Sears...... (Rant)S

[PHOENIX]

I went to Sears yesterday to return a ratcheting wrench that was no longer ratcheting. Sometimes it ratchets, sometimes its locked both directions, sometimes it spins freely in both directions. When I bought them (on ebay, NIB) I knew the 9/16" would be the first to go because of the offset ratchet mechanism. Check it out in the picture below.

Anyway they had all the sizes except 9/16". Its about $19. They wouldn't give me a 9/16" out of a set. My friend who actually went in to do the exchange while I was picking up my new tires exchanged a bad ratchet he had. Instead of giving him a new one they gave him a refurbished one. The ratchet didn't feel to good to me. He said he'll just use it till it breaks and bring it back.

[kevinr1970]

I have never had any problem with exchanging tools at the local place.

In fact, I use 5mm allen wrenches (hex keys) a lot on my mountain bikes. I started with a complete set. When I went to exchange just the 5mm they only sell them in sets of long and short arms. So each time I ended up with 2-for-1.

Even with that I ended up buying a set of Bondhaus wrenches as the Crapman tools just wore out too quick.

[chip46wis]

I have some sears stuff,my 3,8ths ratchet has been replaced 4 times in 14 years,yet my SK ratchet and sockets are 36 years old and have NEVER been replaced.

[truckdude239]

i'll on buy snap on and maco tools now

[Mickey_D]

I pretty much only use Proto. Mind you, my father worked for Tacoma Screw Company and got me all my tools at cost.

But my 3/8" ratchet has literally been through hell and back and is still going strong. All the knurling on the handle is gone from me using it as an impact wrench (hitting the handle with a ball pene hammer), it got lost in a mud puddle for 4 months underwater, fell off the bed of the truck at 65mph, and I don't know how many times it's been thrown across the shop in frustration at one thing or another.

It still works as good today as it did when I got it for my birthday in 1991.

I've also (stupidly) used my standard duty Proto 1/2" drive sockets on an impact driver. Never had one strip out or crack yet, but I've completely shattered Craftsmen/Snapon/Mac/etc just using a long handled ratchet and my foot. But I now have an impact set, so not going to try my luck anymore with the standard duty ones.

[Dooley]

My roll-aways contain
Armstrong
MAC
Matco
New Britain
Proto
S-K
Snap On
Williams
Gedore
Heyco,
and Craftsman.
Only on one occasion did I have to ask for a manager at one of the Sears to get a tool warranted. The "sales clerk" was young and inexperienced. I recently had my 7 ton/8" puller replaced no problem,(not broken but, the threads were very stretched!). I have had my S-K 1/2" ratchet since 1965 and it's never been broken. My 1/2" long handle Craftsman since the early 70's and had it rebuilt once. I have broken my Proto 1/2" drive at least a half dozen times. While every tool company I have purchased from offers fine quailty, some expect quite a premium in return. I recently checked on a Snap On 5/8" thin wall deepwell. I decided against it as it was a $56.00 socket.

[streetstar]

I am actually surprised they were willing to deal with you even a little on worn out socket teeth.

I worked at Sears when i was in college 12 years ago and was told the warranty was for breakage, not wear and tear

I agree, 12 pt is not ideal in the larger socket sizes that you really put some force on, i like it for the smaller sizes because it gives me more places i can work the socket on the fastener if its in a tight location

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

REMEMBER SEARS is owned by K-MART and that was the first real sign of how screwed up this country is becoming.

Sorry, wrong. Eddie Lampert took control of K-Mart when it went bankrupt, then he bought Sears. He merged to two companies into the Sears Holdings Corporation. He also owns a HUGE stake in AutoZone and AutoNation through his holding company.

[caminokid]

I have had good luck with the sears here. I have never been told that I couldnt exchange anything. It seems the quality of their tools have went down. I seem to break more of them here in the last 5 years. I have never heard of having to take in a complete set before. I would have done the same thing. Dumped them and said...there you go..individual sockets. Some of these guys can be a$$holes. One of the other sears I went too a long time ago gave me some crap about something and I got a manager and I got my way...and the guy got a boot in the butt and he was fired for not satisfying a customer.

[caminokid]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

REMEMBER SEARS is owned by K-MART and that was the first real sign of how screwed up this country is becoming. I agree that if you purchased a Sears set years ago and now Mister "I don't have a clue" is telling you that he cannot exchange them for you, then go to the Manager and find out what the policy really is and hold them to that much. You may decide that it is better to just throw the useless sockets at them and go to a store that sells S-K tools or a Snap-on dealer. I like Snap-On, but I hate their prices. Most of my wrenches are S-K now.

