What Tool Purchases Do You Regret The Most?

[Loscaldazar]

Craftsman USA sockets and wrenches. The sockets rusted so quickly on me (started within a year or two, and some got real bad by year 3) and the wrenches are super short and uncomfortable to use. Find myself grabbing a towel when I really have to pull on one of those wrenches. Hate em.

HF 44" box. Not because it's bad, but because it's too small. I bought the 44 top and bottom thinking I would never fill it (came from a 14 drawer 26" set up, so the 44" bottom alone had way more room than the previous 26" box) The 56" or 72" would have been a much better investment. Kind of stuck with it for the next few years though (it has forced me to be incredibly efficient with tools storage though, and keep designing and making new tool holders for pry bars, magnetic pick up tools, screwdrivers, and some other odds and ends).

Milwaukee 8in dry cut circular saw. Again, not because it's bad (it's actually wonderful and my favorite circular saw I have), but because I should have gotten the deep cut bandsaw instead, as it would have been more useful for me.

Gearwrench zero offset ratcheting wrenches and the non locking flex ratcheting wrenches. Rarely use them, and certainly don't like them. Double box ratcheting wrenches are the way to go! Going to sell my current ratcheting wrenches and get some double boxes instead...

When I first started buying tools, I bought too much craftsman. Although, I have made a decent amount of money selling many of my craftsman USA tool sets, so at least it wasn't a waste of money. Has almost completely payed for my transition to SK, Proto, Snap On, Wright, etc for most of my tools.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Robogrip pliers. I was behind Bob Villa in the Toronto airport and it was all I could do to keep from choking him.

That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time.

In all honesty, I like my RoboGrip pliers. In fact, I just used them last week. My mother had a round garden hose fitting that needed to be tightened and I didn't want to tear it up with regular slip joint pliers, vise grips, or a pipe wrench. (it was in a terrible spot and there wasn't enough room to get a good enough hand grip on it to tighten it) Out came the RoboGrips with the OG soft tooth covers I bought for it at the time of purchase when they came out and they got the job done damage free. They aren't my go-tos, but sometimes they're just the ticket.

 

[btdobie]

Kobalt hex bit Sockets. Darn things break all the time then I'm off to Lowe's for a replacement. I just bought an SK set to replace them. I will probably sell them at shipping cost just to build some feedback because frankly the plastic rail they come on is worth more than they are. Actually, I have a have a few other Kobalt tools that I hate as well, but I quit buying them a while ago. My two go to brands now are SK and US made Craftsman.

 

[Tucko]

A Wagner paint sprayer. I had an old one that was my grandpa's and it just spit and sputtered. So I bought a new one that spit and sputtered and splattered even BETTER! Biggest ************* ever. Straight to the trashcan.

 

[FigureItOut]

Everything I've ever bought that says Kobalt on it. (I missed all the good stuff).

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[Phantom552]

Gearwrench locking flex head ratchets... I bought a set of 3, and now I'm wishing I wouldve waited and picked up Snappy versions instead. The GW ratchets themselves work well, but the lock mechanism is prone to getting screwed over if the ratchet hits the floor when locked. Also, they wobble a bit more than I'd like, locked or not.

 

[four.cycle]

Everything I ever bought that said Black & Decker on it.

^ yeah. this. until I clicked on this thread I'd forgotten how many B&D electric drill motors and pad sanders I've tossed in the garbage.

... and any putative "tool" from Harbor Freight. fortunately it's a very limited quantity - I figured out quickly the stuff is simply junk.

 

[bthucknall]

almost all tools that I've bought at harbor freight, which includes 3 different pryers that broke the first time I used them, and a snap ring plier set where every one of them pretzeled upon getting the snap ring off. Had to borrow someone else's to put them back on.

Strangely enough, I did buy a 1/4" ratchet from there that lasted me two years in the shop. Actually outlasted my original snap-on and 2 different craftsman ratchets.

 

[dogdog]

That dam Dual-Saw, it's a biggest POS useless tool I have ever bought...... some how I think they put some hypnotic messages on those infomercials...... have the "I needed it.." urge.

 

[raddksn]

Death Sticks.... Also really cheap tools that didn't even last for one or two uses.

death sticks?

 

[48548]

death sticks?

Cheap strut compressors

 

[raddksn]

Cheap strut compressors

thanks

 

[RedneckEngineer]

My 1/2 in SO deep metric impact sockets is my biggest regret. I don't use them enough, and could have gotten a similar set from Matco for a quarter of the price.

