Hand Tools, General Purpose Discussion Board

Where are the Complete Tool Sets?

GardenTractorMan — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:17:02 GMT

I think Sears still sells some of the Armstrong hand tool sets. You might consider buying a master set of Armstrong hand tools that does not leave out a bunch of tools.

In comparison to the Armstrong master sets you might try to price a set of Craftsman tools with the same stuff as the Armstrong (if possible) and see which of the sets (Craftsman or Armstrong) is cheaper.

Where are the Complete Tool Sets?

GardenTractorMan — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:15:07 GMT

Well, sometimes I have wondered the same thing. On the other hand I have sometimes thought that the reason they leave stuff out is possibly for the purpose of the average person being able to pick the set up and tote it. My 18 inch metal tool box has a socket rack built into the metal tool tray. It is capable of holding sockets ranging from 3/8" to 1-1/4" in 1/2" drive.

My 1/2" drive service set includes the 1-3/16" 1/2" drive socket. Have you ever actually worked on something with a matching fastener? It adds a lot of weight to a heavy box of tools and you probably won't need it. A lot of 1/2" drive socket sets leave the 1-3/16" socket out. At times I have had to work on 3/4" bolts that pretty much maxed out my 1/2" drive service set. The 18" tool box doesn't have room for the three missing 1/2" drive sockets that are 32nd of an inch sizes but it includes all of the other standard size sockets.

One thing I have done is build my own custom set of Craftsman hand tools and I got a lot more satisfaction out of my set by doing so. I might have spent more on some parts of the set but I think my set paid for itself a long time ago in not only repair cost savings but also savings in time. The extra trips to the tool box or having to make a run to the tool store to buy that missing piece to get the job done can really add up. When you compare the cost of paying the price for a complete set of sockets to the cost of buying the missing pieces from open stock the price can end up being less for the complete set.

Another thing I have done is to build a set of Craftsman hand tools that fits well in a small size tool box and add a set of really good Craftsman 3/8" drive sockets in a separate box. This way the weight of the portable metal tool box is reduced because the socket set is in a separate box. It's a great way to help prevent a back injury from toting around a tool box that is way too heavy. My point here is building my own custom set was more satisfying than buying an incomplete set and adding in the missing pieces. I like my plastic cases to hold all of my sockets and not have to carry a handful of missing sockets in my pocket.

Anyway, sometimes I purchased some stuff at Sears and other stuff that Sears did not sell elsewhere. It is getting difficult now to find Craftsman tools being sold elsewhere because a lot of other tool companies dropped the Craftsman line of tools when Danaher sold out to Apex.

Where are the Complete Tool Sets?

Kevin-Pace — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 02:25:26 GMT

Mike's quite right. I imagine someone, somewhere gets paid a lot of money to sit in a room and tell retailers which 10 sizes are most likely to sell and put them in a set leaving out the less common ones for individual purchase. I can't say in all my time buying, or selling for that matter, tools that I have ever seen what I would consider a "complete set".

Where are the Complete Tool Sets?

BigMike4511 — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:35:57 GMT

The problem is that there is no such thing as a complete tool set. Over the years I have spent conservatively) $80,000 on hand tools, and there are still tools that I do not have.

Most sets have the most popular sizes, but you still need to buy fill in pieces.

Where are the Complete Tool Sets?

igore14u — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:07:24 GMT

I do not understand why tool vendors, even Craftsman, only sell partial tool sets! I was working in the garage just the other day and needed a 9mm and did not have it. My sets, both sockets and wrenches, went from 8 to 10mm skipping the 9mm. My Metric set is missing the 9,23,25,26 I bought the 18mm seperatea couple of weeks ago when I had to have one to work on my truck. Standard sizes are less likely to skip sizes, however it does happen. IE 11/32,13/16 WHY? WHEN I BUY A TOOL SET I WANT A COMPLETE SET --not a partial set!!! -- does anyone know where I can get a complete set of hand tools? Id love to purchase etched combo ratcheting wrenches, and etched standard and deepwell sockets in metric and standard.

Flexible Screwdriver Wanted

CurtisSFSD — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:03:44 GMT

I purchased a unique screwdriver last fall. It had a flexible tip that would "lock out" straight by twisting a threaded sleeve and it had storage for other tips in the handle, under a white flip-top cap. The tool was stolen. I can NOT find this tool in our local Sears store in Sioux Falls. I bought the screwdriver at our Sears in Sioux Falls last summer and now it is nowhere to be found. Will someone help me? I paid around $20-25 for it. Help me find another or if you know the item # email it to me.

