Genius Tools what do you think?

[48548]

I was looking up some ernst sockets holders and for some reason I bought these instead, go figure... I was curious if anyone else has am opinions about these tools, I have the snap on red t handle ratchet screwdriver and a snap on f747 3/8 hard handle ratchet and a 1/4, and 3/8 th737, fh747 comfort grip ratchets, and wanted a 1/2 swivel head and snap on doesnt make them, and just decided for the money to buy all three and I can keep my snap ons looking good, anyone else have an genius stuff? How does it hold up and how is the warranty and quality? Thanks for the input...

 

[wrenchr]

My brother has the 1/4 socket set by genius, I do not like the ratchet in the set, the action is way to coarse. But the sockets and the ret are top notch!!

 

[48548]

I was curious if snap on really makes the swivel head and designed them as a lot of tools look like them.... Not sure who stole the design from who... These ratchets should be as good as they have 72 teeth.....

 

[wrenchr]

I have used the 1/4 and it is real course. It is not the same as snap on as I have used both.

 

[48548]

You would think for 72 teeth it would be pretty smooth... Oh well as long as they work good that is all that matters, I have the the sears think professional and they don't have 72 teeth and they are pretty smooth and fine gearing on them... I bought them to test and beat them to death, so no loss...

 

[wrenchr]

The same tooth count does not meen the same action.

 

[Merkava_4]

I have used the 1/4 and it is real course. It is not the same as snap on as I have used both.

You're pushing Snap~on more than I am right now; I haven't pushed one single SO tool today.

 

[48548]

I like snap on, but thought I would see how these things hold up and I am always tired of snap on being god and others tools always being less, I have the snap on ones, but like them so much I wanted to get another set, but can't afford another snap on version and thought I would buy something new to me. Also snap on doesn't make a 1/2 drive version last time I checked. I do appreciate that some people have tried them, if I don't like them I will send them back and get my money back, not sure if you can do that with snap on?

 

[MAD]

I was curious if snap on really makes the swivel head and designed them as a lot of tools look like them.... Not sure who stole the design from who... .

I believe SK may have been the first to offer that style of swivel head ratchet. I have an SK roto-head ratchet that I really like. I have not tried the Snap-on in this style or anything from Genius tools.

Here is a link to the SK patent:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=AS9eAAAAEBAJ&printsec=drawing&zoom=4#PPA1,M1

 

[48548]

Thanks for not turning this into a snap on hi jacking, I like to hear that other tools out there can hold there own, hahaha. Also thank you Wrenchr for yours also, I am glad the sockets are nice, as I do really like the torque sticks and plastic covered lug sockets I have from them, the quality is truly first rate.

 

[MAD]

decided for the money to buy all three and I can keep my snap ons looking good,

Did you grow up in a house with clear plastic slipcovers on all of the comfortable furniture? - just wondering











Just messing with ya Let us know how you like your new tools after you have used them a bit.

 

[48548]

No, hahaha. I just like to take care of my stuff and not beat it to death. I use my tools, and it is nice to have spares, but for the cost of snap on swivel heads, and the lack of the 1/2 I thought I would try these.. Also I am going to order some toptul to try out. I will let you know what I find.

 

[wrenchr]

You're pushing Snap~on more than I am right now; I haven't pushed one single SO tool today.

I have always pushed it, just not to the same extreme as you

 

[wrenchr]

I like snap on, but thought I would see how these things hold up and I am always tired of snap on being god and others tools always being less, I have the snap on ones, but like them so much I wanted to get another set, but can't afford another snap on version and thought I would buy something new to me. Also snap on doesn't make a 1/2 drive version last time I checked. I do appreciate that some people have tried them, if I don't like them I will send them back and get my money back, not sure if you can do that with snap on?

I never said snap on was god, I simply said I have used both and the genuis ratchet sucked.

 

[wrenchr]

I also stated that the sockets and the rest of the set is top notch. The only thing that did not pass my grade was the ratchet.

