MAC Tools, how "common" are they

[LawnBoy-5247]

Today I bought several sets of MAC wrenches and although I have not had a lot of experience with them I always considered MAC to be a big name in tools. I was looking around online yesterday to determine what I should pay and was not finding a ton of items especially compared to Snap-On. Are they less common than I thought or is there just a lack of MAC stuff for sale right now.


By the way I paid $110 for both sets

 

[fasteddie313]

I don't run into a whole lot of mac stuff on the 2nd hand market..

 

[davethorik]

I don't run into a whole lot of mac stuff on the 2nd hand market..

Mac, Cornwell, and Matco...dont see many of those 3 used...lots of Snap-on though...

 

[Jason280]

I find used MAC stuff is less common than Matco, but far more common than Cornwell.

 

[WittHay]

Around here just Snap-on and Mac. My Mac dealer seems to be doing well, selling lots of stuff. But when you look in Craiglist, always some near new set of Snap-on wrenches or sockets for sale. Once in a blue moon you might see used Mac tools for sale

 

[Wamsutta]

I'm curious to know if those wrenches have an R at the end of their part numbers. If they do, that means they have MACDRIVE.

 

[L.Cheapo]

I live in the most densely populated area of the USA, and I haven't seen a Mac tools truck in many, many years. Never saw a Cornwell, saw a Matco once. Rarely does a day go by I don't see a Snap On truck. Lots of them running around. So, in my experience, Mac is less common than it was.

The area where I work has over 100 mechanics. There are two Snappy guys servicing the area, and everyone has a Snap On box. In the 7+ years I've been there, I haven't seen any other tool truck stop by.

 

[DadsTools]

In my area in the second hand market, the frequency of encounters are:

Snap-on, by a healthy margin
MAC
Cornwell
Matco

Cornwell and Matco almost head to head with Cornwell having a slight edge, with MAC more common than Cornwell and Matco combined. .

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I actually see Mac and Cornwell stuff periodically and only Craftsman, SK, and Snap On regularly at the local flea market. I think I have maybe seen two Matco tools in the last few years. We have local trucks for Snap On, MAC, and Matco. Cornwell does have a truck with a route in the Scranton area I believe.

 

[Fedwrench]

I must be spoiled. Around where I work there are snap on, Mac, MATCO, & Cornwell dealers. However, I feel snap on's dealer network is much larger than the other truck brands. However, MAC is part of the Stanley/black & decker empire that includes Proto, Blackhawk, Facom, USAG, and others. Maybe it's a regional issue or a lack of dealers.

 

[Coach James]

The Snap On dealer here told me that MAC is their main competition in our three county area.

Coach

 

[toolenthusiast]

There are over 4,000 Snap-on dealers... 1,500 Matco dealers... 1,200 Mac dealers... and about 600 Cornwell dealers.

 

[Toothaker]

In our area, the Matco and MAC dealers live in my part of town, so I see them every morning as they go off on their routes. There are one or two Snap-On trucks here in town, and a Gearwrench truck, too. Haven't seen the Cornwell truck in while, but there is one in the area.

But I agree, on the used market the Snap-On and store brands dominate, with the other tool trucks' products not being very common.

 

[83GTMike]

What about Gearwrench trucks? That's probably the best service in my town.

 

[Jazz1]

My BIL sold MAC tools some years ago in Southern Ontario. They are pro line same as Snap On. The only MAC tool I own is a 3/8 air ratchet.

 

[LawnBoy-5247]

I have to say that I am surprised that MAC receives so little attention 2nd hand. I don't own very many SO combo wrenches but I really like the side profile of the MAC wrenches they wider than Comparable SO wrenches and should make them more comfortable to use at least for me.

 

[Wamsutta]

You mean you're not even going to look? How about one part number off one wrench from the yellow set and one part number off one wrench from the red set?

 

[LawnBoy-5247]

You mean you're not even going to look? How about one part number off one wrench from the yellow set and one part number off one wrench from the red set?

I am confused. I have looked and I found out what I needed to know I was just surprised about how much less MAC there was for sale compared to some other brands.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

 

[Wamsutta]

I am confused. I have looked and I found out what I needed to know I was just surprised about how much less MAC there was for sale compared to some other brands.

Don't you want to know if your MAC wrenches are the new revised edition with MAC-drive or not? All you do is get one part number off a wrench, post it up and I'll tell you. Each wrench has a part number stamped into it.

 

[Fedwrench]

Don't you want to know if your MAC wrenches are the new revised edition with MAC-drive or not? All you do is get one part number off a wrench, post it up and I'll tell you. Each wrench has a part number stamped into it.

