In reply to z31maniac :
Life happens, when it does fix it and move on. I'd look at it like an opportunity rather than a curse. Go buy a nice used set at pawn shops, yard sales, garage shops, Snap on dealers etc. get better tools even if it's a little more than the insurance adjustment. So you don't feel bad and Stew over the theft.
I apologize if this sounds a little Pollyanna but there is enough bad stuff in our lives that we can't do anything about so why not reward yourself with something better to offset the bad?
After years of getting a hard time from the wife about circling back to check on the garage door, which only happens when she's in the car.......anyways....
I bought this earlier this year, and use it for the sanity check:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L5DPK8P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's also been nice a few times to let my parents into the garage to drop something off while at work.
Streetwiseguy said:
Sometimes I'm embarrassed by my paranoid need to watch the door close all the way.
Then I read something like this.
In my last 3 houses in 2 different states, I've accidentally left my garage door open over night on multiple occasions. Luckily nothing was ever stolen. But I always feel super dumb I left it open.
Now I watch the door go down. My garage door at this house wont close if a spec of dust is on the sensor so I usually hold the button closed and watch it down.
Man, that sucks. Theft results in one of the worst feelings a human can experience. Ugh.
As far as the tool replacement goes, I recently picked up a similar blow-bolded "mechanics set" from Husky via Home Depot. Looks like this:
When it goes on sale, it's usually only $99. It doesn't have every single thing in the world, but for the price, it's a good variety of stuff.
On the gear wrenches, I've had good luck with Husky, Kobalt, and even Pittsburgh from the Hammer Store. Worst ones I've had were Craftsman; they barely worked when new and are worse now.
Hope you can replace the stuff on the cheap!
In reply to frenchyd :
I really like this idea. I had already wanted to replace the setup, so why not go ahead and spend a little extra and try to get closer to what I'd like vs "what will do."
Streetwiseguy said:
Sometimes I'm embarrassed by my paranoid need to watch the door close all the way.
Then I read something like this.
Every once in a while a leaf or twig will get stuck on the bottom edge of my door and it will activate the door sensor, so I got in the habit of watching it to make sure it's closed before driving away.
Something to check on the garage door. I had one that did that, even changed the opener and sensors. The cause? The pull rope would occasionally block the sensor and cause the door to open back up.
93gsxturbo said:
Find a mechanic selling a loaded box of truck brand tools for a reasonable price. Reasonable price is 30% of new if new style and no engraving, 20% if older style and/or engraved. Those tools are worth 40-60% of new on the open market when pieced out. Build sets out of popular stuff, sell the oddballs as looseys for guys needing ones to fill out a set.
I kind of have a hard time believing that, when individual flavor (say, short 3/8 drive metric) sets can run $300-500 each. You could spend many many thousands just buying basic tools.
This month's Matco flier.
Note that ADV is Matco's budget line. The sockets are noticably poorer in finish than the Matco line, and the wall thickness is heavier due to the cheaper steel used.
For home use, you can get a lot of stuff from Harbor Freight, and the quality doesn't matter so much because you aren't using them constantly. I do still have to warranty out some certain socket sizes because they just plain wear out. And when you buy used tools, more often than not you are buying a lot of worn stuff that will round fasteners, usually the ones you have the least amount of access to.
