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Ive had enough of Mac, Matco, Snapon bull****

I understand.... I hate sounding like a tool snob...... I'm not, I've bought cheap stuff, sometimes they turn out to be decent enough tools, sometimes they turn out to be sh*te....... couple times a year, weekend warrior, it's fine.... I even know boat mechanics that have cr@p tools.... it certainly doesn't make the job easier...

but i've certainly learned about tool durabilty/quality in the 30 yrs i've been spinning wrenches... i've got Snappie stuff that old that the chrome is worn off, tool still functions perfect... i also run lots of Klein dykes, crimpers,.... channel lock and visegrip pliers... but cold tools like chisels, rollpin punches, drifts, prybars, it's ALL Snappie......

i often laugh at guys i know that are dealer mechanics, or "bay" mechanics as i like to call em... boxes are in perfect order, tools clean, etc... try being a marine mechanic for a week and see what happens... my tools go thru a beatin... :doah: :haha:
 
Stomis said:
Lol ryoken I hear ya man but boats are like magnifying a tools "bulkiness" by 100. I do agree with you yes the big names have more compact tools that accomplish the same thing but for the average schmoe and even the average mechanic working on cars and trucks its really unnecessary.
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Trying taking a pinion nut off of a dana 60 yoke then. You'll be wanting a thinwall socket there.

I see what you are saying Stom, I understand the cost thing, snapon is pretty expensive. But I am with Ryoken, and I think eventuall you will change your mind from the, "screw the quality US stuff, I want china made now", after the cheap tools p!ss you off at the worst times.

I usually get SK or Craftsman proffessional stuff. I like US made tools, I'M OK with Swiss, German, or Japanese, but not cheap crap. I used to think it didn't matter with a few certain things, like creepers, remote switches, etc. But everything I have ever bought cheap crap eventually ends up making me really made at one point or another. My rule is, if I don't plan on throwing it away (plastic cleaning brush for example), I won't buy a cheap tool/part. I have never been disapointed to spend extra for quality, but many times I have been dissapointed not too.
 
folkenheath said:
Trying taking a pinion nut off of a dana 60 yoke then. You'll be wanting a thinwall socket there.

I see what you are saying Stom, I understand the cost thing, snapon is pretty expensive. But I am with Ryoken, and I think eventuall you will change your mind from the, "screw the quality US stuff, I want china made now", after the cheap tools p!ss you off at the worst times.

I usually get SK or Craftsman proffessional stuff. I like US made tools, I'M OK with Swiss, German, or Japanese, but not cheap crap. I used to think it didn't matter with a few certain things, like creepers, remote switches, etc. But everything I have ever bought cheap crap eventually ends up making me really made at one point or another. My rule is, if I don't plan on throwing it away (plastic cleaning brush for example), I won't buy a cheap tool/part. I have never been disapointed to spend extra for quality, but many times I have been dissapointed not too.
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I wouldnt consider gearwrench to be cheap chinese crap. TBH I dont even know where its made. I just know that a few guys here at work have some of their stuff and its really nice so I ordered it up.
 
you CAN get smoking deals on eghey if you know what your doing.... I was religious about searching it every day for about 3 yrs..... totally addicted...

3 memorable smoking deals......

new 15" X !" tipped Snappie cold chisel, lists for about $60..... $14 shipped...

gym bag with 35 to 40 Snappie air hammer bits, $54 shipped.... that was sick... :woot: fockers run $20 to $40 a piece..... :eek1: got about 60 now.... :haha:


a 1/2 dozen custom huge crowsfeet... modified, used and sold by NASA.... 1 1/4" to 2 1/4" openings...... modified 3-way 3/8's drive... i'll have to take pics of these fockers.... :eek1: most look at them as "WTF would you use them on?" :confused: perfect for tightfit thruhull fittings and shaft logs on the boats.... saved mine, and other mechanics arse multple times.... $23 shipped...

but you can consistently get anything on the truck, new, for about 1/2 price on eghey.. sockets, wrenches, etc....
 
Gearwrench seams to be decent quality for what it is, I agree. They might be chinese or maybe not (I think there is a reason they don't want you to know) But you can get USA made craftsman ratchet wrenches for pretty similar price, and they have a lever so you can use the angle of the wrench to your advantage in tight spots. I have had a set for 5 years and they work great. That's one of those, what did I ever use before kind of tools.

Also, sometimes you can get really good tools cheaper if you find out who make them. For instance, most of snap-ons torque wrenches are made by CDI. And if you buy the CDI labelled one you can find it a lot cheaper usually. Stuff like that. I have a CDI dial type in-lbs wrench that works perfect for setting pinion bearing preload.
 
folkenheath said:
Gearwrench seams to be decent quality for what it is, I agree. They might be chinese or maybe not (I think there is a reason they don't want you to know) But you can get USA made craftsman ratchet wrenches for pretty similar price, and they have a lever so you can use the angle of the wrench to your advantage in tight spots. I have had a set for 5 years and they work great. That's one of those, what did I ever use before kind of tools.

Also, sometimes you can get really good tools cheaper if you find out who make them. For instance, most of snap-ons torque wrenches are made by CDI. And if you buy the CDI labelled one you can find it a lot cheaper usually. Stuff like that. I have a CDI dial type in-lbs wrench that works perfect for setting pinion bearing preload.
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Yeah I purposely got non jointed ones. I find that whenever I use a jointed wrench for breaking something difficult whether its a ratchet or wrench I wind up bashing my knuckles when it breaks free.

My one friend uses all pivot socket wrenches and I ****in hate them with a passion lol.

Hey this reminds me the rest of my stuff should be here today.
 
