gaston9mm
Well-known member
Is it be worth it to buy it for 199. Is it a good set or sould I look for something else?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
309 piece craftsman set
- Thread starter gaston9mm
- Start date
scott37300
Well-known member
Is it be worth it to buy it for 199. Is it a good set or sould I look for something else?
Do you have a link to it? Will you be using it everyday in a shop or at home?
diesel research
Well-known member
Do you care about COO? There is chinese content in that kit.
Do you not have any sockets currently? The ratchets/ratchet wrenches/allen are nothing special worth rushing out to buy. If you didn't have any sockets at all, it might be worthwhile...
Do you not have any sockets currently? The ratchets/ratchet wrenches/allen are nothing special worth rushing out to buy. If you didn't have any sockets at all, it might be worthwhile...
scott37300
Well-known member
It's a fair amount of sockets and wrenches for a decent price with a good warranty. If they are just for home use and you don't have much then it's a pretty good value. With craftsman importing lots of the tools now, in my opinion, they aren't as good of a value as they were ten years ago. For everyday shop use I would probably look for some used made in the US tools from some of the bigger names and build a nice set that way.
sberry
Banned
At less than a dollar a tool how good they got to be? What, a 10 piece socket set cost 200 from a truck?
sberry
Banned
As for some of them being China,, wtf,,, those are comparable China prices they are so cheap. I understand that being a fine line if you were spending 2000$ vs 200, only way it could get any better is if the shipped it all to the door free. 200 wouldn't even cover the first payment on a top tier brand.
sberry
Banned
I am no screaming sears fan but if I needed something to work with I would be making a straight line there before they change their mind. So much, so fast, so easy for so little. A guy would be done with the job he intended to use them for before he was done picking his nose and mentally ************ over it all.
If you dont need to buy them immediately probably dont have the need for more "pro level" tools either.
If you dont need to buy them immediately probably dont have the need for more "pro level" tools either.
sberry
Banned
I went to a job some time ago, machine repair. The owner was in a bind but before I even start I made him go down to sears store and spend 300 on one of those specials, a couple of his men put me in to hero status for getting the tight type to buy a few hand tools, was pathetic, these guys got nuthin, not even flea mkt hammer. He needed tools,,, better tools were not even an issue. Any tools. They paid for themselves in about a day.
bobemmerich
Well-known member
If you are not worried about COO, then it is a good set for the price. The warranty is excellent, and there are Sears stores almost everywhere should the need arise to rerturn it. Perfect set for starting out or a home set.
Knuckle Buster
Well-known member
At less than a dollar a tool how good they got to be? What, a 10 piece socket set cost 200 from a truck?
+1
The wrenches in the 309 pc. set are USA, and are ALL of the sockets & ratchets in this kit including the 3/8'' drive hex set and every extension. That doesn't leave much room for off-shore tools ( as far the most important tools in the set ). I don't know that anything in this set is off shore, but do know from what I seen in person the pieces I spoke of above are USA in this set ( or at least the set in Murfreesboro Tennessee were ). That only leaves a few hardly needed pieces such as the nut driver and a few bits or so that may not be USA... but nothing of critical need.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...dNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=G4&isABTestAvl=true
309 pc. mechanic's tool set.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...dNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1&isABTestAvl=true
Last edited:
tjmonsen5
Well-known member
I dont think the big tool sets are worth it. they advertise 300 pieces, but half of those pieces are useless little bits and allen wrenches that you will never use, same with the ungodly amount of SAE sockets. They need to make a metric set, with lots of wrenches. that would be a good buy.
ive only touched my SAE tools a handful of times, and its always when repairing my lawnmower or snowblower. thats it.
ive only touched my SAE tools a handful of times, and its always when repairing my lawnmower or snowblower. thats it.
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
If you are not worried about COO, then it is a good set for the price. The warranty is excellent, and there are Sears stores almost everywhere should the need arise to rerturn it. Perfect set for starting out or a home set.
I agree with bobemmerich.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but at LEAST 75% of that set us US made, and I;d guess closer to 85 to 90%.
All sockets, bit sockets, rp wrenches, extensions and ratchets are.
