Sometimes cheap tools don't pay

[68LSS1]

I pretty much have all MAC and Snap-On with a few other odd and ends in the tool box at work but I can't afford the good stuff for home use also. Had a reputable brand 1/2" breaker bar break on me this morning. Nice clean fracture on the bar which resulted in 5 stitches in my finger. Now I'm not saying don't buy the cheaper stuff but maybe think about the use of the tool and the results if it did break while in use. If it can cause injury or damage maybe it's better to pony up a few dollars more.

[inline6Bill]

I, also, have had enough cheap tools break on me while trying to do something; that is why I have Craftsman tools for auto repair (and other things). I did have a problem once with a Snap-on impact socket shattering on a spring shackle nut; after that I wear safety glasses and gloves when using powered tools to remove nuts.

[rodnok1]

I've had so many smashed fingers I try not to use my hands when really yanking on a tool, I use my feet whenever possible. Had too many sockets slip/extensions break/bend over the years.

[1969owner]

you dont pay...they dont pay.

[boundstaffpress]

I've twisted off the square drive shaft on two Craftsman break-over bars. Shattered the "ear" on some off brand bar first. Of course I was using a 6 foot cheater every time and standing on it with my dad. We probably should have been wearing leather tarps or some other hideous contraption. Finally had someone break the nut free with an impact wrench.

I fully expect some tools to give out. I usually ask at the counter when I buy those tools what the return policy is.

[Longhorn Man]

I try to get name brand tools, but sometimes i do get the cheap junk.
When looking at cheap junk, my rule is... low stress tools.
Harbor Freight pry bars? NO
Harbor Freight Steering column lock plate depressor.... right on.

[LONGHAIR]

If something is so tight that I think I would need a 6 foot cheater bar............I get out the 3/4 drive sockets. Even a cheapie set is far stronger than 1/2 drive.

[mbgmike]

use what you can afford

[BrianJordan]

craftsmam all the way for me,less chance of barking a knuckle. i reather pay more for a tool then for stitches.

[mbgmike]

I still use many of the craftsman tools that my dad bought in 1946.

[special-K]

I have names for cheap imitations:SnapOff,CrapMan,S u K,and MicTool(as in MickeyMouse)

[Brainchild]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I try to get name brand tools, but sometimes i do get the cheap junk.
When looking at cheap junk, my rule is... low stress tools.
Harbor Freight pry bars? NO
Harbor Freight Steering column lock plate depressor.... right on.

I totally agree with ya on this one.

[etg]

New good tools are a must. They save you a hassle because they are better quality and are usually backed by a lifetime warranty. All I buy is Craftsman because their handtools have a no questions asked warranty and are very durable.

[Longhorn Man]

I'll agree with that, except I'll say Craftman is FAIRLY durable.

[special-K]

I say you can break any tool if you try hard enough

[Mickey_D]

I personally have never had anything but trouble with Craftsman. Especially if it has any moving parts (ratchets, vise-grips, etc). My 15 year old Proto 3/8" drive ratchet on the other hand....

I've used and abused that thing WAY beyond what it was ever expected. The "grip knurling" is long gone after using the ratchet as an impact wrench with the assistance of a 16 oz sledge hammer. Quite a bit of the chrome around the shank is gone from various pieces of pipe used as "torque multipliers". Etc, etc, etc.

I also went with Proto when I bought my ratchet wrenches. And I used them for assembling busses when I worked at New Flyer. Again with the pieces of pipe used as cheater bars. And the generous offering of good, hard smacks with various industrial strength (and sized) hammers. Even though we had air-impacts at our disposal.......

