Why people don't buy craftsman anymore

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Dartswinger70 said:
good thing is, even if you are low of funds you can find used snap on at flea markets etc. if you go looking youll find tools noone really works with their hands any more.

isn't like there is a sea of hungry young guys are buying tools to become mechanics.
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The big general swap at Conroe ( Houston burb) just does not have that many tools. Maybe I am too hard looking for a Mopar part in an ocean of GM stuff!! But I agree, most younger guys would only need metric anyway?! Mexicans selling lots of power tools/ But I did find a like new Husky tool box made in USA ($100) and a cheap engine stand ($10)!
 
Dartswinger70 said:
In the late 80s I was a framing carpenter building houses and townhouses and anything out of dimensional lumber. Id return a tape measure every 6 weeks. They'd break at an increment of 4 feet, ( i seem to recall at 12 feet?) anyway for years iit was no questions asked, go in return tape get a new one. At some point in the mid 90's the counter guy started questioning things giving hassle, accusing me of abusing my tools etc. I got sick of it and bought a Stanley. they last longer anyway. but yeah even sockets they'd accuse me of using it on an impact gun (how'd they know?) LOL! I ended up being an auto professional and bought Snap on, Mac Matco Cornwell etc. expensive but the truck came to me every week and they warrantied the stuff with little hassle.
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Yep. That's when Sears got tight..
 
I am still buying Craftsman when it is right to do so.

My base Craftsman hand tools purchased in the early 80's are mostly intact. A few warranty items along the way and Honestly due to my abuse!

My hand held Battery Power Tools are being replaced from Dewalt / Makita to "Craftsman"! Better pricing and built in the USA! I usually get two Batteries and a charger with each tool, as I buy specific!

Picked up a new Multitool today and some SAE Medium length Pivot Ratchet Wrenches! I like the packaging they are in to hold them in my MATCO Boxes!

I know the wrenches are Chinese or? But the power tools are USA!

I have Snap/On, Matco, MAC and more but as specialty tools.

Craftsman has served me well!

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I made a good living for 30+ years with mainly Craftsman Tools it appears that Stanley is attempting to bring Craftsman back to made in USA with their New Texas Plant time will tell. I can't say I have broken to many Craftsman tool but I did manage to wear out a 3/4 drive ratchet that I bought in a set in the early 80s and yes it was made in Taiwan and Sears replaced it with a made in the USA quick release one that probably cost as much as the set I originally bought.
 
bcschief said:
I made a good living for 30+ years with mainly Craftsman Tools it appears that Stanley is attempting to bring Craftsman back to made in USA with their New Texas Plant time will tell. I can't say I have broken to many Craftsman tool but I did manage to wear out a 3/4 drive ratchet that I bought in a set in the early 80s and yes it was made in Taiwan and Sears replaced it with a made in the USA quick release one that probably cost as much as the set I originally bought.
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My grandfather had Craftsman in his garage. When I started working on my (mostley drivers, and a few " somedays" muscle and /6 cars at 18, bought a USA Craftsman set, used their tapes, snips, I still have a US 2' level I picked up 5 or 6 years ago. I'm rough on stuff, and have damaged a few, but got new ones, after returning. Definitely Agree on the vise grips. Traded a Slightly tweaked small needle nose vise grips, got junk in return. Asian junk....
 
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1969383S said:
I am still buying Craftsman when it is right to do so.

My base Craftsman hand tools purchased in the early 80's are mostly intact. A few warranty items along the way and Honestly due to my abuse!

My hand held Battery Power Tools are being replaced from Dewalt / Makita to "Craftsman"! Better pricing and built in the USA! I usually get two Batteries and a charger with each tool, as I buy specific!

Picked up a new Multitool today and some SAE Medium length Pivot Ratchet Wrenches! I like the packaging they are in to hold them in my MATCO Boxes!

I know the wrenches are Chinese or? But the power tools are USA!

I have Snap/On, Matco, MAC and more but as specialty tools.

Craftsman has served me well!

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I drove from Tampa to Clearwater, to get a set of USA Craftsman standard line wrenches.... 10 bucks.
 