That leaves maybe the polished wrenches, possibly the allen keys and a few odds and ends based upon the Sears site listing.
Sorry, but I;ll still take Sears/Craftsman over HF any day of the week.
HF has it;s place, but Sears still does support US made tools, has a comprehensive warranty program and there are Sears in most places in teh country.
Buy the set and fill in what you need as it is a great starter set for the non-professional tech or wrencher.
I dont think the big tool sets are worth it. they advertise 300 pieces, but half of those pieces are useless little bits and allen wrenches that you will never use, same with the ungodly amount of SAE sockets. They need to make a metric set, with lots of wrenches. that would be a good buy.
ive only touched my SAE tools a handful of times, and its always when repairing my lawnmower or snowblower. thats it.
Actually, price those pieces out individually and it quite the bargain. I had to buy a set many years ago for a remote site job and it was by far teh best bang for the buck. Sure, there are some items you may not use. Sell them off or trade them for other tools. I doubt any set out there will cater exactly to anyone's needs.
As for SAE, you may not need it often, but when you do you do. Telling your tractor or lawn mower to go &^% off and go fix itself has not worked for me so far. Perhaps it has for you. It would save me a lot of money if it did, but then I'd probably be more amazed that I owned talking lawn equipment that understood English. LOLOLOLOL.
Last edited:
kythri
Well-known member
201 sockets (which I guarantee are all US-made).
$199.99.
The set is worth it for the 6pt/12pt sockets alone, but they go ahead and throw in hex-bit sockets, extensions and ratchets.
The ratcheting full-polish wrenches are icing on the cake - even if they're Chinese/Taiwanese, they're Craftsman-labeled GearWrenches, an 8pc SAE and 8pc Metric set. On SALE, the GearWrench branded ones (which are cheaper than Craftsman) are, what, $35-$40/set?
The non-ratcheting wrenches? Eh, they're probably Chinese-production. They're probably decent quality, and they've got a lifetime warranty. For the price? Who cares?
This set is a hell of a deal.
$199.99.
The set is worth it for the 6pt/12pt sockets alone, but they go ahead and throw in hex-bit sockets, extensions and ratchets.
The ratcheting full-polish wrenches are icing on the cake - even if they're Chinese/Taiwanese, they're Craftsman-labeled GearWrenches, an 8pc SAE and 8pc Metric set. On SALE, the GearWrench branded ones (which are cheaper than Craftsman) are, what, $35-$40/set?
The non-ratcheting wrenches? Eh, they're probably Chinese-production. They're probably decent quality, and they've got a lifetime warranty. For the price? Who cares?
This set is a hell of a deal.
Knuckle Buster
Well-known member
201 sockets (which I guarantee are all US-made).
$199.99.
The set is worth it for the 6pt/12pt sockets alone, but they go ahead and throw in hex-bit sockets, extensions and ratchets.
The ratcheting full-polish wrenches are icing on the cake - even if they're Chinese/Taiwanese, they're Craftsman-labeled GearWrenches, an 8pc SAE and 8pc Metric set. On SALE, the GearWrench branded ones (which are cheaper than Craftsman) are, what, $35-$40/set?
The non-ratcheting wrenches? Eh, they're probably Chinese-production. They're probably decent quality, and they've got a lifetime warranty. For the price? Who cares?
This set is a hell of a deal.
The ratcheting wrenches and the non ratcheting wrenches are Both USA. I stuffed a drawer full a few weeks ago. It is a decent deal.
Knuckle Buster
Well-known member
I dont think the big tool sets are worth it. they advertise 300 pieces, but half of those pieces are useless little bits and allen wrenches that you will never use, same with the ungodly amount of SAE sockets. They need to make a metric set, with lots of wrenches. that would be a good buy.
