Need Help! Looking for a tool set for my dad.

[WR250F]

I have these and can tell you from first hand experience, they are simply excellent. Better than MANY I have that cost much more

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-heavy-duty-composite-ratchet-66312.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-heavy-duty-composite-ratchet-66313.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-heavy-duty-composite-ratchet-66314.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-extendable-ratchet-98831.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-ratchet-with-indexable-head-96092.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-quick-release-swivel-head-ratchet-96782.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/14-and-38-drive-x-14-38-double-head-flex-ratchet-wrench-67994.html

Just for grins, while you're there, these are great additions. Trust me, your Dad will love these, they make life a LOT easier and the quality is very good :

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-38-drive-uick-release-extension-bar-set-67976.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-12-drive-uick-release-extension-bar-set-67977.html

 

[buick215]

FWIW those standard Craftsman ratchets in that kit really aren't that bad. I used them and personally find I like them.

I agree, those ratchets aren't bad as some people say. I have a couple and I have never had any problems with them.

 

[Wes28376]

I really appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge. Even though Blarf did link some nice looking pieces, I went ahead and placed my order for the craftsman 255 pc set. Very happy to have most here comment on that set being a great value...and felt like it would serve my dad well. Obviously, I now need to buy a nice ratchet set. I have linked a few choices below. Would one of these work well as an addition to the 255 piece set? Thanks!

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00929498000P?prdNo=6&blockNo=6&blockType=G6

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944992000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalo...tchet&mode=grid&RequestData=CA_CategoryExpand

Those craftsman premium ratchets are great. I believe you can still buy them individually but the set isn't available anymore. I bought the entire set when they first came out and they have become my go to ratchets. My Snap On ratchets set in the drawer of my box now.

 

[Super Sport]

I am a weekend hobby mechanic myself, working on different jobs on a few different cars. I bought the Cman 283 pc. set a year or two ago, and absolutely love it. It has pretty much every deep, shallow, metric, standard socket you will ever need. I image the slightly smaller set you bought will fit the bill just fine!

I typically use Cman RP ratchets and while some act up on occasion, they get the job done. I wouldn't say that you need to buy him better ones, but it couldn't hurt. I can think of a few things that would be more beneficial for the same cost or less.

 

[blarf]

I typically use Cman RP ratchets and while some act up on occasion, they get the job done.

Now that's a ringing endorsement.

Here's a question: What will these "not that bad" Craftsman ratchets do that the OP's dad's ratchets won't? Anyone?

Personal preference, you might want to ask him and come back to us, as that will determine which direction you go...

IMO the OP should talk to his father before buying anything. If I asked for some nicer sockets and got 300 tools I wouldn't have much of a use for, I'd be annoyed. But that's me. And I'm just a horrible tool snob.

Craftsman will probably all be sourced from Asia soon enough. IMO why not buy it now, while it's still US made? Good quality that will have excellent resale on ebay once the switch happens.

Broke a 19mm 1/2" drive Craftsman socket trying to remove a lug nut with an 18" breaker bar. Cracked it right down the side. My ratchets are all not Craftsman... except for the one I broke, got a replacement for... and hope to hell I won't have to get another replacement for because it's been discontinued.

If you want to play the patriot card, why send money to Sears who is actively shipping jobs overseas? Ideal bought S-K and committed to an all-American lineup. Wright's non-Cougar branded stuff is all USA made. Much of SnapOn's SnapOn branded hardline is USA made. Most of Cornwell, Proto, and Armstrong's lineups are USA made. Most of the Craftsman stuff is in the process of being shipped to China.

None of the rest can make that claim. Proto, Armstrong, Craftsman, Allen, Mac, Matco, etc are all part of APEX/Danaher or Stanley. Support them and you're supporting companies that are actively pushing jobs overseas. Call them up and you get an Indian call center with someone reading off of cards. Go into Sears and they don't know their *** from a hole in the ground (mainly because corporate mandates asinine policies).

