If you have anything like the Pomona Swap Meet near you, that is a great place to buy tools. There is a section where a bunch of tool truck drivers sell repo tools that you can exchange for new under warranty.
Help decide on a new 1/4 rachet.
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Originally Posted By: Y_K
I am glad you liked it too. it was recommended to me by a friend, working on sea oil rigs in between Scotland and Norway. Being showered and drenched by the salt water all the time and he swears by them, says it still has the same solid low-drag action after years of abuse.
Thanks for the tip on Zorro. I have quite a few Proto tools, they are top shelf and will stand up to anything thrown at them for years.
I am glad you liked it too. it was recommended to me by a friend, working on sea oil rigs in between Scotland and Norway. Being showered and drenched by the salt water all the time and he swears by them, says it still has the same solid low-drag action after years of abuse.
Thanks for the tip on Zorro. I have quite a few Proto tools, they are top shelf and will stand up to anything thrown at them for years.
Originally Posted By: spackard
Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
My go to as of late is my 1/4 HF Composite unit
Butter smooth, durable, comfortable in all weather, not too loud, and $9.
If you want to see nice pictures of what's in the HF composite, Amazon has the Tekton composite. Other than color, it looks identical to the HF.
If you scroll down on the page they have several varieties of 1/4", low-profile, flex-head, ....
As time goes by, I find myself more and more grabbing & using the HF Composite 1/4" ratchet. Got it and the other on sale price - can't complain.
Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
My go to as of late is my 1/4 HF Composite unit
Butter smooth, durable, comfortable in all weather, not too loud, and $9.
If you want to see nice pictures of what's in the HF composite, Amazon has the Tekton composite. Other than color, it looks identical to the HF.
If you scroll down on the page they have several varieties of 1/4", low-profile, flex-head, ....
As time goes by, I find myself more and more grabbing & using the HF Composite 1/4" ratchet. Got it and the other on sale price - can't complain.
Originally Posted By: Errtt
Originally Posted By: spackard
Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
My go to as of late is my 1/4 HF Composite unit
Butter smooth, durable, comfortable in all weather, not too loud, and $9.
If you want to see nice pictures of what's in the HF composite, Amazon has the Tekton composite. Other than color, it looks identical to the HF.
If you scroll down on the page they have several varieties of 1/4", low-profile, flex-head, ....
As time goes by, I find myself more and more grabbing & using the HF Composite 1/4" ratchet. Got it and the other on sale price - can't complain.
I am really starting to see a lot of the same tools with different names stamped on them. Oreillys Performance Tool and HF Pittsburgh for example. They are probably all made by the HongKong Fuey Eggroll company for other companies to stamp their names onto.
I used to really endorse HF, but I am really starting to get into the US made stuff now. Perhaps if I need something that is throw away.. And I dont care who you are, HF is a fun store to walk around in.
Originally Posted By: spackard
Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
My go to as of late is my 1/4 HF Composite unit
Butter smooth, durable, comfortable in all weather, not too loud, and $9.
If you want to see nice pictures of what's in the HF composite, Amazon has the Tekton composite. Other than color, it looks identical to the HF.
If you scroll down on the page they have several varieties of 1/4", low-profile, flex-head, ....
As time goes by, I find myself more and more grabbing & using the HF Composite 1/4" ratchet. Got it and the other on sale price - can't complain.
I am really starting to see a lot of the same tools with different names stamped on them. Oreillys Performance Tool and HF Pittsburgh for example. They are probably all made by the HongKong Fuey Eggroll company for other companies to stamp their names onto.
I used to really endorse HF, but I am really starting to get into the US made stuff now. Perhaps if I need something that is throw away.. And I dont care who you are, HF is a fun store to walk around in.
I picked up an Armstrong MAXX 1/4 ratchet for under $40 shipped (Amazon). Very high quality and fine toothed for ratcheting in tight spaces. It has a minimal 4 degree swing between teeth. Also made in the USA.
alot of nice options posted but half dont meet the OP's requirements.