 

[daddy2coull]

mac knuckle saver 'spanners' the open end spreads like cheese in tube

 

[theoldwizard1]

Not knowing about ball bearing drawer slides when I started buying my Craftsman boxes. i can definitely feel the difference once you load the tray with tool weight.

I just replaced a Quiet Slide bottom chest with a ball bearing one. MUCH HAPPIER !

 

[theoldwizard1]

Coil spring compressor.

Never used it, it was much easier to just lower the control arm VERY slowly to remove the spring.

That is if you don't have struts.

I have heard to many bad stories about coil spring compressors and even saw on slip on Eric the Car Buy back in his early days. I will either take the strut assembly to a shop and have them swap struts or just take the vehicle to a shop and let them deal with it

My daughters Expedition blew a rear strut. Looking at the size of those coils , only a crazy person would try to compress those springs without the aid of a super heavy duty wall mount/stand alone spring compressor !

 

[finn]

That dam Dual-Saw, it's a biggest POS useless tool I have ever bought...... some how I think they put some hypnotic messages on those infomercials...... have the "I needed it.." urge.

Should have added that one to my list.

I actually forgot that I have one. Now I'm curious about where I put it.

 

[908Jim]

Craftsman Robogrip. I think anybody purchasing tools in the early 2000's has a set that they regret buying.

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[rhandwor]

Mac impact air ratchet it makes so much noise I don't use it at all.

 

[Schurkey]

Death Sticks....

Cheap strut compressors

Thanks for that. I was picturing a Titanium hammer (Dead-On Tools.)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004TB2C/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I regret buying a Bosch jigsaw. The saw is fine, but I didn't understand that it takes SPECIAL, EXPENSIVE jigsaw blades. Except for the expense of the blades, it's been a fine product. I don't have too much trouble forgiving myself.

My Father-in-Law bought me a cheap Craftsman cordless drill for Christmas one year. It took about six months for me to notice that the batteries were shot. The thing was destroyed years later in a fire. Because the insurance company would "replace" items but not give me the dollar value of them, I had to buy another ****** CRAFTSMAN DRILL. Well, more to the point, I had to buy another entirely adequate drill powered by the shittiest batteries on Earth. It lasted about three months before the batteries were totaled. I've had no interest in rechargeable batteries ever since. I keep hearing the rumor that the batteries are better now--but give me an air drill and a hose any day. If they were giving away cordless/rechargeable tools, I wouldn't walk across the street to get one.

 

[yamaha0343]

Craftsman strap wrenches. I got the set when it came out, and I haven't yet found out what they're good for.

 

[yossarian19]

Mac air ratchet and 3/8 impact. Go IR for the value and longevity. Anything new snap on is silly, go eBay for that **** or stay with a sunex / craftsman high end

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[theoldwizard1]

Craftsman strap wrenches. I got the set when it came out, and I haven't yet found out what they're good for.

Not much ! Every time I have tried to use them they won't grip.

 

[Fender1325]

All these robo grip complaints.....Ive used them plenty of times and think theyre great. Do I own channel locks? Yeah.....they both have their place.

Havent had too many regrets on tools really.....if they sucked they were returned. Not the happiest with my milwaukee angle grinder, and my craftsman drill from my impact driver and drill kit but they do work and fine for the money.

 

[JBradley500]

You know when your mom said the stove was hot so you just had to touch it to make sure? Well, this thread has me wanting to try the Robogrip pliers now. I want to feel the uselessness.

 

[Jeeper]

Craftsman strap wrenches. I got the set when it came out, and I haven't yet found out what they're good for.

I have a strap wrench that my late father bought at some point. Not a craftsman. Never used it until I recently replaced a fuel pump on a jeep. Worked like a champ.

 

[metalhead212121]

Craftsman strap wrenches. I got the set when it came out, and I haven't yet found out what they're good for.

Not much ! Every time I have tried to use them they won't grip.

I have a strap wrench that my late father bought at some point. Not a craftsman. Never used it until I recently replaced a fuel pump on a jeep. Worked like a champ.

Every now and again I'll have a jar in the kitchen I can't open... the strap wrenches work great.

 

[unslow1]

My Robogrips work OK. My strap wrenches won't grip anything.

 

[jeremy v]

Are you guys talking about the cheap homeowner grade rubber strapped ones that often have plastic handles, or the heavier duty woven cloth strapped ones that usually have metal handles?