I'm not terribly hung up on brand names or country of origin, but I am hung up on: getting stuff that feels nice in my hands, that gets the job done reliably, and that is backed by a company that will provide good service. Call up S-K, SnapOn, or Wright and you're liable to get the same person each time.

All this talk about ratchets, and no talk about consulting the father. Would he prefer an ergo metal handle (thin profile Craftsman, Wright 3490, Armstrong Maxx, HF Snappy Clones), a soft composite handle (Hazet, Facom, HF, Wright 3400, SnapOn Comfort handle), a hard plastic handle (SnapOn) a knurled handle for the extra grip (S-K, Wright 3426)? Would he prefer a selector knob (Wright, S-K, SnapOn round head) or selector switch (Craftsman, Armstrong, SnapOn pear head, etc)? Is he going to mind stiff action (Wright) or will the low drag (S-K) be helpful with stuff that's not so stuck? And so-on. Lots and lots and lots of choices.

Thing is Craftsman has been good about keeping the RP ratchets around. Not so good with the other fads. Buy a premium or a thin profile and that's not something you may be able to easily service in a few years. Certainly the thin profile rebuild kits went AWOL for a while. Will they ever have rebuild kits for the premium ratchets?

If he's going to do tire changes or suspension work, get a nice 16-18" 1/2" drive breaker bar. Go expensive and USA made from S-K, Proto, Wright, SnapOn, etc. Or go cheap from HF and still miles ahead of the Craftsman (play with it in the store, that's some impressive slop in the head).

And definitely consider stocking up on some more extensions. You can never have too many of those. The HF locking mechanism looks much nicer than the Craftsman one... and locking extensions are a huge step up over the standard ones included in the Craftsman kit.

The 200-300 piece kit doesn't really address the question: what's actually deficient in the father's kit? Oh well. On a modern GM car you probably won't need 1/4" SAE sockets of any sort... but getting some nice TORX bits could go a long way. Likewise, hex keys? Really?

 

[woody 73]

Hi and welcome to the GJ,

The Craftsman set will be your best bet and your Father will love them.

Woody

 

[Toolman12]

At harbor freight they have some fairly good stuff for the weekend kind of guy and WHEN it breaks the return is no hassle you take it in they hand you a new one easy also husky pro is nice stuff too (my 2 cents) p.s 99% of my tools are Snap on but i still use the husky set when i travel

 

[lowbucktruck]

Well done, Pipsters! Picture is worth a thousand words!

If your dad is using cheap, made-in-china tools, then the Craftsman tools would be a step up. There is also Stanley, they have a few good mechanics sets which are affordable (don't shoot me guys!)... and Crescent. I saw a Crescent tool set at Costco similar to this one... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LWAX2C/?tag=atomicindus08-20
(these are made off-shore, not USA-made).

but I think you will get better value with the Craftsman set, for the piece count. Plan to add onto it though. For a weekend wrencher, its a good start. At least after he uses them, then he will find out that there are better quality tools available out there and will want to upgrade.

The tray system in that Craftsman set, one tray dedicated to a ratchet drive size, makes for easy organization and use, no doubt. Just wish that they had thought of that idea earlier. The Craftsman set is definitely a good value. With regular use, your dad will probably want to upgrade to better ratchets. I know I did, got some S-K ratchets and use them instead of the Crafty ones, which just live in a toolbox drawer. My set didn't come with drive extensions, so I had to buy the socket drive accessory set seperately.

 

[Notwerk]

Surprised nobody suggested Williams USA. Snap-on Lite at very reasonable prices. There aren't many ratchets out there that are as good a deal as the B-52a and S-52a (I don't care for the M-52. SK makes a better 1/4, in my opinion). Wrenches are a pretty good deal, too, for full-polish USA made wrenches. Toolsdelivered.com has a wide selection of stuff, gives you the COO up front (so you can easily sort through the Taiwan stuff and the USA stuff), and all my dealings with them have been great.