 

[Fedwrench]

The ratchet mechanism on Genius models looks alot like the one s found on the newer harbor Freight roto ratchets. It could be a case of someone copying someone else, or they could all come from the same factory. If you are happy with them that's all that matters.

 

[wrenchr]

He asked for our opinion and I gave mine.
Genius sockets A+
Genius ratchets F

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

The same tooth count does not meen the same action.

I believe SK may have been the first to offer that style of swivel head ratchet. I have an SK roto-head ratchet that I really like. I have not tried the Snap-on in this style or anything from Genius tools.

Here is a link to the SK patent:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=AS9eAAAAEBAJ&printsec=drawing&zoom=4#PPA1,M1

I am pretty sure he is correct about S&K being the original. The oldest one I have seen of these was by them (I started by spelling by, as BUY, a freudian slip maybe?). I would look to see if they had it in the 1/2" drive, as I believe using the different guts (tooth count), was their way of getting around the patent.

 

[eschoendorff]

The ratchet mechanism on Genius models looks alot like the one s found on the newer harbor Freight roto ratchets. It could be a case of someone copying someone else, or they could all come from the same factory. If you are happy with them that's all that matters.

Genius tools are simply another brand of the same Taiwanese tools found at HF, found branded Sunex, and even - dare I say - close to GearWrench. Take you're pick, they're all pretty much the same.

If it were me and my heart was set on import tools, I would buy the same stuff at HF and be done with it. Or spend a little more and buy the GearWrench stuff. At least they have a nice website and show some support around here....

 

[AutoTech]

I can't really commit on the 1/2 drive version but I've had a 1/4 Genius Roto Head ratchet for a few months now and have had no problems so far. The ratchet mechanism in mine is pretty smooth. I had originally bought the Harbor Freight version and it didn't hold up very well. So if you use them everyday stay away from the HF ratchets

 

[MAD]

I never said snap on was god, I simply said I have used both and the genuis ratchet sucked.

I also stated that the sockets and the rest of the set is top notch. The only thing that did not pass my grade was the ratchet.

I agree that you posted from your own experience. No one should have anything to complain about there. Perhaps you just struck a raw nerve.

 

[48548]

I am sorrry I didn't mean it to sound that way. Forgive me.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

does genius make an air ratchet for flat raters ?

 

[Fedwrench]

does genius make an air ratchet for flat raters ?

Yes they have a 3/8 air ratchet listed on their website but, would a true flat rater really want a Genius brand air ratchet?

I don't know if it's because of the weak dollar or that Genius tools are becoming more popular but, their prices have almost doubled since showing up last year.

 

[eschoendorff]

Yes they have a 3/8 air ratchet listed on their website but, would a true flat rater really want a Genius brand air ratchet?

Yeah, because a flat-rater might actually be able to afford a Genius ratchet and have some money left over.

 

[eschoendorff]

Yes they have a 3/8 air ratchet listed on their website but, would a true flat rater really want a Genius brand air ratchet?

Yeah, because a flat-rater might actually be able to afford a Genius ratchet and have some money left over.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I use a 22 year old snap on air ratchet , a matco , a campbell hausfield , a blue point , 2 ingersolls . gotta make the dough
next time snappy has the rubber covered 3/8s , I am going to upgrade , I have 9 working 3/8 air ratchets at work , 1 1/4 snap , 1 1/4 blue point , 1 1/2 ingersoll
still prefer the 3/8 impact gun

 

[hamburglar]

Yeah, because a flat-rater might actually be able to afford a Genius ratchet and have some money left over.

Your point's taken. On the other hand, the laid-off guy from the US based air tool factory probably isn't going to get his car fixed anytime soon, or be able to pay his property taxes to keep teachers employed.

I think I've had an epiphany on this Made In USA hullaballoo.

 

[eschoendorff]

Your point's taken. On the other hand, the laid-off guy from the US based air tool factory probably isn't going to get his car fixed anytime soon, or be able to pay his property taxes to keep teachers employed.

