Re: Why do you buy Snap-on tools?

[Anonymo421]

>
>Snap-On tools are worth the price hands down. Anyone that really needs to
>rely on tools knows that they are the best. I was a Tech for about 14 years
>and have seen the difference. 80% of my tools are Snap-On and the other 20%
>is between Mac and Matco tools. Yes I have plenty of Craftsman tools as
>well, but don't consider them to be anything more then sub-standard. They
>are fine when working on your average home chores, taking the LAwn Mower
>apart, working on the house and other average needs, but when going under
>the hood of a car/truck.....then I switch to the professional brand.

Gee, I built a GM engine for an old camaro about 10 years ago using only
Craftsman tools (well, I did buy whatever was in the Pep Boys bargain bin to
fill the gaps). Guess what...I didn't break a single tool or fastener, and the
engine runs fine to this day. Now maybe theSnap-on guy comes to you when you
break a tool, but AFAIK Craftsman still has the eternal guaranty on all their
hand tools (I wouldn't know for sure--none of mine have ever broken). I'm sure
Snap-on makes a quality product, but I've never heard a compelling reason to
choose them over the local Sears product.

[Corky Scott]

On 07 Nov 2003 16:55:12 GMT, (Anonymo421) wrote:
> I've never heard a compelling reason to
>choose them over the local Sears product.

I can give you one compelling reason why you MIGHT NOT want to buy
Snap-on over Craftsman, besides the exhorbitant cost.

Their shiny smooth finish makes them more slippery to handle when
under the hood than a wrench with some upraised or unpolished surface.

Corky Scott

PS, my father in law told me about returning a huge socket he broke
when he reefed on it using a six foot cheater pipe. He handed it to
the salesguy who told him to go get another. My father in law asked
him if he didn't want to hear how he broke it, thinking that his use
of excessive force would negate the warranty. Nope, the guy said, all
I need is the broken socket.

[George Vigneron]

Many years ago (early 60's) when my late father was a government
purchasing agent he told me about a typical gov. snafu.

Seems some "know it all" purchasing agent for a government agency (which
he refused to name as the litigation had just concluded) decided that
Snap-On tools were of course superior to Craftsman and others. So he
issued a large contract without competitive bidding. When the word got
out, Sears (Craftsman) sued and the judge ordered independent tests for
fit, strength, and durability. When the dust settled, Craftsman had proven
superior or equal in all respects. A large judgement followed. Dad had
subsequently received a cautioning memo from higher ups that all
contracts, especially for tools would be submitted for comp. bidding. And
no preference to Snap-On or others based on perceived reputation.

Entirely anecdotal but I believe my father wasn't lying.

For that and many other reasons, even back when I was wrenching as a
profession, I continue to buy mainly Craftsman, some Mac, some Snap-On,
and others. I buy based on quality and need, not a big name with a shiny
truck. I must admit that for some specialty tools, Snap-On gets the nod
more frequently as they cater to the professional mech. more than
Craftsman does.

George Vigneron

[O-ring Seals]

On Fri, 07 Nov 2003 18:50:50 GMT,
(Corky Scott) wrote:

>On 07 Nov 2003 16:55:12 GMT, (Anonymo421) wrote:
>> I've never heard a compelling reason to
>>choose them over the local Sears product.
>
>I can give you one compelling reason why you MIGHT NOT want to buy
>Snap-on over Craftsman, besides the exhorbitant cost.
>
>Their shiny smooth finish makes them more slippery to handle when
>under the hood than a wrench with some upraised or unpolished surface.
>
>Corky Scott
>
>PS, my father in law told me about returning a huge socket he broke
>when he reefed on it using a six foot cheater pipe. He handed it to
>the salesguy who told him to go get another. My father in law asked
>him if he didn't want to hear how he broke it, thinking that his use
>of excessive force would negate the warranty. Nope, the guy said, all
>I need is the broken socket.
>
>
>


Anyone know what happened to Plomb and Proto? I know they are no
longer available, but I do have quite a few in my tool chests. I
recall that in my high school auto shop class that all of the hand
tools were Proto.
Just curious.

O-ring Seals

[ThJester99]

I have a pair of proto reversible 6 in safety wire pliers, made by stanley.
http://www.stanleyworks.com/
Jesse
PP-ASEL
A&P student

[Del Rawlins]

On 07 Nov 2003 01:38 PM, O-ring Seals posted the following:

> Anyone know what happened to Plomb and Proto? I know they are no
> longer available, but I do have quite a few in my tool chests. I
> recall that in my high school auto shop class that all of the hand
> tools were Proto.
> Just curious.

Never heard of Plomb but Proto is still around. I really like their
tools but the price is just all out of reason for what you are getting.
MSC seems to have a pretty good selection of Proto (and other) tools:

http://www.mscdirect.com/

----------------------------------------------------
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[J.D.]

>Anyone know what happened to Plomb and Proto? I know they are no
>longer available, but I do have quite a few in my tool chests. I
>recall that in my high school auto shop class that all of the hand
>tools were Proto.
>Just curious.
>
>O-ring Seals

They're owned by Stanley, now, apparently, according to their website. IIRC,
they were at one time part of Ingersoll-Rand. Back in the late '70s, early
'80s, they owned the company that made Craftsman tools, among others.


