Tools: Snap-On vs. MAC

i'm currently in college right now and we have to purchase tools for each qtr. i get a huge discound(50% off), of basically any tool dealer i want, including toolbox's too so i'm gonna go all out and get as much as i can now.

i can't decide between snap-on or mac, i also have cornwell tools/ mach co tools, craftsman tools, toolhouse, and a couple others.

i'm buying a lot of air tools, impacts, all the sockes/wrenches/specailty tools for auto body, dolly's and hammers.

what do you guys recommend from experience or are they both about the same quality? and they all offer the lifetime warrenty basically.

i also get Miller welders at a huge discount so i was thinking of buying both a wire feel MIG welder and a TIG welder.

My friend just got some Snap-On wrenches (full standard set) and they flex a good bit. I used MAC wrenches at my grandfathers hydraulic shop that were probably 10-15 years old. Really nice wrenches. Never flexed, never broke any, or dulled the grip on the open end.

I also like SK stuff. And Gear Wrench is something I can't go without. I just bought a metric set to match my standard set.

As far as Miller, if you're going all out, get a Miller 212 (MIG) and a Miller Synchrowave 350 (TIG). Together they are around $6k retail.

To me personally Snap-On all the way.I have Snap-On boxes,tool carts,die grinders,sockets, wrenches,air hammers, the list goes on and on. I love the warranty I've modified wrenches, abused the crap out of stuff and had it warrantied no questions asked. I had some Mac stuff and the dealer used to not warranty some stuff that broke under normal use. I say go Snap-On hope you can make a choice.

Its the other way around here. The Snap-On guy doesn't like to warranty anything. MAC is okay for it, and Matco is pretty good about it. But they all kind of lag.

I've used all kinds of hand tools, just make sure what you get has a good warranty, and talk with the rep/dealer about that kinda stuff before you make a purchase you'll regret down the road.....

my only suggestion is stay away from crapsman, they aren't the tools they used to be back when they earned the name craftsman. my grandfather has a 1/2" craftsman rachet that he has had for eons, probably since the 50's or so and that thing is as solid as the day he got it.....I've had 3 1/2"crapsman rachets in the past 10 years, the gearing keep stripping out, and with a little hell raising they keep swapping them out.

I guess once I finish sinking money into the mazda I might invest in some new tools, but you can be they won't be crapsman!

i use nothing but snap-on, matco, gearwrench, and dewalt. for a toolbox i would recommend snap-on but for hand tools i would suggest matco. could just be from my experience but i have better luck with matco tools and warranties. i work in aviation and you really want to have the right tool for the job, so i spend a little more and buy the good stuff. twistedminis suggested sk tools, but i personally think they are crap. i have had nothing but bad luck with sk tools and the only guy around here that use to warranty them went out of business. and as far as mac tools goes, it is hard to find a mac truck anywhere around here anymore. they don't take care of their people so all the mac truck drivers eventually go out of business. i prefer matco for air tools as well. snap-on gave me a run around for a while on some of my air tools and it took like 2 months for the replacement parts. for the electric tools, nothing beats dewalt. hope this helps bro.

ryan

There are three trucks that come to my shop.
Matco, Snap-on, and Mac.
I have been dealing with these tool trucks for seven years.
I have found that it really depends on the tools you need and use.
Ask any of my reps they will tell you that i am hard as hell on tools.

Personally i feel that Snap-on makes the best 6 pionts sockets shallow, deep, impact and non-impact.Hands down.

Matco makes really good impact swivel sockets shallow, i have only been able to break two of them in seven years.

Personally i feel that a wrench should have a little give to it, but not too much.I am satisfied with my Matco wrenches.

Pry bars, now this is the easy part, a pry bar is used for levrigde so you want one strong as hell.I have bought Snap-on ,Matco,Mac , and cornwell and so far what i have seen, the snap-onbars are bad ass, they may not have the fancy grips or fatigeless handles but damn aare they strong as hell.

I had a bad taste in my mouth after dealing with Mac. The tools haven't held up neither has the quality. However they usually have better deals on things they don't make; just sell like Makita, Power probes, specialty tools and so forth.

Tool boxes hands down should only be purchased from Snap-on.However there carts are pretty basic and don't offer much in customizing.

I have a Matco cart with a flip top, pop up side table, single drawer, with a screw driver holder that comes with a cover.I have had it for about 4 years, this thing has been threw hell literally. It has survived to a truck crash were it was thrown out of the back of the truck into and ditch.When i stood it up it was straight as an arrow. It fell off of the Uhaul trailer going 45 mph and all it did was bend the wheel slip in caster holders, not even the wheel.

Also look at the setup of the truck seriously because a Doritos truck or ice cream truck that got turned into a tool truck says a lot about the setup the guy has and how well he is doing business.

Would you go to a prison to get a tattoo or a clean tatto shop with good equipment.

Keep in mind i use my tools to make money and my opinion is mine. I have told the guys too many times not to come in my bay and bash the other guys stuff because if i didn't like i wouldn't have it plan and simple.

Before you setup a credit line do some research i know to many people that would have waited to get there tools because the rates sky rocketed once they were out of school.

Good luck
Get your on opinion because we are not the ones using your tools.

i probably got somewheres around 70,000.00 in tools and every one of them is snap on.thats including two anniversary edition tool boxes!love em and personally wouldn't use anything else!

yeah i'm thinking about going all out snap-on
suprisingly enough there are 16 kids in my class and they have all ordered MAC and SK stuff.

i'll probably spend about 5 grand and call it good,
then next week SATA is coming to our school and i'm gonna buy a paint gun and air bruch gun...maybe a primer gun. all i've heard is good things about sata.

thanks for your opinions everyone!!!

i personally like snap-on myself. there boxes are wonderfull.



-justin