Craftsman vs Snap-on/Mac/Matco

[Dieselbutterfly]

Yeah, I've considered the value of the "truck comes to you" concept, and have used it in the past when I worked at a garage. I think it actually resulted in me buying stuff that I really didn't need just because the guy would come in with the latest whirlygig wrench set that was on special, and it was "too good of a deal to pass up"....lol.

Realistically, though, how often do you really need something repaired/warrantied? It's a benefit that may not be used all that often.

Other than those benefits, anything else that makes them worth the $$??

there is the economic benefit of US made.if you can get it at a price you can afford,the quality is usually there.customer service is the big factor then

 

[autoace]

True, on many counts, but it is interesting you use "lesser priced" not "lesser quality" tools to do the most difficult kind of work. What do you mean by finer? Like a FINE woman? Most people want to brag about how tuff their truck brands are, but you choose to coddle them. Do you talk to them at the same time too?

You answer it for me. You have to remove an old exhaust manifold bolt. It is supposed to be a 9/16, but it is rusty, and the first most likely shot is to hammer a smaller socket on, like a 14 mm.....slightly smaller and a 6 pt. You have two sockets, a finely engineered Snap-on socket, or fill in truck brand, and a made in Taiwan HF socket, that has done this duty before and shows the wounds. Since you have to improperly use the tool, which do you hammer?????????????????????????????????????????? I sacrifice the cheap tools, and save the higher end ones for their intended use.

From my experience truck brands many not always be stronger than a cheaper tool......they may be, but not necessarily. They feel better for the day in day out user, and have a quality feel an avid tool user can appreciate. No one has to have them to work, they are just prefered by most.

I don't coddle my tools, I use them for there intended purpose........proper tool use. If that is coddling, then so be it. I paid for them, I choose to reluctantly destroy the cheap ones, not the expensive ones. Most people would do the same I would imagine.

 

[darkk]

Most of my personal tools are SK. I bought most of them in the late 60's early 70's I have had very very few tools break in that time. I am *retired now* a professional body man /fabricator/frame man for 45 years. I have a odd Snap On or Mac tool I may have picked up along the way, but they were used from one of the other workers that offered because they bought the newer model. High priced tool truck stuff never was my thing. I even have mostly what would be considered *junk* tool boxes. I do have an old Snap-On KRA377 roll cab I bought new in the late 60's only because it was all that was available to me at the time. I don't trash truck brands, just their pricing.

 

[bobcatdan]

This brand vs brand debate is so stupid. Buy tools you like, it is that simple. No one brand is the answer.

 

[Steevo]

When you are employed making a living with your tools, the convenience of a tool dealer stopping by your shop, selling you tools on a revolving charge account and replacing worn/broken items is a beneficial situation. You save time by getting serviced where you work, and have the convenience of easy exchange for warranty items. It also makes you spend more than you need to, because it is too easy, but that is another issue.

When you retire from daily wrenching in a shop, and are using your tools in a home-shop setting, it is a lot more hassle to get something exchanged if you have to chase down a truck, or catch a dealer at home, or send tools back in the mail.

Nowadays, I prefer tools that I can take back to a store to exchange. I haven't seen a Snap-On or Matco truck in my town, and don't like to have to make phone calls and send stuff in when I could just go to Sears, HF, Ace hardware, Napa, HD, etc.

 

[work tools]

Here is a video showing some of the steps used in making sockets in a factory that makes Snap on.

According to the video the system of ratchet wrenchs and sockets was invented in the 1860's. In the video we see machines and techniques that were obviously perfected decades ago. Probably everybody who makes these tools uses essentially identical machines. Variations might be quality of raw material, the number and care taken in finishing steps, and how carefully tolerances are maintained in the machines, etc. Anybody who is determined can make top quality sockets and ratchets. A business like this is the kind where the machines can be moved from America to an Asian country for the sake of cheaper labor and eventually those workers learn how to make quality tools that cost less because labor is cheaper.

American labor is expensive compared to other nations. I'm not saying that's good or bad, it's just what we've done. In the long run the least cost provider wins in the market place. If we want to keep everybody high paid then we have to move on to more technical and sophisticated manufacturing that's beyond the abilities of poorer nations and then we have to continue to advance to maintain leadership in skills and technology as those other nations also make progress.

I buy the most economical tools that will get the job done. I want America to sell to other nations to protect my job. That doesn't happen unless we buy things from those nations. Let them make the low tech hand tools and we'll use those to make more sophisticated products.

 

[Outlawmws]

Bob, I dont see the benefit, especailly for the boxes. Look around here some and you will find many opinions. I would look for a used set, but I would not spend more than I could buy a new HF set for (44" or 56") Which ever fits your needs. You can pull the emblems off if that bothers you. I ended up with the 44" myself because all the used ones around here were beat to **** or wanted more than new HF for the same storage. Just my way of looking at it. As far as tools, if you have enought to get started, do it. Then add as needed. Starting out, get what you can afford and upgrade (truck brands) only what does not hold up.

New Craftsman boxes aren't worth the effort to go pick them up and to have to pay for what is mostly **** is insulting to the reputation Craftsman built over 70 + years...

I also have a hard time justifying SO box prices, however there are LOTS of good alternatives, including buying used and the usually large drops in price...

If you are in business, then part of what you have to include is what your time is worth, as sometime getting t NOW is more important than price. this is where planning ahead and keeping your eyes open for deals pay off.

 

[creativecars]

My new position at work does not have me turning wrenches everyday, so most of my tools came home. As I did that I got a new 13 drawer from HF, just could not beat the price for the usefulness. The used boxes around here are crazy priced, everyone thinks they have gold... For 1/2 the price used I got 2X's the box. I still find myself wondering if I spend too much time looking for the best value, before I bought this box I spent hours looking at CL, Ebay, Sears, Menards ect... I finally had to pull a trigger.

