I agree, when used for their intended purpose, craftsman tools are of great quality and value. There are many other great brands out there as well. Look around, hold the sockets in your hands, talk to people who have used the set you're interested in, and in the end you will find a set that meets all of your needs.
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Decent 1/2" drive set
- Thread starter ravenzfusion
- Start date
I agree, when used for their intended purpose, craftsman tools are of great quality and value. There are many other great brands out there as well. Look around, hold the sockets in your hands, talk to people who have used the set you're interested in, and in the end you will find a set that meets all of your needs.
OP
ravenzfusion
Well-known member
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- Feb 5, 2014
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Just called a sears store that said they had 3 modules in stock. All China.
Spareparts
Well-known member
In 2007 I got a call at 5:30 am to come to the shop, we have been broken into. When I got there the shop was empty, all my shop equipt. and tools gone. When we got finished with the police I still had service calls to handle. Went to HD to pick up some tools. Got their $159. set of black chrome tool set, added some screw drivers, pliers, and hammers. All this was their Husky brand to get by with. I still use these tools daily and have never had a failure, wore the ratchets out but they replaced them no questions asked. Added tools thru the years and all of them are the Husky brand and work surprisingly well, would I buy them again "yes". I have over 50K in tools off the tool trucks and a 6' Maximizer Pro in my shop but for outside work and in the field the other tools are my go to tools. Probally Husky and Kobalt are made in the same offshore plants and the quality isn't that bad. 20 yrs. ago I wouldn't have even looked at them, SO/Mac were the only tools made as far as I was concerned, but after losing over 20K in one night my outlook changed.
cgv69
Well-known member
Gotta disagree here. The Kobalt sockets I have used have been terrible quality and the fit was horrible. If we are talking about finish only then those other ones win, but to me it is more about the socket in use vs. how it looks.
Of all the time I have been on this forum, I have never once heard of someone complain about Craftsman sockets in use. Sure they have complained about poor chrome on some sockets (which I have heard complaints about many other brands just the same). Sure a few may have broken some sockets (Same goes for pretty much every other brand). I am not sure where you are getting that these sockets are lower quality than the others you mentioned (unless talking about chroming alone), because they surely are not. Price alone does not determine quality.
All any of use can do is make recommendations based off of our own personal experience and my personal experience is the completely opposite of yours.
The Kobalt sockets that I own have all been perfect (both in looks and actual use). My BiL who has his own business servicing CNC equipment uses nothing but Kobalt and he has been very satisfied as well.
As far as Craftsman goes, the only socket I ever broke was a Craftsman. maybe that happens with other brands but so far, not for me. As far as the poor chrome, for me its not about the looks, its about the rust protection (which is the whole point behind chroming them in the first place). I gave my son some tools. Some Mac sockets that I was no longer using and some Craftsman sockets to fill in the gaps. After a couple of months in his tool box, that Mac sockets still looked fine but the Craftsman sockets were rusting. That unacceptable IMO but to each their own.
bcradio
Well-known member
All any of use can do is make recommendations based off of our own personal experience and my personal experience is the completely opposite of yours.
The Kobalt sockets that I own have all been perfect (both in looks and actual use). My BiL who has his own business servicing CNC equipment uses nothing but Kobalt and he has been very satisfied as well.
As far as Craftsman goes, the only socket I ever broke was a Craftsman. maybe that happens with other brands but so far, not for me. As far as the poor chrome, for me its not about the looks, its about the rust protection (which is the whole point behind chroming them in the first place). I gave my son some tools. Some Mac sockets that I was no longer using and some Craftsman sockets to fill in the gaps. After a couple of months in his tool box, that Mac sockets still looked fine but the Craftsman sockets were rusting. That unacceptable IMO but to each their own.
Very true.
All of my Craftsman sockets have great chroming with no issues of it coming off on any of them. My Kobalt sockets however, have rounded off numerous bolts until I just quit using them. They are also laser etched, but none of the laser etching lines up with the drive side. Now when the are in a socket tray or rail, they have the sizes off to the sides so its harder to see. Also, no size stamping on them only the laser etching. My Craftsman all line up and have the sizes stamped in them. I really wanted to like the Kobalts, but just couldn't.
OP
ravenzfusion
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- Feb 5, 2014
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Browse Sears.com for online only sets. There are a few that are on;y 1/2" drive sockets.
Like this 6pt set, for example: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-49-p...0935745000P?prdNo=20&blockNo=20&blockType=G20
If it's a set that does not show as currently available in your local store, it's probably online only and very likely going to be NOS USA-made.
I ended up ordering this set. All 6 point. Hopefully they are all USA..