I was putting some fuel filters on an engine today using my 2" craftsman socket when I noticed that it says "made in Taiwan" on the side. I'm done buying craftsman, I'm going all Snap-On from now on.
Snap-on?
You must have got a raise at work lately....
haha serious.
who cares if they are made in Taiwan? hell i just use harbor freight tools... ya they arnt the super high quality as snapon... but they are plenty good enough, if i break em i take w/e it is back and they give me a new one (only had to do this once or twice) and because they are so cheap i have no problems making custom tools out of em.
Has Craftsman's exchange policy been modified at all? It was always "Lifetime replacement" if your tool broke. no receipt necessary, just a broken craftsman tool.
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who cares if they are made in Taiwan? hell i just use harbor freight tools... ya they arnt the super high quality as snapon... but they are plenty good enough, if i break em i take w/e it is back and they give me a new one (only had to do this once or twice) and because they are so cheap i have no problems making custom tools out of em.
+1 harbor freight tools rock! dirt cheap and if they break, meh they're so cheap you just go buy another one. i dont care for craftsmen or snap-on anymore.
the only tools i would splurge good money on are tools that require precision such as torque wrenches and things of that nature. screw drivers, sockets, wrenches, etc who gives a crap.
Has Craftsman's exchange policy been modified at all? It was always "Lifetime replacement" if your tool broke. no receipt necessary, just a broken craftsman tool.
technically? no. actually? yes.
** oh, and I saw that "full of it" comment, just never got around to a witty reply. you bastard...
I've got a decent collection of Craftsman. Started out with a 100pc set my mother got for me when I was 17. Been adding to it ever since.
I always enjoyed the lifetime replacement warranty. Can't tell you how many screwdrivers and sockets I took in with bad tips or sockets that were dinged up or even just rusty.
My first 3/8" ratchet finally took a dump on me and I took it in to a Sears for replacement. They replaced it alright. With a rusty dinged up refurb. The refurb actually ratchets, which is more than mine did, but I was expecting new since that is what I always got before.
Cost cutting sucks
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+1 harbor freight tools rock! dirt cheap and if they break, meh they're so cheap you just go buy another one. i dont care for craftsmen or snap-on anymore.
the only tools i would splurge good money on are tools that require precision such as torque wrenches and things of that nature. screw drivers, sockets, wrenches, etc who gives a crap.
lol... all i use is harbor freight torque wrenches.... never had an issue, had a buddy come over with his fancy snapon torque wrench to see if my HF one was close... pretty much spot on.
the only things i have ever broken from harbor freight were, 1. a 5mm allen socket (inherent design flaw, went from 5mm to 4 mm to go into the 3/8ths socket... broke right at the 5 to 4mm switch). and 2. a 3/8ths breaker bar trying to break loose a bolt that normally has 120ftlbs on it but was all rusted so it was even harder.
I only took back the allen set as that was design flaw... the breaker bar i could of taken back and got a new one, but eh thats not moraly right, i shoulda had the 1/2in one out and used areokroil (ended up having to do that after i broke a socket on the same bolt)
Pluss because HF tools are so cheap i just throw em around, done with ratchet, throw on ground by front tire etc.
My collection is Crapsman, Harbor Freight, Snap On, Mac, Proto and various others that I do not remember.
My depend on tools that have to be right are usually name brand then down hill from there. I do not turn wrenches for a living so good quality tools are sometimes way to expensive for me.
If turning wrenches was my life then I probably would be tool broke. I have a tool box for metric and one for standard. Once you get above 22mm the standards seem to fit so no use in doubling the tool budget.
I've noticed an issue with my Harbor Freight clicker torque wrench.
If it's UPSIDE DOWN, you can't feel the clicks.
Yup. That's how I torqued off my double banjo bolt, it doesn't "click" when it hits the torque value, just keeps on going. I plan on getting some good torque wrenches over the winter.
You not only 'get what you pay for' you also get 'broken equipment from those tools that you paid for'.
I've noticed an issue with my Harbor Freight clicker torque wrench.
If it's UPSIDE DOWN, you can't feel the clicks.
Yup. That's how I torqued off my double banjo bolt, it doesn't "click" when it hits the torque value, just keeps on going. I plan on getting some good torque wrenches over the winter.
