Are craftsman toolsets still the thing to buy?

[vanguard_anon]

I'm a shadetree mechanic but I am pretty active. I estimate that I use my tools about 15-20 hours a month. I've always used a mix-mash of husky, craftsman, kobalt, etc. that I've built up over the last 7 years or so. However, recently I split up the set and assigned about half of them the mounted tool box on my buggy. The other half will live in the tool box on my truck. This leaves me with an opportunity.

Now seems like a perfect time buy a matched set that's dedicated to my garage. Cost is a factor but so is quality. I would have thought that craftsman was the perfect mid-point for a guy like me but now I'm not as sure because craftsman has been getting a bad rap lately.

If you were a hobbyist like me with a clean slate for your shop tools what would you pick up?

[D60]

If you were a hobbyist like me with a clean slate for your shop tools what would you pick up?

Key word being hobbyist, I'd still look to Craftsman. It's readily available, readily replaceable if anything breaks, and affordable. Their 300-ish piece kits are great starters from which to expand. Trash their "bottom line" ratchets and get whatever you like - SK or the Craftsman thin profile heads.

Looks like now Craftsman is doing "modules" for their tool sets numbered 1-10. Kinda strange, but looking at it closely some of the modules have merit. In all honesty I'd probably just get the base set (#1) and hand pick the rest of my stuff. Things like crescent wrenches, vice grips, allen keys, hammers, screwdrivers, torque wrenches and ratcheting wrenches I prefer to hand-select.

And it looks like no matter what ya do you're stuck w the laser etched sockets.

IMO Craftsman is way too proud of their impact sockets, I'd avoid those.

All that said I might SERIOUSLY consider an SK set:
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/SK-86038B-1.html

[76scoutman]

I still love my craftsman handtools. If you are starting over and are in the middle of the price range then they are pretty hard to beat. I like that I can get them replaced very easily and I second D60 in getting a better ratchet. Problem with their "sets" is that they always seem to come up a size or 2 short so look to make sure the set has the parts you need then pick up the missing pieces and get back to wrenchin' :flipoff2:

[silvrjeepr]

I don't like that laser etched crap. It's really pretty until you get a little grease on it or wear it off... Check your sears to see if they have any of the older stamped stuff on closeout, or ebay.


Also, do yourself a favor and get a SnapOn, Mac, Facom, or Matco ratchet. You'll appreciate it for about 15-20 hours a month.

[rcurrier44]

Only thing I don't like are their ratchets and screwdrivers. The craftsman ones are just around as backup or kept in vehicles just in case...I can live with the crapy ratchet if something fails on the side of the road...

[CJHeap]

Dont waste your money, the new ones are crap. Check ebay and pawn shops for an old set or go with Kobalt. I have a 156 piece set I got off ebay for $50and they are great.

[steveh]

It's hard anymore to buy tools just by the brand name. If they look quality, I don't pay attention to the brand name. So, I don't care if I have mixed and matched tools, as long as they do the job well.

There is a huge difference in the quality of my Craftsman tools from when I started buying them. I still have most of the ones that came in my first set my dad bought me in 1970, and they have been well used and abused, and still going strong.

Bought both the metric and SAE Wrench sets 3 or 4 years ago, and they don't seem to be precisely sized. Sad to say, but I like my import wrenches better ....

[willys101_4lo]

They are still good tools, but craftsman's warranty has gone to complete and total shit! Every time I go in to get a broke/worn out ratchet or wrench replaced, the dickhead behind the counter will tell me, "sorry sir, we don't do that at this store. You have to go (name of next city, usually 20+ miles away)." The other thing that they have been pulling a lot is handing me a pre-packaged bag of ratchet guts, and tell me to pop the snap ring and the old ones will fall out. Needless to say, that usually pisses me off, and me and the manager have a come to jesus talk. Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but I did NOT buy craftsman ratchets so that I could become a craftsman service tech to fix their crap when it wears out. The warranty says, "Lifetime Replacement," not new guts when the old ones wear out.

