What brands make good (read: non-chinese) toolsets

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
We'll have to disagree on that; USA production doesn't have a monopoly on the quality tool marketplace, and current Williams (COO - Taiwan) are a fine tool to rely on at a very good price. In other words, their "bang for the buck" factor is top of the chart for me.



I didn't say the USA had a monopoly on quality tools I said the new Williams isn't the same quality as the old stuff they made before it was sold. Its not bad stuff at all for the money but its not top shelf.
I may be wrong but the OP doesn't sound like he will use them professionally so they will work fine as would the GW. Top shelf for his use would probably be overkill.
Proxxon also make mid level affordable tools that are German made and good quality but not as well finished as Hazet or Stahlwille.

 

[goodtimes]

In the price range and made in USA new is a tough one. Craftsman old stock maybe. They were made by Armstrong at one time, which is a top brand. You almost have to go to China now for reasonable prices. They are climbing up too. That was their plan. Lowes has some really good sale and clearance prices sometimes. I have some socket sets from them now which were inexpensive. They are well made, but in Taiwan.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: cb_13
If you want to stay in that price range go back to Harbor Freight. Their Taiwan made Pittsburgh Pro line is just as good as any Taiwan made Husky, Kobalt or Gearwrench but for less money.


Exactly.

You're not going to touch any new USA made set for $150.

 

[EdwardC]

$150 is probably a tough price point for any thing made in the USA or Europe. I lost all my tools to a garage fire a few months ago and grabbed the 159 piece tool set from Costco (about $100). It's COO is Taiwan, but like others have mentioned above, can be good quality still. I've used the set a lot in the last few months and have had no problems. The ratchet have a nice 72 tooth action, and I like that the handles are bare metal so I can throw a cheater pipe on them if needed.

In general, I've come to trust Costco's Kirkland brand stuff.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: horse123
I had a cheap junk HF tool kit that was mostly a socket set, along with some random other tools. It somewhat served its purpose but the socket wrench has gotten kinda screwy, the 1/4"-3/8" adapater snapped like a twig when my friend was changing his 7.3's alt, and I've kinda lost half of the tools out of lack of caring because they're pretty junky.

Looking into a quality, NOT-Chinese-made tool set. The bigger the better. I'm not looking to spend $300 or something. Hopefully under $150, and maybe even lower on sale around Christmas time.

List all the good brands to look for at Home Depot and Ace and the like, and which common ones to avoid. Thanks in advance.

Oh and I know to avoid cr@psman. Overpriced Chinese junk, and Craftsman does some shady patent-stealing from what I've heard. Not a company I want to be giving my money to.


Did you have the $40 HF tool kit that came with pliers and a claw hammer? I bought that 3 years ago and the ratchet broke when I was removing the nut on battery terminal. Most of their stuff is junk, but some of their stuff is quality. Last I looked, they have a small, but decent lineup of Taiwanese made tools too.

$40 HF tool set to ~$300-400 worth of USA made tools is quite the transition IMO. (Not that it's bad.)

If you have such a low budget, I encourage you to look at the HF Pittsburgh lineup. The ratchets and sockets (sold alone.. not in kits) are pretty stout. I would put them against any of the Taiwanese made stuff posted in this thread.

If your heart is set on US made, now is the time of year to tool shop. Lots of sales. A few sites that sell German tools had decent sales on Knipex pliers and Wiha scewdrivers/ torx drivers. Check out the deals section at Garagejournal.com.

 

[brages]

Menards' Masterforce line of sockets is USA-made and very affordable. Similar to the last run of USA Craftsman.

I don't think the ratchets are very good, but the sockets (I have a small set) seem like nice quality...

 

[brages]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: cb_13
If you want to stay in that price range go back to Harbor Freight. Their Taiwan made Pittsburgh Pro line is just as good as any Taiwan made Husky, Kobalt or Gearwrench but for less money.


Exactly.

You're not going to touch any new USA made set for $150.


https://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardw...721262255692587

 

[mazdamonky]

I have been actually looking for some newer tools recently. I am currently liking the looks of Husky and Duralast. Both are pretty much no questions asked warranty in my experience. I have a couple of sockets that I knew I was going to mess up on wheel locks. Took them into their respective stores and they just handed me a new one.

 

[Merkava_4]

One whole gigantic single brand tool set is not the way to go. You're better off making your tool collection up out of smaller, individual sets. For example: socket sizes in 3/8 drive, 10mm-19mm is one set; make all those one brand. Wrench sizes 10mm-19mm can be a different brand and so on.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: brages
Menards' Masterforce line of sockets is USA-made and very affordable. Similar to the last run of USA Craftsman.

I don't think the ratchets are very good, but the sockets (I have a small set) seem like nice quality...



Sure can't beat their prices especially for US tools. May have to pick up a few sets to replace my missing sockets.

I agree their ratchets leave something to be desired. Very rough feeling IMO.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: brages
Menards' Masterforce line of sockets is USA-made and very affordable. Similar to the last run of USA Craftsman.
I don't think the ratchets are very good, but the sockets (I have a small set) seem like nice quality...


I was also going to post this recommendation, but I noticed that the OP is in Portland....
While they may have a lifetime warranty, taking advantage of it might be hard.
Like any new ratchet, a little grease in the head quiets them down and improves the feel.

 

[dlundblad]

What kind of grease and where exactly do you apply it?

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
What kind of grease and where exactly do you apply it?


After purchasing a new ratchet, you will notice that it's noisy and dry. Take the head of the ratchet apart (usually held together with Torx screws or a snap ring) and disassemble it. Put a small dab of grease between the gears. The quality of the grease probably isn't too important, but I don't use cheap grease. Assemble it back together and the noise of the ratchet is much quieter and smoother.

 

[Da Game]

The brands that are mentioned above, are they precision made to tolerance? Meaning they won't "round-off" bolts & nuts?

 

[dlundblad]

I've used Pittsburgh professional sockets on hub bearing bolts before. This was with a cheat pipe too. These were just sockets @ about $12 for the set. Not the cheaper quality knuckle busting socket/ ratchet combos found in cheap sets.

No bolt rounding.

I'm just surmising, but quality with the other mentioned brands will only go up.

 

[Malo83]

My Craftsman roll around toolbox in my garage is a Potpourri of tools, Craftsman, Husky, Kobalt, Harbor Freight etc,etc and various other tools I picked up during my 22 yrs in the NAVY, my go to place for tools is my local Lowes, lot of blue in the drawers