Things Craftsman USA never made(sold). I think.

[the1wingedangel]

Long time lurker here, first time poster, only because I can't find this info anywhere on the internet or on garage journal.

From what I can tell, Craftsman USA never sold these skipped tools - either as part of any set or in open stock. Can any of you could correct me if I'm missing something crazy rare?

1/4 Drive Sockets:

• 4.5mm: Not made in either 6pt or 12pt, and in either shallow or deep versions
• 5.5mm: Not made in either 6pt or 12pt in a deep version (shallow version exists)
• 5/32": Not made in either 6pt or 12pt in a deep version (shallow version exists)
• 1/8": Not made in either 6pt or 12pt, in either shallow or deep versions

3/8 drive crowfoot:

• 15/16": Skipped in all the sets

Stubby wrench:

• 11mm: The sets would skip both 11mm and 16mm. Although the 16mm was available in open stock, and even a 9mm as well. But I've never seen an 11

I have seen some of these in the Chinese/Taiwanese modern production tool lines, but never in USA. Is this true, or do any of you Craftsman collectors know of their existence?

 

[Tools4Me]

Fom what I know about US Craftsman (I know more than most, but much less than some), your statements are correct.

If you are a USA Craftsman specific collector, what I am about to say might not interest you, but other brands like Armstrong made tools that do overlap with Craftsman and some missing items can be filled in with the Armstrong brand instead if your goal is not to stay brand specific, but to fill in a socket rack with no skips and keep the tools visually looking almost exactly the same. For instance, Armstrong did offer a US made 15/16" crowfoot wrench that looks visually identical to the Craftsman one except for the Armstrong name and part number stamping.

 

[Tools4Me]

I forgot to mention, the "Craftsman Industrial" brand that was around for a couple years made a 15/16" 3/8dr crowfoot. I have only seen them with laser etched branding and size identification marks. I don't know if that is of interest to you though, because that isn't technically regular USA Craftsman either. Craftsman Industrial might also have one or more of your other missing socket sizes as well, but they will be very hard to come by because the brand as a whole was hard to even source tools from when they were being made. It had almost zero advertising and most didn't know it even existed.

 

[the1wingedangel]

T

I forgot to mention, the "Craftsman Industrial" brand that was around for a couple years made a 15/16" 3/8dr crowfoot. I have only seen them with laser etched branding and size identification marks. I don't know if that is of interest to you though, because that isn't technically regular USA Craftsman either. Craftsman Industrial might also have one or more of your other missing socket sizes as well, but they will be very hard to come by because the brand as a whole was hard to even source tools from when they were being made. It had almost zero advertising and most didn't know it even existed.

Thanks for that info!

I was aware that many Armstrongs are almost the same (I guess they sourced from many of the same suppliers), but I hadn't really thought of that move. I guess its better than filling it with a modern Taiwanese Craftsman sockets/wrenches, as they aren't visually the same. I did not know Craftsman Industrial had a 15/16 crowfoot though. That's a good idea, thanks for that heads up. Usually their chrome was few shades darker and ends up standing out in the pile, but its a good solution if they never made it in the normal editions.

To be honest, I don't really need any of those, as I have overlap with other brands, but the completionist in me wanted to see if it was possible. I put off too many missing spots back in the day when they were still USA made, and then had no desire to fill them in with the off-shore versions, and just have lately had the itch again.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I’m to the point I’ve managed to overcome my tool OCD and just buy quality brands to fill in gaps that craftsman never made or that I never initially owned. My socket racks are predominantly craftsman, but they’re getting more and more Williams, Proto, SK and even Mac and Snap On in them.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

No wonder I can’t ever find a deep 5.5mm at the pawn shop. I’m looking for one to complete my set. I never find any at the store either. I need that size a lot at work on the Ford stuff but I usually will use like a 7/32 instead because nobody in the shop has a 5.5mm.

 

[Lesserstore]

The Craftsman (regular, not Industrial or Professional) 15/16 crows foot model number is 43588.

 

[Neggy]

No wonder I can’t ever find a deep 5.5mm at the pawn shop. I’m looking for one to complete my set. I never find any at the store either. I need that size a lot at work on the Ford stuff but I usually will use like a 7/32 instead because nobody in the shop has a 5.5mm.

still changing a lot of distributor mounted ignition control modules I take it?

 

[theoldwizard1]

still changing a lot of distributor mounted ignition control modules I take it?

"Back in the day", a lot of Ford engineers had 3 or 4 spare TFI Modules and a 5.5 nut driver in their personal car. You would amazed at how many TFIs were changed on the side of the road in Metro Detroit.

(I remember hearing that TFI R/1000 exceeded 1000 !)

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

still changing a lot of distributor mounted ignition control modules I take it?

Yep and some of the smaller things mounted to the sides of the fenders are 5.5 as well. And some use them in the door panels.

 

[four.cycle]

still changing a lot of distributor mounted ignition control modules I take it?

Removing the crystal from the instrument panel on a 1990s Ford also requires a 5.5mm.
I couldn't find mine and grabbed the 7/32". Worked just fine.

 

[Neggy]

"Back in the day", a lot of Ford engineers had 3 or 4 spare TFI Modules and a 5.5 nut driver in their personal car. You would amazed at how many TFIs were changed on the side of the road in Metro Detroit.

(I remember hearing that TFI R/1000 exceeded 1000 !)

80K was the normal life expectancy of one back when I was wrenching in the 80's and early 90's before I went to the body shop

Although we did have a Ford passenger van last summer that was EECIV that we put a module in.

They were notorious for heating up and stranding you, and when they cooled off you would repeat the process.


So the Ford guys did what the Chrysler guys did with ballast resistors... always keep a spare or two in the glove box

 

[plinker]

5.5 is pretty common on interior/under dash stuff on GM and others.

FWIW, depending on the vintage Armstrong/K-D/Allen (they were under the Danaher/Apex umbrella), Napa/Kobalt/Masterforce (and probably a couple others I'm forgetting) also had the same tools labeled for them and can fill gaps as they are pretty much identical except for markings. IIRC my 15/16 crow foot is Armstrong.

 

[theoldwizard1]

They were notorious for heating up and stranding you, and when they cooled off you would repeat the process.

Early ones lived less than 2 years and often killed the coil at the same time.

 

[the1wingedangel]

The Craftsman (regular, not Industrial or Professional) 15/16 crows foot model number is 43588.

Wow so it was sold, thanks for that info! I didn't seen any current or sold on ebay over the last 90 days, but I'll keep an eye out.

Or if anyone has one they'd want to part with, shoot me a PM.