Similarly, their power tools SUCK ASS. Dad bought a 1/2 craftsman selectable hammer drill (you know the one that you can turn the hammer on and off as needed). I used it maybe a dozen times, drilling steel, wood and concrete (separately of course) It was stored in the case it came with, and taken very good care of, almost no signs of use. It just quit working one afternoon while I was drilling holes for my new bumper. Of course it turned out that the "warranty had just expired" when we took it in to them. The manager did not appreciate, "Whats the warranty period? Expires the day it breaks?" comment. Turned out to be a separated wire in the switch, causing it to short on and off. Every other power tool I've bought since then has been bright yellow, and reads Dewalt on the side. Haven't had problem one out of them

End of Rant!

[braxton357]

I bought a full on set recently when they were on sale and also bought a set for the tow rig and bronco. The rest of my tools will go on the trailer. Got them on sale for a good price and I haven't been let down yet. I use hf for things like impacts and larger wrenches though and have been pretty careful with the ratchets so far.

[RJR99SS]

I bought a $700 hand tool set from them about 10 years ago, this is back when they made quality tools. Still....it kind of sucked because they advertised that all the sockets in it were 6 point, but i found about half of them were 12 point. That kind of pissed me off because now i have some 1/2 deep well 12 point sockets.....and what the fuck are you supposed to do with those. At the time i was kind a shy kid and didnt complain, so i just kept them, but i should of of raised hell and got some 6 points that i could actually use.

If it was me, i'd just buy individual sets, after looking at craftsmans recent quality i'd suggest getting some other brand.

[300sniper]

almost all my hand tools are craftsman. most of them are pretty good for a shadetree mechanic. their standard ratchets do suck but i like the higher end ones. what ever you do, do not buy the standard screw drivers with the red/clear, blue clear handles. they are not hardened and will twist the first time you use them. i now need to replace all of them. i have found the rest of the tools to be just fine.

as far as exchanging the ratchets, give osh a try. they give me new ones every time, no questions asked. sears gave me remanufactured ones.

[ironpig70]

look at the set carefully. many sets have a butt load of useless tools or a gap in sizes. for example i bought a wrench set and it stopped at 3/4". i found i needed 1" and larger well the next set was 1- 1/2" well that leaves 13/16", 7/8 and 15/16 which are $$$$$$$ to buy seperately. so after buying the small set and large set i had to buy the middle set which covers 1/8- 1 1/2" so i now have alot of the same wrenches:D

[CJHeap]

The Kobalts are:

not laser etched
finish is great
better priced
no question asked Lowes warantee

They are great for the non professional mechanic.

[reeser]

check the details on the tool kits at craftsman....DO NOT BUY THE ONES W/ THE "QUICK RELEASE RATCHETS".....

they now offer kits w/ the upgraded FULLY POLISHED ratchets these are 100 times better than the crappy quick release ones

insist on it

[urbanmuddboger]

two words
PAWN SHOP
you can find some real good deals
like snap-on, mac, matco, and some over priced stuff like that
for a good price just find a tool box full of tools for like 100 dollars
throw away the junk and keep anything else
i have baught like three of those one hundred dollar tool boxes
and got a deep twelve point 3/8 drive snap on set in one
if youve priced one of those sets out its like 300 dollars for the one set
look at the pawn shops there are good deals

[rockcrawln]

Personally I have a mix match set. Mostly SK which I love but theres also crapsman and others in there. I would say watch the throw away penny saver or what ever its called around you. My dad just picked up a snapon top and bottom chest FULL of tools for $1500. We don't even know what half the tools are for. So unless you are in a hurry I would watch the classified ads in the paper and craigs list for a real deal not some guy trying to scam you.

[Hackfabricaton]

X 1,000,000 on the Laser Etched crap. I didn't like the idea of it when they introduced it, and I still don't like the idea that they didn't shit can it and that's what you got to get. Luckily, I've got a crap load of 3/8" and 1/4" spares that I can do my own 'lifetime replacements' with.

Same with the rachets, the standard ones are crap, but I've never had a problem with the fine tooth versions that are only available in the catalog.

