nicks78camaro
Well-known member
Great point about the warranty
Show your new tool arrivals
- Thread starter sarel.wagner
- Start date
Great point about the warranty
Beerhippie
Well-known member
If you mean in the Vanagon, seeing as I bought it a week or so ago, I seriously doubt it. My previous Van died during the COVID thing.
They're Petersen Vise Grips (shh, well, not precisely) made in the same town/building in Nebraska. I haven't taken the calipers or digital scale to them but they sure feel heavier than other locking pliers, really beefy.
Also, extra shiny, because Murka!
$350, I cannot explain.
Ah, okay. I was in a very large national park out there and while it normally has a bizarre percentage of surviving US-market Eurovans/Eurovan campers, this year it was those, and several Vanagons!
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nicks78camaro
Well-known member
Someone trying to get rich off of discontinued tools. They used to sell for $60-70ish I believe? When Malco stopped production, HJE had them for $30ish a pair.
olsenmotorsports
Well-known member
Thanks homie. Agree the Windy City needs more love! There are some big time players here in the toolbox game!
I work in Downers Grove how about you?
Glad you like the video. I’m hoping that as a direct result of watching it everyone goes broke buying new stuff! Payback is a bi$$!!!!
Every time I come here I see something I don’t have, don’t need, that’s on sale and somehow lands on my doorstep.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
See I've heard that they bought the tooling and so I expected snap-on to be producing them that looked like it's the malco's. And for a while they had them on their website that looked like them.
But this is what they have up on their website and those to me do not look like the eagle grips. And that set of four on their website is like $160. I would have to check but I think I have one or two sets like that that are red... And I think they're made in Span but I'd have to look that up. So I just wasn't thinking made in the USA when I saw those.
Editing to add I I thought some months back but on the website they had the ones that look just like the malco. I don't see him on the website now though. And the ones I posted are like $40 a piece
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Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That's a Grip on kit. Many peeps dislike them but, the ones I have served me well. Proto and Channellock also use Grip Ons as well .See I've heard that they bought the tooling and so I expected snap-on to be producing them that looked like it's the malco's. And for a while they had them on their website that looked like them.
But this is what they have up on their website and those to me do not look like the eagle grips. And that set of four on their website is like $160. I would have to check but I think I have one or two sets like that that are red... And I think they're made in Span but I'd have to look that up. So I just wasn't thinking made in the USA when I saw those.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
Thanks, that's exactly the answer I was looking for
Steel_Rain
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Yup…i got in on that deal (and several others) when I heard the news.
Send help:
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
So there's about 12 there if I counted right? And if he paid $30 a piece that's about $360. If you can sell them for $100 a piece you've got about $1,200. If you can sell them for $150 a piece, you're closer to $2,000. So then after the eBay commission you just about break even...Yup…i got in on that deal (and several others) when I heard the news.
Send help:
Steel_Rain
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Ain’t that the truth!So then after the eBay commission you just about break even...
These are great, but I’d never pay Snap On or scalper prices these days. As soon as I heard about the closure, I invested because I knew this was coming.
wandrur
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Figured I would use the 15% off coupon while I was out and about to finally upgrade my 1/2" drive ratchet game.
M.Jay
Well-known member
If I type "locking pliers" in the search bar they show up as the top results. Not every size is in stock right now, but they are there.
Kasal
Well-known member
Astro sockets nano 3/8
Are these readily available in Europe, or do they ship from the US?
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
Very widely known that Snap On acquire the Malco / Vise Grip tooling. (Didn't they also introduce the needle nose version which Malco never did?) They also sell rebranded imported versions from Grip On and Vise Grip (as Blue Point).
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I had to directly navigate to snapon.com to be able to find those.... Cuz even searching by part number it was not showing them. I need to just install the app...If I type "locking pliers" in the search bar they show up as the top results. Not every size is in stock right now, but they are there.
It had me at sep.snapon.com that would not show them. Goodness. Thanks.
CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
I’m in Addison now which is a hub for manufacturing and auto, which I wasn’t aware of until the shop moved here. I totally agree about the toolbox game here. They fly off my Snappy driver’s truck and I’ve seen some insane set-ups as I walk around the area on my lunch breaks.
