Craftsman vs. Snap-on vs. Mac. vs. ac delco vs. rubbermaid

Tim does have a point that its not in the states. But here in the states i wouldn't care if i broke a tool.

 

tools

I use craftsman and some S-K. Snap on is nice but if you're not in the business and can't find a truck, what do you do? I always know where the Sears stores are! :grin:

I see no one mentioned S-K yet, is it unusual? I find them to be very heavy duty pieces, last forever.

Also, Sears has "hardware" stores around here that sells only stuff you see in a trypical hardware store. I find they have a more complete line of tools then the retail stores.

- Bill

 

What is S-K Bill?

 

Bill, S&K and craftsman are made at the same foundry. From what I have heard the only difference is that the S&K get a slightly better grade of tool steel. Good stuff.

 

Actually I think you missed my point. We have lifetime warranty as well on craftsman up here. but the ACTUAL TOOLS are different. Not sure why that is, but I know the sockets and ratchets in the States are much better built than the Canadian versions...figure that one out (not kidding, I have my Sister in Montana buy me Craftsman sockets, up here they don't even sell 12 point 1/4" drive).

Warranty on the tool means nothing if you wreck the part, or cause an aircraft delay due to a stripped bolt or whatever. I was told once that every minute an aircraft departure is delayed, the company loses $400.00...so no messing around on the line.

For critical tasks Snap On is the way to go, for the other 95% of the time, use whatever is the cheapest.

SK is a decent brand as well....

Later
Tim

 

Old tools, Craftsman, SK and Proto.

Dan

 

Most of my toolbox is full of Craftsman, and I would call them my favorites.
But I also have a ton of "other" tools like from Walmart or the hardware store (Bench Top, Popular Mechanics ..etc)
I like them all. I usually get the "other" stuff from the bargain bins. I just can't walk by a bargain bin without buying some dumb little tool! :laugh:

 

Jason
You need to hook us up with a deal on snap on tools.
Mac tools was bought out by Stanley along with Proto. Craftsman sockets are made by Armstrong I don't know who the other vendors for Sears are.
The Husky brand is made over seas and should not even be considered a tool.
Lowes Kobalt brand used to be made by J.H. Wiliams co a division of Snap On. Now Kobalt is made over seas too.
What I am trying to point out is look at where the item is made. Keep it MADE IN THE U.S.A.

Dave

 

Craftsman, would be the choice although not exclusive to one brand. What I do like is the lifetime gurantee. At least all the places I've been, they don't care what you did to it, it's a lifetime guarantee.

"Yeah, I was using thescrew driver as a crowbar and the end snapped off and then I backed over it with my car can I have another one?"

I've never had them say no. I'm pretty sure you could throw something of the roof and they would still give you a new one,

 

Tools

I have a variety of tools that I have acquired over the years, the majority of them being Craftsmen. A good friend of mine is the local SnapOn dealer, so I am starting to build a SnapOn collection also. I have found that each tool company has some tools that are better than their competition. If I where forced to choose one brand I would have to vote for SnapOn.

Like my father always told me "ITS NOT SO MUCH THE WRENCH YOUR USING, ITS MORE THE GUY USING IT!!"

 

I collect vintage tools and have Craftsman, Snap On, Plumb, Starrett, Reed and lots of other obscure US namebrands.

 

I too make a living turning wrenches, and Snap-on or Blue Point is the tool of choice many times. For example, ratchet wrenches..... the Blue Point has such a tight gear set to rachet and Craftsman just can not compete. Even the professional series wrenches arent long enough compared to Snap-ons. Im just use to the feel of Snap-on screwdrivers so that probably more of a choice thing. Just feels more comfortable than the multiangle cut handle of Craftsman. Air rachet, Snap on but air guns (3/8 and 1/2) I use the Craftsman Professional series. Its a matter of preference I guess. Like tool boxes. I bought a Mac box similar to what Jason has (we like that long drawer dont we Jason?) for I think it was 6 grand verses the 12 grand Snap On wanted.. All ball bearing glide drawers, Deeeeep drawers etc. I just couldnt do it. I like those Snap On boxes, I just couldnt buy one. I make the living with whats in the box, not the box itself. Anyways.......opinion only

PS Jason, time to trade that one in for the ole triple bay one now!

 

Sears tool are to easy to return. I have taken in nasty old junk yard tools ad you get new fresh ones. I have 2-3 snap-ons tools I have gotten some how that could used replaced but I hate dealing with their salesman.

They should sell tools in the store like everyone else. But not they charge a fella $50,000 for a truck of tools and the let him try to pedal them off to make a living. Any product where the salesman is deciding the final price is not good for consumers.

 

The one thing that really prevents me from buying Snap-On is the fact that I can get many times more Craftsman tools for the same money... Example... I just looked up a 1" combination wrench... Craftsman gets $18.99 for a single wrench, Snap-On is $63.50!!!