The complete 'sets' tend to include a bunch of stuff that is 'fluff'. And adds to the total tool count. Iginition wrenches...Gee...I dig through them perhaps once or twice a year. But they are a good starting point for anyone that needs/wants tools. Especially if you're trying to recover from that nasty divorce where the OL wholesaled your stuff out to the neighbors.

What I've done over the years is to make up my own specialty sets. I've got my main tools in the garage, but I've got a separate set in the basement consisting of basic 3/8" sockets, screwdrivers, combo wrenches, pliers, etc. I've also made up a dedicated Harley tool box (small version that fits in the saddlebag) with just the tools I need to service/repair the bike. I did this by keeping a list of what tools I used each time. Then picked them up 'on sale' when I could.

I check the ads and routinely stop by the local Sears store to see if anything is 'on sale', but the selection of stuff that I don't already own gets smaller and smaller every year. I've gone to supplementing my tools with Husky, Kobalt, and SK...All from local stores.

[fj40charles]

I check the ads and routinely stop by the local Sears store to see if anything is 'on sale', but the selection of stuff that I don't already own gets smaller and smaller every year. I've gone to supplementing my tools with Husky, Kobalt, and SK...All from local stores.

Same here.. I don't buy much tools at Sears anymore. Have you looked at the fine tooth Husky ratchet? It is real nice and reasonably priced.

[eschoendorff]

If I were to buy a set of tools for my garage... knowing what I know now, I would not look at just one brand, but I would buy tools from different companies depending on who makes the best (that I can afford) in each category, ie:

Snap On ratchets and screwdrivers

Craftsman PROFESSIONAL wrenches (put one next to a MACTO... can you tell the difference?????) and sockets

FACOM and Knipex pliers

Craftsman or Snap On bit sockets

OTC torx sockets

GearWrench ratcheting wrenches

Proto or Estwing (or Vaughan) hammers

Mayhew prybars

Snap On ratcheting screwdrivers

Grey or Craftsman impact sockets and extensions

IR or Aircat air tools

Milwaukee or Ridgid powertools (I personally don't like DeWalt)

Etc etc etc....


BEWARE OF SK... their QC has really been lacking lately!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hackfabricaton]

...Have you looked at the fine tooth Husky ratchet?

Yup....I got the 3/8" drive flex head, with the offset handle. Didn't like the fine tooth one that Craftsman had. And yes it's very nice, and works great.

[Hackfabricaton]

...Milwaukee or Ridgid powertools (I personally don't like DeWalt)

X2 on the Milwaukee stuff. I've got their abrasive cutoff, angle grinder, 3/8" drill motor, snag grinder (BMF) and body grinder...All will outlive me (with the exception of the drill motor-they never seem to stick around long)

I like DeWalt for certain things (even though they are now owned by Black and Decker). I love my small (9v) rechargable drill (it's a drillin' machine! And light weight) and my 12" compound miter box. I also have a RotoZip sorta tool that Dewalt made a while back....RotoZip (didn't Bosch buy them?) is the King in that category. As is Dremel in their niche (although I own the B&D version.)

Ditto on the Ridgid stuff. There are no better pipe wrenches and threaders IMO. IIRC they are owned by Emerson Electric, which makes the hand/power tools?. I've got their hammer drill and I'm very happy with it. But if I used one everyday...I'd of gotten a Bosch.

Sorry for the hijack...I now return control of the aircraft to you..

[BMB]

two words
PAWN SHOP
you can find some real good deals

I agree.

Went to one today and got a couple of metric Craftstman wrenches I needed and a ratchet for about 1/3 the cost of new ones.


Here's an article I saved on who made/makes what -

http://www.craftsmantooltalk.com/BBS/Your_first_Craftsman_Tool_Stories/111/111/flat-page1.html

[D60]

GearWrench ratcheting wrenches

I know I beat this to death but beware the GW reversibles with reversing lever. The ones you physically turn over to reverse seem fine.

My SK reversing-lever wrenches haven't given me a lick of trouble, while my GW's always hung up, seized, or reversed themselves mid-use.

