Good Ratchets

[Toold_up]

Buy a nice breaker bar and cheap ratchets. The breaker bar won't break and the cheap ratchets won't grow legs. It is more work, but using something like ShadowFoam in a lockable chest of tools allows you to quickly determine that all tools are had before locking them away.

$22.60

https://www.toolsdelivered.com/williams-b-52eha-3.8-inch-drive-8-inch-enclosed-head-ratchet

I dare anybody to find a better ratchet for the money anywhere.

I run a smaller cattle farm for myself with older equipment. I know exactly what you mean about tools missing and I dont have employees.

I would suggest kaizen foam for the employees box and hold them accountable for tools. Or give them their own small box and say they are responsible for replacement of lost.... Knowing damn good and well they won't replace it.

^^^^^

Support domestic manufacturing when possible. Your neighbors need your help now more than ever. Keep our people working!

Having a tool box with foam cutouts for the tools makes spotting what is missing very easy. Keeping employees accountable for tools is another deterrent. Have a job box in the maintenance shed and a sign out sheet for tool kits. Someone has to manage the keys and hand out what comes/goes, but that will help keep people accountable. If tools come back missing, you have a paper trail and can charge back what replacements cost.

Something else to consider is a battery powered impact wrench. Those can make quick work of stubborn fasteners.

If you have rusted bolts you need the blue wrench and a block of Gulf Wax (then later anti-seize).....don't beat up hand tools trying to remove them.

Anti-seize, I put that sh** on everything.

 

[joe49]

Armstrong is no longer in business! Also the same vintage craftsman pear head, matco, and Armstrong were all basically the same, same guts and basic forging.

Williams superatchet hasn’t been made in 30 or 40 years? The new b-52/s52 cheap pot metal selector breaks the teat that actuates the pawl off quite easily

I can't speak about Matco. But there is no Craftsman 3/4 to match the strength of Armstrong or Williams Superatchet. Both can be purchased on line used.

 

[InjectorService]

I don't mind the Tekton stuff, I haven't used them a ton to be honest. My 100% go to is Gearwrench. I prefer the 120XP stuff, but I also have the 84 tooth ratchets which are great as well. The new 90 tooth stuff is promising too, maybe I'll have to pick a set up as well!

 

[Tonyuk]

$22.60

https://www.toolsdelivered.com/williams-b-52eha-3.8-inch-drive-8-inch-enclosed-head-ratchet

I dare anybody to find a better ratchet for the money anywhere.

I like making bold statements.

2mins of looking and i've already found 3 i would buy over that any day;

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-...sional-composite-tear-drop-ratchet-62318.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-...ts/38-in-drive-low-profile-ratchet-62328.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-...ive-professional-flex-head-ratchet-62321.html

 

[M6erfan]

Are there still ****** ratchets on the market?

This is what I was going to say too. You almost have to out of your way to find a crappy ratchet.

For the OP's use I'd go with PP composites.

 

[measuredtwice]

Are there still ****** ratchets on the market?

Found some. And I didn't have to spend anytime looking at all.

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-...ive-professional-flex-head-ratchet-62321.html

^^

Replaced 5 times.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WFq5iKFmCeA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Firebrick43]

I can't speak about Matco. But there is no Craftsman 3/4 to match the strength of Armstrong or Williams Superatchet. Both can be purchased on line used.

I am not comparing craftsman to superatchets, made the point that they are not available any more new nor are rebuild kits that I know of, everyone is always looking for them to repair their old ratchet.

I don't know how far back armstong/matco/craftsman has been basically the same but I do know it was 30 years in the 90's and on. Even the newer 80 tooth armstrong design has been offered in craftsman form more recent. But hey, don't believe me, do a search function and there are plenty of pictures comparing them right here on the GJ

 

[Mechanical Noise]

Are there still ****** ratchets on the market?

Harbor Freight sells a 40 piece socket tool set for six bucks. One of those forty pieces is a ****** ratchet.

HF also has flex head stubbies with the same junk mechanism.

Most of their other ratchets are the much better Asian dual pawl type.