Vicious Cycle

 As a two stroke service tech there's a certain amount of tools I need to get the daily job done. It's not a lot of tools like say, a diesel mechanic or an all brand auto mechanic would need, but its a fair amount if you include model specific specialty tools. That doesn't mean I don't have an assload of tools in multiple boxes, it just means some stuff gets used a lot more than other stuff.
 When I was a young lad I remember my grandpa giving me a Christmas present of a craftsman 1/2" drive socket set. This was my first set of new tools that weren't plastic toys and it set the tone for what brand of tools I would buy. He was a great small engine mechanic and used craftsman tools and I wanted to be like him. For much of my adult wrenching life I had to go out and find what I wanted at the store. There was no internet and the only tool trucks that ever stopped at my place of employment were guys with out of state plates selling odd equipment of questionable origin. That's not the case where I work now. The craftsman line isn't really what it used to be and I've been buying whatever brand the vendors that stop by the shop have on sale when I need something.
 Lately I've been thinking about what a dollar really gets me in the form of tools. If I buy the cheap stuff I'll use it daily with ok results and have to replace it multiple times. If I spend more money on quality tools, they get replaced under lifetime warranty and the dude comes to me.
 I've also been thinking about the quality of the work I put out. I don't have much stuff come back for a rework, In fact I can't remember the last time it happened but when it does it bothers me. I know it's just chain saws and weed wackers but some of that stuff is contractor equipment that needs to run so that guy can put food on his table. With the kids out of the house it feels like I can take all of this more seriously. There's time for it. No band concerts or dentist appointments or any of those other responsibilities that weigh on a parent every day. My wife and I spend the evenings together, maybe get out for a bike ride or dinner date on the weekend and that's it. The rest is work and I refuse to suck at and hate my job.
 So where am I going with this? Simple. I spent some of this:

To buy some of these:

So I can better fix these:

 So I can make more money to buy more tools to fix more broken crap...

Later.