CDI/Snap-On Torque Wrench Strange COO Marking

[oldtools]

I bought this brand new CDI (division of Snap-On that make torque wrench for SO) torque wrench and it has this marking "Made in USA, US and Foreign Parts". Is this legal? Is SO playing the COO game? Anybody has the new SO torque wrench and what does it say on it? The CDI is same as SO (QD32500), but SO claim it is made in USA in their website.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...4&group_ID=953&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

SO also claim their digital torque wrench is made in USA

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=&item_ID=76639&group_ID=19917&store=&dir=catalog

But according to this Taiwanese company, they make parts for CDI digital torque wrench.

".....Presently, we've already established our Research & Development Dept. to offer the best service to our customers, and we've also cooperated with the well-known companies like CDI, which is a subsidiary of Snap-On , to help them build the components of their Digital Torque Wrench...."

http://www.williamtools.com.tw/company.shtml

 

[4x4gearhead]

my qd3r250 just says usa on it under the laser etched snap on logo

 

[justanengineer]

SO management has been playing games for years with COO. Many choose not to believe me when I say it, but to say that your new SO tool is made in USA and of similar quality to something bought 50 years ago to me is laughable. A few products maybe, but the majority arent. If I still had the roll cab full that I sold in 2007 I could compare it with my father's SO that were bought new in the 50's, and let the wear on the chrome tell the tale.

Over the past several Xmases, Ive acquired ~2 dozen of the new JH Williams tools against my will (people know I love old Williams), every single one of which had an Asian COO on the sticker or tool. I now see on the website http://www.jhwilliamstoolgroup.com/ that Williams is now called SO Industrial. Hmmm...seems like their outsourcing their "Industrial" line to me.

Let the flamers begin...

 

[Treeman]

You bought a CDI branded wrench, not a Snap On branded wrench. They are NOT the same. The label on the CDI looks completely legitimate and forth coming. Nothing illegal there.

Call CDI tech. support and they will tell you that their wrench is the same as a Snap On, EXCEPT that the CDI wrench comes with an imported ratchet head while the Snap On comes with their own ratchet head.

If you had done some searches here, you would have found this info out before buying your CDI wrench. It's a great wrench, by the way. The working part (guts) of the wrench are the same as Snap On according to their people.

 

[honcho]

I don't know all the rules but you commonly see different COO markings

Made in USA (The one we all should want to see)
Assembled in USA with domestic and global components (Better than some imported, but very important components could come from not-so-good places)
Designed in USA, made in *** (I really dislike this one, but, from an economic point of view, having US designers is better than nothing in the USA)
Made in *** (not so bad if i's Canada, Western Europe, Japan or even Mexico if a respected company. I happen to have a good deal of respect for many Taiwan products but it's becoming harder to discern whether or not they're really made in Taiwan or just labeled there)

The one I really despise is used commonly hardware manufacturers who list USA and other companies as the possible source of where the product came from (words like manufactured in USA, Canada, China and Mexico). Lazy and sleazy companies who want you to think their products are made in USA. Chinese fasteners are, for the most part, garbage but you can't figure out from the packaging where the goods were manufacturered. Apparently legal, but not very ethical from my point of view.

I suspect that it may be precision mechanical and electronic sub-assemblies and perhaps the ratchet heads as well are imported and assembled by CDI.

 

[oldtools]

I would have thought it would say "assembled" not "made". If SO just put "USA" on their, SO is misleading the consumer. Maybe the government relax the rule. The torque wrench is extremely high quality (almost too nice to be used). Except for the stamp on the head, everything else are laser etched. I hate laser etching. I almost bought a 1/4 SO torque wrench as well.

 

[Hiball]

I would have thought it would say "assembled" not "made". If SO just put "USA" on their, SO is misleading the consumer. Maybe the government relax the rule. The torque wrench is extremely high quality (almost too nice to be used). Except for the stamp on the head, everything else are laser etched. I hate laser etching. I almost bought a 1/4 SO torque wrench as well.

You Make my Head Hurt..

 

[t100]

You bought a CDI branded wrench, not a Snap On branded wrench. They are NOT the same. The label on the CDI looks completely legitimate and forth coming. Nothing illegal there.

dude, it shows Snap On on the wrench? so it's not misleading?
.
.
......

the CDI wrench comes with an imported ratchet head while the Snap On comes with their own ratchet head.

Snap On ratchet is imported? OMG!!

 

[SMKS]

I would have thought it would say "assembled" not "made".

I would have thought that, too. But I just checked, and it looks like they meet the FTC's rules.

Note - This FTC website is pretty easy to understand and a good read.

Here's what it says:

What is a qualified Made in USA claim?

A qualified Made in USA claim describes the extent, amount or type of a product’s domestic content or processing; it indicates that the product isn’t entirely of domestic origin.

