Tools tools and more tools! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TheDon · #1 08-11-2011, 11:28 PM

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00929498000P?vName=Hand+Tools&cName=Ratchets+%26+Sockets&sName=Ratchets&prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=L8

I wish sears advertised these in stores because I'd buy them in a heartbeat. But apparently craftsman has a new "premium" line and a lot of the reviews I am reading on forums about them put these ratchets up there with Snap-On

I must have them

Emmerich · #2 08-11-2011, 11:36 PM

Most tools are made by the same company and branded for whoever the end seller is. Used to be a factory in Wichita Falls Tx that made them for at least Craftsman and Snap On, probably others.

pj67coll · #3 08-12-2011, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmerich

Most tools are made by the same company and branded for whoever the end seller is. Used to be a factory in Wichita Falls Tx that made them for at least Craftsman and Snap On, probably others.

Yep. Probably all made by the same factory in Guandong China now.

- Peter.

compress ignite · #4 08-12-2011, 03:29 AM

Why not buy them from the local Chinese Communist Embassy (Harbor Freight)
and save $130.00 USD ? "Lifetime Warranty" (Whatever a "Lifetime" is?)

TheDon · #5 08-12-2011, 08:12 AM

Nah those ratchets tend to suck. Plus I like tools and I should be allowed to blow money on stuff I want occasionally.

Plus these are made in the USA. Which nice

jgranzier · #6 08-12-2011, 08:22 AM

wow $149.00- really ?

nice looking stuff
but for my limited use too much

Jim H · #7 08-12-2011, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmerich

Used to be a factory in Wichita Falls Tx that made them for at least Craftsman and Snap On, probably others.

Proto Tools, if I recall.

strelnik · #8 08-12-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Yep. Probably all made by the same factory in Guandong China now.

- Peter.

Snap-On still has a factory in Wisconsin and most other US-made tools are made in the US by Danaher Company, a firm that bought up all the names and name-brand US-made companies like Easco, Williams, Armstrong, etc. The family-owned companies ended up dying because of family squabbles or people who didn't want to carry on with the family business. They got sloppy or careless and they lost business.

Danaher makes tools in the US almost exclusively for the US government and for the military.

The exception to this that I know of is S-K and Stanley tools, which were bought by the European company FACOM and many are made in Europe, although there are some Stanley tools made in China.

Personally, I would put Armstrong, Easco, and Williams on a par with Snap-On, because they are made in the same US factories that always made them. Plus they are made for truck repair and heavy equipment.

I have lots of Craftsman sets that I am selling cheap. Why use Craftsman when you can get Easco? or Mac?

Maki · #9 08-12-2011, 11:29 AM

I like to hit the old-car swap meets to pick up used tools. I've found some nice rachets by Easco, Kal and others. People usually want too much for old Snap-On tools.

I picked up some 3/8-drive Blackhawk sockets over the weekend for a buck apiece, but they weren't used. The stamping seems a little off. Factory seconds, I assume.

David Wilson · #10 08-12-2011, 12:28 PM

I used to work in a shipyard in the scaffolding trade. We used ratchets to install certain types of scaffolding. The craftsman ratchets that people used did not hold up well. They had a tendency to slip or skip a tooth when applying force. We had several injuries caused by this slipping. We stopped using them. They can cause great harm at the wrong time. Proto, Mac, Snap-on, were much better ratchets.
Craftsman ratchets do look good.

Stoney · #11 08-12-2011, 03:25 PM

SK went bankrupt after a management buy out, only now getting back to manufacturing (the buy out was the name and rights and designs only NO manufacturing facilities). They designed from scratch a new plant and now cast/forge all SK tools here in 'merika!

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

Snap-On still has a factory in Wisconsin and most other US-made tools are made in the US by Danaher Company, a firm that bought up all the names and name-brand US-made companies like Easco, Williams, Armstrong, etc. The family-owned companies ended up dying because of family squabbles or people who didn't want to carry on with the family business. They got sloppy or careless and they lost business.

Danaher makes tools in the US almost exclusively for the US government and for the military.

The exception to this that I know of is S-K and Stanley tools, which were bought by the European company FACOM and many are made in Europe, although there are some Stanley tools made in China.

Personally, I would put Armstrong, Easco, and Williams on a par with Snap-On, because they are made in the same US factories that always made them. Plus they are made for truck repair and heavy equipment.

I have lots of Craftsman sets that I am selling cheap. Why use Craftsman when you can get Easco? or Mac?

pawoSD · #12 08-13-2011, 12:33 AM

So far I've only ever broken a single craftsman tool, and thats because I pushed it WAY over what its meant for.....I used a flex head 3/8 size ratchet to loosen the differential on a car in the junkyard with a 4 foot cheater pipe.

It survived and I got the diff off, but it was mortally wounded and I had to trade it in (damaged the clicker/tooth gear) The replacement is still going strong after installing/removing two other diffs, and many other projects. Maybe that first one was only good to 300% of capacity instead of 350%