China wrench fail

[sberry]

I hadn't noticed it although I think this one come in to recent circulation but the end was bad, second one I found out of about 60 or so but,,, I am not sure it was made that way or came back from an impacting backup job. I think I meant to toss it then but it came back. Now it cant be dug out of scrap.

I posted just because I know there are some woddies generated at the thought of a stripped China tool. The upside is I didn't hurt the tractor with it.

I can handle not warranting the wrench but the tractor started a hyd leak right in the middle of an easy job, I did finish but said screw it till this morning and my excuse is I am waiting for it to dry, I scrubbed most of it up except for the cooling system I forgot till I was done.

I kind of decided to keep it to the real matter at hand anyway and pull a persnickety valve off and find out what went wrong, of course its in the blind side.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I hadn't noticed it although I think this one come in to recent circulation but the end was bad, second one I found out of about 60 or so but,,, I am not sure it was made that way or came back from an impacting backup job. I think I meant to toss it then but it came back. Now it cant be dug out of scrap.

I posted just because I know there are some woddies generated at the thought of a stripped China tool. The upside is I didn't hurt the tractor with it.

I can handle not warranting the wrench but the tractor started a hyd leak right in the middle of an easy job, I did finish but said screw it till this morning and my excuse is I am waiting for it to dry, I scrubbed most of it up except for the cooling system I forgot till I was done.

I kind of decided to keep it to the real matter at hand anyway and pull a persnickety valve off and find out what went wrong, of course its in the blind side.

The wrench looks like it was flame cut. Obviously that is not the failure...

 

[shanny19]

I think he cut the wrench so it wouldn't work it's way back into his toolbox.
What the original problem with the wrench is not so clear.

 

[-Brent-]

I had to read it a few times to understand... and I think I only kind-of understand.

I see you cut it, like Shanny said, but I cannot see the flaw/break on either end. Did you cut this one to prevent yourself from using and eventually breaking it?

 

[G_P]

What was wrong with the wrench? Other than it having its box end cut off?

Was one end out of spec and not the right size?

 

[928'er]

Huh?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Sounds like the wrench forgot to tighten something on the hydraulic system.

 

[fasteddie313]

if you wanted to see broken china tools I could just start saving them up, id have a few before too long...

I work mainly outside and when I break something without a warranty, or it proved its self to be non serviceable I just chuck them towards the scrap area, or if its a small socket or something sometimes they just get launched deep into the woods for someone else to find in 100 years..

just broke a "team mechanic" 12 point socket, in all fairness I was using it to calibrate a torque wrench against my snap on torque wrench at 90 ish ft/lbs and I did have to somewhat massage it onto the 1/2" square drive with the back of a crescent wrench..

no biggie, happens all the time...

and that's why I grabbed a china anyway because I was going to be mean to it and didn't want to do that to good stuff..

I recently sliced a socket with a cutoff wheel and used it as a collet style bearing puller with a wedge... worked just fine..

 

[sberry]

Yes, I was in a hurry. The box end was loose, I went to use it on a good bolt and it didn't feel right. I compared it and suspect as I said it got used on a building job holding backup on some clamps and beat against an impact for a day.
I cut it off to trash it,,, seems no matter how hard you try to deep 6 it the they come back.
I did finish my job, had parts on hand and was so proud of myself till start up where I did forget a fitting. Half a bucket of floor dry later its cleaned up and the job is out the door.

 

[Engine]

... it got used on a building job holding backup on some clamps and beat against an impact for a day.

Then it is possible that the wrench wasn't actually defective, but it just couldn't take that much of a beating?

 

[Allenw]

Then it is possible that the wrench wasn't actually defective, but it just couldn't take that much of a beating?

If it doesn't stand up to how I use it I would call that a failure.

 

[Gmonkee]

I have a set of AZ housebrand Powerbuilt DBE wrenches that fit poorly on Korean made metric bolts and perfectly on Japanese and German spec'ed fasteners.

It took a week to figure out the fault of the sloppy fit but it was a very slightly tapered form to the hex heads, whch was verified with a vernier caliper.
I still keep them around but use them smarter now. Not bad tools but not perfect either.

 

[91bronc300]

I know there are some woddies generated at the thought

This might be new signature material.....

 

[Danguitarman]

Am I mistaken, or did you start a thread a couple months ago extolling the greatness of cheap tools?

 

[Exceller8]

Huh?

+1

 

[MagnumForce]

My brain hurts

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Are you high or drunk? Pick one (1).

 

[Conductor562]

Am I mistaken, or did you start a thread a couple months ago extolling the greatness of cheap tools?

Just one?

 

[Ruger_556]

I'm so confused...

 

[monomach]

Huh?

Yeahhhhhh. Lots of words I recognize, but I couldn't pull a meaning out of them.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Am I mistaken, or did you start a thread a couple months ago extolling the greatness of cheap tools?

It's weekly.

I bet for $50 more he could have bought a quality set of wrenches and not had to deal with this ****.

 

[sberry]

Ya, would have really paid off to beat the snot out of one 50$ wrench. I know how painful it seems for some to have to toss 1 China wrench that cost a dollar that had been abused,,, for 50 more I wouldn't have had to deal with it,,, hahaha. Its almost comical to accuse me of being deluded,,, I got to wonder if most could pass elementary math?
Now as for causing you a headache,,, it doesn't seem to stop everyone from reading?

I quoted 60 wrenches or so which is way low, broke 5 dollars worth in 25 years beating them with a hammer or impact. I would be all ears to hear how spending 50 on one set would have helped.

 

[ttensirk]

I have a Akro Mills bin that I use to store cheap Chinese sh!t tools. If I need to modify a tool, I dig thru the Chinese bin. After the tool is destroyed I drop it in the scrap hopper.

 

[cgv69]

Yhahaha. Its almost comical to accuse me of being deluded,,, I got to wonder if most could pass elementary math?
Now as for causing you a headache,,, it doesn't seem to stop everyone from reading?

If and when you ever pass elementary English, you may then be in a position to question others math skills

 

[sberry]

We depend on common combo for thousands of adjustments and they get treaded like any wrench. At first they were ntended to be for short work and kept in equipment tool boxes, after a bit they migrated and we put an end to "looking" for them by adding as needed to a saturation point if you want to call it that.
They have really proven out. I think my Dad may have boutght a set or 2 that were nothing to really write about but they were like 15$ and we got our moneys worth but I bought a shitload of Olympia when TSC had them for a dollar. Bought them 5 at a time in the common small sizes and still could use another handful of 7/16 but they were brutally tough. I pounded a brake bleeder loose the other day, 3/8 China 12 pt wrench with a 20 oz framing hammer. I had to hit it about a dozen times, super fit, did the job like any other.

 

[franzdom]

Then it is possible that the wrench wasn't actually defective, but it just couldn't take that much of a beating?

Nobody said it was defective...

 

[nieuport17]

Its a cheap wrench.
And it broke.
I dont know, when I click on the thread I was expecting a little more juicy story.

 

[sberry]

The world is fill of English lit types,,, its part of the problem we got now. I got to love the reasoning,,, you cant do practical math and its because I don't follow proper grammer... says it all in a nutshell right there.

Here is part of the overall point though and its for those in business and want, need or should be economical. If yo are on the fence about deciding to buy something you need go to Walmart and get it. Do not read 100's of posts to which I am a counterweight to sit around scratching till you can afford or need to use credit to get a tool.

You think I don't make sense,,, anyone that tries to explain SnapOn as a "value: is full of it. Your perception may differ which is what really happens but it depreciates so fast the day you buy that it takes years before there is any ROI just to break even.
I got a few pieces, they are nice and it didn't break me, bought out of pocket but took one loss to figure out how painful that was and when I buy a single off the rack a while back from Lowes, full polish for some affordable price even my helper had to comment,,, new wrench and asked how much,, retail 4$.

