Husky ratchets

[l_bilyk]

has anyone used one of these?

the head on these things is TUNY! Might be nice to have for hard to reach spaces

 

[eschoendorff]

I've played with them at Home Depot, and I'm sure it's a fine ratchet. I don't own one, though. I just bought a FACOM 1/4" palm control... think I'll try that for a while first.

 

[Rickster]

Is that the one where you can turn the handle like a screw driver and the head rotates the socket? I saw one at Home Depot and thought about getting one... mostly to try a ratchet with a soft handle, but I found a 3/8 drive Craftsman with a flex head and a black plastic handle at a swap meet for $15 so I bouht that one instead. Jury still out on my Craftsman purchase. I like the larger handle but the style of the flex head is awkward. I have a SK flex ratchet that is great.

 

[red caddy]

Good stuff

I bought the 3/8 th. drive, about 3 mo. ago. I've beat it pretty hard, and so far so good. that shiney black finish is showing a lot of wear, but it still feels good in my hand. I cleaned it with spray carb cleaner, (after a really messy engine teardown) and the ratchet pawls show only light burnishing, no real wear, and the rubber looks good too. I think it's a keeper. anybody seen a 1/2 in. drive version? or tried the articulated version? RED

 

[dink]

I've played with them at Home Depot, and I'm sure it's a fine ratchet. I don't own one, though. I just bought a FACOM 1/4" palm control... think I'll try that for a while first.

You will completely fall in love with that palm control....I love my 3/8 socket set with the palm control from Facom

 

[kartracer55]

IF its thier Micro Ratchets, I have been informed that they are IDENTICAL to the ones MAC sells for liek $100. Both are made in taiwan, both are stanley companies. Id get a set, but Im anti-stanley.

Jim

 

[dink]

IF its thier Micro Ratchets, I have been informed that they are IDENTICAL to the ones MAC sells for liek $100. Both are made in taiwan, both are stanley companies. Id get a set, but Im anti-stanley.

Jim

Well luckily I have had my 3/8 set long enough to were the ratchets were still made in France....Its to bad.....Stanley tools as a company is turning everything into ****

 

[kartracer55]

Yeah... care to join the Anti-stanley club? Im accepting aplications.

Stanley is a completly dishonest company, and I avoid thier products whenever possible.

Jim

 

[dink]

Yeah... care to join the Anti-stanley club? Im accepting aplications.

Stanley is a completly dishonest company, and I avoid thier products whenever possible.

Jim

Of course I would love to join....Its just a name anyways....plus I think the quality of SK will increase now that there own company

 

[kartracer55]

Bingo! The press release they put out said one of the main reasons for this was because of limited opertunity for new product development from Facom. ID love to see SK make air tools.

Jim

 

[dink]

Bingo! The press release they put out said one of the main reasons for this was because of limited opertunity for new product development from Facom. ID love to see SK make air tools.

Jim

Oh I know....it would go great with there world renowned impact sockets

 

[kartracer55]

I agree 100%. I cant think of what tool Id buy, but Id eventually like to get one.

Jim

 

[dink]

Well time will tell what goes on with SK and Facom....But I am defently looking forward to what SK is going to do....maybe they can really get with Snap-on directly and really make a difference

 

[kartracer55]

I like alot of SK's tools better than snapon. As far as ratchets, I like having both. Depending on what the job is ya know? Snappy ratchets are kinda like ratcheting breaker bars... the pawl spring isnt fine enough for lighter work, which is where the SK comes in. I hate snap on wrenches... they are way to thin, and so they can sort of hurt your hand when your trying to use them. I like the SK full polish wrenches a hell of alot better, and the price is much better... not like snap on with thier retarded prices. SK bit sockets are strong, but they design *****, so i dont recommend them. SK expert 2 screwdrivers are VERY nice to use. I have one and Id love to eventually get a whole set. I also dont like how snap on impacts have the "tapered nose" design. It might be stornger than SK's design, but it reduces the accessability.

IF SK were to expand its product line, Id bet youd see alot more mechanics using SK.

Jim

 

[dink]

I like alot of SK's tools better than snapon. As far as ratchets, I like having both. Depending on what the job is ya know? Snappy ratchets are kinda like ratcheting breaker bars... the pawl spring isnt fine enough for lighter work, which is where the SK comes in. I hate snap on wrenches... they are way to thin, and so they can sort of hurt your hand when your trying to use them. I like the SK full polish wrenches a hell of alot better, and the price is much better... not like snap on with thier retarded prices. SK bit sockets are strong, but they design *****, so i dont recommend them. SK expert 2 screwdrivers are VERY nice to use. I have one and Id love to eventually get a whole set. I also dont like how snap on impacts have the "tapered nose" design. It might be stornger than SK's design, but it reduces the accessability.