Oh this is scary.... 26 pc. Craftsman set of combinaton wrenches from 13/64" through 1 1/8"... $79.99....
Set of Snap-On wrenches, 24 pc. 1/4" through 1 5/8" $1,615.25!!! :jd:

Screwdrivers??
Craftsman - 5 pc. Professional (their new ones) $29.99
Snap-On - 8 pc. Softgrip red. $149.70

Perhaps a set of standard metric sockets....
Craftsman- 25 pc 9-27mm -$79.99
Snap-On - 23 pc 10-32mm $384.65

No wonder mechanics are always complaining they are broke! I could see spending maybe 25% more for Snap-On, but not 3-20 TIMES as much for them. :jd: Total of all the above tools for Craftsman is $208.96.... Snap-On is $2213.10.. I think I'll stick to my Craftsman... uzzled:


Link to the Craftsman wrench set...

Link to the Snap-on wrench set...

 

Sorry,, I am having a hard time figuring out how much better a wrench could be to cost 20 times as much as another brand that is also good.... I had aout $500 worth of Craftsman tools stolen about 4 years ago and for the $1600 that the one set of wrenches would cost me I'll have every single tool I could ever need to work on my old Jeep or the Buick I want to get.

I guess it all boils down to "If you can afford it, buy it" but personally if I won the lottery tomorrow I'd be giving some poor salesman at Sears a heart-attack! :shocked:

Just a little FYI.. I am borderline pro.. I work on old Jeeps for others and have been building a '67 Jeep CJ from the frame up... once it's done I'll get a 65 Buick and start on it.

 

I am having a hard time too, figuring out why nobody listens...IF you are a professional and use them EVERY day, and work on EXPENSIVE machinery (like millions of $$$ worth), sometimes they are necessary....and I have seen enough jobs screwed up with other brands of tools that I will only trust my Snap On for the critical stuff.

I've also seen Snap On wrenches and sockets come to the rescue of many with other brands of tools (fan balance weights on CFM 56 spool had a torque of 40 ft/lbs on a 5/16" 12 point head....only Snap On could remove them, we stripped 7 other sockets of different names).

PT6A has several nuts in tough locations, the ONLY swivel socket that will go is Snap On, simple as that.

If you don't want to spend the money thats fine..but I certianly wouldn't be slamming the guys that do, to me that means they take their work seriously.

I have other brands as well.

later
Tim

 

When I was fresh out of tech school and just getting started wrenching for a living all I bought was Craftsman. I, like most of you, couldn't justify spending so much more money on tools from Snap On, Matco etc..

At the beginning the Craftsman stuff worked great. Unfortunatly, six months into working full time I had a drawer full of broken Craftsman sockets and several rachets that had either locked up or granaded.

The biggest problem I had, besides cracking my knuckles and funny bone when a rachet would let go,OUCH :af: was when I would take all my busted sockets back to Sears and half the time they would not have them in stock.

When you buy a tool from Matco or Snap On, it will last many times longer then a Craftsman will, and if it does fail, the tool guy comes in once a week. Most tool guys will bring you a replacement same day if you really need it.

I can honestly say I have Matco rachets that are 15 years old used all day every day and have never had a failure and still work like when they were new. A Craftsman, although a very good tool, will never have that type of durability.
Thats why Snap On, Matco, Mac, and Cornwell all cost 3 to 20 times more.

Having said all that, I personally think Craftman tools are about the best thing going for price and durability for the normal shade tree mechanic or DIYer. Unless your wrenching for a living, the professional tools are unneccesary and a waste of money.

:Smarty:

 

I would have to disagree. Craftsmen will last forever when used properly. So what if once in a while they dont have a socket in stock, its free and they dont have it stock cause they know there tools don't break very often if at all. I have my grandfather's craftsmen hand tools and they are great.

But i suppose when a guy is going to have to fix a vehicle in a amount of time where money is involved, another tool could be used.

 

I think you might have a different oppinion if you were using your tools 8 to 10 hours a day 5 days a week and getting paid book hour.

 

We only used sapon screw drivers in school as the tip will break before it strips a screw. But sucks if you needed it at 2pm Sunday. not gonna get a fast replacement.

They will also snap a bolt off before it strips. That suck in many ways. Fishing a broken off flush bolt is much harder than a stripped one.

I used all sapon tools in school and found little benefits for the much higher price. [ higher cause they only sell through salesman trying to feed a family pedaling sockets.]

Only thing snapon I would like to have is a 3/8 torque wrench with a 1/4 head. Makes them tight spots easy to get at. But you gotta talk the guy on the truck into making it. He then has to pedal off the 1/4 torque with a 3/8 head.