I got nothing against spending anything you want, good for the vendors but to try to leave a blanket persistant impression that it makes some kind of financial sense and turns the limp wristed in to golden arms is absolutely false,,,, its about like going to the casino to win money.

Is it really worth the cost and the worry,,, zillions of China end wrenches now in the world and a handful of problems, the forum is non stop about warranty worry over the best tools?

The weak link in all of it is the user. Manpower makes hundreds of mistakes for any issue caused by a faulty hand tool. We tore a fairly complicated tractor apart yesterday morning, my Brother was my helper and first thing I had to hide a swivel and half the tools, get him to replace the tools he got he didn't need with less and correct so we didn't have to shuffle thru this job sifting.
There are a few places in life you need gadgets and specialty makes routine a lot easier but "upgradijng" from a set of Pittsburg or Cman wrenches for anyone working for a common wage is pointless and a mathematical loser, I will take 5 minutes out to figure my way around a stubborn problem before I start tossing 20's at it. If its a routine common issue then it makes sense to apply the effort there vs a "buckshot" approach.
I hate to see some kid told he is being robbed and wasting money if he doesn't buy some premium product cause of the warranty and a few other absolute nonsense arguments you can try to make for it.
The Chilton manual says it all. I must have missed that part.
Its my blog for the day, its fwiw, like it or not, own thoughts from someone that buys a dollar wrench, makes it pay the first time and a hundred after and refuses to buy a bottle of water for 2$ sold next to the drinking fountain.
Lots of you probably got more money than I do, this is not for you, I have my own economic faults but I can say this from lots of practical experience in tuff environment with nuts and bolts.
I got thousands of pieces, probably not worth 5 grand at a good sale, you could bring every piece they make in the biggest box they got (I got room) snd we have a little shootout about stuck, broke rusted, beat and about 1 out of 10 would beat me,,, and that's questionable as to as he was looking thru all that **** I would have vised gripped it out on the first try.

 

[sberry]

Its a cheap wrench.
And it broke.
I dont know, when I click on the thread I was expecting a little more juicy story.

Me too,,, I can only put so much spin on it though. Sorry I didn't hurt myself or bust a knuckle,,, I will try harder, today isn't over yet and there is a good chance I will use a wrench or 2 before its over.

 

[sberry]

Nobody said it was defective...

There is a chance it could have been defective, maybe we used it and never really thought all that much about it till yesterday but as I recall I bought a couple generic with a different name for a particular job. Running rusty bolt nuts off clamps withy a 1/2 gun. A lot of them we let wrench rotate around and many twisted right off. It looks like maybe it cam out but didn't put glasses on to see.
As we replaced all the old bolts the demand has now went down some and I see the racks full. When I came across it I culled it from a couple dozen of the same size. Not even going to replace it, so we got 23 instead of 24 and I got 2 less people working than at peak.

 

[franzdom]

If your point is that Chinese and low cost tools are worth it for what they can usually do, and stop worrying about warranty when you buy tools, then I get that. I do not get how this thread was originally supposed to be about that though.

The world is fill of English lit types,,, its part of the problem we got now. I got to love the reasoning,,, you cant do practical math and its because I don't follow proper grammer... says it all in a nutshell right there.

Here is part of the overall point though and its for those in business and want, need or should be economical. If yo are on the fence about deciding to buy something you need go to Walmart and get it. Do not read 100's of posts to which I am a counterweight to sit around scratching till you can afford or need to use credit to get a tool.

You think I don't make sense,,, anyone that tries to explain SnapOn as a "value: is full of it. Your perception may differ which is what really happens but it depreciates so fast the day you buy that it takes years before there is any ROI just to break even.
I got a few pieces, they are nice and it didn't break me, bought out of pocket but took one loss to figure out how painful that was and when I buy a single off the rack a while back from Lowes, full polish for some affordable price even my helper had to comment,,, new wrench and asked how much,, retail 4$.

