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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
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At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for
Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. |
#2
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"Pilgrim" wrote in message
news ![]() At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. I hear you. A good number of the mechanics I see with roll-ons, etc have them filled with craftsman -- which I never thought were all that cheap, either. But certainly a fraction of Snap-on. Snap-on is one of those companies that echo'd PT Barnum long long ago, and which other companies are now starting properly grok, in The New Marketing, or as I like to say, The Modern Mind****. Take an old product -- a wrench, a vacuum cleaner, vit C, or now plain ole Niacin (vit B3) -- and put any goddamm spin on it you want, and you can charge up to 100 TIMES the "commodity price". Except now you call it Snap-on, Dyson Wind Technology, Anti-oxidant Ester C, and most recently, Niaspan . Yup, Abbott labs is taking plain ole goddamm time-release niacin, and making it an Rx item at **100 x the per gram price**, and claiming all kinds of **** that had Puritan Pride made those same claims for the ole vitamin, they would be in court with the FTC and FDA for the next 10 years. Marketers actually have a name for this type of marketing/ripoff, which slips my mind -- sumpn like hyper-marketing or sumpn -- and boyoboy, are they goddamm proud of it. As proud as Starbucks, charging $5 for a 50c cup of middling coffee -- another one of the oh-riginals in this mega mind**** marketing scheme/scam. Except price gouging by a factor of 10 is just the beginning. But Snap-on was one of the pioneers, who in the process did provide a little grease/kiss behind the ear quality-wise, but just a little, to noblely skilled mechanics, but who were/are obviously not economically savvy. This mind**** marketing is actually counted upon to deliver "economic growth" -- I kid you not. With ZERO added value. Don't bend over for the soap, at least not while yer credit card is out. And don't buy from sites that refuse to post phone numbers. Support Consumer Reports. -- EA Chuck P. |
#3
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 19:49:51 -0400, "Existential Angst"
wrote: I hear you. A good number of the mechanics I see with roll-ons, etc have them filled with craftsman -- which I never thought were all that cheap, either. But certainly a fraction of Snap-on. The reason of course for Craftsman...is the free exchange program. Ya bust one...Craftsman willl replace it...free. And the tools are actually pretty decent. I have a fair amount of Craftsman. I used to have SnapOn and Husky and Proto...before the burglary of my truck in 2001....but I bought all of it used..not new from the truck.... SnapOn, Mac and several others are the biggies that they are..because they offer payment terms. When the truck pulls up..and you want say ...a 3/4" Snarf Snibbler with 6" extension...the guy will hand you one, let you fondle it..then take out the purchase agreement form and after you sell your soul to the devil..you can take it inside and its YOURS!!...except for the contract payments...which can be added to with each new tool you fondle. Their prices arent all that bad...and they offer reasonable interested rates...and you can get it right now...... Gunner, who picked up 5 Proto end wrenches this week, for $20 The small one being 1 1/8"...the big one being 2 1/2" -- "If I say two plus two is four and a Democrat says two plus two is eight, it's not a partial victory for me when we agree that two plus two is six. " Jonah Goldberg (modified) |
#4
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I have seen a lot of hand tools, an of all, I like Snap-On and
Williams (which is also owned by Snap-on) the best. They are not only high quality, but always the most pleasant to handle on a daily basis. Of course, I never buy new. "what are those metal things in the bucket, do you know? I can take them for $10". i |
#5
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 21:29:24 -0500, Ignoramus26613
wrote: I have seen a lot of hand tools, an of all, I like Snap-On and Williams (which is also owned by Snap-on) the best. They are not only high quality, but always the most pleasant to handle on a daily basis. Of course, I never buy new. "what are those metal things in the bucket, do you know? I can take them for $10". i They are great for aircraft, a similar one was Dixie. Minimalistic which is good for awkward and tight places. I like the old ones like Armstrong, Billings, Williums, ect. and don't have a set of anything, its so bad that I have to find every last T bolt or clamp to do a project. I was just commenting to someone using a machine that if I was one tool short I wouldn't be able to clamp his work down. People give me tools they can tell that they want to be together. Just take it easy on the cheap ones, plus those can be modified. Kinda hard hacking up a Snap on. Is there a way to mail in a broken Snap on? I tryed once and gave up. I've got a 1/4 ratchet that slips. Metal things, got to remember that one. SW |
#6
