Buying Tools at Swap Meet (Matco, Snap-On)

My most viral ratchet... did I get rinsed?
I'm a 24-year-old mechanic always looking for the best tool deals. In this video, I picked up a Snap-on & Matco ratchets for half off at a swap meet. I’ll show you how I find these deals, negotiate prices, and build a professional toolbox without paying full price. If you're a mechanic or tool enthusiast looking to save money, this video is for you.
As someone new to the trade, you might ask: What tools should I buy? How do I get tools? What are the best brands of Tools to buy? At a swap meet you can find a lot of professional grade tools for discounted prices.

[@southtexasshooting]

Pretty cool video seeing all those tools. I’d be in love

[@fixingCanoe]

thanks man! I was the same when I first started going here

[@southtexasshooting]

@ hell yeah keep up the videos!!!

[@silicondecay]

I think in your last video too you called those rubberized handle ball peen hammers “dead blows”. Dead blows have beads in the head, not metal faces. They’re used to not mar surfaces, yet ball peens are usually used for shaping metal and hitting things. The flat surface is used like a traditional claw hammer and the ball is used for shaping thinner metals

[@fixingCanoe]

You are right! Thanks for the correction. Good to know

[@tannerwest6823]

The ratchet you’re looking for that you’re calling a swivel is called a roto head

[@fixingCanoe]

good to know thanks

[@CSERepair]

THNF72 is 1/4 and FHCNF72 is the tiny 3/8 which is my daily go to

[@fixingCanoe]

@ thanks!

[@jasonthomas435]

I’ll add my Pittsburgh Roto head work good for under $15. Good way to try it out. I’d like to upgrade to a snap on but honestly the Pittsburgh is holding its own

[@Spiritofthewild-d9o]

People need to start buying used tools instead of new...there are tons and tons of perfectly good, high quality tools all over america

[@fixingCanoe]

100% the new wave

[@londog53511]

Most of these guys charging just under retail. Crazy!

[@xStr8UPDoPex]

The sellers selling only new stuff you think its stolen?

[@xStr8UPDoPex]

The milwaukee stuff

[@fixingCanoe]

honestly im not sure how they get it. really doubt they steal it because they restock. I feel like they have a connection, and get wholesale or something

[@stoundingresults]

My brother's father in law had a friend that sold stolen stuff from intermodal containers off the train in the desert, straight to swap meet.

[@jessemarquez8298]

Really liking these swap meet videos bro would like to see some more wrenching videos though if that would be possible, keep up the good work 🤘🏼

[@fixingCanoe]

I enjoy making them! Thanks man. Working on getting some wrenching videos

[@JamesKT7997]

There was a 1/2” drive long locking flex head on the table where you got your 3/8” snap on

[@sethallison5682]

Bud that extra long snappy 3/8 is a keeper. I use mine all the time.

[@fixingCanoe]

i already have one, and I sold that one for a little profit. But yes it’s a mandatory tool!

[@SammyKurts-ku2ht]

That’s what we call heaven ! Wow I bet it’s 50/50 weather there stolen or not .. but Deff a good deal I wouldn’t pass up either !

[@fixingCanoe]

it’s hard to not go to these!

[@fastmtnbiker]

If I'm correct, you can change the anvil on that SnapOn ratchet to 1/2". Or just slap the 3/8" to 1/2" adapter on it and send it. If it breaks, warranty it.

[@fixingCanoe]

that’s a good idea, wish I thought of that. But i sold it online for $220

[@FlatRateTech]

love watchin these vids man.. would you mind tellin me where this on is located at? id love to check it out

[@999rem]

I guess I will be going to one of these now

[@enk_10]

how do you record? i love your videos

[@fixingCanoe]

with a gopro. thanks man

[@efcso100]

I lived near Pomona for eight years and never knew there was a tool swap meet.

[@fixingCanoe]

shoot man, your missing out!

[@leodelgado1668]

When are they they have some good deals

[@A.10480]

Cool video bro ,vegetable oil comment 😂

[@fixingCanoe]

HAHAH! 🤫

[@fixingCanoe]

thanks too!

[@hemi08911]

Man i wish i could visit a Swap meet / fleamarket with tool truck tools like this. My area sucks.

[@fixingCanoe]

:(

[@APinkFluffyDino]

them prices are wild. the ratchet at 9:25 i got for 170 off the truck. brand new.

[@fixingCanoe]

bulllllshit! 😂

[@APinkFluffyDino]

@fixingCanoe dead ass bro. Also as far as line wrenches go name brand. Specifically snap on. I got tired of the wrenches expanding and rounding out brake lines. You're gunna hate me but I got the 1/2 flex head mayco with soft grip handle in purple for 160 off my old mayco guy like a year ago before I moved shops.

[@fixingCanoe]

@@APinkFluffyDino you got a good ratchet my friend! Also good advice on the line wrenches. Not something you want to round off

[@APinkFluffyDino]

@fixingCanoe yea brother. Been in this business since 2011. Got so many good deals. Got my 84 filled up. And also the vim 1/2 cut stubby 1/4 torq you picked up in the blue case are phenomenal. Got those and the Allens and I use em daily on my 1/4 impact. I just broke the t30 using it on a 3/8 adapter on an impact. Had em for as long as I have been a tech. Some tools I will say are better to get snap on and some vim etc. Look forward to more content. Would be cool seeing you go to more swap meets just lookin around!

[@fixingCanoe]

@@APinkFluffyDino Wow! Im slowing building my arsenal.. I will be posting more, its difficult since the meets are every once and awhile but I will go to film!

[@albert-gazo]

Day in the life of an apprentice vids would do good I bet.

[@fixingCanoe]

i would love to! I have actually a video of me at my shop, but i’ll have to talk to my boss soon

[@jessemarquez8298]

I would watch that👆I’m 21 and looking into becoming a tech but don’t really have any insight on what knowledge I would already need to know and what I’d really be getting into I’ve tried a few shops but was turned down because of a lack of knowledge and experience, for now I study up on KZbin also practice on my own cars and try to work on family members cars when I get the chance.

[@fixingCanoe]

@ that’s how I got to where i’m at. Keep trying bro. I got declined by a handful of shops before being givin a shot. Then you work your ass off at the shop that gives you a chance

[@albert-gazo]

@@fixingCanoeTell your boss it's for educational purposes only. Employer / customer names and or personal info would be edited -not shown.

[@fixingCanoe]

@ yeah! i’m working on it! get me to more subs so he knows it’s worth it :)

[@Bobbaabuilda]

These sellers have more tools than my Tool truck dealers… how in the hell do they source these “barely used” high end tools?

[@fixingCanoe]

…

[@luigarcia4350]

Hell yea more vids bro

[@fixingCanoe]

right on!

[@Th3CandyMan]

Perfect timing

[@fixingCanoe]

yesssir!

[@beyond2600]

Oye foo, sigue con esto videos. Me encantan mucho

[@fixingCanoe]

will do foo!! thanks :D

[@PedroCruz-rc1gw]

What days is the Pomona swap meet open?

[@fixingCanoe]

about once or every other month

[@CSERepair]

Do you mail In your snap on warranty stuff?

[@fixingCanoe]

I work at a shop, we had a snap on rep but I don’t see him anymore

[@CSERepair]

@@fixingCanoehad the same issue. He stopped coming around after i asked him once for warranty work. Heard you can deal with warranty directly online but what a pain

[@fixingCanoe]

@@CSERepair I owe him money 😂😂 so I got mountain wrenches for DIRT cheap until he shows back up

[@robertcastillo8125]

🎉 like seeing people find good deals, keep it up, i wonder if you can go back and trade for something else the price you bought, probably not 🤔 33:13

[@fixingCanoe]

I tried, but ended up selling on ebay for $220 😁

[@robertcastillo8125]

Nice 🫡🤑🤌👌​@@fixingCanoe

[@jonrusso4720]

Dude u need to haggle with thise guys and get your prices down too,,,,that matco rachet only worth about 100 bucks used now too...

