Cornwell tools....

[Derek1387]

I am a new mechanic.... and am starting to build my tool collection. I have pretty much set my eyes on cornwell, due to cost effectivness and the eagerness of the Tool truck driver to work with my budget.

BUT, there arent any people in my shop who use Cornwell...
SO, i need to know... is it any good? Or am i wasting my money...

 

[Diesel-Mech]

The stuff that they make is excellent (wrenches, ratchets, sockets and a few other things). Some of the relabeled stuff is not so great though.

 

[sharkytm]

It all depends on who comes to your garage/shop. It you buy from the guy who stops by every 2 days, you'll have more opportunity to exchange broken/bad tools. If you buy from someone else, you run the risk of having to track the guy down to do a swap.

 

[Paladin]

The stuff that they make is excellent (wrenches, ratchets, sockets and a few other things). Some of the relabeled stuff is not so great though.

X2! Cornwell's hardline has an excellent reputation.

 

[forceyoda]

Cornwell's wrenches, ratchets, sockets, and extensions are as good as anything else on the market and my personal favorite. Some of their rebadged stuff falls a little short, especially their hex drivers. Here's my sockets (the 1/2 stuff is still craftsman for now) and ratchets, I would not trade them for any other brand.

 

[davestlouis]

The chrome finish on their ratchets is mind-blowing. Strong as can be too, if Cornwell actually builds it, it's good stuff. Relabels are not something I'd buy off any tool truck. If you're the only guy in the shop using Cornwell, it will be easy to chase down your tools when someone borrows them and they don't give them back.

 

[back2class]

I have limited experience but the 10 piece Cornwell long reach pliers set I purchased a few months ago was made in CHINA. It is decent quality but far from high quality. Also I understand their dealers drop like flies so please think about the future and if any Cornwell driver will be servicing you in the years to come.

 

[Merkava_4]

Very nice wrenches!!

 

[Merkava_4]

I have limited experience but the 10 piece Cornwell long reach pliers set I purchased a few months ago was made in CHINA. It is decent quality but far from high quality.

We're not talking about their imported tools....we're talking about their core tools they've been making since 1919 by Eugene Cornwell.

 

[back2class]

We're not talking about their imported tools....we're talking about their core tools they've been making since 1919 by Eugene Cornwell.

I do not think the poster asked about only the sockets and wrenches.

 

[Merkava_4]

I do not think the poster asked about only the sockets and wrenches.

Sockets, Extensions, Ratchets, and Wrenches are Cornwell's core tools.

 

[Merkava_4]

Derek1387,

If you're thinking about buying some Cornwell tools and you don't know if they're imported or not....give me the part numbers and I''ll tell you if they are or not. I've got some Cornwell wrenches and I can tell you straight up that they're made in U.S.A and they're some of the top five best wrenches on the planet IMO.

 

[forceyoda]

The cornwell "toolmakers II" video is definately worth checking out.
http://www.cornwelltools.com/Manufacturing/Manufacturing.php
It makes a $300 wrench set look like a steal for the amount of work they put into them.

 

[Sweet Old Bill]

I do not make my living with tools, but I have a number of Cornwell ratchets, sockets, pliers, and wrenches. They are solid, high quality tools. I have been quite pleased with every one of them.

 

[TheToolMan]

I will let you know in a few days what i think, I just got a nice set of sockets for too cheap too pass up

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0298053205&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT&viewitem=

 

[Fedwrench]

Cornwell tools hardline are strong old school designs that haven't changed much in 40 or more years. Have the Cornwell dealer give you a price list. In the price list you'll see about a third of the catalog numbers in bold lettering. The items listed in bold are actually made by Cornwell. Everything else is rebadged or imported. Cornwell Dealers are some of the nicest tool dealers I've ever dealt with. Cornwell tools are quality made, very strong, and unfortunately a little limited in scope. The only drawback to using any tool truck is that, the place you work at 5 years from now may not have a brand dealer that you bought all of your tools from.

 

[Derek1387]

well, i had a quote ticket put together by the cornwell guy today and he was a full 1000 bux cheaper than matco, and 2000 cheaper than Snap On... here is what i was looking at...
TJS3ST-i kinda want to get the plastic handled wrenches now thou....
e05st
CAT351HD
WCM110STSm standards
WCMXS110stm stubbys
ZZCSD8BRS
CBSMTH62S
CAT555
CAT820r
EP25ST
E34ST
TSI242SS

how are Cornwell's air tools?