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![]() "Sunworshipper" wrote in message ... On Sat, 21 May 2011 21:29:24 -0500, Ignoramus26613 wrote: I have seen a lot of hand tools, an of all, I like Snap-On and Williams (which is also owned by Snap-on) the best. They are not only high quality, but always the most pleasant to handle on a daily basis. Of course, I never buy new. "what are those metal things in the bucket, do you know? I can take them for $10". i They are great for aircraft, a similar one was Dixie. (snippage) SW The absolute best wrenches ever made for airline work were Bonney. Sadly out of business, and if you can find used ones, they're high. Garrett Fulton |
#7
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On May 21, 5:15*pm, Pilgrim wrote:
At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. No brouhaha here, I never did pay the price. I could get Williams and S-K off the peg. Now about the only US manufacturer left in retail is Sears that's available locally. Not sure how getting Ace to retail Craftsman is going to help Sears, though. I think the attraction of Snap-On is that they were doing mechanic's sets on time and they had those handy trucks that went to the shops instead of the guys having to find their own tool sources. Most of the tool distributors in the area closed at 5 and didn't have Saturday hours, so employed mechanics didn't have a chance at any other makes anyway. It was Sears, Snap-On or maybe MAC in some areas. Stan |
#8
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#9
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, Pilgrim
wrote: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. When I graduated from high school and started my apprenticeship in 1969 I didn't have much money. I bought a full set of Craftsman tools. A classmate bought a full set of Snappies. Before finishing our apprenticeship, over half of his "snap-off" tools had been replaced under warranty. It was 5 years before I had my first craftsman tool replaced. 42 years later I still have most of my originals. |
#10
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, Pilgrim
wrote: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. Part of it is their service. They come to your place of work and replace any problem children, but most things just don't break. I originally got that same peace of mind from Searz until the late '70s, when they totally went to **** and I had to make broken Crapsman tool runs to Searz twice a week with bandaged frackin' hands. I no longer shop there at all, for over 30 years now. Effem. But Snap-On and Festool are just too pricy for my tastes. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. thud -- The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle |
#11
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In article ,
Larry Jaques wrote: On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, Pilgrim wrote: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. Part of it is their service. They come to your place of work and replace any problem children, but most things just don't break. I originally got that same peace of mind from Searz until the late '70s, when they totally went to **** and I had to make broken Crapsman tool runs to Searz twice a week with bandaged frackin' hands. I no longer shop there at all, for over 30 years now. Effem. But Snap-On and Festool are just too pricy for my tastes. I recall the Craftsman versus Snap On debates from the late 1960s. I bought mostly Craftsman, and never had any problems. I was working on my own car, not wrenching for a living. Though I did get a job offer once, after the dealer watched me fix my old Volvo in his parking lot. But I must say that Craftsman has slipped badly since those days. Joe Gwinn |
#12
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![]() "Joseph Gwinn" wrote in message ... In article , Larry Jaques wrote: On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, Pilgrim wrote: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. Part of it is their service. They come to your place of work and replace any problem children, but most things just don't break. I originally got that same peace of mind from Searz until the late '70s, when they totally went to **** and I had to make broken Crapsman tool runs to Searz twice a week with bandaged frackin' hands. I no longer shop there at all, for over 30 years now. Effem. But Snap-On and Festool are just too pricy for my tastes. I recall the Craftsman versus Snap On debates from the late 1960s. I bought mostly Craftsman, and never had any problems. I was working on my own car, not wrenching for a living. Though I did get a job offer once, after the dealer watched me fix my old Volvo in his parking lot. But I must say that Craftsman has slipped badly since those days. Joe Gwinn My Craftsman wrenches are ones I bought in 1965. My Williams tools (which I inherited) date from the 1950s. Both are excellent -- I prefer the Williams, just because they're so nicely made, but I've never had a failure with either one. I have three boxes full of Craftsman (one inherited) and five full of Williams. I don't think I'll ever need to buy another one. -- Ed Huntress |
#13
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On Sun, 22 May 2011 19:01:03 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote: I have three boxes full of Craftsman (one inherited) and five full of Williams. So *that's* where they went! ;-) -- William |
#14
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![]() "William Bagwell" wrote in message ... On Sun, 22 May 2011 19:01:03 -0400, "Ed Huntress" wrote: I have three boxes full of Craftsman (one inherited) and five full of Williams. So *that's* where they went! ;-) -- William Ha-ha! Believe me, they were acquired...in questionable ways, but I don't think they were yours. g My uncle was the head of the state's industrial arts education association. He got very good deals on tools he bought for himself. I inherited the lot. -- Ed Huntress |
#15
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Pilgrim writes:
At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Speaking only for myself, I typically only buy Snap-On tools when I can't find a less expensive alternative. -- "It used to be that the USA was pretty good at producing stuff teenaged boys could lose a finger or two playing with." -- James Nicoll |
#16
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 20:08:53 -0600, Joe Pfeiffer
wrote: Pilgrim writes: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Speaking only for myself, I typically only buy Snap-On tools when I can't find a less expensive alternative. I've done some pretty hefty torquing with the Pittsburgh set from HF while changing leaf spring bushings on my then 20 year old F-150. The 22 piece sets cost less than a single combo wrench from Snap-On. I'm satisfied with the lifetime-guaranteed Pittsburgh stuff. 1/4-7/8" and 6-19mm for $23. shrug http://goo.gl/gsnzv or http://www.harborfreight.com/22-piec...set-47467.html Plus, the highly polished chrome of Snap-On is hard as hell to work with under greasy or oily conditions. Slippery as hell. -- The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle |
#17
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Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 21 May 2011 20:08:53 -0600, Joe Pfeiffer wrote: writes: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Speaking only for myself, I typically only buy Snap-On tools when I can't find a less expensive alternative. I've done some pretty hefty torquing with the Pittsburgh set from HF while changing leaf spring bushings on my then 20 year old F-150. The 22 piece sets cost less than a single combo wrench from Snap-On. I'm satisfied with the lifetime-guaranteed Pittsburgh stuff. 1/4-7/8" and 6-19mm for $23.shrug http://goo.gl/gsnzv or http://www.harborfreight.com/22-piec...set-47467.html Plus, the highly polished chrome of Snap-On is hard as hell to work with under greasy or oily conditions. Slippery as hell. I'll second that. I have some industrial snap-on without the chrome and they work a lot better in oily conditions. The problem is that Snap-on does not warranty them. Some snap on tools are good and some are second best. The best ratchets that I have used are the old fine toothed ratchets from Craftsman, made before the 70's. Also the other tools from craftsman before the seventies are very good. I have worn out more Phillips screw drivers from snap-on and had the shafts replaced in the existing handle. I have a couple of sets of snap-on sockets and they are good. I bought a set of Williams 1/2 inch drive sockets back in the early sixties and they seemed to be too brittle. Three of them cracked on the wall of the twelve point sockets. I recently bought a bunch of sets of sockets and ratchets from a local wholesale surplus place, probably Chinese, but I liked the way they were set up in a formed plastic box that was easy to carry to the job. The sockets and ratchet seem to work well enough and I have torked pretty hard on them more than once. I still have a couple of sets of the old craftsman sockets but they are with the old metal container with the bent strip over the top of them and they are a pain to carry and work out of. The worst thing that still burns me about snap on tools is the air powered sheet metal shear I bought when doing aircraft sheet metal work. The blade on the shear broke the second time I used it so I returned it to get it repaired under warranty. They took over three months to repair it and I used it a couple of more times and it broke again. They charged me about one third of the new price to repair it. The same thing happened with a pair of wire strippers. The only real good thing about snap-on tools was the convenience of the truck coming up to your door. John |
#18
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, Pilgrim
wrote: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. I think that snap-on will tell you it is the lifetime guarantees, as well as the quality of the materials and workmanship. |
#19
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On 5/21/2011 4:15 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. I buy snap on from the truck sometimes and pay full price - why? 1 - they have the tool I need. 2. see 1 - they don't order it, they have it. 3. they stand behind the tool. 4. the tool works. 5. see 4 - you only have to destroy one bolt or one allen cap screw to understand why you want the better tool. 6. I believe in buying quality and I don't like to have to do something twice. Notice that there is no anti-chinese rant in the above, no complaining about the price, etc. Cheap tools have their place, so do good tools. It helps to know the difference. -- www.wbnoble.com |
#20
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![]() "Pilgrim" wrote in message news ![]() At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. Skinned knuckles. |
#21
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, Pilgrim wrote:
