New Milwaukee MiUSA screwdrivers

[JeepYJ]

I've always been afraid to shove something through the hole and turn it into a tee handle because I figure that it's just going through plastic and it's likely to break. Do people actually do that?

Sure, why not? The screw head will probably strip before the handle breaks. That was one nice thing about the old acetate handled Craftsman screwdrivers, a box end wrench can be slipped over the handle for a little extra leverage.

 

[Dick Tracy]

At first I was thinking you were way off on your prediction but you might have a point. What role does Proto serve that Mac couldn’t fill? Industrial/commercial clients that have domestic sourcing requirements would buy Snapon and those that are looking for the lowest bidder would just get Westward or the equivalent.

Wrong, I have contractional sourcing requirements (North American) AND budgetary constraints to deal with for all of my employees that I need to tool up. I’m not buying westward garbage as it is literally China made *** and I’m not partnering with a truck company for cost reasons. Klein, Proto, Wilde, channellock, write and bondhus are the only brands I seem to be able to order, each of those brands also have tools made over seas, but I have a contractual obligation to make a diligent effort to supply North American made tools and materials.

 

[KnurledNut]

In addition to industrial, Proto is also a big supplier to the private sector like military, government, utilities, aerospace.

 

[Hohn]

Yes. Along with Ram trucks, Chrysler, Dodge and New Holland and CaseIH tractor companies that they also own. Notable difference is that Fiat/Stellantis/whatever is based in a friendly EU country.

Vs being located in Taiwan, our strongest ally against China?

What principle places European ownership above Taiwanese?

 

[JeepYJ]

Vs being located in Taiwan, our strongest ally against China?

What principle places European ownership above Taiwanese?

TTI is HQ’d in Hong Kong which, checks notes, is not Taiwan.

 

[Hohn]

TTI is HQ’d in Hong Kong which, checks notes, is not Taiwan.

Fair enough. But what difference does it make?

 

[Hakeem]

Wrong, I have contractional sourcing requirements (North American) AND budgetary constraints to deal with for all of my employees that I need to tool up. I’m not buying westward garbage as it is literally China made *** and I’m not partnering with a truck company for cost reasons. Klein, Proto, Wilde, channellock, write and bondhus are the only brands I seem to be able to order, each of those brands also have tools made over seas, but I have a contractual obligation to make a diligent effort to supply North American made tools and materials.

Proto isn’t far off from the tool truck with their pricing, but point taken.

 

[Ohio Andy]

Proto isn’t far off from the tool truck with their pricing, but point taken.

For some things yes, but, I have a set of quarter inch sockets that came with ratchets and it sells for like $3,000 from snap-on. I think I spent a couple hundred dollars on Proto and I have a full set of metric sockets quarter inch and 3/8 in.

The snap on is packaged in a nice easy to transport package. It includes extensions and a couple ratchets that are all very nice. The sockets are metric and SAE and three sizes, shallow deep and medium. It's a great set. It really is. But $3,000.

My full set of 1/4" and 3/8" with no skips from Proto (metric) and Wright Tool (SAE) with wrenches in a Kennedy box (very heavy Kennedy box) with lots of extra stuff was much less than $3000.

If you just look at the ratchetes, however... Yeah, very close in price.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Wrong, I have contractional sourcing requirements (North American) AND budgetary constraints to deal with for all of my employees that I need to tool up. I’m not buying westward garbage as it is literally China made *** and I’m not partnering with a truck company for cost reasons. Klein, Proto, Wilde, channellock, write and bondhus are the only brands I seem to be able to order, each of those brands also have tools made over seas, but I have a contractual obligation to make a diligent effort to supply North American made tools and materials.

In addition to industrial, Proto is also a big supplier to the private sector like military, government, utilities, aerospace.

For some things yes, but, I have a set of quarter inch sockets that came with ratchets and it sells for like $3,000 from snap-on. I think I spent a couple hundred dollars on Proto and I have a full set of metric sockets quarter inch and 3/8 in.

The snap on is packaged in a nice easy to transport package. It includes extensions and a couple ratchets that are all very nice. The sockets are metric and SAE and three sizes, shallow deep and medium. It's a great set. It really is. But $3,000.

