I have and do use tools like that. I have broken lots of Snapon tools, wasted impact wrenchs . It depends on what kind of work you are doing with the tools. 1 night I brone an im pact 3/4 inch sockets and a breaker bar replacing a input shaft on a huge fork lift in a rush to get it fixed before freighter arrived at the airport. Or working on a salt companies forklift. rusted into a solid hunk of metal. I couldn't imagine the people working on the huge construction, farming and mining equipment.
Should I be worried about Craftsman set?
- Thread starter daves87rs
- Start date
What?!? They made ratchets with plastic gears? I didn't know about that, but I wonder who the rocket scientist was, behind that decision.
Regardless, I completely agree that their warranty is now excellent. I recently stripped the gears on my trusty old 1970s era Craftsman ratchet. The rebuild kit is no longer available but they sent me the new gunmetal chrome ratchet as a replacement. I gotta say, this new one is pretty solid! I don't know if it will last 50 years like the old one did but, if I'm still alive at that point, I probably won't be turning too many wrenches.
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If you're being gifted the set, just take it.
In case of whomever gave it to you doesn't see you using them, they'll probably get insulted and will never give you something nice again.
If it was your money that you're spending, feel free to use your money at your discretion.
In case of whomever gave it to you doesn't see you using them, they'll probably get insulted and will never give you something nice again.
If it was your money that you're spending, feel free to use your money at your discretion.
Worried about a free set of tools because the quality might not be what it used to be a few decades ago?
Enjoy the gift.
My experience throughout the years is that the weak link are the ratchets.
Never met a Craftsman ratchet yet that didn't have a lot of slop in it.
Worst case scenario: keep the set and upgrade the ratchets.
Bottom line, I just wants something that is going to work for me. Been doing more of my own work as I have gotten older, so I don't want something too cheap.
My mix of current stuff includes stuff from Snap On, and a lot of old made in the USA stuff. I just need more tools to the job.
But over the years I figure it never hurts to ask.
Thanks to the feedback, the toolbox will be happly used my house. (and garage).
I just picked up some new Craftsman tools from Lowes for a new tool bag. I've used them a few times now and they are, in my opinion, every bit as good as the standard Craftsman tools have ever been. And better than the standard HF fare by a country mile.
We must remember that Craftsman was never "Snap On" quality, but it was always good enough for significant use.
Of course, once you get into the "professional" lines that each group has or does offer, things may be a bit different. With smooth chrome finishes and thinner walled sockets.
We must remember that Craftsman was never "Snap On" quality, but it was always good enough for significant use.
Of course, once you get into the "professional" lines that each group has or does offer, things may be a bit different. With smooth chrome finishes and thinner walled sockets.
AFAIK it wasn't plastic gears, it was the reverse toggle switch. Even so, no good reason to cheap out there.
I have an early 70's set but hardly ever use it. Came with a big metal chest that is very handy, but then I got a late '80s to early '90s set in a smaller blow molded case, still made in USA at the time and has less slop than the 70's set, but perhaps more importantly, the case is very convenient to take to the work instead of running back and forth to the chest, and better than a large cavity tool box because the case keeps them organized by size and I know if one is missing because its place is empty.
If they're like my relatives, they'll remember the insult and will bring it up at holiday gatherings every few years until their dying day.
It is rude to reject a gift from family due to quality, I mean anyone really but family might notice. Your best options are in this order:
A) Use the set and if any particular pieces seem lacking, upgrade those individual pieces. Someone mentioned ratchets and that's a great place to start, though personally, I'd just as soon have all impact sockets these days, bring the tray with them and use power tools then only break out the hand ratchet /extensions/etc when the power tool won't fit.
B) Immediately find and buy what you'd rather have instead, brag about the great deal you got on your recent purchase, claim you bought it before you "heard it through the grapevine" that you were getting the CMan set if someone calls you on that, then the family will return that CMan set for a refund and find something else to give you. Warning - That something else might not be a gift upgrade. You never know.
Personally I don't see it as a bad thing to have duplicates of tools, the CMan set then if you like something else more, it's still sometimes handy to have two of the same size socket, or wrench or whatever, whether it be for simultaneous use or you lose or break one and need to get a project done now rather than driving to the store or waiting for a warranty replacement. In other words you will never have too many 10mm sockets.