Also, Grainger has been clearing out Blackhawk sets for a while now and still have some decent sets available.

I really want to try to like Craftsman, but there's just no reason to. They're slowly outsourcing everything, and the quality has been suffering for a while. Those RP ratchets are junk. Bought myself a 1/2 extension a week ago and walked out of the store trusting it would be fine. When I got it home and took the hang-tag insert out of the drive end, I saw that the drive end was covered in surface rust. Will it still function? Sure. I'll keep it just because it's not worth the gas to drive it back (for now). But it's embarrassing that they'd sell a tool in that condition.

I just have trouble seeing Craftsman as a value proposition. If you get 100 junky tools for a given amount of money, is that a good value? I can't honestly they're any better than HF or Kobalt. In fact, I know they're not -- at least, not when it comes to sockets and ratchets.

I don't mind the RP wrenches. I use the Kobalt/KD/Allen siblings and find them perfectly acceptable. But the list of decently made Craftsman tools gets shorter every day.

 

[lowbucktruck]

Good point, Nowerk. Hadn't thought about Blackhawk by Proto. Looks like a nice value.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/BLACKHAWK-BY-PROTO-Socket-Set-3WY29?Pid=search

 

[billjohnston]

Wow...definitely a crash course in tool brands. Maybe I could get two items and let him choose which one to keep? Maybe the 255 pc craftsman and then something like the blackhawk set above? Or maybe a nice S-K ratchet/socket set?

If I increased my budget up to $400 or so...would that make any difference?

 

[Notwerk]

Wow...definitely a crash course in tool brands. Maybe I could get two items and let him choose which one to keep? Maybe the 255 pc craftsman and then something like the blackhawk set above? Or maybe a nice S-K ratchet/socket set?

If I increased my budget up to $400 or so...would that make any difference?

I really don't think you have to stretch that far. I agree with others that you should look into what he uses most. No sense in spending money on tools that he's not going to get use out of. I'd think that Blackhawk kit, some basic Craftsman RP wrenches, and 3/8 and 1/2 Harbor Freight breakers can cover a lot of ground and keep you under $300.

But if that includes a bunch of stuff he already has covered, is that the best way to spend your money? Find out what he needs. Maybe his screwdrivers are giving him a harder time than his ratchets, in which case, buying him all this stuff didn't really help. Maybe he's always wanted a decent shop compressor, but never got around to it. Maybe he just needs a shop vac. If he needs pliers, a Channellock gift set might be a good way to go (and it's way less than $300). See if you can bring it up in conversation, somehow.

Generally, though, I think you can't really go wrong with SK, Wright, Williams USA and Blackhawk USA for hand tools. Sure, they're not Snap-on, but they're good tools that don't break the bank and are more than a shade-tree wrencher will ever need.

 

[billjohnston]

Quick follow-up question: For the autos mentioned in the OP, would you need mostly SAE or metric? And would something like the following give you both? [Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions here]

http://www.mytoolstore.com/sk/sk03067.html

 

[lowbucktruck]

More money to spend always makes a difference. 400 bucks is a bit overkill though.

One option to make your money go further... take a look at Harry Epsteins for ratchets.
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/Ratchets/45170.html

 

[billjohnston]

One option to make your money go further... take a look at Harry Epsteins for ratchets.
http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/Ratchets/45170.html

Are these thin profile ratchets? Or does buying a nice S-K ratchet eliminate the need for additional thin profile ones (as with the craftsman).

 

[pipsters]

Quick follow-up question: For the autos mentioned in the OP, would you need mostly SAE or metric? And would something like the following give you both? [Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions here]

http://www.mytoolstore.com/sk/sk03067.html

Dude that exact same set is available here for $120 free shipping

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-6259-sk-hand-tool-94549.aspx

Use coupon code "wishbone15" for 15% off your order.

DO NOT pay $300+ for that thing!

