E-Bodies.org Cuda Challenger Forum

Everytime you want to buy a tool, just do your research. Some cheapies are actually pretty good and can last a long time. Others, not so much.

Some stuff at Harbor Freight is actually the same tool as branded ones.

Many people on Youtube have done tool "tests" which really allows you to make an informed decision. For example, the Pittsburgh harbor freight breaker bar actually tested better than many $200 tools.

My torque wrench is from the company that OEMs Snap On and for a fraction of the price (still about $100). I've posted it before, but I absolutely love it.

That's why I brought this thread up. I had really nice MATCO stuff. The chrome started peeling. They said pound sand. Stuff doesn't last forever.
I have a mix of Snapon, Matco and Craftsman. Snap-On tubing wrenches. Snap-on impact. Everything else, is junk. Or doesn't need the level of quality
of Snap-On for light use. Or Blue Point.
That's why I pointed out Blue Point. Not everyone knows Snap-On makes a second tier tool. Far superior to the chinees crap.

Bust your knuckles once, you'll wish you had bought better. That's all.

Just trying to enlighten people to make better choices. That's all.

My Harbor Frieght POS powered drain auger (sink snake) cleared my pipe, but broke off 2-3 foot at the end while I was retracting it. Thank god, the broken piece
stuck out enough for me to pull it out by hand. One use, first time! Is that what you expect out of your cheap chineese stuff? Learned my lesson.
Wait till it breaks when you most need it - and ends in injury or death? Did you get your moneys worth then?

People get what they deserve. I was trying to point out a lower cost solution to the Chinees stuff, for good quality. You do what you want. Just trying to help out.

Here's a little tidbit..... some Snap-on is made in India..... ssshhhhh don't tell

And china too....for example the Harbor Freight Daytona jack (best jack for the money...it's a damn beast) is basically the same jack as the Snap-on. I'd bet they are both made in China. One may be "assembled" in the US, but I bet sourced from the same exact place....

Another tidbit: Snap-on doesn't typically manufacture their own stuff. They pick out what they feel are good OEM tools and brand them as their own. Sometimes it's US...sometimes it's india....sometimes it's China.

Nothing wrong with a "Chinese" tool if it's a good tool....much of those expensive brands are Chinese tools...

Just like people think that Craftsman is US...they haven't been for as long as I can remember.

btw, no tool has ever pissed me off as much as my Craftsman torque wrench. Terrible design. I threw it away with massive force to let it know how much I hate it.

It shouldn't bother you the origins of where a tool is made. My point is to do some research. Youtube is killer these days for tool comparisons that are put through some pretty damn good tests.

I have $80 Matco calipers....but I find myself using the $10 plastic harbor freight one more often. It's pretty much the same reading and still on the same battery after 6 years now. It has a crack in the LCD screen because I've dropped and thrown it around so much. But it still keeps ticking. The Matco calipers I've already had to replace the battery twice and it's had far less use!

My Craftsman set from 1976 is still going strong. Used to be super simple to get broken Craftsman tools replaced but not so much anymore. Stanley bought Craftsman in 2017 and now you can buy them almost anywhere. I'm not sure of the current level of quality but I can definitely vouch for the quality back in 1976.  :cheers:

I started buying Snap-on in 1971 and they were expensive, then. The guarantee was good, but I also bought Herbrand and SK tools as well and still have most of them. THEN came the Professional series from Canadian Tire and if your vision was a wee bit dim, you'd swear they were Snap-on. They look just like them and they fit/work like them, too. AND, you can buy a set on sale, as mentioned, for what you'd pay for one wrench from S-O with a lifetime guarantee that they don't give you any grief about. Craftsman tools were considered just right- to fix your tractor. Sorry to all aficionados.  :cheers:

Been using Snapon for many years for all of my bikes and cars and they have never let me down, while some other brands did. Of course everybody have their own experience but for me they have been worth the investment and if I had to do it all over again I would definitely buy them again any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Talked to my snap on dealer today and this is what he said about the black tools ( not the impact)  They are not a military grade they are what they call industrial grade. Same exact as the chrome but they will rust and they are guaranteed. Just a little cheaper.

I have a few "specialty" tools from snap -on but most of my stuff is Mastercraft from Canadian Tire. I have some tools from Princess Auto ( like harbor freight in the USA) that are PRO-POINT brand , they seem good, had them for a few years now, warranty is good. I really like and use the gear wrenches quite a bit.

 A large percentage of the cost of any tool sold on a tool truck is the cost of giving credit/payments for no interest to buyers who generally have poor to no credit. They live from paycheck to paycheck and move alot from place to place. Not all, but a lot of them do nationwide. The tool truck owners used to have a hard time tracking down guys that had accounts but now with the internet, cell phones and just new tech it is much easier to track people down. The tools if sold in a brick and mortar store would be much more reasonable. After the initial investment in tooling and other mfg. equipment the cost to produce the tool is very low, regardless of "quality". Made in Japan had a poor image after WW2 because they lacked resources/raw materials and relied on scrap to rebuild their country and economy. Just like Made in Japan no longer means low quality neither do most other major economies. At least made in Japan or made in China likely means that a Japanese or Chinese person is doing the manual labor part of the mfg. Made in USA , Who really knows who made it .?  :notsure: