Craftsman sockets not holding up well..

[SnowBlaZeR2]

What I'm saying is that it says tools have been denied exchange because they had rust on them. To me that's not saying they will replace it just because it has rust on it, just that if you have a cracked socket with rust on it they can't say no because of that rust. You see what I'm saying or no?

I will go back to the story I've told a few times. A guy at the counter in Sears (I was eavesdropping) wants to exchange his ratchet because it is rusty. It looked like he found it at the beach somewhere and it wouldn't turn. After complaining to the kid working there the manager eventually came up and gave him a brand new ratchet off the shelf. That ratchet would probably still work fine if he had taken care of it, or even owned it in the first place. He probably ended up with a free ratchet and it kind of pissed me off. I pay for my tools and I take care of them. If one breaks during normal use I will take it back and have it replaced. But if I leave one in my boat and it rusts shut, then tough ****, I'm a *****. That speaks volumes for the stupidity of some, or the overkill of the Craftsman warranty.

JMO.

 

[iandh]

What I'm saying is that it says tools have been denied exchange because they had rust on them. To me that's not saying they will replace it just because it has rust on it, just that if you have a cracked socket with rust on it they can't say no because of that rust. You see what I'm saying or no?

I will go back to the story I've told a few times. A guy at the counter in Sears (I was eavesdropping) wants to exchange his ratchet because it is rusty. It looked like he found it at the beach somewhere and it wouldn't turn. After complaining to the kid working there the manager eventually came up and gave him a brand new ratchet off the shelf. That ratchet would probably still work fine if he had taken care of it, or even owned it in the first place. He probably ended up with a free ratchet and it kind of pissed me off. I pay for my tools and I take care of them. If one breaks during normal use I will take it back and have it replaced. But if I leave one in my boat and it rusts shut, then tough ****, I'm a *****. That speaks volumes for the stupidity of some, or the overkill of the Craftsman warranty.

JMO.

I've seen those kinds of assholes too. Those people are the scum of the earth, and are going to end up ruining the good thing that us honest users have going.

It just plain pisses me off. They know damn well they shouldn't be doing it, but their petty greed overrides any shred of common sense or moral obligation they might have.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I've seen those kinds of assholes too. Those people are the scum of the earth, and are going to end up ruining the good thing that us honest users have going.

It just plain pisses me off. They know damn well they shouldn't be doing it, but their petty greed overrides any shred of common sense or moral obligation they might have.

It may not have annoyed me as much(not likely) if he hadn't looked like a hobo that lived in the dumpster behind the Sears. Come to think of it, maybe that's true and also where he got the ratchet.

I agree though. People wonder why Craftsman keeps making **** overseas. They have to make the money people steal from them back.

 

[kythri]

I get what you're saying.

I'm not stating an opinion on cosmetic rust as the reason for warranty replacement. I'm saying that if a Sears denied warranty replacement based on cosmetic rust (as has been reported), that is a violation of the warranty, and not a valid cause for refusal - and this comes straight from an SHC VP's mouth.

They can't say no to replacement for just about everything - the whole "FULL UNLIMITED WARRANTY" guaranteeing complete satisfaction legally obliges them to replace your tools every time you use them, if used tools don't satisfy you.

That would be perhaps the ultimate extreme "abuse" of the warranty, but, they're the ones who wrote it.

Fortunately, there's not an extreme number of extreme idiots extremely abusing the warranty.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I get what you're saying.

I'm not stating an opinion on cosmetic rust as the reason for warranty replacement. I'm saying that if a Sears denied warranty replacement based on cosmetic rust (as has been reported), that is a violation of the warranty, and not a valid cause for refusal - and this comes straight from an SHC VP's mouth.

They can't say no to replacement for just about everything - the whole "FULL UNLIMITED WARRANTY" guaranteeing complete satisfaction legally obliges them to replace your tools every time you use them, if used tools don't satisfy you.

That would be perhaps the ultimate extreme "abuse" of the warranty, but, they're the ones who wrote it.

Fortunately, there's not an extreme number of extreme idiots extremely abusing the warranty.

Unfortunately, you are absolutely correct. I wish you had to take an IQ test to exist sometimes...

 

[TheGrooveking]

Humidity as stated earlier does not cause rust, what causes rust is temperature differential which leads to condensation. The problem is that the steel of the socket is like a thermal battery and doesn't change temperature as fast as the air around it thus drawing moisture from the air around it.

To the OP, has these sockets been used as punches or for pressing stuff out/on? Also, since they are lug nut size, do the lug nuts have road salt on them? which is then left in the bore, where most of the stress cracks/chrome inpingment will happen from sharp fastener edges.