 

[Paladin]

Very nice wrenches!!

Yup, Cornwell wrenches are my favorites! The squared beam on them feels perfect.

 

[vssjim]

Cornwell produced tools over all are very high quality, they are my number one tool truck brand by far.

 

[rickairmedic]

All I know about cornwell honestly is that Stacy David vouches for them and I have met him and he is a pretty upstanding guy for a TV personality .I dont have any yet but I also dont turn wrenches for a living well ok I do but differant wrenches .


Rick

 

[krusty the clown]

i have only had a few cornwell tools that i was dissapointed in.

 

[autoace]

If it is Cornwell USA, it's a fine tool, if it doesn't say made in USA save your money. Cornwell re-labels are Northern tool quality mediocre, with a high price tag.

If you are a new mechanic I must say this.....Start with a big Craftsman set, and don't waste your money on the truck tools. All young mechanics get caught up in the allure and bling of Snap-on, Cornwell, MAC, Matco etc...Save your damn money. You really are not missing out on anything great, as far is quality for you hard earned money. Tool dealers are real fairweathered. Once you have your basics covered with Craftsman, buy stuff like torque wrenches and specialty tools, etc... from the dealer. You will be real sorry you dropped 600.00 plus on a 3/8 drive Cornwell socket set, when you could have bought a 300 plus piece set from Craftsman for half that, then just added Cornwell ratchets etc...as you could.

 

[MarkH]

For cornwell we have never had any issues in the farm shops use of them. It has been about 40 years since the first truck dealer came snooping around looking to see what we used. Bought the cutest little metric wrench sets that day. Still use them.

Air tools on par with most of the rest. Since except for select Snap on most are rebadges and frequently from one to three companies. Others you need to look at closely some are good some have had issues. All truck companies rebadge and have similar results. They did have an issue with some torx, allen, etc type of sockets and tools. I though I heard the supplier changed. There may be some truth to that since a number of them hit ebay. So a common question here is who is the OEM for a number of these as people look for the original supplier at a lower price.

The key is to learn over a period of time who makes what, it makes figuring out what is rebadged and how to get the same thing much cheaper. Unfortunately you have to get that first set to get started. Go with a core of good stuff and then add as needed or get the less used pieces elsewhere and improve them as needed. You can find decent deals on Proto, Wright, Bahco, Williams, SK, Craftsman Pro as the need comes up to fill in. These have all been reliable for us as have a couple other brands that Dahner and Stanley have quit making here so I will not mention them.

Cornwell works as well as the others. We use them with Snap on in the main shops. It really just depends on who is around. The field pieces are satin Wrights and raised panel Craftsman since bouncing in the service vehicles and machines turns polish to turds in a day or less. They have held up for years. We use polished in the shops for easier to clean but they do not look like jewels.

 

[rickairmedic]

I will have to admit I agree with alot of what Autoace says . I was raised on Craftsman and they have always worked for me . I will admit their current 3/8" ratchets are **** but otherwise the sockets seem just as good as ever.I would get the biggest Craftsman set I could buy ( with cash ) and replace the ratchets with better ones as money allows . I started my HVAC business out of my pocket and its still out of my pocket I am not in hock to any suppliers and dont ever intend to be . The same would work for a new mechanic once you are in hock to the TOOL TRUCK you now work for the tool truck not for yourself.


Rick

 

[Merkava_4]

well, i had a quote ticket put together by the cornwell guy today and he was a full 1000 bux cheaper than matco, and 2000 cheaper
than Snap On... here is what i was looking at...
TJS3ST-i kinda want to get the plastic handled wrenches now thou....
e05st
CAT351HD
WCM110STSm standards
WCMXS110stm stubbys
ZZCSD8BRS
CBSMTH62S
CAT555
CAT820r
EP25ST
E34ST
TSI242SS

how are Cornwell's air tools?

