Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

I have spent the last 20 years of my life building my tool box. When I was first starting out buying tools, tool sets were the place I started. Getting 200+ tools all together is a great place to start. Today we are going to look at the Husky 268  Mechanic’s Tool Set with storage box.

Disclaimer ~ This post is a paid partnership with The Home Depot. The tools were provided to Humble Mechanic at no charge. Links to products included in this post are affiliate links to The Home Depot. The information listed in product description is either my personal experience, or information provided by tool manufatorer or The Home Depot

Husky 268  Mechanic's Tool Set with storage box

The world of entry level tools has changed so much since I started buying tools. Years ago the stuff at this price point was absolute junk. Today you can get some good quality tools, and the best part, they have a lifetime warranty. You can just run them by The Home Depot and they will swap it out for ya, no questions asked. Unlike some other stores that would give you a crazy hard time about exchanges. I guess there is a reason that store is no longer in business. To me service after the purchase is very important. That holds true for the tools I make a living with, the tools I enjoy my hobby with, and the ones I use to fix the house.

Let’s get into the tools! I mean that is why we are all here right. This set comes with 268 tools. A selection of 1/2 drive, 3/8 drive, and 1/4 drive. As a VW tech my goto drive was always 1/4 due to the tight spaces we have to work in. You get 39 deep well sockets, 129 standard depth sockets, 30 wrenches 3 ratchets, and about 60 bits and Hex Keys. They all come nicely set in a molded case with storage on the lid, and two drawers. The different drives are separated into different drawers. The drawers are also removable so you can take them out and bring them to the work site if you don’t need the whole box.

Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

The Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) also comes with some specialty sockets like Torx and Allen. Today it’s not just funky German cars with that type of fastener, even many deck screws are T25 Torx. There is also a mix of metric and standard sockets in each drive. The set also comes with 4 extensions, 2 spark plug sockets, a bit driver, and 22 screwdriver and nut driver bits. Finally a set that comes with a 10mm nut driver bit! You can see the full list of tools included in Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

Now if you are a mechanic that works on all makes and models, and does every repair on all lines of cars, this tool box is not going to be everything you need. I have yet to find a “tool set” that is. But this can be a great place to start. I snapped this picture at a local dealership where the service express guy had the exact box. After a quick chat he said this gets done 85% of what he needed and he supplements the rest. I’d much rather new techs start out with this than a $5,000 tool truck bill.

The tools themselves are a good value and have held up to some abuse by me. I am not easy on the tools that I own, no matter the price. I have yet to break any Husky hand tool now that I think about it. I see this set being a great place to start building your tool collection, or for a second set of tools to keep in the truck tool box. For me this set will be going out to the shed so I don’t have to run back and forth to the shop for a socket. As with anything, it’s worth running by your local Home Depot aka HomeDepot Motorsports and putting the tools in your had. The $15 ratchet from Husky may not feel the same, or give you “tool box cred” like the $150 tool truck brand. But It can get the job done and save a TON of money.

Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

Pros of the Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

  • Includes a lot of tools for the price
  • No questions lifetime warranty
  • Selection of tools beyond basic sockets
  • Portable set will get a lot done

Cons of the Husky Mechanics Tool Set (268-Piece) with Tool Box

  • 40 of the 268 pieces are Hex Keys
  • The labels for socket locations can be hard to read
  • Drawers can be tricky to open and close
  • If you are moving the tools around, they can get out of place causing the drawers to not open
  • Drawers don’t lock, this may be an issue when moving the box

Overall this is a solid kit and a good value. It’s hard to go wrong with a set of tools and a lifetime warranty. The main concern I have about this set, is what I have about all sets, the filler tools. I don’t really need 40 hex keys, and a bunch of bits. Even with that, I still think this is a good set of tools for the money. It’s not going to cover every repair or project you will ever do, but I see them as a great starting point for your tool collection. This type of set is almost exactly what I started buying when I was first buying mechanics tools.

Viewer Car Questions ANSWERED ~ Podcast Episode 248

Today I will be taking your car related questions. The topics we cover are, car repair, DIYs on cars, Volkswagen, mechanic’s tools, and anything car related. To ask a car question for a show like this, email me Charles(at)Humblemechanic(DOT)com. Be sure to put the phrase “Question for Charles” in the subject. That is the best so you can avoid the spam monster. If you don’t get your question on this show, email it again just to be sure. Everyone has car questions, I am glad to be able to help

Sponsor of the Day CRP AUTO
CRP deals in a ton of OE automotive parts. They also make the factory DSG fluid for VW. Having them as a sponsor will give us access to more information about fluids than I would ever get from VW. I am really excited to have them as a resource of information. To learn more about the great products they have, check out CRPAutomotive.com 

Become A CrewMember
If you like this show. If you get value out of the videos and content that I put out, consider supporting the show by becoming a CrewMember. You will get discounts you can’t get anywhere else, exclusive videos from me, and VW/Audi training manuals. Between the discounts and the training manuals, the CrewMembership can easily pay for itself. Become a CrewMember today

Help Support The Show
Many of you have asked about supporting the show. For that I thank you. For now, the best things you can do are SHARE THE SHOW, and shop with my links on Amazon. You will not spend any more money that you would normally. Here is the Amazon link Humble Mechanic on Amazon or you can check out some recommended tools I have listed below.

