yesterdays buys

[chammyman]

Well after somehow losing my long extensions (they will be at my old work along with whatever else they stole) and female torx sockets I needed some new ones in a hurry.

So went up the 'Barras' and got some new bits.

10 inch 1/2 extension matt finish (toolzone from the netherlands apparently) I already have 2 of them

5 inch 1/2 extension made by the evil folk at Stanley (gasp, shock horror)

1/2 - 3/8 adaptor again by stanley (my snap on and beta ones have apparently ran away)

Cheap female torx sockets on a rail as I only have 3 halfords, 2 Britool impact and 1 signet female torx left out of my sets! Goes from E4 - E18

Yes they are cheap and I know they will probably break eventually but for £10 I think it was a good deal.

Anyway a picture

When I got let go from work my tool tank (beta supertank) was left unlocked and its obviously been pillaged also the box was gone but my tools were there when I went back down. I came to an arrangement with the owner about future mot's etc rather than give him a kicking about my box.

 

[Frank Elson]

Three charity shops and two markets yesterday and I bought nothing :-(

 

[eschoendorff]

Not too bad. At the risk of being flamed: sometimes it's those "cheap" tools that really come through and last the longest. Go figure.

I've got some cheap made-in-Taiwan 3/8 wobble extensions that are among the nicest extensions in my box. Great finish, never had a problem. If I didn't know they were MIT, would guess Proto or MAC....

 

[chammyman]

Not too bad. At the risk of being flamed: sometimes it's those "cheap" tools that really come through and last the longest. Go figure.

I've got some cheap made-in-Taiwan 3/8 wobble extensions that are among the nicest extensions in my box. Great finish, never had a problem. If I didn't know they were MIT, would guess Proto or MAC....

I fully agree I have a few cheap extensions and the snap on breaker bar gave up first! I also have a cheap 1/2 ratchet I got free with a jack and I absolutely love the thing. Its really strong, I have abused it really as it was just a cheapy but its solid, I greased it the other night for the first time since I got it about 3 years, took pics might stick them up.

 

[AutoTech]

Not too bad. At the risk of being flamed: sometimes it's those "cheap" tools that really come through and last the longest. Go figure.

I've got some cheap made-in-Taiwan 3/8 wobble extensions that are among the nicest extensions in my box. Great finish, never had a problem. If I didn't know they were MIT, would guess Proto or MAC....

Maybe the MIT and Mac tools come from same plant in Taiwan

 

[AutoTech]

I fully agree I have a few cheap extensions and the snap on breaker bar gave up first! I also have a cheap 1/2 ratchet I got free with a jack and I absolutely love the thing. Its really strong, I have abused it really as it was just a cheapy but its solid, I greased it the other night for the first time since I got it about 3 years, took pics might stick them up.

chammyman post some pics cause

 

[eschoendorff]

Maybe the MIT and Mac tools come from same plant in Taiwan

Honestly, I would NOT be surprised...

My MIT impact sockets are holding up just fine too. I only have one set, but they turn the same bolts as my Snap On / Craftsman ones...

The only real issue with them is the not-made-in-USA stigma....

 

[lhatch]

Sadly, most things today are not made in the USA. And what appears to be, do not open the lid.

I have MAC, SK, Craftsman and HF. All works the same. If the HF stuff break I just wait for the next sale.

 

[eschoendorff]

Sadly, most things today are not made in the USA. And what appears to be, do not open the lid.

I have MAC, SK, Craftsman and HF. All works the same. If the HF stuff break I just wait for the next sale.

Well, it used to be that "made in USA" was a mark of high quality. I'm not so convinced anymore. Sad, very sad indeed.

 

[chammyman]

ok then since you asked I got pics the other night of it

dried out and gungy, well whats there is

stripped out

the internals

selectors cleaned up

general purpose grease added

After that its much smoother and quieter. Its a coarse ratchet but as i said its been immensely strong and I really like it. Its never let me down and its quite weighty and as a freebie with a jack its exceptional!

 

[AutoTech]

Thanks cammyman for the pics. That ratchet looks like a cheap one that I got in a box of tools one time. Mine says Crecent on the handle and for a cheap ratchet it has been very tough!

 

[chammyman]

yeah its a cheapy but goody, its a nice medium length one.

I also lubed up my britool flex head one and got pics of that so here they are

ignore crack on the computer table there was an issue with someone sititng on it...

as you can see its well used

its quite strong despite wimpy looks

an excellent ratchet

 

[wilbilt]

Strange. I am not seeing any pics.

I viewed the page source, and the links are there, but I can't even access them directly.

I know all about missing tools when going back to pick up my box. Ba***rds.

I have an old long 1/2" Taiwan extension that I used to access rear upper shock mounts. It has sort of worn into a wobble extension over the years, but hasn't given up yet. It has seen impact use exclusively.

 

[chammyman]

did you not say this before when I put pics up of my wee beta box? You or someone else was the only person who couldn't see the pics.

Yeah the missing tools is a joke, the thing is when its open for a few moments you get tlakign to someone or the boss wants you you leave it open for a short time go back and don't even think that anyone would have rummaged through it etc.

 

[AutoTech]

yeah its a cheapy but goody, its a nice medium length one.