I'm thinking the wrenches pictured above are the old style as I don't see "Knuckle saver" on the beams.

 

[Wamsutta]

I'm thinking the wrenches pictured above are the old style as I don't see "Knuckle saver" on the beams.

They came out with the revised MAC-drive wrenches before they started the Knuckle-Savers. The wrench will have an R at the end of the part number which means "revised." Same with their sockets.

 

[LawnBoy-5247]

The part numbers for the metric set are all MxxCL and the SAE set are all CLxx they the also all have another code like J2, I2, or K1 stamped on the back.

 

[crewchief888]

ive bought tools from all 3 of the major truck brands over the years...

my observations have always been there arent as many MAC dealers,
the dealers that are around, either dont stay dealer for very long, and the long time dealers have all been jackasses....
every single one of them....

i rarely see any mac tools show up at pawn shops, or flea mkts...

 

[BDT/NWMN]

There are over 4,000 Snap-on dealers... 1,500 Matco dealers... 1,200 Mac dealers... and about 600 Cornwell dealers.

Those numbers would explain a good part of this. Mac has good products; so I am curious as to why there are not more Dealers selling them? Is Mac corporate tough to deal with?

 

[crewchief888]

Those numbers would explain a good part of this. Mac has good products; so I am curious as to why there are not more Dealers selling them? Is Mac corporate tough to deal with?

i'd always heard that MAC corporate was the toughest to "deal" with...


for me both mac and matco, many times, did have the specialty tools i was looking for, most of my money went to SO. for many years theres was no problem finding a SO dealer and all 3 i had were great to deal with.
that is, until i moved 1200 miles...

seems like all 3 have been "off" mac and matco have literally disappeared from our shop's area, SO has been off and on with 5 or 6 different dealers over the past 20 years.
according to co-workers the current SO guy has been great to deal with, ive only seen him a couple times in the past 3 years. (i'm a field mechanic, very seldom around the shop at all)

i do any warranty replacement stuff through SO corporate, ive been just simply replacing broken matco/mac stuff with another brand. last time i needed a matco warranty replacement, (through corporate) it took 3 weeks. i purchased a replacement socket from SO ( because i HAD to have it to complete a repair) and had it at my door in 3 days...

 

[The Fall]

All four in my area: Snap-on, Mac, Matco and Cornwell started up recently.

 

[protegeV]

Snapon, Matco, Mac.....................cornwell.


That's the order I usually find stuff used.

 

[The Fall]

Regarding Mac: My guess is that it's attributable to Mac taking a nosedive in quality and Snap-on cornering the market. SO also has a large selection of specialty tools. The Matco guy is the best in our area to deal with. I like Cornwell tools, but they're harder to find. Once the truck's gone, get ready to send stuff in.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Be careful when buying Mac tools. They have been watering down their reputation with cheap junk lately. To me, the pricing for Mac stuff on the used market is too high given amount of Made in China stuff that is in their lineup. Snap on at least puts most of their Made in China stuff under the Blue Point brand name and are more careful about where they source their stuff from.

 

[geojag]

I have about 10 or so MAC combination wrenches I picked up used close to 20 years ago, they are great. I haven't had any if they're recent offerings, but the old stuff was top notch.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. Tool]

Speaking of Mac Tools.....

.....anyone familiar with this ratchet and extension set, what appears to be some sort of commemorative Mac Tool set, Collectors Club set...or?...

Heck, regardless of 24K gold plated (yea right) or not, I'd still use them.......would make a good conversation tool piece when first handing them to someone to use.

 

[Wamsutta]

^
I'd sell those gold plated MACs to a collector and use the money to buy the chrome versions that I can actually use. I'd feel funny about using gold plated tools.

 

[dr_clyde]

I have Snap-on and Matco stop at the shop. There is a Mac dealer in town, but I really don't need 3 tool dealers stopping by my shop.

I really only buy from Snap-on anyway. My Matco dealer is a great guy, it's a shame he sells Matco. I buy stuff from him occasionally, but it's never hard line hand tools. Usually stuff like flashlights and oddball tools that look handy. SO gets all my chrome business.

I do have a couple holes in some Mac socket sets I'd like to fill, and warranty a couple things that have been sitting in my box for years. Seems like a lot of hassle to have the dealer stop by for just that and not need him to come back.

No Cornwell dealer in our area that I know of. Not sure what I'd buy if there was.

 

[97nismo]

I see

Snap on
Matco
Gearwrench

In that order

 

[protegeV]

I haven't seen a snap on guy in 2 years. MAC is my go to die to better pricing than Matco.