Listen to the Show
It is finally here! The audio only version of the Humble Mechanic Podcast. So many of you wanted to listen on the go, in the car, working out, and now you can. While I wait for iTunes, Google approval you can listen to the show here on the blog. Once those approvals come, you will be able to subscribe and download the audio podcasts from your favorite place. 

Join me as I take your automotive questions on:

Trouble viewing? Watch “Viewer Car Questions ANSWERED ~ Podcast Episode 248” on YouTube.

As always I love to hear your thoughts. Please post them in the comments section below. Again, if you have a question for a show like this, email me Charles(at)humblemechanic(dot)com with Question for Charles in the subject. Also if you have an idea for a show, contact me via email, or use the contact me form!

Don’t forget to follow me at:

Humble Mechanic automotive Podcast

Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

Shop vacuum cleaners are not something I get really excited about. I mean its a vacuum right? You use it to suck up things you are going to get rid of in most cases. That being said, having a good wet/dry shop vac at the ready can be a lifesaver. Today we are looking at the Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

Disclaimer ~ This post is a paid partnership with The Home Depot. The tools were provided to Humble Mechanic at no charge. Links to products included in this post are affiliate links to The Home Depot. The information listed in product description is either my personal experience, or information provided by tool manufatorer or The Home Depot

Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

The Ridgid Shop Vac has the features you would expect from a shop vac 15ft electrical cord, 7ft hose and a number of accessories that all store on board the vacuum unit. The vacuum comes mostly assembled, requiring a few screws to be put on.

The neat thing about this vacuum is the locking hose connections. The 7ft x 2-1/2″ hose and all the accessories have locking connections. Having a connection that locks is not anything really new. But the way these connects is simple to install and remove. You don’t need to fiddle around with twisting the hose 5 turns, or take your gloves off to disconnect the hose or attachment. Even in cold weather removing an accessory was as simple as a slight twist.

Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

The Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac comes with 2 extension wands, utility nozzle, wet nozzle, car nozzle and a standard filter VF4000. For most jobs this will get it done. Including the constant vacuuming of sand out of my kiddo’s car seat. I have no idea where that even comes from. There are also a few other filter options. If you want to add a wet filter, or even a HEPA filter, you can do that.

Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

There are two easy ways to empty the vacuum. You can do what it feels like every shop vac ever does, remove the top and empty that way. You can also remove the cap at the bottom and empty that way. Both ways work great, but if you are filling it with liquid, the lower cap is really nice.

Pros of the Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

  • Accessories have easy quick lock
  • Onboard storage of all included accessories
  • Several filter options for different jobs
  • Includes Ridgid LIFETIME warranty
  • Big On/Off switch can be operated with gloves on

Cons of the Ridgid 12 Gal. 5.0-Peak HP NXT Wet Dry Vac

  • Unit takes large amount of space when stored
  • No crevice tool included with unit

Overall this shop vac gives you what you need from a shop vac. IT SUCKS – sorry can’t pass up that dad joke. My only gripe is not so much with this vacuum. It delivers on what you would expect from the tool. I  do think that it’s time vacuums like this be battery powered. Now if you are using this as a vacuum for your saw, or other power tools, battery is probably not the best for you. I use this for shop and car clean up, so mobility is important. Eliminating the need to plug in to the wall would set this tool over the top for me.

Viewer Car Questions ANSWERED ~ Podcast Episode 247

Today I will be taking your car related questions. The topics we cover are, car repair, DIYs on cars, Volkswagen, mechanic’s tools, and anything car related. To ask a car question for a show like this, email me Charles(at)Humblemechanic(DOT)com. Be sure to put the phrase “Question for Charles” in the subject. That is the best so you can avoid the spam monster. If you don’t get your question on this show, email it again just to be sure. Everyone has car questions, I am glad to be able to help

Sponsor of the Day CRP AUTO
CRP deals in a ton of OE automotive parts. They also make the factory DSG fluid for VW. Having them as a sponsor will give us access to more information about fluids than I would ever get from VW. I am really excited to have them as a resource of information. To learn more about the great products they have, check out CRPAutomotive.com 

Become A CrewMember
If you like this show. If you get value out of the videos and content that I put out, consider supporting the show by becoming a CrewMember. You will get discounts you can’t get anywhere else, exclusive videos from me, and VW/Audi training manuals. Between the discounts and the training manuals, the CrewMembership can easily pay for itself. Become a CrewMember today

Help Support The Show
Many of you have asked about supporting the show. For that I thank you. For now, the best things you can do are SHARE THE SHOW, and shop with my links on Amazon. You will not spend any more money that you would normally. Here is the Amazon link Humble Mechanic on Amazon or you can check out some recommended tools I have listed below.

Listen to the Show
It is finally here! The audio only version of the Humble Mechanic Podcast. So many of you wanted to listen on the go, in the car, working out, and now you can. While I wait for iTunes, Google approval you can listen to the show here on the blog. Once those approvals come, you will be able to subscribe and download the audio podcasts from your favorite place. 

Join me as I take your automotive questions on:

Trouble viewing? Watch “Viewer Car Questions ANSWERED ~ Podcast Episode 247” on YouTube.

As always I love to hear your thoughts. Please post them in the comments section below. Again, if you have a question for a show like this, email me Charles(at)humblemechanic(dot)com with Question for Charles in the subject. Also if you have an idea for a show, contact me via email, or use the contact me form!

Don’t forget to follow me at:

Humble Mechanic automotive Podcast