Example: "60% U.S. content." "Made in USA of U.S. and imported parts." "Couch assembled in USA from Italian Leather and Mexican Frame."


When is a qualified Made in USA claim appropriate?

A qualified Made in USA claim is appropriate for products that include U.S. content or processing but don’t meet the criteria for making an unqualified Made in USA claim.

Here are the official FTC rules for marking something as just "Made in the USA" :

What is the standard for a product to be called Made in USA without qualification?

For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S.

 

[Toolhorder]

I thought the CDI ratchet head was foreign....

 

[bobcatdan]

Both techangle I own say nothing of COO at all, If it does, I havn't found it.

 

[ricleh]

Both techangle I own say nothing of COO at all, If it does, I havn't found it.

Check the Snapon website. All the techangles are COO USA.

 

[Monte]

The COO of the Techangle/Techwrench was removed from the SO site...

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=19918&store=snapon-store

 

[Hiball]

The COO of the Techangle/Techwrench was removed from the SO site...

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=19918&store=snapon-store

Still shows USA...

 

[Toolhorder]

SO management has been playing games for years with COO. Many choose not to believe me when I say it, but to say that your new SO tool is made in USA and of similar quality to something bought 50 years ago to me is laughable. A few products maybe, but the majority arent. If I still had the roll cab full that I sold in 2007 I could compare it with my father's SO that were bought new in the 50's, and let the wear on the chrome tell the tale.

Over the past several Xmases, Ive acquired ~2 dozen of the new JH Williams tools against my will (people know I love old Williams), every single one of which had an Asian COO on the sticker or tool. I now see on the website http://www.jhwilliamstoolgroup.com/ that Williams is now called SO Industrial. Hmmm...seems like their outsourcing their "Industrial" line to me.

Let the flamers begin...

I wish Snap-on would serve people like you on this forum with papers for slander. I would be funny to see how quickly your tune would change when you can't prove when you say in public forums in a court room and you're ordered to pay them for it.

 

[Treeman]

Back to the OP, your wrench is kind of bizarro. It looks like you have a "CDI brand" wrench handle with a Snap On head (fixed/non ratchet).

Here's a picture of a CDI wrench logo and their import ratchet head:

If you go to this link, here is a picture of a fixed head wrench similar to yours with a Snap On logo:
http://global.ebay.com/Snap-On-Torque-Wrench-Fixed-Head-QD3250/200618855948/item

If your wrench was a "genuine" Snap On, wouldn't the engraved logo say Snap On? Does this hypothesis explain the "strange COO marking" on your wrench?

Where did you buy this?

 

[ricleh]

Still shows USA...

Shows USA for me too.

 

[oldtools]

Back to the OP, your wrench is kind of bizarro. It looks like you have a "CDI brand" wrench handle with a Snap On head (fixed/non ratchet).

Here's a picture of a CDI wrench logo and their import ratchet head:

If you go to this link, here is a picture of a fixed head wrench similar to yours with a Snap On logo:
http://global.ebay.com/Snap-On-Torque-Wrench-Fixed-Head-QD3250/200618855948/item

If your wrench was a "genuine" Snap On, wouldn't the engraved logo say Snap On? Does this hypothesis explain the "strange COO marking" on your wrench?

Where did you buy this?

Bought it on Craiglist from a layoff mechanic for $70. Almost bought a brand new SO 1/4 torque wrench from the same guy for $60. Mine is a CDI. Since SO own CDI and CDI make torque wrench for SO, I assume CDI ran out of their non-stamped head and put a head with Snap-On on it. The CDI 25003MMH is the same as SO QD32500. The only difference is the brand logo. I don't see how the SO did not use foreign parts as well as CDI make the SO torque wrench.

 

[warmpancakes]

I assume CDI ran out of their non-stamped head and put a head with Snap-On on it.

you said the magic word assume, I think you have a home build unit

 

[Treeman]

I don't see how the SO did not use foreign parts as well as CDI make the SO torque wrench.

The only part that is foreign on the CDI wrench is the head....thus the foreign component. The Snap On branded wrench uses a Snap On head....thus all U.S. made....supposedly.

You have a hybrid! Maybe a collector's piece!!!! Call CDI and ask if they ever put Snap On heads on CDI wrenches......maybe so for a non ratcheting model?

Like Hi Ball, now my head is starting to hurt over all this "head" talk!

 

[oldtools]

The only part that is foreign on the CDI wrench is the head....thus the foreign component. The Snap On branded wrench uses a Snap On head....thus all U.S. made....supposedly.

You have a hybrid! Maybe a collector's piece!!!! Call CDI and ask if they ever put Snap On heads on CDI wrenches......maybe so for a non ratcheting model?

Like Hi Ball, now my head is starting to hurt over all this "head" talk!

I think CDI may accidentally put on the Snap-On head. I don't think it is home made. There is no sign the pin (holding the head to the shaft) is tampered with.