Questionable MAC Tools

[K5blazer83]

Just out of curiosity, I bought a set of MAC trim removal tools with the comfort grips and I also have the MAC Macsimizer screwdrivers but oddly enough none of these say "USA" on them anywhere. Somethings telling me they're China or Taiwan or somewhere else. Can antbody shed any light on this???

 

[DIAZ 87]

I will also like to know as well

 

[tonydanzah]

bingo


..........

 

[mikevango]

we probably don't want to know the answer

 

[krusty the clown]

yep.........they are taiwan. most things on the mac truck is now day's.

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

If they look like Snap on (Blue Point) they are Taiwan...

I think that Snap on (Blue Point), Cornwell, MAC and MATCO are all the same.

MATCO Below:

-BWP

 

[Diesel-Mech]

Like Krusty said the foreign content heavily outweighs the domestic stuff when it comes to MAC tools anymore.

 

[back2class]

yep.........they are taiwan. most things on the mac truck is now day's.

MAC stands for Marginal Asian **** these days.

 

[stricht8]

Too bad about all the Asian tools they sell because my experience is that MAC tool salesmen are the friendliest. Unfortunately, if I'm I'm going to pay tool truck prices then I want American or EU, not China.

 

[Monte]

maybe made by this company...: click

 

[Merkava_4]

The trim tools are made by VIM and they seem to be of very good quality. A buddy of mine has a set and they felt strong and comfy in my hands.

 

[mcdtommy23]

MAC stands for Marginal Asian **** these days.

Love it! That sums it up! Awsome!

 

[krusty the clown]

The trim tools are made by VIM and they seem to be of very good quality. A buddy of mine has a set and they felt strong and comfy in my hands.

i think you mean imported by VIM.......

http://www.vimtools.com/product_detail.asp?id=DT6200

 

[Fedwrench]

The macimizer screwdrivers either come from Slovenia or taiwan depending on vintage and handle color. As for the trim tools, if you got the two piece set with trilobal handles, they are also from Vim and are either copmpletely from Taiwan or have a US made blade with a Taiwanese handle.

 

[K5blazer83]

The Macsimizer screwdrivers I have are purple handled and the trim tools have the same handles as the Macsimizers but have red colored handles...if that helps in the identifying process.

 

[Monte]

if the tools don`t say "USA" it says everything...

 

[arkangel06]

MAC tools ****


Well atleast the imported ones....

 

[Moltar]

The macimizer screwdrivers either come from Slovenia or taiwan depending on vintage and handle color. As for the trim tools, if you got the two piece set with trilobal handles, they are also from Vim and are either copmpletely from Taiwan or have a US made blade with a Taiwanese handle.

I also noticed the Macsimizer Torx screwdrivers are a combination of UK and USA. The box states the handles are made in the UK and the blades are made in the USA.

 

[bgott]

Since all the tool companies seem to sell the same imported trim tools, you might as well buy your's at HF and save the extra bucks.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=99739

 

[toolnut]

Where have you guys been? I have stated this before when I talked to my Mac guy about their tools and he said it was a global economy and they didn't have to put where their tools where made. That was the last time I was on a Mac tool truck.

 

[superautobacs]

Stanley, the big conglomerate, is the big daddy having control of Mac. If you're familiar with Stanley tools, the majority of hand tools are made overseas in China or Taiwan.

If you want EU-made trim removal tools, check out Facom or SK's NOS stuff. They are made in France, from a hard composite material.

 

[chris_morrison_]

I don't think I will buy from the mack truck anymore bought a set of pliers from them they wore out in less then 6months.

I have also noticed lots off the mac branded tools like tap and die sets some impact tools like there 1/4 inch impact gun put beside the blue point tools from snap-on are the same tool.

 

[Fedwrench]

Since all the tool companies seem to sell the same imported trim tools, you might as well buy your's at HF and save the extra bucks.

If you place the Harbor Freight versions next to the ones from Vim, you'll see that any money saved wasn't worth the difference in quality. The Vim ones from Taiwan are stronger, have better finished blades, and better feeling handles that resist chemicals more. I know they're only trim tools but, if you do a few window regulators or AC control heads a week, good trim tools make life easier.

 

[Merkava_4]

i think you mean imported by VIM.......

http://www.vimtools.com/product_detail.asp?id=DT6200

His actually say "Blue-Point" on them:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=16963&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[lynam]

Not all of mac tools are made in Taiwan. I would still say 40% are made in the USA. I have bought more then 5 grand worth of tools from the mac truck over the last year. You just have to pick and chose wisely.

