| Author | Message | ||
     Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 1355 Registered: 2-2013 |
A certain country that makes everything these days and you know who I am talking about also makes nice shiney tool kits which you may want to buy for your repairs to your Rolls Royce. Beware because this country is extremely good at fleecement. Indeed. So the socket set is made up of nicely chromed sockets 1 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch. So you pull out the 1 inch socket and eyeball it. You are lulled into a comfort zone and buy it. Its 1/2 drive - just what you are after. Its got a large cabinet upon which is another tool box all set out finely. Then you get it home and weeks later you discover that the assumption you made that it was a set of 1/2 drive sockets from 1 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch is flawed. Did you take time to read the contents list? No of course you didn't because you didn't have time and nobody does these days. Besides the wife is in the car waiting and darting cobra eyes at you because you are wasting more money on that damn car which could have bought another pair of high heels, the fiftieth, in her ever growing collection of essential dust collecting objects. Welcome to the club of ripped off. This country is totally brilliant at this type of caper. Yes, that's right, all the sockets from 3/4 inch to 3/8 inch are not 1/2 inch drive but 3/8 drive! Why didn't you observe the thinner walls on the Sockets from 3/4 inch down to 3/8 inch? Nobody does. Moral: Pull each and every socket out and inspect both ends. You didn't do that? Nobody does. There are many other little tricks these con artists use too. This is just an example. The con trick above is not a mistake and yes they do it on purpose so watch out. Oh yeah, months later you need a 5mm Allen key to fix her fancy late model imported car but its not quite right and you destroy the bloody screw with it. Then you measure it up with the micrometer and discover its 4.77 mm. Oh dear not quite Snap On stuff .... Also, beware of the salesman who says " Its really made by blah blah (well known quality tool manufacturer). When you hear that line just ask precisely what written documentary evidence he has to back up his salesmen yap and watch for eye switching and other signs he's full of it! | ||
| Graham Hutton Experienced User Username: gph Post Number: 48 Registered: 1-2019 |
Where have I heard this before? I have begun to scour second hand / antique shops rather than buy new (and I’m not necessarily talking about tools here) . I do this for two reasons.1. The quality of the much older product is invariably better, and 2. It encourages people to recycle stuff , rather than chuck it out. As for buying the foreign made (usually much cheaper) I too have been seduced by bright shiny things, no longer, old and well loved is my preferred option. Which is why I guess I like Old cars | ||
| Robert J. Sprauer Prolific User Username: wraithman Post Number: 265 Registered: 11-2017 |
Most of my shop machinery and woodworking equiptment is old American, usually Delta/Rockwell, old Craftsman, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Proto, Ingersol-Rand, etc. I understand your frustration. | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 1357 Registered: 2-2013 |
Actually, the scene I mentioned in my initial post did not happen to me but to my present employer who is not a mechanic. I told him to buy Repco which apart from Sidchrome is the best buy in Australia presently unless you have just done a major burn on a bank or are a retired successful drug dealer and can afford Snap On. Proto brings back memories but is rare here. Second hand tool shops are definitely good hunting places for old quality mechanics tools. I have picked up some cracker bargains but then again have found some second hand dealers to have insane prices. Old saying " a good mechanic never blames his tools" New saying " the old saying is redundant BS " I once went to a large agricultural tool fair and spotted this fool trying to sell large 4 inch and up sockets that were totally out of square! It was unbelievable - no wonder the beer was free. Bloody fool was lucky not to cop a country flogging. | ||
| Robert J. Sprauer Prolific User Username: wraithman Post Number: 266 Registered: 11-2017 |
My best score was last year. Auction at diesel service company. A Snap-on 0-600ft torque wrench in mint condition with case. They retail for approx $1200. I was the only bidder at $100. I sent it to Snap-on for calibration ($90) and have certification sticker.. Thing is huge--about 3ft when snapped together! | ||
| Jeff Young Grand Master Username: jeyjey Post Number: 405 Registered: 10-2010 |
There was a guy at the San Jose CA flea market that sold used Snap On and Mac stuff. Still not cheap, but about 1/4 the price of new. Sadly, nothing like that here in Ireland.... | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 1358 Registered: 2-2013 |
Robert I am coming to hunt you down, resistance is futile. | ||
| Colin Silver Experienced User Username: colsilver Post Number: 173 Registered: 08-2008 |
I've got all Dad's tools since his days from the '50s working on cars, plus my own '70s and onwards collection of Aussie made Sidchrome and others. Old man never had trouble for the decades of tinkering with the old 55 SC1. In total I have 4 large toolboxes. Even a Sidchrome spark plug socket that cracked in '70s when I used it on a bolt. I have never bothered with Sidchrome's lifetime replacement. Funny story is my L.A.M.E mate who bought a K-Mart branded cheap socket set for $10-. Of course he broke sockets, and would take them back to K-Mart - where the case had "lifetime warranty" It was funny watching him. He gave up the joke after a couple of years. | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 909 Registered: 04-2019 |
So that's where K-Marts are going now that Walmart has all but put them all out of business in the USA. Wonder if downunder they still have Blue Light Specials. |
