Snap On tools vs. mac vs. matco

[RavenTai]

hanger rash I get, hitting a wing tip on something seams to be a monthly affair, and our rampers certainly keep us bussy, yes the tug cleared but what about the can your towing dumbass.


closest thing we have to a "wreck" in the fleet: back in the 90's a fan hub on #1 came apart at take off power parts of it entered the cabin killing a mother and child, was traced back to manufacturing defect, it needed extensive repair, about 10 years after I worked that birds overhaul its weird to be where someone died. too creepy.

 

[craptabulous]

buy cheap and then get snap-on when its on sale or used .

i have boughten 1000's of dollars worth of snap-on tools for only 100's . i very rarely buy any new snap-on tools . lots of mechanics retire and don't need half there stuff anymore .

i just got this bottom box for 400$ from the ex snap-on dealer .

i also got a 3/4" dive set with full metric sockets deep and shallow for 600$ with 4 rubber maid containers full of snap-on mac and craftsman tools .

the ratchet set alone is 4000$

how people buy it new i don't understand , actually why people by it new i don't understand .

i wouldn't buy a snap-on DMM i prefer Fluke .
vice grip brand vice grips , with the grip handles are amazing .
snap-on inspection lights are like 200$ go for it if you really want to i picked one up for 50$ in the box .

weller for a electric -soldering gun . or the little blue point butane one if your going cordless .

the rubber handled snap on ball peen hammer is 100$ personally i have only broken about 1 hammer handle on a wooden cheap ball peen hammer as a heavy duty mechanic and i think i ran it over with a D11 .

klein makes very good pliars .

i wouldn't bother with any snap-on drill bits or anything like that . your company is supposed to supply drill bits and blades not you .

the telescopic snap-on magnet is a P.O.S don't even bother with it .


you don't need snap-on tools , buy cheap and when you loose the cheap stuff you wont care when you loose a 40$ wrench you will care .

when the cheap stuff breaks or you can tell whats not up to snuff replace it with snap-on if you feel you have to or buy used stuff and it on sale .

 

[fieldsken1]

i dont understand why someone would spend that much money for something you can get at sears for 1/8 the price. they also are guaranted for life so whats the differance besides a small fortune. i too did have 2 huge rollaways when i was building race cars and had my own shop. what a waste of money sold everything and brought craftsman 2 rollaways 50 inch wide and mostly all the same tools and they both make me the same amount of money and i dont owe anyone for life. i can also go to sears to replace i dont have to wait for the tool guy. there are a few things i do use that sears does not carry but thats ok. just remember they all make the same amout of money. oh yeah a also brought a new car with the money left over and i dont owe on it either

 

[RavenTai]

why would you eat good food when you could eat Ramen noodles for less than 1$ per day?

 

[agomez]

i dont understand why someone would spend that much money for something you can get at sears for 1/8 the price. they also are guaranted for life so whats the differance besides a small fortune. i too did have 2 huge rollaways when i was building race cars and had my own shop. what a waste of money sold everything and brought craftsman 2 rollaways 50 inch wide and mostly all the same tools and they both make me the same amount of money and i dont owe anyone for life. i can also go to sears to replace i dont have to wait for the tool guy. there are a few things i do use that sears does not carry but thats ok. just remember they all make the same amout of money. oh yeah a also brought a new car with the money left over and i dont owe on it either

when you work with tools for a living there is a difference...

 

[Joe_E]

Just took delivery of a new Snap On FL80 3/8 ratchet that I got for $50 bucks on ebay that retails for about $90 on the truck. I agree to pay full price is somewhat crazy in most instances.

I will tell you this though, these Snap On ratchets are 100% better and smoother than all the junk craftsman ratchets I ever owned. I take care of my s*** so it is merely an investment to me.

 

[fieldsken1]

when you work with tools for a living there is a difference...

you are right there is a differance its called image people like you think youre better with snap on. if you read the post i did build race cars for a living winston west and northwest tour and southwest tour cars. the cars did not know the differance between snap on or craftsman they still won the race

 

[Gusb]

I think anyone should own Snap-on if they want to. I’ve used Craftsman stuff for years and bought an occasional Snap-on tool that I can appreciate. The only dumb things to me are tools that aren’t ever used. Like huge sets of fancy sockets (not that I wouldn’t like to have them ) when only a 12mm or 14mm gets used all the time. If most of it goes unused, to me it’s a waste.

I’ve got a couple of "special" Snap-on wrenches I wouldn’t want to be without and they seem to make some stuff that just nobody else makes. I think it’s a pretty cool company overall, especially the way everything else seems to come from China these days (and I know some Snap-on is just re-branded stuff). That doesn’t mean I would overpay for something like a body hammer just to get the Snap-on name.

A Springfield may be just fine and have the same result – but is it really the same as an Ed Brown? If these quality issues don’t matter a little, why don’t we all just drive Jeeps?

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

So how do I, as a personal user get my one snap on tool (ratchet) replaced.... cause it's broke... Do I chase down the truck?

