Tools

[9GClub]

Starting my A&P in late August..... where did you guys accumulate most of your tools? I've got some already, but I'll need quite a few more, and I don't really want to buy them new if I don't have to. Any ideas? Yardsales? Shops that are upgrading to newer stuff?

 

[cynic]

Starting my A&P in late August..... where did you guys accumulate most of your tools? I've got some already, but I'll need quite a few more, and I don't really want to buy them new if I don't have to. Any ideas? Yardsales? Shops that are upgrading to newer stuff?

I accumulated tools over several years. I was friends with one or two in high school and later on in college; I needed some new ones that would make me look like a good dancer at the clubs. In general a good tool can really help you stand out and build your confidence.

You don't have to buy them, although you can with comic books or the latest play station. Obviously if you are willing to go with a used tool just head out to the local bar and find one in his late 30s. Buy him a beer or two and he's yours but beware; used tools do not perform well under stress or loaded.

My best idea is to go to your local airport and look for the guy in a flight suit or sporting epaulettes as he climbs into Cessna 172. Rent a copy of top gun and invite him over to watch it in your mom's basement. If you can sneak some of your dads beer or liquor that will help you keep your new tool around longer.

You can find tools at yard sales; but I've found them to be generally old and gay and collecting antiques. Not the kind of tool I like to use.

As for the shops... well you can find motor head tools there and often they do upgrade but as a general rule; tools that have hung out at a shop are just to grimy to be of much use.

 

[Kevski]

9GClub, what do you intend to work on? If you are gonna stick with GA, Craftsman, etc will work fine and is cheap enough, even brand new. Any turbine stuff and you'll need some nice swivel sockets and other tools for when they built the whole plane around the part you need to replace -- in which case you are looking at snap-on or mac. I've worked with guys who have spend as much as a multi rating on their snap-on box and shiny tools. That said, you get what you pay for, but buying new is rather foolish, unless you need a specific item right on the spot. Yard sales and swap meets are the best source, pawn shops are hit and miss, as is ebay. If you're after used snap-on stuff get a price list from the dealer as some people try to sell used tools for nearly the new price. Best advice is to look on ebay for some US made, less common brands, like proto, cornwell, matco, wright, bonney, mac, etc. I've gotten many deals on these brands just because so many mechanics demand snap-on and nothing else.

 

[XJWRENCH]

Also If you like Snap on I believe they still give students 50% off, so save up for that too. Craftsmen works just fine, lifetime warranty. Only had a few issues with exchanging stuff, I just go back later or a different store and no problem. I don't have any big iron work, been stuck in regionals, but from what I've seen on the airframes I've worked on, Don't worry about metric too much at all. On the Saab 340 there is only a couple of metric applications. Regoinal work, 1/4" sockets are going to be your most used item. 3/8 " I use very little and 1/2' ... forget about it. Good wrenches from 1/4 to 1 1/2, A good cordless drill for taken the never ending screws out of panels. Handtools... snap-on is great, craftsmen is just fine, but I aslo have got Harbor Freight specials too. For stuff you don't use often, why pay 3 to 4 time as much. GET A GOOD TOOLBOX. Don't go too big, but get something that you'll have enough space to grow into. You don't want to get your tools put away for the first time and already be out of room. Learn good organization of your drawers. Shadow them with foam or wrench dividers so all you have to do is open a drawer and within 5 secoands you know if you are missing something. FOD is bad, but when the FOD is one of your tools....... get your resume up to date. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TrafficInSight]

While you're a student you can take advantage of the Snap On 50% get you hooked special but once you're out Craftsman is fine really. The only thing I can really reccomend you MUST buy Snap On is torque wrenches. Sears doesn't warranty anything with a mechanism and I went through about 3 torque wrenches from them before I bought a Snap On one and I've had it ever since. Also I have noticed a difference between the Snap On screwdrivers and the craftsman ones at getting out messed up screws.

 

[9GClub]

Thanks guys,

Wasn't aware of the Snap-On student thing, that sounds like a nice gig..... so now my $6,000 torque wrench will only cost me $3,000. SWEET!

I wanna do bush flying for MAF or AIM, which essentially means C206/207/208/210 stuff.

I'll probably hit Snap-On for a half-price student coffee mug, buy the meanest freaking Craftsman sledgehammer I can find, and do some yardsellin' stuff for the rest.

 

[TrafficInSight]

Yeah, that's the problem with Snap On is that the 50% off means you pay an outrageous price for tools

I bought the regular click type torque wrench, not the digital vibrating electronic expensive one

 

[Gryphon]

I've got about $25,000 in tools right now, because of my 20+ years as an auto & truck mechanic, and almost everything i have, i can use on GA planes... and i do, lol... That said, i have a mix of almost eveything, but the only time i buy a Snap-on or Mac tool is when i need it and they are there, or it's something only they have, like some of thier diagnostic stuff. KD, Lisle, many other off-brands are lower in price, and only a little lower in quaility, and they back up thier stuff like the big boys do. I have an SK guy on a tool truck that comes around every other week, and i buy tons of stuff from him.. I do avoid stuff that i know will break if i try to say, turn a light bulb with a pair of pliers... (don't ask why, you don't want to know) and the pliers break before the bulb does... there's a reason that 1000 piece socket/plier/fondue set is $19.95...

 

[Gatorman]

I have had quite a few Newbies on my crew and tell them that there are a couple tools you need to have after you get your standard socket and wrench sets. You need a 3 C-cell or 2 D-cell Maglite and not some off brand look alike, you need a 9.6 volt cordless drill, preferred Makita, because that is what everybody else has and if your battery is dead you can borrow someone elses off the charger while yours is charging.Any battery bigger than that gets very heavy after an hour or two pulling panels. You will also need a 'Ford' wrench.
Just incase you don't know what that is, it is an adjustable wrench that looks like a plummer's pipe wrench but without the teeth. Be sure to get the medium size wrench, should open to almost 4"

If you can get the Snappy deal....great!!

I ain't scared to show off my 1/4" - 2 1/2" $21.00 Harbor Freight wrench set....and laugh because some other smuch paid that much for one snappy 11/16"

See what happens when you have to heat up and bend or cut on a snap-on....tears start rolling.
Harbor Freight....pfft, get another set for $21 bucks and chop all you want.


The only place that you can get screwed over (as far as my experience has taken me) is working on Hawkers with that stupid %^#$ British Standard crap!


Good luck!

 

[vtwo]

Ebay my friend, but I have to say, get a set of those little snap on safety wire pliers. more than a few times those suckers were worth thier weight in gold. Other that that, start with a basic Craftsman hand tool set. Get a 12 point socket set along with a 6pnt set for the larger sizes. Get the biggest set of channel locks you can find, and the smallest set on needle nose Vise grips too. As for buying anything before you start school, wait until they give you a minimum tool list, then buy what you need. After school is when the fun starts with your tool colection. good luck and don't be a scab. happy wrenching dude.