IF SK were to expand its product line, Id bet youd see alot more mechanics using SK.

Jim

If you like SK's screwdrivers....then you need to try Wera's screwdrivers....best in the business...laser etched tips...best ergonmic handle out with the rubber plastic combo so they dont slip....you will be reminded of Wiha with these because Wiha copied there style...major lawsuit going on with that

Here is Wera's website....I have a whole bunch of there fastening tools
http://www.wera.de/cgi-bin/vshop?HTML=wera_us.htm

You can get these through MSC
I reped the line for awhile so that is how I got alot of my Wera products....and there insert bits are ********....bi-torsion design...and you can go with diamond coated tips which I have these in my tool box....dont require so much pressure to do the work

 

[kartracer55]

WOW! Id imagine they are kidna pricey though. They even LOOK hightech!

lol

Jim

 

[dink]

WOW! Id imagine they are kidna pricey though. They even LOOK hightech!

lol

Jim

For the Rocko series...the blue and black ones...your looking around 50 to 55 dollars for a set of 6.....they are now including a rack to mount to a wall....they included this after I bought myself a set....bastards

 

[kartracer55]

Lol. Right now the only "complete" set of screwdrivers I have are the cheap craftsmans. I have afew Cman pros (VERY nice), the SK expert2, A few snap ons, a set of MAC torx, and some other odd balls.

I dont use screwdrivers nearly as much as wrenches or sockets, so they arnt really on top of my "have to buy" list ya know?

Jim

 

[dink]

I understand....but I see screwdrivers as just as important as ratchets and sockets...I dont want things falling apart on me

In terms of Craftsmen screwdrivers.....go buy Pratt-Read....they make all Craftsmen screwdrivers including Stanley and Klein cushion grips....and they are alot cheaper then those posted...exact same quality no difference what so ever

 

[kartracer55]

Wait P+R makes Klein? I knew they made craftsman, but not klein. Are you sure??? Klein's staple tools are thier screwdrivers and pliers.

Jim

 

[dink]

Wait P+R makes Klein? I knew they made craftsman, but not klein. Are you sure??? Klein's staple tools are thier screwdrivers and pliers.

Jim

ONLY the cushion grip

 

[kartracer55]

You mean the cushion grip line... or the cushion grip?

Jim

 

[dink]

The line

 

[kartracer55]

WOW? I didnt know that. I just checked too... All of my standard craftsmans are Western Forge.

Jim

 

[dink]

Mayhew makes SK's punches and hose clamp pliers....but SK is way to exspensive on those Hose Clamp pliers even if they are ratcheting....I usually recommend always go straight to the sourse because its always cheaper....Especially with Matco tools...because they are just like Sears...they make none of there own tools

 

[kartracer55]

Well, for matco, how can you go right to Danaher? I mean, Yeah craftsman and matco share the same guts, but Matco ratchets have much better tolerances, which is what justifies thier higher price.

When you said "they make none of thier own tools" to waht extent did you mean that? I mean, I know theres no "matco factory" but still its Danaher making tools specifically for the Matco brand, to different specs and a much higher quality than they do for craftsman... I mean, Lets face it... a matco ratchet is MUCH Higher in quality than a craftsman.

Jim

 

[dink]

Well, for matco, how can you go right to Danaher? I mean, Yeah craftsman and matco share the same guts, but Matco ratchets have much better tolerances, which is what justifies thier higher price.

When you said "they make none of thier own tools" to waht extent did you mean that? I mean, I know theres no "matco factory" but still its Danaher making tools specifically for the Matco brand, to different specs and a much higher quality than they do for craftsman... I mean, Lets face it... a matco ratchet is MUCH Higher in quality than a craftsman.

Jim

And it better be for the price and the reputation behind there products....alot of mechanics love there tools....and if there tools were lowered to Craftsmen specs...there would be alot of unhappy people

 

[Rickster]

One of the things I love about S&K is that a lot of people don't recognize them as a quality tool. I've picked up quite a few pieces at garage sales very cheap because people lump in with the made-in-china sockets. Last week I got a 3/8 drive set 3/8 through 13/16 12-pt, ratchet, two extensions and a spark plug socket, in the original box, all like brand new for $11.