I got nothing against spending anything you want, good for the vendors but to try to leave a blanket persistant impression that it makes some kind of financial sense and turns the limp wristed in to golden arms is absolutely false,,,, its about like going to the casino to win money.

Is it really worth the cost and the worry,,, zillions of China end wrenches now in the world and a handful of problems, the forum is non stop about warranty worry over the best tools?

The weak link in all of it is the user. Manpower makes hundreds of mistakes for any issue caused by a faulty hand tool. We tore a fairly complicated tractor apart yesterday morning, my Brother was my helper and first thing I had to hide a swivel and half the tools, get him to replace the tools he got he didn't need with less and correct so we didn't have to shuffle thru this job sifting.
There are a few places in life you need gadgets and specialty makes routine a lot easier but "upgradijng" from a set of Pittsburg or Cman wrenches for anyone working for a common wage is pointless and a mathematical loser, I will take 5 minutes out to figure my way around a stubborn problem before I start tossing 20's at it. If its a routine common issue then it makes sense to apply the effort there vs a "buckshot" approach.
I hate to see some kid told he is being robbed and wasting money if he doesn't buy some premium product cause of the warranty and a few other absolute nonsense arguments you can try to make for it.
The Chilton manual says it all. I must have missed that part.
Its my blog for the day, its fwiw, like it or not, own thoughts from someone that buys a dollar wrench, makes it pay the first time and a hundred after and refuses to buy a bottle of water for 2$ sold next to the drinking fountain.
Lots of you probably got more money than I do, this is not for you, I have my own economic faults but I can say this from lots of practical experience in tuff environment with nuts and bolts.
I got thousands of pieces, probably not worth 5 grand at a good sale, you could bring every piece they make in the biggest box they got (I got room) snd we have a little shootout about stuck, broke rusted, beat and about 1 out of 10 would beat me,,, and that's questionable as to as he was looking thru all that **** I would have vised gripped it out on the first try.

 

[d.mcfarland]

My understanding is the wrench was used to back up a bolt/nut and because it was used for that reason the 12 point box end is now loose and will strip a good bolt of that size using the box end.

I personally don't like cheap tools, but you got your money out of abusing that one.

Lobster claw for sure.

 

[McFarmer]

I have no love of Chinese tools, but I think it would be more accurate to say : (insert brand here) wrench failed.

 

[sberry]

It wasn't fit for service anymore we took it out without having to chase a truck down with 100$ bills taped to my forehead. It never had a catastrophic failure. The world wont end and no puppies died.
Now on to the task at hand, just went and picked up a half a mile of pipe and sprinklers and put on one of the 7 bunk trailers I built a while back. They have tried several versions of this and I might have made bunks and a hydraulic undercarriage but it really was simpler to build the trailers from scrap where each had a common jackleg and set of wheels. I block the ends for snow load in the winter and when I am time sensitive in the spring pull them off the blocks ready to install.
We used to use 1 trailer and pic and bunk and it was a mess. I built one or 2 extra from when I started the project and reduced load size to keep each to 2 lines vs 3 and it reduced the complications,,, took 2 more units but made it another level of convenience.
I bought a jack for each and we rounded up all the trailer frames we could scrounge as well as tires etc. We striped any brake hardware and made sure there was some grease in the hubs while we were at it, sized them exactly for this, kept the width road legal even though we don't use them for it. Took some of the flaws out of the originals. Took 3 weeks off/on part days to salvage it all and fabricate.
It outright saved 4 days a year every year, maybe more, some days when help is precious, reduced the tedium from 2 hard days to easy 1/2.

 

[sberry]

If your point is that Chinese and low cost tools are worth it for what they can usually do, and stop worrying about warranty when you buy tools, then I get that.

