No More Craftsman Tools For Me

[69 Short Fleet]

The newer Craftsman tools are CRAP IMO. It started with the gears in my 1/4" & 3/8" ratchets some time ago out of a newer socket set. The tumbler inside BOTH of them started to jam and I could not switch from CW to CCW or vice versa, I take them back to get them replaced and was dealing with a real moron in the tool dept. with an attitude (this one I'll let slide, as it can happen anywhere with any retailer). I get my new ratchets and they gave me a new style with a push button on the switch, which actually worked out good for me as one of my arms does not work very well and makes changing sockets easier but now the same thing is happening with the switches/gears on them AND there is way too much play in them. The frigging plastic socket case broke and they don't make replacements for them.
Now my (*%&*(($#$#@ chopsaw (3 years old & just off of waranty) has packed it in as the base plate is grinding and jammed so I got it back to 90 deg. after working on it for 1 1/2 hours and the piece of CRAP will not mitre as I can't adjust it above or below 90 deg. Niiiiiiiiiiiice. I am in the middle of rebuilding a deck for my mom and this happens.
My friend lends me his Craftsman circular saw for cutting plywood this thing was made in 1957 weighs a ton (no plastic crap) Old School Craftsman and this thing is one of the most beautiful tools I've ever used, you would think your using a table saw after inspecting you work. Interesting how time or shd. I say $$$GREED$$$ changes things. The thing is that I really look after my tools (more than the average person) and respect them (except my hammer, lol) I'm not sorry for venting this is a crock of crap & someone up the ladder at Sears is going to be getting an e-mail from me. I have been slowly replacing my tools with Snap-on, Klein, Fluke ect.

(no people or animals were hurt in the making of this thread, but lots of swear words were used)

LOL. Doug

[krue]

That's what happens when K-mart takes over Sears, you get K-mart quality tools.

[hobbz]

believe it or not, i have been using stanley tools from walmart for about a year now. i think that their tools are actually better quality than craftsman tools are for hand tools. they have a lifetime warrenty now too.

just my 2 cents

[onetoncrewcab]

I started wondering where Craftsman was going when Bob Vila became the spokesman and started coming out with all of those "universal" tools. You know the ones....the tools that replace a whole drawer full of tools. It started reminding me of those late night commercials where you could buy one socket and one wrench to replace a whole drawer full of sockets and wrenches.
Mike

[68C15]

Thanks Martha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now your tools are better suited for decoration than actually working.


<b*tch>

[cdowns]

well crafstmen has a big swing in the quality of the rachets they offer the entry level ones(cheap) aren't very impressive, but if you go to the polished stainless pro-series tools the quality is alot better/last year i broke my 1/2rachet it was like about 70years old they tried raplacing with the bottom line one and i just used the argument that it was purchased as a top-of-the-line tool and thats what i wanted for a replacement since it was so old and they didn't have it in a referance book they gladly gave me the polished stainless replacement and i'm more than happy with the rachet//the sears here is very easy to replace tools at but i've lived in other areas where it was a pain//if available go to another sears store///i just burned up my electric die grinder from sears i doubt they'll replace it for me !!i only got 35years out of it OH WELL

[N2TRUX]

I went through the same ordeal with them on the ratchets. They offered me a "rebuild" kit. I laughed at the guy. I said it has a lifetime warranty replacement, I want a new one. He argued until a manager showed up. He tried to argue too but saw I was noty going to settle for anything less than a new one.

I suggest that you spray the ratchet head with some lube to prevent it from drying out inside. It works for me....

[Joe67]

I've used the craftsman socket set I purchased in 1996 with no issue.
One rachet did wipe out 3-4 years ago and it was replaced promptly when I took it to Sears

For the price and the walk-in lifetime warranty, their tools work great for me

[67ChevyRedneck]

The only Craftsman hand tools I have ever broken were because they were used improperly. Admit it, how many of y'all have used the 4 foot long "cheater bar" to break a stubborn bolt loose? After I did that several hundred times my ratchet broke. Brought it back without a problem. I've got one of the big ratchets with the swivel head and several of the swivel socket extension thingys and they are awesome when you try and get bolts off in weird places I also have a couple cheapy wal-mart sets that I keep in my truck and apartment for fixing little stuff and emergencies, but I have broken several of their ratchets and SOCKETS easily.

[CHEVYE]

i'm with cdowns, Craftsman has a decent line and a good line. if you get the ratchets in the molded case sets, they'll probably break. i've broken more than a few myself as i'm pretty rough on tools. whenever i go into sears they swap all of my handtools out "no questions asked" and when they don't have the particular tool they have upgraded me to the better one. i've even bought tools at yard sales and taken them back.

[68haywagon]

I love my Craftsman tools. I don't use them everyday but whenever I do they work great. The only problem I've had with them is when I stripped out a 3/8" socket trying to drive a screw into a cinderblock wall . The socket clearly said "Craftsman" on the side and the lady at the counter said it wasn't a craftsman . I had to get a manager to come over and say "it's a craftsman, just replace it" . When the sales guy came over to replace my socket I started to BS with him and he told me that the 12-point stuff is garbage because the walls are thinner, thats why mine stripped out. I played along and he gave me a new 6-point one. I went home and tried to strip this one and by god the screw went into the wall without any more problems

Mike

[JameslovesJammie]

OK,

I'm sure I will get flamed for this, but here's the deal on Craftsman Tools. I know this because I am a manager in charge of repairing tools.

1. Most of the time, when a ratchet strips its gears it is because of improper use. I mean, really guys, take a look at the handles of your ratchets and look at how many have wear marks from hooking up a pipe to use as a cheater.

2. The gearing ALWAYS has a lifetime replacement on it, but the handle doesn't. I've seen ratchets come in with bent or split handles, which could only happen from abuse. If you're putting enough pressure on that 5" handle to bend or break it, you obviously have more hand strength than a gorilla, and I don't want to meet you walking down a dark alley in the middle of the night!

I've seen ratchets that people have brought back that have touched to battery terminals with. This tool should be replaced why? It isn't the tool's fault that the dude fried it.

3. As far as the $10 ratchet and socket set, it isn't a heck of alot different than a Stanely $10 ratchet and socket set. Difference is when it fails, you go to Sears and get a new one. Stanley you mail out, wait a week, and get your new one in the mail.

http://www.stanleytools.com/default....ntyreturns.htm

This ratchet is the ****:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=00944995000

This ratchet IS ****:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...ubcat=Ratchets

4. POWER TOOLS:
All Craftsman power tools have a 90 day satisfaction guarantee (meaning if you don't like it, bring it in and exchange it) and a 1 year warranty. Some higher end tools have a 2 year, depending on model.

How does this compare to other Brands?

Delta: anywhere from 3 years to 90 days, depending on product. http://www.deltamachinery.com/index.asp?e=130

Dewalt: 90 day money back guarantee, 1 year service, 3 year LIMITED (meaning only certain parts are covered, but LABOR IS NOT) http://www.dewalt.com/us/service/

Makita: Limited 1 year
http://www.makita.com/assets_product...s/LS1214_F.pdf

Porter Cable: 1 year
http://media.ptg-online.com/media/pc...20Warranty.pdf

And the list goes on.

But is there really much difference between them?

Bottom line is, NOTHING IS MADE LIKE IT USED TO BE!!! I tell people this every day. It isn't just tools. Look at TV's. People will have a tv that lasted 20 years. Well, Sony says that the average life of it's new products should be around 6-8 years on current models. I challenge anyone to try to find a dvd player that has more than a 90 day full warranty anymore.

Hell, we're all into trucks! Does anyone here really think that a in 2035 there will be as many 2005 trucks running around as there are 1975 trucks today?

Phew!!! Sorry about the rant. Got a little long winded there. I think I'll go work on my truck for a bit. (Hope my Craftsman ratchet doesn't go out on me!) Aw ****, there I went again!

[chickenwing]

Thanks for the post James.

Adding too... I have the new thin line craftsman ratchet. It is definately a quality tool but I like my older craftsman ratchet with the oblong head. That one just seems to fit my hand better. I have broke it once "cheating". I have wore it out twice with regular use. It just gets so sloppy it starts to slip in direction changes. Bought it, what? 15 years ago. Good deal.

