Site Survey Tools for the Budget Minded

Hand Tools

• Tekton: Known for good value and warranty.
  • "Tekton is making more and more tools states side."
  • "every one i mentioned above has a really good warranty."
• Harbor Freight (HF): Offers affordable tools with warranties.
  • "new quinn 3/4” extendable ratchet. I bought the same one from amazon under the Neiko brand for 80-90 bucks 2 years ago and now hf has it for 69.99 with a warranty."
• Gearwrench: Provides quality tools at a reasonable price.
  • "Their sockets are pretty nice and their ratchets are leaps and bounds nicer than Pittsburgh Pro, Quinn or Icon."
• Neiko: Offers affordable impact socket sets.
  • "Neiko 1/2” impact socket set...It’s been an awesome set."
• Milwaukee: Suggested for power tools.
  • "The stubby 1/2” impact is certainly not “budget” at like $380 for the kit with two 5ah batteries."
  • "Got a full set of 1/4” sockets...and a 20pc sae/metric ratcheting box wrench set for $70."

Multi-Tools

• Leatherman Wave+: Highly recommended for its versatility and durability.
  • "The Wave+ is their best seller for a reason."
  • "The surge would be my next recommendation...it just can be a little too big for pocket carry."
• Leatherman Free P4: Offers ease of use and good tool selection.
  • "I went with the P4 over the Arc...it comes down to your use case."
  • "My current EDC is the arc...it is all one handed opening."
• Leatherman Arc: Praised for one-handed opening and quality tools.
  • "The Arc owns them all."
• Leatherman P4: Appreciated for its quick deployment and versatility.
  • "If you need/want the saw get a P4, otherwise get a P2."
  • "If you don’t know tools, get one that’s got all the jazz (Surge, Wave, Arc)."

Surveying Tools

• Point Cloud Scanner: Offers efficiency in measuring and designing projects.
  • "What would normally take hours and days of manual measuring happens in a couple of hours."
• Matterport: Provides accurate measurements compared to traditional methods.
  • "I’ve even done side by side comparisons with point clouds vs. hand measurements."
• Laser Measure: Useful for initial measuring and analysis.
  • "We rely on the platted survey being 'right' about the perimeter of the buildings."

Recommendations

• Do Research: Compare prices and quality before purchasing tools.
  • "Sometimes if you shop around you can do better."
• Consider Needs: Choose tools based on your specific requirements.
  • "All the arguments about 'what tool is best' is just rhetoric."
• Look for Discounts: Take advantage of discounts to save on tool purchases.
  • "If you can get 30% discount get the arc."

Tool Brands

• Tekton, Harbor Freight, Gearwrench, Neiko, Milwaukee: Budget-friendly tool options with good warranties.
• Leatherman: Offers versatile multi-tools suitable for various tasks.
  • "Being able to use all the tools without opening the whole thing is a massive improvement over other models."

The summary covers a range of hand tools, power tools, multi-tools, and surveying tools that are budget-friendly and recommended by Reddit users. The emphasis is on value for money, warranty, ease of use, and specific needs when selecting tools for site surveys.