TheGrooveking

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

Humidity as stated earlier does not cause rust, what causes rust is temperature differential which leads to condensation. The problem is that the steel of the socket is like a thermal battery and doesn't change temperature as fast as the air around it thus drawing moisture from the air around it.

To the OP, has these sockets been used as punches or for pressing stuff out/on? Also, since they are lug nut size, do the lug nuts have road salt on them? which is then left in the bore, where most of the stress cracks/chrome inpingment will happen from sharp fastener edges.

TheGrooveking

Humidity does cause rust.

That is all.

 

[Marauder470]

More hearsay? Fantastic.

Toyota makes some cars in Kentucky and Indiana.
Toyota makes some trucks in Texas.
Honda makes some cars in Alabama.

Ford makes some cars in Ontario, Canada.
GMC makes their iconic muscle car, the Camaro, in Canada.
Dodge makes their iconic muscle cars, the Challenger and Charger, in Canada.

What's the NASCAR Toyota model? The Camry? All Camrys sold in the United States are manufactured here.

If you're going to boycott Home Depot, do it for an intelligent reason.

The big three still make plenty of cars in the states....Mustang...Taurus....So on..

 

[Tom2]

To the OP, has these sockets been used as punches or for pressing stuff out/on? Also, since they are lug nut size, do the lug nuts have road salt on them? which is then left in the bore, where most of the stress cracks/chrome inpingment will happen from sharp fastener edges.

TheGrooveking

The ones pictured are 3/8s. I often do use my 1/2 breaker bar and 1/2 c-man chromes for lugs though.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Those people have the right idea; if only some company made something similar with relocatable pegs, they'd have a winner.

What kind of MTS trays are you gonna get? Are you gonna get the magnetic kind with the bowling ball holes?

These:

http://www.tooltopia.com/mechanics-time-savers-las38.aspx

I've seen a drawer organized with them and they look pretty good.

 

[kythri]

The big three still make plenty of cars in the states....Mustang...Taurus....So on..

Yes, they do. I was simply pointing out some of their non-domestic production to counter the whole "OMG HOME DEPOT *****, THEY SPONSORED A TOYOTA CAMRY, WHICH IS MADE IN THE US!!! BOYCOTT!" idiocy.

 

[Indy_500]

Humidity as stated earlier does not cause rust, what causes rust is temperature differential which leads to condensation. The problem is that the steel of the socket is like a thermal battery and doesn't change temperature as fast as the air around it thus drawing moisture from the air around it.

To the OP, has these sockets been used as punches or for pressing stuff out/on? Also, since they are lug nut size, do the lug nuts have road salt on them? which is then left in the bore, where most of the stress cracks/chrome inpingment will happen from sharp fastener edges.

TheGrooveking

So if you live up in wisconsin where for 4 months it's under 30 degrees than during the summer it's 80+ degrees, you have a better chance of you sockets rusting away?

 

[Merkava_4]

These:

http://www.tooltopia.com/mechanics-time-savers-las38.aspx

I've seen a drawer organized with them and they look pretty good.

What are you gonna screw them to?

 

[Indy_500]

What are you gonna screw them to?

i screw all my socket rails onto a piece of 3/8" thick plywood so i'm not constantly drilling holes in my toolbox to bolt/rivet on the rails.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

What are you gonna screw them to?

It depends on how well they stay still. If they move around too much when twisting the socket off, I'll probably attach them to some aluminum angle stock.

 

[Merkava_4]

It depends on how well they stay still. If they move around too much when twisting the socket off, I'll probably attach them to some aluminum angle stock.

That's an interesting idea.

 

[TheGrooveking]

So if you live up in wisconsin where for 4 months it's under 30 degrees than during the summer it's 80+ degrees, you have a better chance of you sockets rusting away?

No it has to do with temperature cycles that move thru the dew point, so it is relevant to temperature and humidity, if the sockets are at constant temperature they will not form condensation, but if they go from cold to hot they'll form condensation.

TheGrooveking

 

[TheGrooveking]

In my work tool box I have two drawers that I have sheets of .060 aluminum cut to fit with socket rails screwed to them. Since all of the rails are the same size I can move clips to the other rails if I need to change drive size to reconfigure.

TheGrooveking

 

[Gary S]

I won't take pictures of my 1971 Craftsman sockets and post them here because you would cry if you saw how nice they still look.....................and they have never been cleaned up in almost 40 years.
I just use them hard like tools were meant to be used.