TJS-3ST (3 piece ratchet set) USA

E-0-5ST (5 piece 1/4" drive extension set) USA

CAT351HD (3/8" impact wrench)

WCM1-10ST (10 piece standard length metric combination wrench set, 12 point) USA

WCMXS1-10ST (10 piece extra short metric combination wrench set, 12 point.) USA

ZZ-CSD8S (8 piece screwdriver set) Germany

CBSMTH62S (62 piece master deluxe hex/star bit set) might be an Asian import

CAT550 (gearless deluxe die grinder)

CAT-820R (cut off tool)

EP-2-5ST (5 piece 3/8" drive power extension set) USA

E-3-4ST (4 piece 1/2" drive extension set) USA

TSI-242SS (42 piece 3/8" drive power socket set) might be an Asian import


The air tools are probably made in USA by an air tool company such as Ingersol Rand or Chicago Pneumatic. The bit socket set and the power socket set (both of which are in blow molded cases) are suspected Asian imports.

 

[nissan_crawler]

If it is Cornwell USA, it's a fine tool, if it doesn't say made in USA save your money. Cornwell re-labels are Northern tool quality mediocre, with a high price tag.

If you are a new mechanic I must say this.....Start with a big Craftsman set, and don't waste your money on the truck tools. All young mechanics get caught up in the allure and bling of Snap-on, Cornwell, MAC, Matco etc...Save your damn money. You really are not missing out on anything great, as far is quality for you hard earned money. Tool dealers are real fairweathered. Once you have your basics covered with Craftsman, buy stuff like torque wrenches and specialty tools, etc... from the dealer. You will be real sorry you dropped 600.00 plus on a 3/8 drive Cornwell socket set, when you could have bought a 300 plus piece set from Craftsman for half that, then just added Cornwell ratchets etc...as you could.

This. Start out with a Craftsman hardline. If you feel like splurging, get Craftsman Pro wrenches. Get standard craftsman sockets. Get snap-on/cornwell ratchets. Get some C-Pro pliers or such. Hammers, punches, same deal. Craftsman hit like anything else.

Get quality snap-ring pliers, torque wrenches, swivel sockets, crowfeet, screwdrivers, specialty tools/etc.

Then, once you have ALL the specialty tools and such you need, you can think about upgrading your base tools, if you still want to.

For the love of god, don't drop stupid amounts of money on a bent piece of sheetmetal with wheels (A.K.A. toolbox).

I did this route, everybody else bought a snappy box with snappy base tools. Guess who they come running to everytime they need a tool? "I wish I could afford all those tools." In reality, I probably have less invested than some of them do.

Get a 26"x24" base truck tool box filled with truck brand base tools, or get a 60"x30" Craftsman/montezuma/extreme box filled with craftsman base tools, and truck specialty tools, your choice.

 

[Derek1387]

Already got my craftsman stuff. Dissapointed with it. Already got my rollaround tool cart...

And thank you MErkava!
ANd no way am i goign to drop lots of money on a box. Got a helluva a deal on a rollaround service cart, the 1000 dollar cornwell one, for 400 bux.

 

[Basskiller]

Yup, Cornwell wrenches are my favorites! The squared beam on them feels perfect.

X3. I picked up a wrench set recently. My go to wrenches now.

 

[MarkH]

CBSMTH62S (62 piece master deluxe hex/star bit set) might be an Asian import

Of your list this is the only one I would be wary of. Again I thought I heard the OEM of this might have been changed. I am wondering if the OEM went offshore vs Cornwell going to an offshore OEM. It will work it is just you can find it much cheaper under the OEM brand is more the frustration.

 

[paramudduck]

Fedwrench is right all truck dealers are here today gone tomorrow. I have seen them come and go in as fast as three months. This was with Snap on,Matco and Mac. One of my friends has had eight different Snap on dealers in the past sixteen months.

Also with dealers you will find their service to be in direct proportion to their finances. As times get rough warranty work get harder and harder to get done. Despite what anyone may tell you tools do break. Just look at all the threads on here about people not being able to get tools warranted.

One nice thing about Cornwell is that if the dealer is gone, just send it in to the company and they will replace it.

Personally I prefer Cornwell over a lot of the others. But I don't work on hard stuff just heavy equipment and farm stuff usually. So some say I don't use tools as hard as a auto mechanic.

