Please help me decide on a socket set

[MechanicNamedJohn]

Craftsman 299pc set Made in USA
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00935299000P

Or 6 Gearwrench socket sets, to have all sizes of 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, all in 6pt and 12 pt.

Now the GW set will cost more money in the end, but that's ok with me. I want to know which set is better in your opinion based on quality (not based on COO.)

I narrowed it down to CM and GW for this reason, they can both be warrantied easily. Advance Auto and my Mac dealer can warranty the GW, while Sears and warranty my CM.

I am fully aware of SK, but no local sales in my area.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

Craftsman IMO is the best bang for your buck. I like how the CM set has 6 and 12 point I see no reason for the 8 point sockets. I buy 12 point and if I want a 6 point I use an impact socket.

 

[kc-steve]

I have one of the 255pc Craftsman sets and it works for me and picked it up for around $180. I have seen them cheaper from time to time though.

Just out of curiosity, don't you already have a complete Pittsburgh set of tools? Did they not work out for you? Just asking because I was wondering what happened.

Steve

 

[jjjrmx5]

C'man.

The deal NAPA is offering on thier sets til end of June and the Q3 beginning is a good deal as well since they are changing suppliers.

I like the GW ratchets. The rest, not so much. For me at least.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

I have one of the 255pc Craftsman sets and it works for me and picked it up for around $180. I have seen them cheaper from time to time though.

Just out of curiosity, don't you already have a complete Pittsburgh set of tools? Did they not work out for you? Just asking because I was wondering what happened.

Steve

I am a little annoyed with HF right now, plus their policy has changed, and their prices are a lot higher now. This is a whole other story, which I tell later, but basically HF can kiss my ***.

 

[kc-steve]

Thanks John. I look forward to hearing your story.

Steve

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

Does anyone have any Sears coupon codes? I hear of people purchasing this set for $299.00.

 

[toolmaker1]

I have both, in very complete sets as a matter of fact. I think either would serve you well but really as much as I hate to say it the import gearwrench are much better finished and just as strong if not stronger than the craftsman. Also with your mac dealer warrantying them I really think you will be better served by the gearwrench Also wanted to say congrats on the new shop, seems like everything is falling into place for you now.

 

[toolmaker1]

Does anyone have any Sears coupon codes? I hear of people purchasing this set for $299.00.

I just bought that 299 piece set for $240 shipped a few weeks back. That was as cheap as I have ever seen. With sears you just have to watch for sales to bring the price where you want it. The $299 sale comes around pretty regularly.

 

[wreckerman5357]

Get the Cmans, mine stood up to my abuse as a teenager when I got them to work on my car, went to tech school with me, and now the get used daily in a professional shop. I have put them on impacts (a lot), put cheater bars on them, used them as punches, and just generally used the **** out of them. I have only had to warranty 4, 3 were blatant misuse.

I understand why people don't like a lot of Cman's stuff. I have replaced most all my Cman stuff with Snap-On except the sockets. The Cman's do their job and I just don't see how replacing them with more expensive sockets would make my work go any smoother.

 

[chris6278]

i bought a 308 piece craftsman set several years ago an they have been great for me. use them all the time an havnt broke any plus u cant beat craftsmans warranty

 

[RangerDaleXp]

Thanks John. I look forward to hearing your story.

Steve

I am curious as well?

 

[gtlaw]

I hate craftsman double detent sockets I have no idea what they were thinking with that design its just stupid.

 

[ajchien]

I hate craftsman double detent sockets I have no idea what they were thinking with that design its just stupid.

FWIW, when I combine the cman double detent sockets with a cman QR ratchet, the detent ball holds onto the socket really tight like a locking extension. Whereas when I use other branded sockets, I can hand pull the sockets off of a cman QR ratchet.

 

[sselander]

I like the finish on the Gearwrench and Danaher NAPA sockets over the CMAN as well.
They are not dual marked, but the numbers are large and legible.

I have a full 1/4" Gearwrench six point set in a plastic case from Advanced when it went on sale.

I also have a full 3/8" NAPA six point set in a plastic case from Cripe.

The sets are much easier to transport, and the ratchets are low profile, and work well.
If I need 12 point, they are with my older Craftsman sockets in the tool chest.

I also have a full set of Genius 1/2 Metric six point sockets that I keep in the chest and use them on occasion.

