WOW! Whats gone wrong in America?

[MaintenanceGuy]

Hey guy's, I'm not even sure what a troll is, but I don't think I am one. This last weekend was the first time I've bought tools in many years. Last time I bought tools from HD/Lowes/Sears, they were selling 90% US made. I have thousands of tools, most being SK, Armstrong, Mac, Matco, Proto, and a few others. I've never cared for Snap-On, as being in the working class, I don't feel S-O would still be in business if it were not for there credit system. Plus I've always hated there combo's because(IMO) they'r too thin, and hurt my hands. My Macs are my favorite combination wrenches.

This last weekend was my first time buying imported tools, so forgive my ignorance. I've only bought US made tools since 1974(age 14). Because of this, I've had very few failed tools, and had little reason to buy more. Last year I worked a 7/13 job for 14 weeks(grossed $70k). When it was over, I went home and tossed my tools in a dark corner. When I got on my next job(a few weeks ago), I had found a number of voids in my tool box's. Rather than dig thru mountains of storage to find some more tools, I went out shopping. This is when I got the import shock at the local stores.

Sorry I'm not a tool ***, I use the heck out of most of my tools. They are not clean or polished, or even in any sort of order. But I'm not afraid to spend 2 or 3 times more for US tools. I do take offense to spending 2 or 3 times more for Chinese tools, and that all I was trying to get across.

I may have less than 10 post on the forum, but I've been online since 1991, except back then it took dialing in to a BBS at 4800 baud.

Don't judge a man by his post count.

The only thing a ever like about Snap-On was/is the Flank drive. But the price of there tools is a joke. If you can afford a full box of Snap-On, then you don't need to work with your tools. I have friend that are still paying off there Snap-on tools, and they'r 6 years retired.

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

stop feeding the troll.
sleeping beauty here just woke up from coma and realized we have imports ?

Not sure why you feel I'm a troll? I know all about imported tools, as one of my first jobs(back in the 70's) was selling imported tools at the Flee market.
I just never bought any till this last weekend.


There's no need to be an A-hole.

 

[spoon671]

Not exactly accurate.

Old Craftsman sockets and wrenches from years ago didn't have off-corner engagement, but they've had it since at least the late 1990s.

The now-discontinued Craftsman USA sockets and wrenches from recent years (as well as the Allen, K-D, Masterforce, etc. versions) have off-corner engagement. Most reputable brands do.

Now, if you want to argue whether it works as well as something like SO's Flank Drive, we'll that's another thing. My personal experience is that the Apex off-corner engagement design works fine.

Sorry for the thread hijack, but hey can you please link me to somewhere where I can find these sockets?

I remember exactly what you are talking about; the inside of the sockets had a curvature to them, which allowed engagement on the flats of the fasteners.

 

[SMKS]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but hey can you please link me to somewhere where I can find these sockets?

I remember exactly what you are talking about; the inside of the sockets had a curvature to them, which allowed engagement on the flats of the fasteners.

You can find them everywhere in pretty much any reputable brand including Harbor Freight.

Different companies use different designs, so some look more obvious than others.

The old Bonney design has a really obvious rounded appearance:

The newer Wrightdrive system uses a design that could almost be mistaken for an older design without off-corner engagement, but it does have off-corner engagement. They explain it in their catalog. I've attached a screen cap.

 

[devoncoolman]

Just buy snap-on

 

[Farmall450]

! But will they be at made in USA prices ? ! !?

Of course not!

 

[Skin]

Last time I bought tools from HD/Lowes/Sears, they were selling 90% US made.

Lowes and Sears were fairly recent, as in the last 3 years. HD though? Hammers and pliers, sure but their Husky hand tools....I don't think they were ever USA from the day HD scooped the brand up from Stanley except for a few stand-outs like screwdrivers.

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

Lowes and Sears were fairly recent, as in the last 3 years. HD though? Hammers and pliers, sure but their Husky hand tools....I don't think they were ever USA from the day HD scooped the brand up from Stanley.