I was told that once....but if K Fart was bankrupt...they couldnt buy Sears. It takes money to do that.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by caminokid

I was told that once....but if K Fart was bankrupt...they couldnt buy Sears. It takes money to do that.

nope, a bankrupt company can buy a larger company, funny how that works, they just did a stock buy out, $$$ never changed hands.. thats how WorldCom bought a lot of companies.. and even the other telcom giants bought them all up later..

[68C15]

Matco is in the Danaher Tool Group. they happen to also make Craftsman tools.
I turn close to 900 cars/year at work. my sockets arer either Snap-On, Matco, or (suprisingly good quality) ATD. the majority of my work is done with 3/8 drive and my snappy guy will exchange worn ones.
a word about hand ratchets, I recently bought the new fine tooth flex-head offset handle one from snappy. feels NICE!!!! I have literally tried to break the mechanism by standing on the handle while working 3/4T truck lug nuts.
between that one, my IR 2112 impact, and my power probe III I am a very happy tech.

oh, btw, I dont think they should exchange 12pt for 6pt. but they should be able to do individual ones though.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by caminokid

I was told that once....but if K Fart was bankrupt...they couldnt buy Sears. It takes money to do that.

Originally Posted by rambler

nope, a bankrupt company can buy a larger company, funny how that works, they just did a stock buy out, $$$ never changed hands..

Read my earlier post:

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

Eddie Lampert took control of K-Mart when it went bankrupt, then he bought Sears. He merged to two companies into the Sears Holdings Corporation. He also owns a HUGE stake in AutoZone and AutoNation through his holding company.

[panhandler62]

Wow.... there are a lot of threads in this thread.. :P

I've never had a problem exchanging a Craftsman tool but every time I did it the tool I was returning was undeniably busted.

I had mixture of Craftsman and cheap(er) tools but I just inherited 4 boxes (two rollaways, a 7 drawer standup and a large 6 drawer tote box) full of Snap-ons. I don't even rightly know what all I have yet.

I wouldn't sweat seeing "Japan" on a tool but the only tools labled "China" I have managed to keep intact have been a set of hefty combo wrenches.

At the end of the day -- a free replacement policy is nice, but if it means having to get washed up and go back to the store to get a replacement tool I need right in the middle of a job -- I think I would rather have the quality tool that probably won't break to begin with.

[PHOENIX]

I have a Husky (Home Depot brand) 1/2" air impact gun.
It's made in Japan. Its been great. I do not use it much, but it has never failed me and I'd buy it again. I purchased mine years ago. It was cheaper, but I do not remember the exact cost. I wonder if they are still made in Japan.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...10000003+90401

I also have a few other air tools from Japan. I believe one is a Matco. Not 100% on that though. Its older, 10 years + possibly. Its also been an excellent tool.

[sjarrett71]

Years ago I had a 3/8 Craftsman ratchet that just wore out, it wouldn't turn in either direction no matter where the lever was. I took it to the local Sears store and they wouldn't exchange it, the wanted to fix it. They took it apart and replaced the gear mechanism. Never worked the same after that. Years later (was overseas and never used them much) I took it to another Sears store and they just gave me one off the shelf. The local store where I live now sends them off and calls you when your replacement comes in. Maybe cause it's a smaller store.

[screwballl]

Welcome to Kmart (its not really Sears anymore)...

[exmonkeypunk]

Well, after a full 50 hour week of using what tools i managed to stuff into my top box (4 thin droors and the lid) it's been decided that i am in serious need of more tools and some kind of roller.
The only roller that i own, is inheireted to me from my father who passed away a couple years ago. It's a very old waterloo from the early 70's i believe. I repainted it, so it looks decent, but the droors slide real rough. I'm uncertain whether or not i should take it into work being that it's got sentimental value. I don't want to destroy it, but at the same time it'd be used the way a box is meant to be. The Matco guy approved me for $3000 credit for a roller and $3000 worth of tools if i buy a roller. I was looking at a double bay box that's $2700 and would be the nicest thing i've ever owned. I could easily max out my credit with them and have all the tools i need for the time being.
It'd probably be around $50 or $60 a week in payments. I can afford the payments.
I am going to Re-Tool tomorrow morning to see if i can pickup any quality used tools. They sell alot of big brand tools for cheap. But, pocket cash can only buy so much, where as truck credit could get everything at once.... I just need to have a 10% deposit for whatever i get off the truck.
At work, i don't even have a set of standard sockets.
Just 3/8 metric sockets from 9mm up to 19mm.
a set of 3/8 deep sockets from 10mm up to 18mm.
a set of standard and metric wrenches mostly complete sizes.
A nice heavy hammer.
A dead blow orange hammer.
A bunch of extensions in random sizes.
a 1/4" air ratchet
A 1/2" impact gun
A set of short impact sockets metric.
range of screw drivers
3/8" socket wrenches
1/4" socket wrenches
1/2" socket wrenches
Set of 1/4" sockets standard and metric
a drop light
wire cutters and crimpers
a roll of electrical tape
a bic lighter
a battery brush
set of pick tools
that's basically it.