The cheap rubber ones grab okay for light duty uses, but the straps usually break pretty easily. The woven cloth ones were originally designed to have tree pitch or some other very sticky substance worked into the strap before it was first used. That's something never really mentioned anywhere, and no one ever seems to do it anymore. I only see tacky straps on very old strap wrenches nowadays. I don't like hassling with sticky straps myself, so I cut some strips of rubber pond liner and I store it with my strap wrenches. I use the rubber liner between the strap wrench and what I am trying to grab. It works great.

 

[yamaha0343]

I'm talking about the rubber strap/plastic handle ones. I've never broken the rubber because they don't grip hard enough. Probably bought them 10-15 years ago.

I was young, naive, and believed Bob Vila.. Haha

 

[LXCam]

I'm with Jeremy on the canvas straps, but I coated mine with rubber dip.

 

[JBradley500]

The nylon oil filter straps are ****. I've never used a rubber one, thankfully.

 

[matemike]

zero offset ratcheting wrenches that you have to flip around for loosen/tighten
there's nothing these can do that a reverse lever offset head ratcheting wrench cannot.

Oh and I've had a bad experience with my SO ratcheting screw driver with the long stem inserts. I've had one of the inserts detent spring and ball break off with about a 1/8" of the back of the stem and it is stuck in the handle. It still works, and the others are still able to go in there far enough to use it, but they don't seat and I'm always dropping them out on accident. I don't feel like I abused it either, it traveled with me to and from the racetrack many times in a soft sided tool bag. That's probably the most abuse it got being in a pile of other screw drivers.

 

[pcmeiners]

Had a hard time coming up with a regretful tool purchase, but cheap snap ring pliers come to mind. Been through multiple pliers, spending (wasting) unnecessary time installing/removing clips, talk about frustrating, sometimes hours in excess until I purchased a set by Knipex .

 

[Ramblin Man]

I am going to say the wireless chassis ears. For me, they have been an awful, and terrible disappointment.

 

[Coach James]

Are you guys talking about the cheap homeowner grade rubber strapped ones that often have plastic handles, or the heavier duty woven cloth strapped ones that usually have metal handles?

The cheap rubber ones grab okay for light duty uses, but the straps usually break pretty easily. The woven cloth ones were originally designed to have tree pitch or some other very sticky substance worked into the strap before it was first used. That's something never really mentioned anywhere, and no one ever seems to do it anymore. I only see tacky straps on very old strap wrenches nowadays. I don't like hassling with sticky straps myself, so I cut some strips of rubber pond liner and I store it with my strap wrenches. I use the rubber liner between the strap wrench and what I am trying to grab. It works great.

All these years I thought I was just using it wrong. I gave up on the rubber ones, but I also have a canvas strap wrench with the metal handle. I'll try Plasti-dip or some type of tacky stuff on the strap and see how it does.

Thanks!

Coach

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm talking about the rubber strap/plastic handle ones. I've never broken the rubber because they don't grip hard enough. Probably bought them 10-15 years ago.

Ditto

 

[lightning02]

You know when your mom said the stove was hot so you just had to touch it to make sure? Well, this thread has me wanting to try the Robogrip pliers now. I want to feel the uselessness.

I have to see if I still have mine. I'm sure there many that don't mind sending you a set lol

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Craftsman strap wrenches. I got the set when it came out, and I haven't yet found out what they're good for.

They are good for being a pain to store, seem to pop out and try and jam the drawer every time I open it. Have not found anything else for them to do that a real strap or chain wrench can't do better and with less hassle.

 

[Rockston]

Hey, i actually like my robogrips. ...it's all about the right tool for the job, i will grab them for something that i would normally go to a channel lock for, but on low-torque multi-sized tasks such as threaded pvc fittings or brass couplings or other general purpose non-critical quick work.

I do regret my oil-less air compressor, the teflon ringed non-oiled while convenient for transporting (and pretty much zero maintenance) creates such annoyingly high pitched sounds when running, every time it kicks on i think how i almost bought an oiled unit with better specs for the same price point yet didn't because i wanted to haul it around places. Nowadays, it just stays in the garage, no need to take it anywhere ever.

Looking at getting a welder now, and I have great trepidation that I may need to update this post if I go with an imported Chinese manufactured unit. I am not about to grab my ankles just to be patriotic for a red or blue box. Might go with an HTP Invertig 221, we will see if it was a wise choice to cut the difference and go Italian. It really comes down to all the millers now have crippleware and require SD memory cards in order to "unlock" features that everyone else just offers as standard.