A torque wrench made in the USA for under $100!?

[AP9]

Could it be?

I went to my local Sears hardware & appliance store this weekend, and walked out empty-handed when I found "MADE IN CHINA" on every single torque wrench they had. If I want a foreign-made torque wrench I'll go down to Harbor Freight and get one for $10 with the coupon.

Today, I got another catalog from Summit Racing in the mail. Page 49: the description for Summit Torque Wrenches includes "Made in the USA"

It doesn't say so on their website though, just in the catalog.
SUM-G1055-25 for $99.97
SUM-G1055-38 for $89.97
SUM-G1055 for $93.97

Looks like the 1/4" and 3/8" drive ones are new items.

Just thought I'd share this. Anyone have experience with these?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Apparently this one is made in USA:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TDE...Q5DG9RCBVMQH4WQ

 

[901Memphis]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002LA1EDO...X110_SY165_QL70

The CDI is good but I hear the one part is sourced from anotherccountry just the head AFAIK. The rest is snap on parts it's stamped USA on it under the logo nothing else.

 

[stephen9666]

There are actually a pretty decent number of USA made torque wrenches around $100 or less.

The ones the OP linked to are made by Apex Tools, as is the GearWrench model linked by Pete.

The GW, Matco, Armstrong and other torque wrenches are all pretty similar with slightly different grips.

You can find the GW torque wrench now sold under the Husky brand at Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-8-in-Click-Torque-Wrench-H3DTW/202916179

 

[doitmyself]

I will take a stab at this. EDIT, LOL......late to the game here! I knew Stephen would have the answer!

A U.S. tool manufacturer in Georgia called J.S. Technology is/was under the Danaher Mfg. group (now Apex) that makes/made torque wrenches for Sears, S.K., K.D. (now Gearwrench), NAPA, Armstrong, ATD, and some others.

The summit wrenches look exactly like some former S.K. and K.D. wrenches:
Left to right to bottom: Summit, SK, KD.

My guess is that the plastic grip Summit wrench is made by JS Technologies and is similar in quality to the former US made Craftsman. JS also makes a wrench that "might" be slightly better with the "Armstrong/NAPA" type grip shown below:

I really have no knowledge on the quality differences of the various JS Technology wrenches. Is it just the grips, the ratchet head, or are the internals different??

I'm going to take a wild guess that the new US made torque wrenches at Home Depot are probably from this mfg. also.

My opinion is that they are very good wrenches, but maybe not quite as good as CDI/Snap On, Precision Instruments, Proto, and Sturdevant Richmont...all U.S. mfg. of torque wrenches.

 

[Michael_P]

There is a guy that sells Cornwell tools on eBay cheap. Most are American made. I have yet to see a Gearwrench tool made in the US

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: Michael_P
There is a guy that sells Cornwell tools on eBay cheap. Most are American made. I have yet to see a Gearwrench tool made in the US

The GearWrench torque wrenches are the only GW tools that are made in the USA.

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
I will take a stab at this. EDIT, LOL......late to the game here! I knew Stephen would have the answer!


Not too late. You still provided even more info than I did. I had forgotten about the SK torque wrenches made by JS.

Great minds think alike, I guess...

 

[redbone3]

As another reply stated the Gearwrench torque wrenches are US made. The clicker ones are 3% accuracy, which is as good as it gets in the world of clicker torque wrenches. Looks like a good buy to me.

 

[AP9]

All good to know, and nice to see quality tools still made here. Looks like there's not much in the way of domestic-made "budget" torque wrenches though.

Still kind of disappointed in Craftsman in general . . . their regular (non-sale) prices are too high to justify purchasing foreign-made tools.

 

[MI_Roger]

Here is another option. At $120 it is just over your desired limits. Harry Epstein Tools sells mostly US made tools, some European and some Taiwan made too. All are identified by the flag of the country of manufacture.

Link to Epstein Tools