I like hard ratchets for oil changes they wipe off with a rag.
For other jobs soft ratchets are great.
hard to beat the 8$ HF ratchet.
you need to jump upto the 40$ range to get a clearly superior one.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-heavy-duty-composite-ratchet-66312.html
I like hard ratchets for oil changes they wipe off with a rag.
For other jobs soft ratchets are great.
hard to beat the 8$ HF ratchet.
you need to jump upto the 40$ range to get a clearly superior one.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-heavy-duty-composite-ratchet-66312.html
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Looked at a couple of Proto 1/4 in ratchets today at a pawn shop, both looked new, price, $12 bucks.
If you check on ebay they have allen USA made 1/4 ratchets for under $15. You can also find USA made kd ratchets too. Sk is another option in your price range as well as Klein ratchets are USA made and good quality.
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked at a couple of Proto 1/4 in ratchets today at a pawn shop, both looked new, price, $12 bucks.
Shoulda bought one!
Not at my age, will never break the 1/2 doz. I now own.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked at a couple of Proto 1/4 in ratchets today at a pawn shop, both looked new, price, $12 bucks.
Shoulda bought one!
Not at my age, will never break the 1/2 doz. I now own.
Originally Posted By: Errtt
Originally Posted By: spackard
Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
My go to as of late is my 1/4 HF Composite unit
Butter smooth, durable, comfortable in all weather, not too loud, and $9.
If you want to see nice pictures of what's in the HF composite, Amazon has the Tekton composite. Other than color, it looks identical to the HF.
If you scroll down on the page they have several varieties of 1/4", low-profile, flex-head, ....
As time goes by, I find myself more and more grabbing & using the HF Composite 1/4" ratchet. Got it and the other on sale price - can't complain.
It's a nice ratchet. I have it in 3/8 but bought the HF flex head in 1/4. The composite is smoother.
Originally Posted By: spackard
Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
My go to as of late is my 1/4 HF Composite unit
Butter smooth, durable, comfortable in all weather, not too loud, and $9.
If you want to see nice pictures of what's in the HF composite, Amazon has the Tekton composite. Other than color, it looks identical to the HF.
If you scroll down on the page they have several varieties of 1/4", low-profile, flex-head, ....
As time goes by, I find myself more and more grabbing & using the HF Composite 1/4" ratchet. Got it and the other on sale price - can't complain.
It's a nice ratchet. I have it in 3/8 but bought the HF flex head in 1/4. The composite is smoother.
A while back I picked up a clearanced 1/4 boxed set from Lowes (MIT) I like the quality of the ratchet and the sockets are not bad too. These are color coded for SAE/Metric. The only negative against the set is that the box is *huge*. This might still be available at some Lowes or on ebay. The ratchet is almost as good as HF composite in terms of smoothness and balance.
JHZR2
Staff member
I bought an SK kit from Amazon a while back that has been really handy.
SK make nice stuff. which set did you get?
I have two 1/4" Craftsman and two 1/4" Snap-ons. Snap-on has my vote.
Man this thread has been goin' on forever. Did the OP get his ratchet yet?
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Man this thread has been goin' on forever. Did the OP get his ratchet yet?
OP, here. I did get a new ratchet. A took a gamble and bid on ebay for a ratchet with a tool lot. It was Mac - 6 inch extension U. S. A., M 42 - Williams - Breaker Bar, U. S. A. , Challenger -1060-1 -1 /4 ' Ratchet , 32 - 1/4" socket, I spent 12.98 on everything, including shipping.
Man this thread has been goin' on forever. Did the OP get his ratchet yet?
OP, here. I did get a new ratchet. A took a gamble and bid on ebay for a ratchet with a tool lot. It was Mac - 6 inch extension U. S. A., M 42 - Williams - Breaker Bar, U. S. A. , Challenger -1060-1 -1 /4 ' Ratchet , 32 - 1/4" socket, I spent 12.98 on everything, including shipping.
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