I didn't mean jointed or pivoting head. I meant the lever changes the direction of the ratchet. Also, gear wrenches are usually completely flat (which sometimes is what you need). But the craftsman professional ratcheting wrenches are slightly angled (just like a standard combination wrench). So with the direction lever and the angle, you can use it 4 different ways.
 
folkenheath said:
I didn't mean jointed or pivoting head. I meant the lever changes the direction of the ratchet. Also, gear wrenches are usually completely flat (which sometimes is what you need). But the craftsman professional ratcheting wrenches are slightly angled (just like a standard combination wrench). So with the direction lever and the angle, you can use it 4 different ways.
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O got ya. Yeah gearwrench makes them. I opted for the straight flip over ones. I was gonna get the "x-beam" where the box end is 90* of the open but they were almost 2.5 times more. I said eh nah I dont need it that bad...
 
i really like my gearwrenches. they were gifts to me and i use them constantly.
i swing the mini sledge at em to break stuff loose. i would like a six point ratchet wrench but, they do a good job.

also for my USA tools, i rummage the bins at pawn shops. $1-3 for a good usa too truck wrench. almost all the sockets i see are overseas.

i have warrantied out two 1/2 crafstman ratchets and one 3/8. broke two 1/2 breaker bars too. exchanged no questions. have yet to break the exchanges.
 
Stomis said:
O yeah and my tool guy told me yesterday that gearwrench is made by KD is that overseas?
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Some of it is. You'd probably need the manufacturers cheat sheet to know for certain how much is done in China. IIRC gearwrench is owned by Danaher, who also owns KD and Alllen and Arnstrong and Matco and a few more. Thats a global corporation so you know there is lots of stuff made somewhere else from here. Bottom line is if you like and it does the job for you, use it.

I do a lot of alignments at work. I beat the hell out of 1 and 5/16, 1 and 1/8th and 15/16 sockets and wrenches. I hope my new 1/2 inch impact will last me 3 years....the anvil is showing a lot of wear:doah:
 
Are you using chrome sockets on it? That is the number one wearer of an impact anvil.
 
what impact gun ?

i run ir guns and super easy to swap a bad anvil out. did this on my thundergun in 10 min. and good as new.
 
Stomis said:
Lol ryoken I hear ya man but boats are like magnifying a tools "bulkiness" by 100. I do agree with you yes the big names have more compact tools that accomplish the same thing but for the average schmoe and even the average mechanic working on cars and trucks its really unnecessary.
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What are you working on???

I despise cheap tools.

Martin
 
no cheap tools for me, as ryoken pointed out, fitment in tight places is a major issue. also rounding off a nut in a crappy spot when you arent paid by the hour, will wreck your paycheck.
i have a set of bluepoint wrenches, which are repacked gearwrenches, that are 10 years old. use em everyday, and i just make sure i break somthing loose with a regular 6 point wrench if i know its really tight.

also i dont recomend the ratcheting wrenches that dont have a lever to switch direction with. example= guy at work was doing a water pump on a caddy 4.9. loosened one of the pulley bolts, but there wasnt enough room to get the bolt out before the wrench hit the inner fender, so now he coouldnt get the bolt out, nor could he screw the bolt back in. big problem.
 
82355 said:
What are you working on???

I despise cheap tools.

Martin
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I work on classic cars. c1, c2, c3 vettes, camaros, chevelles, novas, etc.

By no stretch of the imagination would I call gear wrench cheap tools. Hell theyre ratchets are 100x nicer than my Mac ones!

Husky is cheap tools, harbor freight is cheap tools...
 
Gearwrench ratchets are actually quite nice. If you want "cheap" tools, I do recommend Gearwrench to a lot of people. When guys come to me on the truck looking for a "cheap" home set of tools, I sell them Gearwrench sets. They have nice socket sets with sockets, ratchets, extensions, etc etc.

And I do believe that Gearwrench ratchets are lightyears ahead of Mac and Cornwell ratchets. Mac and Cornwell are both still using a 30 tooth ratcheting mechanism. Compare that to the 88 tooth Matco, 80 Tooth Snap-On, and 60 tooth from Gearwrench.

And ANY mechanic worth his salt knows a good quality tool makes the job easier, better, and makes him money. Now he may not be able to afford that tool and just may make do with what he has, but he knows it anyway.

Wrenches are a HUGE one. When I finally stepped up and bought a set of Matco wrenches to replace my Craftsman ones, I loved myself for it. I round off less fasteners, break loose more of them, and bust my knuckles FAR FAR less. In fact I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I busted a knuckle thanks to a wrench.
 
sweetk30 said:
what impact gun ?

i run ir guns and super easy to swap a bad anvil out. did this on my thundergun in 10 min. and good as new.
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If it is a Titanium gun it is a 5 minute job. The hardest part is cleaning the gun(if you care) and lining up the rubber seal between the composite and metal housing. BUT the anvil is $50 something. So I recommend using proper impact extensions and sockets and saving yourself the trouble in the long run.
 
1BEATK5 said:
no cheap tools for me, as ryoken pointed out, fitment in tight places is a major issue. also rounding off a nut in a crappy spot when you arent paid by the hour, will wreck your paycheck.

also i dont recomend the ratcheting wrenches that dont have a lever to switch direction with. example= guy at work was doing a water pump on a caddy 4.9. loosened one of the pulley bolts, but there wasnt enough room to get the bolt out before the wrench hit the inner fender, so now he coouldnt get the bolt out, nor could he screw the bolt back in. big problem.
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Or when the customer is paying over 100 dollars an hour for a fully loaded shop truck.

no lever equaled stuck wrench on the top bolt of a series 60 air compressor. that wrench was swapped out for one with a lever. now that wrench sits rusted in a junk tool drawer.
 
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