 

[dink]

One of the things I love about S&K is that a lot of people don't recognize them as a quality tool. I've picked up quite a few pieces at garage sales very cheap because people lump in with the made-in-china sockets. Last week I got a 3/8 drive set 3/8 through 13/16 12-pt, ratchet, two extensions and a spark plug socket, in the original box, all like brand new for $11.

That is cheap....but things will change very soon now that Facom is out of the picture

 

[kartracer55]

Yeah, I love ignorant sellers like that...

I picked up a brand new Proto series 500 full polish wrench for $2, thrown in with chinese wrenches. Those wrenches are absolutly my Favorite wrenches EVER, the most comfortable wrenches to use ever, but they are a stanley company, which is why I only own one, I refuse to Buy stanley stuff whenever possible. Besides, Sks comfort level isnt too much different. Craftsman Professional wrenches are pretty nice too.

Jim

 

[eschoendorff]

Craftsman Professional wrenches are pretty nice too.

Jim

Honestly, if you put the Cman Pros next to a set of SKs, I'd have a hard time telling them apart. Especially with the full polish Cman Pro flare wrenches. I wonder if SK and Cman know something that we don't know... hmm......

 

[kartracer55]

Wouldnt surprise me. Especially considering that The Sk pro ratchet Is IDENTICAL to one SK recently intorduced.

Jim

 

[dink]

Wouldnt surprise me. Especially considering that The Sk pro ratchet Is IDENTICAL to one SK recently intorduced.

Jim

I think Sk is making Craftsmen Ratcheting wrenches...I have compared the 2 and they are the same.....same amount of ratcheting teeth and everything

 

[kartracer55]

Well Sks ratcheting wrenches are made in Taiwan, you know the G-PRO... just like snap on. The reason is the patent for that ratcheting mechanismonly exists in taiwan, so until the patent runs out, your gunna see alot of them being made in taiwan.

I dont think this is the case though, because thoe craftsman reversables were out long before the SK g-pros were.

In that post, I was refering to Sks new teardrop ratchet. I should have clarified myself.

Jim

 

[dink]

Well Sks ratcheting wrenches are made in Taiwan, you know the G-PRO... just like snap on. The reason is the patent for that ratcheting mechanismonly exists in taiwan, so until the patent runs out, your gunna see alot of them being made in taiwan.

I dont think this is the case though, because thoe craftsman reversables were out long before the SK g-pros were.

In that post, I was refering to Sks new teardrop ratchet. I should have clarified myself.

Jim

Ahhhh gotcha....and your right the Craftsmen Ratcheting wrenches were made before SK's........but Craftsmen's are awesome....excellent quality....Atleast one of the few things Craftsmen has going for them

 

[kartracer55]

Yeah. I wonder whos making them for them. I have the cheapo craftsman ones... the non reversable ones. They serve my needs, and I havent had any problems. I got them on sale, and I wound up getting metric and standard for lik $80 all together. Not bad.

Jim

 

[dink]

Yeah. I wonder whos making them for them. I have the cheapo craftsman ones... the non reversable ones. They serve my needs, and I havent had any problems. I got them on sale, and I wound up getting metric and standard for lik $80 all together. Not bad.

Jim

Be the man that you are and go buy a ratcheting wrench and try it....you will be forever changed...you will see the light

Make sure you get one with the little switch for tightening and loosening...the others ****...I always get them confused

 

[kartracer55]

yeah, I have the ones without the switches. Its not to hard to get it right I guess. IDK, I have these, and im in highschool, so I dont have anymoney to buy anything better lol. They suit me fine, and I have a few other "big ticket" items in mind before i upgrade those and my screwdrivers.

Jim

 

[dink]

yeah, I have the ones without the switches. Its not to hard to get it right I guess. IDK, I have these, and im in highschool, so I dont have anymoney to buy anything better lol. They suit me fine, and I have a few other "big ticket" items in mind before i upgrade those and my screwdrivers.

Jim

And are you buying these tools or your father for you??

 

[kartracer55]

Ive bought most of them. I mean i will get stuff for christmas or my brithday, but for the most part ive bought my tools myself. The impact gun is mine, my dad bought the air ratchet. We split the impacts because I wanted them at that very moment. Its kinda like a mutual thing. Granted, his collection is much larger than mine is, but hes been around a bit longer.

Jim