I'm working as a full on mechanic. Anything that comes in to be repaired, must be repaired, so i'm working on scraps man. Bare minimum.
I hate to owe so much money on tools, but, i really need them.
I keep cruising garage sales to try and find someone selling stuff for cheap, but no luck there. Same with craigslist. Everyone wants what their tools cost instead of what used is worth. Wow.... End rant for today. It's been a week since i've been on, so i have the right.

[Jack_71C10]

I bought a 1 5/8 socket for work, but i didn't want to to buy a 3/4" drive
ratchet for 1 socket. so i looked for a 1/2 to 3/4 adapter, they where
out. The salesman let me borrow a 3/4" ratchet for a few days until
the adapter came in. I have no complaints about sears.

[exmonkeypunk]

I put an add listing on craigslist in my area for needing tools.
I'm offering to buy a few each week to whoever wants to sell.
doubt i'll get any people responding, but, i figure it's worth a shot.
I wish i knew some retired mechanics who don't use their tools anymore. There's alot of that type of people, i just don't know any of them.
I've been lucky that the guys i work with have been kind enough to loan me any tool i need without hesitation, but, it's getting pretty old fast. It's funny how all the tools i have were plenty for my side jobs and repairs in the driveway, but when i got into a shop, suddenly it seems like i really don't have anything at all.
Isn't all the tools i buy for work refundable on my taxes?

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by exmonkeypunk

Isn't all the tools i buy for work refundable on my taxes?

Not refundable, but you will get to take a tax deduction. Your itemized deductions would be subtracted from your gross adjusted income, thus reducing your tax liability.

[exmonkeypunk]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

Not refundable, but you will get to take a tax deduction. Your itemized deductions would be subtracted from your gross adjusted income, thus reducing your tax liability.

Okay. So then i should definatelly save every receipt for tools bought?
Sears or off a truck alike?
What about things like boots and uniforms? Do those count? I used to spend a couple hundred bucks on work boots once a year or so, but lately i've just been going to Hell-Mart and buying their cheap $20 steel toe shoes once every couple months.
If i knew i'd get some sort of deduction, i probably wouldn't complain.
I'm just wondering. Since i'll only have 5 months to claim on taxes, and i might be spending a few thousand dollars on tools in the 5 months, how would that work? i'll be spending like a fifth of my earnings on tools.
I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why i'm being so weird about buying tools. Normally, i'd love to spend all sorts of loot on this stuff, but, for some reason i'm getting all weird and stand offish about buying anything for work.
Maybe i'm aging into a cheap bastard.

[piecesparts]

Items you purchase, that are used to make your living, are a dedution off of your taxes. where most go wrong, are the ones that claim everything up to and including the family dog. Be certain that you use the right forms and maybe even talk to a tax person, when the time comes.

You and many like you are the reason that Mac, Snap-On, and Matco make so much money. They come to your shop's door and you need the tools to make aliving, so they sell them to you on TIME and show each week looking for that tool payment. Their quality is good, but if you do not improve in your income, they can eat you alive. So if you are just getting into the wrenching world, then you need to be aggressive in your job.

I no longer wrench for a living, and it has been many years since i did, I do NOT miss the daily work. I now am involved in a managerial position in a Nuclear Power plant. I get paid really good money to talk funny.

[glock35ipsc]

If you buy ANYTHING that you use for work, that your employer does not provide, keep the receipts and give them to your tax preparer. Boots, clothes, safety glasses, rubber gloves and crayolas and vasoline (long story!), anything you use for work.

I wouldn't suggest you go all in on credit for tools either. If you can get the job done as-is right now, save up and buy what you can as you go along. Even if it's used, you can find some great deals on used tools. My stuff is about 70% Snap-on and 25% Mac with some misc stuff, and I only bought a few of them new. I hate seeing young people getting into that kind of debt so early in life. Avoid it if at all possible!

Believe it or not, I have got some great deals on Snap-on tools from ebay and Craigslist. Around here. pawn shops seem to think the name Snap-on should bring 50% MORE than new prices, but it could be different in your area.

Make a list, prioritize it from tools needed the most to needed the least, then start saving and hunting!

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

You and many like you are the reason that Mac, Snap-On, and Matco make so much money. They come to your shop's door and you need the tools to make aliving, so they sell them to you on TIME and show each week looking for that tool payment.

That's the one thing I hate about their business model. The young mechanics just starting out only see the 'investment' as a few dollars a week, and don't look at the big picture.