cbracer
Well-known member
I went to the National Hardware show yesterday in Vegas. On through Thursday. The show was mostly for buyers and private label stuff, not the consumer. There wasn't anything high end at the show, and like 70% were companies produce in Asia.
Saw a toolbox company, Excel I think it was, who at the shows offers all the display boxes for $1250 but you must pick them all up at the end of the show. One heck of a deal when there's $8000 worth of display boxes.
I did see the International tool boxes which Sears now carries also. They are coming out with a low end ball bearing box set which should retail for $200. It's a hammered dark gray finish with gray drawers. Way better than the Craftsman basic series, and the same size, and in my opinion almost as good as the Craftsman normal ball bearing line.
Most of the tool boxes made overseas with no name companies all had the thick steel like HF. Most of the non-asia ones were thinner steel.
The Ernst twist socket organizers are now available in magnetic. Came out sometime last year but the one I bought a year ago didn't have the magnets. Nice. Their wrench racks were made out of a gentle soft plastic, not a hard plastic like I originally thought.
Apex was their with GearWrench, Crescent and Allen. the Allen sockets are still made in the US. When I asked if Crescent and Allen competed in the same level the guy said, "well Crescent is all overseas so it doesn't compete with Allen" even if they are the same price and the same tools. Yeah Crescent is expanding their offerings.
General had a large number of different hand held video cameras to offer, way more than other companies. And a Flir looking infrared tracking camera that was pretty cool.
One Taiwan company said they could show off what they make for Black & Decker after 5 years of product release, but not before. Plenty of power tools being made over there.
Saw a toolbox company, Excel I think it was, who at the shows offers all the display boxes for $1250 but you must pick them all up at the end of the show. One heck of a deal when there's $8000 worth of display boxes.
I did see the International tool boxes which Sears now carries also. They are coming out with a low end ball bearing box set which should retail for $200. It's a hammered dark gray finish with gray drawers. Way better than the Craftsman basic series, and the same size, and in my opinion almost as good as the Craftsman normal ball bearing line.
Most of the tool boxes made overseas with no name companies all had the thick steel like HF. Most of the non-asia ones were thinner steel.
The Ernst twist socket organizers are now available in magnetic. Came out sometime last year but the one I bought a year ago didn't have the magnets. Nice. Their wrench racks were made out of a gentle soft plastic, not a hard plastic like I originally thought.
Apex was their with GearWrench, Crescent and Allen. the Allen sockets are still made in the US. When I asked if Crescent and Allen competed in the same level the guy said, "well Crescent is all overseas so it doesn't compete with Allen" even if they are the same price and the same tools. Yeah Crescent is expanding their offerings.
General had a large number of different hand held video cameras to offer, way more than other companies. And a Flir looking infrared tracking camera that was pretty cool.
One Taiwan company said they could show off what they make for Black & Decker after 5 years of product release, but not before. Plenty of power tools being made over there.
Last edited: