Hello everyone,

This past winter I painted my project, and now I'm hooked. I'm starting class this fall and they provide a list for the tools needed. I have some already, including paint guns. The guns are starting lines, not the highest quality stuff. Plan on upgrading before summer semester, where we start spraying base and clear.

I have made an excel with the tools I could find. I need your professional opinion on whether or not I chose good tools. The Da and File are the only ones that require to be a certain brand. I had a hard time picking brands, but this is the final result. The total budget is 3k, so I cheaped out in some areas, US General tool drawer and such.

I did research and tried to put more into the tools I was going to be using heavily, electric ratchets, hammers/dollies, die grinder, and socket set.

Let me know how I did, and what you would change within the budget. Thank you!

List: https://imgur.com/a/F9VNftI

Investing in good tools is just that an Investment IN YOU!
They will never go up in Value as far as resale value, But replacing them is always more expensive in the future as they always go up in price new.

Buying the Best stuff when just starting out is Not always the best idea, I used a Lot of Craftsmen and Stanly, Challenger, Husky and a few others when just starting out and replaced them with Higher quality as My career progressed.
There are many tool mfg that offer a Life time warranty Chraftsmen and Snap on are not the only ones! Stanly makes some great inexpensive stuff that has a Life time warranty.
The Only great thing about SnapOn, Mack, Cornwall is the Truck comes by every week to collect a Payment from ya and because of which there always there to exchange a Broken tool unlike Chraftsmen Stanly or other where you have to take the broken tool to the store to exchange it.

Body Hammers and Dolleys would be an exception I would say Buy Martin or Snap on, I like Martin there better than Snap On in my opinion but again they are expensive but dam nice tools that will last a Life time. The difference between the two are negligible.

Stay away from Electric ratchets and impacts wait till your in the field working.
stay away from Air tools for the most part as well till your working, if you need them for Classes thats another story.
I Like Hutchens DA and Sanding Board there probably the best in the industry but again very expensive.

SorryI did not open your file as I have a thing about loading Strange files.

Good Luck with your career

You really don't need all those things right away. I'd get the more important hand tools first then add the air and electric, as you need them. I went without impacts and air rachets for many years. When I first started, I bought a Craftsman set, that had hundreds of tools, when they were on sale, which they used to do often. It got me through the first 5-10 years. The first air tool I bought was a Hutchins Hustler long board. A very good 'older' friend, who had a Camaro I was working on, convinced me to buy good quality. This was around 1976-7. I just replaced that Hutchins a couple months ago!
Another option, which I'd recommend today, knowing what I do, is to hunt flea markets for great quality older tools. You get them at half price or less, and they are still lifetime guaranteed! Body tools are a bit harder to find, but out there, too. Air and electric, I wouldn't buy used, or cheap Chinese crap. Get those new and good quality.
Good luck in your new career!

Doright wrote:Investing in good tools is just that an Investment IN YOU!
They will never go up in Value as far as resale value, But replacing them is always more expensive in the future as they always go up in price new.

Buying the Best stuff when just starting out is Not always the best idea, I used a Lot of Craftsmen and Stanly, Challenger, Husky and a few others when just starting out and replaced them with Higher quality as My career progressed.
There are many tool mfg that offer a Life time warranty Chraftsmen and Snap on are not the only ones! Stanly makes some great inexpensive stuff that has a Life time warranty.
The Only great thing about SnapOn, Mack, Cornwall is the Truck comes by every week to collect a Payment from ya and because of which there always there to exchange a Broken tool unlike Chraftsmen Stanly or other where you have to take the broken tool to the store to exchange it.

Body Hammers and Dolleys would be an exception I would say Buy Martin or Snap on, I like Martin there better than Snap On in my opinion but again they are expensive but dam nice tools that will last a Life time. The difference between the two are negligible.

Stay away from Electric ratchets and impacts wait till your in the field working.
stay away from Air tools for the most part as well till your working, if you need them for Classes thats another story.
I Like Hutchens DA and Sanding Board there probably the best in the industry but again very expensive.

SorryI did not open your file as I have a thing about loading Strange files.

Good Luck with your career

chopolds wrote:You really don't need all those things right away. I'd get the more important hand tools first then add the air and electric, as you need them. I went without impacts and air rachets for many years. When I first started, I bought a Craftsman set, that had hundreds of tools, when they were on sale, which they used to do often. It got me through the first 5-10 years. The first air tool I bought was a Hutchins Hustler long board. A very good 'older' friend, who had a Camaro I was working on, convinced me to buy good quality. This was around 1976-7. I just replaced that Hutchins a couple months ago!
Another option, which I'd recommend today, knowing what I do, is to hunt flea markets for great quality older tools. You get them at half price or less, and they are still lifetime guaranteed! Body tools are a bit harder to find, but out there, too. Air and electric, I wouldn't buy used, or cheap Chinese crap. Get those new and good quality.
Good luck in your new career!

Thank you both!