Alright so here's the deal, moved into my first home and have a 1 car garage in which my 67 International is currently stabled in. I haven't been able to work on her because well... I have 0 tools... I mean no tools. I am on a super tight budget, and am looking for help. Can anyone recommend good resources for finding/pricing tools? I'm looking to see what it would cost for a good selection of tools including a basic mig welder. Any tips? I've been greatly considering...don't kill me please - Harbor Freight for basic hand tools.
Help filling garage!
- Thread starter tecster
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GJunktionMike
Something's wrong with that boy!
I'm the king of cheap tools. I have a lot of HF tools and so far they have been good for what I have needed them for. I myself check CL every night and I come across a lot of good stuff, also pawn shops and yard sales. The one thing for sure do not go cheap on a mig, I find good 110V ones on CL and yard sales all the time around $400 and 240v around $800.
Later I will link what I have in mind for ya Mike, you can give me your opinion.
26Troadster
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 22, 2007
- Messages
- 4,037
two words YARD SALE, i have a lot of tools from yard sales as well as any auto parts store that happen to have what i needed. good luck.
Mike, here is what's on the list from Harbor Freight... I will most definately search Craigslist prior to heading there if/when I decide to purchase.
Rolling Tool Chest - 11 Drawers
Low Profile Floor Jack 2.5 Ton
3 Ton Heavy Duty Jack Stands x2
301 Piece Mechanics Tool Set
1/2in Air Impact Wrench
3/8 Air Impact Wrench
50 FT Retractable Air Hose Reel 3/8"
3" Cut-Off Wheel
1/2" Deep SAE & Metic Impact Sets (13 Pieces Each)
3/8" Deep SAE & Metric Impact Sets (8 Pieces Each)
1/2" & 3/8" Various Impact Extensions
25 Piece 3" Cut Off Wheels
22 Piece Screw Driver Set
Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
Just a start, I have a few more things on the list and it totals little over 1k before all my lovely coupons I will scourer around for.
donsrods
Well-known member
I have scored a lot of tools over the years at estate sales. Machinists and mechanics have passed away and their collection of professional tools go fairly cheap and are of good quality usually. Older Craftsman tools are very good compared to what they are selling today in their stores. If you can find some of those they will last a long time.
One estate sale I went to was where a man had died and his family was selling off all his tools. I loaded up on MAC, Proto, SnapOn, etc tools that I could never have afforded to buy off the trucks. I bought so many that the family asked if I would like a free huge box of Ford engine parts still in the boxes, like bearings, pushrods, etc.
Pawn shops can be another good source, but you have to know what you are looking at, what they are generally worth new, and are willing to dicker. This economy has forced a lot of technicians and other professionals to have to sell off their tools to survive.
I buy a lot of stuff from HF, but stay away from their electrical tools. Their air tools are ok, but I find that their $29 impact wrenches are weak. I bought a few of the Husky high torque ones and they make the HF ones look sick.
Don
One estate sale I went to was where a man had died and his family was selling off all his tools. I loaded up on MAC, Proto, SnapOn, etc tools that I could never have afforded to buy off the trucks. I bought so many that the family asked if I would like a free huge box of Ford engine parts still in the boxes, like bearings, pushrods, etc.
Pawn shops can be another good source, but you have to know what you are looking at, what they are generally worth new, and are willing to dicker. This economy has forced a lot of technicians and other professionals to have to sell off their tools to survive.
I buy a lot of stuff from HF, but stay away from their electrical tools. Their air tools are ok, but I find that their $29 impact wrenches are weak. I bought a few of the Husky high torque ones and they make the HF ones look sick.
Don
I have scored a lot of tools over the years at estate sales. Machinists and mechanics have passed away and their collection of professional tools go fairly cheap and are of good quality usually. Older Craftsman tools are very good compared to what they are selling today in their stores. If you can find some of those they will last a long time.
One estate sale I went to was where a man had died and his family was selling off all his tools. I loaded up on MAC, Proto, SnapOn, etc tools that I could never have afforded to buy off the trucks. I bought so many that the family asked if I would like a free huge box of Ford engine parts still in the boxes, like bearings, pushrods, etc.
Pawn shops can be another good source, but you have to know what you are looking at, what they are generally worth new, and are willing to dicker. This economy has forced a lot of technicians and other professionals to have to sell off their tools to survive.
I buy a lot of stuff from HF, but stay away from their electrical tools. Their air tools are ok, but I find that their $29 impact wrenches are weak. I bought a few of the Husky high torque ones and they make the HF ones look sick.
Don
Thanks Don, I value your input greatly. I've never done the whole estate sale deal, do they post those somewhere? Are they open to the public like a tag sale just walk right up? I would hate to over step my boundaries.
donsrods
Well-known member
A couple of ways to find them. Usually they will post an ad in the local paper, maybe even Craigslist. Or, on any given Saturday you can drive around and you will see garage sale and estate sale signs on the streets. Garage sales are not what they once were as people now sell stuff on Craigslist, but some towns are still ok and have some every week.
You can just walk in and generally the estate sales company will have stuff displayed and tagged with prices and sometimes there is bidding involved. I have bought boxes of industrial drill bits and other tools that the guy used to earn a living and they generally go pretty cheap.
Don
You can just walk in and generally the estate sales company will have stuff displayed and tagged with prices and sometimes there is bidding involved. I have bought boxes of industrial drill bits and other tools that the guy used to earn a living and they generally go pretty cheap.
Don
kenny c
Well-known member
another place for used is flea markets. I generaly try to pay less than or around 1/2 of new value. I have always had good luck with used millwaukee electrical tools like grinders, band saws and drills. you can get replacment parts on line such as brushes and switches. older makita stuff is ok, i don't care for the newer stuff so much. good luck.
GJunktionMike
Something's wrong with that boy!
Look around first. I think Don hit it pretty well. I have their 1/2" impact and it works well, Wouldn't see the need for owning 1/2" and 3/8". The 3" cut off for me is overrated, I just use the 4 1/2" cutting wheels on a grinder. Use to buy their 4 1/2" grinders because I got a coupon every 3 month with them on sale for $14 and I burned them up that fast. I ponied up for a hitachi grinder. HF has a 10 pack (5 cut off, 3 grinding wheels and 3 flapper disc) for around $12.
The craigslist & tag sale foo is weak with me haha. I'm gonna look around and such.
If you're tight on cash, skip the tool chest, the 301 piece set, and the air stuff. That 301 piece set has a bunch of stuff you probably don't need or want. I generally try to avoid buying from HF anything that should have a sharp edge to it. Pliers, bits, saw blades, etc. Their flapper discs are worthless too.
Get impacts for any 1/2" sockets you buy - since you'll get air eventually. But just buy a 1/2" ratchet, breaker bar, and torque wrench. Buy the 3/8" and 1/4" socket set. Some extensions and adapters too. Get a full set of wrenches. Maybe a set of gooseneck box wrenches. Set of screwdrivers or 2. Crow bar.
Get your pliers somewhere else. As for channelocks , I love my Vise-A-Grips. Nothing works as well in my opinion. Get a pair of wire strippers too - my all time favorites are GB Tools GESP-70. You can find them cheaper I suspect.
HF's step bits are good.
I also use HF's 4-1/2" grinder and cut off wheels. get a full face shield. Their 4-1/2" grinder is about the only electric stuff I'd buy there. Definitely don't buy cordless stuff there. Corded models are dirt cheap.
Save your cash and buy a decent welder.
Get impacts for any 1/2" sockets you buy - since you'll get air eventually. But just buy a 1/2" ratchet, breaker bar, and torque wrench. Buy the 3/8" and 1/4" socket set. Some extensions and adapters too. Get a full set of wrenches. Maybe a set of gooseneck box wrenches. Set of screwdrivers or 2. Crow bar.
Get your pliers somewhere else. As for channelocks , I love my Vise-A-Grips. Nothing works as well in my opinion. Get a pair of wire strippers too - my all time favorites are GB Tools GESP-70. You can find them cheaper I suspect.
HF's step bits are good.
I also use HF's 4-1/2" grinder and cut off wheels. get a full face shield. Their 4-1/2" grinder is about the only electric stuff I'd buy there. Definitely don't buy cordless stuff there. Corded models are dirt cheap.
Save your cash and buy a decent welder.
Thanks Sam, I actually joined up to Garage Journal forums and they tend to post some decent deals on tools. They recently linked this one Craftsman Module Sale which seems to have some good deals.
They seem like a halfway decent buy, the guys over at GJ were suggesting to make sure you get the USA made ones not the cheaply made china ones. I found a guy off Craigslist who owns a generator repair store who supposedly has every tool known to man for sale... Going Sunday to look and hopefully grab a few things.
Undercover Customs
Well-known member
These are all great ideas and sources I've collected tools from. One other is when/if you are looking for parts for your project. A few years ago I responded to an ad on Craigslist for a set of wheels I wanted. I bought the wheels and started talking to the guy about his project, we hit it off pretty well. Him and his wife had restored this car and he was done with some of the major tools involved with it. He through in an engine stand, a break down engine hoist and a buick 350 short block just because he didn't want to deal with trying to sell them and he thought I would use them. So keep your eyes open in those situations too.
CheeseEater
Member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2012
- Messages
- 24
If you have "NO" tools, watch the Sears' ads. The tool kits they sell in plastic boxes are pretty nice. I have one mounted on a rolling cart and one in my truck. The one with like 150 pieces will go one sale for $100. Good start.
