[firehiker]

OK, so really what I am going for here is TOOLS. I, *state your name*, "state your name"...vow to never Ever Ever EVER!!!! buy a P.O.S. Chinese made tool again as long I shall live...so help me God.

Why, all of a sudden does it matter to me? Well, I'll tell you. The local Home Depot had a nice little driver set marked down to around $2. TWO DOLLARS! Wow, I though...I can't beat that! The crappy plastic case MUST be worth at least a nickel! Image my dismay when I got home and opened it up and saw THIS piece of work:

That's right...I sat there and thought for about a minute that SURELY it was a "special tool" and was intended on looking like that. Reality slapped me around and I became infuriated. I know, what's two bucks, right?

Point is...there is NO quality control AT ALL, and although this is the most minor example possible, F'd up tools can injure or even kill people.
I have a friend whose father is a corporate rep for one of the "high end" tool companies. He has a collection of "morbid-modifieds"...tools that were rigged to do a particular job that they weren't meant to do (take cheater bar to a whole new level)...all of which resulted in the injury or death of the guy using it...and all of which his company offered a tool that is MEANT for that particular job. I wish I had pics...vice-grips welded to prybars...you name it, someone has rigged it.
ANYWAY, NO MORE GARBAGE TOOLS FOR ME.
*so help me God.*

 

[firehiker]

All I was looking for was a QUALITY Screwdriver,that stored multiple bits in the handle, to keep in my bunker gear pocket...oh well.

 

[XR750]

Snapon MADE IN USA and cost like it....
As a pro Mechanic I won't use anything less.
XR750

 

[msc]

Firehiker said: there is NO quality control AT ALL, and although this is the most minor example possible, F'd up tools can injure or even kill people.
I have a friend whose father is a corporate rep for one of the "high end" tool companies. He has a collection of "morbid-modifieds"...tools that were rigged to do a particular job that they weren't meant to do (take cheater bar to a whole new level)...all of which resulted in the injury or death of the guy using it...





msc said: They'll sing a new tune when they get sued by someone who got hurt. Once we had a young kid use one of the older guy's 'mad mods' with a large boring mill and it snapped and whipped him good, knocking out four teeth. He could have been killed. The older guy was fired right there and the kid's mom (he was just 18) threatened to sue, but ended up not. I remember a bunch of us looking around in the chips for his teeth.

 

[TxHills]

I have several Husky tools. When I bought mine, they were made for Home Depot by Stanley. Pretty sure that the Depot's hand tools, ie: wrenches, screw drivers, sockets, pliers etc., are all made in China now. I don't know, but I've heard Craftsman are made in China now too? Say it aint so!

I remember when American companies used to be proud and boast about how their products were made in the good ole US of A. Where has this countries' pride gone? The whole country is so outsourced overseas anymore, arghhh! It's rediculous. I guess it's all about the bottom line. Cheaper to make...more profit. The price of tools at Home Depot sure didn't go down when China started making 'em!

Wish I still had my Snap-On set from the 70's!

 

[13Fox150]

I bought that exact same kit, broke the box trying to open it the first time. I haven't even looked at all the bits..... until now. Be right back.

add: Ok so I just checked mine and they appear to be straight. I'm sure that will change after I use it some.

 

[msc]

My brothers and I have some of Grandpa's tools, which we all still use to this day. I even have a machinist hammer that he made. When I got my first machinist job, my Dad gave it to me. Very special, I remember both of them using it.

I got a flat tire once and when I stopped, there was a open-end wrench sticking out of it. I have no idea how *that* happened, but...it was a Mac :thumb: I kept it (darn tire was only two weeks old).

 

[ToeCutter]

What do you expect for 2 buck? Take it back, get the same again and I'm sure it will be a good $2 worth.

 

[Tankspridd]

Its not an American problem its a worldwide problem ...... The pride and quality has been outsourced to China or some other low cost country

I recomend everyone to buy localy produced things as long as its possible !

 

[Dark Skies]

I remember when American companies used to be proud and boast about how their products were made in the good ole US of A. Where has this countries' pride gone?

Lots of people such as firehiker would rather spend $2 on a cheapo - get's the job done (probably) screwdriver than $20 + for a Snap On

 

[firehiker]

Lots of people such as firehiker would rather spend $2 on a cheapo - get's the job done (probably) screwdriver than $20 + for a Snap On

It's not that I'd rather spend $2 for an el cheapo, Dark Skies, it was that I was looking for a multi-bit screwdriver at my local hardware store...and was surprised that a kit was marked down to $2. I am no mechanic, and I don't know the number to my local Snap-On guy...nor do I even see their trucks any more ANYWAY, if I actually wanted to drop $48 on a quality screw driver.

The point is...there IS NO MIDDLE GROUND. Tools are either 5h1t or they are quality...$2 or $40 for the same task-tool. Next time I will drive to the OTHER side of town and see if SEARS has any on their shelves, or call my friend's dad and tell him about the junk I bought, and he'll probably hook me up.

 

[The Saint]

Guys, sell it at your next garage sale un-opened for $5.00 and laugh all the way to the bank. Lemonade from lemons.

 

[firehiker]

On a side note...the friend I speak of has the best Snap-On story in the world.
One night he was sitting at the bar he worked at to put himself through school, and noticed a hottie sitting a couple stools down...what caught his eye was that she had a small combination end wrench on her keychain. They got to talking, and she had just bought a new Jeep Wrangler, drove it across the street to the Tire store and had bigger wheels and tires installed first thing. Not sure what the wrench was for...maybe the centercaps? AnYWAY...after a few dates her took her home to meet his parents, and told the same story. Dad asked to see the keys...and quietly left the room...only to return and hand her back her keys...SANS the cheapo wrench; in it's place, a shiny new Snap-On.
My friend married her soon after.

 

[firehiker]

Wish I still had my Snap-On set from the 70's!

If you ever wanted to know when your Snap-On tools were built...here's a handy little chart!

 

[Varmit]

Sure it's not a special tool for installing one of these? :

 

[chaosofcreation]

Unfortunately most of the things we buy these days may say they were built in the US but in reality they are not, it's sad really, all people want is quality equipment, but we are a use and throwaway society.

 

[Rubicon1]

I did a stint wrenching for food, snap on was real good stuff but i was more a fan of SK stuff. Im still a little sour when I asked the strap-on guy for a set of breaker bars and never asked for the price, well after a week i get my bill and i just spent 100 bucks a breaker bar. Great tools but boy are they proud of them.

 

[firehiker]

Sure it's not a special tool for installing one of these? :

By Golly, I think you're right! =)

 

[electrdave]

That's a right-handed screw wobbler, the left-hand ones are rare.

 

[TxHills]

Lots of people such as firehiker would rather spend $2 on a cheapo - get's the job done (probably) screwdriver than $20 + for a Snap On

Dark Skies, I'm sure a lot of people want to save money. I'm guilty of owning some low quality tools myself. I've got some drill bits, that are well...in bits. They're Black & Decker, and of course, made in China.
But in the 1970's when I was a mechanic at a dealership....I needed my tools to make a living. I also needed them to do the task more than once...and without breaking.