re: Hand tools: good brand?

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$150 for a 3 pc snap on ratchet set is nuts. ill take a cheap one any day. if it breaks get a new one.

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I agree completely. But I don't make a living with my tools. With the Snap on stuff they really are that much higher quality. And if you're a mechanic, you lose money if you break tools and have to go get a new one.

The stuff that they are untouchable on though are pliers, screwdrivers, sockets. I toured the plant where they make the pliers and they go to a lot of extra trouble with the way they manufacture and the heat treating of tips and things that others just don't bother with. It's why you don't see Snap on pliers where they stretch out and the tips don't meet anymore. You put that much pressure on a Snap on and it will break because they harden them out there on the ends. You then take it back and get a new one. Same with the tips on the screwdrivers. You don't see them very often where they don't look perfect. Cheap ones will wallow out. Get dings in them. Snap on will break off the end before it will deform. You then go get an exchange blade in that handle. The handles are tougher than others also. Plus they have the hex bolsters so you can get on it with a wrench for more torque. They're just engineered to work better. They don't care what that costs. They aren't looking to be considered as comparable to any other tool. They're just making the best tools you can buy and if you want the best, you'll pay it.

Personally, I don't need that. But my paycheck isn't involved.

I don't know if there is a dealer around you, but Mack tools would fit the niche that you are looking for...