I think I've had an epiphany on this Made In USA hullaballoo.

Point taken, but the American branch of genius tools will employ others as sales reps, customer service etc and employ them that way.

Even Harbor Freight employs a lot of American workers. Hell, HF could almost be considered a social program because they seem to take the otherwise unemployable. I know I wouldn't want certain HF employees making my fries....

 

[hamburglar]

Point taken, but the American branch of genius tools will employ others as sales reps, customer service etc and employ them that way.

Even Harbor Freight employs a lot of American workers. Hell, HF could almost be considered a social program because they seem to take the otherwise unemployable. I know I wouldn't want certain HF employees making my fries....

Really, that's the same sort of argument that a Walmart can make when it moves into a town. In the final analysis, if all a company can provide is jobs in the sales and distribution arm for what it sells in a place (that is, there's no real value added in the place you're selling to), all that's really happening is that money is being extracted from that place.

It's kind of like the difference in economic health you get by choosing between a non-locally owned casino and a light manufacturing plant in your town. One brings in money, the other one sends it out. In this case, the 'town' is the entire country.

I can't say that I blame people for, on the one hand, bargaining (sometimes collectively in the case of .gov employees) for as high a wage as they can get and on the other hand, wanting to buy goods absolutely as cheaply as possible regardless of who is on the other side of the transaction...but the overall health of the system is bound to go in the ******* if more goes out than comes in. I suppose we're OK as long as the Chinese just keep buying bonds and let them pile up someplace. The likely end game will be massive devaluation of the currency I'm afraid. All that, just to be able to buy cheap Salad Shooters(tm) at Walmart.

 

[eschoendorff]

Really, that's the same sort of argument that a Walmart can make when it moves into a town. In the final analysis, if all a company can provide is jobs in the sales and distribution arm for what it sells in a place (that is, there's no real value added in the place you're selling to), all that's really happening is that money is being extracted from that place.

It's kind of like the difference in economic health you get by choosing between a non-locally owned casino and a light manufacturing plant in your town. One brings in money, the other one sends it out. In this case, the 'town' is the entire country.

I can't say that I blame people for, on the one hand, bargaining (sometimes collectively in the case of .gov employees) for as high a wage as they can get and on the other hand, wanting to buy goods absolutely as cheaply as possible regardless of who is on the other side of the transaction...but the overall health of the system is bound to go in the ******* if more goes out than comes in. I suppose we're OK as long as the Chinese just keep buying bonds and let them pile up someplace. The likely end game will be massive devaluation of the currency I'm afraid. All that, just to be able to buy cheap Salad Shooters(tm) at Walmart.

I hear your concerns, but...

Okay... who are the employees working in American factories? Let's take the UAW and the automotive manufacturers out of the picture for a minute. Look at a tool manufacturer like Danaher that will close plants down and move them to areas in the country (generally the south) where the economics will support $8-15/hr wages. Now, let's say that a portion of those people working for those wages live in trailer parks - which are zoned as commercial properties. Those folks aren't paying into the property tax coffers the same as the product developers, engineers and human resource people who own their own homes and properties - and who happen to work for a company that does it's actual manufacturing process overseas.

Also, of those "American" factory workers, how many are not legal workers? Are they paying into the tax base the same as the rest of us?

 

[48548]

Now I feel I need to cancel the order and buy another snap on set to know that my money is staying in the country... At least a bought a tv made in the USA, and all the cars I owned were made here(GM products, not just a ricer made here, hehehe) and my gf was going to buy an audi, but I had her get a pontiac instead. I own a coke machine made right her in the US in the 50's and restored in the USA.... Not sure what some of us should do if we can afford to get USA tools, my gearwrenchs weren't even made in the usa... and also I do drink American beer(Yuengling, but I can't get in az and need to find someone to ship me some....)!!!!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Audi > Pontiac.