1969383S said:
I am still buying Craftsman when it is right to do so.

My base Craftsman hand tools purchased in the early 80's are mostly intact. A few warranty items along the way and Honestly due to my abuse!

My hand held Battery Power Tools are being replaced from Dewalt / Makita to "Craftsman"! Better pricing and built in the USA! I usually get two Batteries and a charger with each tool, as I buy specific!

Picked up a new Multitool today and some SAE Medium length Pivot Ratchet Wrenches! I like the packaging they are in to hold them in my MATCO Boxes!

I know the wrenches are Chinese or? But the power tools are USA!

I have Snap/On, Matco, MAC and more but as specialty tools.

Craftsman has served me well!

View attachment 1715829918

View attachment 1715829919

View attachment 1715829920

View attachment 1715829921
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I'm pissed, as over the last 2 years, being a Trusting Dewalt guy, (after over 30 years in the field, and knowing they originally were based off a B@D design, have accumulated LOTS of the 20v stuff. Drywall gun, router, Sawzall, SDS +, 7 1/4" skill saw, 2 impacts, 2 drills, angle grinder, and a plunge cutter....never looked till I was putting.a roof over my Duster, neighbor said some crap, I looked....damn, the proof was I my hand...hope it all ain't junk. I've BOUNCED Dewalt ( corded) drywall guns off the floor, many time in the day. Never issues, but Xyna, just Pisses me off!
 
pishta said:
Yup, that's why I said I use them on those. That's the only time Ill use a 12 point.
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There are other occasions for me. Almost every time without fail, the 12 point socket is a good bit thinner than its 6 point counterpart. They can sometimes fit where a 6 point cannot.
 
Ironracer said:
I'm pissed, as over the last 2 years, being a Trusting Dewalt guy, (after over 30 years in the field, and knowing they originally were based off a B@D design, have accumulated LOTS of the 20v stuff. Drywall gun, router, Sawzall, SDS +, 7 1/4" skill saw, 2 impacts, 2 drills, angle grinder, and a plunge cutter....never looked till I was putting.a roof over my Duster, neighbor said some crap, I looked....damn, the proof was I my hand...hope it all ain't junk. I've BOUNCED Dewalt ( corded) drywall guns off the floor, many time in the day. Never issues, but Xyna, just Pisses me off!
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I've always said when something gets the "Poulan curse" the quality is gone. When Poulan saws first hit the market, they were top shelf. The best of the best. Then one day.....almost overnight, BAM they were on the shelves at WalMart. Once that happens to what was once a "good brand" you can kiss the quality goodbye. You might still be able to get "good ones" in stores like Home Depot and Lowes, but it won't last long. Once a manufacturer realizes they can make a much more inferior product and they'll still sell, it's all over with. That's the Poulan curse.
 
Growing up and being into cars, I started to buy Craftsman as it was really the only viable and affordable option....I won't buy them anymore.
When at one time I thought I wanted to be a full-time mechanic, id little by little replace my craftsman with Snap On
Luckily that never happened and so I still have my American made Craftsman sockets and wrenches some of which are over 50 years old. I also have some Proto
When I had my car down my daughters about a hundred mile drive, taking hand tools back and forth got old real fast and I bought some HF. I thought their ratchets were junk but the wrenches and sockets were ok for occasional use
I watched a few of those videos comparing Snap on to HF, convincing isn't it? Like most con games they are very convincing, hard to argue with what you see in front of you but id like to see into the future say after 40 years of turning wrenches just what holds up and what doesn't
Not to get on a soap box but when I grew up, buying any tool be it power or hand was a big investment. There wasn't a lot of options like there is today
In power generation we were supplied with hand tools, mostly Williams industrial and some Proto
Later on I saw some Bonney hand tools as well....Power house work is demanding and conditions are tough so good tools are a given. Failure of a tool can mean schedules are not kept so the company usually buys top shelf equipment at least thats what I remember from back in the day
 
Words of wisdom from my dad. “Never be afraid to buy the best, you won’t be disappointed “
What I bought when I needed a new compressor.

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I had a Poulan mower for a brief time.

Except for the deck height control, it was identical to my Craftsman, including the 17HP Kohler engine.
 
