Garage Gazette

TOOLS AND THE SHOP => MECHANIC HAND TOOLS WE USE => Topic started by: Elroy on October 01, 2019, 05:08:41 PM

Title: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: Elroy on October 01, 2019, 05:08:41 PM
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 ?
 
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: m_fumich on October 01, 2019, 05:14:36 PM
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
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: slip knot on October 01, 2019, 05:15:19 PM
I think Elroy will probably survive. The Chinese chrome poisoning isn't too bad.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: m_fumich on October 01, 2019, 05:40:51 PM
Where did Elroy find such a deal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: Elroy on October 01, 2019, 05:49:23 PM
Where did Elroy find such a deal?

Toolsource

https://www.toolsource.com/

Their part number 216938
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: skfarmer on October 01, 2019, 06:55:18 PM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: DeadNutz on October 01, 2019, 07:45:43 PM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: jabberwoki on October 01, 2019, 08:44:52 PM
Return that filthy chinese crap. Redeem Elroy's sole asap.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: pep on October 01, 2019, 11:12:38 PM
Elroy, now walks to his tool box backwards, the walk of shame LOL


 He can can spend his $$$ anyway he likes.

Pep
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: fatfillup on October 02, 2019, 04:32:18 AM
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. 
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: highland512 on October 04, 2019, 09:24:15 AM
When it comes to ratchet wrenches one does not have much of a choice when it comes to COO. Tell Elroy its ok  :-*
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: goodfellow on October 04, 2019, 10:22:24 AM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: bonneyman on October 04, 2019, 03:30:24 PM
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.   ;)
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: stokester on October 04, 2019, 04:12:19 PM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: bonneyman on October 04, 2019, 06:14:22 PM
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!
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: Elroy on October 05, 2019, 06:48:10 PM
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.  :-\
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: Elroy on October 09, 2019, 07:03:24 PM
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
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: ken w. on October 09, 2019, 09:05:51 PM
For flare wrenches I would go with Snap On or SK. They are the best made and fitting. They don't slip.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: highland512 on October 10, 2019, 02:18:52 PM
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/)
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: muddy on October 12, 2019, 01:00:53 AM
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

Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: skfarmer on October 12, 2019, 11:01:25 AM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: bonneyman on October 12, 2019, 03:26:03 PM
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!  ;)
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: Snaparxon! on October 13, 2019, 07:54:14 AM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: GNAP on October 13, 2019, 02:23:13 PM
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.......
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: goodfellow on October 13, 2019, 02:29:31 PM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: GNAP on October 13, 2019, 06:13:31 PM
Raised panel
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: Uncle Buck on October 13, 2019, 08:14:43 PM
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.
Title: Re: Elroy took a drink of Kool Aid
Post by: slip knot on October 13, 2019, 08:36:57 PM
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.