They do sell all metric sets. Depending on how much a person wants to spend, theres a few sets to choose from. Here's the most affordable, smaller all metric set. They offer larger ones too, but this 299.00 set is an example. USA, too.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...dNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1&isABTestAvl=true
tpolley
Well-known member
personally, i would cobble together a set and buy the tools you want (professional screwdrivers, pliers, long reach wrenches) and leave out the fluff that you don't want/need. you'll probably spend about the same money, maybe a little more but you won't have **** taking up space in your tool box that you don't need and you have the option to buy the nicer tools.
i had the wife buy me the 301 piece set from horrible freight a few years ago.
i ended up tossing the wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, allen wrenches, and several duplicate 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch sockets.
i ended up buying the professional screwdrivers, long handle wrenches (metric and sae), the round head swivel ratchets, tee-handle allen wrenches, i'm still on the fence about buying their professional pliers.
i should have bought one of every socket set, then bought all the other tools.
edit:
disregard everything i said. i actually checked out that set. i haven't seen that one before, its new. that's a smoking deal. if i had $200 i'd buy it right now.
you're still probably going to want to buy the professional screwdrivers and pliers.
i had the wife buy me the 301 piece set from horrible freight a few years ago.
i ended up tossing the wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, allen wrenches, and several duplicate 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch sockets.
i ended up buying the professional screwdrivers, long handle wrenches (metric and sae), the round head swivel ratchets, tee-handle allen wrenches, i'm still on the fence about buying their professional pliers.
i should have bought one of every socket set, then bought all the other tools.
edit:
disregard everything i said. i actually checked out that set. i haven't seen that one before, its new. that's a smoking deal. if i had $200 i'd buy it right now.
you're still probably going to want to buy the professional screwdrivers and pliers.
Last edited:
I dont think the big tool sets are worth it. they advertise 300 pieces, but half of those pieces are useless little bits and allen wrenches that you will never use, same with the ungodly amount of SAE sockets. They need to make a metric set, with lots of wrenches. that would be a good buy.
ive only touched my SAE tools a handful of times, and its always when repairing my lawnmower or snowblower. thats it.
this is all well and good but this isnt a $2,000 truck brand set that only gets you 6pt sockets and a couple ratchets. Its a very large Craftsman set for $200. As previously stated the ratcheting wrenches alone would run you $60-$70 [with a very good discount]. Its a great deal precisely because the value for your dollar is sky high. Its even better for someone getting into a field where SAE and metric are still mixed [outdoor power equipment].
The ratcheting wrenches and the non ratcheting wrenches are Both USA. I stuffed a drawer full a few weeks ago. It is a decent deal.
Unless the sets are getting new old stock i dont believe the ones included will be the USA made. They havent sold them in years and in the picture there is clearly no USA on any of the ratcheting wrench beams. Its probably the imported "full polish" set here
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...dNo=5&blockNo=5&blockType=G5&isABTestAvl=true
still a very good deal. Those wrenches dont usually go much lower than $40 during a sale.
If i didnt already have essentially everything in that set i'd be all over that in a heart beat.
Last edited:
kythri
Well-known member
If i didnt already have essentially everything in that set i'd be all over that in a heart beat.
Right?
I'm the same - FANTASTIC deal, but I've got all of it (or most of it) already.
mrrisotto
Active member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but at LEAST 75% of that set us US made, and I;d guess closer to 85 to 90%.
All sockets, bit sockets, rp wrenches, extensions and ratchets are.
That leaves maybe the polished wrenches, possibly the allen keys and a few odds and ends based upon the Sears site listing.
I agree! Most of the core tools are US-made and the warranty if superb.
IMO that set is definitely worth $200. I bought a 154 pc Craftsman set a while back for about $100 and have since spent at least another $150-200 filling it out...
P.S. Hunt around the web for Sears coupons, too... you may be able to get it even cheaper!
sberry
Banned
Wow, I just click on that link, pretty much all good stuff, socket city for someone that needed to start somewhere. I think a guy would have a hard time beating up on that for all practical purpose. You can get some screwdrivers and pliers elsewhere but there isn't much in there thats outright useless and it covers common basics.
diesel research
Well-known member
If i didnt already have essentially everything in that set i'd be all over that in a heart beat.
That is what the OP needs to do. Inventory his current collection and figure out what he has that is sub-par and what he doesn't have but needs/desires.
As far as the ratchet wrenches, not USA or real useful for most. 2 things that everybody complains about. Non reversible and the monstrous "big head" open end.