[VerticalTRX]

I just recently bought quite a few craftsman tools for a tool kit to keep on my trail rig. I wanted all SAE sizes, and they don't offer many kits this way so I pieced together my own with several smaller kits and it turned out well. I haven't used the tools alot, but the sockets and wrenches seem to be the same quality as the 20+yr old craftsman stuff I have. The ratchets are not nearly as close of tolerance as the older stuff, but still usable for a set of trail tools. The 1/2 drive stuff I got is all laser etched, the 1/4 drive stuff is not (I didn't see any need for 3/8 drive for trail tools). I have to admit, especially for trail tools I like the laser etched sockets, half the time when I need them its dark, rainy/muddy etc and its nice to be able to see them easily. With that being said, I'm sure it will eventually wear off and I'll be cussing them.

As for your situation, I wouldn't hesitate buying craftsman, just don't buy the big kits. Buy certain smaller ones and you will still save lots over the individual prices, and not have lots of tools you don't need. I have a few kobalt tools, and while the quality seems to be good, they don't have nearly the selection of kits, individual pieces or specialty items that craftsman does. Bottom line, craftsman isn't what it used to be, but they are still usable and decent for the price.

[Mike C2]

I had always been a big believer in Craftsman, but quality is definitely not what it was. Comparing some newer sockets to mine from the mid 80's and my Dad's from the mid 60's shows three distinct different quality levels. But it's still hard to beat the sale price, just read carefully what's in the box.

With that said, I always wanted some top notch tools, and after buying a 3/4" drive SK set, I sucked it up and bought 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sets as well in standard and metric sizes along with open end wrenches in SAE and M as well as screwdrivers. And love 'em! Amazon.com has some deals (or they did).

Last month I was in my local Sears and got a 432 piece tool set that was marked down from $749 to $325 so I jumped on that. It was missing (2) sockets and a ratcheting wrench that I purchased separately to finish it out. Can't beat that.

[NJ]

Thats my problem...

Just starting out and I dont have the money for Sk Matco snap on etc

Yet Craftsman seem to not be what they were... Husky doesnt have NEAR the selection at HD that sears has of craftsman... and Kobalt is the same way...

I have a stanley set I bought when I was 16 to keep in my rig and it hasnt given me any problems, but its the same thing, they have some very basic, popular tools. I needed a single 32mm socket for the front sprocket nut on my quad... the only one I could find locally after looking at HD, Lowes, and Sears was a craftsman, so its what I picked up..


Just seems to me that there is a big gap in the tool industry that someone could gobble up if they wanted to

[CJHeap]

They have that 32 mm at Advanced Auto, I know that since when I neded one sears had them on national backorder. :shaking:

If you need a good basic set of sockets and ratchets, Kobalt is great at a good pricepoint and all the individual pieces are available.

I like the gearwrench ratchet wrenches

My standard wrenches are old craftsman

Screw drivers from Klein and Craftsman Pro

Real Chanelocks

Real vice grips

specialty tools from various makers.



Thats my problem...

Just starting out and I dont have the money for Sk Matco snap on etc

Yet Craftsman seem to not be what they were... Husky doesnt have NEAR the selection at HD that sears has of craftsman... and Kobalt is the same way...

I have a stanley set I bought when I was 16 to keep in my rig and it hasnt given me any problems, but its the same thing, they have some very basic, popular tools. I needed a single 32mm socket for the front sprocket nut on my quad... the only one I could find locally after looking at HD, Lowes, and Sears was a craftsman, so its what I picked up..


Just seems to me that there is a big gap in the tool industry that someone could gobble up if they wanted to

[fuggit]

Another craftsman hater here. Try looking at Bahco tools. They are a divison of snap-on and priced a lot lower. I just paid $100 for a torque wrench that snap on wanted $250 for the same one, it even says snap on on the handle. Another brand I have had good luck with is Dura Last from Auto Zone. I picked up a set of shorty ratcheting wrenches and can't believe I havn't stripped them out yet.