Craftsman tools are cheap

Some of HF sales are amazing though, 1.99 for a multimeter, i have run over like 4 of those, kind of hard to get upset about.... I do not buy any heavy use tools there, and I have to say my craftsman stuff seems to last better. I am also pretty recreational at this point so i dont put heavy use on them... I would never replace my Ingersol Rand Impact gun with a HF version....

Just a reminder about Sears/Craftmans' hand tool warranty: it does not apply to the 'click type' torque wrenches, and they have a reputation for breaking fairly easily (mine did at about 80% of it's rated max).

Bob

I am sold on gearwrench brand tools. I have my share of HF and craftsmans, but got a decent deal on their standard open/box geared head. Awesome. Then I picked up a 1/4" drive metric set for cheap. Awesome- many many clicks (5 degrees/click I think?). Then I picked up their "thru drive" kit- neat as well.... it has a driver that looks like a geared box end, but the sockets are hollow... reduces the need for deep sockets.

Anyone know of a store locator? I'd love to see if there are any around Chicago.

Appleseed wrote: Anyone know of a store locator? I'd love to see if there are any around Chicago.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/retail_stores.taf#IL

DrBoost wrote:

ReverendDexter wrote:

DrBoost wrote: I swear I can use my snap on 1/4 like it's a 3/8 and have no problem. But for the average at home wrench, I think craftsman is great.

Werd. I broke 3 craftsman 1/4" drive ratchets before I got wise and bought the Snap-On (which got stolen with the rest of my tools not six months later). That thing could torque lug nuts if you had the right adapters (this is exageration for dramatic intent, not something I tried).

Yeah, that's what I was saying....

Hahaha - that was "werd" as in the urban utterance of agreeance, not a mispelling of "wierd".

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 dont really care for craftsman ratchets at all. I have a couple, but they are noticable worse then the HF ones. The only craftsman tools i use all the time are screwdrivers, those are good, but the rest eh. I usually use either HF stuff (actually i prefer the ratchets from ther over most others), or Kobalt tools from back before Lowes decided that they didnt need customers coming ot their store to look for quality tools. I have a few gearwrench wrenches too, the set of 2 wrenches with 4 sizes on them gets used quite often.

m4ff3w wrote:

Appleseed wrote: Anyone know of a store locator? I'd love to see if there are any around Chicago.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/retail_stores.taf#IL

No, for Sears dent and blemish type stores.

Appleseed wrote:

m4ff3w wrote:

Appleseed wrote: Anyone know of a store locator? I'd love to see if there are any around Chicago.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/retail_stores.taf#IL

No, for Sears dent and blemish type stores.

I don't think they really advertise them as such. There's nothing saying that it's that sort of store other than prices that are significantly lower than the rest of the stores in the area. I only knew about this place through word of mouth. It's a dedicated Home and Garden store, so you could start by looking for those rather than the big old department stores?

I have a Great Neck ratchet that I prefer to my Craftsman ratchet. It's nothing special at all, just a cheap POS ratchet that fits well in my hand and works every time, even when using a cheater bar on it. If I break it, I'm out like $8.

With that being said, my next ratchets will more than likely come from HF. They feel better in my hand than Craftsman ratchets, and they seem to be at least on par for quality.

I do wish we had a scratch and dent Sears here, though. Things like sockets I tend to buy at least Craftsman. I've returned obviously abused sockets and gotten replacements with no questions asked. Then again, out local store is a Home and Garden store that's independently owned and they treat their customers very well.

I prefer the shape of snap on wrenches to craftsman. Like Dr boost says, the craftsman are hard on the hand. I use craftsman sockets, and when I need to buy one, due to loss, not breakage, I buy used from my buddies tool shop. He has a mix of brands for sale.

Joey

ReverendDexter wrote: On a tangent, are there any tools made here in the US anymore? I know that's a HUGE part of why HF tools are so cheap. I thought Craftsman used to be, are they still?

Sadly, you have to be careful now even with Craftsman tools and read the packaging. Taps and dies, spline wrenches, mini-pliers, the "Dogbone wrench", their ratcheting gear-wrench style wrenches - for instance - are all made in Asia. Seems their bread and butter hand tools are still US. Power tools - forget about it - many have been imported for years.

Yes, I'm hoarding a 300+ piece set for my future children. Perhaps I should buy more tool sets and hide them too. Change is coming...

Appleseed wrote: No, for Sears dent and blemish type stores.

Go to sears.com and click on the "Sears Outlet" tab in the upper right hand corner. A new window should pop up, now click on the "select your store locations" button that is to the right of the search box. When the screen with the map pops up, enter your location and make sure that the "outlet store" box is checked, and the "hardware store" and "retail store" boxes are unchecked. Then select the strores around you and hit "save and close". You can now view the entire inventory of those stores near you or browse through specific categories. The Sears Outlet stores are not just tools, and often there is not a great selection of tools, but sometimes you'll get lucky.

Also, the Sears Outlet stores won't ship to you, so don't bother looking for stuff at stores that aren't close to you, otherwise you'll just end up frustrated that you've found a killer deal but can't take advantage of it.

Bob

In reply to Appleseed:

IIRC There is a Sears outlet store on Rollins Rd in Round Lake. That shouldn't be that far of a drive.

The chrome on a set of Craftsman 1/2" sockets and extensions came off (in sheets). It sliced me to ribbons (needed stitches on one occasion before I figured what was cutting me) I have never been as big a fan since that bit of fun.

I did raise the roof at the local sears and was very well taken care of for several years after that.

When it rains, it pours. Thanks, guys.

joey48442 wrote: I prefer the shape of snap on wrenches to craftsman. Like Dr boost says, the craftsman are hard on the hand. Joey

That's funny, Bill and I were just talking yesterday about how Snap-On wrenches are designed to break the blood vessels in your fingers. The edges are just too thin to apply any torque. We were looking at his new set of Craftsman ratcheting wrenches at the time.

In reply to Keith:

They must be a different model, as the handles of mine are all round, there is no edge at all. The look like they were made on a lathe.

Joey

I'm talking about wrenches or ratcheting wrenches, not ratchets that hold a socket.

In reply to joey48442:

Not the ratchets - the wrenches... and I agree with Keith; I have a set of Snap-on flare-nut wrenches and they are painful if you're really torquing on one. One reason why I usually wear mechanix gloves.

I have found the same thing with reguards to Snap-On wrenches, I only have a couple but I like my Crafsman or Gearwrench ones better. They hurt less.

I haven't used them, but the Craftsman crossbeam wrenches seem like they'd be an awesome solution to the sharp edge = no torque problem.

In reply to Keith:

Ahh. I know what you saying. I pictured the ratchet in my head. Most of my wrenches a craftsman, I don't have many snapon wrenches, but I do see how they could be painful after alot if use.

Joey

DILYSI Dave wrote: I haven't used them, but the Craftsman crossbeam wrenches seem like they'd be an awesome solution to the sharp edge = no torque problem.

They are.