I like craftsman, cause they give me as many ratchet rebuild kits as I'd like, if I brake it, I just fix it and get back to work... I've never broke one without a cheater pipe... or a starter motor though....

 

[Gumby]

So how do I, as a personal user get my one snap on tool (ratchet) replaced.... cause it's broke... Do I chase down the truck?

I like craftsman, cause they give me as many ratchet rebuild kits as I'd like, if I brake it, I just fix it and get back to work... I've never broke one without a cheater pipe... or a starter motor though....

I can't get the Snap On truck to come by my shop. I have three broken snap on ratchets, two of which have been broken and repaired in the past. Snap on does not replace many tools, they repair them.

However, Craftsman ratchets bring the major suck lately and they replace with rebuilt not new.

 

[Joe_E]

I can't get the Snap On truck to come by my shop. I have three broken snap on ratchets, two of which have been broken and repaired in the past. Snap on does not replace many tools, they repair them.

However, Craftsman ratchets bring the major suck lately and they replace with rebuilt not new.

I hear alot of people saying that about the craftsman turn-ins but the store I have gone to for a while just takes me to the tool case and grabs a new one. Took a 1/2 drive ratchet ( that was broke when I got it new in a big socket set) and a small ratcheting wrench ( that was also broke from factory) back about six months ago and that was still the case.

 

[land crusher]

Snap On has been in the shyster credit business ripping off working people since long before the credit card companies got into the game. Yes, they make quality stuff and a few things that are hard to find elsewhere, but it's grossly overpriced and it's delivered and maintained in a manner that keeps them in your pocket. I hate Sears, but I still buy Craftsman for my core hand tools. You can take in a broken tool (seven days a week, often till 9 pm at most locations) and they give you a new one off the shelf, no questions asked even if it's obviously been misused. That said, it's a rare day that I find myself trucking down to Sears with a broken tool in hand.

Spend your money how you will, I don't care, but as someone stated earlier, the car doesn't care what tool put it together, so don't tell people they can't do good work if they're not beholden to the tool truck. As they say, only a poor craftsman blames his tools.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

My Craftsman Tools got me home tonight when my harmonic balancer blew up...

No one knows how to get in touch with a Snap On truck? What a great warranty!

 

[fj40charles]

you are right there is a differance its called image people like you think youre better with snap on. if you read the post i did build race cars for a living winston west and northwest tour and southwest tour cars. the cars did not know the differance between snap on or craftsman they still won the race

What brand of tools I choose to buy and own has nothing to do with image. I buy what I consider the best value for me and what works. What determines values is very subjective and I'm sure most will disagree with me.

I have a combination of snap-on, mac, matco, craftsman, proto, SK and cornwell.

I can tell you the snap-on sockets and wrenches are very nice and work well. I prefer Mac ratchets over snap-on. Craftsman fully polished professional series wrenches are very nice too. Buy what you can afford and what works for you.

 

[Poser]

Spend your money how you will, I don't care, but as someone stated earlier, the car doesn't care what tool put it together, so don't tell people they can't do good work if they're not beholden to the tool truck. As they say, only a poor craftsman blames his tools.

Please point out/quote the text in this thread where anyone has stated anything even remotely familiar to what you are talking about here.....

 

[Poser]

No one knows how to get in touch with a Snap On truck? What a great warranty!

People are too lazy to track one down...








I have not ever had an issue exchanging a tool on a truck, brand makes no difference, no matter if that dealer was my rep or not, nor at any other tool retail outlet that sells tools.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

My point was that they are not listed in the phone book here... Nor could I find a number listed online... So I had to call a repair shop and ask them when the truck comes around, so I can go meet the truck down there... It's not a very good system....

 

[Poser]

My point was that they are not listed in the phone book here... Nor could I find a number listed online... So I had to call a repair shop and ask them when the truck comes around, so I can go meet the truck down there... It's not a very good system....

That is because the Snap-On dealer network is not configured as a retail outlet at all similar to CVS or Wallgreens. They are independent business owners; none of them are ‘Snap-On’. They are focused on their customer base that wants the product. They are not out trying to compete against Sears or any other tool house.




Further, I can completely understand why some tool dealers do not stop at some shops when all they get is static about the cost of the product and how they are a racket and a rip off. Why would anyone want to continually go to a shop, only to hear a bunch of negative crap and not sell anything?

 

[land crusher]

Please point out/quote the text in this thread where anyone has stated anything even remotely familiar to what you are talking about here.....

Folks were offering their opinions of different tool companies, I offered mine.

No worries, deal with whomever you like.

 

[RavenTai]

My point was that they are not listed in the phone book here... Nor could I find a number listed online... So I had to call a repair shop and ask them when the truck comes around, so I can go meet the truck down there... It's not a very good system....

Its a great system if you work at a big shop, several nights a week the tool trucks were outside in the parking lot. if you need something just walk outside. both our mac and snap-on guys were dedicated to just our company. through the week they caught different shifts and locations.