- This topic has 21 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 12 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
Anyone check out Harbor freights Pro series rachets recently? They look extremely low profile like my dad’s snap on rachet set from years back, though I don’t have access to compare them I recently bought a Pro Series breaker bar and looked at my father’s ol’ Snap on breaker bar and im 99.9% sure they’re identical.
How about the rachets?
-
Replies
-
As a DIY person when working on my vehicle I will stick with my made in USA Snap-on, Armstrong, Klein and Craftsman tools from the ’90s when doing regular maintenance.
In an emergency I fall back on the trunk tools consisting of HF, Husky and HDX branded; China made good enough tools to get home. If they get stolen out of my car it is maybe a $100 loss versus thousands of dollars for the equivalent professional grade tools.
All the different grade tools do have a target market from professional grade down to cheap getting started with tools. A person acquires tools over a lifetime usually starting out with a cheap brand and as the years go on and income increases the quality of the tools purchased also increases.
In the beginning a person would have a hard time spending $10 on a sock when the same $10 will buy a full set of 9 sockets at HF. When using the HF socket and it breaks vs an Armstrong socket getting the fastener off on the first attempt it is then the value of spending the $10 is realized.
I do not believe it is fair to scrutinize the brand of tools in the box, but admire the ingenuity of the owner to use what he/she has on hand to solve the problem.
Look i own a lot of different brands. I do mean a lot. I have owned multiple Harbor Freight tools. I still own a few here and there. The stuff I own from them that still works is stuff you have to try to f up when you engineer it. Magnetic Trays and Oil Filter pliers the slip joint type. Everything else from them has broken with the exception of their prybars and that is because i knew it would break stopped and use them as spacers to rest pieces on or to prop up very light things.
I am a diesel tech you give me a harbor freight ratchet to use I will put on heavy leather gloves snap the drive or grind the teeth off and hand it back to you. My 3/8 Drive sees around 275 ft lbs at the max. 1/2″ Drive I have broken loose 425 ft lb lug nuts with. I spent under $100 bucks for both ratchets brand new. Broke my 3/8″ drive teeth once on something I should have used my 1/2″ Drive on. The 1/2″ drive still hasn’t failed me yet.
So this:$25 Pittsburgh Pro 3/8 in. Drive Professional Flex Head Long Handle Ratchet
Or this: $44 Expert E031702 Drive Pear Head Comfort Grip Flex Ratchet, 3/8-InchBtw, I use that same Expert Brand one. Never heard of Expert? It is Protos brand for industrial tools. Never Heard of Proto they own Mac Tools. Expert brand tools meet or exceed ISO and ASME standards. In layman’s it means it is tried and tested.
Do I wish it had a bolt instead of a pin. Sure. Nothing a good drill bit, cutting oil, drill, tap & die, and a bolt can’t fix. Honestly it took 2 yrs of abuse to get it to loosen up and that is some really heavy abuse. Shortly after I stripped the teeth returned it for warranty and got a brand new one.
I also side with Pitt. If you are working on anything worth more then $250,000 dollars and you are using Harbor Freight tools you need a serious education in tools. I am not saying break the bank but, I am not saying buy the cheapest crap on earth. Take the time look stuff up if you look at the negative reviews for the Pittsburgh looks nice I am on my 3rd one. Should tell you all you need to know.
I use HF for magnetic trays and other simple stuff that doesn’t matter if it gets broke.
I have almost all SO because the MAC guy never shows up at my work, MATCO is in very limited areas and not in mine. The cornwell guy shows up on my day off. The SnapOn guy is at my work on the day I’m there.
If I use something once is a while I’ll buy it at harbor freight,
If I need it more than a little I’ll get it at craftsman.
If I use it all day everyday, or it’s something I can’t risk breaking on me I go with SnapOn.
I don’t ever judge a tech or their skill based on the tools they use. MDK22 understand’s what I mean.
HF tools are throwaways. Most are only good for a few jobs at best. They never hold up to real world application. The lowest I go is made in the USA craftsman. I prefer SO and MAC to everything else(grey pneumatic and IR for air power tools and impact sockets) and as MDK22 once said, you gotta know who does what best. SO ratchets are the best there are IMO. The dual 80 tech is so fine, precise and efficient.
[quote=”Chevyman21″ post=151761]MDK22 once said, you gotta know who does what best. SO ratchets are the best there are IMO.[/quote]
If someone asks you for a crescent wrench almost everyone knows they mean an adjustable. So the brand to buy would be Crescent. Sometimes it is just that simple other times it takes years of research.
I absolutely hate SO but, if you look in my box you will find some SO products. This is because despite my hate mainly because of price gauging and lying tool truck salesman sometimes they are the best or only alternative. I am not above swallowing my pride to be able to do my job more efficiently.
Harbor Freight is fine if you use it 1-10x, use it for light duty, and expect it to break so you do not hurt yourself. Craftsman, Husky, Lowes Brand, will work for a while so long as it is usa made or has good reviews. Probably 50-100 uses medium duty work. Mac, SO, Cornwell, Matco a 1,000-5,000 uses heavy work. Industrial aka Expert, Proto, Williams, Bahco 10,000-25,000 uses very hard, heavy work. Everything breaks, doesn’t matter who it is made by. These are stereotypical numbers so with some things they last longer and some things not as long.
What it comes down to is, the right tool, for the right job.
[quote=”MDK22″ post=151786][quote=”Chevyman21″ post=151761]MDK22 once said, you gotta know who does what best. SO ratchets are the best there are IMO.[/quote]
If someone asks you for a crescent wrench almost everyone knows they mean an adjustable. So the brand to buy would be Crescent. Sometimes it is just that simple other times it takes years of research.
I absolutely hate SO but, if you look in my box you will find some SO products. This is because despite my hate mainly because of price gauging and lying tool truck salesman sometimes they are the best or only alternative. I am not above swallowing my pride to be able to do my job more efficiently.
Harbor Freight is fine if you use it 1-10x, use it for light duty, and expect it to break so you do not hurt yourself. Craftsman, Husky, Lowes Brand, will work for a while so long as it is usa made or has good reviews. Probably 50-100 uses medium duty work. Mac, SO, Cornwell, Matco a 1,000-5,000 uses heavy work. Industrial aka Expert, Proto, Williams, Bahco 10,000-25,000 uses very hard, heavy work. Everything breaks, doesn’t matter who it is made by. These are stereotypical numbers so with some things they last longer and some things not as long.
What it comes down to is, the right tool, for the right job.[/quote] Well said.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.