And as nice as SK is, don't expect much of an upgrade from Craftsman. Members here have reported buying SK sets and having flaking chrome or rust on their sockets.

That is however a really good encompassing set that will do 85% of what someone working on cars would need as far as sockets go.

 

[pipsters]

Bill if you want to go SK for sockets (understandable, they are triple chromed and very nice).

Maybe go this route:

3/8" metric & sae deep and shallow $120
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-6259-sk-hand-tool-94549.aspx

Craftsman 12 pc wrench sets metric & sae $60
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947047000P?prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947046000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Craftsman spark plug socket set $15
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00946944000P?prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8

I had some other ideas (like Craftsman pry bars for 50% off) but you missed the black friday sales.

 

[Toolman12]

Most auto is metric and most hardware is sae

 

[billjohnston]

If you want to go SK for sockets

Thanks for the info pipsters. I was just using the SK set as an example..but definitely would consider them if they are recommended here. Gonna talk to my dad a little today....try to fish around for more info on his needs. Will report back. Thanks again for all the help!

 

[dkobayashi]

I think that set is a pretty good choice (the Craftsman one)
I personally don't like those ratchets, but I use my tools every day on aircraft and for weekend tasks, they are just fine. I have most of those other craftsman pieces too and they are pretty good quality.

 

[lowbucktruck]

Bill if you want to go SK for sockets (understandable, they are triple chromed and very nice).

Maybe go this route:

3/8" metric & sae deep and shallow $120
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-6259-sk-hand-tool-94549.aspx

.

I have that same S-K set, works great for me. You could do worse.
Mine is older vintage S-K though... and no flaking chrome on it.

 

[billjohnston]

Gonna talk to my dad a little today....try to fish around for more info on his needs. Will report back.

Well, can't say my dad was much help. Seems like he just has a ton of cheap chinese tools and when it comes to the better tools...I don't think he really knows which ones/what kinds he prefers. It would be like someone asking me my favorite kind of caviar when all i've ever really eaten is canned tuna.

He did mention he needs a creeper. And that he often needs to buy a new ratchet...so i guess whatever ratchet he normally uses has no warranty...as he just buys a new one. What do y'all think? Stick with the craftsman 255 set, along with a nice ratchet set, and maybe some extensions? Is that still the best way to spend the $300?

 

[t1r2u3s4t]

I'd just get the 255 set + some extension + universal joint... and creeper (from Sears or HarborFreight, similar enough). That would put it right at the $300 mark... You can always update the ratchets later as I find the raised panel Craftsman are quite sufficient for weekend warriors.

 

[greasemonkey44]

yup you got it figured out pretty good bill
thats exactly what id do for my dad
course my dad has no creeper and is using a flea market set from japan....if he ever saw how much stuff i have at work he would be floored

 

[bobemmerich]

The Crescent set that was linked a few posts back is a decent set, and I prsonally have used the ratchets from Crescent and liked them. Very good, smooth operation. Unfortunately, mine were stolen years ago.

Posted by billjohnston:
"He did mention he needs a creeper. And that he often needs to buy a new ratchet...so i guess whatever ratchet he normally uses has no warranty...as he just buys a new one. What do y'all think? Stick with the craftsman 255 set, along with a nice ratchet set, and maybe some extensions? Is that still the best way to spend the $300?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sounds like you have a good plan there. May as well go for it.

 

[billjohnston]

I personally don't like those ratchets

Which ratchets?

 

[blarf]

Quick follow-up question: For the autos mentioned in the OP, would you need mostly SAE or metric? And would something like the following give you both? [Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions here]

http://www.mytoolstore.com/sk/sk03067.html

You'd probably want to check with some Ford and GM guys, but the Honda will almost certainly be 100% metric, my guess is that the Ford/GM stuff will be all metric (or mostly metric with a small number of SAE fasteners). GM will definitely have some TORX stuff, dunno 'bout the rest.

