How much do you spend on tools a month?

[Trevorleach]

Given their prices, and a ratchet is now aout £180-240, Id say the average spend by a full time mechanic is a few hundred.
I mean a pair of cutters is about £80 off the van now. Think I'd rather have Knipex or NWS!

Their side cutters are pretty crap tbh, ace when new then a few hundred cable ties later and that's is they go blunt, then a few hundred more cutes later and the jaws overbite, I think they are circa 60 quid ish.
On the other hand their 9 inch linesmans pliers are the dogs whatsits.

 

[Pete.]

Their side cutters are pretty crap tbh, ace when new then a few hundred cable ties later and that's is they go blunt, then a few hundred more cutes later and the jaws overbite, I think they are circa 60 quid ish.
On the other hand their 9 inch linesmans pliers are the dogs whatsits.

Do you mean Snap On or Knipex? I have Knipex side cutters and they are heavily used. Cut a spring with them yesterday and the edges are still perfect.

 

[Trevorleach]

Do you mean Snap On or Knipex? I have Knipex side cutters and they are heavily used. Cut a spring with them yesterday and the edges are still perfect.

Snap on.

Bloke I used to work with swore by Knipex.

 

[Jack_K]

Some might say I spend too much on tools but I don't believe I do. I could get away with buying fewer tools if I couldn't afford it but that isn't an issue. I always buy quality tools (not China/Taiwan), every time I buy cheap ones it has been bad. I am not sure exactly how much I spend per month as it varies. I chose £250-£400 as I think that is probably about right on average.


This is pretty much the same for me:

I voted £400+ because it's probably just about my average, some months it might be half that, some it might be double it, but if i looked at it over a 12 month period it's probably £4500 - £5000. It's excessive for a hobbyist, but i'm slowly gearing up to make it far more than a hobby. I don't drink or smoke or really buy much household junk, so the vast majority of my spare cash goes onto tools. I consider it a far safer option than taking out a 20 to 30k loan to start a business and worry where the hell the payments are coming from in the first few months, i'd rather just start out doing hobby stuff and occasional bits and peices for friends and family and go from there.

For the most part what i'm doing now is mostly hobby projects and just advancing my own skills, so it seems like I'm spending far too much on tools, but I think future me will thank myself for it later.