Chad's Toolbox

[66HertzClone]

Does anybody have any experience with them? I placed an order with them on Friday, still hasn't shipped and until yesterday all I could find out was the order was in process. Today it changed to will ship in 4 to 7 days, seems like a long lead time for an order. I broke down and purchased a six piece set of the Wera screwdrivers, maybe they don't carry them and have to get them from a Wera warehouse?

 

[tanda4]

I canceled my order after waiting 3 weeks.

 

[Merkava_4]

maybe they don't carry them and have to get them from a Wera warehouse?

That's probably what it is; they're probably too cheap to stock their own warehouse.

 

[billymade]

I think allot of online companies advertise things but don't actually carry stock; they just order from their distributor/manufacturer when they get orders for the item. Probably keeps overhead down but still listing everything available keeps that possibility of a sale up. The smaller guys may practice this more then the really big guys like grainger or msc.

 

[Merkava_4]

Some manufactures sell to distributors and/or give the consumer the option to purchase from them online directly; eliminating the middleman.

 

[Danglerb]

Look in the vendor section for more.

Chads is a small family shop, as far as I know they stock nothing, and don't drop ship directly from the distributor like other small shops do. I waited over a month, and would not repeat the mistake.

If I remember right they are also located somewhat inconvenient to shipping too.

 

[kwyjibo]

I had a less than happy experience with them - they sent me a uselessly defective bit holder and then told me that it was my responsibility to get it replaced through Wiha. After more emails than I should have wasted my time on, they finally understood the meaning of "customer satisfaction" and a new bit holder was in the mail. Also in that order, I got a Knipex plier that was made in Japan?!? How old (or new?) was their stock that the plier was not made in Germany? Saved about 10 bucks on an order of about $200 using CHads... NOT worth the trouble. never again.

 

[ImportTuner]

I had a less than happy experience with them - they sent me a uselessly defective bit holder and then told me that it was my responsibility to get it replaced through Wiha. After more emails than I should have wasted my time on, they finally understood the meaning of "customer satisfaction" and a new bit holder was in the mail. Also in that order, I got a Knipex plier that was made in Japan?!? How old (or new?) was their stock that the plier was not made in Germany? Saved about 10 bucks on an order of about $200 using CHads... NOT worth the trouble. never again.

I've never heard of Knipex being made in Japan ... do you have any pics?

 

[kwyjibo]

I've never heard of Knipex being made in Japan ... do you have any pics?

i'll try to get some pictures up tonight.

 

[66HertzClone]

Look in the vendor section for more.

Chads is a small family shop, as far as I know they stock nothing, and don't drop ship directly from the distributor like other small shops do. I waited over a month, and would not repeat the mistake.

If I remember right they are also located somewhat inconvenient to shipping too.

The comments in the Vendor section are positive, I didn't read them until you mentioned looking there.

 

[Stuey]

I haven't dealt with them directly, but what I've heard about them isn't possitive.

 

[Fedwrench]

I haven't dealt with them directly, but what I've heard about them isn't possitive.

If you haven't dealt with them, you should refrain from posting judgements.
I've only odered stuff from Chad's once. The order was completed in a timely manner considering the tools came from Alaska. I would order from them again. They seem to have different non mainstream USA tools such as Wera, Hazet, and Witte that are difficult to find from other US vendors.

 

[philw]

I have ordered from them once and had no big problems. Most of my order arrived within a few days. Some of the order was backordered and was supposed to ship in 1-2 weeks. After 2 weeks I sent them an email and they said it was on the way to them and I should have it in another week or so. It arrived about a week later---so total time was about 3 weeks for backorder.

The biggest problem I think they have is lack of stock. They sell you everything on the website but I think they only stock the common items. There is no way to check to see if they have something in stock without trying to call them.

I would order from them again as long as the item I wanted wasn't a "need to have it now/quick" type of tool.

 

[Stuey]

If you haven't dealt with them, you should refrain from posting judgements.
I've only odered stuff from Chad's once. The order was completed in a timely manner considering the tools came from Alaska. I would order from them again. They seem to have different non mainstream USA tools such as Wera, Hazet, and Witte that are difficult to find from other US vendors.

