VolvoRyan
Well-known member
Curious if anyone has (informed) opinions on MAC's electronic angle torque wrenches.
Awesome?.... Meh?.... Bleh?
-Ryan
Awesome?.... Meh?.... Bleh?
-Ryan
MAC electronic torque wrenches? Yay? Nay?
- Thread starter VolvoRyan
- Start date
If the internet is to be believed, they are manufactured in Taiwan by Eclatorq - a reputable digital torque wrench manufacturer. The same OEM makes wrenches for a bunch of other brands from Mac to the less expensive Harbor Freight options.
At the price point that MAC is asking for these I'd personally buy a Snap On, the MiUSA aspect is worth it to me. But that's a lot of cash if you're buying new. Especially for a 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive set.
Icon has a lifetime warranty on theirs, which is really attractive coupled with the price. The Icon tests well too. If that fit my needs I think it'd be very hard to ignore, and certainly hard to justify the more expensive MAC over the Icon. It looks like HF only offers a single Icon model - 1/2" drive currently though.
At the price point that MAC is asking for these I'd personally buy a Snap On, the MiUSA aspect is worth it to me. But that's a lot of cash if you're buying new. Especially for a 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive set.
Icon has a lifetime warranty on theirs, which is really attractive coupled with the price. The Icon tests well too. If that fit my needs I think it'd be very hard to ignore, and certainly hard to justify the more expensive MAC over the Icon. It looks like HF only offers a single Icon model - 1/2" drive currently though.
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Odd-job
Well-known member
Curious if these are rebranded Eclatorqs? Am working off of crappy pics because Eclatorq's website requires a login. @dnschmidt might be able confirm.
Eclatorq
Mac
The 9 presets don't seem to be coincidental.
The Icon might also be an eclatorq
Eclatorq
Mac
The 9 presets don't seem to be coincidental.
The Icon might also be an eclatorq
Odd-job
Well-known member
^Pinne seems to be in the know.
Odd-job
Well-known member
Also my Amazon feed is popping up Tapha digital torque wrenches if one is looking for 3/8 and 1/4 options, but might be a self warranty type of situation.
woody 73
Well-known member
ouch,ouch,ouch, I just looked up the Mac price and the HF price, holy **** one is over $600.00 dollars, and the other is a little over $300.00 minus any coupons, I will let you guess which company is the cheaper option.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
Hazet is making some angle torque wrenches now too. Just FYI.
lotus_esprit
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2009
- Messages
- 114
I really like the original 3/8” red Snap On Techwrench digital torque wrench, which can now be picked up for under £150 in UK, probably even cheaper in the US. I’ve had a few over the years and they seem bombproof, especially the later ones with revised battery cap.
I‘ve got the latest Techangles but for a quick grab and go torque wrench I think the old Techwrench is unbeatable; I did keep a 3/8” Snap On clicker for this purpose but the Techwrench is so much quicker to use.
I‘ve got the latest Techangles but for a quick grab and go torque wrench I think the old Techwrench is unbeatable; I did keep a 3/8” Snap On clicker for this purpose but the Techwrench is so much quicker to use.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
MAC, and all of SBD's digital torque wrenches from all their many brands, (along with Carlyle's) are made by Eclatorq. The digital Quinn are also Eclatorq but the Digital ICON is made by KABO.Curious if these are rebranded Eclatorqs? Am working off of crappy pics because Eclatorq's website requires a login. @dnschmidt might be able confirm.
Eclatorq
Mac
The 9 presets don't seem to be coincidental.
The Icon might also be an eclatorq
For home use, the HF Quinn would make sense to me. I realize the Icon is half the price of Snap On, but I don't think I could spend $400 at HF on a torque wrench- knowing that I'd be SOL for help after the warranty was over. Yeah, I'm sure I could mail it back somewhere and have it fixed, but I'm guessing that in ten years there will be support from Snap On and not from HF for an electronic product. And why is the Icon more than twice the cost of the Quinn- besides the flex head ($20) and the "compare to SO" comparison (so we grossly inflate the price)?
Odd-job
Well-known member
Flex head in itself seems to have a 30%+ markup. Maybe its the ********? HF pricing doesn't always make sense, but its kind of in line with their good, better, best model.
The Critic
Well-known member
Side bar — do the Matco ones look like Kabo to you? Indicator lights are similar to the ICON.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
I don't know so I can't say. When I say something I at least attempt to know what I'm talking about and not guess. There are not an unlimited number of digital torque wrench suppliers in the world. The fact that several brands would use the same source isn't a surprise.
Flex head is likely worth the buy-in for my use case. I'm not tightening random fasteners in an empty field.
I really don't want this thread to be a "this" vs. "Harbor Freight". Just curious about the tool. Mostly just curious.... because tools.
Similar note, does Snap-On rebrand CDI?.... or an overseas connection.
Hazet has been on my radar for lots of tools. I've been impressed with their stuff that I have. But I do want to stay local here. Service matters.
-Ryan
I really don't want this thread to be a "this" vs. "Harbor Freight". Just curious about the tool. Mostly just curious.... because tools.
Similar note, does Snap-On rebrand CDI?.... or an overseas connection.
Hazet has been on my radar for lots of tools. I've been impressed with their stuff that I have. But I do want to stay local here. Service matters.
-Ryan
Odd-job
Well-known member
It's hard to tell as Taiwanese manufacturers can sometime frankenstein things together to provide a unique product offering. It seems like they all have the same 72t heads.
Here's a Kabo for reference:
I do think the 9 presets tends to be Eclatorq so maybe the Icon has Eclatorq electronics. Can't find anything else that has the metal handle.
Here's a Kabo for reference:
I do think the 9 presets tends to be Eclatorq so maybe the Icon has Eclatorq electronics. Can't find anything else that has the metal handle.
Odd-job
Well-known member
Snap On bought Consolidated Devices Inc. back in 1995 according to the internet.
I want to say the main knock against the CDI digital torque wrenches is the coarser tooth count vs the Snap On Dual 80. 15 degree vs 5 degree swing arcs in tight spaces can be a big difference. After buying a CDI clicker and experiencing the low tooth count first hand I ended up going with the Eclatorqs for digitals as a good cost/functionality balance based on feedback from members here.
I do really want to try Tohnichi for some reason.
I want to say the main knock against the CDI digital torque wrenches is the coarser tooth count vs the Snap On Dual 80. 15 degree vs 5 degree swing arcs in tight spaces can be a big difference. After buying a CDI clicker and experiencing the low tooth count first hand I ended up going with the Eclatorqs for digitals as a good cost/functionality balance based on feedback from members here.
I do really want to try Tohnichi for some reason.