IMO you'd get the most mileage out of a metric only set (especially if you get a giant Craftsman set... SAE hex keys? Probably not useful at all). I'd expect that a 3/8" drive metric set will be what he uses most of the time, maybe some 1/4" tools for the smaller stuff on the Honda, and some 1/2" tools for some suspension work.

No need to spend $400. $250-$300 is more than enough. Get him a core set of tools now, and fill in the blanks later over the upcoming birthdays and other holidays.

 

[TreePointer]

I'm not much of an automobile wrencher but I maintain everything everything else form small chainsaws up to a large John Deere diesel tractor. While METRIC is found on a lot of newer machines (including that 12 year old John Deere), older outdoor power equipment and even new tractor attachments (from lawn tractor up to large 3-point) still call for SAE.

I use an SAE Allen key to check gear box oil levels in a 2009 Woods rotary brush cutter every time I use it. I also use the SAE Allen keys around the house on door handles and kitchen & bath hardware.

 

[lowbucktruck]

He's going to need the SAE stuff for the '96 F250. I have a '94 F250 and my dad has a '97, you wont find any metric bolts on those pickups. Some of the last holdouts for SAE fasteners.

^^ What he said... Treepointer and wreckerman both have a good point... not everything takes metric, still need SAE/standard size tools for alot of fasteners. I would not advise geting a metric-only set.

 

[eeprete]

Some good points by many. At the end of the day these are tools that will get used. I think considering the variety of cars your father has an SAE/Metric set is ideal.

And while I am pretty anti-Sears at the moment, as they slowly farm out production to other places in the world, the Craftsman sets represent a good value. Lot of tools for not a lot of price, and at the end of the day, you need to decide how much work is actually being accomplished versus how much was spent to accomplish it. There is also enough variety with c-man sets so that one of them is bound to match the type of tools your father needs.

My father is a mechanic and has been for 40 yrs. There is Snap On, Matco, Mac, Proto in his box, but there is also Craftsman stuff too. No new C-man stuff though, but again, this is how he makes his living.

I myself have an older c-man set from the late 90s, which is not well known for c-man quality, and it's still all in one piece today, except for the 1/4 ratchet which came apart 5 yrs ago and replaced with an SK ratchet, which I purchased bc that what I've used when working on my cars at my fathers. Its one of the best ratchets made and even the worn one I only got for a few bucks is worlds better than the c-man 1/4" ratchet it replaced.

I think you made a pretty good choice with the selection you made, given your father isn't using any quality tools now. c-man is a good consumer brand, and who knows maybe Sears will hear the rally cry of the die hards and contract out tool mfg to someone who will make it all here again. But if we are all silent, we can't complain either.

I think the pure fact that you are really giving a thoughtful gift to your father who has never known quality tools, speaks volumes to the son you are.

Happy Holidays.

 

[expfcwintergreen]

My dad is your typical weekend mechanic....working on cars such as a 1996 Ford F250, 2001 Honda Accord, 2009 Chevy Tahoe, and 1999 Mercury Mountaineer. He has been using some really cheap tools for quite some time...and i would like to get him a very nice tool set...to meet all the needs of a weekend mechanic. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...as my knowledge on tools is very limited. I've linked a set below (just as an example of something I've looked at)....but honestly, really do not have a clue where to begin. Thanks again for any help!

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10...s+Tool+Sets&prdNo=12&blockNo=12&blockType=L12

With modern cars, he won't have much use for fractional size tools, mostly metric, so everything below refers to metric sizes.
You don't get as much for your money, but you could buy the components of a set instead of a set with a lot of tools he will never use.