If you read my post more carefully, you would see that I made no judgement, gave no opinion. Plain and simple, it's a fact that I've heard many more negative things about them than positive.

However, I'll likely give them a shot at one point if the price is right and I cannot source the tool at any of my regular sources.

 

[chad s]

You must be very careful with anyone named Chad!

 

[66HertzClone]

Interesting response

I finally gave up waiting quietly and decided to contact Chad's Toolbox. I sent an email and received an interesting reply, my email is first followed by their response. I'll have to check and see if they charged my card for the full order or just the part of the order they have shipped. I wonder if WERA is aware of their shipping problems?


From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 10:20 AM
To: Chadstoolbox, KnipexUSA
Subject: Re: About my order: 19894



It has been 7 business days since I placed my order, any idea when it will actually ship? The time period shown in your email has passed. Order number 19894

--
Jeff Gordon


I am sorry for the long delay, WERA distribution has been very slow and spotty for the last few months our inventory keeps shrinking faster than they replenish us. We expect more of the out of stock items to arrive any day, but we are going to send a free partial shipment of what is available today and we can throw in some extra goodies.

 

[billymade]

I am interested in what WERA tools you ordered? I love my Micro Kraft Form precision screwdrivers!

 

[66HertzClone]

I ordeed this set and a #2 phillips with a long shaft, Wera

 

[Diesel-Mech]

I bought a few Knipex tools from them about a year ago, everything went smoothly although I was not impressed with their packaging.

 

[hamburglar]

I've ordered from them a couple of time and the service and product has been fine. I always have to build up $150 worth of unnecessary tool need before I'll pull the trigger due to the free shipping.

I'd be suprised if any of the German tool selling places were any faster, it's kind of random really. I've ordered Stahlwille stuff from Maryland Metrics and it took far longer than any Chad's order.

 

[george4]

I am interested in what WERA tools you ordered? I love my Micro Kraft Form precision screwdrivers!

I have sets of small straight, philips and torx screwdrivers from Wera, great quality. I think I got them all through Chad, just do not order something you need quick from them.

 

[billymade]

Do you think no one actually stocks this stuff because of the Euro and how expensive they are?

 

[shamrock12]

I bought a few Knipex tools from them about a year ago, everything went smoothly although I was not impressed with their packaging.

Same thing here. Quick shipping but every items got bundled up in a plastic bag then boxed.

 

[Wera Tools]

Do you think no one actually stocks this stuff because of the Euro and how expensive they are?

I am sorry to hear all of the frustration that people seem to have from many of the internet tool sources, however, someof your assumptions (they don't order it until they have sold it) are probably true.
There are several of the larger distributors such as MSC (www.mscdirect.com) and McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com) that do stock a wide range of our products for same-day shipping. They may not have the entire range, but you will probably be pleasantly surprised...

 

[tanda4]

I am sorry to hear all of the frustration that people seem to have from many of the internet tool sources, however, someof your assumptions (they don't order it until they have sold it) are probably true.
There are several of the larger distributors such as MSC (www.mscdirect.com) and McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com) that do stock a wide range of our products for same-day shipping. They may not have the entire range, but you will probably be pleasantly surprised...

Thanks for the information! I really want to try out some Wera tools and will take a look at this retailers.

 

[66HertzClone]

I am sorry to hear all of the frustration that people seem to have from many of the internet tool sources, however, someof your assumptions (they don't order it until they have sold it) are probably true.
There are several of the larger distributors such as MSC (www.mscdirect.com) and McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com) that do stock a wide range of our products for same-day shipping. They may not have the entire range, but you will probably be pleasantly surprised...

Thats great news, I get things from McMaster Carr on a regular basis. Most of my order from Chad's arrived on Saturday, one screwdriver missing from the set which he says will ship soooooon. Why would someone split a set open to sell a single driver?

That said, these things are great, the feel is great and the handles fit the hand just right. I've had to warn the wife that these are off limits, grab any other ones from the drawer, but leave these alone.

Wera tools, I found the spacing of the mounting ears on the supplied rack a little weird. I have a small sheet of pegboard above my workbench, I like to have screwdriver close at hand. I used plastic retainers like those used to hold trim in place in a car to hold the rack to the pegboard. While slotted the openings are not spaced far enough apart to match the pegboard holes, another 1/8" is all that is needed.

 

[elect]

I had the worst time with chad's toolbox,three weeks to arrive when it did it was wrong.THEY never called me back, finally emailed to tell me to bother the competition!! 12 years of trouble free ordering with msc just trying to give mom and pop the business big mistake. I think it's one guy his basement almost no stock and #10 on his list of things to due

 

[pirana]

I placed an order on the 13th of this month & have yet to see it. I got an e-mail saying my order would ship in 4-7 days but thats way past due. I sent an email the other day asking about my order & got one back saying they were sorry for the delay but they could ship a partial order now & the rest in about a week. I told em to ship what they had . Had I known before hand the way this idiot does business I would have looked elsewhere.

 

[c130herc]

Still waiting on my order after almost 4 weeks, last time I will order from these guys. Funny this thread came up, was pretty pissed off about it and did a search to see if anyone else on the forums ran into the same issue, seems like im not alone.

 

[billymade]

I'm assuming this is because of the "drop ship" from the manufacturer nature of the business; I'm assuming he just doesn't keep everything he sells in stock.... I wonder if it really takes so long to get something from Europe? On the other hand; maybe he waits until he gets enough orders for products; then orders the items and thus the long wait times?

 

[Thedroid]

I've ordered from them several times, and had a mix of positive and negative experiences. When they had the items in stock, then shipping was fast. All of the questions I asked via email, were answered in a timely manner. Once, something I needed was back ordered from Europe. I waited several weeks before sending an email. They did reply quickly, and split shipped the items they did have in stock. Told me they were waiting on a shipment from Were Europe. My last item arrived about a week later. The good thing about Chads, is the price. The Snap-on truck stocks Knipex, and he say's he can't even get the tools from his supplier for the prices that Chad's sells theirs for.

 

[jay50]

Chads tool box should be called chads living room.
Bet he works out of his house and never puts a hand on any tools he sells.

 

[Bolster]

My experience mixed, for two past orders.

Upside, the owner recommended an alternate bit holder to the one I was about to order, pointing out that the alternative Wera item was one of the best on the market. His advice seems to have been right on, the Wera bit holder I got was outstanding.

Downside, very slow delivery requiring multiple check-in emails from me over several weeks. Got a similar explanation as posted above re Wera distribution.

I thought the hot customer service babe pictured on the front page WAS Chad...that's why I keep buying there! You're telling me Chad's a guy?

 

[rhandwor]

I ordered some Wiha ipr bits while I was waiting on some SK bits over two months and got these in a couple of weeks. They had a note on the site they were coming from Germany. SK's came in a month later so that order was 3 months.

 

[Phang]

Ordered Hazet 3/8" deep socket from Chad’s a month ago (21 June 2009) and still waiting…

 

[ImportTuner]

Ordered Hazet 3/8" deep socket from Chad’s a month ago (21 June 2009) and still waiting…

What was the shipping cost like to Singapore??

 

[FNFS2000]

I've spent thousands of dollars there,most orders ship right away. If your in a hurry you can select a partial shipment, I think otherwise they hold to ship complete.

They seem to have a large inventory in my experience, like I said most orders ship right away, when I have a huge order, I select partial shipping and almost all of it arrives in about 4 days.

 

[FNFS2000]

I ordered some Wiha ipr bits while I was waiting on some SK bits over two months and got these in a couple of weeks. They had a note on the site they were coming from Germany. SK's came in a month later so that order was 3 months.

I didn't know they sold SK? I never found it there before. I thought it was mostly all German tools.

 

[Phang]

What was the shipping cost like to Singapore??

USD$37.84 for 7 pieces of Hazet 880LG size 7,8,10,12,14,17 and 19.

Anyway, I got them in my mailbox (the one made of metal) 2 days ago from the other end of the globe with some dog hairs in the parcel, possibly Chad's Husky?

 

[Monte]

That took long ! Did they send it via ship or bicycle post ??