Anyone like robogrips ?

[hickory n Steel]

I've got a 6" pair in my house box recently I've used them a number of times on a stripped or worn nut where I wanted more of a normal pliers action that vice grips would not afford.
I'm sure something like knipex cobras might provide a bit more versatility, but these worked like a charm, when I got them positioned just right they gripped well and got the job done.
Another situation they worked really well for was when I had a bunch of boots I could not get a socket on because they were painted over from the factory.
The RG's gripped really well without much damage and I was able reinstall the fasteners with a 7/16 socket with most of the paint having been crumbled off during removal.

I put them in my box because they were kicking around the garage and I figured I'd see what happens, I expected to not use them and eventually take them out but now that they've come in handy I know they're staying put.

[bonneyman]

Nope. Never have, never will.

[hickory n Steel]

Nope. Never have, never will.

Any particular reason why ?

I personally find them to be a better idea than the clenchwrench, but I still don't see my self use the robogrips very often or anything.

[bonneyman]

Nope. Never have, never will.

Any particular reason why ?

I personally find them to be a better idea than the clenchwrench, but I still don't see my self use the robogrips very often or anything.

When I first saw them they screamed "gimmicky". I then grabbed a pair and they felt overly clunky in my hands.
They seem to have a decent grip, but the laminated construction looked like it wouldn't stand up to hard use. And I've come across some in my pawn shop haunts that were bent, teeth stripped out, and jaw layers separating. (That could just be really cheap imitation brands).

But I guess if someone can use them when nothing else will work then what do I know?

[hickory n Steel]

Nope. Never have, never will.

Any particular reason why ?

I personally find them to be a better idea than the clenchwrench, but I still don't see my self use the robogrips very often or anything.

When I first saw them they screamed "gimmicky". I then grabbed a pair and they felt overly clunky in my hands.
They seem to have a decent grip, but the laminated construction looked like it wouldn't stand up to hard use. And I've come across some in my pawn shop haunts that were bent, teeth stripped out, and jaw layers separating. (That could just be really cheap imitation brands).

But I guess if someone can use them when nothing else will work then what do I know?

I would have to agree that the laminated construction does not seem very strong, if I had heavy duty needs I'm sure I'd prefer something else.
Those fasteners I used mine on didn't require much force, I just needed to get a grip on them.

[J.A.F.E.]

I am a big fan of Cobras and Alligators. I also really like the Channellock waterpump pliers so between them my needs are well covered. The RG's just never had much appeal to me.

[Cruiser808]

+1 on what Steve said. 

[hickory n Steel]

I am a big fan of Cobras and Alligators. I also really like the Channellock waterpump pliers so between them my needs are well covered. The RG's just never had much appeal to me.

I completely get that.
Btw one thing I hate about the robogrips is that I have to have a wire keeper around the handles because they're spring loaded.

[J.A.F.E.]

Spring loaded pliers you either like or you don't. Not familiar with the specific design - could you pull the spring?

[hickory n Steel]

Spring loaded pliers you either like or you don't. Not familiar with the specific design - could you pull the spring?

I'm pretty sure the spring is necessary to the design, and I also think there's more than one.

[J.A.F.E.]

Interesting the label those Craftsman Professional. Make one wonder how they define professional.

As to the spring doesn't look like something easily done judging by the one pic.

[bonneyman]

I am a big fan of Cobras and Alligators. I also really like the Channellock waterpump pliers so between them my needs are well covered. The RG's just never had much appeal to me.

Ha, last time I mentioned waterpump pliers it started a big laugh fest at my last job. That's what I was taught to call them- waterpumps. I thought Channellock was just a maker of water pump pliers until my early 20's.
Now just to mess with young workers I ask them to hand me the waterpump pliers and they give me the "I've seen a flying saucer" look. 

[Uncle Buck]

Spring loaded pliers you either like or you don't. Not familiar with the specific design - could you pull the spring?

I'm pretty sure the spring is necessary to the design, and I also think there's more than one.

I think my mom bought me a pair of those for Christmas years ago when they first came out and Sears had the holiday push on them. I don't think I have ever used them, been in my box ever since.

[J.A.F.E.]

I was taught they were called waterpump pliers as well.

... and they give me the "I've seen a flying saucer" look. 

 

[hickory n Steel]

I was taught they were called waterpump pliers as well.

... and they give me the "I've seen a flying saucer" look. 

 

I call them tongue and groove pliers personally, but water pump pliers sounds fine.
What gets me is when someone calls all of them channellocks, especially when someone calls a bottom of the barrel $2.99 chinese pair Channellocks.
People are free to call tools whatever they were taught to call them, but I can't help but grit my teeth sometimes 

[J.A.F.E.]

The tongue and groove designation works but some water pumps are slip jaws. The Cobras are a variation of slip jaws although they work much better than standard slip jaws.

[john k]

Was taught they are Water Pump Pliers too.   Seen enough of the cheap ones delaminate that I just keep walking when these are spotted.   Don't have any in my shop. 

[bonneyman]

I'm thinking they were called "waterpump pliers" because they were originally designed for working on car coolant pumps. But maybe I'm getting several disconnected stories confused.

[john k]

I agree about the water pump designation,  Well into the 30s, the packing nut on water pumps was tightened as part of routine maintenance.   The model A ford was case in point. 