[BIGT05]

yeah it also helps to make sure your using the right tool for the job one of the mechnaics in the shop i work in called me over to grap the end of the six foot cheater pipe to tighten up this rearend seal head been having hell with well i was busy trying to replace a clockspring in the streering wheel of some peice of crap car so i was more concerned about that i grabed on to the bar and procceded to push now im pretty big 6'3 250lbs and it aint' fat nether and the other guy was average size and this seal was tight so were giving it pretty much everything we got so between the both of us were bushing about 300 llbs of force on this seal now times that buy 6 for the cheater pipe well the idiot decided it would be a good idea to use 1/2 inch craftsman ratchet instead of just getting out the 1 inch and plaing it safe well needless to say the rathet broke came flying out of the pipe and hit me in the head a few curse words me getting out from underneath the rack and looking for somebody to fight all i needed was a big bandaid and six stitches but about 3 inches lower id be the proud owner of only one eyeball moral of the story use the right tools

[retodd7711]

cheap tools hurt! I've had to buy junk before. Long ways from home, need a quick repair. Bought a $10 socket set at a gas station to change alternator 1,500 miles away.I always garage sale the trash as soon as I get home.

[bobbo]

I agree with the right tool for the job. I've been a mechanic for 14 years and have a pretty large range of brands of tools from Craftsman, Snap-on, Mac, Matco, and a few off brands. I have broke something in every brand over the years. But I am hard on tools, I expect them to do the job and then some. Cheaper made tools are good for household use and light mechanical, but not for use with air tools. JMO.

[BurnoutNova]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I'll agree with that, except I'll say Craftman is FAIRLY durable.

x2

i have mostly craftsman stuff at home, some snap on and cornwell stuff too, but dont use much craftsman stuff at work... i get tired of going to sears all the time to warranty stuff. and my sears store doesnt always have everything in stock.

[treveiger]

I bought a ingersol impact wrench and ebay sockets, impacts still running strong after busting bolts off of parts trucks and other various things that were hard on it and the sockets are still great also!! I was working on my bro in laws trailer a while ago and when i walked into the other room for a sec he thought hed use my impact to take off a bolt but never checked if the socket was the right size and just turned it up and ended up locking the socket on the bolt, so embarassed he put the impact down and never said a word until i found it he thought he ruined my socket because we couldnt even get the sucker off with a hammer so i put the impact back on(never thought of it at the time because he said it wouldnt come off)and turned it to the opposite direction and ended up rounding off the bolt and got the socket off without any problem or damage except for the small nicks from the hammer bashing it back and fourth. I think i payed around 40 dollars total on ebay for them i bought a metric and SAE set. So cheap tools and craftsmen work great for me and im hard on tools

[treveiger]

O and another boring story for you. I bought a torque wrench and paid around $40 dollars for it and used it rarely and not to long ago i was checking some bolts on my car and set the wrenched and didnt even have barley any pressure on it and snapped it at the tip... So now i need a new one. Does anybody have any suggestions on what kind

[dan76]

I too had a need to buy a set of wrenches as I was over 2K from the shop and an alternator went out in a newer Chevy truck. I bought the alternator, 40 dollar set of metric wrenches and changed it out in the parking lot of AZ. However one of the wrenches broke while in use resulting in a broken finger and a trip to the drugstore for a splint.

Now when the air temp goes down, my finger reminds me of the necessity of having a set of quality tools with me on road trips.

[treveiger]

Originally Posted by dan76

I too had a need to buy a set of wrenches as I was over 2K from the shop and an alternator went out in a newer Chevy truck. I bought the alternator, 40 dollar set of metric wrenches and changed it out in the parking lot of AZ. However one of the wrenches broke while in use resulting in a broken finger and a trip to the drugstore for a splint.

Now when the air temp goes down, my finger reminds me of the necessity of having a set of quality tools with me on road trips.

I always keep my tools in my car because you just never know whatll happen like today my battery was real weak so i changed it an i needed metric tools to get to the stupid thing and nobody else in my family has any metric tools. I also have a set of jumpers and a tow strap, ive used the strap several times but only used the jumpers for everybody else but never for my car .
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[Shane]

I've been hurt by truck bran tools just as often and as bad as I have from el cheapo Chi-Wanese made tools from Harbor Freight.

A lot of it boils down to:

1.) knowing ahead of time what will happen to you should the tool break
2.) choose the right tool according to criteria in #1.