SK Palm Control Ratchet [Archive] - The Garage Journal Board

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OctaneMotorsports

01-07-2007, 08:13 PM

Stupid question, but what does "palm control" mean?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Hand+Tools%2C+General+Purpose&pid=00945153000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Ratchets&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

eschoendorff

01-07-2007, 08:16 PM

Stupid question, but what does "palm control" mean?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Hand+Tools%2C+General+Purpose&pid=00945153000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Ratchets&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Palm control means that you can support the back of the ratchet head (the silver part in the center of the direction control knob) and actually put pressure on it without accidentally reversing the ratchet direction. That center part just spins freely. I have one. Works very well.

OctaneMotorsports

01-07-2007, 08:18 PM

eschoendorff

01-07-2007, 08:23 PM

Oh, sweet...thanks.

How do these compare to these:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=75618&group_ID=19755&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Or these:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=53393&group_ID=227&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Thanks.
Apples and oranges. I have both the 3/8 FK palm control and a F936 Snap On 3/8 like in the bottom pic and they are totally different ratchets. The SK is very fine-toothed, very positive, short arc. The Snap On is a little more "brute strength," not fine-toothed, but still pretty smooth.

If you lived closer, I'd have you come and try them both out for yourself.

Oh, and IMHO, for what you're going to spend, I wouldn't even consider those Bluepoint ratchets.

OctaneMotorsports

01-07-2007, 08:27 PM

eschoendorff

01-07-2007, 08:31 PM

I was looking at either the SK's or the Blue Point's. But, if the Snap-On's are night and day better than I would save and get a set of those. So, you're saying those SK's would be a nice set for the money?
I wouldn't say night and day better. Night and day different. If I were you and it was my money, I would buy the SK set before spending money on those Bluepoints. The only thing that the Bluepoints have is a quick-release feature. But most of the highest quality ratchets don't have that feature anyway.

OctaneMotorsports

01-07-2007, 08:34 PM

Awesome, thanks a lot!

Jokeman

01-07-2007, 09:06 PM

I have both the snappy's and the SK's. Snappy's are stronger, SK's are nice for smaller stuff and stuff you dont have much room to swing a rachet since they have the fine tooth deal. Buy both, Can never hurt to have extra.

OctaneMotorsports

01-07-2007, 09:08 PM

kartracer55

01-07-2007, 11:12 PM

I wish I could buy both, man...but I'm fourteen.

Cmon, That works when your talking about a $3,000 box. Also keep in min your not saving any money by buying the 3pc set over buying them individually

I ona bunch of different ratchets. No palm controls, because they feel too weak. I see myself just stripping them out.

My two favorites are SK Pro (standard) and Snap On. They are both very different. The snap on feels beefier, but it also needs more drag on the fastener to ratchet. The SK doesnt require much drag at all. But, of course the Snap On has bigger teeth than the SK (both are 36? tooth)

In your position, Id buy a single snap on 3/8 and a single SK pro in 3/8, and decide which style you like more. Both make flex heads, long ratchets, etc.

You will find you cannot have enough 3/8's ratchets and will not regret buying both of them, even if it means you need to use your cheap 1/4 and 1/2 ratchets a little longer. Remember Im a kid too so I know EXACTLY what your dealing with.

Jim

OctaneMotorsports

01-07-2007, 11:49 PM

Cmon, That works when your talking about a $3,000 box. Also keep in min your not saving any money by buying the 3pc set over buying them individually
I work my ass off 5 days a week at a kart shop building karts and building engines, averaging ten hours a day at ten dollars an hour in the summer. 75% of that automatically goes on my account as credit for racing, so I am basically paying my own way because my parents don't have a lot of money at the moment. I also end up paying for almost everything else except for the obvious food in the house, electricity, internet, cable, rent, etc. We moved to this house not too long ago, and my parents dropped over $100K into renovations. Shortly after that we got our taxes audited, and owed money into the six figures. Then they had to put my sister through university and pay for her $15,000 a year car insurance (don't ask me why). Basically, I got screwed, so I am pretty much on my own. I don't have a lot of money for tools at the moment.

Anyway, due to shipping, convenience, and the tray included with the three piece set, it makes more sense to just bite the bullet and get the three piece set from Snap-On. I want 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2", and I want something that will last me my whole life.

My two favorites are SK Pro (standard) and Snap On. They are both very different. The snap on feels beefier, but it also needs more drag on the fastener to ratchet. The SK doesnt require much drag at all. But, of course the Snap On has bigger teeth than the SK (both are 36? tooth)
I think I've decided on Snap-On, especially now that I get dealer cost on everything.

In your position, Id buy a single snap on 3/8 and a single SK pro in 3/8, and decide which style you like more. Both make flex heads, long ratchets, etc.

You will find you cannot have enough 3/8's ratchets and will not regret buying both of them, even if it means you need to use your cheap 1/4 and 1/2 ratchets a little longer. Remember Im a kid too so I know EXACTLY what your dealing with.

Jim
That's good advice, thanks. As I said, it just makes sense to get all three in one shot. It really isn't that much money, I just need to save whatever extra money I have and pick those up. I'm a racer, but I also do literally all of the work on my kart myself. I'm also a realist, so I know that I probably won't make it to a level of motorsport that I can make a living off of. I want to eventually be a race car tuner/mechanic/builder or do custom vehicle work. I figure they're not going to get any cheaper, and I might as well enjoy them now.

Tim G

01-09-2007, 12:29 AM

Cmon, That works when your talking about a $3,000 box. Also keep in min your not saving any money by buying the 3pc set over buying them individually

I ona bunch of different ratchets. No palm controls, because they feel too weak. I see myself just stripping them out.

My two favorites are SK Pro (standard) and Snap On. They are both very different. The snap on feels beefier, but it also needs more drag on the fastener to ratchet. The SK doesnt require much drag at all. But, of course the Snap On has bigger teeth than the SK (both are 36? tooth)

In your position, Id buy a single snap on 3/8 and a single SK pro in 3/8, and decide which style you like more. Both make flex heads, long ratchets, etc.

You will find you cannot have enough 3/8's ratchets and will not regret buying both of them, even if it means you need to use your cheap 1/4 and 1/2 ratchets a little longer. Remember Im a kid too so I know EXACTLY what your dealing with.

Jim
I'm 43,work in a Bodyshop,and STILL have/use regularly tools I bought when I was a teenager!
Trust me,what seems like a lot of money now,is going to be nothing in 30 years!!!!!
I prefer the SK rachets,I only have 1 Snap On,and rarely use it,too "Coarse" for my liking...
I've got a ton of SK stuff,it's mostly 20 plus years old,think I've broken one wrench and a couple sockets in that time,all covered under warranty,never a problem.
Rachets are warrantied also,never had a problem getting one replaced.
Snap On in my area is a different story,we get a different dealer every year or two,and getting stuff warrantied towards the end of the guy's run can be a pain!!!