Picked up some Craftsman wrenches

[Shipfittin]

I went to Sears today and walked around for a bit. Ended up looking at the open end wrenches that ratchet. Started playing with them a little bit and thought they were pretty neat. So I picked up a set of 8 that was on sale for $19.99 I think it was. I just grabbed the SAE because I figure if I don't overly care for them at home I can always toss them in my tool box at work. Can never go wrong with 8 wrenches for 20 bucks.

The only thing that **** is that they are Made in China. I wasn't really paying attention to COO until I got out of the store. But that wouldn't have really stopped me from buying them anyway. Still feels like a sin though.

Sorry the picture quality *****. Took it with my wifes phone and it was dark out already.

 

[Shipfittin]

Oh and of course I had the usual Sears experience. I had to have the tool department salesman unlock the hook so I could get the package. When they asked which set I wanted I told them SAE. Helluva mistake, should have never let those three letters utter out of my mouth. Then I had to explain what SAE was and give someone who sells tools get a basic education in tools.

It ranks right up there with the time I asked if they sold a pitman arm puller and the response I received was that they sold Craftsman, not pitman.

 

[johnsdeere850j]

thats a good buy if they work. wonder if they will hold up to some wrenchin?

 

[Shipfittin]

I'll definitely let everyone know what I think of them after a few uses. Playing with them they seemed pretty well designed. My favorite thing about them so far is that you don't have to do anything to make them ratchet, like pull them back or place it in at a certain angle. When you go in the ratcheting direction they just go right around the head of the bolt with no issue.

 

[greasemonkey44]

tried the metrics at work, dont like them much. very hard to get them to ratchet the right way, better luck to you

 

[rsanter]

saw them at SEMA a few years ago with the company looking to make them for other companies

bob

 

[Skin]

Oh and of course I had the usual Sears experience. I had to have the tool department salesman unlock the hook so I could get the package. When they asked which set I wanted I told them SAE. Helluva mistake, should have never let those three letters utter out of my mouth. Then I had to explain what SAE was and give someone who sells tools get a basic education in tools.

It ranks right up there with the time I asked if they sold a pitman arm puller and the response I received was that they sold Craftsman, not pitman.

Actually Standard is the proper term, not SAE. To put it in laymens terms, SAE is the rule book [and they measure/determine a lot more than the size of a fastener], Standard is the size, or rather range of sizes. Thats why nobody who makes them calls them SAE tools. Outside the US they'd simply be called AF which means its the imperial measurement "accross flats".

I dont normally correct people who use SAE exclusively to define standard but if you're going to treat the sears people like morons [which they may or may not be] at least inform them properly of their short coming.

 

[jeffk14]

I haven't used the Sears ones but I've got a couple of sets of the same design. I HATE them. Quite often, you need to flip an open end wrench over and use it "backwards" for clearance reasons. That design obviously does not work in reverse. I gathered all mine up and put them in an out of the way place where I'll never grab one by mistake and have to go through that aggravation.

 

[CLee0507]

I haven't used the Sears ones but I've got a couple of sets of the same design. I HATE them. Quite often, you need to flip an open end wrench over and use it "backwards" for clearance reasons. That design obviously does not work in reverse. I gathered all mine up and put them in an out of the way place where I'll never grab one by mistake and have to go through that aggravation.

If they "ratchet" back to the same spot you turned from, you wouldn't need to flip them over would you?

 

[Jimmyg]

I have that set simply to help run down nuts to pull exhaust studs off a v-twin. Only need the 1/2 wrench but for 20 bucks I said why not, they aren't the greatest thing in the world but they do save me some time here and there

 

[mrholeshot]

Actually Standard is the proper term, not SAE. To put it in laymens terms, SAE is the rule book [and they measure/determine a lot more than the size of a fastener], Standard is the size, or rather range of sizes. Thats why nobody who makes them calls them SAE tools. Outside the US they'd simply be called AF which means its the imperial measurement "accross flats".

I dont normally correct people who use SAE exclusively to define standard but if you're going to treat the sears people like morons [which they may or may not be] at least inform them properly of their short coming.

