HF wrenches and sockets

[daveinwestland]

Please don't flame me!

I have plenty of tool at my house, but am looking for to compile a CHEAP set at my dad's. He and I are doing the father/son thing on a 52 buick and he has no tools. I really don't want to take all of mine over there (my compressor, jack, stands and a lot of misc hand tools are already there) so it makes sense to buy some tools to leave there.

Keep in mind that I can always take my good and specialty tools over there when needed, I just don't want to have all my basic tools there too.

I know HF is of questionable quality on some things, and ok on others. But it looks like I can get a pretty decent assortment of sockets and wrenches for about 100 bucks. I have plenty of ratchets so this would only sockets.

The sign at my local store says they have a no questions asked lifetime warranty on thier hand tools.

What do you guys think?

 

[DR_K13]

I love HF threads!

( grabs popcorn )

 

[tunnelengineer]

I think it's lifetime warranty with a receipt.

You gotta ask yourself if you would enjoy spending the time cussing at your broken HF tools, or using a quality tool for the job.

That being said, I have some HF sockets and they haven't broken on me yet.

 

[ImportTuner]

I think it's lifetime warranty with a receipt.

You gotta ask yourself if you would enjoy spending the time cussing at your broken HF tools, or using a quality tool for the job.

That being said, I have some HF sockets and they haven't broken on me yet.

Who keeps the receipt for every tool they buy ..?

 

[rose jackets67]

HF hand tools are far from the finest stuff on earth, but if you are going to buy cheap made in Taiwan stuff to keep over there might as well buy it at HF and hold on to receipt for the lifetime warranty.

That same $100 could go pretty far buying used Craftsman, Proto, and SK stuff on ebay. Might as well throw Husky and Kobalt in the mix too. That way, when the project is over, you or your dad still have a set of tools that will last forever, and not just get thrown somewhere random and never used again.

My two cents.

adam

 

[toolfreak]

Who keeps the receipt for every tool they buy ..?

I have almost every reciept for my tools from the last five years. I mainly kept them for tax and insurance purposes.

 

[amishman]

Who keeps the receipt for every tool they buy ..?

My Father-In-Law does.

tj

 

[martell06]

I love HF threads!

( grabs popcorn )

could you pass that popcorn over here please?

 

[ImportTuner]

I have almost every reciept for my tools from the last five years. I mainly kept them for tax and insurance purposes.

Yes, but for lifetime warranty with HF, you would need to keep them almost forever ... with Craftsman, you just take the broken tool down to Sears for replacement ... most people don't keep all their tool receipts ...

 

[DR_K13]

I have all my receipts from HF .

Sears ya dont need it.

Then again, I never buy anything critical from HF, no hand tools, no power tools, but I will buy casters, blankets, oring kits, etc. ( maybe a prybar )

 

[toms73novass]

I have never had a receipt when returning hf broken tools for a swap. Never had a problem, they never even asked for the receipt.

I have had a POS snap ring tool that I wanted no part of again and I got a refund with my receipt.

 

[amishman]

I wonder if Sears will give me a new shovel? My wife was using our 15 year old Craftsman Shovel and somehow, broke the wooden handle right in half. I don't have the gonads to try and take it back to them after 15 years plus I wonder if something like that would be covered. It did have a lifetime warranty when I purchased it but broken wooden handle. hmmm. They will probably just say it was mis-used.

tj

 

[amishman]

I have been 1/2 tempted to buy the Pittsburgh Laser Etched Sockets they now have.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95312

They have them in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sizes. I already have some nice Craftsman Thin-line Ratchets but wanted some Laser Etched Sockets to go with them.

I wonder if these are any good.

tj

 

[-lecroix-]

I have two sets of their double box-end GearTech ratcheting wrenches, they are marked Made in Taiwan and damn if I can tell a difference between them and my GearWrench's in build quality or the ratcheting mechanism.

With that being said, I do NOT own any of their ratchets, sockets, open end wrenches or impact sockets.

 

[kartracer55]

Just buy craftsman. The first time a socket breaks and you bust your hand open your going to be wishing you were using better tools. SOmetimes when you fix cars, the only way to remove something is to put yourself in a position where slipping or the tool breaking will result in you getting hurt. Keeping this in mind, I use craftsman sockets at the very least.Harbor freight MIGHT be better quality, or they might be garbage. You just dont know...

Jim

 

[Roospike]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..........!...........!.........!

You guys said Harbor Freight tools / wrenches and sockets.

