snap on vs mac tools
TR Balla Donor Supreme
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,052
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Lowes now (as of earlier this year) is selling a line of Mechanics Tools called Kobalt which is made by Snap-On. They are good tools.
Home Depot's Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the Stanley Works. Husky are also good tools and have a good lifetime warranty (they'll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky).
Until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears Craftsman is now made by Danaher Tools. They beat out Stanley on the contract over price. Danaher also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Odds are, if you own any Craftsman tools that are older than about five years ago, they were made by Stanley in plants in Dallas, Texas, Witchita Falls, Texas, and Sabina, Ohio.
Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. Now here's the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors).
There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On. Stanley and Danaher (almost identical in sales revenue at about $28 billion each) are the biggest followed by Snap-On. Each of these three manufacture and sell tools under a variety of brands (there are many other brands that Stanley makes that I haven't even named). The quality between these three manufacturers is roughly the same. I know its a bit of a let-down to hear that, but its a simple fact.
FACOM ( Franco-Americaine de Construction d'Outillage Mecanique). French for "French-American Mechanical Tool Manufacturing. FACOM owns S-K outright. You'll notice (if you look through the catalogs from preceeding years) that the tools are becoming more and more alike. The S-K "pro" screwdrivers are now FACOM ergotwist screwdrivers. The "tuff1" ratchets are S-K pro ratchet handles avec FACOM innards. FACOM's ratcheting flare wrench now has S-K stamped on the side of it. I don't like it because we could get FACOM tools from S-K dealers for over 10 years, but now they're getting more and more reluctant to give us FACOM stuff, they'd rather sell S-K stuff. Which is why you get S-K catalogs instead of FACOM. If you specifically request (demand) a FACOM catalog, you get their _american_ catalog, which is abbreviated.
Home Depot's Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the Stanley Works. Husky are also good tools and have a good lifetime warranty (they'll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky).
Until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears Craftsman is now made by Danaher Tools. They beat out Stanley on the contract over price. Danaher also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Odds are, if you own any Craftsman tools that are older than about five years ago, they were made by Stanley in plants in Dallas, Texas, Witchita Falls, Texas, and Sabina, Ohio.
Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. Now here's the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors).
There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On. Stanley and Danaher (almost identical in sales revenue at about $28 billion each) are the biggest followed by Snap-On. Each of these three manufacture and sell tools under a variety of brands (there are many other brands that Stanley makes that I haven't even named). The quality between these three manufacturers is roughly the same. I know its a bit of a let-down to hear that, but its a simple fact.
FACOM ( Franco-Americaine de Construction d'Outillage Mecanique). French for "French-American Mechanical Tool Manufacturing. FACOM owns S-K outright. You'll notice (if you look through the catalogs from preceeding years) that the tools are becoming more and more alike. The S-K "pro" screwdrivers are now FACOM ergotwist screwdrivers. The "tuff1" ratchets are S-K pro ratchet handles avec FACOM innards. FACOM's ratcheting flare wrench now has S-K stamped on the side of it. I don't like it because we could get FACOM tools from S-K dealers for over 10 years, but now they're getting more and more reluctant to give us FACOM stuff, they'd rather sell S-K stuff. Which is why you get S-K catalogs instead of FACOM. If you specifically request (demand) a FACOM catalog, you get their _american_ catalog, which is abbreviated.
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"If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough horsepower"
-Mark Donohue
"If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough horsepower"
-Mark Donohue
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All Aboard
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,061
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most everything else i own is craftsman because their tools are so easy to return...
but like i said before i've broken two craftsman 3/8th drive ratchet's and now i'm using a napa generic ratchet because its better than the third craftsman ratchet i have...and believe me life sucks when using napa tools.
but like i said before i've broken two craftsman 3/8th drive ratchet's and now i'm using a napa generic ratchet because its better than the third craftsman ratchet i have...and believe me life sucks when using napa tools.
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5-K = 5l1p & k1ll :l0l:
5-K = 5l1p & k1ll :l0l:
engine building &best
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,971
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Originally posted by Mars_302
The thing that sucks about craftsman now a days is they give you a reman ratchet if they ahve em, no more new one.
The thing that sucks about craftsman now a days is they give you a reman ratchet if they ahve em, no more new one.
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i love AUTOZONE
MY CAR iS PROTECTED BY ZOOMBAK GPS LOCATOR IS YOURS?
175+served in engines built from minime to gsr/lsvtec,b16 b20vtec,d15 k24 powerhouses or just rebuilds.life is good
i like when people don't take my advice.cause then i make more money when u need it rebuild the right way!
how many speed holes do i need in my bumper,b4 i can run 15's?
i love AUTOZONE
MY CAR iS PROTECTED BY ZOOMBAK GPS LOCATOR IS YOURS?
175+served in engines built from minime to gsr/lsvtec,b16 b20vtec,d15 k24 powerhouses or just rebuilds.life is good
i like when people don't take my advice.cause then i make more money when u need it rebuild the right way!
how many speed holes do i need in my bumper,b4 i can run 15's?
Mechanical Engineer
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,094
Likes: 0
snap on ratchets are far superior to craftsman
ive broken 1 3/8 and 2 1/2 craftsman
no snap on yet!
ive broken 1 3/8 and 2 1/2 craftsman
no snap on yet!
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Mechanical Engineer - Naval Surface Warfare Center PCD, Marine Corps. Counter IED Development
USF Formula and Baja racing Alumni/Consultant
Mechanical Engineer - Naval Surface Warfare Center PCD, Marine Corps. Counter IED Development
USF Formula and Baja racing Alumni/Consultant
