Matco Tools must haves?
- Thread starter MTNSleder
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Jarhead0408
Well-known member
Mohawk Dave
Well-known member
Yep. Lol. I wonder if any Mapco representative are ever on here and how discouraging it must be. I know we are a small sect of the population but we have quite an influence on tool buyers that get on the internet.
crf450x
Well-known member
Most people I know don't really know or care who makes the matco stuff. They have the mentality that if it's on a truck it has to be top notch. Our matco guy even tells people matco doesn't make any of their tools.
Michael_in_DE
Well-known member
There is one tool that they have that I could not find anywhere, and nobody makes anything like it.
https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/EZSOLD/E-Z-SOLDER-CLAMP/
It holds both wires and with the same hand you can feed solder into the two wires using the dial and your thumb with the same hand, then your free hand can use the iron.
https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/EZSOLD/E-Z-SOLDER-CLAMP/
It holds both wires and with the same hand you can feed solder into the two wires using the dial and your thumb with the same hand, then your free hand can use the iron.
shawndp
Well-known member
I buy Matco if the price is close enough to OEM and just chalk the premium down to easy of warranty. Oh, and I bought a 4s... If I didn't have a good dealer, I'd probably never touch Matco - everything that I have ever bought just screams "you should have bought Snap-On for a few dollars more"
kythri
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That looks pretty spiffy!
toolenthusiast
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No, that's what the Cornwell catalog is for. Cornwell puts the supplier in the part number!
crewchief888
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the only thing i would buy from matco is the pinless impact swivel sockets....
and that would be a big maybe....
and that would be a big maybe....
Elsinore13
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My go to setup for small stuff around the body shop. Changing mirrors, door handles, headlamps, taillamps....you get the idea. Matco mini polished 1/4 in drive 72 tooth, it just feels “right”. Matco locking 3 and 6 inch extensions and a set of medium deep Snap On flank drive metric sockets with a deep 8 and 10 mm added in the mix. Absolutely amazing how much of a car can be taken apart with this setup.
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plinker
Well-known member
+1
Since Apex shut down Armstrong/Allen, the combo wrenches are now made elsewhere, Possibly Kabo, Dont know for sure. Dont have any experience with them, seem decent enough though.
The ratchets are still made here and available in different options the Gearwrench, 1/4 dr 12" locking flex, 16" 3/8 dr locking flex, 88 tooth 3/8 in 1/4 body.
The air tools made by PTP for Matco are very nice. The impacts in particular.
The ratcheting wrenches are Kabo OEM, not sure if they are branded for anyone else off hand, the tooth count may be different anyway.
I've been making use of the low profile sockets a lot, at the time they were the only ones available otherwise I might have bought Sunex
Their pro non-slip 6pt sockets are pretty good as well and can work to remove rounded fasteners.
bob15
Well-known member
Where else can you get their 81pc tap and die?
As for the wrenches, just the easy replacements
toolman9w
Well-known member
Yes we do. Some even enjoy reading and researching on here. I feel it strengthens my business doing the research. Discouraging hardly. The people I deal with don't really care much about what is said on a forum on the net. I have never heard " what's up with this, I read it on the garage journal. Matco builds nothing but tool boxes. I make no bones about that. I have broke my own code of ethics by even replying in this thread. I will go back to incognito mode and pretend I don't own 2 successful Mapco oops I mean Matco franchise's.
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plinker
Well-known member
Their taps & dies are Irwin/Hanson, Same as Snap-on, IIRC a bit cheaper from Matco. They are warrantied as well.
mikebaker1129
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The Witte made Matco screwdrivers are top notch!
BolognaBlake
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I like their 6.0 Powerstroke oil/fuel filter socket.
https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/DFF36/dual-ford-fuel-filter-socket/
https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/DFF36/dual-ford-fuel-filter-socket/
Got a MATCO oil filter wrench for a 2012 4 cylinder Camry, which is a sore point with me. It is a cartridge type like used in the 1950s, basically. It has a insert that goes in the engine filter body, should be cheaper than spin on type but naturally it is more expensive and requires a special tool instead of a adjustable wrench. The MATCO special wrench makes short work of the filter change, though.
I have a regular length 3/8 drive 88 and a long handle 3/8 drive 88 and really like them.