6-19mm 3/8 drive 6 point shallow sockets

6-19 3/8 drive 12 point deep sockets

3/8 ratchet and breaker bar

3, 6 and 24 inch extensions in 3/8 inch drive

set of assorted screwdrivers; real screwdrivers, not the ones with interchangeable points; sometimes the interchangeable points are cheap, and you can't get enough torque with them.

set of assorted pliers

6-19mm 6 point combination wrenches

12 point ratcheting wrench set

10 inch, good quality adjustable wrench

tool box or bag to keep it in

===========
That isn't everything he will ever need, but is the basis of a good set. If you buy one of the big Craftsman sets, he will still need to fill in with pliers, screwdrivers, and probably some combination wrenches. If you buy components, at some point he will probably need a set of 1/4 and 1/2 inch drive sockets, chisels, ball peen hammer, torque wrench, torx sockets etc. Most of these can be purchased individually. For working on cars, 3/8 drive is the most used socket set; sometimes it isn't good to use 1/2 drive because of space limitations and because an inexperienced person might over-tighten and strip the mostly small nuts and bolts that are used on cars. You can never buy everything he will ever need to work on a car. Just get the basics, and let him fill in the rest as he needs it.

 

[SIDECAR BOB]

although most of my Craftsman stuff is older( way older, 1960,early 70's) I have not had a lot of problems with them and actually like the rp ratchets. It's personal opinion on what is really nice. for the average home mechanic any of the sets listed would be nice. However one of the posters gave me a thought, how about one of the bigger craftsman sets without a box , and the harbor freight tool car, thinking you could get him a pretty nice set of craftsman stuff and the roll around service cart and be right around your budget. and I agree with the camp that he will need both metric and standard also. I guess everything kinda depends on where he works on his car, thinking a well stocked tool cart woul dbe pretty nice if his work area is in a gargae and not something he want to be more portable

 

[billjohnston]

Thanks for the replies. It is much appreciated.

One more question: Should I just load up on these ratchets that WR250F recommended (top of page 3), or should I go with one of these two choices:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944992000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/Ratchets/45170.html

 

[dkobayashi]

Which ratchets?

The raised panel craftsman ratchets, the one in the set you linked.

 

[blarf]

Thanks for the replies. It is much appreciated.

One more question: Should I just load up on these ratchets that WR250F recommended (top of page 3), or should I go with one of these two choices:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944992000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/Ratchets/45170.html

HF ratchets — excellent value, not terribly small, coarse tooth mechanisms, composite one certainly isn't the strongest.

Sears thin profile*@#$— sealed, fairly fine tooth mechanism, fully chromed, ergo handle (very much a personal preference thing), quick release means it's not quite as strong as a normal ratchet (nor is it as thin as it otherwise could be), rebuild kits are NLA, quality and longevity of the newer Taiwanese variants is unknown (but Taiwan churns out some very nice tools and Danaher's USA plants churn out a lot of garbage). If you're considering these, also cross shop the Armstrong, Matco, and GearWrench versions of this type of ratchet. The handles and internals will vary slightly (which may make one or the other more desirable), but they're all basically the same ratchet. Craftsman will likely be the cheapest, but Sears does run ridiculous sales on GearWrench stuff from time to time.

SK 45170 — SK equivalent of the Sears raised panel. It's cheap, it's got a coarse tooth mechanism that hasn't changed in years (more teeth than the RP ratchets tho). But it's got a knurled handle (again this is a matter of taste but generally considered nicer than the RP handle), rebuild kits are free directly from SK, it's got better chrome than the RP ratchets, it's tough, and the mechanism is fairly low drag. It's not fancy, but it is nice.

The one I didn't see you list was:

http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/usaratchets/3490-C.html
Wright 3490. Epsteins has them on closeout at $25 (they can also get you anything else out of the Wright catalog if you call, e-mail, or PM them). Full polish, beautiful chrome, ergo handle (other handle styles are available, but probably at closer to $40), coarse tooth mechanism w/ dual pawls (so there's actually a very small arc between clicks compared to all the other options you've listed). I bought two, and the only thing I really didn't like was that it was "significantly" stiffer than the rest of my ratchets. Their 1/4" drive ratchets don't have the neat dual pawl action, but their 1/2" drive do.

