Craftsman Tools - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

wolfgang · #1 08-31-2002, 11:01 AM

I found a 14mm combo wrench a while ago. Looks new was going to bend it to adjust valves. Noticed it said Japan on it. Since when? I thought that was a big part of Craftsmans appeal - Made in America. This wrench is marked " 14mm Molybdenum 42918 BF Japan. Can anyone enlighten me?

#2 08-31-2002, 12:26 PM

rots a ruck bending that morybdenum there, worfman.

leathermang · #3 08-31-2002, 12:58 PM

I assume and hope you are planning on using heat....

wolfgang · #4 08-31-2002, 02:20 PM

I was thinking of using magic dust

leathermang · #5 08-31-2002, 03:26 PM

I told you not to tell everyone about the dust,,, now we won't look like metal wizards anymore...

#6 08-31-2002, 07:54 PM

leathermang,

I am working on my daughters rear door and need to bend the hinge mounts just a little. I don't want to heat them for obvious reasons, so how about putting some of that magic dust in a .pdf so I can download it.

Have a great day,

wolfgang · #7 08-31-2002, 08:01 PM

The impetus for this post was when did Craftsman start selling foreign made tools?

kweimer · #8 08-31-2002, 08:23 PM

New Craftsman tools that I have recently purchased have that cheap unfinished look compared to the older Craftsman tools in my toolbox. About the only thing going for them now is their lifetime warranty.

190D22 · #9 08-31-2002, 11:25 PM

That's one thing I love craftsman tools, you break it, you get a new one, no questions asked. Once I split a socket, took it in the store and said "I broke it working on the car" they said "ok, here's a new one". So made in japan or not... I don't care! If it breaks I get a new one! And actually japan makes some great stuff. Some of the best guitars come from Japan, big ones being ESP guitars, low price, great quality. Cars... nothing beats a german car! I do have respect for hondas though, but you won't catch me owning a rice burner! heh heh well I do have a honda lawn mower... but mercedes doesn't make mowers, so I had no choice!

william rogers · #10 09-01-2002, 01:22 AM

Saw a couple of MB bikes at the Dealer the other day one was $1900 the other $3400 , can buy a nice
300 D and a Trek for that..... I uaed to depend on craftsman now it a choise between the pro tools like snap on or imported once junk stuff witch is dirt cheap and getting better all the time. Got my eye on a small milling machine at harbor freight thats thats made in China.........
William Rigers.........

#11 09-01-2002, 03:05 AM

I have a friend that works in the tool department at Sears. I can ask him about this, I am sure he knows someone that would know the answer to this.

leathermang · #12 09-01-2002, 09:51 AM

Larry, you silly wabbit, magic dust must be sent snail mail... you must think we are kidding about using it...

About the Sears tools... for some years Sears has had some hand tools which were not marked Craftsman and which did not carry the 'no blink' replacement policy....you need to ask before you buy if you have a question about it....

If the replacement policy is the same I certainly don't care where they are made either.... I assume my MB was made in Germany...

Larry, can you do pics of your desired bend ? I might have some suggestions for low tech tight bending... I have a great blacksmith book I will consult... and I would not have to give up any of my dust...

#13 09-01-2002, 12:48 PM

Flintstone Method of wrench bending:
1.) Put wrench in vice.
2.) Heat wrench.
3.) Bend wrench.
4.) Immediately drop wrench in cold water.

After this I ground open end of wrench down to 1/2 width to make valve access easier.

Saving pixie dust for IP timing set.

leathermang · #14 09-01-2002, 01:51 PM

As an old blacksmith I do not want to get into a long discussion on this... but I suggest most people just skip number four on that list... If you just HAD to quench I suggest you use oil, but then you have to use tongs to hold and drop and worry about the oil catching on fire, etc...the wrench steel will be fine just air cooling...and you don't risk making it brittle that way...but if you just have to hot quench then you should consider cleaning it with a file, bringing it back to the proper temp(determined by long practice judgeing colors in a dark room or templesticks which melt at certain temps... but without knowing the composition of the steel you are just guessing anyway) to take away the brittleness and then quenching in oil again.... this is already too long, just skip number four and you will be in good shape....

Mccan, I am going to put this next to your question....when you heat and quench you make the steel very hard and brittle... when you take it back up to a certain heat and quench again you can control the amount of ductility put back into the metal... with a corresponding decrease in brittleness.... The problem is that the term " tempering" is misused so often.... the tempering is actually the second heating... taking away the brittleness...

#15 09-01-2002, 02:33 PM

I guess I got the process a bit screwed up. I will definitely defer to your experience here. My smithing experience extends to the bedning of the one wrench. I was under the impression that the fast cool down in water helped the metal recover some its desired properties that were lost via the heat. Not so?