I also lubed up my britool flex head one and got pics of that so here they are

ignore crack on the computer table there was an issue with someone sititng on it...

as you can see its well used

its quite strong despite wimpy looks

an excellent ratchet

I like the looks of that Britool ratchet! Is that a old ratchet? I went to Britool website to see If I could order one and if they ship to the States and the ratchet looks nothing like the one in your pics.

 

[wilbilt]

did you not say this before when I put pics up of my wee beta box? You or someone else was the only person who couldn't see the pics.

Yeah the missing tools is a joke, the thing is when its open for a few moments you get tlakign to someone or the boss wants you you leave it open for a short time go back and don't even think that anyone would have rummaged through it etc.

It could have been me. I can't even access the top level www.renault-turbo.com

It might have to do with ATT's DNS servers. They seem to be selectively stupid at times. They have no trouble finding p0rn popups and Netflix ads, though...

In my case, I was not expecting to be leaving, and did not lock my box. The owner had a "no calling in sick" policy. I had come to work with the flu and running a high fever. I was out doing some brakes on jack stands in the rain, and told him I thought it was a bunch of ****.

I told him I would be looking for another job, but promised to give him plenty of notice. He told me to go home and get some rest. He called that evening and said he had my final check ready. (!)

I went and picked up my box and used a lift to load it in my truck. When I got home, I had to unload it via a tree branch and chain hoist. Not trusting the branch very much, I unloaded everything into cartons before lifting the box. I did not notice that things were missing until a few days later.

He called two weeks after and begged me to come back to work for him. I told him to pound sand. Of course, he denied taking anything.

 

[eschoendorff]

That first ratchet is a Proto knock-off. Good design. They sell the same thing here at HF. Nice to know that they hold up well

That Britool flex head is bad ***! That design is not wimpy at all! Looks just like FACOM on the inside...

 

[AutoTech]

That first ratchet is a Proto knock-off. Good design. They sell the same thing here at HF. Nice to know that they hold up well

That Britool flex head is bad ***! That design is not wimpy at all! Looks just like FACOM on the inside...

I agree I like the Britool ratchet

 

[wilbilt]

Yes, now the pics. It was ATT's DNS servers. Nice of them to filter my content without my knowledge. Switched to Open DNS and no more problem. Much faster, too.

I agree, I really like the Britool flex head.

 

[chammyman]

wilbilt sund ssimilar to me. Only difference is I knew a few months before when he took on anothe rnon english speaking Pole. 3 Poles in a UK shop and only 1 speaks some english. But the owner gets grants to employ them so the scottish workers get the boot.

I was off the day before with the mrs at the hospital to get another scan (shes 6 months pregnant) came in got into my overalls etc and was about to start work and was told to go home. Not enough work for us all so I got the toe but he kept on the new pole as he gets money, hes admitted this plenty times before. ANyway I left not even thinkign about my toosl when I did go back apparently some (quite a lot) had gone walkies.

I really like the Britool one but I haven't really yanked on it, cracked off some head bolts (euro cars with alloy heads so not very tight) and wheel bolts but never tried a crank pulley bolt or a trucks head bolt etc with it.

 

[v8garage]

ok then since you asked I got pics the other night of it

dried out and gungy, well whats there is

stripped out

the internals

selectors cleaned up

general purpose grease added

After that its much smoother and quieter. Its a coarse ratchet but as i said its been immensely strong and I really like it. Its never let me down and its quite weighty and as a freebie with a jack its exceptional!

Except for the quick release button that ratchet head looks like a Proto clone.

 

[olds88]

Decided to finally get a set of "Gearwrench" style wrenches... decided I'm not getting Gearwrench brand because they get alot of money for them and they're made in Taiwan, I read Blue-Point is made in Taiwan, and they're even more money.... and IDK where the Snap-on branded ones are from but they're ALOT of $$$........

I discovered that Crescent-Cooper tools makes a version, and found a vender on ebay selling sets for only $55 (average price elsewhere are $70), so I bought both metric and SAE..... even if they come and say Made in Taiwan on them at least I still got a good deal....

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/onlinecatalog/images/FRRM7_300.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330150248557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=014

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330150248557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=014

 

[eschoendorff]

Decided to finally get a set of "Gearwrench" style wrenches... decided I'm not getting Gearwrench brand because they get alot of money for them and they're made in Taiwan, I read Blue-Point is made in Taiwan, and they're even more money.... and IDK where the Snap-on branded ones are from but they're ALOT of $$$........

I discovered that Crescent-Cooper tools makes a version, and found a vender on ebay selling sets for only $55 (average price elsewhere are $70), so I bought both metric and SAE..... even if they come and say Made in Taiwan on them at least I still got a good deal....

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/onlinecatalog/images/FRRM7_300.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330150248557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=014

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330150248557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=014

That's well and good, but when of those wrenches dies, you'll be wishing you had bought GearWrench/Craftsman/Blue Point which can all be warrantied rather easily. Just a thought...

 

[olds88]

That's well and good, but when of those wrenches dies, you'll be wishing you had bought GearWrench/Craftsman/Blue Point which can all be warrantied rather easily. Just a thought...

By that time I'll probably have enough pennies saved to buy a Snap-on set (without tripling my tab!).

 

[billymade]

The 1/2 price sales on Gearwrench are killer; the main thing is you are happy with your tools and your purchase!