I used to own only craftsman wrenches. They're a bit thick. Got turned on to Snap-On wrenches and I luv em. The Craftsman Pro series wrenches do look/feel nice. If I gotta buy a big 1" + set, the Pro's are in the running, the cost is so much cheaper!

Best thing about Craftsman hand tools other than the price is the no B.S. returns. I admit it SEEMS wrong to expect a replacement because of abuse but Sears has fostered this mentality and it is why I buy a lot from them.

[Fred T]

When I was a kid, Craftsman made good hand tool. Sometime in the 70s, the quality started slipping, and has continued to drop. Dad's old socket sets and wrenches couldn't be broken, no matter how hard we tried. Dad never liked their power tools. Yes, they were made by a quality manufacturer, but they were built to lower specs. Dad's biggest complaint was the nose bearings in drill motors. I bought a drill from them in the 70s, it lasted about 10 years before the nose bearing went out. Haven't bought any of their power tools since. The wife bought me some hand tools about 10 years ago, the pro grade are good, the "homeowner" grade are junk. I started buying better quality tools, life's too short to spend cursing your wrenches.

[chops333]

i gave up on sears years ago i bought a new sawzall broke the drive line first time i used it took it back they wanted more to fix it than i paid for it threw it in the back of garage left it for six years or so cleaned the garage one day my friend was over he seen me throw it in a trash can asked if he could have it i said take it on he took it back to sears they gave him a knew model saw and a two year service agreement and the difference in cost meaning money back so the moral to this story is sears wont see another penny from me no wonder the had to sell out to k mart just my experence

[LUV2XCLR8]

1/2 mine are Crafstman, the orther 1/2 are S & K, never have had any
issues out of either one, but the S & K are built alot better, and they
also have a Lifetime warranty, or at least mine came w/ one, my $.02

[bisquik65]

Last time i took my broken box of craftsman junk in i had $1,800 worth at one time...They replaced all of them,but said we can not do that many at one time,but the one at the register said,this doesn't matter to me because i still get the commision bonus for the $1,800 sale....

And i have craftsman tools that have made in JAPAN on them....made in usa...I don't think so....not all of them...most say forged in usa...witch may be right,then its off to China or japan ,machined ,chromed then back here

I have $100,000 bucks worth of tools and i want so bad to take all of them back to sears for a full refund!!!!!Tired of busting my knuckles because of a bad ratchet!!!!

[davidh]

I like my craftsman too. I used to work an autorelatedshop where the guy had all these snap on tools in his Matco tool box. He literally would wax this tool box! His argument would be "if you are going to use tools everyday use snap on. I said sears would probably be just as good. Yet, we would work on something and he would say get the cheaper tools to work on that. Then I'say but if we're going to use them "everyday." I have noticed the finish on some craftsman tools isn't as good as it was before. I've had more problems with the 1/2" ratchets(spelled correct?). Sometimes they replace the whole thing other times the mechanism. I dont like that when I take a broken socket to them they ship it to me 2 wks later. I've broke some deep sockets before.
Here's the real irony. That guy sells craftsman tools now
As far as new trucks go I think the motors will stand up but the rest of the truck will fall apart around it.(esp 35years from now). If they do break down just think how hard it will be find a computer for the motor, harnesses etc. So, much more to go wrong.
It used to be if it turns over, gets spark, fuel, it will run.

Why would they make things that last now, they want you to keep buying "NEW".

[68C15]

ok, fine, here's my 2 cents.
I have some craftsman tools. I have a set of fractional wrenches from 1/4 through 1 1/2. also stubbys from 5/16-1" I like them better than snap-on because of the thicker handles. they dont gouge into my hands. I also have the full set of 1/4 sockets in metric & fractional. about once a year I have to take the most used ones back for replacement. they wear out & spin on bolts. the last time I did this they gave me some crappy model where the drive end has a kind of double square. its difficult to install them on a ratchet while your busy. (I will replace the most used ones with Snappies or Matco.)
for the most part i have been quite happy with my craftsman tools.
BUT (like you didnt see this coming) I see they are getting lower in quality. I frequently buy some from them to make special tools. lately they are not finished if this makes sense


did you know craftsman tools are made by the same company that owns Matco?