J.D.
to e-mail, pull the post

[Del Rawlins]

On 07 Nov 2003 04:03 PM, Neil Nelson posted the following:

> The most obvious trait to me is how easily the chrome plating
> chips/peels from the cheap brand tools (Craftsman, Matco, Mac),
> not what I'd want floating around inside the engine of the next
> airliner I get on. :-(

We obviously aren't using the same Mac and Craftsman tools. Never used
Matco so I can't say about them.

----------------------------------------------------
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[Neil Nelson]

In article >,
Del Rawlins > wrote:

> On 07 Nov 2003 04:03 PM, Neil Nelson posted the following:
>
> > The most obvious trait to me is how easily the chrome plating
> > chips/peels from the cheap brand tools (Craftsman, Matco, Mac),
> > not what I'd want floating around inside the engine of the next
> > airliner I get on. :-(
>
> We obviously aren't using the same Mac and Craftsman tools.

Not unless you're sneaking into my shop when I'm not looking...

> Never used Matco so I can't say about them.

As I posted earlier, my first experience with them was somewhat
less than impressive.

[B2431]

>From: Jerry Springer


>Bob wrote:
>
>> "Jerry Springer" > wrote in message

>>>
>>>Bob wrote:
>>>
>>>>"Jerry Springer"
<snip>

>>>BTW why would I have to post my email address when it is included with
>> each post?
>>
>>>Jerry
>>>
>>
>> I'm sorry! I can't believe I didn't think someone with the user name Jerry
>> Springer would have a valid email... LOL!
>> Bob
>>
>>
>Oh well I am used to it, You should hear some of the phone calls I get in the
>
>middle of the night or some of the emails I get from people with ideas for a
>TV
>show. :-)
>
>Jerry
>
I can honestly say I have been on Springer.

OK, so it's a mountain in Georgia, but I was still there.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

[James M. Knox]

(Corky Scott) wrote in
:

> PS, my father in law told me about returning a huge socket he broke
> when he reefed on it using a six foot cheater pipe. He handed it to
> the salesguy who told him to go get another. My father in law asked
> him if he didn't want to hear how he broke it, thinking that his use
> of excessive force would negate the warranty. Nope, the guy said, all
> I need is the broken socket.

I knew a guy who, back when he was a student at UT, worked the hardware
dept. at a local Sears. He said the hard part was preventing them from
telling him how it "was just laying there and fell apart." Farmers would
bring in these huge case-hardened steel tractor sockets, twisted almost
beyond recognition, and insist "I just pulled a bit and it bent."

The warranty is unconditional, but they would always feel like they had to
make up SOMETHING.

-----------------------------------------------
James M. Knox
TriSoft ph 512-385-0316
1109-A Shady Lane fax 512-366-4331
Austin, Tx 78721
-----------------------------------------------

[Del Rawlins]

On 08 Nov 2003 08:04 PM, C. E. White posted the following:
>
>
> Neil Nelson wrote:
>
>
>> The most obvious trait to me is how easily the chrome plating
>> chips/peels from the cheap brand tools (Craftsman, Matco, Mac),
>> not what I'd want floating around inside the engine of the next
>> airliner I get on. :-(
>
> I was told by a former Coast Guard plane chief that chrome plated
> tools were not allowed - Is this true? He also said all the tools were
> kept by a crib and checked out. If they weren't all checked in, the
> plane didn't fly till they accounted for it.

A buddy of mine was a parachute rigger in the air national guard and he
mentioned the tool inventory thing to me once. Never heard the one
about chrome plated tools.

----------------------------------------------------
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[Erik]

In article >,
Del Rawlins > wrote:

> On 08 Nov 2003 08:04 PM, C. E. White posted the following:
> >
> >
> > Neil Nelson wrote:
> >
> >
> >> The most obvious trait to me is how easily the chrome plating
> >> chips/peels from the cheap brand tools (Craftsman, Matco, Mac),
> >> not what I'd want floating around inside the engine of the next
> >> airliner I get on. :-(
> >
> > I was told by a former Coast Guard plane chief that chrome plated
> > tools were not allowed - Is this true? He also said all the tools were
> > kept by a crib and checked out. If they weren't all checked in, the
> > plane didn't fly till they accounted for it.
>
> A buddy of mine was a parachute rigger in the air national guard and he
> mentioned the tool inventory thing to me once. Never heard the one
> about chrome plated tools.

Seems like I've heard of most tool manufactures going through plating,
brittle and/or whatever spells from time to time. Even the great Snap On
had a bad plating problem for a while...

Snap On makes most of their line in black oxide finish too... pretty
much the same thing, but cheaper, and slightly less apt to 'walk off'
from various shops that supply tools. I've heard a Snap On industrial
rep tell buyers to shut up technicians moaning over not getting chrome
tools by using the plating contamination 'line'.

You have to be careful to keep a coat of oil on the black oxides... and
they're a little easier to misplace because of the dark color... but are
otherwise the same.

Erik