Sears and Craftsman to split?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,589
Likes: 2
From: Charlotte, NC
OK....Just saw post #14......
Spoken like a true 'tool' guy.......
I'm not buying the stuff all at once or overnight, so I can just start to stock a 'set' at a time......
10-4 on vise grips, pliers, etc.....My list above wasn't all-conclusive.
Spoken like a true 'tool' guy.......
I'm not buying the stuff all at once or overnight, so I can just start to stock a 'set' at a time......
10-4 on vise grips, pliers, etc.....My list above wasn't all-conclusive.
The Pacifier
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,245
Likes: 7
From: Cloverdale, BC
Well, there's no reason why you can't pick up a 500 piece set from Craftsman or Husky. Sure, it's $500, but you get pretty much everything you need from sockets, ratchets, some extensions, a half set of wrenches, an 8 or 10 piece screwdriver set. My Husky set didn't come with pliers or side cutters, but I got my first ones from Craftsman. Those grew legs, so I got Channel Locks to replace them. Craftsman locking pliers suck, hence the Vise Grip brand.
All the wrenching I do at home is done with Craftsman tools. Mind you, it's just oil changes and brake jobs, so there's not a whole lot to worry about.
I don't do a lot of tool shopping at Sears any more, as they don't have anything new that catches my interest. At Home Depot the other day, I had my eye on a 14v Ridgid 1/4" impact driver for $75. A couple years ago Makita was selling one for $399. I still want one, but I'm not gonna spend $400 for a Makita. But I needed a big pair of Channel Lock pliers for what seems like years, and got that instead. Maybe next payday I'll get the impact driver.
All the wrenching I do at home is done with Craftsman tools. Mind you, it's just oil changes and brake jobs, so there's not a whole lot to worry about.
I don't do a lot of tool shopping at Sears any more, as they don't have anything new that catches my interest. At Home Depot the other day, I had my eye on a 14v Ridgid 1/4" impact driver for $75. A couple years ago Makita was selling one for $399. I still want one, but I'm not gonna spend $400 for a Makita. But I needed a big pair of Channel Lock pliers for what seems like years, and got that instead. Maybe next payday I'll get the impact driver.
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 0
From: Capac MI
Im upset with some of my chraftsman tools. Broke my half inch, took it in for the Life time warrenty and they handed me one from under the counter. I said it was used and they said No its refurbished, i said i payed damn well near 40 bucks for this thing and i want a new one. They said no, so i went home and broke it. Walked in the store, grabbed one out of the cabinet went to the counter and said, Hey it broke, heres the one i want. Didnt argue with me, went home and it doesnt feel right, theres no click to it and i hate that. I dont know why, pet peeve. Ive had sockets brake on me to. Maby im just to strong, if you saw me you would laugh... lol. Im goin to mac, i get a 50 percent off discount from my school.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 0
From: Clarksburg WV
FYI, I worked at sears for 6 years.
If you take in a broken ratchet, you will always get a refurbished one as a replacement, unless you say something and then they will probably give you a new one.
I've amassed tools over the years, and I mostly have craftsman (from working there), but also some others I picked up here and there. I haven't had a problem with any of my craftsman stuff really.
Right now I need to find a good metric & standard tap & die set...tried to get away with a cheapie set, that was a mistake.
As far as snap on goes, I mean, I can see spending the money for some of their stuff...but others, I dunno. I mean, my brother bought a snap-on toolbox and spent something like $1200+. I got a Craftsman ball bearing toolbox (top & bottom unit) for around $400. I don't really see the $800 difference between his and mine.
If you take in a broken ratchet, you will always get a refurbished one as a replacement, unless you say something and then they will probably give you a new one.
I've amassed tools over the years, and I mostly have craftsman (from working there), but also some others I picked up here and there. I haven't had a problem with any of my craftsman stuff really.
Right now I need to find a good metric & standard tap & die set...tried to get away with a cheapie set, that was a mistake.
As far as snap on goes, I mean, I can see spending the money for some of their stuff...but others, I dunno. I mean, my brother bought a snap-on toolbox and spent something like $1200+. I got a Craftsman ball bearing toolbox (top & bottom unit) for around $400. I don't really see the $800 difference between his and mine.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by fordtruckman
Well they will have to redesign them wont they? So that they will be able to pass our crash standards. I mean hopefully they will have to redesign them, i have seen crash test videos of them and they remind me of an accordion.
they didn't even pass the safety standards in russia, you know they have to be unsafe for real for that to happen.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,589
Likes: 2
From: Charlotte, NC
Originally Posted by ghunt
As far as snap on goes, I mean, I can see spending the money for some of their stuff...but others, I dunno. I mean, my brother bought a snap-on toolbox and spent something like $1200+. I got a Craftsman ball bearing toolbox (top & bottom unit) for around $400. I don't really see the $800 difference between his and mine.
Still. Some of the hand tools I saw there were doable.
I was curious. Apparently they have franchisees who sell the tools (or you can buy them online). I went to the franchisee locator, and you have to actually telephone the home office for a list of close-by franchisees (weird). They also mentioned that the franchisees set the price of the snap-ons that they are selling.
The reason I found it odd was, when I bought my Stihl chainsaw, they're about the same way. You won't find them at big-box stores, but independent businesses (usually farm equipment or hardware stores) sell them as Stihl 'dealers'. It's no problem, however, logging into the 'locator' on the Stihl site and finding businesses close by who sell the saws.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: San Marcos, TX
I was totally blown away when my nut& bolt vendor (Tifco) started handling (selling) Craftsman tools.......MEH!
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 396
Likes: 2
Good thing my Grandfather has passed on to not see this. Growing up with him, he was a diehard Craftsman person. Remember many weekends working various projects with him and his Craftsman tools. If he needed a certain new tool, we always went to Sears and got the Craftsman tool that we needed. I can recall back then in the 1970's to 1980's, if it had "Craftsman" on it, then it was made in the USA. This included even power tools. I was lucky to inherit his tools when he passed on.
Sears might as well go under if they sell off or spin off there Craftsman and Diehard brands to seprate store entities. Most of the walk in traffic to a Sears store is for these brands and not the other household goods.
Hootbro
Sears might as well go under if they sell off or spin off there Craftsman and Diehard brands to seprate store entities. Most of the walk in traffic to a Sears store is for these brands and not the other household goods.
Hootbro
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
i knew sears was in trouble when they merged together with kmart.
i still have a $50 gift card for sears. my wife is wanting something when she "finds" something and me, well....i would do what any man would do with a $50 sears gift card.
i still have a $50 gift card for sears. my wife is wanting something when she "finds" something and me, well....i would do what any man would do with a $50 sears gift card.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 2
From: Wyoming
[QUOTE=bf250]i knew sears was in trouble when they merged together with kmart.
QUOTE]
How true. I still haven't seen many Craftsman tools at the local KMart. Both the K-Mart and Sears stores are still open (and competing) in my little town of 30,000. All K-Mart has is DieHard batteries and what looks to be Craftsman cast-offs.
That said, the DieHard and Craftsman brand names are worth something, and Sears may be thinking the parts are worth more than the whole. Also, Sears is worth more for the real estate they hold versus the store inventory.
QUOTE]
How true. I still haven't seen many Craftsman tools at the local KMart. Both the K-Mart and Sears stores are still open (and competing) in my little town of 30,000. All K-Mart has is DieHard batteries and what looks to be Craftsman cast-offs.
That said, the DieHard and Craftsman brand names are worth something, and Sears may be thinking the parts are worth more than the whole. Also, Sears is worth more for the real estate they hold versus the store inventory.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 0
From: Clarksburg WV
Originally Posted by bf250
i knew sears was in trouble when they merged together with kmart.
At any rate, Sears has been circling the drain for years. Sears is a "specialty" retailer and really can no longer compete with the big box stores, Wal-Mart especially. Now, Sears Holdings Inc. is being run by Eddie Lampert, who is an investment guy, not a retail guy. He has no clue how to run a retail business, so it's certainly not helping things.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,982
Likes: 1
From: Clearwater, Fl
i was a loss prevention manager with kmart when they bought them.....it looked like it was going to go in the right direction, but it never happened. one dying chain bought another dying chain. doesnt matter who carries what, but when kmart has done an absolute poor job, cleaning up/refreshing there stores. they dont build new ones, just buy out old buildings and put a kmart in it.
as for sears, i have never bought much from then, only when a gift card has been giving to me.
as for craftsman, the experiences ive had with them, pretty good overall, i know that my socket sets, seem to strip a little, or end up going the wrong way when it clicks over by itself, aint nothing like being underneath a vehicle when its cold, not much room to move around, and your socket decides to go the reverse way, every so often.
as for snap on, ive never owned them, but its probably a pride thing for someones garage, but ive heard from numerous people that there the best.
as for sears, i have never bought much from then, only when a gift card has been giving to me.
as for craftsman, the experiences ive had with them, pretty good overall, i know that my socket sets, seem to strip a little, or end up going the wrong way when it clicks over by itself, aint nothing like being underneath a vehicle when its cold, not much room to move around, and your socket decides to go the reverse way, every so often.
as for snap on, ive never owned them, but its probably a pride thing for someones garage, but ive heard from numerous people that there the best.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 0
From: Clarksburg WV
Originally Posted by freirefishing
but when kmart has done an absolute poor job, cleaning up/refreshing there stores. they dont build new ones, just buy out old buildings and put a kmart in it.
Actually they SELL em!
I wonder if Kmart has built any new stores.
That is how K-mart returned to profitability, although the concept is mind boggling- Lampert sold off Kmart properties until the company was showing a profit.
Gone but not forgotten.
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,521
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by cmpd1781
OK....Just saw post #14......
Spoken like a true 'tool' guy.......
I'm not buying the stuff all at once or overnight, so I can just start to stock a 'set' at a time......
10-4 on vise grips, pliers, etc.....My list above wasn't all-conclusive.
Spoken like a true 'tool' guy.......
I'm not buying the stuff all at once or overnight, so I can just start to stock a 'set' at a time......
10-4 on vise grips, pliers, etc.....My list above wasn't all-conclusive.
Last edited by dono; Feb 6, 2008 at 02:09 PM.