So when something needs fixed or repaired and then you add Harbor Freight in there that makes it an OXYMORON.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxymoron

******** -------> ***********any popcorn left ?

 

[MarkH]

Just buy craftsman. The first time a socket breaks and you bust your hand open your going to be wishing you were using better tools. SOmetimes when you fix cars, the only way to remove something is to put yourself in a position where slipping or the tool breaking will result in you getting hurt. Keeping this in mind, I use craftsman sockets at the very least.Harbor freight MIGHT be better quality, or they might be garbage. You just dont know...

Agree totally. The issue I have had with a number of the imports is I can get a great one. The next run which may be by a different company is skip it. You have to buy by lots. Interestingly it seems that the first ones are usually better, then when the importer isn't looking the lower quality batches go in. Saw some of this from my wifes relatives too when visiting Asia. Craftsman is usually the same until an obvious change is made.

 

[wilbilt]

It would seem like blashphemy to use HF tools on that old Buick.

Munch, munch, munch....

 

[OctaneMotorsports]

People actually buy tools from Harbor Freight?!

I thought they were just there for show and to fill empty shelves between the goodyear rubber hose and their incredible and innovative "crossforce" wrenches.

 

[MAD]

I have been 1/2 tempted to buy the Pittsburgh Laser Etched Sockets they now have.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95312

They have them in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sizes. I already have some nice Craftsman Thin-line Ratchets but wanted some Laser Etched Sockets to go with them.

I wonder if these are any good.

tj

And for a whopping $2.00 more you can get:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Mechanics+Tools&pid=00934537000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Sockets&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Let us know how great those black chrome HF sockets are. I am starting to get thirsty.

 

[wythors]

Anybody seen my Junior Mints?


I could've sworn I brought some Junior Mints.

 

[Thumper]

Damn.....I believe I would have a little more respect for my Dad than to show up with HF tools. I mean......just buy some Husky or Craftsman. You ain't looking at a lot of money but you get better stuff.

Popcorn.......get ya hot Popcorn........

 

[ImportTuner]

Anybody seen my Junior Mints?


I could've sworn I brought some Junior Mints.

OK ... I don't get the Junior Mints ...??

 

[Thumper]

Junior mints were/are a popular item at the movie theaters along with Goobers, Raisenets....and POPcorn....LOL.

 

[oldgoat]

Damn.....I believe I would have a little more respect for my Dad than to show up with HF tools. I mean......just buy some Husky or Craftsman. You ain't looking at a lot of money but you get better stuff.

Popcorn.......get ya hot Popcorn........

Actually with their hand tools I haven't had any trouble yet. Their power tools are iffy though. I have sockets, wrenches and ratchets and so far they have done OK. However on a old Buick their really isn't much variety on sizes really so a basic set of Craftsman should be OK with some HF thrown in when you need a 2nd wrench. I wouldn't be afraid though to use the HF wrenches or socket sets though.

 

[eschoendorff]

The only way that you will ever know if they are going to work for you is to buy them and try them. If it were me, I would just pony up the extra couple bucks and buy Craftsman hand tools.

And I just stepped in someone's Junior Mints. Who the hell left those things on the floor?????

 

[daveinwestland]

Wow, I didn't realize I would be disrespecting my dad by buying chinese tools other than crafstman or husky...

I do appreciate the comments though.

I just want a set to leave there, maybe I will do a price comparison between craftsman and HF. I really only need sae.

 

[wythors]

And I just stepped in someone's Junior Mints. Who the hell left those things on the floor?????

Awwwwwww ****!!!!! Thumper, hold my seat while I run out and get another box, will ya?

 

[MAD]

I just want a set to leave there, maybe I will do a price comparison between craftsman and HF. I really only need sae.

The basic Craftsman hand tools that you use all the time go on sale all the time at sears. IF you do not see what you are looking for on sale, just wait a week or two. If you buy online and use the "pick up in store" feature you can not only save on shipping, you can accumulate a pile of sale merchandise from several different sales and pick them up in one trip. Just do not leave the stuff sitting there longer than the store will hold them. If an item they are holding for you goes on a better sale, pick up your items and proceed directly to the customer service desk and ask for a price adjustment to the new lower sale price.

I love EBay too; I have found some great tool deals there. But for some reason Craftsman tools often sell for more on EBay than you can buy them for at sears. This is especially true when you factor in the shipping cost since most Craftsman tools can be picked up at the store. The best deals are often on old line made in USA brands that are not so common anymore and on stuff that is listed in a way that very few people see the listing. An example of this is the six pairs of new KLIEN PLIARS I got for $26.00.

