Craftsman tools are cheap

All of this tool talk reminds me I need to photograph all my tools for insurance.

I'm to the point of swearing on snappy impacts.......they just make the rest look like junk.

Conversely, I buy whatever is available at the time hand tools wise, because I know in 2-3 years time I'll have lost half of them and broken the other half.

yamaha wrote: I'm to the point of swearing on snappy impacts.......they just make the rest look like junk.

yes!
I didn't believe the hype until my IR gun went out. I bit the bullet and got a new snap on 1/2 impact off the truck and it is phenomenal.
My buddy Steve used it the other day and keeps warning me he's going to steal it.
I thought the IR titanium was just about as good as it gets but this thing is just, honestly, perfect.

In reply to 93celicaGT2:

No questions asked? Not true. They won't take back a socket full of silicone.

N Sperlo wrote: In reply to 93celicaGT2: No questions asked? Not true. They won't take back a socket full of silicone.

I'm guessing you're replying to something i said 2+ years ago?

unevolved wrote: I've learned with Craftsman stuff, when it breaks, take the broken one up to the counter along with a new replacement off the shelf, and say "swap this." If you just bring them a broken one, they'll call over their manager, and give you hell. I had one question a 1/2 lb minisledge with a broken hammer. He claimed I had misused it. "What were you doing with it?" "Well, I was hitting stuff." "This looks like abuse." "IT'S A HAMMER. IT SAYS CRAFTSMAN. IT'S BROKE. GIVE ME A NEW ONE." I've never been so close to calling corporate. Maybe it's just the way I was raised, but there's something sacred about the Craftsman warranty.

I'm not a huge fan of sears, but my dad is. As a result, I have lots of Craftsman tools that he gave me, both new and used.

A while back one of my 1/4" ratchets started skipping every once in a while, to the point that you never knew if it was going to loosen a bolt or run your hand into a sharp piece of metal. I took it to sears, and was told they wouldn't exchange it, because "it still works pretty good."

So, I thanked the guy at the register and walked back out to my truck. There, I put a big set of vice-grips on the bit (or whatever it's called) of the ratchet, then spun it so there was about a 30 degree angle between the vice-grips and the ratchet handle. I set the whole assembly on the ground, then hit it with a hammer a few times, until the ratchet didn't catch at all anymore.

I walked back into sears, handed the shiny happy person the ratchet, then said he needed to warranty it for me. He silently handed me a new ratchet.

Since that incident, I make sure whatever tools I bring to get replaced are really, really dead.

I am to the point that I hate craftsman tools.

I broke a 1/2" breaker bar loosening my lug nuts. No cheater bar on it. That was fun when I punched the ground!

There socket wrenches are junk. They just skip all the time, also resulting in punching things.

I bought a set of kobalt tools 3/8" drive sockets both inch and metric. They are AWESOME! They have never broken and I use them ALOT! I can't say enough good things about them. I liked them soo much, I bought the 12pt deepwell sockets in metric and SAE. Then I bought their wrench sets in metric and standard.

This was last year right before christmas. They were having a sale. I paid about $140.00 for 30 wrenches, about (40) 6 pt sockets and (30) 12 pt sockets.

Kobalt changed their tools about a year ago. I honestly can say they are the best feeling wrenches and ratches I have ever had.

Rob R.

The Kobalt stuff is pretty damn good, and if you time it right, you can get some pretty awesome prices on stuff. A month or two ago they were selling socket sets for $5 and $10.

I think i paid under $50 for everything in this picture:

corytate wrote:

yamaha wrote: I'm to the point of swearing on snappy impacts.......they just make the rest look like junk.

yes! I didn't believe the hype until my IR gun went out. I bit the bullet and got a new snap on 1/2 impact off the truck and it is phenomenal. My buddy Steve used it the other day and keeps warning me he's going to steal it. I thought the IR titanium was just about as good as it gets but this thing is just, honestly, perfect.

I get them all at company cost, so about 5/8 of the Snappy Truck cost.....makes them like 40-50 more than craftsman.... Prolly why I have a 1/2 drive(810ft lb rating), 3/8(425ft lb rating), and a pair of 1/4" drive blue points that are 25ft lb. My last order was just over 1k at company cost....

the 1/4 drive blue points save me the most time though, allows me to do the spark plug swap on my sho's in under 10min...

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The Kobalt stuff is pretty damn good, and if you time it right, you can get some pretty awesome prices on stuff. A month or two ago they were selling socket sets for $5 and $10. I think i paid under $50 for everything in this picture:

I need to know when that happens again. I need some sockets and wrenches.

dculberson wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The Kobalt stuff is pretty damn good, and if you time it right, you can get some pretty awesome prices on stuff. A month or two ago they were selling socket sets for $5 and $10. I think i paid under $50 for everything in this picture:

I need to know when that happens again. I need some sockets and wrenches.

PMing you. We might be able to figure something out. I have a good 80lbs of tools i'm not using i'd like to get out of my hair.

Well hopefully we can work something out. I had planned on trying out this Kobalt madness, but cheap enough Craftsman tools would be fine with me.

I have a kobolt set of 6 point 3/8 sockets in a plastic container, made in USA. They are great !!

The usa made Kobalt stuff is rebadged JH Williams stuff. So essentially... Budget Snapon. It hasnt been that for at least a couple years though.