Date:         Wed, 8 Jan 1997 18:08:39 +0000
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vwbus@netbiz.net
Subject:      Re: Tool Pontifications

> ah.  true.  it will pay for itself but often only 'once'.  a higher quality
> tool will pay for itself many times.  now, that said, i DO carry a cheap set
> of Chinese sockets in the van at all times.  they are intended to pay for
> themselves ONCE, when i break down.  the Snap-Ons pay for themselves
> repeatedly in the garage.  in fact, the Snap-Ons are now on their second
> 

I too use Snap-On (standard) or old Craftsman for most all my repair work,
collected from grandfather, great uncle, etc most of it 60's stuff my 
point is simply that any out of the ordinary size tools, IE above 
19mm metric wrenches or over 25mm sockets, you will not beat a set of 
their wrenches, for OCCASIONAL only use.  The 3/4" socket set is 
incredible by any standard though, finish is low point but I have put 
in excess of 500 ft lbs on the breaker extension and sockets on many 
occasion.  Unless you worked every day on big rigs, more is useless.  
I once bought a Craftman 3/4" T, and 46mm socket for Vanagon rear 
axle nuts, cost was more than the entire Harbor Freight set.  Plus 
you might be suprised of current Snap-On quality as well, I've broken 
a 12mm 1/2" drive Snap-On socket and during my undergrad days did 
some research that indicated that most US tool manufacturers tool 
quality (surface hardness a good easy measure) was declining, 
particularly Craftsman.  I would never buy a set of the Harbor 
Freight stuff in normal sizes, truely false economy, usually Craftsman
is the home guys best bet, you break it you return it for a new
one, irritating but easy not to track down Snap-On guy.
As a rule for hand tools I would NEVER buy Snap-On new price to 
performance ratio is poor for even heavy home use, now at an auction 
an entirely different matter, I'd buy Snap-On used in a heartbeat for 
say a price comparable to Craftsman new.  For more exotic stuff 
Snap-On is clearly the way, for pullers, special tools, my FI 
pressure gauges, etc, not for normal wrench/sockets just not worth 
more than the admittedly sorry Craftsman.

Again as I said you get what you pay for with them if it's real 
cheap, it is CHEAP, but if it's say 50% of Craftsman cost, its likely 
75% of Craftsman quaulity just poorly finished, sort of like the 
stuff Ace Hardware and Walmart sell these days.

John
vwbus@netbiz.net