Actually my point is deeper than that. Its how do people really perceive value and how much is rooted in fact and fiction,,, which often contrary to evidence.
My perspective is slightly different than a flat rater but when I see a busted knucke broken tool thread with a bunch of cliché one liners at best which contradicts my real world and fairly broad experience than I got to wonder,,, why????

I don't have a single faulty tool injury story except for old wood shovel handle about got me a while back, I use the stuff all the time and cant remember when I busted knuckle and the next guy has a scrape every time,,, how is this? I don't think the tool is the problem but its with warranty kind of marketing numbers,,, doesn't hurt sales a bit to the top sellers.

According to some tests they have a hard time proving Snap is much if any better at some extreme level than a Pit Pro that cost less than the sales tax I would pay here on premium. It might be better but at what cost? Especially at long term like I see it justified, especially to new users where the risk of loss is high, way higher than breakage.

 

[cgv69]

I'm not a religious man but this thread does remind me of Proverbs 18:2

"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion"

Now I'm not saying the OP is a fool. He's entitled to his opinion and it seems that his opinion has been thought out based on some self defined criteria. That's fine a dandy but my problem here is...

A. He seems to think his opinion is somehow fact and that those who do not share his opinion are the fools?

B. He may very well have some valid points but its hard to take him seriously or even understand his viewpoint when expresses himself using 5th grade level writing skills.

 

[franzdom]

Your point about warranty is well taken and reminds me of a recent HVAC sales pitch, they love Amana because it "has a lifetime warranty". It is a brand I have never heard great things about but I was curious.
I looked on a home inspectors forum and they said that they have never seen an Amana gas pack that didn't have some issue. The warranty does me no good if my AC is broken in the middle of the summer or my heater is broken in the middle of the winter. Their equipment just isn't that good and they try to make up for it with a better warranty. Marketing genius but I am not buying it.

As for this thread, pointing out grammar and spelling errors doesn't seem like a good thing to perseverate about on this forum. I learned that a long time ago.

 

[cgv69]

As for this thread, pointing out grammar and spelling errors doesn't seem like a good thing to perseverate about on this forum. I learned that a long time ago.

Grammar or spelling errors are one thing. We all make them from time to time and I have never commented on that before, here or on any other forum.

Maybe its just me but I draw a line between that and incoherent ramblings from someone who seems to be questioning other peoples math or logic skills. The irony in that is just too thick.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Grammar or spelling errors are one thing. We all make them from time to time and I have never commented on that before, here or on any other forum.

Maybe its just me but I draw a line between that and incoherent ramblings from someone who seems to be questioning other peoples math or logic skills. The irony in that is just too thick.

No ****. How many rambling threads about chinese tools does a person need in life? Why belong to a tool forum when all you're interested in is tbe cheapest chinese **** you can get your hands on? I'm going to join a race car forum and talk about how my Datsun does everything a sprint car does, but is cheaper.

This guy doesnt get that we all dont work on rusty farm equipment. If I round off a $50 fitting on my race car with a $1 wrench, how much did I save over spending $10 on a good wrench?

 

[sberry]

franzdom comes close.
I am not sitting here composing, I shoot at this if I feel like it.
Tools are but a slice of this, its easy to put them together and spot the difference, in marketing in cost, in % of users, all kinds of stuff to learn from it.
One of the basic points being that so much can be bought white box wholesale, Napa and the like that unless you are like the learer in quality like Snap the real dough is in getting you to pay more for the same item as HF but comes in a nicer box with different marketing,,, such as the torque wrench from Ace etc.
I bought a wheel brg a while back, I bought it cheap but if you add one digit to the part number and Napa box it changes from a 40$ brg to a 90$ one. Tells me there is way more to be made way easier looking for the juice selling then there is manufacturing.

It tells me that I would be another atta boy singing the praises for some big outfit acts like they are doing me a favor by selling some astronomical stuff.
I really got to like the ones that testify how their lives improved once they started a truck account and pay 100 a week,,,, ya almost brings a tear to my eye. I guess nothing forces a guy to work like payments. l.