Farmers File

AdamO — Sun, 09 May 2010 04:12:37 GMT

Found one!

Right by the Carriage-makers vise.

It weren't rusty or dull or noth'n!

All I've got to do is make a little storage sleeve for it, for transport up to the property.

Oh. U.S. made - Nicholsen file - too.

Farmers File

AdamO — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:57:16 GMT

Yaa... I found that 6 inch long size of build-in handle/ single-cut sharpening file, over to OSH.

It's made by Nicholsen, a good name in files, "here" still.

I got go back and buy one, before the next visit to the property.

Bit Brace Upgrade

AdamO — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 04:24:14 GMT

I found a couple of fascinating new accessory tools for the venerable Woodworker's Bit Brace tool, that instantly upgrade it to a new and "happening" tool for the DIY'r on the go.

Would you believe a 1/4 inch hex and a 3/8 inch square drive bit for your old bit brace?

At only $8.50 each, either one (or both) are very affordable and they're available at Lee Valley Tools.

Utility Cutters

AdamO — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:40:34 GMT

I'm pretty sure they've got a limited one-year warranty - associated with all the wear that occurs where the staple is driven.

My Arrow P-22 heavy-duty (through belt leather) stapler has been going strong for over 5 years.

Utility Cutters

jnelprissy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:51:51 GMT

do hand powered staplers have a warranty

End Nippers

AdamO — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:39:06 GMT

I finally got around to restoring an old pair of Dunlap Carpenters' / Blacksmiths' end nippers.

There was a notch in the jaws, where apparently something small in diameter, but very hard was attempted to be cut.

It takes a lot of patience to carefully file away the nick, make a new set of bevels, while keeping the two jaw edges parallel to each other.

And, as a final challenge, the jaws have to just... meet with the aid of nibs on the inside of the handles.

As metal is being removed from the damaged edges to reshape the two cutting edges, the nibs had to be carefully filed down to allow the jaws to just touch, but, not damage one another.

All in all, a challenging, but FUN task.

I'm sure glad I read about the sharpening technique in an old Blacksmith's book.

I'm not up to the first part of that book's project, though; making the end-nipper from bar stock!

Now, if you ever are in a position of choice, the 12 inch long nippers are a good deal more powerful (and useful) than the more delicate 10 inch pair I just restored.

They'll be good for digging out tacks and small brad nails, though.

But, for cut'n, I'd go more toward the 12 inch long pair of end-nippers.

Wrecking Bar

AdamO — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:15:20 GMT

I got me a U.S. Made, Enderes "Monster Bar" - 24 inch wrecking bar for delicately removing some old kitchen cabinets from our cabin.

It's lifetime warranted, too.

It has a MUCH greater cross-section than equivalent wrecking bar tools.

Almost as large as the 48 inch wrecking bar, that I already invested in, a couple/three years ago.

Man! That, "Give me a lever and I'm move the world.", saying really WORKS!

It was around twenty bucks at ACE Hardware.

Utility Cutters

AdamO — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:48:12 GMT

Sears has a variety of Craftsman (and other brand name) utility knives and plier-type utility cutters available for sale in the stores.

I was just admiring my Craftsman Professional Accu-Cut 3-in-1, 2-1/2 inch Cutter, model 37310, that turns out to be U.S. Made.

A very nice tool.

There are also the two other dedicated razor blade type Handi-Cut Utility cutters in 3-7/8 and 2-1/2 inch length razor blades, models 37301 and 37300, made in China.

With the advent of the newest Craftsman EDGE Utility-blade cutting tool, model 37309 there is a "hybrid" tool that while made in China, uses made in U.S. of A. blades.

Here's the break down:

Made in U.S. of A. = $29.99

Made in China = $19.99 & $17.99.

Hybrid = $19.99.

The U.S. made tools are hanging on the hooks in "yellowed" plastic packaging.

The made in China $17.99 hook is EMPTY.

The made in China $19.99 hook is about half full.

The new EDGE hybrid tools, with the infomercial blaring by the Cash Rep, has two nearly full hooks, despite the inclusion of U.S. made cutting blades and an offering price of only $19.99.

A difference of TWO DOLLARS is all it takes to "win" the race.

Clearly, the lowest price-point tools have won the competition.

The beautiful U.S. Made, "Professional" quality tools have not been touched.

Where's the Patriotism?

Where's the appreciation for greater quality - retractable blade and replaceable hardened wire cutter insert?

I'm getting another replacement set of stainless-steel blades for my Accu-cut tool, before they are removed from the display wall.