It’s crazy how much machining and auto and industrial maintenance share tools even with different job requirements. I saw a **** ton of stuff that would be beneficial to me but not my wallet.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I did assembling no skips sat at the metric... Someone was selling the wrenches that included the 7, 9 and 11. I suspect that he was breaking out a cmmt-99284 and selling the items individually. Since that's the only way I know how to fill the gaps.***** there is skips but
Similarly, you could get a 9/32, but an 11/32 is not available. :-(
I like the case. Hands are nicely labeled and it's easy to get the wrenches out and get them back in.
olsenmotorsports
Well-known member
I’m in Addison now which is a hub for manufacturing and auto, which I wasn’t aware of until the shop moved here. I totally agree about the toolbox game here. They fly off my Snappy driver’s truck and I’ve seen some insane set-ups as I walk around the area on my lunch breaks.
It’s crazy how much machining and auto and industrial maintenance share tools even with different job requirements. I saw a **** ton of stuff that would be beneficial to me but not my wallet.
Ha thats me when I log onto this forum!
My body shop is in Addison so we are up there weekly. What a great sector from there east into Elk Grove Village and Franklin/Schiller Park etc. You can get anything made there tomorrow if you really need it!
Love that water tower in Elk Grove says “Makers Wanted”.
Funny you mention that things fly off the Snap On truck. My driver is the same he's the busiest he has ever been (32 years on the same route) But I read here in different threads that Snap On is done etc that tool trucks are a dying breed and they are going out of business…. We see the opposite. Maybe thats just our location?
If you buy them as a younger mechanic and wear them out halfway through your career? Then! You're breaking even on the pliers tooth wear game! Ha ha!
Kasal
Well-known member
available in Europe (but only some sets, not all) €36 ($42.28) seemed like a fair price to me.
DUMB PURCHASE*
Got some plastic rivets for the ol' BMW from the dealer. Didn't see anything on my current rivet guns that could pull them. Got out the calipers, measured the diameter, went to Amazon, found that my size of rivet was a thing and then I see these little manual rivet pullers for plastic rivets, $16ish before tax, ordered.
When it arrived, I went downstairs, took the BMW plastic rivet, held it up to the chuck on this thing and... hey.... then went over to check on my Astro Pneumatic pneumatic rivet gun and did find a tip that would fit the BMW rivets and... what the? I checked this already! Then it dawned on me that I had been looking at -- and measuring with digital calipers -- the wrong side of the rivet. I think I need more sleep.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F59JKNNC
Oh well, got some plastic rivets out of it. Maybe the squeezy puller will be handy in some odd situation someday.
______
* Dumb Purchase theme song can be found here:
Got some plastic rivets for the ol' BMW from the dealer. Didn't see anything on my current rivet guns that could pull them. Got out the calipers, measured the diameter, went to Amazon, found that my size of rivet was a thing and then I see these little manual rivet pullers for plastic rivets, $16ish before tax, ordered.
When it arrived, I went downstairs, took the BMW plastic rivet, held it up to the chuck on this thing and... hey.... then went over to check on my Astro Pneumatic pneumatic rivet gun and did find a tip that would fit the BMW rivets and... what the? I checked this already! Then it dawned on me that I had been looking at -- and measuring with digital calipers -- the wrong side of the rivet. I think I need more sleep.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F59JKNNC
Oh well, got some plastic rivets out of it. Maybe the squeezy puller will be handy in some odd situation someday.
______
* Dumb Purchase theme song can be found here:
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This other story started at the Advance Auto Parts store. I had ogled the options in my fair city, then, on the road, in another town, decided to grab them. I grabbed a box like this and one for Nissan/Ford, took them up to the counter with the rest of my purchases and the tab was insane. I looked at the screen. These boxes rang up at $50 each! The stickers on the fastener assortment area gave me the impression -- in two different cities -- that these would be $14.99ish. So back to the shelf they went.
So I got these from Amazon, and here's where it becomes a tool purchase!
When I placed the order, my reaction was "I wish you'd stop jamming your cheap tools into the thing that I wanted to buy! I've already got plenty of plastic pry things! And a fastener pry tool!" By the time I unboxed them I realized, well, I need to put one in the Econoline for people to pry off center caps should they ever get a flat tire, and hey, this rivet pry tool has a better tip and angle than my Lisle tool. Okay, then."