[goodfellow]

yup -- the design was originally a water pump designation. My grandpa used to rebuild his water pumps with new bronze bushings and fiber seals (later bearings and plastic seals) all with the aid of water pump pliers. The packing nut was often an odd shape and the piers made the job easier.

[Snaparxon]

A pair of MAC's I never use

[bonneyman]

yup -- the design was originally a water pump designation. My grandpa used to rebuild his water pumps with new bronze bushings and fiber seals (later bearings and plastic seals) all with the aid of water pump pliers. The packing nut was often an odd shape and the piers made the job easier.

Long gone are the days when mechanics took parts off cars and rebuilt them! Water pumps, distributors, fuel pumps, carbs. Now it's just remove, chuck, and replace. 

[hickory n Steel]

A pair of MAC's I never use

Interesting, I never knew these were ever offered by other companies and those are clearly the exact same tool.
Sad part is that I find the craftsmans an okay tool at Sears prices, but but at tool truck prices no way.

[Snaparxon]

Long gone are the days when mechanics took parts off cars and rebuilt them! Water pumps, distributors, fuel pumps, carbs. Now it's just remove, chuck, and replace. 

And in my experience you will replace it more frequently now that you put a cruddy china made replacement on it

[strik9]

Bman, spend a week in the shop with us.

  We are the nobody that repair starters and stuff from cars regularily.  My boss does it all but water pumps which are disposable items.  He is not the only one. 

    I prefer the ready to place replacements after seeing some of the crap we had to redo.  I could  get car in- car out in less than an hour instead of all day.  Struts too. 

[J.A.F.E.]

A pair of MAC's I never use

RoboMAC's?

[Cruiser808]

yup -- the design was originally a water pump designation. My grandpa used to rebuild his water pumps with new bronze bushings and fiber seals (later bearings and plastic seals) all with the aid of water pump pliers. The packing nut was often an odd shape and the piers made the job easier.

Long gone are the days when mechanics took parts off cars and rebuilt them! Water pumps, distributors, fuel pumps, carbs. Now it's just remove, chuck, and replace. 

[Uncle Buck]

As a kid pop had to do a lot of mechanic work on the cheap so as a result I did get first hand experience rebuilding a lot of different stuff. Things I would not rebuild today, though the knowledge of how to do so is still there like rebuilding wheel cylinders, or alternators, or starters for that matter. Back then drums and rotors were always turned as long as there was enough meat on them to do so. Blower motors that squealed had the rivets drilled out and the motor opened up and the thing was reworked and re-lubed then screwed back together and put back in service. The leaking exhaust system the old man would try to patch up and make work a little longer, with rarely any degree of lasting success regarding the exhaust.

Honestly, I don't miss having to mechanic the way pop did on the cheap, with a very limited assortment of tools to tackle the work at hand. Oh he got by, but many were the jobs that probably took many more hours to accomplish due to the lack of tools than would have otherwise with the choice of tools I have at hand now. I cannot imagine wrenching now with no deep sockets for example and the biggest 1/2" drive tool in the box was a 15-16" Craftsman breaker bar. He had two 1/2" drive extensions, a 6" one and a 10" one, that was it!

However, all that said, I must give the old man his due, he seemed to always fix whatever he went after even with his limited amount of hand tools, and in spite of all the additional hours that lack of tools cost him. To his credit he did not do shoddy slipshod work either, he did good work.

[Cruiser808]

Great story UB. And a good reminder of what still can be accomplished in a throw away society.

[hickory n Steel]

As a kid pop had to do a lot of mechanic work on the cheap so as a result I did get first hand experience rebuilding a lot of different stuff. Things I would not rebuild today, though the knowledge of how to do so is still there like rebuilding wheel cylinders, or alternators, or starters for that matter. Back then drums and rotors were always turned as long as there was enough meat on them to do so. Blower motors that squealed had the rivets drilled out and the motor opened up and the thing was reworked and re-lubed then screwed back together and put back in service. The leaking exhaust system the old man would try to patch up and make work a little longer, with rarely any degree of lasting success regarding the exhaust.

Honestly, I don't miss having to mechanic the way pop did on the cheap, with a very limited assortment of tools to tackle the work at hand. Oh he got by, but many were the jobs that probably took many more hours to accomplish due to the lack of tools than would have otherwise with the choice of tools I have at hand now. I cannot imagine wrenching now with no deep sockets for example and the biggest 1/2" drive tool in the box was a 15-16" Craftsman breaker bar. He had two 1/2" drive extensions, a 6" one and a 10" one, that was it!

However, all that said, I must give the old man his due, he seemed to always fix whatever he went after even with his limited amount of hand tools, and in spite of all the additional hours that lack of tools cost him. To his credit he did not do shoddy slipshod work either, he did good work.

Great story.
It reminds me of my dad using JB weld on the cracked radiator in his blazer, it worked for a bit but it wasn't too long before he just replaced it like he should done in the first place.

[bonneyman]

Bman, spend a week in the shop with us.

  We are the nobody that repair starters and stuff from cars regularily.  My boss does it all but water pumps which are disposable items.  He is not the only one. 

    I prefer the ready to place replacements after seeing some of the crap we had to redo.  I could  get car in- car out in less than an hour instead of all day.  Struts too.

Sounds like a blast!