My full set of 1/4" and 3/8" with no skips from Proto (metric) and Wright Tool (SAE) with wrenches in a Kennedy box (very heavy Kennedy box) with lots of extra stuff was much less than $3000.

If you just look at the ratchetes, however... Yeah, very close in price.

I feel like SBD would kill off MAC before they iced Proto because Proto services so much industry. But I also know that SBD has been trying to change the offerings on the MAC trucks to make the brand more unique from its peers. So who knows.

 

[Etchase]

Why would they kill off either of those brands?!? Any business reason? They both have established and separate distribution networks as do Facom, Dewalt, Craftsman, Irwin, Porter Cable, as well as Stanley and Black and Decker. But back on topic, I feel they Milwaukee’s USA pliers and screwdrivers aren’t very good and are horrendously over priced. I believe they did it for the marketing goodwill, being a foreign company living off the US market. Stanley famously kept its headquarters in the US and sourced half of its cost of goods sold from the US. Very patriotic moves

 

[Wamsutta]

No thank you. I don't need a hole in the handle of my screwdriver. I don't need to hang it up on the frickin wall either.

 

[JeepYJ]

Very patriotic moves

They could sell the brand names to a foreign company that would then sell the tools to you.
They’re in business to sell tools all around the world, make money and provide returns for shareholders, not all of whom are US citizens.

 

[KnurledNut]

We had another thread about these screwdrivers that I replied to a couple days ago but the whole thread apparently got deleted.
Anyways, I picked up a set of these on a deal for about 75% off which I fully described with links in the other thread so others could possibly benefit but I don’t have time nor desire to explain all that again.
Initial impressions quickly trying them out is pretty good. I wish the knurling was more aggressive like Vessel, but I do like the placement of it better. I’m not crazy about the handle. The general shape is good which reminds me of PB Swiss but there are too many unnecessary edges that make them look cool but dig into your hand. The tip profile on the Phillips is excellent on several fasteners I tried. The shaft on the P2 is thinner than some other brands I have which could be a pro/con depending on use. I wouldn’t beat on it. I really like the large print tip identifier on the **** of the handle.
Overall I give them a pass, but would rethink buying them at full retail due to the unnecessary handle design that affects ergo. I have thrown these into the rotation of my work screwdrivers and will give them a go in the real world.

 

[LOW1]

Oh, I was around for the whole saga from the beginning. I was there for the initial announcement, the years of unanswered inquiries and finally the ToolGuyd article informing everyone that the worlds wealthiest and largest tool manufacturer threw in the towel and gave up.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee began developing and manufacturing screwdrivers and pliers in the United States, all while keeping interested consumers informed of their progress.

I would hate to see SBD attempt to make simple screwdrivers stateside. It would likely turn into a 7 year debacle where they would ultimately give up due to their incompetence.

Seriously, China and Taiwan can churn out tools using state-of-the-art technology, but the great people of Texas can’t?

After years of false promises and deception, I don’t believe a word SBD says about shutting down that factory. They couldn’t even release a statement themselves. We had to find out from secondary sources. Cowards.

All of the SBD top brass involved in this nearly decade long debacle will walk away from it like nothing ever happened, still collecting their large, unnecessary salaries. Meanwhile, the hard working employees of that factory will be left wondering how to put food on the table.

I’m very critical of SBD because as far as I’m concerned, they’re run by incompetent, dishonest people who couldn’t execute a good idea if it smacked them upside their heads.

Wasnt the same thing done by the good folks in Nebraska who tried to recreate the original made in the USA Vice Grips?

The USA can certainly crank out very high quality tools. But at what cost? They can be made cheaper overseas. Is this good or bad? Your college macro Econ professor would say yes. Others disagree

 

[Fedwrench]

Hey, just to give you something more to ***** about Milwaukee revised their made in the USA Screwdrivers as announced at the recent Pipeline event. Let the complaints continue

Thank goodness there's still a hole in the handle to keep Merk on his toes.

#2 PH 4" Ergo-Grip Screwdriver (USA) | Milwaukee Tool

www.milwaukeetool.com