 

[48548]

A Pontiac g8, made by holden(down under), with a 6 litre v8(l76 made in mexico and 6l80e ****** made in the USA)!!!! Also the profits come home to the great USA and I feel better at night when I sleep, hahahaha and I have a TV made here, how many other people have a TV made in the USA?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

A Pontiac g8, made by holden(down under), with a 6 litre v8(l76 made in mexico and 6l80e ****** made in the USA)!!!! Also the profits come home to the great USA and I feel better at night when I sleep, hahahaha

Alright, i'll let this one slide..

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

man , the G8 has a trans made in the united states of japan by aisyn
the 6.2 is made in the usa
runs like a mother though

 

[hamburglar]

I hear your concerns, but...

Okay... who are the employees working in American factories? Let's take the UAW and the automotive manufacturers out of the picture for a minute. Look at a tool manufacturer like Danaher that will close plants down and move them to areas in the country (generally the south) where the economics will support $8-15/hr wages. Now, let's say that a portion of those people working for those wages live in trailer parks - which are zoned as commercial properties. Those folks aren't paying into the property tax coffers the same as the product developers, engineers and human resource people who own their own homes and properties - and who happen to work for a company that does it's actual manufacturing process overseas.

Also, of those "American" factory workers, how many are not legal workers? Are they paying into the tax base the same as the rest of us?

It's kind of a shift to go from balance of trade to illegal immigrants and zoning laws, but as long as their wages don't leave the country, in the aggregate I would say you are better off having the work done within US borders, regardless of whether the work is done by legal or illegal immigrants.

The main problem with massive immigration (the 'legal' part is almost kind of a side issue I think) can be expressed several ways I suppose.

. The effect on the culture. Obviously the new folks are mostly going to want to re-create a more prosperous version of back home (wherever that is) if they are moving here for economic reasons.

. The effect on the environment. It strikes me that 300+ million is plenty and the number could stand to be lower.

. The effect on wages. Between H1Bs in office cubicles and construction workers and the like in the trades, I can't see any effect with more people except to drive wages down.

But, once again, it's sort of like purchasing cheap hand tools from China. Buying somewhat cheaper tomatoes and having your lawn mowed on the cheap counts for more to most people than a kind of nebulous economic health of the whole shebang.

/end political polemic

 

[hamburglar]

Audi > Pontiac.

Hang on there...you're saying you'd rather own an Audi Fox than a 1969 Trans Am convertible?

 

[48548]

The 6L80 (and similar 6L90) is a 6-speed automatic transmission built by General Motors at their Willow Run Transmission plant, in Ypsilanti, MI. It was introduced in late 2005, and is very similar in design to the smaller 6L45/6L50, produced at GM Powertrain in Strasbourg, France. In February 2006, GM announced that they would invest $500 million to expand the Toledo Transmission plant in Toledo, Ohio to produce the 6L80 in 2008.

 

[eschoendorff]

It's kind of a shift to go from balance of trade to illegal immigrants and zoning laws, but as long as their wages don't leave the country, in the aggregate I would say you are better off having the work done within US borders, regardless of whether the work is done by legal or illegal immigrants.

The main problem with massive immigration (the 'legal' part is almost kind of a side issue I think) can be expressed several ways I suppose.

. The effect on the culture. Obviously the new folks are mostly going to want to re-create a more prosperous version of back home (wherever that is) if they are moving here for economic reasons.

. The effect on the environment. It strikes me that 300+ million is plenty and the number could stand to be lower.

. The effect on wages. Between H1Bs in office cubicles and construction workers and the like in the trades, I can't see any effect with more people except to drive wages down.

But, once again, it's sort of like purchasing cheap hand tools from China. Buying somewhat cheaper tomatoes and having your lawn mowed on the cheap counts for more to most people than a kind of nebulous economic health of the whole shebang.

/end political polemic

I see your point and in many ways I agree with you... just too many aspects to be discussed here though.

As I get older, I find that I continue to buy USA tools - not so much out of a sense of patriotism necessarily - but rather simply because I like them better! Buying out of a sense of patriotism, while noble, is not and can not be a sole deciding factor in making a purchase anymore. Not in a global market.