Looking for a new set of sockets and ratchets to replace my fine, quality All-Trade set (a gift). Has to be relatively cheap, so no truck sold stuff and no Sears Crapsman, either. Any thoughts?

Virtually all of the quality USA made tools are made by the Stanley Works in, I believe, New London, CT.
This includes Craftsman, Blackhawk, Stanley, and many more brand names. Of course they are all slightly different in shape and appearance, but all are quality USA made tools. Find the cheapest USA-made tools, perhaps at True Value, Ace hardware stores, perhaps at Lowes or Home Depot, if they are USA made, they're probably manufactured by Stanley. They don't make junk.
There are also the non-US made companion lines for almost all makes as well, the Sears one is called Companion. These may be overseas but are usually guaranteed just like the big name. Take a look and choose for quality and price.

I thought Craftsman were now made by Danahler?

lowes' kobalt tools are made by either snapoff or crac. I can't remember. must a been the snapped off crac. only tools I've ever broken have been craftsman. I have some harbor freight stuff, as well as some husky from h-d and kobalt from lowes. the shop teacher at the school i work at sez you can't beat walmarts stanley stuff for the money/warranty. tools are like bass boats. not every one needs a $20,000 rig, but it sure looks purty.......

my 2 c's: sears craftsman rachet: $20, mac: $40, snap on $60+, i think for "cheap" you cant beat craftsman because if they break, and i rarely break one, they replace them at any sears store with NO questions asked and NO RECEIPT. so to answer your question, go to sears. I dont think they are the least bit expense. they always have deals on little sets of tools too. other than that, at a swap meet you always see bins of sockets and tools (and garage sales), look for name brand stuff in there and it doesnt get any cheaper than that

Check out some of the new stuff from NAPA. Fairly inexpensive and seem to be a nice quality tool, very nice chrome.

If you are in no hurry to build up your collection...Visit flea markets, pawn shops etc. Look for old craftsman tools that might be bent broken or just in very bad shape. I bought a milk crate about half full of sockets for $25.00. I dug through it and took the craftsman back to sears and got new ones.

Check out <a href="http://www.sears.com/sr/craftsman" target="_blank">http://www.sears.com/sr/craftsman</a>
They have complete kits for a cheeper price than the stores do. If you print out the page add, the people at the Sears store will meet the price...
then you don't have to pay for shipping!!!

Ethical??? <img src="graemlins/evil.gif" border="0" alt="[evil]" />
New Craftsman tools??? <img src="graemlins/pimp.gif" border="0" alt="[pimp]" />

-Billybob

FUNNY STORY: I bought a sledge hammer at a garage sale for ten cents. Kids used it and broke the handle. I saw a rusty CRAFTSMAN half readable, so I thought next time I go by a Sears store I would invest in a new handle, can't cost that much. Tool guy at Sears looked at it and threw it in trash can, walked over and took a $ 15.00 hammer off the rack and said HAVE A NICE DAY........ Best dime I ever spent DAVE

[quote]Originally posted by Dave E Shank:
<strong>FUNNY STORY: I bought a sledge hammer at a garage sale for ten cents. Kids used it and broke the handle. I saw a rusty CRAFTSMAN half readable, so I thought next time I go by a Sears store I would invest in a new handle, can't cost that much. Tool guy at Sears looked at it and threw it in trash can, walked over and took a $ 15.00 hammer off the rack and said HAVE A NICE DAY........ Best dime I ever spent DAVE</strong><hr></blockquote>

Dave, you posted that story awhile back in another post, and since then I make a point of digging through any tool bins I run across for that very reason. thanks for the tip. best deal so far has been a 2$ 1/2" ratchet. many numerous sockets, a few wrenches. sears says, "thanks alot" the few times I've been in to swap out overly used stuff.

I love that story, makes me think there is at least a few decent companies or employees of them out there, who keep their word. Guaranteed for life, and it was.

I have the gamut in my tool box, everything from Craftsman to Snap-On, Husky, Stanley, Grey...you name it. It may look like heck but I just couldn't justify mortgaging my house to buy all Snap-On even though most of my co-workers were. Most of my wrenches and sockets are Craftsman, but all my ratchets are either Snap-On or Grey (My 3/8" Grey has the finest pitch tooth ratchet you've ever seen circa 1960) I consider them worth the extra cash...the plastic handle on my 3/8" Snap-On ratchet is sure nice when it's -40 Celcius outside.

I also have a complete set of long handle SAE Snap-On wrenches that I bought for aircraft maintenance, they were the only brand (besides Mac) that would fit the space available on the engine case bolts of a P&W radial 1340. I would never have bought them otherwise. They sure are pretty...almost too pretty.

On the other hand I have no qualms about grinding my Craftsmen wrenches to fit, I would never do that to the Snap-Ons. One thing I really like about the Snap-Ons is the Flank Drive feature, it really is a good idea although most off brand wrenches have similar features now.

Hey I just had a great idea! Lets make this post one where we post pics of our tool boxes?

What do you guys think? I guess I better go clean mine up for a photo shoot!
:p

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I'm much like 4Jaw, I've got several kinds,but have pretty much purchased snap-on over the last 25 years, the feel/fit of the tool is as important to me as anything,and yes they are expensive.For a shop it is also worth the extra not to have to go to a store for a warranty.I also buy used tools that the Tool guys(Snap-on,Matco,Mac) take in on trades for the reasons that 4Jaw listed, if you need a tool for a specific (sometimes only once) application you can make it from the "oddballs". I still have a few of my tools that I started in 1969 and can't help wondering what I was thinking. In the last few years,I've noticed that all the tool companies are starting to make what look like Snap-on quality tools, I can't testify to most of them but I do have a few of the newer Matco wrenches and they seem to have that "feel/fit" to them.

[ May 10, 2003: Message edited by: woodz428 ]</p>

I used to go totally Craftsman but my local Sears store started giving me grief when I returned a tool and if they aren't going to honor their guarntee, I see no need to pay double price for their tools. I get all my tools from Harbor Freight now. Cost is rock bottom and their guarantee is better than Sears. They will replace ANY tool - hand, electric, pneumatic - no questions asked. There are a few tools that aren't very good - hack saw blades strip teeth on first draw, sheet metal shears have soft bolts and quit working very soon, gears in their store brand recipri-saws strip on light loads, and crescent wrenches seem to have soft jaws. Other than those few tools, everything else I have bought there is super. Wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers, pneumatic and electrical tools are as tough as anything out there. Their drill bits are the best bargain in the world. $9 for a 20piece, 1/16" to 1/2" by 64ths is unbelievable. That is for their cheapie set which is pretty good but their high end coated sets are only in the $20s. Way less than half price for anything else out there.

Just to add a little bit to Willy's post, if you don't have a Harbor Freight in your area, there's a website. Shipping is sometimes free. Also if you do order something from the website, sometimes it will be cheaper than the store price. And once you've ordered from the internet, you get an entirely different catalogue in addition to the weekly ads that they send out.And no, neither one of us work for them, we do like a deal when possible. Dan

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Thanks Dinger. I'll see you get your HF endorsement check ASAP.

Incidentally, missed you at the NSRA Western Nats last week. I still have something for you.