Hey guys, So I am moving out of state and wont be able to use my buddies shops any longer. This means I need to build my own shop and start buying some of my own tools. I have a engine stand and one of those 100 pieces tool kits from Craftsman, that’s it. So if you guys had a very limited budget something like 500-1000 dollars what would be on your priority list to get your shop up and running? Maybe another way to look at it is what do I need to get my Civic back together.
And how do you guys feel about Harbor Freight Tools? Looks like they have the cheapest tools as far as cranes and jacks. I don’t want to buy junk but I cant afford Snap-On.
My list -
Floor jack
Jack stands
Crane
Air compressor
Tool box
Work bench
Vice
Give me some input, also if you know of any good deals.
I wouldn’t trust harbor freight. At least not jack and jack stands.
I have so much stuff in my shop I can’t tell you what I use all the time.
Air tools?
Torches?
An oil catch of some sort and/or oil storage?
A creeper?
Don’t get anything from harbor freight that your safety depends on or that you will use frequently.
Do get everything from harbor freight that isn’t safety-critical and won’t be used often.
Build your own workbench. Some lumber and a handful of 1/4" lag bolts and you’ll have something far more solid than you can buy. It’ll be cheaper too.
Get a cheap volt meter, couple different sized pry-bars, BFH, a big ass pegboard. If you decide you need an electric drill don’t cheap out on it. Get a corded one if you can’t afford a decent cordless.
I’d fare ok with 2 sockets of every kind (3/8 ratchet,6 point only, tall and short) , open/closed wrenches of every size , basic screwdriver set, a tall jack and 2 stands. I have a TON of tools at the shop, but it comes down to those essentials every time. If a budget is what you’re after, stick with those and buy a tool only when you need it and if it justifies the cost (either with the expectation you will use it often or will cost more having someone else do it for you).
Edit: As for harbor freight, there are tons of consumables you can get there (grinding discs,etc) and most tools are fine despite the low quality. Again for budget, (I’ve only experienced this with sockets, they DO crack under circumstances a craftsman wouldnt, AND their angle grinders burn out on me) , if a tool breaks, big whoop, you can buy 5 more for the cost you’d pay for a brand one. Whatever you abuse the most, spend that cash on something nicer.
Harbor freight hand tools are generally junk but I own 2 of their floor jacks and 4 jack stands and they are fine. I’d say 60% of the guys who go to the Glen use their lightweight racing jack with no issues. People over exaggerate.
My orange and white harbor freight jack stands sit right next to my sears ones, and they look identical. My sears ones are about 10 years old, harbors are about a year old.
I have a harbor freight jack and stands, they work perfect for my two civics. Jacking up a heavier vehicle frequently I could see it failing though. I have a lot of craftsman sockets in the important metric sizes like 8 10 12 14 17, the rest are harbor freight though. I actually prefer the HF pittsburgh brand ratchets as they’re rubber coated so they don’t get cold and dont slip in my hand. The air tools from HF blow big time.
i have the HF alum racing jack, as well as a bunch of their jackstands… the HF jack stands are more heavy duty than my Craftsman ones…
the HF alum jack works really well… the craftsman jack and HF jack both use the same hydraulic bottle… so unless the HF ones are factory seconds… they should be identical
Given the amount of use that tools would see in a shop environment, I’d stay away from low end tools. Investing in quality tools will save you $$ in the long run. You may want to consider financing tools through one of the major mobile tool dealers. The interest rates are higher, but being able to purchase $3000 worth of tools for $25-30/week isn’t a bad idea in your situation.