 

[Skin]

do you actually need all the sockets? The reason i ask is since you're getting regular visits by the trucks now you could potentially be shopped used truck brand sockets. $300 would get you deep and shallow metric 3/8 and 1/4 drive 6pt fairly easily.

Cman are nice and a great bargain for the home mechanic but as far as holding up to daily use in a shop environment i have my doubts about the plating. Some of my newer extensions did not last very long at all before they started to chip. Given the choice between the two brands i'd probably lean toward GW but if i were getting visits by MAC and Snap-On i'd also be considering them. The deep sets in new condition of any given drive size go for $100 ea. all day on ebay.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

If those Craftsman sockets have double detente, don't get those. Personally I hate those.

 

[54FordPanel]

If those Craftsman sockets have double detente, don't get those. Personally I hate those.

I bought the 299 piece set, and I'm very happy with them. They do what I need them to do.

I just looked at mine, and some are like you pictured, and some are not. I don't know what the percentage of them have double detents.

I've never noticed the difference using them, but I'll start paying attention and see if I can notice a difference.

 

[Don 18]

I seem to recall that the double detent was for a new type of drive ratchet that was either never released or canned shortly thereafter. I never had a big problem with that style, but they will go in the spares / extras pile before the old style detents.

I have zero experience with the GW sockets.

I know you are looking for ease of warrantee, but have you considered Williams? Tools Delivered had some decent pricing on sets, but their site is still down. I had to warrantee a Williams screwdriver over the phone and it was no problem at all.

 

[gtlaw]

I bought the 299 piece set, and I'm very happy with them. They do what I need them to do.

I just looked at mine, and some are like you pictured, and some are not. I don't know what the percentage of them have double detents.

I've never noticed the difference using them, but I'll start paying attention and see if I can notice a difference.

when blindly attaching the double detent sockets to a ratchet or extension if the corners of the drive line up with the first set of detents it will try to go on then stop necessitating the socket be removed then turned 45 degrees to go on properly. I probably been through that thousands times, but now I replaced all of my cman sockets, and don't plan on owning another

 

[smothers33]

I have both craftsman and gearwrench and can't complain about either. The gearwrench looks a little nicer and if you plan on getting sets with ratchets the gearwrench ratchets arebalot better. Only thing I would say about gearwrench sockets is the deep sockets are only cut down to a standard socket depth. So you can put a nut in the socket and it won't fall to the bottom of the socket. I didn't like it at first I thought it was cheap but it has grown on me. It could be a plus or minus depending on your personal opinion

 

[cbracer]

I hate craftsman double detent sockets I have no idea what they were thinking with that design its just stupid.

What is so wrong with the double detent? I've yet to hear a real reason as to why it's bad. Please educate us.

 

[gtlaw]

What is so wrong with the double detent? I've yet to hear a real reason as to why it's bad. Please educate us.

I already explained it

when blindly attaching the double detent sockets to a ratchet or extension if the corners of the drive line up with the first set of detents it will try to go on then stop necessitating the socket be removed then turned 45 degrees to go on properly. I probably been through that thousands times, but now I replaced all of my cman sockets, and don't plan on owning another

 

[Skin]

i have never had that problem with any of my ratchets from Craftsman to Snap-On Matco and MAC.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I have no complaints about my craftsman tools, my only complaint is they are making them overseas but at least there are still Sears stores keeping Americans employed.

 

[pipsters]

The Craftsman laser etching is a pretty big plus IMO. After using both I don't like using my non laser etched ones anymore. I have the newer 299 pc set and have never experienced any issues with the detents, I guess I'm pretty experienced when it comes to putting a socket on a ratchet.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

the only problem with laser etched is it will fade but I have taken them in and exchanged them because of it.

 

[David W]

I really thought from what the OP was saying toward the end of his "My HF Investment" posts was that when the Mac truck showed up, he was going to start buying a lot of Mac stuff, in part because he can now afford it and partly because his new customers would notice the classier tools.
I wouldn't consider CM and GW "stepping up" in the world over the HF stuff.
I can understand a reluctance to pay tool truck prices for Macs if the Macs were made in china but I'm curious why the OP is considering the cheaper stuff once again?

 

[concealer404]

I really thought from what the OP was saying toward the end of his "My HF Investment" posts was that when the Mac truck showed up, he was going to start buying a lot of Mac stuff, in part because he can now afford it and partly because his new customers would notice the classier tools.
I wouldn't consider CM and GW "stepping up" in the world over the HF stuff.
I can understand a reluctance to pay tool truck prices for Macs if the Macs were made in china but I'm curious why the OP is considering the cheaper stuff once again?

