OP
I always try to buy Taiwan made, if it’s between China and Taiwan. It’s almost always worth the rad bit extra in cost. Especially in any type of power tool.
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Craftsman at Lowe’s?
- Thread starter Rubirob
- Start date
I always try to buy Taiwan made, if it’s between China and Taiwan. It’s almost always worth the rad bit extra in cost. Especially in any type of power tool.
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I own a large number of Husky, Kobalt, one set of SK, and I really do prefer the American made but $$$ is hard to justify for a weekend wrench like myself. I must say though, I would pay some gink for Cornwell, American made and a family owned business........
I’ve also bought some wrenches and sockets from Harbor Freight. Most have fir well and held. I think their Pittsburgh brand is lifetime warranty but haven’t had to confirm that yet.
I snapped a Pittsburgh Torx bit and they replaced it no questions asked.
I have a Cornwell spinner (about a 1” extension with a red twisty grip knob) and I love it. Harkens back to my days of doing tune-ups on VW bugs—-the “real” bugs!
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
I have a HF tool box in the Muddog, and it's filled with mostly HF tools, some Wal Mart. So far they haven't let me down, and if I lose the whole thing, I'm out MAYBE $250 including the box.
Since I was a professional Mechanic for many years most of my tools, and tool box are Snap-on, but I have been out of the business for about 20 years so now as my tools are starting to wear or break, I am finding it harder and harder to get them warranteed. When I do find a snap-on guy he is usually an ass because he knows he is going to loose inventory, and I am probably not going to buy anything, at least nothing substantial. Luckily for the most part, my wrenches and sockets are still in good shape, but now for the most part, I just buy home-depot brand stuff now, as I need to replace or sometimes I run to harbor freight for a specialty tools, because there is a Harbor Freight about 2 miles from my house.
I was doing my lift a couple of months ago and I for the life of me couldn't get my new front lifted springs in, So I ran to HF and bought a spring compressor set. It is a no name brand, and I use it carefully, but since I have used them 3 times with no issues.
I say use whatever gets the job done.
I was doing my lift a couple of months ago and I for the life of me couldn't get my new front lifted springs in, So I ran to HF and bought a spring compressor set. It is a no name brand, and I use it carefully, but since I have used them 3 times with no issues.
I say use whatever gets the job done.
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
I got rear ended in my Nissan truck a few years ago, so I needed a rear bumper. A $100 fits-all bumper off ebay did the trick, BUT the brackets, as supplied wouldn't work. They had two sets of holes, one above the other. Naturally I needed to use the lower holes, but couldn't because the upper portion of the bracket was in the way.
Off to HF again. I got a $13 angle grinder and a set of cut off wheels for less than that. I've used it several times since, including taking just a BIT off the front of the Muddog's frame so that the new bumper in the "Show us your bumper" thread would fit.
At my father's auto shop, I use to wash the mechanics service bay floors, benches, tools, restroom, and break room as a kid. The mechanics got together and gave me a set of Snap-On wrenches as a birthday gift. They are still the foundation of a modest set of well used tools.
Geez you'd figure he'd have the entire catalog in his garage after all that time.
Every now and again I need a tool that I don't have, the last time was a big socket, like 1 3/4" and every one wanted some crazy amount of money for it, HF had a 1" drive set with breaker bar, ratchet, extension, and 1 1/8" - 2 1/4" socket set for less money, as often as it gets used....works like a champ......
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
Exactly what I mean. If I was using an angle grinder every day for my livelihood it would be different, but as often as I need an angle grinder, this one will probably last me a lifetime.
One thing people dont seem to realize is there are different levels of quality products that come from the same country. China doesn't have one big factory that produces all china made tools. Also many american companies set up their own offices in china to address quality control concerns. That's what the company that i worked for the last 20 years did. We had our engineers and quality teams stationed near our manufacturing suppliers .
I have mostly craftsman tools but i have some HF, northern tool and teckton. I always look closely at the tools regardless of brand before i buy. You can tell a lot by looking at the lines, cut and surface finish. Most have a lifetime warranty these days so you're covered.
Lastly nuts and bolts don't have the precision sizing they used to have so even if you have the most precise set of tools it doesn't mean you will always get a precise fit on the kind of stuff most of us work on.
I have mostly craftsman tools but i have some HF, northern tool and teckton. I always look closely at the tools regardless of brand before i buy. You can tell a lot by looking at the lines, cut and surface finish. Most have a lifetime warranty these days so you're covered.
Lastly nuts and bolts don't have the precision sizing they used to have so even if you have the most precise set of tools it doesn't mean you will always get a precise fit on the kind of stuff most of us work on.
Sears used to over see the quality of craftsmen but that seems to have gone away in the last bunch of years. I like Poulan, Husquavarna as their Chinese manufacturing is done to their specs and is over seen by them more closely than mtd-troybilt in my opinion. The John Deere and Cub Cadet you see in the in the box stores are also not the same level as in the independent dealers.
now that was a smart trade I had enough tools to be able to work on about 5 cars at the same time and not have to borrow from any other vehicle when done with a vehicle i'd clean up put away saves a lot of time running back and forth there were 90% craftsman out of the business now but I still have 3 big boxes
IMHO you can never ever go wrong buying high quality American forged tools. Much less likely to round out a fastener, or slam your knuckles into sharp steel object and they last forever. The SO tools I bought in the mid seventies still function and look basically new. I would not trade one of my 45 year old SO tools for ten Asian copies. You do have to watch the old American brands now, many have an Asian line as well as a US line, big difference in price and quality. I don't mind having an Asian drip pan or tool box/cart, but the main utensils should be a product of American sweat and toil. Would you prefer a Chinese Jeep?
Funny this had come up. My dad bought me a set of Craftsman's tools back in the summer of 1981. After 37 years my 1/4 drive went to shit and the little ball that holds the socket has worn out.
I remember you used to be able to buy the guts and replace everything but why bother when I can get a new one.
Ace Hardware will still replace and that's what I did.
When I got home with my new 1/4 drive:
1. It's made in China
2. It has plastic pieces instead of all metal.
It doesn't feel like it should.
I remember you used to be able to buy the guts and replace everything but why bother when I can get a new one.
Ace Hardware will still replace and that's what I did.
When I got home with my new 1/4 drive:
1. It's made in China
2. It has plastic pieces instead of all metal.
It doesn't feel like it should.