I've got a set of Polished and mat Finished Husky's, both have stamped, U.S.A.

I bought the mat finished in 1995, and the polished a couple of years later.

 

[Exceller8]

Used is the way to go for sure. You have to do your homework but eBay has some killer deals!

 

[JBradley500]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but hey can you please link me to somewhere where I can find these sockets?

I remember exactly what you are talking about; the inside of the sockets had a curvature to them, which allowed engagement on the flats of the fasteners.

Like these? They intrigue me, but are too much money for something I'd never use.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000WR3JUO?pc_redir=1409108253&robot_redir=1

 

[theoldwizard1]

What did I do? I went to HF's and got Chinese tools at a Chinese price.
They were actually made in Taiwan(little better).

I think that is what ticks me off the most about Sears/Craftsman. Chinese tools but the no big discount. And the quality is "questionable".

I am glad all my Craftsman sockets and ratchets were made in the good ol' US of A !!

 

[ganymede]

.......... .

 

[Westly]

MaintenanceGuy, everybody I worked with in factory maintenance used whatever they could get without a hassle, most of the time good Chinese like from the stores you mentioned. The presence of an expensive USA tool doesn't produce the desired effect, especially if you're bragging about it! One guy did have some expensive tools but predictably mainly what they did for him was make him paranoid about getting them stolen! When the tools come down into the muck in a nasty bucket tied to a nasty rope you dont really care about the brand of rope or bucket or muck or tools! I never saw anything break, personally.

 

[bushmechanic]

back then it took dialing in to a BBS at 4800 baud.

Those were the days, man. Those were the days.

...Back when the "internet" was only there for people who knew how to find it.

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

You are correct to a point. A lot of the younger guys don't know the difference.

When I first got in the craft(about 28 years back), if someone brought imported tools on a job, they would be laughed off the job site, and there tools would be vanished in the nearest hole. I did not agree with this sort of action, but it was common place. This may be a Union thing(I've never worked non-union construction).

MaintenanceGuy, everybody I worked with in factory maintenance used whatever they could get without a hassle, most of the time good Chinese like from the stores you mentioned. The presence of an expensive USA tool doesn't produce the desired effect, especially if you're bragging about it! One guy did have some expensive tools but predictably mainly what they did for him was make him paranoid about getting them stolen! When the tools come down into the muck in a nasty bucket tied to a nasty rope you dont really care about the brand of rope or bucket or muck or tools! I never saw anything break, personally.

 

[Westly]

This was a union place in Montana and the union was very,,,how do you put it, but nobody's Chinese tools ever disappeared not for that reason at least. There wouldn't have been any tools left!

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

This was a union place in Montana and the union was very,,,how do you put it, but nobody's Chinese tools ever disappeared not for that reason at least.

Montana sounds like a nice place. When I retire, a may move there, if Nevada gets too full.

 

[Westly]

Those were the days, man. Those were the days.

...Back when the "internet" was only there for people who knew how to find it.

One time when I was on dial up to arpanet to the local college somebody was talking about something he'd stumbled onto called the world wide web. Still all text based. I didn't have any special interest; didn't see the appeal. Time went by and I got a job that came with a windows computer and a www connection, now graphics based. Thought it was pretty cool. Time went by again and I saw my first commercial ad on the www. Thougt gawd it's over now, and it was.

 

[Skin]

I've got a set of Polished and mat Finished Husky's, both have stamped, U.S.A.

I bought the mat finished in 1995, and the polished a couple of years later.

Someone can correct me but I think the old stuff was made in Bonney forges. Those were nice tools. I think HD finally took the brand under their own control in 98.

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

Someone can correct me but I think the old stuff was made in Bonney forges. Those were nice tools. I think HD finally took the brand under their own control in 98.

Over the years I've found other brands that look 100% identical to the 90's HD wrenches. Some of the older Blackhawk's come to mind. And I think some of the Allen brand from 8~10 years back, look to share the same mold.

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

Seems like IPO's and bean counters helped destroy American tools, and maybe even America as a whole(time will tell).

