Ratchet Screwdriver. It's expensive (80-90$)but it worth every penny. I got the new version but they still sell both the old and new. Ask the dealer to show you both to make your decision.

2- Offset wrench set. One with open 15 and 60 degre angle head. They are really expensive 260$ for 3/8 to 3/4 but they worth every penny again.


After that, you can go in other brand. Less expensive and quality is about the same.

1/4 inch drive ratchet and sockets set. Normally the set is 3/16 to 9/16. I have SK brand and I like it a lot. I got deep and flex socket set. But just deep or normal to start should be enough.

3/8 drive ratchet and socket. You can buy one but i use mine probably just 20-25% of the time and i had none for a long time when i started so, it's up to you.

Plier ( Channelock brand is what i got at first, good price/quality.)

Cutter
Duckbill
Long nose
Lock wire Twister. I already broke 2 pair of the small version so i suggest you got the big version. I get than now and they are wonderfull. Personnnal suggestion here, forget about the tigerwave version with rubber in the plier, I tried those couple time and in my opinion they don't hold locking wire as good as big normal version.

Adjustable plier. Knipex brand are really great. Check for chads toolbox on google, you can have a set of 3 for 120$.

Wrench

1/4 to 3/4 at least but you should go up to 1 inch. Any brand here is good. You probably gonna short it on electrical shit or want to modify it for a specific job one day, so go for the cheapest.

Ratchet wrench are really usefull but not mandatory to start your kit. I got Bluepoint with button to reverse them. If you don't know, Bluepoint is kind of cheaper version of snap-on tools. In my opinion, they are as good and half the price normally. The snap-on guy sell them.

Allen key set. SAE


The rest ( I don,t know of any brand better than a other one. Just go for the oen you like.

Ball peen hammer 2 or 4 lb max
Soft head hammer 2 or 4 lb

Magnet
Mirror

Couple flat screwdriver like Mastercraft than you can beat the shit out of shit. Small and big one. For electrical stuff or big quarter turn fastener.

Punch and chisel set.

Files set. Second cut or smooth , flat or half-rounded. nothing too agressive.

A good flashlight. Don't put too much on that, you probably gonna drop it couple time and break it.

That you should be a good base to start on.

Don't hesitate if you have question.

cool,
well i guess the ratcheting screw driver would be the first one on my shopping list. and BTW do stores like canadian tire(etc) sell snap-on brand? or you buy it online? im in calgary BTW, maybe you can suggest a store that sell quality brands.

and what is the brand of your safety wire pliers?

thank you sir!

VM Aerospace in BC has good selection on their site www.vmaerospace.com
Might be worth a look

[BAH]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog
im planning to buy this ratchet screwdriver first.
any review on this tool? or you guys can suggest better than this?

I would not recommend this one. There are two little tangs on the selector, they are there to make it easy to select one way or the other with your thumb. The problem is, if you are using the tool near a wall, or anything else they will catch and reverse the tool...real pain in the butt. I would recommend the similar tool from Mac Tools. It has a round knurled handle.

[sportingrifle]

Go to a good size Ford/New Holland farm equipment dealership and check out their brand of tools. They are made by Snap On and are dead ringers less the name. A lot of their selection is too large/HD for aircraft work but their 3/8 drive set, open end wrenches, and screwdrivers (including ratcheting) are top drawer. About 1/3 the price of Snap On. And I kinda get off on tweaking the tool snobs with "tractor tools!"

[Colonel Sanders]

Weird that no one mentions it ...

I spend 'way too much time grinding,
cutting and bending tools to fit into
tight spots.

Everyone here will tell you that you
need to buy their Super-Duper Snap-On
$100,000 3/8 wrench which has magical
properties allowing you to apply the required
ten million inch pounds of torque to some
unsuspecting AN3 bolt, but you don't
always need that much torque. Really.

I might suggest you have a "good" set of
wrenches, and a cheap set of wrenches that
you are willing to sacrifice on the grinder to
get into a tight spot. Same thing for sockets.

Over time, you will accumulate a drawer full
of "special" tools that allow you to do a job
fast. Again, no one here mentions it, but a
sign of a master mechanic is the ability to
make special tools. I made this very simple
one in an evening:



and WOW does it ever save me a lot of time
and effort.

One of the more useful set of tools is a set of
"stubby" wrenches. Again, you don't always
need ten million foot lbs of torque favoured by
the Snap-On crowd. Bonus points if they have
those "geared" ratcheting box ends: