Why are snap-on toolboxes so darn expensive?

[Doug Miller]

Obviously they made a bad batch, which you had the bad luck to get hold of. As Mark Twain once wrote, though, "A body should be careful to take out of an experience only the lesson that is contained in it, and no more. A cat that sits on a hot stove will never do so again -- but neither will she ever sit on a cold one, either." Your mistake is condemning the entire brand line on the basis of one incident, one time.

The vast majority of my Craftsman tools were bought pre-merger, too -- and

*none* of them "from the 60's" (when I was in grade school) -- not one of mine is older than about 1976, give or take a year or so.

[Pete C.]

Despite all the rabid Craftsman bashing around here, the Craftsman hand tools do just fine. A good portion of my hand tools are Craftsman and they have held up just fine for a long time in my relatively heavy duty home shop environment (full machine shop really). I've not broken any Craftsman items other then chewing up phillips screwdriver tips and the occasional regular screwdriver when wrench assisted.

[Joe]

where

It may be you were putting 40 Lb-ft on a 12 point socket applied to a hex head bolt/nut.. Or maybe a Torx head fastener. Not accepted practice, and usually commented on in the repair manual from the manufacturer. When in doubt, use a impact socket.

Joe

[Doug Miller]

Pffffft. There's no need to use impact sockets for only 40 foot-pounds, standard sockets work just fine. There's nothing wrong with using 12-point sockets at that low a torque, either. What gives you the idea that doing so is "not accepted practice"?

[aemeijers]

More like Kmart bought Sears, and then renamed themselves Sears. Sorta like SBC bought ATT, and renamed themselves ATT.

-- aem sends...

[Steve Barker]

I agree with doug, hell i can put down 40 ft lbs with a 3/8 ratchet and one hand. i've used craftsman chrome 6pt sockets exclusively , and have never owned a set of impact sockets except for my reversible lug nut socket. And they've all been on the 3/8 drive and 1/2" drive impacts from time to time.

[willshak]

Doesn't Craftsman have a lifetime guaranty on hand tools?.

[Steve Barker]

YEP.

[Phisherman]

You are paying fo rthe name "Snap-on." Sure it's good quality but there are other brands that will serve you for many years. Personally I would not buy a $3000 tool cabinet for $450, it's just too much. But hey, if the wife approves go for it.

[Bob-tx]

I think it is the other way around - Kmart bought Sears. Bob-tx

[Aaron Fude]

Wait, is that sarcasm or are you saying that $450 is still too much?

[HeyBub]

Depends on your goals.

It's like driving a Prius, only different. Most tools can be carried in a milk carton.

By owning a Snapon tool box, you show the rest of the mechanics fraternity you are a serious player in the game. The lay public has no idea about a SnapOn tool and is indifferent where you keep your stuff.

Again, potential employees and other mechanics will be impressed.

[fftt]

ure where

Craftsman wrenches, ratchets & sockets are fine. I've been using them for years and I cannot recall the last time I broke a socket & whether it was even a Craftsman.

I've never broken a Craftsman wrench; and I used them in a heavy structural engineering laboratory for nearly 20 years.

I think Snap-On tools are very nice....I have a Snap-On "short series" metric combination wrench set, it is a set of finely finished wrenches that are a pleasure to use.

I was given them as a gift. When I went to set up the laboratory, I really wanted to go with Snap-On but in 1988 the Snap-On vs Craftsman cost premium as 5x!

OP- If you really need / want a tool box like the one for sale...get it. I personally opted for a different storage method & spent my $'s on the tools.

cheers Bob

I just couldn't justify the cost so I settled on Craftsman.

[Phisherman]

My Craftsman wooden clamp broke. Actually the wooden handle came off the rod. I took it into Sears and they said "Those are not covered because that tool has moving parts." That was about 20 years ago and I have not purchased Craftsman tools since.

[JIMMIE]

sure where

Ive had a couple of Craftsman ratchets go bad and broke a couple of screwdrivers that I was using for pry bars but that is about it. I did break a couple of shovels in quick succession once. I took them back to Sears, The lady who had been running the tool department took a look at them and said the grain on the handles were running the wrong way. Checked the rest of the shovels and said they were all bad. She then pulled them all off the shelf and gave me a fiberglass handled shovel, no extra charge. I wish I could say the same about their power tools.

Jimmie

[JIMMIE]

sure where

The cost gets me too, I can buy a set of Craftsman sockets for the cost of one or two Snap-On ones. Knock on wood, I haven't had to buy a new hand tool in a long time..

Jimmie

[JIMMIE]

sure where

I think I have broken three sockets in my life. One I had a three foot piece of pipe on a 3/8 pull handle, one was made in Taiwan and the other I had the socket cocked on the bolt. I should have broken it loose with a box end wrench.

Jimmie

[David Nebenzahl]

On 9/27/2009 7:15 PM Phisherman spake thus:

I know that's BS (what the clerk told you, not what you wrote) because I've brought in broken Craftsman crescent wrenches, which definitely have moving parts, and gotten them replaced.

[Tony]

Yes, forget the tools for a moment and compare the tool boxes. If I was to rate a snap on box at 100% comparing a craftsman box to it the Craftsman would be rated about 30%. Yes there really is that much of a difference in the tool boxes.

[Tony]

I don't believe I've ever seen that line of Craftsman boxes.