Lowes Craftsman Ad, Available April 2nd

[Machine-ist/Builder]

I build industrial machines for use in Chinese factories. They still don't have all the tech and or know how to do it all... Not even close.

 

[finn]

I’d argue that China built China with stolen Foreign (US) IP designs...that they now make.

So what innovations were “stolen by China” to make hand tools?

The technology hasn’t changed in fifty or one hundred years.

Xenophobia.

 

[xin]

When is CRAFTSMAN goin to be revamped and on the shelves?

 

[Farmall450]

"Xenophobia" = left-wing code for "I'm far more liberal than you."


China built China using American/North American/Free World money. They were eating each other's children until they prostituted their own people, eliminated "ethics" from their national business identity, and ran trade surpluses against the Free World.

If it weren't for out own no-ethics Communist Collaborators, they'd still be a no-hope, nineteenth-century throwback, and our economy would be FAR better off.

No I wont, the whole COO thing is idiotic, has no basis in reality and leads people to make poor tool buying decisions.

And FYI. China has built an industrial empire that exceeds that of the USA and Europe combined. China has an economy nearly as large as America and will exceed America within a decade. China built China using Chinese made tools.

The "lobster claw" statements are equally idiotic. Unless the material thickness of the tool causes clearance problems, the tools appearance is irrelevant to the job it performs.

^one opinion made with no basis in reality.

It is well documented that, by wide and far, American made tools are generally of better quality and higher pricepoints.
And while you claim their economy will be larger in a decade, they'll be out of clean drinking water in ~2 years.

 

[finn]

^one opinion made with no basis in reality.

It is well documented that, by wide and far, American made tools are generally of better quality and higher pricepoints.
And while you claim their economy will be larger in a decade, they'll be out of clean drinking water in ~2 years.

My Apple IPhone is a tool.

Please provide a link to the documentation showing a better quality American made phone.

Same for my Milwaukee power tools, made in China.

 

[The Fall]

It's wild what these comments devolve to.

Up-and-coming industrializing nations are always accused of stealing patents or what's now known as intellectual property rights. The British accused us of doing it throughout the late 18th and 19th centuries.

As capitalism globalized and stagflation occurred, companies moved offshore in a big way starting in the 1970s. Computer technology assisted this transition. Full employment was no longer a prevailing concern for the two major parties, curbing inflation became job #1. Industrialized nations' working classes came into competition with super-exploited workers throughout the globe. The increased profits went to CEOs and leading shareholders of Apple and Milwaukee Tools. Wages here stagnated or declined. We live off credit to buy tools from foreign competitors we no longer make here. Overseas workers are taking what they can get, in a move that mirrored the transition of auto manufacturing from the heavily unionized Midwest to the South in the 1960s -- it's just now global. It's how capitalism has evolved. It seems to be entering another period of crisis, but that's just my opinion.

There's nothing xenophobic about calling out a third-rate, open-end lobster claw. It's an inferior alloy that they're beefing up to keep from spreading. A junk tool is a junk tool no matter its COO. Chinese manufacturing has improved greatly in the last decade or two. However, when you're looking for cheap labor, quality isn't always at the forefront of your decision making.

 

[Sco Deac]

The immutable trends towards globalization and consolidation resulted in more and more offshoring for US production. The macro trends that will challenge the developing nations are automation and additive processes.

 

[xin]

So when is the MAIN line of CRAFTSMAN being released ?

 

[kythri]

If you ask another 47 times, I'm sure the lurking SBD reps will make themselves known and answer you.

 

[Sco Deac]

There are more that just the 4 original sets on the Lowes site now including several of the storage products. Funny thing is a few have “new lower price” claims.

 

[xin]

There are more that just the 4 original sets on the Lowes site now including several of the storage products. Funny thing is a few have “new lower price” claims.

What type of storages?

 

[Jtels85]

There are more that just the 4 original sets on the Lowes site now including several of the storage products. Funny thing is a few have “new lower price” claims.

