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Jack FFR1846 wrote: ↑Check the packaging for the country of origin label. It varies within different brands, including Craftsman. Some items get made in China, some in Taiwan, some in the USA, etc. Most retailers don't put the country of origin information on their website.Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:20 am
If nothing else, find tools with lifetime replacement warranties. I'd double check but Husky at Home Depot and many Kobalt at Lowes. I don't know about Craftsman anymore since they all seem to be Chinese made. Used to be that Sears tools were Chinese and Craftsman were US.If nothing else, find tools with lifetime replacement warranties. I'd double check but Husky at Home Depot and many Kobalt at Lowes. I don't know about Craftsman anymore since they all seem to be Chinese made. Used to be that Sears tools were Chinese and Craftsman were US.
valleyrock wrote: ↑It might be worthwhile to check if your public library has access to service info. My library has All Data, although I haven't had a chance to try it out, since it is only accessible at the library itself. I can access another resource call Auto Repair Source at via a link from the library website as long as I am logged in, although I would not rate it as any better than a Haynes or Chilton manual.Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:29 am
--A subscription to Alldatadiy for your car (or, better yet, the manufacturer's service manual if you can get it); or both. And, by and large, the Haynes manuals are excellent. I always get one when I get a new (used) car.--A subscription to Alldatadiy for your car (or, better yet, the manufacturer's service manual if you can get it); or both. And, by and large, the Haynes manuals are excellent. I always get one when I get a new (used) car.
Personally, my preference is to have a complete set of regular sockets of decent quality, in 6 point at a minimum, but optionally adding 12 point if you like the convenience, to address the most common needs, and then add impact sockets as needed. For example, if you know your lug nuts are metric, buy a set of 6 point, deep, metric impact sockets (lug nuts are often taller than regular length sockets will fit).I agree with the reasons others have stated for using regular sockets unless impact sockets are specifically called for.Check the packaging for the country of origin label. It varies within different brands, including Craftsman. Some items get made in China, some in Taiwan, some in the USA, etc. Most retailers don't put the country of origin information on their website.Also keep in mind it's not a guarantee of quality to buy made in the USA tools. I would say in general you should expect better quality, but the capabilities of the Chinese industry has been improving over time, and sometimes US factories compromise on quality in pursuit of low cost, as well. For example, many GE appliances continue to be made in the USA, but they always seem to end up mid-pack in Consumer Reports reliability surveys.It might be worthwhile to check if your public library has access to service info. My library has All Data, although I haven't had a chance to try it out, since it is only accessible at the library itself. I can access another resource call Auto Repair Source at via a link from the library website as long as I am logged in, although I would not rate it as any better than a Haynes or Chilton manual.Unfortunately, manufacturers are increasingly treating service manuals as a profit center. Honda, for example, no longer sells individual service manuals. I could buy the entire 1500 page manual for my 2002 Civic for $100, and use it as much as I want.For my 2020 Civic on the other hand, Honda wants $1250 per year for a subscription to their library of all service manuals. The "cheap" option is $25 per day. However, there is some allowance to print (including to PDF) a working copy from the online service information system that I have not explored yet. I've heard the information is broken down into very specific procedures, so you might have to print numerous documents just to cover one service task.
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Gilbert wrote in with a question I don’t think I can handle in a quick or easy fashion. Awesome ToolGuyd readers – if you’ve got an opinion about this, please chime in!
I am interested in buying a socket set. I’ve read your postings on the subject, but I must say, I’m still confused as to what set to lean towards. I’m not necessarily looking for an inexpensive, but a good quality set with good ergonomics. I’m also looking for Standard & Metric. I’ve been leaning towards the Wera Zyklop set. Does the price justify the means or do you recommend any other sets..?
Who makes the best socket set? Probably Snap-on, but you would pay dearly for it. I say probably because I don’t own a single Snap-on socket. The only Snap-on drive tool I have is a small 3/8″ extension, and that’s because my father found it on the street a couple of years ago.
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I have a lot of Craftsman sockets, a couple of Beta sockets, an increasing number of Wera sockets, and a handful of sockets by other brands. I also have some Kobalt sockets that I bought for testing, but lost track of them.
In recent months I have checked out JH Williams (USA-made), Wright, and SK Hand Tool sets. The JH Williams and Wright sets were purchased and then returned, the SK Hand Tool set was supplied by the company.
I returned the JH Williams and Wright sets because of a couple of unacceptable chrome issues – chipping due to shipping damage, and a couple of manufacturing flaws. For the amount of money those sets cost, they should have been in far better condition. Cosmetic issues are one thing, but chipped chrome due to damage or dimpling is not really something I could accept. Who wants to warranty individual sockets out of a brand new premium socket set that costs big bucks?
The SK set I’ve been checking out is very impressive. Aside from rough interior hex recess of one shallow socket, it’s perfect. You’ll see more about this set later this week.
Now, as for the sockets I’ve owned and used for a few years now:
Craftsman socket sets offer – or offered – the best bang for the buck. These days, with Craftsman sockets being made in Asia, the brand has lost a lot of their appeal, at least in my eyes. They’re still decent, and still offer very high bang for the buck, but they’re not as great a bargain as they used to be.
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To be fair, some of my USA-made Craftsman sockets look rough, some are imperfect, and I was wrong to buy into the laser-etched markings hype. But they’re strong, durable, and as functional as I can ask for. And they were very inexpensive, at least for USA-made sockets.
Beta makes some beautiful sockets. Inside and out, they’re perfect. But they’re also pricey and availability in the USA – while growing – isn’t quite the same as with other USA, European, or import brands.
Wera Zyklop sockets are exceptionally well machined and finished as well.
As with Beta, other European brands are not as well-established in the USA as domestic brands, meaning warranty exchanges might be lengthy or complicated.
I am happy to have purchased my three Wera socket sets – inch sets in 3/8″ and 1/4″ sizes, and a very small mixed 1/4″ set. But, Wera sets don’t include deep sockets. Wera doesn’t even make deep sockets. And there are no socket-only options, and so you have no choice but to buy duplicate drive tools and accessories with each set. And then you still have to buy a pass-thru socket set or a deep socket set for those times when shallow sockets just won’t fit the fastening application.
Wera is not the best choice to build up a socket collection with. It’s the brand you choose when you want one or two super-portable socket sets for particular purposes. The same goes for Felo, Facom, and other European brands I would otherwise recommend.
Right now, I’m rather indecisive about what to recommend. Craftsman sets still offer great bang-for-the-buck. Gearwrench these days is a step above Craftsman, but you still don’t have quite the same number of sets or configurations as with Craftsman. Actually, I don’t think there is any other brand that offers as many options as Craftsman does. Maybe Kobalt, but I find Craftsman tools – even the imported ones – to be a step above Kobalt.
These are my current thoughts and recommendations, but I must remind you that I’m still a little wishy-washy about this.
Low budget: Kobalt, Tekton, Stanley, Craftsman
Medium budget: Craftsman, Gearwrench
High budget: SK Hand Tool, Wright, JH Williams, Proto, Proto Blackhawk
Very high budget: Snap-on
I plan on looking into the matter further, but didn’t want to leave Gilbert’s question unanswered in the meantime.
Everyone’s got something to say about sockets, so please chime in with your experiences and recommendations in the comments!
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