I haven't done anything rough like putting a cheater pipe on them, but they seem really strong and are slim enough to fit in close places.
KEH
I have a regular length 3/8 drive 88 and a long handle 3/8 drive 88 and really like them.
I haven't done anything rough like putting a cheater pipe on them, but they seem really strong and are slim enough to fit in close places.
KEH
bob15
Well-known member
Try using goggle and type "master tap & die set" or try: zoro tool or MSC or mcmaster carr.....and they will be cheaper than the king of re-branding, matco.
Or do yourself one better and buy the adjustable split dies and the 3 piece tap set.
This is all that comes up for 81pc.
https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/81MATDS/81PC-AUTO-MASTER-TAP-DIE-SET/
It has like three M12 thread pitches and a bunch of other specialty thread sizes.
I need the ratchet for my uses
Mohawk Dave
Well-known member
Hey, that's cool, man. But just so you know it wasn't a personal attack on you or anybody else... And as far as Mapco vs Matco it's because I use voice dictation.
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2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I would kill for the OEM on these. Amazing sockets. The old-timer at our shop calls them "the rounded drain plug" sockets.
Snap-On tap and dies are almost certainly Hanson but oddly the actual dies are unique to Snap-On being 12pt and split. You cant find them anywhere else.
plinker
Well-known member
My 81pc set looks nothing like Irwin hanson 75pc sets
Ok, I looked into it, I have the 75pc set. Which is identical to this set Irwin has, except for the 41pc drill set. Not sure the OEM on the 81pc set.
https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/675TD/75-PIECE-TAP-DIE-SET/
https://www.grainger.com/product/2ETL5?cm_mmc=PPC:+MSN+PLA&s_kwcid=AL!2966!10!79233561286186!4582833184650453&ef_id=WefRswAABPEoZ9Gt:20180403013452:s
Elsinore13
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Note to self regarding taps and dies. Are the sizes actually engraved into them or etched/ printed onto the surface? My old Mac tap and die sets after years of use cannot be read as to what the sizes are. So I bought a brand new set of standard and metric Snap Ons for my semi retirement shop at home. Several months later our house floods and my brand new Snap Ons go under for a couple days. I immediately toss them all in some Evaporust, then WD40 and ATF to save them. All good,but you can’t hardly read any of them. $750.00 down the drain. Oh, I had flood insurance, the max available, but $100,000.00 contents coverage doesn’t go far to offset about 350- 400k in damage.
Then as I am cleaning out some random taps from the flooded little toolbox I take to the MX track with me there is this shiny silver Vermont American tap staring me in the face with it’s deeply engraved name and size still 100% legible. Also, zero rust or corrosion on it.
plinker
Well-known member
Seems most all have moved to the laser etching, Quite annoying IMO. IIRC, the case is marked with what goes where, provided they stay in place.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I like Matco 88 tooth ratchets, their pinless impact sockets, their ratcheting wrenches, especially the standard length proswings with a fixed boxed end on one side and a fine toothed ratcheting box end on the other side. the current models sport spline ratcheting boxed ends with 90 tooth action. Don't confuse these with the extra long gearwrench types. I also like their his vis chrome sockets.
Jaysreal
Well-known member
Matco and Mac are two of the three options(third being Ko-ken) I have found in which they put knurling around the female drive end of their extensions; something I find VERY useful! While the knurl on Matco versions are a little "muted" in aggressiveness, they still give you a little extra grip for hand turning your fastener. The Mac versions do appear to be a little more aggressive.
Mac 1st image, Matco 2nd.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Mac 1st image, Matco 2nd.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
toolman9w
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I figured on the Mapco deal. No hard feelings here. All is cool with me. I didn't take it as a personal attack.
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toolman9w
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The 81 piece is not Irwin.
doctordirt
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Just a quick curiosity question. Was Mac tools an offshoot of Matco?
Im sure they were the people who used to make toolboxes for Mac, but that was some years ago (90's?) and i could be long.
Mac are owned by SBD now, along with dewalt, facom, proto etc..
pelletman
Well-known member
I have a set of XL box on both end ratchet wrenches (ratchet is on one end) that I love
toolman9w
Well-known member
1979 Matco and Mac split. Matco was the toolbox factory for Mac. Mac was acquired by Stanley in 1981 I think.