"high visibility" screw driver set from McMaster

[jeffmoss26]

Looks good Rodney, glad you like them!

 

[dwm]

Just so there are pictures of both colors in this thread...

 

[archirelic]

I may have to get some of those High Viz orange handled screwdrivers now...D'oh!

 

[BHH]

I am usually a snap on snob but these are some **** screwdrivers!

 

[puttsy]

These are some nice looking, affordable drivers! I'm looking to slowly upgrade my tools with better quality tools. I can't afford Snap-Ons; but these look nice! I've got some HF ones I got free which, for being ~5 drivers, are actually pretty good but, as I start seeing a strong ROI on my tools, I think it's tome to get a pro tool that will last.

How big are these though? I need a P1, P2, 3/8" blade, 1/4" blade and 2 stubbies. Are these about the size of the HF ones or are these pretty giant? The handle's on the bigger HF ones I've got are about 1" X 1" which is perfect for the grab-and-go box.

Oh, and BHH, if you can't get them up North, let me know. I start break Thursday so I would be glad to lend some help! (I know RodneyPierce already offered but, just in case)

And for the record, these are McMaster-Carr P/N:
56805A692 for green
56805A691 for orange

and price of the 8-piece set: $44.82 USD

 

[dwm]

puttsy, they don't have stubbies in this series. Handles are 1.125" (biggest) to .75" (smallest). The PH#2 drivers are .9375" (15/16"), the PH1 and the cabinet tips I got are .75" (3/4").

 

[RodneyPierce]

Puttsy, good to see another Iowan on here! Im in Cedar Rapids myself.

 

[puttsy]

Thanks dwm! Just may have to order them then! My on-the-go box is quite tight on space so I've gotta make every bit count. The round handle drivers just eat up a bunch of space, square ones at least lay flat and can have gear piled on top, and they are also better balanced so they usually stay flat. I've heard that the SO handles are quite large so I was concerned that these may follow suit, doesn't look like it though. Great part about Hi Vis tools though, you know which tools are yours when someone 'borrows' them and leaves them wherever!

Rodney! Always nice having a fellow Iowan on board! Our state is very under-represented/misrepresented! I'm currently in Cedar Falls (at UNI actually!). For anyone else out there, if you wanna see seed corn and John Deere's, why IA's your home! We also have a great sense of community in IA, everyone looking to help each other out and make things right.

 

[RodneyPierce]

Well guys, just wanted to give an update. These have been my "go-to" drivers since I got them. Very nice indeed, and insane for the price. Only thing I wish they had was a wrench bolster, but thats OK! You can go wrong with these. Might have to pick up the orange set also, so that I have one of each color

 

[Roots]

I don't understand that policy...

McMaster's primary business is selling business-to-business, principally large industrial customers. Whom generally have standing purchase orders based on "a spec" or specified style and quality level of a tool NOT a brand. McMaster is than free to find the best source at that time, which meets that specification with cost savings often being passed on.

Additionally, many manufacturers have minimum advertised prices or brands to protect and don't want or allow their products to be seen at these price points. They're able to profitably sell tools to large industrial customers at significantly less prices, because of supply chain efficiencies which the average person can't match.

 

[ishiboo]

Pratt-Read is interesting too, very few distributors and hard to order direct from them. Those high-vis screwdrivers are ONLY sold to McMaster... you cannot buy them elsewhere.

When I asked if I could order the acetate or other screwdrivers from their catalog, they recommended Ace... and then mentioned Menards. I'm not sure if all, but apparently many of the MasterForce-brand screwdrivers are manufactured by Pratt-Read. Plus, they're just about the only manufacturer who is producing economically-priced insert bits in the US.

 

[RodneyPierce]

Ishiboo, I do believe that all of the "masterforce" brand drivers are indeed pratt-read.

 

[RodneyPierce]

I was googling the set part number and I also couldn't find them anywhere else. I was hoping to compare prices, because I really like the looks of this set.

Do you believe they're only sold at McMaster because someone told you that, or just becuase you couldn't find them anywhere else? Did you try contacting Pratt-Read? I was considering trying that to see if they were available other places. I wanted to compare prices to see if they were a good deal.

I also looked on Pratt-Read's website, but these sets aren't listed there. Also, their website and online catalog are several years old, so it could be that they have products that aren't listed.

I believe he called Pratt-Read from the sounds of it. Also, I looked and looked, and McMaster was the only place that had them. For under 50.00 shipped to your door, I would say these are a stellar deal. Considering what MAC and Snap-On sell for. These fit screws just as good as my MAC's, and I stole my MAC set for a little over what I paid for these. The MAC set was used as well...

 

[ishiboo]

I was googling the set part number and I also couldn't find them anywhere else. I was hoping to compare prices, because I really like the looks of this set.

Do you believe they're only sold at McMaster because someone told you that, or just becuase you couldn't find them anywhere else? Did you try contacting Pratt-Read? I was considering trying that to see if they were available other places. I wanted to compare prices to see if they were a good deal.

I also looked on Pratt-Read's website, but these sets aren't listed there. Also, their website and online catalog are several years old, so it could be that they have products that aren't listed.

Yes, I tried to purchase directly from Pratt-Read and she told me that the two high-vis sets (after I gave her the #s) were specific to McMaster, and not sold elsewhere including direct. I'm sure if you bought a quantity they may consider it

She also told me that "Menards brand" (that being MasterForce, not Tool Shop of course) screwdrivers were Pratt-Read.

In addition, the 2-packs of their nice USA-made bits are no longer sold, they typically sell those bits only in bulk to people who put them in kits/etc.*@#$Not sure if they're the pricey bits sold by McMaster.

 

[Coach James]

Northern Tool also carries some of the Pratt Read screwdrivers.

They are usually not on their website, but they are in the store.

Coach