At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. Snap-On makes tools the others do no. IE 1/4" drive 9/16 deep socket. Plus some very specialized tools. Snap-On delivers them to your place of work. ( i heard the dealer gets 30%) Snap-On tool s are better made. The steel, or the heat treatment, or a combiation of both. I use mostly Craftsman, but I have several friends that are or were full time auto mechanics. They would break other tools like crazy, the Snap-ons held up to 40 hours a week use. Snap-On gives free financing, just pay the guy every week when he stops by. Snap_On replaces tools when you hand them to them, last time I was at sears I had to fill out a form for each and every tool I was returning.. (Name, address and Phone number.) I only own a few Snap-on tools. bought most of them new off the truck, usually when their was a free t-shirt or jacket in the deal. I have stripped out a phillips screw with a craftsman screwdriver, grabbed a S-O and took the screw right out, that was PRICELESS a few times! Same goes for their sockets they will bite on a bolt another socket rounded off. My favorites were the tools from K-mart about 20 years ago, pay $3.99 for a socket, break it and for 5.99 shipping and handling they wil replace it FREE! They would not make the exchange in the store, it had to be done by mail. But the promise of gauranteed forever did sell alot of tools. I once swore I would never own a Snap-on ratchet, they're over $100 each, I now have 2 of them, a 3/8 and a 1/2". When I bought them S-O was the only one selling flex head ratchets. Great tools and their standard ratchet is several inches longer than a Craftsman, Can't beat more leverage. Never had a MAC dealer stop by my shop so I can't say anything about them. I think the bottom line is you need to use them 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, and earn your living off your tools and then you can really appreciate them. For the rest of us Craftsman is just fine. Remove 333 to reply via email |
#22
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#23
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On Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:12:29 -0400, john
wrote: wrote: On Sat, 21 May 2011 16:15:35 -0700, wrote: At the risk of starting a brouhaha, why would one pay the price for Snap-on tools? Granted they are very well made, beautifully plated, etc. But at 5 to 10 times the cost of other quality tools. This came to mind after I bought a 3/4" combo wrench from a $0.25 box and looked up the price after I returned home -$40-. Stay calm. Chuck P. Snap-On makes tools the others do no. IE 1/4" drive 9/16 deep socket. Plus some very specialized tools. Snap-On delivers them to your place of work. ( i heard the dealer gets 30%) Snap-On tool s are better made. The steel, or the heat treatment, or a combiation of both. I use mostly Craftsman, but I have several friends that are or were full time auto mechanics. They would break other tools like crazy, the Snap-ons held up to 40 hours a week use. Snap-On gives free financing, just pay the guy every week when he stops by. Snap_On replaces tools when you hand them to them, last time I was at sears I had to fill out a form for each and every tool I was returning.. (Name, address and Phone number.) I only own a few Snap-on tools. bought most of them new off the truck, usually when their was a free t-shirt or jacket in the deal. I have stripped out a phillips screw with a craftsman screwdriver, grabbed a S-O and took the screw right out, that was PRICELESS a few times! Same goes for their sockets they will bite on a bolt another socket rounded off. My favorites were the tools from K-mart about 20 years ago, pay $3.99 for a socket, break it and for 5.99 shipping and handling they wil replace it FREE! They would not make the exchange in the store, it had to be done by mail. But the promise of gauranteed forever did sell alot of tools. I once swore I would never own a Snap-on ratchet, they're over $100 each, I now have 2 of them, a 3/8 and a 1/2". When I bought them S-O was the only one selling flex head ratchets. Great tools and their standard ratchet is several inches longer than a Craftsman, Can't beat more leverage. For a swivel head ratchet (particularly 3/8", for spark-pluds etc) you just absolutely cannot beat the SK offering. It is a "ball head" design, with 0 offset when run "straight" - as in spinning the handle Never had a MAC dealer stop by my shop so I can't say anything about them. I think the bottom line is you need to use them 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, and earn your living off your tools and then you can really appreciate them. And even then I could always find a better place to spend the difference!! For the rest of us Craftsman is just fine. Remove 333 to reply via email YOu can take Crapon and shove it. I need a part for my PDS3 air power shear and they no longer support it, just like Sears. I wouldn't buy any of their power crap for any price. I bet I can't get parts for some of my other power tools by crapon. John |
#24
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In article ,
says... snip For a swivel head ratchet (particularly 3/8", for spark-pluds etc) you just absolutely cannot beat the SK offering. It is a "ball head" design, with 0 offset when run "straight" - as in spinning the handle Coming late to the discusion, just a heads up to anyone who cares, Harbor Fright has one like that for 14 bucks. http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...e-swivel-head- ratchet-96782.html snip |
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