Garage Gazette
TOOLS AND THE SHOP => MECHANIC HAND TOOLS WE USE => Topic started by: Elroy on October 01, 2019, 05:08:41 PM
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In Elroy's quest to augment his selection of metric hand tools, Elroy came to the conclusion ( right or wrong ) that he needed another set of metric combination wrenches. I watched Elroy struggle with his decision to purchase a set of ratcheting combination wrenches.
Should Elroy select the non-switchable, flip over style with the straight shank ? Or should he elect the reversible style with the conventional 15 degree, knuckle clearance off set ? Elroy came to the conclusion that he preferred the reversible switchable style with the 15 degree, off set shank. Review of local selections didn't yield the results Elroy was hoping for.
As with all the purchases Elroy makes, I watched Elroy struggle with making a selection. For Elroy's amateur attempts at being a shade tree mechanic, he simply could NOT justify the cost of truck brand tools. While the offerings of typically USA manufactured PROTO was extremely temping. The spine drive box end combined with their black chrome finish combined with their excessive cost was not appealing. Elroy made the decision to look at the Gearwrench offerings from Danaher.
While shopping for Gearwrench availability, Elroy elected to purchase their 12 piece #9620N set which spanned 8 through 19MM. Combining that with their four piece # 9601N "add-on" set that included 21,22, 24 and 25 MM wrench PLUS their (16) piece rack yielded a nearly full set of reversible metric ratcheting wrenches. Purchase was made at a total of $140.79, freight paid.
Made in China
So there you have it..................................IT sucks but I watched Elroy take a drink of Chinese goodness.
I think Elroy just puked and I believe he's consider their return. Sooooooooo what say you ?
Return or keep ?
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Keep. As much as I hate to say it, the quality of Chinese tools is improving. I’m in the market for ratcheting combo wrenches myself.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I think Elroy will probably survive. The Chinese chrome poisoning isn't too bad.
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Where did Elroy find such a deal?
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Where did Elroy find such a deal?
Toolsource
https://www.toolsource.com/
Their part number 216938
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tell elroy he is fine. when he talked about kool-aid the farmer assumed the truck flavor. that said, gw may not be the top shelf but the farmer has been well served by the ones he has owned. he would just be a little happier if taiwan was the coo.
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Elroy made a good choice in my opinion. I use my GW ratcheting SAE and MM set all the time. I really like and use the flex head ones all the time and that is what I grab to pull the bolts on the tractor hood.
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Return that filthy chinese crap. Redeem Elroy's sole asap.
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Elroy, now walks to his tool box backwards, the walk of shame LOL
He can can spend his $$$ anyway he likes.
Pep
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Didn't realize GW is now Chinese made. That would give me reason to return them. I say this because though i like ratcheting wrenches, I have found they don't last long and I can't imagine the Chinese ones holding up better or as well as the Taiwan ones.
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When it comes to ratchet wrenches one does not have much of a choice when it comes to COO. Tell Elroy its ok :-*
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I think GW was one of the earliest brands to go totally in on Chinese production. Since Apex acquired KD, they merged the brands and moved many of the designs into Gearwrench -- and produced older KD designs as well a newer Gearwrench designs in China. I think Taiwan was mostly in the picture because some products in the KD line were produced in that country. I assume that when the contracts ran their course, Apex contracted new production to Chinese manufacturers.
I have some mid-length GW socket sets and they are flawless. Also have a Gearwrench Pozi-driv screwdriver set that is beyond great. It rivals the old Snap-On sets i have in every way. Pozi-Driv on Brit cars is a standard fastener.
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My 1996 era set of GW are still on the job, after 20+ years of hard daily use. Not a skip, break, or failure of any kind. They were my first big Taiwanese purchase. I couldn't be happier. ;)
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My 1996 era set of GW are still on the job, after 20+ years of hard daily use. Not a skip, break, or failure of any kind. They were my first big Taiwanese purchase. I couldn't be happier. ;)
Mine too, and the GW serpentine belt tool kit is of good quality and very useful.
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My 1996 era set of GW are still on the job, after 20+ years of hard daily use. Not a skip, break, or failure of any kind. They were my first big Taiwanese purchase. I couldn't be happier. ;)
Mine too, and the GW serpentine belt tool kit is of good quality and very useful.
Thank goodness I got out of auto repair before serpentine belts became prevalent. Heck, fuel injection was still kinda rare, especially on budget models IIRC. Ooops, that dates me!
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I think GW was one of the earliest brands to go totally in on Chinese production.
Elroy is simply not a Chinese fan. It was Elroy's anticipation these were going to be of Taiwan manufacture.
Any who, Elroy offers these observations in no particular order.
The ratchet shifting is a little "chunky" side. The levers are rather small which makes them a little difficult to move.
The ratchet drag is high on the return pull which require "finger assistance"
The jaws on the open end are nicely finished...........no broach marks, nice and flat.
The open end jaws are also fairly wide. Call Elroy old school...........not a fan of the off corner "notch"
There was one wrench in the set that had a burn mark from the chrome bath ( You knew Elroy as nit picker )
The size and logo stamping on the beam was very shallow and not consistent between members
The plastic storage rack on the 12 piece parent set was superior to large supplemental set. Totally different designs
Box ends were substantially larger in diameter that a conventional box end which obvious should be expected. Box end thickness was comparable to conventional wrenches.
Elroy noted that some of the quoted retail costs were excessive. Total cost on this combined set was reasonable in Elroy's eye.
Elroy paid off Karl Malden so it looks like they're keepers. :-\
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Elroy wishes to solicit opinions on high use metrics tools as additional procurement are on deck.
Hint: Metric line wrenches ( flair nut ) ???
Maybe some metric screw drivers would be in order :D
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For flare wrenches I would go with Snap On or SK. They are the best made and fitting. They don't slip.
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I have PROTO for my flair nut wrenches, I find the 12 point much more usable in tight spots where many hose fittings live.
http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/industrial-tools/Proto/Wrenches/Flare-Nut-Wrenches/ad614b7f-b511-439e-b32a-c2ec607134e6_Proto%c2%ae-Satin-Metric-Double-End-Flare-Nut-Wrenches---12-Point/ (http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/industrial-tools/Proto/Wrenches/Flare-Nut-Wrenches/ad614b7f-b511-439e-b32a-c2ec607134e6_Proto%c2%ae-Satin-Metric-Double-End-Flare-Nut-Wrenches---12-Point/)
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For flare wrenches I would go with Snap On or SK. They are the best made and fitting. They don't slip.
I have a set of MAC for metric and Wright for standard. I like the weights because they are flair on one end and regular open end on the other. Only downfall is the heads are thick on the Wrights
Sent from the twisted mind of the Mudman
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For flare wrenches I would go with Snap On or SK. They are the best made and fitting. They don't slip.
I have a set of MAC for metric and Wright for standard. I like the weights because they are flair on one end and regular open end on the other. Only downfall is the heads are thick on the Wrights
Sent from the twisted mind of the Mudman
i think that is a common and useful feature. the thicker head isn't for making a stronger wrench but allows more surface area to contact a fitting that is often much softer. if the open end was thinner it would offer no advantage over a normal open end.
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For flare wrenches I would go with Snap On or SK. They are the best made and fitting. They don't slip.
I have a set of MAC for metric and Wright for standard. I like the weights because they are flair on one end and regular open end on the other. Only downfall is the heads are thick on the Wrights
Sent from the twisted mind of the Mudman
i think that is a common and useful feature. the thicker head isn't for making a stronger wrench but allows more surface area to contact a fitting that is often much softer. if the open end was thinner it would offer no advantage over a normal open end.
Me thinks yer right! ;)
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I have PROTO for my flair nut wrenches, I find the 12 point much more usable in tight spots where many hose fittings live.
http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/industrial-tools/Proto/Wrenches/Flare-Nut-Wrenches/ad614b7f-b511-439e-b32a-c2ec607134e6_Proto%c2%ae-Satin-Metric-Double-End-Flare-Nut-Wrenches---12-Point/ (http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/industrial-tools/Proto/Wrenches/Flare-Nut-Wrenches/ad614b7f-b511-439e-b32a-c2ec607134e6_Proto%c2%ae-Satin-Metric-Double-End-Flare-Nut-Wrenches---12-Point/)
+1 on the 12 point Proto's. They also have a nice satin finish.
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I’ve been using the same set of 1970s era Craftsman flare nut wrenches for almost 50 yrs, with no issues, somewhere in the 1980s, I bought the metric set.......
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I’ve been using the same set of 1970s era Craftsman flare nut wrenches for almost 50 yrs, with no issues, somewhere in the 1980s, I bought the metric set.......
Is it the traditional raised-panel or the full polished set Jack? .. being 1970s it's probably the raised panel version.
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Raised panel
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Raised panel
My first line wrenches were raised panel Cman. I never had any issues with them, though I have picked up other line wrenches through the years that I might have liked a little more.
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I wish I had snagged a metric set of the Cman raised panels. I like the Cman raised panels and used them for years but once I got into tractor hydraulics I found them to be too bulky.