When I find a subtle ways to do it, I drop the dime that I like Amazon Gift Cards.
A) Use the set and if any particular pieces seem lacking, upgrade those individual pieces. Someone mentioned ratchets and that's a great place to start, though personally, I'd just as soon have all impact sockets these days, bring the tray with them and use power tools then only break out the hand ratchet /extensions/etc when the power tool won't fit.
B) Immediately find and buy what you'd rather have instead, brag about the great deal you got on your recent purchase, claim you bought it before you "heard it through the grapevine" that you were getting the CMan set if someone calls you on that, then the family will return that CMan set for a refund and find something else to give you. Warning - That something else might not be a gift upgrade. You never know.
Personally I don't see it as a bad thing to have duplicates of tools, the CMan set then if you like something else more, it's still sometimes handy to have two of the same size socket, or wrench or whatever, whether it be for simultaneous use or you lose or break one and need to get a project done now rather than driving to the store or waiting for a warranty replacement. In other words you will never have too many 10mm sockets.
When I find a subtle ways to do it, I drop the dime that I like Amazon Gift Cards.
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Where is everyone getting all this excellent Craftsman warranty? I tried to return something at Lowe's a year ago, and just got the run-around.
Craftsman has always been hit-or-miss. Their round-head Taiwan ratchet from a decade or 2 ago was a real loser, massive back-drag. I have one. I have some of their last-ditch USA ratchets, they self-reverse when you don't want them to, and don't reverse when you try to make them. I have a set as well, 1/4 3/8 and 1/2, real junk.
While I swore off Craftsman in 1990 (due to their complete inability to warranty replace anything for the previous 2.5 years), I ended up buying a few sets here and there on blow-out sales, for the primary reason of keeping a complete tool kit in every vehicle. I regret every one of these purchases.
It's good to hear the new Taiwan stuff is better than the initial China production move. I won't be buying any, but if someone gave me some, I'd give it a try.
Craftsman has always been hit-or-miss. Their round-head Taiwan ratchet from a decade or 2 ago was a real loser, massive back-drag. I have one. I have some of their last-ditch USA ratchets, they self-reverse when you don't want them to, and don't reverse when you try to make them. I have a set as well, 1/4 3/8 and 1/2, real junk.
While I swore off Craftsman in 1990 (due to their complete inability to warranty replace anything for the previous 2.5 years), I ended up buying a few sets here and there on blow-out sales, for the primary reason of keeping a complete tool kit in every vehicle. I regret every one of these purchases.
It's good to hear the new Taiwan stuff is better than the initial China production move. I won't be buying any, but if someone gave me some, I'd give it a try.
I agree, it's not excellent. It varies WILDLY from good to poor.
The good is them offering to replace with something "better" usually because they no longer make your exact model.
The poor is them trying to substitute something for a model they no longer make, like offering a basic ratcheting wrench because they no longer sell the awesome DBE XL wrenches.
And all of this is assuming you're talking to Craftsman via email, not a retailer in person. I've done a few warranty claims this way and it tends to go like this:
Day 1: email them, explain the problem, include pics and model #. Receive a canned "we got your email" email immediately
Day 3 to 4: get a response from a CS agent. May be in broken English with poor grammar. They don't have THAT, would you accept this? Their offer may be in the ballpark, or it may be way out there as these are NOT people who turn wrenches for a living. You respond immediately
Day 5 to 6: if you accepted, they ask for a shipping address. If you countered (I've done this) they may ask for shipping address or they just confirm "X" really is ok with you.
It's best to simply volunteer your shipping address early in the process. Imagine a phone conversation where everytime you say something it takes about 48 hours for a reply. Thus when you do say something, provide a LOT of useful info so they don't have to ask later.
Day who-knows-when: your replacement ships. Recently just for a 3/8" breaker bar they were out of stock and it took about 2 weeks for the slow boat to get more to them. Also they ship in basic, flimsy brown cardboard boxes or envelopes and they ship least expensive method possible. So best to forget about it and then be surprised when it finally arrives
Interesting that they are better than HF "by a country mile". How so?
To be fair, he didn't say "better than HF", he said "better than the standard HF". I guess that means Pittsburg/Pittsburg Pro, but not Icon. But let's let willbur reply...
Oh thank you so much wise one, lol
Sorry, I mean, let Cujet reply.
My left handed wrenches are not right
