Tool time....

[surfingfreeman]

Growing up my dad always had craftsman ratchets/drivers/sockets/etc etc and we had 2-spiders and a Brava over the years these are cars he taught me how to work on, I remember he would pay me $20 to wash the car and change the oil, which gave me money for a date or beer with my budddies. Anyways he was a stickler about cleaning the tools and the work bench/area after use. Sorry I went off on a tangent, my question is this, I need to buy a new full set of tools and the first brand that came to mind was craftsman but I heard they are now made in china which is a real deal breaker for me, even if they have the same excellent replacement return policy. Grainger carries craftsman and it looks like they have a few different levels i.e. Professional, Industrial, etc etc and they say the "country of origin is USA", is this the same as "made in USA", sounds a bit suspect to me. I know snap-on and Mac both have great reputations but a bit pricey as well. Any thoughts anyone? Thanks
Mike

[surfingfreeman]

Just found this interesting info
http://www.ehow.com/about_5549766_craft ... -made.html
So looks like craftsman is in contention again!

[surfingfreeman]

Found some sweet ratchets, $50 a piece, hell for quality I'll pay it and made in the USA....giddy up!
http://wwww.sears.com/craftsman-3-piece ... 0P?prdNo=6

[deftone]

Found some sweet ratchets, $50 a piece, hell for quality I'll pay it and made in the USA....giddy up!
http://wwww.sears.com/craftsman-3-piece ... 0P?prdNo=6

For that price couldnt you go for Snap-on? Lifetime warrenty?

Personally I like Bahco, thats what most of my tools are, with some Armstrong gear that I "sourced" from my company

[maytag]

Growing up my dad always had craftsman ratchets......over the years these are cars he taught me how to work on, I remember he would pay me $20 to wash the car and change the oil, which gave me money for a date or beer with my budddies.

wait.....
your Dad was making sure you had money for a beer with yer buds? sweet!

So... tools. My dad used Craftsman as well. and they were a decent-quality tool then, and still are. they are by no means the best quality. as a matter of fact, they'd be (in my opinion) "lower-end". But the 100% replacement guarantee was nice.

Problem for me, and something to consider, is that if I break a craftsman ratchet, I gotta run 30 miles into town, to a sears which ain't open during my prime work-on-the-car times: late at night, or on sunday. So I can be, effectively, 'broke-down'.

So I have to think about it in two different ways:
Either I spend alot of money on great tools that will not likely break in the middle of my project, or I spend much less (typically less than 25% of SnapOn) on a tool branded and sold by Autozone of Oreilleys. They sell them as their "Professional" series, which is laughable. But they have a 100% replacement guarantee, and I have a 24-hr store for both of those chains within 2 miles of my home. Yes, it can still be a PITA when I break a socket (and it happens) and so far they haven't shown me that they know how to make a universal / swivel joint for a ratchet. But the replacement is very convenient, and I'm back on the fly in no time.

YMMV

[wikkid]

Yeah, each situation is different. No Sears near me either. Or any tool place, for that matter. But I do know Sears is having a sale right now, some discounts on tool sets and storage units. Link to flyer.

[spidernut]

Spend the money and buy quality tools. My Craftsman tools are 35 years old. My first socket set is still in my toolbox and still works perfectly. I've only broken two sockets in all those years - and I've owned 24 cars and restored four cars with them. My mom still has my dad's Craftsman tools from the 1960s.

If you're on a budget, search garage sales and flea markets for Craftsman tools. Even if they're broken you can buy them and get a free replacement.

I've broken tools purchased from AutoZone, O'Reilley and Harbor Frieght. I'd stick with Craftsman or Snap-on. Beware Sears' cheap brand that doesn't have the lifetime guarantee - they're junk. We can thank KMart who bought Sears for adding that crummy brand to the Sears lineup.

[surfingfreeman]

Interesting notes:

"Mechanics Tools
Your Craftsman mechanic tools (designed specifically for automotive work) have been made by other companies over the years. After the tools are manufactured, Craftsman puts its label on the products. The variety of companies include Moore Drop Forge, Stanley, Easco and New Britain. The most recent supplier is the Danaher Corp.

Who Is Craftsman?
You would think the Craftsman name would be an entity onto itself and owned by Craftsman. In reality, the full company name is KCD IP, LLC. It is a limited liability company. The owners include Kenmore (K), Craftsman (C) and DieHard (D). The IP, which stands for intellectual property, is a legal term for protection of creative ideas, images and designs. So, in actuality, Craftsman is not made by Craftsman, but by several other companies under agreement with Craftsman. Craftsman is a brand name, not a manufacturer."

Again at less than $50 a piece per ratchet I think I'm gonna stick with my dads tradition, knowing I am getting a quality product with lifetime warranty and made in the states. Thanks for all of the different viewpoints and comments.
Mike

[maytag]

Spend the money and buy quality tools.