 

[LB-1911]

Hey guy's, I'm not even sure what a troll is, but I don't think I am one. This last weekend was the first time I've bought tools in many years.

Bring up a topic that has been addressed ad nauseum will earn you a troll moniker.

11-26-2010
Craftsman Chinese Tools - List?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82326


A little more on the topic @
https://www.google.com/#q=craftsman+tools+made+in+china+++Garage+Journal+


In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response ...

https://www.google.com/#q=what+is+an+internet+troll

 

[Jarhead0408]

Well, at this point I doubt he's a troll, but if he is, he's the best one we've had yet. Very personable for a troll.

 

[LB-1911]

Seems like IPO's and bean counters helped destroy American tools, and maybe even America as a whole(time will tell).

You have just addressed another topic that is like

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

If everyone just used the search function, the forums would be very inactive. I was just sharing my findings. I never stated I was the first to notice imported tools.

Thanks for the definitions, I'm glad to see I'm not a troll.

Bring up a topic that has been addressed ad nauseum will earn you a troll moniker.

11-26-2010
Craftsman Chinese Tools - List?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82326


A little more on the topic @
https://www.google.com/#q=craftsman+tools+made+in+china+++Garage+Journal+


In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response ...

https://www.google.com/#q=what+is+an+internet+troll

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

Well, at this point I doubt he's a troll, but if he is, he's the best one we've had yet. Very personable for a troll.

Thank you.


And I know these days, most new members of any forums are seen as troll like, until he/she proves different.

 

[ganymede]

Hey guy's, I'm not even sure what a troll is, but I don't think I am one...


Sorry I'm not a tool ***, I use the heck out of most of my tools. They are not clean or polished, ....

I may have less than 10 post on the forum, but I've been online since 1991, except back then it took dialing in to a BBS at 4800 baud.

Don't judge a man by his post count.
.

Not sure why you feel I'm a troll? ...
There's no need to be an A-hole.

If everyone just used the search function, the forums would be very inactive. ...

Thanks for the definitions, I'm glad to see I'm not a troll.

And I know these days, most new members of any forums are seen as troll like, until he/she proves different.

You know a lot about message boards and trolls for someone who doesn't know what a troll is.

 

[NorCalWrenchin]

You know a lot about message boards and trolls for someone who doesn't know what a troll is.

Now you're just pickin on him

 

[jd_1138]

Kinda early to be throwing the "troll" moniker around. He probably just figured he'd vent about the tool situation and typed in some keywords on Google and found GJ. He probably just decided to post a lament about the quality of mass market tools.

 

[Jarhead0408]

I vote we adopt him as the official GJ Troll Mascot. He'd be the only troll invited to stay as a member lol. (Just joking)

 

[Bogey won]

Regardless of brand, i don't break tools i use them. Regardless of birth, but American is my favorite flavor.

Have more sockets and the breaker bar that goes with them. Firestone, undoubtedly American. I lay them to rest in a 44inch HF toolbox, that doesn't smell like fish. Trolling, trolling on the river.

 

[Alamedasam]

Unfortunatly, as Americans, we are all to blame. We buy the absolute cheapest items, (including tools), which are made outside the USA. Target, K-Mart, even Sears carries products made overseas, oftentimes using sub-standard, even sweatshop labor.

This practice not only produces products of lower quality, but ultimatly costs us Americans jobs.Union labor is also, in my opinion guilty of pricing the american worker out of a job.

As for me, I personally make every attempt to purchase only products made right here in America, by American labor. It is usually priced higher, & harder to find than the **** made overseas.

As for my tools, it's Snap On Allthe way, baby. If we all buy stuff marked "Made
In America" we might even help our own economy!

Check out: www.madeinusachallenge.com to find the companies that make the good stuff!

"The Extreem Bitterness Of Poor Quality, Lingers Long After The Sweet Taste Of A Cheap Price Is Forgotten"!

Just my 2 cents worth!

 

[Alamedasam]

Hey, stupid me, theres a section right here on GJ listing Made In America! Congrats to GJ for having this thread! My bad!