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

I spoke with my dealer about his route. He said if anything happened and I wasn't with my current employer anymore. He's only a phone call away and would stop at my house if need be. I've only been seeing him for about 2 years and only started spending good money this year... a box. But that's what I pay for, and i'm sure just about any GOOD dealer would do this for a guy. with truck brands your paying for quality tools, quality service, and good, fast warranty.

All you tool snobs are borederline obnoxious. I use craftsman everyday professionally, as well as truck brands and "lesser brands." I rarely have to use a warranty if they even have one. I think we all get it, craftsman ***** cause it's going overseas, it's more of a pain with warranty now and the stores are cutting back on their inventory... Not to mention a bunk website. If you beat on your tools, use ratchets as a hammer, a screwdriver as a prybar or chisel, don't clean and respect your **** or just drop your tool on the ground cause your in a hurry, ya... junk. I clean my tools after every use and put them back in the respected position, no matter the brand. It's not the guitar that makes the guitarist, it's not the kind of paint for a painter, and it certainly isn't the wrench that makes the mechanic.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I buy the most economical tools that will get the job done. I want America to sell to other nations to protect my job. That doesn't happen unless we buy things from those nations. Let them make the low tech hand tools and we'll use those to make more sophisticated products.

I was with you up until that point. The notion of a "high tech" economy is unsustainable at best. We have to be self sufficient if we want to survive, and that means doing everything ourselves from raw material to tooling to high tech products. We've created a thoroughly deplorable skills gap in this country. If one of our "supplier" nations were to shut off the tap, we'd be up **** creek in a hurry. In the event of a major war, we'd never be able to assemble the "arsenal of democracy" that won WWII. We'd have to pray that China was on our side so that THEY could supply the hardware.

This country used to pride itself on having the materials, the tools and the talent. Now the EPA has banned us from producing the materials, the Chinese do a halfassed job of making the tools, and the talent is dying off.

 

[work tools]

I was with you up until that point. The notion of a "high tech" economy is unsustainable at best. We have to be self sufficient if we want to survive, and that means doing everything ourselves from raw material to tooling to high tech products. We've created a thoroughly deplorable skills gap in this country. If one of our "supplier" nations were to shut off the tap, we'd be up **** creek in a hurry. In the event of a major war, we'd never be able to assemble the "arsenal of democracy" that won WWII. We'd have to pray that China was on our side so that THEY could supply the hardware.

This country used to pride itself on having the materials, the tools and the talent. Now the EPA has banned us from producing the materials, the Chinese do a halfassed job of making the tools, and the talent is dying off.

For war time scenarios the government maintains strategic reserves of raw materials. One of the reasons we keep a powerful navy is to keep the seas open to trade. Humans had no significant degree of civilization until we were trading with each other. We've always been interdependent. It's only a matter of degree.

The jobs in a factory making Snap on sockets are very different from the jobs in my shop, which makes automated manufacturing machines. Watch this video of how sockets are made.

most of the people are repetetively feeding parts into machines. Businesses like that are declining in America because poorer people in other nations are willing to do that work for less pay.

The shop where I'm working is not withering away, it's frantically busy and business is increasing faster than qualified people can be found to do the work. The people feeding parts into machines could learn mechanical or electrical skills for higher paying work, which is exactly what I'm doing at a ripe old age.

My shop pays well but the hours are ridiculously long. I like the challenge and it's fun buying tools and learning to use them. It's a surprise that there is very little automation in the shop. There are a few CNC machines but most of the work is done with the same hand tools discussed in this forum. Some of those tools are Snap on and lots more come from Sears and Harbor Freight.

 

[genevabuck]

While there is nothing wrong with Craftsman, I've always used MAC and Snap On tools. There is no question that truck tools are better. The question in my mind has always been if it's worth the price difference. Looking at some of the rising prices in Snap On lately, I watch for monthly deals from the MAC guy and occassionally buy other brands.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

You are kind of missing the point. I've spent the last 20+ years producing those selfsame raw materials. Materials aren't the problem - the problem is what we DON'T do with them. Interdependence and trade are fine, but there comes a point where "inter" goes out the window and we become completely dependent on other nations. We are headed down that slope now, and we know it. We aren't producing the most basic trappings of a society. We load China, Korea and India up with materials, and they send us substandard ****.

I ask again, what happens if China decides to cut us off? Will there be enough Americans with even the rudimentary skills to step up and fill the gap? I'm not too sure. We need to quit shipping these jobs to China and ensure that someone will be able to try and keep the wheels from falling off the country.

Feeding blanks into a machine is a perfectly good job. Not one to my own liking, but it is a hell of a lot better job than flipping burgers or being one of the office drones that cannot explain what it is that he/she actually does.

 

[autoace]

You are kind of missing the point. I've spent the last 20+ years producing those selfsame raw materials. Materials aren't the problem - the problem is what we DON'T do with them. Interdependence and trade are fine, but there comes a point where "inter" goes out the window and we become completely dependent on other nations. We are headed down that slope now, and we know it. We aren't producing the most basic trappings of a society. We load China, Korea and India up with materials, and they send us substandard ****.

I ask again, what happens if China decides to cut us off? Will there be enough Americans with even the rudimentary skills to step up and fill the gap? I'm not too sure. We need to quit shipping these jobs to China and ensure that someone will be able to try and keep the wheels from falling off the country.

Feeding blanks into a machine is a perfectly good job. Not one to my own liking, but it is a hell of a lot better job than flipping burgers or being one of the office drones that cannot explain what it is that he/she actually does.

 

[CWP1616L]

There is no question that truck tools are better.

You'd be surprised how many people in the world can't tell the difference between truck brand tools and dollar store tools. It's sad.