I can agree with this statement. it's the part after that where you say that Craftsman is what you meant where I get all

Craftsman is by no means a high-quality tool. it's just middle-of-the road, with a good warranty. I've broken as many craftsman tools in my days as I have Crewline, Husky, Titan, etc.

I've never broken a Snapon, or a Matco, or even a MAC. those are quality tools.
Craftsman is one step above harbor freight, and on par with the Oreilley and Autozone brands.

[ronarthur]

Most of my tools are Craftsman and they have held up pretty well. I broke a couple of sockets and one ratchet. There is something to be said for having a few Snap On tools in the toolbox. Snap On ratchets have finer teeth which is really handy in tight places. You don't have to move the ratchet as much with a Snap On versus a Craftsman.

[spiderrey]

Ive been tinkering with cars for about 35 years now. I have so many tools that I cant find a spot to put them away. My stuff is mostly Craftsmen. Im very happy with their performance. I have a Craftsman torque wrench that I bought when I was just out of high school building my first motor. It has a stamped on date of 1979 and still works great. I tested it against my $250.00 Snap On wrench and it was spot on. I have a few Sears near by , so thats not a problem. I do have tools from Oreilly, and harbor freight. Oreilly is closer and works in a pinch. Some tools HAVE to be good quality while others arent really as important. If I come across a tool I need for a special project I usually go right out and buy it. I do this knowing I might not use it again for another 10 years or so.

[surfingfreeman]

2-reviews of this product which sound fair and balanced, hey if a snap-on long handle flex head Dual 80 1/2 inch ratchet costs $230.00 and I am getting 3-ratchets at the below mentioned quality for a fraction of the price ($145), made in USA, lifetime warranty, its pretty much a no-brainer!

Here are the reviews:

Broncofan1
Denver, CO
Mar 1 , 2012
Overall
Craftsman Premium Grade 1/2 inch ratchet
I operate a car and truck repair business and was in need of a standard length 1/2 inch ratchet.  All of my other ratchets are Snap On  but I did not want to pay 140.00 for the dual 80 1/2 inch standard length.  This is a great tool.  I gave it 4 out of 5 instead of 5 stars because my standard for excellent is the Snap On dual 80 line.  They are the best but they cost a lot more.  My long handle flex head Dual 80 1/2 inch ratchet cost 230.00.  It iwas worth every penny to me but I use tools for a living.  This is a professional grade ratchet that is as good as a Matco (which it is) or a Cornwall.  I paid 71.00 for the tool and picked it up at a local store in Denver.  The ratchet action is very strong and I like the fine tooth action but it was not properly lubricated.  I pulled the cover and put some grease it in and it was much smoother.  For 71.00 I really should not have to do that but its okay it is a good wrench and works well.  If you are in the market for a bargain priced professional grade ratchet you should consider this tool.
 
I would recommend this product to a friend.

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suss427
Iowa City, IA
Sep 16 , 2011
Overall
Premium, not professional. MADE IN USA!
These are by far the nicest ratchets Sears has ever offered. In this price category; however, there is competition from the professional truck brands. So a review:
The kit: These are long handle ratchets for extra torque and fine tooth count for more effective strokes in tight spots. They are also polished and finished nicely for comfort while using them and cleaning them after. They are made by the same company that makes the ratchets that rhyme with "hat co" and the ratcheting mechanism is very similar. Compared to a professional line like that mentioned above, the value is much better but the choices are limited (flex, stubby, extra-long etc. are not available from Craftsman)
Overall Value   10/10;   Overall Quality   9/10 (had a couple small dings in mine);   Overall Design   7/10   Size specific notes:
1/2 inch ratchet:   9/10  + The ratcheting action is superb and the construction is stout. - The handle is a little too thick and therefore too heavy. This tool is out of balance which makes it somewhat harder to use.
3/8 inch ratchet:   8/10  + The ratcheting action is superb. - The ratchet is again too heavy and out of balance which causes the most issues in this size.
1/4 inch ratchet:   4/10     84 teeth do not work well in a package this small. The ratchet slips "out of gear" and binds when using quickly. I will exchange for another one, but I think it is a design issue. The weight and balance issue is the least noticeable with this ratchet, and overall the handle design works best out of the three. The ratcheting mechanism does not.
Verdict: The 1/2in is totally worth it, the other sizes not so much. If you can only have 3 ratchets in your tool collection, these fit the bill becuase of their value and professional features. But, if you can afford professional ratchets I would skip these.

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[surfingfreeman]

Furthermore in speaking with the Sears customer rep I was told the ratchets are made by
http://www.apextoolgroup.com/faqs/

[surfingfreeman]

Just got the ratchets and they are SWEET, nice finish smooth gear mechanism, 84teeth, will take apart and post a pic