Craftmsn Professional Combo Wrench Sets: 8 vs. 13 piece

[23bw]

Hi GJ,

New here. I've been inflicted with tool hoarding fever lately and that led me to this site. After lurking for a few weeks, I registered so I can join in on this fun. Well I have a question for you guys.

After reading about the USA made professional wrenches being phased out, I went on a hunt at my local Sears stores. I managed to find some made in the USA Cman professional combo wrenches sets. They had the 8 piece sets and 13 piece sets. Not knowing which set is a better value, I bought both sets in metric and SAE. Now I need to decide which one is should keep.

How useful are the extra pieces found in the 13 piece set over the 8 piece set? For example in the SAE set, there are the 1/4" 15/16" and 1" wrenches. The 1" wrench looks huge while the small ones look so tiny. Price difference between the sets is $40.

I'm just a weekend DIYer trying to maintain a few cars and a boat. And the occasional kids bike, lawn mover, and various home owner duties.


Thanks,

23bw

 

[mixxmstrmike]

Keep the ones with the most wrenches. While you may not need them immediately, you'll eventually use them. They're still stamped "USA" which has greater value and if you find that you still have no use for them, put them up for sale in. The Classified section.

-Mike

 

[Skin]

It all depends on what you want to do with the wrenches of course but the missing SAE sizes are mostly meaningless. The metric sizes can be useful. Primarily the smaller sizes. 19mm you may or may not ever encounter, again depends on what you're doing with them.

 

[Steen27]

Keep the set with the larger pieces and buy the smaller pieces individually to make a nice complete set.

Its cheaper to buy the small wrenches individually than to go the other way around and buy the 1" and up size wrenches that would be missing if you kept the smaller sized set.

Just my thoughts (cause I almost pulled the trigger on the same sets myself...)

Cheers

 

[Bran Diezel]

19mm you may or may not ever encounter

 

[23bw]

Thanks for the advice. I'm leaning towards just keeping the 13 piece sets just for "that moment" you need it and don't have it. I agree the metric set seems to have more useful sizes.

 

[mrholeshot]

Keep both 13 pc sets. They are nice wrenches

 

[bonacker]

I have both SAE and metric 13 piece sets. I my opinion, keep the 13 piece sets. You will sometime need the "extra" sizes not included in the 8 piece sets. You already have all the sets so the money isn't an issue. Return the smaller sets and then smile.

 

[rsanter]

keep them all
you eventually will need 2 of a specific size wrench in those mid sizes

bob

 

[rickairmedic]

keep them all
you eventually will need 2 of a specific size wrench in those mid sizes

bob

This is the correct answer . I have at least 4 sets of metric and SAE each including ratcheting wrenches . There will be many times having that extra 1/2" , 9/16" or 14MM will pay off.


Rick

 

[wave180]

I have the 8 pc metric. Last week, I changed my Civic's fuel filter and needed a 19mm wrench. I ended up buying another metric set at HF for $8 with coupon.

 

[TireTracks]

I have the 8 pc metric. Last week, I changed my Civic's fuel filter and needed a 19mm wrench. I ended up buying another metric set at HF for $8 with coupon.

You do know that 3/4" and 19mm are the same right?

 

[Brad54]

The nut for the table on my drill press is 15/16. Anytime I want to tip the table one way or the other, that one comes out. It also is the size of spindle nut on one or more of my vehicles.

I just adjusted the clutch cable on my wife's Corvair two days ago, and needed the 1/4-inch wrench.

It is better to have too many wrenches, than not have the one you need.

-Brad

 

[Brad54]

And yes... you need two of every size wrench: One to hold the nut, and one to hold the bolt.

If you work on cars or projects with your friends or your kid, then you need four of every size... so while you're working on once side, he can be working on the other instead of waiting for you to finish with the tools.

In my case, I also have pegboard hooks with at least three of every wrench, and up to 8 or 9 of the most common sizes, because in the middle of a thrash, we set wrenches down and can't find them, so we grab one off the wall.
When we get to the last of nine 1/2-inch or 9/16 wrenches, it's time to stop and clean up the mess.

-Brad

 

[archirelic]

You've already bought both sets, so keep them.

 

[thatcoder]

I say keep the 13s.. u can always use a ratcheting socket in the equivalent size combined with the wrench to hold the bolt in place, while ratcheting with the socket.

 

[Fedwrench]

You're asking tool junkies about keeping wrenches or taking them back? Seriously? You need to go back to sears and get those 5 piece large pro comination wrench sets to round out the 13 piece sets you got.

 

[23bw]

You're asking tool junkies about keeping wrenches or taking them back? Seriously? You need to go back to sears and get those 5 piece large pro comination wrench sets to round out the 13 piece sets you got.

So true. . After giving it more thought I guess I just needed some moral support to keep the 13 pieces. I'll take back the 8 piece sets back to Sears next week. I already have 9 piece sets of their raised panel versions. So don't need 3 sets of each

Thank you all for chiming in. Now I'm off to unpack those babies.

 

[mixxmstrmike]

So true. . After giving it more thought I guess I just needed some moral support to keep the 13 pieces. I'll take back the 8 piece sets back to Sears next week. I already have 9 piece sets of their raised panel versions. So don't need 3 sets of each

Thank you all for chiming in. Now I'm off to unpack those babies.

Wait... You would rather keep the raised panels and return the Pros? How about keeping both sets of the Pros and kicking down your raised panels to a "travel" tool box?



-Mike

 

[wave180]

You do know that 3/4" and 19mm are the same right?

Yes and I don't have a 3/4" open wrench. My SAE tools are very limited, since we only have Asian cars.