Shopping Queen

I wouldn't call myself a fashionista but I do love shopping.  I especially love shopping for deals on clothes and shoes so I'm the type of person that frequents Marshalls, Ross and TJ Maxx.  Sometimes I think my excitement of my purchase is more about the deal than the actual item.

I've been working on building my moto mechanic tool kit.  I have a long list of recommendations from the engine rebuild class I took.  I know it will be costly so I've been doing my research to ensure that I buy the right tools at the right price.  Today I was able to get some great buys at swap meet but before I share what they were there are some things you shouldn't go cheap on.

If you know you'll be working on your own engine, you shouldn't go cheap on the basics such as your socket set, wrenches and screw drivers.  These tools you will always need so buying better quality is the smart way to go.  Now, you can go Louis Vuitton-style and buy Snap-Ons which are super high quality but if being a mechanic is not your everyday job then it's probably not necessary to spend top dollar.  You can go to Harbor Freight if you're really on a budget knowing that these tools aren't as durable and won't last long but will work well in the meantime.  I went with a comprehensive set of Craftsman tools for almost $200 with tax.  I chose these tools because they have a good reputation, have been around for a long time (my dad has always advocated for their tools) and they have a lifetime guarantee (as long as Sears stays in business).  If you have the flexibility you should wait for a sale.  Sears typically has sales on their tools during major holidays.

These were a birthday gift from my boyfriend.

Now let's talk about my swap meet finds.  I bought all of these items for $25!  The hemostats and pics are for cleaning carbs.  I use the hemostats to hold red scotch bright for cleaning carbs or any hard to reach places.  The magnetic tray is something I wished I had when I dropped and lost an important screw.  I use rubber gloves when I work on my engine but find that they tear at the fingertips.  I found these small mechanics gloves that actually fit my hands.  They were only $2 and if they work out well for me I'll be taking a trip back to swap meet to buy more.  The telescoping magnet will prove useful if a screw ever falls into a place in the engine that I can't reach.  So hopefully I don't have to use it to often for dropped screws.  Although I found that I did use it more often to help pull out stubborn washers that didn't want to budge.  And lastly, you can never have enough zip ties.

I also previously purchased a metal cart from Harbor Freight for $50 which I currently have my engine sitting on.  I needed something on wheels because I'm currently working on it at a community garage.  It will be better to have my engine on a work bench when I finally get it home because there always is a risk of the cart being knocked over.

This is definitely not a comprehensive list of tools.  I've been borrowing my boyfriend's impact drill to learn what I like and don't like about it before I consider a purchase.  Also, there are so many specialty tools that I've been eyeing but I'll purchase those as the need arises.  This shopping queen is finding that being a motorcycle mechanic is expensive upfront but will save me in the long run because I won't be paying other mechanics and will be doing the job myself.