 

[Xenocide]

I've got a socket that's got a chunk of plating missing off the bottom but there's no rusting or further flaking, it's been like that for about a year of regular use. It gets stored outside in a damp(ish) garage (leaky roof ).

 

[TireTracks]

I won't take pictures of my 1971 Craftsman sockets and post them here because you would cry if you saw how nice they still look.....................and they have never been cleaned up in almost 40 years.
I just use them hard like tools were meant to be used.

Thats probably why they have lasted. The oil film is keeping them from rusting.

 

[iandh]

No it has to do with temperature cycles that move thru the dew point, so it is relevant to temperature and humidity, if the sockets are at constant temperature they will not form condensation, but if they go from cold to hot they'll form condensation.

TheGrooveking

If there is no significant amount of moisture in the air, the dew point is irrelevant. That's why we don't get any rust here, ever; I live in the desert.

Humidity causes rust because you can't have rust without humidity, unless you have some other source of moisture of course.

Honestly an ultra-thin layer of iron oxide can form even without any moisture, but the kind of tool destroying rust that we usually see needs significant moisture.

 

[boybacon]

So if you live up in wisconsin where for 4 months it's under 30 degrees than during the summer it's 80+ degrees, you have a better chance of you sockets rusting away?

I live in Wisconsin. It's a constant battle to keep my tools from rusting. It's because of the stinking humidity in the summer time. Ugh.

 

[xroad]

My friend have a detached garage that is very well sealed and insulated Even the slab is poured over some 4" of solid foam insulation. It stays very warm in the winter with minimal heat. The problem is in the humid summer. Every time he opens the garage door, the blast of humid hot air hits everything inside the cool garage ...... water condense on every surface. He is storing his tool box inside the house now.

 

[billymade]

Don't feel bad; the q/c on Craftsman tools has gone waaay down! I have taken tools literally right of the truck, out of the shipping boxes and seen chrome peeling off, chipping! I was told there was a new plant in Dallas doing most of the hand tools now; I don't know if they have improved any but we saw some very inconsistent chrome and finish grinding on many tools. Many times the chrome was chipped and peeling.... these hadn't left the store! So, don't be surprised; on the other hand, I saw some sockets in sets that had really good, shiny thick chrome! So, while I don't know if these sets were made a different location or what... but there seemed to be quite a bit of variation in the quality of the chrome and finish of the tools! A Danaher rep on here.... acknowledged the issue; wether they have worked it out... only time and others experiences, will tell!

I also think this is a industry wide issue; newer environmentally conscious processes, do not seem to be as durable as the older processes... this is very obvious; just look at old Craftsman tools and the new stuff.

 

[wrenchr]

Well, if you can get ahold of him that is.

Right

 

[Ghostrider]

"I actually have a cheap set of "Workforce" brand tools from Home Depot I believe. Got them around 5 years ago as a gift. As far as I can recall I've never broke a socket from that set, and none of them have chrome failure. The ratchet did break a year or so later, lasted about as long as a C-man ratchet lasts me, if not slightly longer."

Am I the only person that sees the ratchets "breaking" once a year as part of the problem with the sockets?

 

[TheGrooveking]

If there is no significant amount of moisture in the air, the dew point is irrelevant. That's why we don't get any rust here, ever; I live in the desert.

Humidity causes rust because you can't have rust without humidity, unless you have some other source of moisture of course.

Honestly an ultra-thin layer of iron oxide can form even without any moisture, but the kind of tool destroying rust that we usually see needs significant moisture.

Moisture in your formula is providing the oxidation, oxidation can happen in air, or any medium that contains oxygen. The important thing is to eliminate the catalyst that causes the oxidation. As to a thin layer of rust, every piece of metal has it's ORP (oxidation reduction potential) and depending on the environment it is in will determine the level of corrision and how quik it will desolve by oxidation.

TheGrooveking

 

[Merkava_4]

This thread is still going?

 

[iandh]

Moisture in your formula is providing the oxidation, oxidation can happen in air, or any medium that contains oxygen. The important thing is to eliminate the catalyst that causes the oxidation. As to a thin layer of rust, every piece of metal has it's ORP (oxidation reduction potential) and depending on the environment it is in will determine the level of corrision and how quik it will desolve by oxidation.

TheGrooveking

That's what I mentioned in my post... oxidation forms with or without moisture. The moisture is what acts as a catalyst to encourage catastrophic, tool destroying corrosion. In dry, oxygen rich air, the surface layer of oxidation acts as a protective coating, so you just end up with brown tools (assuming they're iron based).