Its funny how many nut swingers are on this forum

Here are some examples of USA made stuff:

 

[Fedwrench]

As the above photos illustrate, if you see those three letters "USA", it's made here. If those three letters aren't there, it's not.

 

[autoace]

HF was selling "MAC" prybars for awhile, same origin, handles, etc......the soft grip black and red, black and green ones, with the striking cap.

HF hade the ratcheting spline wrenches, with the aluminum handles.......................same as MAC

Goes to show, soon MAC and others will be a rolling HF, and HF will be a stationary truck tool vendor.

 

[K5blazer83]

Fedwrench - "As the above photos illustrate, if you see those three letters "USA", it's made here. If those three letters aren't there, it's not."

Well said Fedwrench, well said. I personally like MAC's USA stuff...it holds up pretty well. Not exactly Snap-On but I still think MAC's USA stuff ranks amongst the Snap-On and Matco stuff.

 

[chris_morrison_]

im not a real fan of the taiwan tools they don't seem to hold up to well

I do like the mac impact extension set i have but the mac guy in my area does not carry much of the usa mac stuff and mostly taiwan tools so its hard to justify buying and spending good money on inferior tools.

 

[Vinko]

Re: posts above. I'm by no means an expert, but I've found in sourcing some OEM materials that certain composite materials (incl. those with rubber, urethane, etc), from Slovenia and UK has been rather good.

 

[Merkava_4]

Goes to show, soon MAC and others will be a rolling HF, and HF will be a stationary truck tool vendor.

To me, cars are just an excuse to work with high quality tools -- I don't give a frick about the cars themselves. If all the high quality tools were to fall to the quality level of HF, there won't be no fun in repairing cars no more -- it will then be considered a chore like repairing a fence.

 

[oldtools]

As the above photos illustrate, if you see those three letters "USA", it's made here. If those three letters aren't there, it's not.

Remember MAC got fined by the government for lying about their COO. MAC tools with "USA" on them before the lawsuit are either made in Taiwan or China.

 

[oldtools]

Stanley, the big conglomerate, is the big daddy having control of Mac. If you're familiar with Stanley tools, the majority of hand tools are made overseas in China or Taiwan.

If you want EU-made trim removal tools, check out Facom or SK's NOS stuff. They are made in France, from a hard composite material.

Even European tools are now made in China.

 

[oldtools]

If everybody just accept the fact that virtually all truck tools are made in Taiwan or China, then we don't have to go through these debates every time someone buy a truck tool. How many threads do we have on this subject already?

Why don't someone start a thread when they buy a truck tool with "USA" on it.

 

[wrenchr]

HF was selling "MAC" prybars for awhile, same origin, handles, etc......the soft grip black and red, black and green ones, with the striking cap.

HF hade the ratcheting spline wrenches, with the aluminum handles.......................same as MAC

Goes to show, soon MAC and others will be a rolling HF, and HF will be a stationary truck tool vendor.

Those were knock off's!! The mac pry bars have USA stamped on the shank and the HF ones do not.

 

[K5blazer83]

Sooooooo.....bottom line seems to be don't buy MAC period because of the lawsuit?? Since MAC doesn't datecode their stuff it would hard to tell what stuff is post-lawsuit and anything pre-lawsuit seems like its fair game to be chinaman or taiwan made?? Consensus??

 

[lynam]

So even though it says USA on it could still mean it was made over seas?

O well they still seem to serve me well.

 

[woody 73]

It is sad I have mac pliers that are not stamped usa; more and more are being made in Taiwan.

 

[scooby074]

a few years back i got some mac comfort handle (same style as OP) picks to add to my green hard handled USA set

Got off the truck and back inside, looked at the package>>>CHINA That was the first time i saw a chinese tool on a mac truck. That was the beginning of the end for me buying Mac.

Worse is i used to be a loyal Mac guy, as the local dealer was the only one who'd come by our school and he set me up with an account when Snappy wouldnt, but loyality only goes so far and Im not going to pay $30 for the same pics i can get at Princess auto for $5.

Same applies to SnapOn if they keep trying to sneak imported stuff int their lineup.

 

[mdoolittle]

I have that very set from VIM. They are the same as Mac. Wherever they are made, they are of high quality.