TOOLS! ?‍??‍?

[Fordup]

From my understanding, there is a difference in quality between tools manufactured in China vs tools manufactured in Taiwan. Those manufactured in Taiwan are supposed to be better. GearWrench is an example.

That is supposed to be true but I have found lately that it's hit or miss from Taiwan. I bought a 18 inch Laguna bandsaw from Taiwan a couple years back and it was junk with improperly machined castings, warped unbalanced wheels, and sub par electronic controls. It really depends more on the factory it is manufactured in then the country it's made in now from my experience. Years ago Taiwan did make the highest quality castings and machinery but resellers trying to squeeze every last penny of profit out of machines has it's consequences.

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[9zero1790]

the taiwan wrenches and sockets seem a little better than the china ones. ive noticed even some of the HF stuff is taiwan now, same pieces that were china in the past.
anyone tried tekton ?

 

[OFC Ranger]

All of my tools are cheap crap from usual DIY box stores. Every once in a while I have a socket crack when I use it on something that usually requires a breaker bar to get off. Meh I got multiples of everything (cept that ****ing 10mm size which keeps running away somewhere) so I treat them as disposable purchases.

99% of time I have no issues. Even my cheap WEN stuff from Amazon like my drill press still going strong after many years.

I get why people who use tools for a living buy stuff off the snap-on truck, they go through thousands of more duty use cycles than mine ever will, but just wrenching on a personal vehicle? Pffft no way.

 

[ranger 2020]

Need for tool quality is dependent on tool usage. I turned my 1st wrench for a living in 1973 @ a AMC, Pontiac, Cadillac dealership. I learned real quick that cheap tools didn't cut it. I bought off the tool truck for many many years. Bought my 1st set of Snap On wrenches in 1978. Still got 'em, they still work great. Craftsman used to be good. Still have a few of them from my high school days. Don't think the new ones or nearly the quality though.

 

[9zero1790]

Need for tool quality is dependent on tool usage. I turned my 1st wrench for a living in 1973 @ a AMC, Pontiac, Cadillac dealership. I learned real quick that cheap tools didn't cut it. I bought off the tool truck for many many years. Bought my 1st set of Snap On wrenches in 1978. Still got 'em, they still work great. Craftsman used to be good. Still have a few of them from my high school days. Don't think the new ones or nearly the quality though.

several years ago I broke the box end of a combo wrench, old craftsman. next time i was near sears i took it in for warranty replacement. all went smooth. except for the new wrench i got back was the china one. i used it twice, it has deformed point in the box end. annoying every time i tried to put it over a bolt. so now its in a tray of other shunned wrenches lol.

 

[KJRR]

When if ever, was the last time you used one of these?

Pulled it out today to adjust the toe in on my Thing. Much easier than reading a tape measure when you are on the floor under a car.

 

[Fordup]

When if ever, was the last time you used one of these?

Pulled it out today to adjust the toe in on my Thing. Much easier than reading a tape measure when you are on the floor under a car.

Haven't used mine since Harbor freight started giving away the free 25 ft tape measures in the 1990s. I do have one for scaling logs that I still use.

 

[Chris M]

When if ever, was the last time you used one of these?

Pulled it out today to adjust the toe in on my Thing. Much easier than reading a tape measure when you are on the floor under a car.

My daddy used one religiously. Haven't seen a rule like that in years.
Good memories.

 

[Radioman]

My daddy used one religiously. Haven't seen a rule like that in years.
Good memories.

It is a good memory. I carried one as a lineman. They don't conduct electricity and won't fold over while getting a vertical measurement.

 

[Langwilliams]

I broke out a Kobalt set an someone (I think my brother who loved snap on tools) said they look like the old snap on tools. I wonder if they bought the old tooling when snap on updated.

 

[RDJTX]

When if ever, was the last time you used one of these?

Pulled it out today to adjust the toe in on my Thing. Much easier than reading a tape measure when you are on the floor under a car.

I have my dads in my garage somewhere ...

I follow my Dad's philosophy on Tools. I have a pretty good set but if I need a new one to do something I go buy it if I need more that one that I don't have I buy one, then rent or borrow the others. that way I have it for next time. when he was alive and we all lived in the DC area between him, my BiL and myself we could do anything to a car and did. He only used Craftsman tools (before they were bought by the Chinese and bastardized. My original tools are the same and I won't buy any tools that are not made in the US.

 

[Synfulz]

I went to the hardware store for batteries yesterday and they had a Black & Decker grinder 40% off. Wife says what you need that for? Eventually I will need one. ??

 

[KJRR]

My daddy used one religiously. Haven't seen a rule like that in years.
Good memories.

That one was my father in laws and he used it quite often. Interesting note, he was a tinner and worked on the world trade centers in NY when they were built. He never thought they would ever come down.

I have my dads in my garage somewhere ...

I follow my Dad's philosophy on Tools. I have a pretty good set but if I need a new one to do something I go buy it if I need more that one that I don't have I buy one, then rent or borrow the others. that way I have it for next time. when he was alive and we all lived in the DC area between him, my BiL and myself we could do anything to a car and did. He only used Craftsman tools

I was lucky enough to get Craftsman tools when I first started purchasing tools and they have held up well. Kind of hit and miss now.

 

[Fawnbuster]

I was on a dive callout one time in the White river, it's all feeling in the dark can't see your hand in front of your face muddy water, I picked up what I thought was a bed spring and when I flipped it out of my way something hit my hand, went over and found it, I had grabbed the bail on a nice spinning reel. A little later I found small steel box rusted shut but rattled, I brought it in and opened it later it was full of rusty muddy Craftsman tools plus some overseas junk. Cleaned up the Craftsman tools and took them into my local Sears and exchanged them all for new! Set of 1/4" sockets and ratchet, set of screw drivers and pliers!

That was also the first time I stumbled upon a huge turtle, in a river you have to look straight into the current or you get your mask ripped off (don't ask) I had a hose hung up and was groping in a rock pile and moving junk. Ended up picking up a turtle with a shell as wide as my shoulders, all of a sudden all 4 legs came out and it was like trying to hang onto an out of control steering wheel. I search with a closed fist now until I need to i.d. what I found, I like my fingers!

 

[Fordup]

I went to the hardware store for batteries yesterday and they had a Black & Decker grinder 40% off. Wife says what you need that for? Eventually I will need one. ??

They still make Black and Decker? The first new electric drill I bought was black and Decker for about $3.00. It sounded like a bunch of crackling chickens when I pulled the trigger and shot sparks from the brushes. It taught me a lot of respect for electricity when using it outdoors in the rain ?.

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