The GW stuff is a big step up from the HF stuff.

I would pick the GW stuff over CM in this case. If you shop around you could get the "module" sets including extensions and ratchets for under $300 i believe.

I just took delivery of a 1/4" 51 piece set that i grabbed for $50 shipped.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

I have bacho, crafty, kobolt, gearwrench, harbor freight, proto, snappy and some unknown brands of sockets. I never noticed any brand being more classy than another.

They all do the same thing equally well. I've also never noticed any appreciable difference in performance.

Very seldom do I break one and when that does happen it's always been a deep socket

 

[Tarheelgarage]

I vote for the GW sets.
Nice finish and they can take daily use in a shop with no problem

 

[John316]

I have a complete set of CM and GW in all drive sizes. Originally, I started getting the GW sets as a backup or second set, but now I like them much better than the CM sockets.

My CM sockets are at least 15 years old and have held up well, but I like how the GW has deep knurling on the bottom of the metric sockets and how the shallow sockets are more shallow than the CM equivalents. On some of my CM sockets the sizes are difficult to read due to the fact that the marking is small and the stamping is shallow. The GW are labeled well. They are just designed better and finished nicer. Gosh, they even have shiny chrome plating unlike anything CM is offering nowadays.

Also, the GW rails are sweet. I like the rails so much I picked up enough rails to do my CM sockets as well.

Having both sets, I would go with the GW hands down over the CM.

 

[TwoInch]

when blindly attaching the double detent sockets to a ratchet or extension if the corners of the drive line up with the first set of detents it will try to go on then stop necessitating the socket be removed then turned 45 degrees to go on properly. I probably been through that thousands times, but now I replaced all of my cman sockets, and don't plan on owning another

this is all false. at least with the craftsman double detent socket, in all three popular drive sizes. i tried snap on ratchets, craftsman, and williams ratchets on all three drives, and extentions from probably seven or eight brands, and not one single time, with any of them, was this possible. the only time you get the 45* off snag, is with socket rails. thats it. ratchet drives do not snag the detents. i have many of the same series socket pictured, and others with similar double detents.

 

[TwoInch]

went back and checked with a caliper. it aint happenin. very much a pain with some socket rails though.

 

[therealwormey]

i cant imagine when you displayed this massive amount of sockets why youd need more,and if i remember right you said long ago you had all mac and s-k but got tired of paying for it so you went with HF and now have more than you ever did.if youve had this many brands why on earth would you need any help deciding.................................just busting your chops,,i am a little ,,,scratch,,,,a lot anoyyed at craftsmen,i vote gearwrench just because you know they're NOT made in usa,,,with sears you have to look at every package now to see COO and if your paying the same price for the china set as the usa set. i like the GW stuff just as well if not better than the sears stuff.,,,really like to hear bout HF can kiss your ***..

 

[billp603]

C'man.

The deal NAPA is offering on their sets til end of June and the Q3 beginning is a good deal as well since they are changing suppliers.

I like the GW ratchets. The rest, not so much. For me at least.

What is NAPA changing from or to? It seems like the NAPA's around here are franchised and have a different stock depending on location. My local one just has Evercraft, the one near work has a lot of SK stuff, and I was in one the other day 30 miles away that had a huge GearWrench display.

My answer on the OP question is to get CM if you can find a USA set, if not get the GW.

 

[gtlaw]

went back and checked with a caliper. it aint happenin. very much a pain with some socket rails though.

I must admit I do a lot of work using a wobble so much so that they are my go to extensions its definitely a problem with them. I know recently using someones 1/4" allen socket set I had the problem without a wobble

why would anyone choose to use sockets that cause any hassle even one as small as putting them back on the rail?

 

[bigbarf48]

I dont get it... it snags when you put the extension in in a manner in which to squares cannot fit together. What the hell did you think would happen

 

[gtlaw]

I dont get it... it snags when you put the extension in in a manner in which to squares cannot fit together. What the hell did you think would happen

I guess you never had to work in the dark, on your back, under a car with more that one different size fastener.

its an inconvenience that no other socket in the world causes so I see them as an inferior design

 

[pipsters]

The image of a 2 year old putting a square peg into a round hole comes to mind, this place is just too much...