[@fixingCanoe]

yeah my other video I haggled a little better 😂

[@MidwestToolReview]

Dude, what a selection of tools, but the asking prices are nearly retail. Not to mention, how in God’s name do they have that many high-end tools and not be dealers…? Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be asking questions if I were there buying tools, but I would be wondering about it… Hard to pull the trigger on some of those items at those prices nonetheless…

[@fixingCanoe]

yeah, they overcharge a little. I negotiate better in my other video on the channel.

[@fixingCanoe]

i don’t really ask how they get them… as… yk

[@victorcaballero1507]

open every sunday?

[@fixingCanoe]

I wish!!!

[@bearg4019]

Wow. Look at all the stolen merchandise..

[@fixingCanoe]

??

[@WilliamDuff-t2w]

You paid almost retail for the ratchet, also he said 180 for the ratchet and the screwdriver for free

[@fixingCanoe]

ik ik.. I sold it on ebay for a couple extra bucks. It was a mistake purchase

[@R0GUEC0BRA]

i would be broke if i had a swap meet near me

[@fixingCanoe]

how do you think my pockets feel 😂

[@andrewg761]

Play that shi👕 already Hawmboiiii

[@CosminCosyCodes]

I swear a lot of this is stolen. Why would they have brand new stuff in the box? You hear about people getting their garages raided, I hope this is not where that stuff ends up.

[@DrJohnMarston]

It has to be stolen

[@fixingCanoe]

well it’s hard to say. hopefully not

[@DzasterNL]

Too bad we dont have these kind of markets here in The Netherlands.. I would buy so much stuff i dont need... Love to see all the tools, want all of it even im not a technician😂 Why do you want snap on so much? You want it all thesame or the warranty etc? More brands are just as good, Hazet, Sonic, Kraftwerk,Facom, Gedore.... Or is it hard to get by since its not made in the US? Here in The Netherlands we use Snap-on but only in the more exclusive workshops as far as i can tell... We dont really care if its made in our country, honestly i think we should. Only thing we are good at is building dykes, even our navy will use submarines that are made in France....

[@fixingCanoe]

Personally I like the quality of their ratchets. The back drag, durability, and smoothness is worth the swap meet prices. I also have a snap on rep that takes care of me. I wrench for a living so it’s worth the premium. I am also grateful to have these meets as I wouldn’t be able to afford my tools otherwise.

[@roamingcamera9362]

That table with the oar/paddle on it... you needed that paddle to help you get out of shit creek getting rid of that 3/8 drive long flex head. And the swivel heads you were looking for in the 1/4 I have heard those referred to as cyclops heads I think cause Wera calls theirs that. I got me a long flex head granted made in taiwan ... I know how you loyalists are to your USA made but $28 for mine. and it takes off tractor lugs with a 1 3/8 socket.

[@fixingCanoe]

there’s no issue if it gets the job done! I need me one of those paddles for my CANOE!

[@roamingcamera9362]

@@fixingCanoe If I were turning wrenches all day every day I can see the drive for Mac and Snap on. I do farm work and tool restoration Snap on is NOT in the budget. That guy at the end of the video though looks like the same kind of dealer that I get here in Texas. It is an MPP tool company. I like that they have ala carte deals on lots of tools at better than Harbor Freight prices. but I wonder if that is the same dealer from Minnesota

[@ElectroAtletico]

I would not trust any of the power stuff (or the batteries) for an LA second.

[@fixingCanoe]

They’ve always let me test them before I purchase

[@grease_machine_f1508]

Ur allowed to negotiate man lol

[@Ctjkaa]

Have you tried doing the Rodium Swap meet or the Vineland Swap meet

[@fixingCanoe]

NO! but I will check them out. Do they have tools??

[@vijayantgovender2045]

What was the price of the magnetic trays please ?

[@fixingCanoe]

timestamp? next time I go i’ll ask.

[@vijayantgovender2045]

@ thanx

[@unclegoonpa9115]

Where are you at

[@iwin1833]

On earth 🌍

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

ebay

[@CapeSIX]

If it’s $100 off the truck the eBay value is $70. The in person value is $50. And the good deal value is $30 or less. When our annual large swap meet comes around once a year I’ll bring 1-2 thousand and try to find the guys ready to part with their snap-on on a good deal. Buy as much as I can