You should always make sure to buy the right tools for the job, but don't forget to get the right quality fot the amount of work you do. If you don't need the tool very often, you can probably get away with a cheaper one. But if it's a tool you plan on using regularly, you should spend the money and get a good quality product, it will save you money in the end. When picking a toolbox I suggest getting something moderately priced with roller bearings, and not too big. I see too many guys with big tool boxes that look empty because of widely spaced tools. I believe in high tool density, as you can see in a pictures below. I have all my sockets, ratchet, and extensions orgainized in to the top of my tool box. Everything is visible, organized, and easy to access. Wrenches and pliers are stacked to resemble pages in a book. This saves space while again remaining visible and accessible.
Toolbox: This is a pretty standard tool box. I like it because it's small enough to be rolled around easily and still has lots of room for tools. |  |
Screwdrivers: A good set is a must for any garage. I don't own many Snap-On tools but I was lucky enough to win a small set of screwdrivers when I was young. |  |
Wrenches: One of the most basic and oldest mechanic tools. If you have extra money get some ratcheting and stubby ones. |  |
Socket Set: One the tools that get a lot of use in my garage. I keep them handy by storing them in the top of my box. |  |
Pliers and DMM: An assortment of pliers, cutters and strippers is always needed. Coming form a electronics background, a DMM is a tool that I couldn't live without. |  |
Miscellaneous Small Tools: In this drawer I keep some of my small tools. Picks, knife, flash light, soldering iron just to name a few. |  |
Miscellaneous Big Tools: It's nice to have some big hammers and pry bars around just in case things need persuading. |  |
Hammers, Punches, and Files: These tools I like to keep near the vise because that's where I use them the most. Keep your centre punches sharp and your files clean for better results in your work. |  |
Vise: A vise is like the foundation of a shop. Make sure to mount it securely, you don't want it moving at the wrong time. |  |
Measuring Tools: It's a good idea to have an selection of measuring tools if you plan on trouble shooting an engine. I still need to buy more, but I've got a start. |  |
Tape Measure: Now this is the one tool that was always at arms reach during this build. Before I even thought about building something I took measurements. |  |
Digital Calliper: If things got too small to measure with the tape, I'd pull out the calliper. A needed tool if you own a lathe, and great even if you don't. |  |
Tap and Die Set: When you start machining your own parts, it's nice to have a tap and die set around. Also great for cleaning up dirty and damaged threads. |  |
Welder: This little 110VAC wire welder has served me well. Owning a welder opens up a world of custom building options. |  |
Oxy-Ace Set: Sometimes a big hammer is just not enough to break something loose. For times like those you need heat, and an oxy-ace setup will give you that. Also great for cutting odd shapes in thick plate. |  |
Air Compressor: Not a tool I would call critical. Nice to have around to fill tires and blow the filings off parts. |  |
Bench Mount Drill Press: This thing worked well while I owned it, but was too small and fast for a lot of the work that I was doing and so was upgraded. |  |
Floor Mount Drill Press: When I got this drill I realized how much time I'd wasted with that baby one. I gave that little thing away to the first person that came in to the garage. The low speed (240rpm) of the new drill made it very nice for drilling large holes in steel. |  |
Milling Machine: I've always thought machining was cool. When I got my new job a couple of years ago I pulled the trigger and bought myself a mill and a lathe. I don't use them that often, but when I do they're indispensable. |  |
Lathe: Not the biggest one made. Great tool that I used mostly for spacers and bushing on this project. |  |
Bench Grinder: Unless you like to spend your free time filing, I would recommend getting a nice grinder to speed up the metal removal process. |  |
Angle Grinder: This grinder worked hard for over 3 years before it crapped out. I used this tool for most of my steel cutting. When it broke I decided to upgrade to a rat tail design. |  |
Angle Grinder: If this thing lasts as long as the last one I'll be happy. I like the rat tail design and the increase from 4 1/2 to 5 inch discs. |  |
Sawsall: Need to cut something fast and don't care how it looks? Well this is the tool for you. I like the corded ones so you can count on consistant long term power. |  |
Corded Drill: No matter how good cordless drill batteries get, I'm still going to own a plug in hand drill. It's always ready to go and can drill large holes without draining a battery. |  |
Cordless Drill and Impact: I avoided buying a cordless drill for a while on the assumption that I'd get frustrated with batteries dying. These tools last fairly long on a chrage and and are very convenient in some situations. |  |
Hole Saw Kit: I bought this set so I could build the roll cage for my off-Runner. It came in useful a couple of times during this build. |  |
Floor Jacks: Floor jacks are hard to replace with another tool. With a clean floor they make moving a car quite easy for one person. |  |
Hydraulic Press: When you really need to apply some force you need hydraulics. This press is rated as 20 tonnes which I hope is enough for the work I need to do. |  |
Engine Hoist: Also called a cherry picker. It's almost like having a very strong friend with everlasting stamina. It will hold a part at just the right height all day long. |  |
Engine Stand: I didn't feel like sitting my TDI on an old tire while it waited to be installed and that's why I bought this stand. It'll come in handy when ever I need to work on an engine out of a vehicle. |  |
Computer: In this day and age, the computer is one of the most powerful tools we have. It's nice to be able to Google something without having to go into the house every time. |  |
Fridge: Sometimes I get thirsty when I'm working. That's why I keep a selection of beverages in my fridge. The freezer is also good at storing pizza pops for when I'm hungry and don't want to stop working. |  |