Just as an added thought I have broken way more Snap on and Mac tools then Craftsman.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

This. Start out with a Craftsman hardline. If you feel like splurging, get Craftsman Pro wrenches. Get standard craftsman sockets. Get snap-on/cornwell ratchets. Get some C-Pro pliers or such. Hammers, punches, same deal. Craftsman hit like anything else.

Get quality snap-ring pliers, torque wrenches, swivel sockets, crowfeet, screwdrivers, specialty tools/etc.

Then, once you have ALL the specialty tools and such you need, you can think about upgrading your base tools, if you still want to.

For the love of god, don't drop stupid amounts of money on a bent piece of sheetmetal with wheels (A.K.A. toolbox).

I did this route, everybody else bought a snappy box with snappy base tools. Guess who they come running to everytime they need a tool? "I wish I could afford all those tools." In reality, I probably have less invested than some of them do.

Get a 26"x24" base truck tool box filled with truck brand base tools, or get a 60"x30" Craftsman/montezuma/extreme box filled with craftsman base tools, and truck specialty tools, your choice.

Great advice, but apparently fell on deaf ears...

 

[nissan_crawler]

You're going to keep all your tools in a service cart?

 

[bowtie3]

Fedwrench is right all truck dealers are here today gone tomorrow. I have seen them come and go in as fast as three months. This was with Snap on,Matco and Mac. One of my friends has had eight different Snap on dealers in the past sixteen months.

Also with dealers you will find their service to be in direct proportion to their finances. As times get rough warranty work get harder and harder to get done. Despite what anyone may tell you tools do break. Just look at all the threads on here about people not being able to get tools warranted.

One nice thing about Cornwell is that if the dealer is gone, just send it in to the company and they will replace it.

Personally I prefer Cornwell over a lot of the others. But I don't work on hard stuff just heavy equipment and farm stuff usually. So some say I don't use tools as hard as a auto mechanic.

Just as an added thought I have broken way more Snap on and Mac tools then Craftsman.

All truck dealers are not "here today gone tomorrow" we have a 30 year Mac dealer and a 15 year Cornwell dealer, it does however seem Snap-On struggles keeping dealers and we haven't seen Matco for around 10 years.

 

[wrenchr]

Cornwell is very under rated!! The USA hand tools are just as good as anything else out there!!

 

[Fedwrench]

If I was a new tech starting out again, I think I would get alot of stuff in Craftsman, get SK stuff in the sizes Craftsman doesn't offer, and search for deals on Ebay. I would only visit the tool truck as a last resort but, that's just me wanting to save some cash and not knowing if I was going stay a tech forever.

 

[GDA]

You're going to keep all your tools in a service cart?

I think he might be talking about their 700 series carts which have 8 drawers and are 38w x 20 deep and about 40 in high. That ranks up there with moderate sized rollcabs from some vendors.

OP - which one did you get?

 

[vssjim]

"TSI-242SS (42 piece 3/8" drive power socket set) might be an Asian import"

This socket set is 100% USA made item, they don't have imported impack sockets

 

[autoace]

CBSMTH62S (62 piece master deluxe hex/star bit set) might be an Asian import

Of your list this is the only one I would be wary of. Again I thought I heard the OEM of this might have been changed. I am wondering if the OEM went offshore vs Cornwell going to an offshore OEM. It will work it is just you can find it much cheaper under the OEM brand is more the frustration.

ALL Cornwell bit sockets are Asian imports. I have Northern tool bit sockets that look identical. Buy Craftsman USA bit sockets, just as good as any/easy warranty!Proto from grainger are also very good.

 

[autoace]

Already got my craftsman stuff. Dissapointed with it. Already got my rollaround tool cart...

And thank you MErkava!
ANd no way am i goign to drop lots of money on a box. Got a helluva a deal on a rollaround service cart, the 1000 dollar cornwell one, for 400 bux.

Think you are disappointed now, wait until you pay 6 to 12 times the price, and find the designer tools break also, and your dealer is missing in action,and your warranty is AWOL. I used to be a young guy starting out in the business, I was given the advice I am giving now, and I didn't listen either. Hind sight is 20/20,good luck

 

[DetroitDIESEL444]

cornwell tools are good. I have 2 wrench sets in my box and some ratchets.

My cornwell dealer sold SK.

SK i think is the best combination or pro grade tools and a decent price. See if he sells SK.

OR buy used tools, their usually a good deal.



matt