I have been thinking about making my socket set more complete lately and came across these. What do you all think? I've always made due with using my impact sockets on the larger fasteners even if an impact socket looks hella funny on a chrome ratchet, but it might be nice having some larger sized sockets in 1/2 drive. I don't know though, this set might come in handy when I need to get out the breaker bar on a stuck 10mm fastener. I can see myself using that one as much as I use my 1/4 drive 18mm.
do i really need these?
- Thread starter monster1
- Start date
Stooge
Well-known member
i dont see anything 
i dont see anything
Sorry, hold on. I forgot to post the link!
X1 Mike
Well-known member
When people ask me if they should get these, my answer is always "More these are better than less these".
sberry
Banned
Do you need them?
jakemac
Well-known member
As for "do i really need these?", only you can say. 
That said, I've never cared for the G series Cman's. Mostly it's a personal thing, but my experience has been that the later you get in the series, the worse the quality. The original G series was OK, once they started adding numbers and turning the code upside-down, the quality started to tank. The EE series is even worse. That set is an upside-down G2 series. You can already see blemishes in the chrome in the pictures.
If you decide that you need (or want) a metric socket set, I'd look for SK or used Cman -V- series sets instead. Especially at the price that link is selling them for.
That said, I've never cared for the G series Cman's. Mostly it's a personal thing, but my experience has been that the later you get in the series, the worse the quality. The original G series was OK, once they started adding numbers and turning the code upside-down, the quality started to tank. The EE series is even worse. That set is an upside-down G2 series. You can already see blemishes in the chrome in the pictures.
If you decide that you need (or want) a metric socket set, I'd look for SK or used Cman -V- series sets instead. Especially at the price that link is selling them for.
X1 Mike
Well-known member
Personally I'm not that crazy about the price. I would say anyone should have a chrome set like that because they fit places where an impact socket may not but I don't love that set at that price.
Actually, another seller has the same set for 25 bucks shipped. I'm not real crazy about craftsman anymore and would love to start a set of Williams sockets but I don't use them every day and tools for me are just a means to an end (mostly). I'd rather put my money into my true hobbies.
sberry
Banned
One of my friends is one of the best hands on mechanics I have ever met and he has a mechanics tool set worth 50$ used if that.
I will agree here about the price, if they want to compete with Walmart and HF then I would like it at 25$. Then it may also become worth it to own vs a question of sitting on something rarely used that you can essentially get at a store open 24 hrs a day for less should the need arise. Does this guy want it bad enough to invest 150$ for a "middle of the road" "just in case" the quality must be better.
It isn't the cheap tool they cheapen,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, its the middle. I can tell this cheap adjustable came off the same line and was finished except for the label when it was made and bet money its sold under a dozen labels including a "set" sale price where I paid a pittance over wholesale for handling. It amazes me when someone buys a spensive pc of polished **** for some crazy number and it doesn't work or doesn't live up,,, yes the company took an email and made it right, great service to the one that bitched,,, and that comes with the price but as a tool question,,, no way the Walmart 1/2 socket set isn't a huge bargain in a quality well proven by trailer park and hillbilly testing with a hf 1/2 breaker bar
Agree exactly with Mike here.
If you were in a bind tonight on a job and that was the solution would not feel robbed if the store had them in stock as expected, they deserve a little juice, compare with "have to have it" at truck prices by the time you figure sales tax in is still only 10 cents to a dollar decision.
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Hf has a Pittsburgh pro set that is probably better made than the craftsman for 12 bucks. Even though tools are pretty much just tools to me, I'm still ocd about them being in a matched set so I'll probably just buy the craftsman with the excuse of putting them under the tree.
IMO the Price isn't too far off considering there 1/2" Drive and Metric along with Free Shipping. Sure.. If you could find a comparable Sears 200+ piece set you might be able to get into the same sizes cheaper by the Piece, but its going to cost more initially. I don't see too many areas where you going to run into clearance issues between a Impact and a Chrome in 1/2" Drive, Im sure there out there though.
sberry
Banned
The SK thread says it all.... they sold a set that ***** and everyone gushes over them but if a Walmart set you paid 25 for had a blem it would be a world class robbery. Could have even examined it in the store in stock for free but somehow its all going to work better with a 6X price tag cause someone stamped the name on it.
Even as pitiful as Sears is no one is getting robbed buying a 309 pc set on sale for 249$.
Even as pitiful as Sears is no one is getting robbed buying a 309 pc set on sale for 249$.
You know what they Say.. If its on the Internet it has to be true.
sberry
Banned
I agree with this generally, no one is committing robbery here.
Due to the fact the OP was having a consideration and speculation and value issues for a set a professional would purchase if needed on the spot it does become a human value question. I walk by 100's of things that are a good deal and if I was in HIS shoes as Mike said,,,,, at that price I might buy it just because its a good deal with the thought I may use it. If he aint got 20's hangin out I am going to make do without provided I didn't face a crisis.