I noticed that this evening, yet the prices are still the same as before.

 

[Farmall450]

My Apple IPhone is a tool.

Please provide a link to the documentation showing a better quality American made phone.

Same for my Milwaukee power tools, made in China.

No (esp in the context of this discussion) it's a phone. Nice strawman, though.
And it'll be made in WI soon

China can make excellent tools. However that's not what they were tasked with when the lobster claws came out. Quality costs more anywhere, but generally you don't look for high cost high quality in Chinese goods.

 

[Specs]

I just had a stark revelation.... does anyone here remember/have the Husky ratchets...
20800, 22800,and 24800?

They were stanleys and from 2000-2001 (cause i still have the set) and the hook for me was a 3 drawer toolbox (which i also still have) that was free with the blow mold cased set.

Except for the body change, me thinks they’re gonna bring that ratchet back... its like 52 or 54 tooth. RLL-ed and stored. Ill get pics up asap... They got mixed reviews here from general seaching for the part number for the tool set...

 

[toolmutt]

I have a big Husky Pro set (included 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive sets, wrenches, screwdrivers, nut drivers, etc) all in their black chrome. Those are the ratchet numbers but with a P on the end. Still some of my most used ratchets.

 

[Specs]

I never had a problem with them myself and the new ones are gonna be 120 tooth, so I dont see the issue, but knowing I wasnt going to get an equivalent ratchet from home depot (before there was taiwan ratchets mixed in) I just kept them like collector pieces, acquired truck ratchets, and didnt look back.

All my sockets from that time dont even show wear, allen wrenches rusted cause blow case not weather proof

Also ... the only set craftsman has that mew ratchet in is limited to a small set, and the rest of the sets are the RP RATCHETS

 

[Specs]

Here we go....



Now that im looking at them, they were advertised as “made in the USA”, but no markings to say otherwise... somethings up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Keelhauled]

No (esp in the context of this discussion) it's a phone. Nice strawman, though.
And it'll be made in WI soon

China can make excellent tools. However that's not what they were tasked with when the lobster claws came out. Quality costs more anywhere, but generally you don't look for high cost high quality in Chinese goods.

The Foxconn factory in WI (if it ever gets built) is for large displays for TVs and such. They will probably then go to Mexico for assembly, but that's neither here nor there. iPhones will still say Made in China.

I agree that I don't look for high cost and high quality in Chinese tools. However, I do look for low cost and high quality, and generally I get it. Not exceptional quality, sure, but 90% of the reliability and 70% of the fit and finish of a US/Europe tool at 30% of the price. It's a good trade off as far as I'm concerned.

 

[DSLTRK]

Here we go....



Now that im looking at them, they were advertised as “made in the USA”, but no markings to say otherwise... somethings up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The USA made Husky pearheads have a snap ring retainer with a thin gauge coverplate that has two dimples. I believe there were only the 1/4 and 3/8" version of these. The 1/2" was a round head with the thumbwheel. (USA forged handle, Taiwan guts).

All of the Husky ratchets that have the two cover screws are Taiwanese.

 

[DSLTRK]

Here's a pic of each ratchet. They seem to be uncommon designs.



Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

 

[Specs]

That’s Terrible... im not knocking the COO, cause they worked for me plenty, I just disliked that they came in a red blow mold case and all the disposable cardboard that would not survive 16+ years said made in the USA. Hell I lost the clip bolts that helped the case shut to rust... cant even be angry. I needed a taste into the DIY tooling world LIRL

 

[jfleisher]

Stopped in to my local (Columbus, Ohio) Lowe's today and picked up the 81 piece set.

Here's some pics of the socket handles...

 

[mudflap]

Stopped in to my local (Columbus, Ohio) Lowe's today and picked up the 81 piece set.

Here's some pics of the socket handles...

I like those..Looks like the QR button is almost flush.. is the switch metal or plastic..?

 

[jfleisher]

Metal. Maybe aluminum. A magnet sticks, but I think its really sticking to the steel underneath.

