Too good to be true?

[KamiCrit]

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-Combo-Wr...478?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item462f64f236

I'm currently a millwright student and thinking about tooling. I know I'll need a 1-1/4" wrench set and a 32mm wrench set the odd time.

As a Canadian this would cost me $81 net.

I know JET tools is having a sale and I might be able to get the same set for $144 net. If the quality of tooling is worth the extra $63.

What do you guys think?

 

[KamiCrit]

I am sure the wrenches are good enough quality for most situations, but the set you linked to skips a lot of sizes. Price and quality don't matter much if the set doesn't fit the bolt you are trying to turn. You can most likely use one of your SAE wrenches in the place of a couple missing metric wrenches (7/16 for 11mm, 3/4 for 19mm, and 1-1/16 for 27mm) because they are so close in size, but the rest of the missing wrenches in the set are true holes.

When it comes to the holes I figure if I come across hardware in the field I don't have a wrench for I'll go out and grab it. It's easier to fill the holes in a x-32mm set than to buy large individual wrenches in a x-24mm set.

 

[bob15]

Here is the same set. The picture on you link even shows the Grainger part number.

grainger: http://www.grainger.com/product/WESTWARD-Combo-Wrench-Set-4JMA8

You are missing 13, 15, 17 & 19mm which are most common. I would skip this set.

 

[KamiCrit]

Here is the same set. The picture on you link even shows the Grainger part number.

grainger: http://www.grainger.com/product/WESTWARD-Combo-Wrench-Set-4JMA8

You are missing 13, 15, 17 & 19mm which are most common. I would skip this set.

Missing four wrenches and saving $290, I'm sure I could find something to fill the gaps. And if those are the most common in the field I could even fill the gaps with $70 wrenches.

 

[warmpancakes]

They will be tiawan or china most likely china

 

[KamiCrit]

They will be tiawan or china most likely china

Acklands says COO is Taiwan

 

[xxaler]

I'm an apprentice millwright/boilermaker and I can tell you straight up, a set of Mastercraft wrenches will do you more than fine. I've had 4' pipes on the end of my mastercrap 1-1/4" wrench more times than I can count. I just bought the standard wrench set when it was on sale and added the 1-1/8, 1-1/6, and 1-1/4 when they were on sale for $15.99 each. Then the ratcheting 3/4, 15/16, 7/8, and 1" when they were on sale.

As much as the industrial world wants you to believe you need the most high-end USA made tools, when you have tools made from a company you can warranty when no questions asked at any of their stores... Well, it's kind of an easy decision. I've got a 1-1/4" mastercrap ratcheting that I cut the ratcheting end off and had it welded onto an offset 2' bar for valve studs in odd places, when the ratcheting mechanism broke, they gave me a new one... Same with the regular one I bent into a half-moon.

 

[bob15]

Missing four wrenches and saving $290, I'm sure I could find something to fill the gaps. And if those are the most common in the field I could even fill the gaps with $70 wrenches.

Not really saving $290 as grainger over prices thing dramatically and I only mention a few missing wrenches. I still say skip it and buy a better set.

Here is a nice SK set which covers all the missing sizes (more than just the 4 I mentioned earlier): http://www.ebay.com/itm/SK-25-PC-Piece-Metric-6-32mm-USA-Polish-Combination-Wrench-Set-with-Wrap-Roll-/191505790336?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c96a27580

Another nice set without missing wrenches: http://www.ebay.com/itm/KD-Tools-23-Pc-Metric-Combination-Wrench-Set-8mm-32mm-636-Series-/121557031168?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c4d5d1900

 

[Askme42]

Missing four wrenches and saving $290, I'm sure I could find something to fill the gaps. And if those are the most common in the field I could even fill the gaps with $70 wrenches.

If you weren't planning on listening to others advice why ask?

 

[jeremy v]

If you weren't planning on listening to others advice why ask.

I am pretty much of this opinion as well.

If you are fine with having several missing wrenches, and also okay with most likely ending up with different brands for fill-in wrenches (if you are truly trying to keep costs down), I say go for it. If it were me though I would try to fill in the gaps in the set as quickly as I could afford to instead of as they are needed. Some of the missing sizes are commonly encountered so you will probably be needing them sooner rather than later. Finding a good price on a fill-in wrench right when you need it to complete a task is usually not a very successful endeavor. Good luck, and in the future I wish for Canada many awesome tool websites with great prices.