I am not saying you should never buy cheap tools. I have a $6.00 30 mm combination wrench that I use exclusively for turning the engine by hand in order to adjust the valves on air cooled VWs. It is perfect for that and I will likely never need a better one. But for the common size stuff: SAE UP TO 7/8, Metric Up to 19mm and for Screwdrivers etc... The price difference is just not enough to use junk tools.

Ahh... I feel better now.

 

[malibu101]

. An example of this is the six pairs of new KLIEN PLIARS I got for $26.00.

KLEIN PLIERS
http://www.kleintools.com/
Is that how you got them so cheap: nobody looked under the incorrect spelling?
Just kidding. Please take no offense.

 

[MAD]

KLEIN PLIERS
http://www.kleintools.com/
Is that how you got them so cheap: nobody looked under the incorrect spelling?
Just kidding. Please take no offense.

Yes that is why they were so cheap. If you enter a misspelled word when you are doing a search on EBay you may get a prompt: do you mean? With the correct spelling of the word displayed. But if someone lists an item with the wrong spelling it can only be found if you search for the wrong spelling or if your search hits another keyword. It is a good idea to add common misspellings to your favorite searches.

 

[wilbilt]

Junior mints were/are a popular item at the movie theaters along with Goobers, Raisenets....and POPcorn....LOL.

Remember Flicks? I like Flicks.

I have fownd sum gud deelz on mislped eebay liztngs. ell oh ell.

 

[justinmc]

I'd just go pony up $200-300 for craftsman stuff. At almost $3.00 a gal for regular unleaded I would imagine a couple trips back and forth to HF to replace those busted tools would cost you as much as buying craftsman

 

[MustangRick]

I venture to HF when it comes to low usage tools like prybars, plyers, pipe wrenches, clamps, pipe threaders, etc.

I only do name brand when it comes to high usage tools that can strip and ruin your day: screwdrivers, drill bits, wrenches, sockets.

I have noticed that my newer craftsman wrenchs don't fit as snug as my old ones do... They must have changed importers

 

[daveinwestland]

That's why I posted this here... After reading and thinking about what everyone had to say, I will just either raid my tools or buy them here and there when I have the money.

 

[Thumper]

.......Holy ****........Junior Mints ..3 for a dollar !!!

 

[kartracer55]

Id imagine Harbor freigh prybars are gunna **** pretty bad. My friend has northern ones and they flex like you wouldnt believe. The main guy where I work has a 3ft snap on pry bar with a little warp in it. Theres a MAC prybar of similar length with an even bigger bend in it. So far it seems like the more expensive the prybar, the less flex it has. I can hang on the snap on from 3ft away and it will hardly flex. I can get a good 1/2"+ of deflection on my friends shorter northern prybar...

Jim

 

[ImportTuner]

I'd just go pony up $200-300 for craftsman stuff. At almost $3.00 a gal for regular unleaded I would imagine a couple trips back and forth to HF to replace those busted tools would cost you as much as buying craftsman

$3.00 a gallon for gas ... wow, the good old days; cheapest for regular around her is $3.65 and premium is running $3.85 ...

 

[MAD]

Id imagine Harbor freigh prybars are gunna **** pretty bad. My friend has northern ones and they flex like you wouldnt believe. The main guy where I work has a 3ft snap on pry bar with a little warp in it. Theres a MAC prybar of similar length with an even bigger bend in it. So far it seems like the more expensive the prybar, the less flex it has. I can hang on the snap on from 3ft away and it will hardly flex. I can get a good 1/2"+ of deflection on my friends shorter northern prybar...

Jim

The short import prybars are fine for what they are:a three dollar prybar. Fine for tensioning a v-belt etc... It is actually the perfect tool for scraping carbon from the burnpot of my wood pellet burning stove. But as far as using the longer ones for heavy stuff like prying on a control arm etc, they might as well be made of rubber. At the risk of sounding like a Bob Vila's long lost love child, I would like to point out that the three piece Craftsman Standard prybar sets (up to 25") seem to go on sale for $19.99 every few weeks. These are 100 times better than the import ones. I think The Craftsman Professional three piece Prybar set, which looks to by identical to the Mayhew Dominator is only $29.00 for Craftsman club members this week.

 

[eschoendorff]

I think The Craftsman Professional three piece Prybar set, which looks to by identical to the Mayhew Dominator is only $29.00 for Craftsman club members this week.

I have those- the ones with the metal striking cap. Nice tools.