$24.29 before tax. Given the previous rivet tool blunder, I'm still ahead of the game!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07175GQH7
So I got these from Amazon, and here's where it becomes a tool purchase!
When I placed the order, my reaction was "I wish you'd stop jamming your cheap tools into the thing that I wanted to buy! I've already got plenty of plastic pry things! And a fastener pry tool!" By the time I unboxed them I realized, well, I need to put one in the Econoline for people to pry off center caps should they ever get a flat tire, and hey, this rivet pry tool has a better tip and angle than my Lisle tool. Okay, then."
$24.29 before tax. Given the previous rivet tool blunder, I'm still ahead of the game!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07175GQH7
I have something very similar to this, but I think Facom manufactured. They are super with great flexibility and can deal surprisingly well with larger parts.I consider this style locking pliers to be the best ever. This is my first mono position pair. NOS Proto versions came up on eBay recently. A box of them must have been found someplace. Proto branding seems to have been discontinued a few years ago.
M.Jay
Well-known member
This is how I feel every time I look in this forum!I saw a **** ton of stuff that would be beneficial to me but not my wallet.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Here's another "Why didn't I buy this years ago?" tool:
I did all four brakes and the clutch on the new Vanagon this weekend. It took less than ten minutes to replace all the fluid in all the lines. I won't say it made brake bleeding fun, but it sure made it a one-man job with no sweat expended. Just pump up the reservoir, attach the catch bottle, open the bleeder valve and wait 'til I see clean fluid!
I did all four brakes and the clutch on the new Vanagon this weekend. It took less than ten minutes to replace all the fluid in all the lines. I won't say it made brake bleeding fun, but it sure made it a one-man job with no sweat expended. Just pump up the reservoir, attach the catch bottle, open the bleeder valve and wait 'til I see clean fluid!
OMG. How do you charge $50 for something that probably costs a few $ to make in volume. I realize that stocking and distributing cost a lot and they have to make profit. But that seems crazy.This other story started at the Advance Auto Parts store. I had ogled the options in my fair city, then, on the road, in another town, decided to grab them. I grabbed a box like this and one for Nissan/Ford, took them up to the counter with the rest of my purchases and the tab was insane. I looked at the screen. These boxes rang up at $50 each! The stickers on the fastener assortment area gave me the impression -- in two different cities -- that these would be $14.99ish. So back to the shelf they went.
Good selection though. But not worth $50 to me. Shame since I have some similar kits to what you ordered from Amazon and they have not been so good. The Dorman one looks better.
It is definitively a good idea to have a stock of replacement panel retainers if you work on older cars. The plastics often become brittle with age and it can be an adventure getting the clips off without damage. Good tools help, but they are often too brittle to get off without a significant fraction of breakages. I understand why they like these things on assembly lines due to the speed. But from a DIY perspective, I am much happier to see regular bolts holding splash panels rather than plastic clips!
Yes, they're both actually FACOM.
I am about 95% sure I was at your shop once in 2018 or 2019. I bought an OEM Nissan GTR dry carbon fiber wing that was removed from (I’m assuming) one of your customers cars. Got it for a deal and had A&L refinish it with satin clear (it had a small scratch that was disclosed, but the thing was being given away dirt cheap).
mreisner
Well-known member
Really digging these, hope they come out with a smaller version also as a few places they're a bit tight to get in.
Steel_Rain
Well-known member
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- Apr 23, 2024
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This, or the HF one for more money?
What's the warranty on the Astro version?
M.Jay
Well-known member
Welcome to a new episode on why bricks and mortar stores go out of business. I can't even remember the last time I bought something in a physical store because of the sky high prices. At this point I don't even bother about going somewhere to look for stuff, I just straight order online.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I routinely purchase at brick and mortar stores when I can. I was annoyed that I could not find a retractable power cord to mount on the ceiling with a 12/3 cord without mail order. I was able to find 14 gauge, but I wanted 12. Plenty available, but only by mail.
Thankfully I have been able to find camera equipment in stock for local purchase. It would have been frustrating to try and buy a pack for gear without testing first. I have done it, I do not prefer it.
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1 year.