About 2 years ago I went to the Sears "Appliance and Tools" place that was
near me.  I bought a 1/4" drive socket and extension.  When I got home I
found that the extension would not go into the socket.  That building now
houses a Harbor Freight store.

The quality of HF stuff varies greatly.  There are a number of websites
devoted to rating their various offerings.  The problem is that the ratings
are often out of date because the products change so frequently.
   One tool that I have found useful and durable is the half inch drive
rachet with a handle that telescopes out to give you more leverage when
needed.  I hope it's still available.
   Another item that I am NOT pleased with is the creeper that sells for
about $20 when on sale.  It claims to be rated for 300 lbs, but my 150 lbs
make it scrape on the floor.  It has also recently developed a crack.
   YMMV

Larry A.

On Mon, Oct 2, 2017 at 9:18 PM, T3 Technique <christopher@t3technique.com>
wrote:

> One detail that is often overlooked when picking out things like sockets
> and box wrenches is the wall thickness. Many cheaper wrenches and sockets
> have really thick walls to make up for poor material whereas a better tool
> will have a thinner wall and be as strong or stronger due to better
> material and/or heat treatment. There's nothing worse than being in the
> middle of a job and have a cheap/poorly made wrench or socket that
> absolutely will not fit into a the available space.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of moritz schmid
> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2017 4:49 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: General tool (brand name vs quality vs price) question. (NVC)
>
> My two cents on the subject
>
> I have always owned old vehicles that usually will need a road side repair
> at one point or another usually means each one has a set of tools in it. I
> have been buying mainly harbor freight or husky or craftsman for those. If
> they get rusty or I leave them on the side of the road I don’t feel bad.
>
> My garage is a different story. I started out with an old craftsman set
> and slowly as they break or get damaged I have been replacing them with a
> more professional set (snap on/Matco) mainly from yard sales etc.
>
> Having tools that will get the job done when it’s cold and raining is
> important but the nice ones stay in the garage for the big projects. I
> agree the price for most of those new tools is extremely expensive but when
> your working on a really tough project the attention to detail in
> professional tools is incredible (grips, ergonomics, precision).
>
> A decent set of tools are not bought all at once but acquired over a
> lifetime along with the skills to use them properly.
>
> On Mon, Oct 2, 2017 at 7:41 PM David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I was in a Harbor Freight recently.  There were tools that were
> > incredibly cheap (price-wise).  Professionals were thick in the place,
> > buying much stuff.  I observed to a couple of them that the prices
> > were amazingly low, and that I expected the quality was similar.  I
> > was told by both that the stuff was good, but I don't know ....... .
> >
> > On Mon, Oct 2, 2017 at 4:34 PM, Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@yahoo.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Craftsman Tools was bought by Stanley in just the last year or so. I
> > > have not used Kobalt, available at Lowe's, but they look good.
> > >
> > > Stephen
> > >
> > > Mobile
> > >
> > > > On Oct 2, 2017, at 5:09 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > So, for a number of years Craftsman has been in Ace Hardware.  In
> > > > fact, last week.  I assumed they were not the same as the
> > > > Craftsman tools
> > from
> > > > that giant department store chain that is not yet resting
> > > > comfortably
> > in
> > > > peace.  So, is Ace now just selling remnants from whomever last
> > > > built
> > > them?
> > > >
> > > > On Mon, Oct 2, 2017 at 1:14 PM, Dennis Haynes
> > > > <d23haynes57@hotmail.com
> > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Craftsman tools are no more. They sold the line out.
> > > >>
> > > >> Dennis
> > > >>
> > > >> -----Original Message-----
> > > >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > Behalf
> > > >> Of Neil N
> > > >> Sent: Monday, October 2, 2017 1:50 PM
> > > >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > > >> Subject: Re: General tool (brand name vs quality vs price) question.
> > > (NVC)
> > > >>
> > > >> I've been using Craftsman tools (combo wrenches,
> > > >> sockets-ratchets,
> > > >> screwdrivers) for decades. The only issues I had was a cracked
> > > >> 19mm 12
> > > pt
> > > >> 1/2" socket cracking, due to misuse, (no, you shouldn't use it on
> > > >> a VW
> > > tire
> > > >> bolt. That was many years ago!) and one or two failed 3/8"
> > > >> ratchet mechanisms. I think I've been getting incredible value
> > > >> from
> > > these
> > > >> tools. They were purchased many years ago though. Who knows
> > > >> if/how
> > metal
> > > >> content used in these tools has changed over the years?
> > > >>
> > > >> Neil.
> > > >>
> > > >>> On 10/2/17, TJ Hemrick <x53gunner@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >>>
> > > >>>  With the vultures circling for the eventual death knell to
> > > >>> Sears//Craftsman,  ..........
> > > >>
> > > >>>  With all that being said, for you guys who turn wrenches
> > > >>> several times a week, what are you using/recommending?
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> --
> > > >> Neil n
> > > >>
> > > >> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
> > > >>
> > > >> 1988 Westy Images
> > > >> <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy
> > >
> > > >>
> > > >> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.
> > > com/>
> > > >>
> > > >> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group
> > > >> <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
> > > >>
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> >
>