you can swap out craftsman and matco guts in some of the ratchets... mad by the same manufacturer... matco doesn't make ALL their stuff... same with snap-in and mac...
my sears sockets are thinner wall that my snap-ons, and my matcos (If ya dont believe me, mic them i have.)
i am a good customer to both snap-on and matco, mac doesn't come to my shop... both salesman know i buy from both of them, they both know eachother.
snap-on man couldn't get me a thin enough socked for one specific application where i needed to fit the socket in the center cutout of a double sheave pulley, so i use a wayyy cheaper craftsman. yea, they will wear out, and yea, i have to drive to get them replaced... but they are wayyyyyy cheaper. like on a 15/16 wrench. snap-on is around 50$$ sears 17. that pays for gas and dinner. and its kinda hard to break or spread a 15/16 wrench enough to slip in a normal usage period.
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'03chev 2500hd 4x4 crewcab,33s xterrains,locked leveled, 4.10s' traded for below, and it had heated mirrors. damn i miss em'
'07 FJ, bfg's, avs,t10001bd, 2-10in/w6-v2s, 4 farad cap, 0ga wire, more soon. acquired 10/7 lovin it
Everything I learned in life, I learned from watchin' P@rn... And while drinkin'.
oh, and no, i don't like to capitalise, unless i'm bored. so take it like the bicth u are
you can swap out craftsman and matco guts in some of the ratchets... mad by the same manufacturer... matco doesn't make ALL their stuff... same with snap-in and mac...
my sears sockets are thinner wall that my snap-ons, and my matcos (If ya dont believe me, mic them i have.)
i am a good customer to both snap-on and matco, mac doesn't come to my shop... both salesman know i buy from both of them, they both know eachother.
snap-on man couldn't get me a thin enough socked for one specific application where i needed to fit the socket in the center cutout of a double sheave pulley, so i use a wayyy cheaper craftsman. yea, they will wear out, and yea, i have to drive to get them replaced... but they are wayyyyyy cheaper. like on a 15/16 wrench. snap-on is around 50$$ sears 17. that pays for gas and dinner. and its kinda hard to break or spread a 15/16 wrench enough to slip in a normal usage period.
we arent talking about a 15/16's wrench when it comes to warranties. we are talking about t-handles, ratchets, etc.. that do in fact wear out or need servicing. we all know that a lot of tool companies share the same manufactures. i can buy the same panel poppers from matco or blue-point (snap-on). when it comes to tools for special applications like your pully job, you just have to find what works. those dont apply to the norm.
dont get your panties in a bunch. i have a full set of craftsman professional tools as well. i started with those and replaced everything with snap-on as i worked until i had two entire sets. on craftsman professional and the other complete professional grade tools. there are some specialty tools that i like from other brands like my cornwell ratcheting ball head allens. i also like cornwell ratchet handles too as i have them in all drive sizes and lengths. everything else is pretty much snap on with some scattered mac.
i've even started replacing my home craftsman set with snap-on as i come across extra cash. my snap on set stays with the race equipment. i still want to get a 54" roll cab for my house. i have a SO roll away now. and my home box is still a ball bearing craftsman roll away with a ball bearing top chest. not my favorite box by far, but its what i started with. the race tools are my priority so they get the good box. this is some of my home set.
thats all i feel like uploading. i just moved all my boxes around out of storage so i havent gotten them all setup yet.
Last edited by Briman42487 : 03-29-2008 at 12:47 AM.
we had a big tool discussion at work today over how the guys treat company tools, yet rag on management for only buying a $400 impact, ingersoll-rand i guess is garbage to them, instead of the $700 impact. punk ass mechanics. maybe if they treated their stuff right we wouldnt have these issues. anyway, northern came up, so did harbor freight
Location: Parker County, TX and Santa Fe County, NM
Posts: 1,910
Re: Northern Tool?
My opinion, since you asked:
Any tool you are going to use very much, it is way worth it to buy quality. There are few things as frustrating as rounding-off or breaking a cheap socket or tool in the middle of a job, even if there is a guarantee. You can buy Snap-on tools on ebay for way less than off the truck if you're a cheapskate like me.
On the other hand, if you know you're only going to use something once or twice or you just want some truck tools that you wouldn't care about loaning/losing on the trail, then Northern Tool and Horrible Freight are OK.
Warranty to me is a big issue--will the manufacturer replace the tool through the retailer or catalog store. Craftsman, Snap-On, Ace Hardware and a lot more will replace most if not all of their tools, ask about it when you buy. T&E
Warranty to me is a big issue--will the manufacturer replace the tool through the retailer or catalog store. Craftsman, Snap-On, Ace Hardware and a lot more will replace most if not all of their tools, ask about it when you buy. T&E
when i was on the snap on truck the guy was rebuilding a ratchet for someone. a 1997 3/8 drive had a few broken teeth. this guy said he never dealt with this particular dealer, yet they will all honor the same warranty without question.
so take it like the bicth u are 
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