[68C15]

ok, fine, here's my 2 cents.
I have some craftsman tools. I have a set of fractional wrenches from 1/4 through 1 1/2. also stubbys from 5/16-1" I like them better than snap-on because of the thicker handles. they dont gouge into my hands. I also have the full set of 1/4 sockets in metric & fractional. about once a year I have to take the most used ones back for replacement. they wear out & spin on bolts. the last time I did this they gave me some crappy model where the drive end has a kind of double square. its difficult to install them on a ratchet while your busy. (I will replace the most used ones with Snappies or Matco.)
for the most part i have been quite happy with my craftsman tools.
BUT (like you didnt see this coming) I see they are getting lower in quality. I frequently buy some from them to make special tools. lately they are not finished if this makes sense


did you know craftsman tools are made by the same company that owns Matco?

[Josh]

I buy snap on for chrome sockets and ratchets, and specialty tools, but my wrenches are craftsman, as are most my impact sockets with the exception of matco impact swivels. If money was no object I'd buy all snap on stuff, but with the price of it, if i can get a tool for less that works just as well I will. I have a snap on tool box cause I have yet to find a box that will hold up like a snap on, I have one snap on box that is older than I am and been used every single day of its life... I have to agree on craftsman tools going down in quality, the older ratchets etc. just felt smoother and could take more abuse, I tend to break one of the cheap craftsman ratchets every other month... Anymore it seems their stuff is no better than the crap I buy at harbor freight to sacrifice to make specialty tools...

New trucks the motors will outlast the truck and rest of the drivetrain by a longshot, I've worked on several 99+ GM trucks with 300k+ miles and the whole truck is falling apart, but the gen III sbc runs like new... They dont build the trucks like they used to but they build one helluva motor in em.

[Jebb1978]

I don't know what it is to have a problem returning a Craftsman tool? A friend of mine left some tools in his backyard. His dog chewed up a Craftsman screwdriver handle so bad it was unusable. It looked to be really old and he returned it with no problem at all. It has been at least 5 years but, I have returned an old ratchet my Dad gave me and it was replaced without issue. I am sure it was my grandfathers before it was my Dad's by the looks of it. On another note, my Dad bought me a large socket set from Husky when I was still living at home. It had to be 10 years ago, I am not a strong guy and I am guilty of the cheater bar. I have yet to break a single piece of the set and they are alot cheaper than a comperable Craftman set. I am sold on these things, I will spend my money on Husky over Craftsman. I am not a mechanic by trade but my tools get their share of abuse.

[djracer]

Some of the stuff is decent but if you have to use it everyday buy the nicer stuff!


on another note Stanley owns Mac tools!

[rollinlow]

iv used crafstmen for all my life its all my grandfather had all my dad has and what i have other than the ones i have in my daily driver wich is a mix of husky and stanley stuff i dont care if people borrow but ill never get rid of my craftsmen

[hoser]

Dunno if you ever noticed this before or not but above EVERY door the customer can walk into in EVERY store Sears has it says "Satisfaction Guaranteed Or Your Money Back"

Get your money back buy something else, IMO their tools are great I have been using them for 35 years and dont see any big deal I only see the normal such as life problems you get with any tools..

Sears was playing games a few years back they changed the name on the tin snips from Craftsman to 'Sears' so you were stuck if they broke now I see they are back to Craftsman, they also were giving out rebuild kits and rebuilt for the ratchets for a while, I cut the hell out of my hand when a rebuilt one of their rebuilt ones failed the first time I used it, I gatherd up every ratchet I owned (about 15 of them) and went to Sears looking for the manager, I left the store with ALL NEW ratchets never had a rebuilt one since.

When I take broken tools back its usually because I have abused them (excluding the POS rebuild) they dont break under normal use but they are still nice enough to replace them for me its not often I take back something I have worn out, after 35 years I have only had to buy tools I have lost or that were stolen, soon as I enter the store I go find all the replacements for the broken stuff then take them to the check out there is never a problem getting them replaced or exchanged.

No doubt in a few more years they will be having ALL their stuff made in CHINA "to save you money" ....