tools
 

I've had abysmal experiences with 'made in china' products, including tools. Also, I built a natural gas manifold for a house i was remodelling and the quality of the threads on all of the fittings would not hold 1 psi of air pressure. Half of the fittings, approximately, were made in the USA and all were good. Plus, I prefer to help keep American's employed (editorial comment, I know, but true). That said, I own a MB, so there are exceptions.

Right on the money. I got this set several years ago for $170 and it's worth every penny altough the plastic tool case is a joke (IMO). The best wrenches i got are a set of the off-set box-end type.

I try to keep all my hand tools US made, but recently I purchased a few sets of specialty socket sets from Harbor Freight. They are sets of the torx, SAE & metric allen sockets. Quality is top notch and they look identical to the Craftsmans at a fraction of the price; $9.99/set vs $30+.

Hmmm..... I guess you guys don't have Sidchrome in the US???

Great tools, and as their slogan goes 'you canna hand a man a grander spanner'.

Stanley a pretty good too but they moved their manufacturing from AUS to the US.

Cheers

I'm happy with my Craftsman stuff....the only time it has ever boken I was seriously abusing it when it happened....


30 years with them......nobody can sway my opinion.

Like most...I have a mix. Keep the good ones, no mattter where you got them, and toss the bad ones fast and far.

About Craftsman, on the back of the box or package, it will say if it has a lifetime warranty. I learned this the hard way. If it doesnt say it, it doesnt have one. I still like Craftsman, and there always seems to be a Sears near by.

Personally, I have been very impressed with an SK 3/8 socket set that I bought about 20 years ago when my truck broke down near an auto parts store in the middle of nowhere with no tools on me. I use these socket nearly everyday, and I have used them numerous times with my 1/2 impact with a 1/2-3/8 reducer, even though I know you are not supposed to use chrome sockets on impacts. They are still going strong, and show no signs of wearing out.

Another time...I too was trying to remove a large nut from an axel with a breaker bar and an extention..jumping up and down on it. I was using an SK 34mm(I think) socket, which I split doing this. The auto store I bought it at swapped me without a blink or a question.

I have bought tools from harbor freight..but I am very particular about it. Sorry guys, but most of that stuff is really crappy, so you do need to think about it just a bit before wasting money, even if it is just a little money.
Here are some tools I have bought from them that did the job...
deep impact socket set - have yet to break one
ball joint press - I use these on my hydraulic press..so far so good
sand blast cabinet - got it on sale, needed some modifications to work right, but does the job now
Digital multi meter - general use, work just fine. I have several in different locations
12" extention cord with 3 splitter - actually a well made item.
anyway...several other items
STAY AWAY FROM THE AIR TOOLS...THEY ARE TRULY TERRIBLE AND WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE HARDER.
I have had returns at HF, and they always give me the 3rd degree about it. Even if it is unopened, under 30 days...they really do not like dealing with returns. Now, when I brought back something broken for an exchange, they were good about that as long as it was under the warranty time period.

Most people know this, but it warrants saying out loud...always use a 6 point socket if at all possible...especially for breaking free and torqing.

Amen, brother!

Have to agree, harbor freight's stuff is very good. But certain craftsman tools, like the ratchets, are "just right"...

Sears and tools
 

Just to prove that you cant make positive statements without real proof. I have several Sears wrenches that are clearly marked "made in Japan" ! now what? Abe G

abe,

You mention that they are Sears tools, but Sears has a couple of different lines. I think Companion[or Champion or some such is their "entry" line. Is your MIJ a Craftsman tool, or a Companion line of Sears?

Harbor Feight? this guy must not be a professional mechanic. I used "Duro" 50 years ago, have purchased nothing other than "craftsman" ,warrany is beyond question. I have broken sockets (1/4 to 1/2 with an adapter and then a pipe) they replace. You will not get the exact ratchet you had, styles change. If a salesman ever gave me an issue get the manager, there are people who buy tools use them and then request a refund! Their chinese tools are not warranteed for life "companion" brand. "Snap On" typically is used by the trade, the guy shows at the dealer and resupplies or warrantees things.
I am surprized that SEARS has never tried that!

any good tips or surprise trick methods for taking care of hand tools?

don't put them away wet.
regards,
Mark

Generally my experiance is that Craftsman replaces anyting because the sales staff is too dumb to know any thing. SnapOn, Mac, Matco on the otherhand hava a little attitude.

But you want flex sockets. I have 3/8" drive set of Craftsman Metric flex sockets. I also have a set 3/8" drive set Snap-On Inch frex sockets. I hate the Craqftman flex sockets with a pasion. They are the most useless flex sockets I have ever used. They are loose and break easily. They are so bad that I actually become happy when I break one so that I can replace them with Snap-On's. Now maybe they got better, Mine are about 20 years old. I would offer to sell them to you but I dont want to make an enemy.

Not that I am a Snap-On addict and Craftsman hater. I like my Craftsman wrenches much more than my slippery thin shiny Snap-On's. The truth is to me no one company holds the best of all tools title. But in the case of flex sockets and also in hex bit sockets Snap-On is worth the tripple money.

John Roncallo

Sears sell two lines of tools Craftsman and Crap. I bet I know which ones you got.

J. Roncallo

To: JBA re: Sears wrench marked Japan.
 

As above marked SEARS in lare letters japan in small letters. I have no other explanation. Rgards, Abe G