Actually SAE is still the common term used by tool companies for sockets and wrenches in Fractional sizes. The Society of Automobile Engineers came up with a standard size of wrenches to cover all vehicles and used fractions to establish standards for the auto insustry. While Standard is a correct term SAE is also. SAE can also stand for Standard American Equivalent which measues in fractions of an inch. SAE is a perfectly acceptable term for fractional tools

 

[Old Donn]

Don't know about these, but the original Cman Quick Wrench had a wide swing. Had to have a lot of room for them to ratchet properly. When they worked, they worked fine, but not often enough. They currently occupy the bottom drawer of the chest, where tools go to die.

 

[RLYoung]

I haven't used the Sears ones but I've got a couple of sets of the same design. I HATE them. Quite often, you need to flip an open end wrench over and use it "backwards" for clearance reasons. That design obviously does not work in reverse. I gathered all mine up and put them in an out of the way place where I'll never grab one by mistake and have to go through that aggravation.

Similiar experience here. They're offset a little bit which doesn't make a ton of sense to me since you can't turn them over.

I bought the metric set which doesn't contain the 10-12mm, rediculous. I got on the craftsman website and it doesn't even look like they make one. In the end I told one of my co-workers he could either take them out of my sight or they would go in the round file. I hope you have better luck than I did.

 

[Fedwrench]

Nice Gearwrench made wrenches. They'll be on sale Saturday for $14.99 as part of April's craftsman club specials.

 

[kc-steve]

. . . The only thing that **** is that they are Made in China. I wasn't really paying attention to COO until I got out of the store. But that wouldn't have really stopped me from buying them anyway. Still feels like a sin though. . . .

THAT's good to know. I was beginning to worry about the prices I was charging for new USA made Craftsman stuff.

Steve

 

[kc-steve]

Actually SAE is still the common term used by tool companies for sockets and wrenches in Fractional sizes. The Society of Automobile Engineers came up with a standard size of wrenches to cover all vehicles and used fractions to establish standards for the auto insustry. While Standard is a correct term SAE is also. SAE can also stand for Standard American Equivalent which measues in fractions of an inch. SAE is a perfectly acceptable term for fractional tools

I SECOND that! I'm old school and learned formal industrial arts in high school and then again in the military MANY years ago and I still use SAE to describe fractional sockets and wrenches. I don't mind when someone says "standard" but it does get confusing when sockets might also be standard length metrics. When I see someone on eBay describing "standard metric sockets" I avoid buying it.

Steve

 

[bchee]

So I picked up a set of 8 that was on sale for $19.99 I think it was.

Do you mean 8 sizes or 8 wrenches?

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I would skip those.............

 

[halfxspaid]

Please report here
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13279

 

[Skin]

Actually SAE is still the common term used by tool companies for sockets and wrenches in Fractional sizes. The Society of Automobile Engineers came up with a standard size of wrenches to cover all vehicles and used fractions to establish standards for the auto insustry. While Standard is a correct term SAE is also. SAE can also stand for Standard American Equivalent which measues in fractions of an inch. SAE is a perfectly acceptable term for fractional tools

Actually i believe they came up with the industry standard which effectively limited the sizes. Obviously standard [or imperial] sizes are used elsewhere so i'd still maintain that calling them plainly "SAE" isnt correct. "SAE standard" size wrenches would be a correct way to phrase it. The way i see it, simply asking for "SAE" makes about as much sense as going into a place and asking for DIN or JIS wrenches, that will get you some questions for sure.

Quickly checked Matco, MAC and Cornwell catalogs and both list them under "Standard". Snap-On uses neither and simply lists them under "inches". If the big manufacturers who cater toward the automotive field dont use it as the broad term to label standard sizes then it would seem to infact not be a common way to label tools.

 

[WHT]

I think mrholeshot is more correct.

Each measuring system (often modified by country) has/had its own "standards" for sizing wrenches and tools. You have to use terms like British Standard Whitworth, American Standard or S.A.E. Standard to be clear.


Using either "Standard" or S.A.E is accepted common vernacular.