 

[Specs]

Is it serviceable? I mean i shouldnt be trying to improve anything, but I can’t help but feel that QC will drop by Black Friday

 

[Sco Deac]

Is it serviceable?

As some predicted, this looks to be based on the Stanley Fatmax 120, which is not serviceable. No screws or snap rings.

 

[Specs]

As some predicted, this looks to be based on the Stanley Fatmax 120, which is not serviceable. No screws or snap rings.

I didn’t know about the fatmax ratchet. At all. Apparently I already have this ratchet(From 2001)... so im passing this up...

 

[Doohickey]

Waterloo manufactured Craftsman tool boxes for Sears, but SBD bought out Waterloo. So we can do some price comparisons.


Black 5-drawer top chest:

Lowes $79.00
https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...all-Bearing-Steel-Tool-Chest-Black/1000463931

Sears $79.99
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-26inch-wide-5-drawer-standard-duty-top/p-A019485983


Red and black 10-drawer rollaway:

Lowes $399.99
https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...all-Bearing-Steel-Tool-Cabinet-Red/1000462561

Sears $359.99
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-41-inch-10-drawer-soft-close-ball/p-00958641000P

 

[DSLTRK]

Stopped in to my local (Columbus, Ohio) Lowe's today and picked up the 81 piece set.

Here's some pics of the socket handles...

Those look distinctly like Hi-Five brand ratchets. Very high quality Taiwan manufacturer.


This doesn't surprise me because SBD has had a long relationship with them as their oem supplier for Proto, Blackhawk and MAC wrenches. They also make the guts for the current USA forged MAC and Proto wrenches.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Stopped in to my local (Columbus, Ohio) Lowe's today and picked up the 81 piece set.

Here's some pics of the socket handles...

Never thought I'd say it, but I do like the looks.

 

[sbyrne92]

I saw this on the top today

 

[xin]

Never thought I'd say it, but I do like the looks.

I hope they turn Craftsman around.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

I saw this on the top today

I had to run to my local Lowe's again yesterday and while no tools are boxes out yet, they had a full display of the LED lights out. They really didn't look any more special than the standard run of the mill lights everyone had. But it's the first Craftsman display of any kind I've seen at either one of my local Lowe's stores.

 

[Bigmeat]

I went to the local Lowe’s because I received an email stating that Craftsman tools are now available. Went to the store. No tools on display. I ask one of the employees and was told that they gave them in the back but are not putting them out till maybe Father’s Day. I told them when you search the store website they say they are available for pickup in the store. They said they have no idea where they are going to put them. Lots of dusty Kobalt tools displayed.

 

[strutaeng]

I went to the local Lowe’s because I received an email stating that Craftsman tools are now available. Went to the store. No tools on display. I ask one of the employees and was told that they gave them in the back but are not putting them out till maybe Father’s Day. I told them when you search the store website they say they are available for pickup in the store. They said they have no idea where they are going to put them. Lots of dusty Kobalt tools displayed.

That's the way it works. The floor people don't know anything about what gets put on The shelf. They use vendors that do all of this stuff. I have seen plenty of them vendors shifting products around at my Lowes. I guess that's the reason why...

 

[Andres26tnt]

Went to lowes today and came out disappointed, HF and Huskey are making better boxes at a better price. I think these new boxes are only assemble in the USA, the boxes felt so flimsy and had so much damage lol. The deep large drawers have single sliders , idk why they insist on only having split drawers. The price is well out there almost 800 for the complete box, this box doesn't even compare good with an equivalent milwake.

 

[JoeNES]

Yes!

 

[xin]

Yes!

I agree!

 

[JazzBlueRT]

Craftsman Pressure Washer available now at Lowes. Wonder if this indicates a line of yard equipment is to come.

 

[kythri]

Well, Craftsman's extensive lawn/outdoor equipment lineup was one of Stanley's stated reasons for the purchase, as it is/was an area they didn't have much of a presence in.