You not only 'get what you pay for' you also get 'broken equipment from those tools that you paid for'.
intresting... both my 1/4in and 1/2 in HF torque wrenches work fine upside down.
I'm not worried about it. I started getting tools for birthday and Xmas about 1962. Since we had friends that worked at Sears we bought Craftsman. Every year for about 35 yrs tools out the bazooka.
I do know that Tiawan is one of the leaders in forging metal of anykind.
Now Tiawan is sub-letting to China also.
Anybody else old enough to remember when "Made in Japan" was a cuss word?
I'm not worried about it. I started getting tools for birthday and Xmas about 1962. Since we had friends that worked at Sears we bought Craftsman. Every year for about 35 yrs tools out the bazooka.
I do know that Tiawan is one of the leaders in forging metal of anykind.
Now Tiawan is sub-letting to China also. Anybody else old enough to remember when "Made in Japan" was a cuss word?:laugh:
Yeah well I remember when gas was 25 cents a gallon and cigs were a quarter a pack out of the machine. That was also when it was standard to clean the windshield when a customer bought gas.
I also tq banjo bolts with my 1/4 in drive ratchet or a box end. Little bit of common sense and --- oh never mind.
Can you guys get "Sidchrome" or "Kingchrome" tools over there?
Sidchrome are made in Australia and have a lifetime warranty and an ok pricem probably the only decent thing we make except for blonde sheilas...
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In the last few years I have noticed that craftsman tools have become worse and worse right out of the box. One of my co-workers bought a new set of combination wrenches and you could not fit the open end on fasteners because they were machined poorley, and Ive had a few sockets that would not fit on the drive end. After borrowing some snap-on stuff I found that they seemed to hold on to fasteners better and when you get them on sale they are not that bad in price. My torque wrenches have to be Snap-On according to policies at work. I have kind of used my dads theory to tool ownership, Snap-On for work, craftsman for home, and chinese japanese and taiwanese in the trunk of your car. I bought a set of $10 chinese sockets once when I was stranded with my car, it had a 6.3mm socket. I figured thats roughly a 1/4 inch.
I use a mixture of Craftsman and Snap-On. Mostly Craftsman and I do love their return policy, but their stuff really isn't up to par especially when you compare it side by side to the Snap-On or MAC etc...
Most of my ratchets are now Snap-On as the 80 pawl long bar 3/8 drive is the shiznit and I am rarely seen without it in my hand while in the shop.
I prefer Klein Screwdrivers
Harbor Freight has supplied me with 3 things: Bead Blasting Cabinet, Pneumatic Rivet Gun and a pair of safety wire pliers. They may be cheap tools, but I have had zero problems out of any of them.
Still have the first Craftsman 3/8 ratchet I bought to assemble honda 305 superhawks in 67. The 3/8 flexhead gave up the ghost last year, walked into Sears and got another one.
LDH check out Wiha screwdrivers, I'm hooked. Wiha Micro Finish Non Slip Grip Screwdrivers
They also make the coolest precision screwdrivers,torx and nut drivers.
Trying to be wise with my limited funds, I've always been selective about buying top notch tools and only buy them where I see a legit need for them, and try hard to avoid the pitfall of "want". I have lots of Craftsman, and a fair bit of Mastercraft. But sockets for rod bolts, and dial torque wrenches are all Snap-On, things like that beg for Snap-On or equal in my mind. The clicker torque wrenches are Craftsman. Meanwhile, my clocking tool for final rod and head tightening is super cheap and nasty from Princess Auto.
Well, made in Taiwan (or whatever country) doesn't mean it's poor craftsmanship (no pun intended).
With the economy being worldwide nowadays, I still prefer to buy things that were made in USA or Canada. It's just because the things I buy will provide jobs for workers that made these tools. If my neighbor doesn't have a job, my taxes will be used in welfare checks. If someone in China is unemployed... well... it sucks for him but my taxes will be used in a better way.
I mostly use craftsman but I'm thinking I might pick up a set of kobalts at lowes. My brother likes to start projects with my tools and leave them lying around. I think i'm just going to tell him to keep them and pick the kobalts up.
you would be suprised how many tools from snap on and others are imported. you cant blame them thanks to our government it costs too much to produce in U.S.A. with a tax of 35% .
. I'm done buying craftsman, I'm going all Snap-On from now on.
socket. I figured thats roughly a 1/4 inch.
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