...I have a radial arm saw that was made between 1954 and 1964 and it has both the DeWalt and B&D names on it, so it's been at least that long.

IIRC, Stanley owns all sorts of tool brands including Mac.
 
Sears really screwed the branding up. Craftsman started getting a reputation of sub quality and I think what started turning people away was the warranty issue. There was a time where the warranty meant quality and they had it wrapped up for average consumer. Go back to the mid 2000's and try to return a Ratchet. A hot mess. And then you got a refurbished unit out of a drawer. No thanks.... The perception alone of seeing that was enough to make me seek out other options...

But I have their tools and use them today. And would buy them today but honestly I have more than a plenty at this point. This is where HF excels. Walk in, show them the damage with a receipt or they look it up and get the replacement. End of discussion. That's been my experience so far anyways...

JW
 
Yeah, that happened to me around 1989.

My extremely well cared for, fine tooth ratchet started skipping.

Took it back and they handed me a beat to death coarse tooth model.

I was young and poor, and it was my only ratchet at the time and I was in the middle of fixing something on my only car.

...so I basically had to take it, but I gave them a ration of **** about the condition of mine vs the one they were pawning off on me.

LOUDLY.
 
YY1 said:
Yeah, that happened to me around 1989.

My extremely well cared for, fine tooth ratchet started skipping.

Took it back and they handed me a beat to death coarse tooth model.

I was young and poor, and it was my only ratchet at the time and I was in the middle of fixing something on my only car.

...so I basically had to take it, but I gave them a ration of **** about the condition of mine vs the one they were pawning off on me.

LOUDLY.
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That's exactly what happened to me...... They lost me over a Ratchet. But other tool Manufacturer's were starting to eat into them pretty good and so the story goes. Greed runs in the Sears name and will so til the end....

JW
 
YY1 said:
Yeah, that happened to me around 1989.

My extremely well cared for, fine tooth ratchet started skipping.

Took it back and they handed me a beat to death coarse tooth model.

I was young and poor, and it was my only ratchet at the time and I was in the middle of fixing something on my only car.

...so I basically had to take it, but I gave them a ration of **** about the condition of mine vs the one they were pawning off on me.

LOUDLY.
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But still it was your choice. I know in a lot of cases they would hand you a kit to repair yours and in some cases, they would actually disassemble it and repair it for you.
 
I don't know how to tell you guys this but...Craftsman has been junk since the 80's. Between the crude hand tools and stinky screwdrivers it's everything I can do to not toss out my dad and uncles tools. Snap-on, MAC, etc. and even some of Husky stuff makes the Sears products unfinished.

For air compressors Eaton rules all unless you are going screw. All of the 3450RPM stuff is substandard IMO.
 
bcschief said:
But still it was your choice. I know in a lot of cases they would hand you a kit to repair yours and in some cases, they would actually disassemble it and repair it for you.
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I repaired thousands of ratchets in 28 years in the business on the tool truck. It was all part of the service.
 
Back a few decades ago the Craftsman rachet broke, I drive 50 mi to get a new replacement, they had me a f****** kit, I they it on their floor . Never bought another thing from them, appliance, shirt, tool, nothing. Never had any SnapOn but I could always find quality tools back then.
I rather have a quality tool 75% woreout than a new POS tool.
 
bcschief said:
For double the price.
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Mopar, for double the price. I have GearWrench, Knipex, Channel Lock, etc. in my tool boces also but for hand tools I like something that has finished edges.

I asked for a 1/2" wrench, not a brick...oh right it's a craftsman lol.

FWIW I don't have a Snap-on tool box. I just cannot spend an engines worth of money on a tool box and there are more important equipment purchases for the shop. Maybe someday the tax man will say it's time to buy something like that at the end of the year. Until then it's flimsy Craftsman boxes mixed with Kennedy machinist boxes from auctions and CL.
 
bcschief said:
For double the price.
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Double the price than a junk tool is worth the extra. If you are a hobbyist almost anything will work. If you wrench for a living quality/long lasting tools are the only way to go. The truck to shop service is a huge benefit for the tech's.
 
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