Tool prices are stupid

[Welder Dave]

How come if you lose a wrench out of a set it costs so much to replace it? I lost a 5/8" Gearwrench ratcheting wrench. Went to a tool store to replace it and it was $30, on sale yet to replace it. Forget that. I looked around at other stuff and came across the same wrench in a set with 4 other wrenches on sale for 50% off. The 5 wrench set was $25 so I bought it. Even at the regular price 1 wrench alone shouldn't be 60% of the complete set. I was thinking maybe a replacement might cost $15 or $16 not $35 or even $30 on sale. It seems stupid to me.

 

[Vetech63]

They make money on guys like us that lose one wrench out of a set. lol

 

[Welder Dave]

But then the stores have full racks of individual wrenches that take up space collecting dust because the sets are usually on sale and a much better deal. It is an upsale but I think the tool maker would make better profit if the individual pieces were more reasonably priced. They're giving away wrenches for free especially when the sets are on sale.

 

[CM1995]

10 MM sockets and wrenches would be $50 a piece if I was in the tool business.

Only by some miracle I still have my HD branded 10 MM ratchet wrench.

 

[willie59]

Tools? Heck, I kinda expect that to be spendy. What makes my wallet pucker up to the size of a raisin is when I go to the grocery store!

 

[OzDozer]

The most annoying thing I find, is losing a tool out of set and rarely being able to buy a single tool to replace the one you lost.
Not a lot of individual tools for sale around here any more, when sets can be so cheap on special.

Tools are looking real cheap compared to the price of gas at present.
That old joke about doubling the value of your pickup by filling the tank, is not going to be a joke soon!

 

[Welder Dave]

With a limited income I'm always looking for deals and thankfully I've found a bunch. Sometimes I just see stuff that I could use or I'm not in a hurry and keep checking back. Really happy I found solenoids for the grader dirt cheap. What really sucks is when you need something special for a specific job and it's either rarely on sale or was on sale 2 month's before you needed it.

 

[willie59]

The problem I have is not just losing a tool, but breaking or one worn out. After doing this for over 35 yrs I've collected some tools, and the bulk of them are the guaranteed for life variety, I don't use cheap knuckle busters to make a living. But most of my tools are now discontinued they're so damn old, been change to a newer style. There is no direct replacement. Like my New Britain ratchets, I love using a push button release ratchet when your hands are oily or greasy. New Britain made the Craftsman and NAPA ratchets and wrenchs for years, you could get rebuild kits for them, now they're gone. I've scored some rebuild kits from Ebay, but there's no new source that I'm aware of. So if I muck up one of my tools it's either update or find a used one. I've got a Proto ladies foot prybar that is the absolute perfect shape and profile, it's my go to. I have a NAPA that the profile makes it useless, about all I use it for is a tapered drift. I've been searching for years for another Proto like the one I have and have had no luck finding one or even another one like it.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Ebay is where I go when I lose a socket and want one that matches.

Unfortunately the 10mm and 1/2 sockets are always sold out and those that have them know their worth.

But it is still usually the cheapest way.

 

[92U 3406]

I feel bad for the young fellows getting into the trades these days with tool prices being what they are. Tool boxes are almost double what they were when I bought mine. I don't even bother walking on the tool trucks anymore with the prices they're charging.

 

[92U 3406]

Ebay is where I go when I lose a socket and want one that matches.

Unfortunately the 10mm and 1/2 sockets are always sold out and those that have them know their worth.

But it is still usually the cheapest way.

Ironically I have never lost a 10 mm of anything in the almost 15 years I've been doing this.

 

[willie59]

I feel bad for the young fellows getting into the trades these days with tool prices being what they are. Tool boxes are almost double what they were when I bought mine. I don't even bother walking on the tool trucks anymore with the prices they're charging.

I haven't been on a tool truck for years, and I'd be afraid to step in one now. Back in 2002 I paid nearly 2K each for two matching Matco boxes to fit in a van body truck, still use them daily, but I don't even want to imagine what they would cost now

 

[92U 3406]

I haven't been on a tool truck for years, and I'd be afraid to step in one now. Back in 2002 I paid nearly 2K each for two matching Matco boxes to fit in a van body truck, still use them daily, but I don't even want to imagine what they would cost now

I've had a Mac Tech Series roller cabinet and top chest for over a decade now and it was about $10k CAD new. I saw a brand new roller cabinet on the Snap On truck the other day. Its probably 30" deep, so a little bigger than a standard cabinet. $17k CAD. 15 years ago that might have been an $8k or $9k box.

 

[willie59]

I've had a Mac Tech Series roller cabinet and top chest for over a decade now and it was about $10k CAD new. I saw a brand new roller cabinet on the Snap On truck the other day. Its probably 30" deep, so a little bigger than a standard cabinet. $17k CAD. 15 years ago that might have been an $8k or $9k box.

Just damn! At now 64 years old I don't expect I'll be having to deal with this for too many more years, which is good, but at the same time, not looking forward to the ending of my era. But hey, c'est la vie.

 

[chidog]

The cheap harbor freight mechanics tools cost much more than a snap on did in the late 1960's.
Rollaways and such I'd never spend used car prices, or used heavy equipment prices, on a name brand tool box. Besides they are likely made in the same factory the Harbor freight or what ever brand is.
I'd be building a tool box before I'd spend 17K or more for one. I could get some good machines to help the process for that. And the hand built box would be more secure.

 

[92U 3406]

Wages in the 60s were also a fraction of what they are today as well.

 

[pushbroom]

I keep a list of all my tools for insurance. From 2018 to now most of the Snap-On tools went up 40-60 percent. Some doubled. Total for replacement cost today is $134,000 cad. I bet I spent 70,000 or less on all of them throughout the last 15 years. With the prices of stuff now I can see why most apprentices don't have Snap-On stuff in their box.

 

[thepumpguysc]

92U.. r u saying u don’t shop on the “STRAP-ON” truck.??
Lol

 

[Welder Dave]

I couldn't believe the price of new welders. $2200cad. for a new Millermatic 211 and over $12K for a Trailblazer 325. Lincoln Ranger 305G's which are comparable used to sell for around $5K. Prices have more than doubled in the last 8 or 9 years.

 

[OzDozer]

Try buying a Lincoln portable engine driven welder! They are over AU$60K here, new! People fight over used ones that have had the cr*p beaten out of them!

I was lucky enough to score a Cummins-powered Lincoln Vantage 580 in 2017 with only 2800 hrs on the clock - for AU$1300!

The welder was in an auction, it was located at a remote minesite location, and no-one took any decent photos of it, and the description was limited to a single sentence!

I took a punt on it, and when it was delivered, I found it only needed repair work to the protection cage (many of the portable welders here have protection cages around the frame), straighten out a couple of dents, pressure-wash about a quarter tonne of oily dirt and dust off it (I had to drop the pan off the bottom, to clean it all out) - and it ran like a Swiss watch!

It's currently on rental to a buddy, and he loves it! What is even better, I can probably get well over $10,000 for it, still!