And don't forget the 1/2" drive breaker bar.

 

[billjohnston]

Thanks Blarf. Will load up on the HF stuff and also get him the 3/8" Wright socket from your link as a bonus!

 

[[email protected]]

amen!!! glad you're spending time for a gift for him...
cheers,
bird

Some good points by many. At the end of the day these are tools that will get used. I think considering the variety of cars your father has an SAE/Metric set is ideal.

And while I am pretty anti-Sears at the moment, as they slowly farm out production to other places in the world, the Craftsman sets represent a good value. Lot of tools for not a lot of price, and at the end of the day, you need to decide how much work is actually being accomplished versus how much was spent to accomplish it. There is also enough variety with c-man sets so that one of them is bound to match the type of tools your father needs.

My father is a mechanic and has been for 40 yrs. There is Snap On, Matco, Mac, Proto in his box, but there is also Craftsman stuff too. No new C-man stuff though, but again, this is how he makes his living.

I myself have an older c-man set from the late 90s, which is not well known for c-man quality, and it's still all in one piece today, except for the 1/4 ratchet which came apart 5 yrs ago and replaced with an SK ratchet, which I purchased bc that what I've used when working on my cars at my fathers. Its one of the best ratchets made and even the worn one I only got for a few bucks is worlds better than the c-man 1/4" ratchet it replaced.

I think you made a pretty good choice with the selection you made, given your father isn't using any quality tools now. c-man is a good consumer brand, and who knows maybe Sears will hear the rally cry of the die hards and contract out tool mfg to someone who will make it all here again. But if we are all silent, we can't complain either.

I think the pure fact that you are really giving a thoughtful gift to your father who has never known quality tools, speaks volumes to the son you are.

Happy Holidays.

 

[blarf]

Thanks Blarf. Will also get him the 3/8" Wright socket from your link.

BTW the forum's search tool is your friend. Lots of people have lots of opinions on lots of ratchets. Check them out before you buy one. I've got an (old) SK 45170 and like it, it's a good ratchet. If someone were to give me the 1/4" and 1/2" drive equivalents as a gift I certainly wouldn't turn them down. I just lean towards preferring fine tooth mechanisms, so I prefer their (long since discontinued) Tuff 1 series of ratchets.

If you're going to get the 3490 and a socket set in other drive sizes, look at getting a matching 4490 (1/2" drive) and 2426 (1/4" drive). Looks like all three would probably set you back around $100 (vs $90 for the Craftsman thin profiles).

Just to make things more difficult: the thin profiles are sealed, the others are not. The Wright 3/8" effectively has 90 teeth (4 degrees between clicks), the 3/8" thin profile has 60 teeth (6 degrees between clicks).

It's a shame that you can't even go to a truck to check out SK and Wright, because it *is* nice to feel these things in your hands before you pull the trigger.

And that S/K set for $120-$140 is a great set. If you're looking for a Christmas gift for me...

 

[Super Sport]

The nice thing about Cman (or HF) is that he can easily warranty tools. If he doesn't know much about tools or care too much, an easy warranty would be a huge bonus. If he has to mail a ratchet in somewhere because it broke he will probably just toss it and go buy a new cheapy like in the past.

 

[blarf]

The nice thing about Cman (or HF) is that he can easily warranty tools. If he doesn't know much about tools or care too much, an easy warranty would be a huge bonus. If he has to mail a ratchet in somewhere because it broke he will probably just toss it and go buy a new cheapy like in the past.

Easy is relative. Go into Sears, and if they don't have the thin profile ratchets in open stock, you're SOL. Go into HF, and hope you've got a receipt. Call up S-K and you'll have a *free* rebuild kit shipped out promptly via UPS Ground. If you break the S-K ratchet beyond that, you're probably in bigger trouble

Dunno what Wright's policy is WRT rebuild kits.

A hassle free warranty is only a bonus if the product will need regular repair.