My salvage yard box is a 150+ piece Benchtop tool kit that I bought in 1993 from K-mart. The only issue I have had was the directional lever snapped on the 3/8" ratchet, but it still works fine and I have used this set A LOT even to this day. It was my first tool kit when I turned 18! Money well spent!
sberry
Banned
Its like the question when you or I walk thru a flea mkt. would be tons of items we could use or use more of but when do we buy the "nice to have" may be useful" item out of the sea of items with a limited 20 in our pocket.
A similar class tool can be had off the shelf for 25 at an acceptable quality standard commodity level. I really wonder what Walmart buys that for? Does anyone here know what they pay for that set?
A similar class tool can be had off the shelf for 25 at an acceptable quality standard commodity level. I really wonder what Walmart buys that for? Does anyone here know what they pay for that set?
sberry
Banned
All the fuss about warranty didn't mean 1 thing.
That is becoming the reality, my own career have now seen it. I seen HF tools in a rough class 8 truck shop, all these guys fighting over it to draw a paycheck, brutal. Some of those used 100's of times any one man could accumulate in a career.
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sberry
Banned
Heck I got a handful of WT Grant wrenches that still pop up.
This and manufacturing has taken a super leap in cost qc, huge in steel. The ATD wrench was so good it needed no further finish to slap a brand on it on the way out the warehouse door.
This and manufacturing has taken a super leap in cost qc, huge in steel. The ATD wrench was so good it needed no further finish to slap a brand on it on the way out the warehouse door.
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Of all the tools I have in my box, I probably use my 1/2" sockets, ratchet, breaker bar and extension the least.
Having said that, over many, MANY years, I have acquired a full set of Craftsman 6 point, standard and deep, metric and SAE as well as impact sockets at my disposal when I occasionally need them. Last time I really needed them was when I replaced some suspension parts on a 15 year old Ford E150 Club Wagon.
The best addition I made in recent years is a set of Sunex double ended impact lug nut sockets. These probably get used more than any other 1/2" sockets.
Having said that, over many, MANY years, I have acquired a full set of Craftsman 6 point, standard and deep, metric and SAE as well as impact sockets at my disposal when I occasionally need them. Last time I really needed them was when I replaced some suspension parts on a 15 year old Ford E150 Club Wagon.
The best addition I made in recent years is a set of Sunex double ended impact lug nut sockets. These probably get used more than any other 1/2" sockets.
Provincial
Well-known member
"do I really need these?"
If you have to ask, you don't need them.
If you have to ask, you don't need them.
Yes, that is all too true. Of course there is always the old saying of having and not needing or something. LOL
If you need them or not is only a question you can answer yourself.....
That being said, I did end up having 2 strips of Craftsman sockets in my tool box because they were the only reasonable priced 3/8 6 points I could find local. I may have chosen Gear wrench if I had it to do over again, but Sears warrantied almost an entire strip of 3/8 SAE 6 points I already had, so I only had to buy a few 3/8 SAE sockets and 1 strip of 3/8 metrics to complete my 3/8 shallow 6 points.
Sears also warrantied my SAE 6 point 1/2 drive Shallow strip I had used for 20 years as well, so I will be buying the Metrics to match that set also. The way I see it is if they help me out, I will buy more from them.
If Pittsburgh Pro (Harbor Freight) offered 6 point shallow sockets in 3/8 and 1/2 drive I would have rather had those and not bothered with buying the Craftsman. The quality on the Pitt Pro sockets looks nicer than my new Craftsman (both the USA and China versions)
The easy read markings stamped into the Pitt Pro sockets is easier to read, wont wear off, and the chrome is much nicer on the Pitt Pro sockets as well.
That being said, I did end up having 2 strips of Craftsman sockets in my tool box because they were the only reasonable priced 3/8 6 points I could find local. I may have chosen Gear wrench if I had it to do over again, but Sears warrantied almost an entire strip of 3/8 SAE 6 points I already had, so I only had to buy a few 3/8 SAE sockets and 1 strip of 3/8 metrics to complete my 3/8 shallow 6 points.
Sears also warrantied my SAE 6 point 1/2 drive Shallow strip I had used for 20 years as well, so I will be buying the Metrics to match that set also. The way I see it is if they help me out, I will buy more from them.
If Pittsburgh Pro (Harbor Freight) offered 6 point shallow sockets in 3/8 and 1/2 drive I would have rather had those and not bothered with buying the Craftsman. The quality on the Pitt Pro sockets looks nicer than my new Craftsman (both the USA and China versions)
The easy read markings stamped into the Pitt Pro sockets is easier to read, wont wear off, and the chrome is much nicer on the Pitt Pro sockets as well.
bcradio
Well-known member
What, did you run these over with a bulldozer?
The 3/8 sockets were not as badly worn, but had 20 years of use and misuse on them.
The 1/2 SAE were used and abused for many years. They served as bearing drivers,impact sockets, had breaker bars with cheater pipes, and lots of other very bad things done to them over the past 20 years. I was a kid making a living with these tools, and had to do whatever it took to get the job done.
I had only used the warranty at Sears a few times to swap out the 1/4 and 3/8 ratchets that failed over the past 20 years, so I wanted to see if they would take care of me in a new town, before I bought anything else from them. They did, so I bought some more goodies from them.
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