Trade a Stihl for a Crapsman

[Mike G]

The mail-in thing was told to me by a sales clerk at our local sears hardware store. I was looking for an impact universal joint and noticed that they didnt carry the impact sockets individually any more. I asked the guy how they would be replaced if an individual socket broke, and he said "Mail em in"

 

[mikey]

Maybe I'm wrong but I think the old Craftsman tools that everyone favors was made in USA and the new is made by the lowest foriegn bidder.It seems much of our industry is following this practice.Truly sad.

 

[clearance]

I got a toolbox together over the years by buying at fleamarkets and garage sales. I have 1/4,3/8, and 1/2 socket sets with a few ratchets, johnson bars, universals extensions etc, and off course wrenches. Evertime I saw something that looked good I bought it. Gray, Craftsman, Proto, Snap-on, Wright, SK. A mutt toolbox but good mutts. Not a mechanic, just change water pumps and basic stuff, but I have used the newer Craftsman and kind of hard to explain but the ratchets are just not as smooth. All the stuff I have is old, if you look at it closely you can see how everthing is all finely machined and finished, one brand that is still good and I can only speak to thier pliers is Klien.

 

[THALL10326]

I got a toolbox together over the years by buying at fleamarkets and garage sales. I have 1/4,3/8, and 1/2 socket sets with a few ratchets, johnson bars, universals extensions etc, and off course wrenches. Evertime I saw something that looked good I bought it. Gray, Craftsman, Proto, Snap-on, Wright, SK. A mutt toolbox but good mutts. Not a mechanic, just change water pumps and basic stuff, but I have used the newer Craftsman and kind of hard to explain but the ratchets are just not as smooth. All the stuff I have is old, if you look at it closely you can see how everthing is all finely machined and finished, one brand that is still good and I can only speak to thier pliers is Klien.

Klien is good stuff, no doult about that. Oldest brother of mine works at a car dealership, has so for over 20 years. He claims Craftsman is ok for what I do, saws, but for everyday working on cars they don't hold up and the biggest problem with them is they are not exact. Meaning a 9/16 wrench is close to 9/16 at times but not exact. He says Snap On is over priced but is the most exact size tool made today. According to him you can mike a Snap On and its usually right on the money. He says in the car business the tools have to be the size they say they are in order to do good work with them day in day out. He's probly got 50 grand worth of Snap On at the car place but at home he has Craftsman.

 

[Gark]

Can't believe that guy let his 361 go. Never had a Craftsman chainsaw or even hand tools, but EVERY Craftsman electric power tool I've got has developed some problem or another. Belt sander, table saw, router, shop-vac, (even lawn tractor mower) all broke. Not SERIOUS problems, but all got a problem. It takes all kinds to make a world, eh?

 

[rjh245]

Well i had a chance to use the 55cc Craftsman. The incredible pull system is a joke. I can't see a 55cc saw starting that hard. The saw is heavy for the size of the motor. It have a 95 NK setup with an 18 inch bar. The saw feels cheap compared to my 575xp and the 359. I guess they are OK saws for someone who is trimming trees a few times a year but i would not want to use it for real work.

The funniest part of the story is that he called me asking where he could get a tri axle of logs for firewood. I did not know. He is thinking about heating with firewood next year. He really likes his new saw but I will be very supprised if his craftsman can cut 6 cords of wood.
Rob

Any one know where to get a load of logs for firewood in central PA

 

[rb_in_va]

I can't believe the salesman did that. I am sure his boss would not be happy if they knew he did that to a customer...

It pisses me off that I could have bought the guy a saw for 200 dollars and traded it for a almost new 361.

It's not okay for the salesman make that trade, but it's fine for you to do it?

 

[Lawn Masters]

hmm, a salesman that got a guy to trade a GREAT Stihl for a crapsman from taiwan, bring both of these guys to me, I wanna kick em both in the :censored:

 

[Simonizer]

I got my first "used" tool set at the age of 14. It was purchased at an auction with a Mac road box and some misc mac and snap on tools. I still have most of those tools today, at home or in my personal truck. When I became a road Diesel engine tech, I bought a big crapsman tool set to get me started. I am willing to bet that not one piece of that set is original. The old craftsman tools were great, but the newer junk just plain sucks. When I am out in the middle of nowhere servicing a generator or air compressor, I can't afford a simple tool breaking. Learned the hard way too many times with that. Who care if you can take it back and get it replaced, but fails when you need it most. I have a ton of money invested into Snap on tools and there is no comparison to their quality. I carry them on my service truck and in the shop because I need them to be dependable, not break them and say oh well next time I'm at sears.....

Snap on and Mac are not equal....The prices are, but most of Mac's are made by Proto. and while being a good tool. most of the Mac tools are going to tawainese, tiakoko junk.

Just my penny and a half contribution to the thread. Sorry your buddy got taken by the sales guy. Sorry you didn't get the score on the 361. But look at it this way....The way sears is, he will have a long warrenty on that saw. HE cold take it back 5 years from now and say it broke, then request to talk to a manager and most of the time they will give the customer a new product. I see it all the time. My friends dad works at a sears harware. They take back 1, 2 and even three year old lawnmowers.....What is this world coming to? Might as well just move to china before china moves here...


Steve

ALL my tools are Snap-on. I like Fluke for electrical test equipment, Ridgid for any thing to do with pipes, Mitutoyo and Starrett for precision measuring tools. This 361 story is perhaps the most extreme case I have heard of regarding difference in quality. That salesman should be smacked.

 

[Rspike]

Klien is good stuff, no doult about that. Oldest brother of mine works at a car dealership, has so for over 20 years. He claims Craftsman is ok for what I do, saws, but for everyday working on cars they don't hold up and the biggest problem with them is they are not exact. Meaning a 9/16 wrench is close to 9/16 at times but not exact. He says Snap On is over priced but is the most exact size tool made today. According to him you can mike a Snap On and its usually right on the money. He says in the car business the tools have to be the size they say they are in order to do good work with them day in day out. He's probly got 50 grand worth of Snap On at the car place but at home he has Craftsman.

I find that very odd ........ A set of good Craftsman tools are not cheap but you mention ( brother said ) the Craftsman tools are not exact ? Funny a high $$ set of craftsman tools are not exact but the .02 cent bolt/nut on the car/truck is exact .....?....? Now how is it that they can make a .02 cent bolt/nut exact but the $40 + wrench is not ? Humm ......Me thinks me needs to get the micro-meter out and look into dis myth. ha.