cheap tools

[miami man]

i bought a set of vice grips from cummins they looked good from the outside but when i went to use them the jaw cracked and broke off after looking at it it seams like it was some cheap in which looks like pot metal like.

[nonamekid]

I broke a brand new 6" C clamp this weekend while working on the festiva. I was trying to compress the brake caliper and the C clamp just snapped. The hub and caliper were off the vehicle, with the hose disconnected, so it wasn't brake fluid pressure. It snapped in the long part of the channel where it is supposed to be the thickest. The things was really cheap. It looked like some really soft metal. I ended up beating it off with a hammer.

All that to say I hate cheap tools, too.

[Pu241]

Probably "high Quality" Chinese stuff we are getting with U.S. tool maker brands on them!

Did you take the "cummins" Vices grips back?

[miami man]

no i thew it across the junkyard and i hope i did not hit anyone. the metal it was made from looked real cheep. i always had good luck with harbor frieghs tools

[miami man]

if you are in a rush to do a job all you need is some cheap tool to break and have to run to the auto parts store.

[roycehof]

Yep, the older I get, the more I realize there are no bargain tools. What is save in the pric of the tool, ends up costing me more in lost time and aggrevation. I recently bought a cheap set of tools from Pep Boys that were supposedly "lifetime guaranteed". The very first time I went to used the ratchet it broke. I tried returning it to the Pep Boys and of course I didn't still have the receipt - SO I am out of luck. I knew they were cheap and I bought them to put in the trunk for that "just in case" time I might need them, but hell these tools are REAL junk and I would think that Pep Boys wouldn't risk their reputation on stuff like that. I didn't buy them for everyday use so I really thought they would be O.K. They weren't worth the gas I used hauling them around in the trunk. Meanwhile, I am totally soured against the Boys - If they have crap like this for tools, what about their parts. I have made a mental note not to use parts from the Pep Boys on any car I own from now on. Sorry for the rant, guys!
Remember there are no bargain "cheap" tools. Buy wisely - Craftsman has treated me well over the years!

[Pu241]

Remember there are no bargain "cheap" tools. Buy wisely - Craftsman has treated me well over the years!

I agree, but Craftsman has seen a marked reduction in their quality too!
My dad gave me some of his tools as he said he'd never use them again.
These are from the 60's or so and they are much better quality than the ones I have, made in the 90's!
I have broke a number of Craftsman tool in the last few years, fortunately their guarantee is still good!
Seems to be there saving grace.

[FoxProGT]

i once bought a 85 piece socket set from auto zone for 20 bucks.. you know the ones that are in them cage like bins in the middle of the aisle..

well just about every piece i needed stripped.. one of the ratchets broke and the screw driver handle broke off too...

i was sad.

[25Horseplay]

I have a cheap set of sockets called "Benchmark", and I used these for a number of things. I thought for sure they would have broke by now but they are still working great and I beat the crap out of them!

[GenevaDirt]

I have some benchmade...they work great.

[FlowmasterFestiva]

i like craftman. i personally have only broken one craftman too a socket. ive snaped a snap on 3/8 extension twisted another. twisted a snapon hexhead trying to take out lock tighted studs from the wrong drums. anything made somewhere other then usa breaks easily for me. ill only buy hand tools that are mand in the USA.

[neanderpaul]

I have had good luck with craftsman also. I got a big husky ratchet set from home depot. I broke the ratchet. When I tried to exchange it they gave me an 800 number to call husky. :evil: Sears return policy is so convenient. Who has time to wait for the mail? When you are working on something you usually need it done right then.

[seniorsteele]

all of my hand tools are craftsman. some of the stuff i don't use so much is from harbor freight like weird adapters and vice grips. i don't skimp on the hand tools cus those are what i use the most. things that prevent me from dying too are a good investment like safety glasses and jack stands.

[Damkid]

you truly get what you pay for, it's usually worth spending the extra money to get good quality

[elcamino1]

Well all of my tools are SnapOn, 90% of them are 30yrs old or older made in the USA.
Have broken very few over the years, if you use a 3/8 drive when you should have used a 1/2 inch something gonna break.