What professional automotive tool brand available in the USA do you recommend?

[p6x]

Since I started using tools, I always knew and used FACOM. To me, they are the best money can buy, and they are very expensive.

But they are not available in the USA. Most of the websites are actually EUR based. Or at least, this is what I found after a quick search.

What would be the best brand you would recommend? USAG?

A quick search on Amazon brings tens of brands I never heard about, and I have no clue how well they are manufactured and tolerances.

Thanks for your input!

[LowRyter]

Craftsman, Harbor Fright, Walmart (Crescent)?

 

Recommended by the least mechanical person on the board.  

[paulnaz]

 Not necessarily in this order, some brands will have specialty tools others don't.

Snap-on, Mac, Cornwell, Kobalt, Craftsman.  All have good warranties, some avilable from "tool trucks" that travel to shops and most will sell online and at parts houses.

Happy Hunting!

    Paul B

[Chuck]

My "good" tools are Snap On and Matco. I've never used them, but think Mac is ok. The tools listed by "the least mechanical person on the board." are designed to pass warranty. That is all I'll say about that. If you can find some antique (say 50s) Craftsman.. they are fine. Strong and delicate.

[LowRyter]

You can't hurt my feelings Chuck.....  

 

..... but don't say you've never purchased from Harbor Freight.  

[Chuck]

8 hours ago, LowRyter said:

You can't hurt my feelings Chuck.....  

 

..... but don't say you've never purchased from Harbor Freight.  

Well, I didn't intend to hurt your feelings.. it was just a quote. Of course, I've bought stuff from HF. Their hand tools are about the same quality as modern Craftsman, though. *Some* HF stuff is hard to beat for the price, but the OP asked about "professional" tools.

[p6x]

43 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Well, I didn't intend to hurt your feelings.. it was just a quote. Of course, I've bought stuff from HF. Their hand tools are about the same quality as modern Craftsman, though. *Some* HF stuff is hard to beat for the price, but the OP asked about "professional" tools.

If you checked my link to Facom tools, that's what I am looking for. With the added complication to look fro metric sizes.

[Pressureangle]

22 hours ago, p6x said:

Since I started using tools, I always knew and used FACOM. To me, they are the best money can buy, and they are very expensive.

But they are not available in the USA. Most of the websites are actually EUR based. Or at least, this is what I found after a quick search.

What would be the best brand you would recommend? USAG?

A quick search on Amazon brings tens of brands I never heard about, and I have no clue how well they are manufactured and tolerances.

Thanks for your input!

If you really want the best quality, as mentioned above there are a number of brands that are arguably equivalent in durability, but the nationwide professional brands are Snap-On, Matco, and MAC. Personally I'm a Snap-On customer, as they have the largest distribution network anywhere I've been. I won't make an assertion today, but 20 years ago all the hand tools were made in USA. They have the sub-brand Blue-Point, which are good tools with warranty but are usually re-branded outsiders found less expensively elsewhere. Meh.

[LowRyter]

PA- so far as "outsourcing", I go to Ace and try to find some bolts and fasteners and the bins are empty.  The rack on my Ducati and the tail light on my EV have one each stainless bolt, coupled with a black steel bolt.  And I had to get each at different stores. 

I suppose the moral of the story is don't lose or bugger your bolts?

[Mike Stewart]

11 hours ago, Pressureangle said:

If you really want the best quality, as mentioned above there are a number of brands that are arguably equivalent in durability, but the nationwide professional brands are Snap-On, Matco, and MAC. Personally I'm a Snap-On customer, as they have the largest distribution network anywhere I've been. I won't make an assertion today, but 20 years ago all the hand tools were made in USA. They have the sub-brand Blue-Point, which are good tools with warranty but are usually re-branded outsiders found less expensively elsewhere. Meh.

Being in the automotive trade (now retired) I used Snap-On tools 80 % of the time, MAC and Matco the remainder of the time. Reason for buying off the truck that comes to the shop every week is to replace all the tools you break or wear out (mainly sockets) or lose. I used Craftsman tools before getting into the trade but bringing in a big box of broken tools each week was just too much time wasted. 

[nc43bsa]

When I started building my tool set, Craftsman was of adequate quality and very good availability.  I found over the last 20 years or so that their quality dropped to roughly the level of HF and, since Sears started closing their stores, they are hard to find, too.

I started using Snap-On when a friend demonstrated the difference in how the sockets from Snap-On and Craftsman fit a bolt or nut.   I probably rounded-off countless nuts & bolts due to the loose fit of my Craftsman sockets.

[Chuck]

4 hours ago, nc43bsa said:

When I started building my tool set, Craftsman was of adequate quality and very good availability.  I found over the last 20 years or so that their quality dropped to roughly the level of HF and, since Sears started closing their stores, they are hard to find, too.

I started using Snap-On when a friend demonstrated the difference in how the sockets from Snap-On and Craftsman fit a bolt or nut.   I probably rounded-off countless nuts & bolts due to the loose fit of my Craftsman sockets.

Yeah, aircraft hardware can be in difficult places. "$5 for a bolt, and 2 hours labor to change it???" Tools that are designed to pass warranty will have big radii at the base, thick walls, and just barely enough flat to do the job. I should take a picture of a Snap On, antique Craftsman, and modern to show this..