 

[KamiCrit]

If yII weren't planning on listening to others advice why ask.

Hey I'm listening loud and clear, I'm just trying trying to figure out if I've found a good deal or not. I know the set is foreign made and has skips but those are things I can live with for a first time starting out set. I might not even come across a single piece of metric hardware in industrial equipment. And if I do, I'd like to be ready without breaking the bank.

For all I know this could be a set I may take to a top of a silo, if a wrench is dropped I don't want to cry about it.

Ideally I'd go for this set: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005VMNVSA/?tag=atomicindus04-20
But for starting out that is a little heavy on the bank and there will be other areas of tooling that will need to be addressed.

 

[t4runner]

I did a quick search and it seems they sell for around $300. So it does seem like one of those to good to be true sales, but at that price and if your ok with who makes them then I say take a chance.

 

[KamiCrit]

I did a quick search and it seems they sell for around $300. So it does seem like one of those to good to be true sales, but at that price and if your ok with who makes them then I say take a chance.

That is what I was wondering about. $300 wrench set for $25, seems kinda odd.

 

[John in OH]

Hey, I say if you need an economical set of metric combos, go for it! So what if it's missing a few sizes?? As you've already said, you can buy the missing ones and still end up with a nice set for far less than the retail price!

So, you buy the set listed for $31C plus $42C shipping. Then drive to your local WR Grainger and buy the missing ones from their open stock. A quick check of the Grainger website shows that a Westward 11mm satin finish combo costs about $4. So, even if you double the cost you'll still have only $140C in a full set that goes up to 32mm. True, it will be a Taiwan set with a few China fill-ins, but it will still be a good set.

 

[gol4]

I ordered the set shortly after you posted this because I wanted some larger metrics to collect some saw dust in my wood shop. Mine stopped at 19mm.
Shows it will arrive by Friday and they already left positive feedback for me.
While the MSRP is over 300 (according to Grainger and Zoro)there are others selling them on e-bay for around $80 so it is not a too good to be true deal.
I figure for less than $40 how can I go wrong. The set seems to have the sizes the HF sets all seem to not have.

 

[CatSplat]

I'm an apprentice millwright/boilermaker and I can tell you straight up, a set of Mastercraft wrenches will do you more than fine. I've had 4' pipes on the end of my mastercrap 1-1/4" wrench more times than I can count. I just bought the standard wrench set when it was on sale and added the 1-1/8, 1-1/6, and 1-1/4 when they were on sale for $15.99 each. Then the ratcheting 3/4, 15/16, 7/8, and 1" when they were on sale.

As much as the industrial world wants you to believe you need the most high-end USA made tools, when you have tools made from a company you can warranty when no questions asked at any of their stores... Well, it's kind of an easy decision. I've got a 1-1/4" mastercrap ratcheting that I cut the ratcheting end off and had it welded onto an offset 2' bar for valve studs in odd places, when the ratcheting mechanism broke, they gave me a new one... Same with the regular one I bent into a half-moon.

I agree with this. MM 14pc sets go on sale regularly and you could easily buy the equivalent of the ebay set for the same price or less.

IMO, if you're going to buy inexpensive tools, buy ones with a lifetime warranty (ie. Mastercraft) you can exchange locally.

 

[North Run Grader]

If you are in western Canada, many distributors carry the Westward tool lines. Bumper to Bumper, and Acklands just to name 2 off the top of my head. I have only ever had 1 store deny me warranty on a Westward tool, the center pin on a set of water pump pliers was loose, the store down the street did warranty the tool. One of my father's former employees stood on a 6' snipe on a 1/2" westward wrench and turned it into a half moon. The counter guy just said "Cool" and grabbed a new one off the wall. Bumper to Bumper rebuilt a 3/4" ratchet for me for free when I found one in the ditch doing road maintenance. Needed a lever and release pin, he replaced everything .

 

[KamiCrit]

Here is another option I was thinking about. Going for the metric and imperial set.

 

[Sebastien]

In your position I would either get the mastercraft wrench from canadian tire, you can get a complete set metic/sae for like 100$ (when on sales) or either go for Williams, you can find them on amazon.

 

[ibedayank]

http://www.westward-tools.eu/en/about-us

look around on graingers site there are 2 15 piece sets with 2 very diffent prices