Best Socket Set?

[Keel McDonald]

Wow, I had no idea that so many more of you would voice an opinion since I last checked in yesterday afternoon. Thanks.

Let me clear up a few things. I would like to buy a good quality set of socket for my son (3 years old). I guess I thought you all should know that, sorry. I realize that he is far too young to use them now. I have started buying him tools, good quality tools, for his birthday so that by the time he's 18 or so he'll have a good head start. I don't want to buy just the cheapest things on the market just because he very young and won't know the difference. I want to teach him the difference between buying good tools and settling for cheap tools. I just like to get the most bang for my buck.

[Al Willits]

I seemed to have missed the 3 year old part too.

Buy him the cheap stuff from HD and make sure there's no sharp edges, at three I doubt he'd know the difference, then save the extra you would have spent for better tools later in his life.

Less of course he's a child prodigy and rebuilds Hemi's on the side...


Al

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Wow. Usually when I see a thread this long it's about dust collection, Festool, Sawstop, EZ, safety, forum contributions or politics. Alas, you guys have spent days talking about...


Socket Sets.


Amazing.

[Keel McDonald]

I seemed to have missed the 3 year old part too.

Buy him the cheap stuff from HD and make sure there's no sharp edges, at three I doubt he'd know the difference, then save the extra you would have spent for better tools later in his life.

Less of course he's a child prodigy and rebuilds Hemi's on the side...


Al

No thanks. I'll stick to well-made tools, as I stated in my last post. These tools are for later in his life.

[Al Willits]

Just thinking at that younger age how many might get lost before he gets older?

Al...who still loses tools at 60 ...

[Andrew Nemeth]

I have started buying him tools, good quality tools, for his birthday so that by the time he's 18 or so he'll have a good head start.

Now, I've heard people start saving for a college education... You gotta be a great dad!

[Kyle Kraft]

Allen makes decent sockets in the USA and they are available at 'nards (Menards). I had a gazillion piece set of them at my last employer and they held up nicely. I think we purchased the big set from Grainger.

[Keel McDonald]

Now, I've heard people start saving for a college education... You gotta be a great dad!

Well, it's not that he won't get all my tools when I die, but I'd like to think that won't be for several more decades. My dad started doing that for me when I turned 16. I just thought it would be nice when he is out on his own to have some tools to fix, repair, build, etc. Keep in mind, I don't plan on stockpiling him with large power tools, but certainly with most of the hand tools anyone might commonly need.

[Matt Mutus]

three?

Start him out with playskool, then move him up to craftsman in a few year.

[Keel McDonald]

three?

Start him out with playskool, then move him up to craftsman in a few year.

No thanks. He has plenty of toys.

[Al Willits]

So the Bridgeport vertical mill isn't part of the starter set????

On a serious note, kudo's for getting involved, unfortunately many parents don't

Al

[Pat Germain]

FYI, I have a few Kobalt tools from Lowe's and they're OK. I actually did buy a Kobalt breaker bar and... It broke. Lowe's exchanged it with no questions asked.

All my other hand tools are Craftsman. As a home user, it's just too darned difficult and expensive to deal with Snap-On and similar dealers.

Fun Fact: Many K-Mart stores are now featuring a Sears tool store which makes going with Craftsman even more convenient. No more schlepping to the mall! (K-Mart now owns Sears. No, it's not the other way around.)

Note to elitist Snap-On dealers: If you got off your high-horse and started serving homeowners like the Schwann guy, you'd make more money!

[Matt Meiser]

So basically, you are starting a hope chest. Only his has drawers with ball-bearing slides?

[Matt Meiser]

BTW, Matt, if you're going to put a breaker bar on a socket, try a 1/2" or even a 3/4" drive--a little more meat. Even better is to use an impact wrench--the sockets are softer and less likely to split (though I have stretched a couple).

I do only use it for 1/2" drive stuff mostly. I have broken a 3/8-1/2" adapter once or twice though. Also use my 1/2" impact when I can. Unfortunately it doesn't run well of my portable compressor which is in the attached garage where I do most of my work on the cars.

What's worse is that my breaker bar (an ancient garage sale find my dad gave me) has a hole in the handle end that takes a 1/2" extension for extra leverage. I have a good foot of them

[Jim O'Dell]

Please tell me he won't have access to these sockets for a few years. I'd hate to see a thread with a picture of one of the sockets planted on/in your forehead!! At least he's past the terrible 2's. Jim.