Craftsman 3-Piece Premium Ratchet Set

[gj67stang]

I received my 2011-2012 Annual Tool Catalog from Sears in the mail today. Glanced through it and found listed in page 115: "Craftsman 3-Piece Premium Grade Ratchet Set", 009-29498, $159.99. The number doesn't seem to be up on the website yet and the catalog lists it as a catalog/online exclusive item. Maybe ya'll already knew about this set, but it's the first I've seen it so I thought I'd share.

Item D:

 

[pipsters]

They are selling for the same price right now, or at least were yesterday.

I like that wobble set, I might have to wait for that to go on bad-boy sale combined with coupons and pick it up as well.

 

[Skin]

I actually just picked up the entire [almost] 3/8 and 1/4 6pt set. Paid about $173 including tax. Got the 1/4" bulk set and grabbed the 3/8 in the basic 7pc sets that the stores carry and added the missing metric sizes via open stock. Still need the 18mm but thats it. Next time i need a filler item.

Sears' **** packaging and UPS's less than nimble handling managed to lose the 3/8 metric set in transit so it was recently re-sent. I'll take pics at some point.

 

[gj67stang]

After looking again, I guess Sears discounted the individual ratchets $10 each to $40, $50, and $70 on the website (store and catalog are priced higher) - so all 3 would be the same cost as the new set I mentioned above.

 

[Serj]

Hey Look, Armstrong ratchets, or are those Gearwrench?

 

[simplec6]

I have the 3/8" premium ratchet and it is ****.

 

[johnsdeere850j]

Hey Look, Armstrong ratchets, or are those Gearwrench?

lol who cares, its all danaher

btw, i got the 1/2 one it is great, i want the 3/8 and 1/4 now

 

[billymade]

Typically, the catalog will give you a break in a set; compared to the same thing in retail packaging... was the same way with the 60 tooth ratchets.

 

[pipsters]

Typically, the catalog will give you a break in a set; compared to the same thing in retail packaging... was the same way with the 60 tooth ratchets.

Yeah the thin profiles can be bought for around $60 online vs. $100 in store, hopefully the premiums come down to that level of pricing, then I will think about them "just to have them".

Question, with no quick release on them (not a fan) how difficult is it to get the sockets off? Do you just pull? Seems like that would be difficult with greasy hands and stuff.

 

[pipsters]

I actually just picked up the entire [almost] 3/8 and 1/4 6pt set. Paid about $173 including tax. Got the 1/4" bulk set and grabbed the 3/8 in the basic 7pc sets that the stores carry and added the missing metric sizes via open stock. Still need the 18mm but thats it. Next time i need a filler item.

Sears' **** packaging and UPS's less than nimble handling managed to lose the 3/8 metric set in transit so it was recently re-sent. I'll take pics at some point.

That looks like the best bet, as the 12 points that come with that 42 piece set are SAE which is basically worthless to me.

 

[Theloniousmonk]

Yeah the thin profiles can be bought for around $60 online vs. $100 in store, hopefully the premiums come down to that level of pricing, then I will think about them "just to have them".

Question, with no quick release on them (not a fan) how difficult is it to get the sockets off? Do you just pull? Seems like that would be difficult with greasy hands and stuff.

lol... it can be difficult to pull sockets off a ratchet when your hands are greasy - you may use 10% more energy at most, but alot of things become more difficult when your hands are greasy... 2/3rds of my ratchets have no quickrelease and I don't notice - I'm pretty sure alot of guys don't really notice after a while. The non quick release is a minor trade-off, if you desire the option, for an outstanding piece of kit (great handle, great mechanism, decent finish, decent weight/balance). These are seriously good ratchets, and I highly recommend the 1/4 (sweetness unlimited) and 3/8 at least.

The ONLY reason I didn't get the 1/2 was due to price - I decided on a 1/2 Wright Contour for roughly 2/3rds the price of the Cman... with this supposed price drop (has not happened at my store), I may pick up the 1/2 as well.

Do not fear change.

 

[JSBriggs]

For being a new product, the picture and description are poor. A full page write up would be a better way to promote. But I guess they would rather have multiple pages of cheesy testimonials and and 'artsy' gorup shot instead.

-Jeff