CRAFTSMAN tools new home...LOWE'S!!

[dfesmire99]

Been a Craftsman user since I was a very young man. Still buy them occasionally. Not made in the USA like they used to be so....What you think about their new home??[emoji469][emoji469][emoji631][emoji631]

 

 

[Slackkinhard]

what happened to kobalt

[CQR]

If I need a tool to cut up or modify, then I'll go craftsman. Using them everyday I'll still stick with Scrap-Iron.(Snap on) having them come to me every week to replace broken ones is much more convenient.

[YZ250F49]

7 hours ago, dfesmire99 said:

 

Been a Craftsman user since I was a very young man. Still buy them occasionally. Not made in the USA like they used to be so....What you think about their new home??

 

 

I noticed they started carrying them last week.

I just bought this stand up cabinet for my newly refurbished shop. 

It's actually Made in the USA. ?? It was only about $10 more than one of their Made in China cabinets....

At least this country can still manufacture stamped steel products... 

 

[MotoX178]

Stanley Black and Decker bought the Craftsman name and rights to sell outside Sears, not the product.  Two completely different Craftsman brands right now but once Sears is gone so is the old Craftsman.  This should be a nice refresh for the brand with some classics like the screwdrivers staying the same.

Some product is made in the USA with the intention of getting the majority of it state side over the next few years.  I believe most of the mechanics tool sets are out of Dallas and box/cabinets are Missouri.  Some of the power tools I believe are assembled here as well.  They typically show if they are made or assembled in the USA right on the front of the packaging. 

Overall personally I think this is exactly what the brand needed after Sears ran it into the ground.  All my first tools were Craftsman and I still have my original mechanics tool set.

 

[freebird_78]

I hope Kobalt rubs off onto Craftsman.  Their quality (at least for tool boxes) has gone down dramatically.  I cross-shopped Craftsman, Kobalt and Husky when buying mine, and Craftsman was far inferior.  Hell, I think even the newer Harbor Freight stuff was built better.  

[Ud_Luz]

42 minutes ago, freebird_78 said:

I think even the newer Harbor Freight stuff was built better.  

I've been buying HF tools lately because most are better than the Chinese Craftsman junk. I'm seeing more and more US, Taiwan, Japanese and some other tools versus their old cheap mainland China stuff now. 

The other day I bought a 1/2" torque wrench to throw in the toy hauler for $9.99 with a coupon. I tested it on my torque gauge and it was well within 4% throughout it's whole range and virtually dead on center range. You tell me how an el cheapo $10 wrench is more accurate than my $250 Wright? 

[THUMPERRRR]

(some) craftsman at ace hardware too...

[freebird_78]

33 minutes ago, Ud_Luz said:

I've been buying HF tools lately because most are better than the Chinese Craftsman junk. I'm seeing more and more US, Taiwan, Japanese and some other tools versus their old cheap mainland China stuff now. 

The other day I bought a 1/2" torque wrench to throw in the toy hauler for $9.99 with a coupon. I tested it on my torque gauge and it was well within 4% throughout it's whole range and virtually dead on center range. You tell me how an el cheapo $10 wrench is more accurate than my $250 Wright? 

Yup, my cheap HF torque wrenches test more accurate than my Craftsman ones.  ?

[racermx66]

The K-Mart that is still in business by me sells Craftsman. All my tools are Craftsman. So far my Made In China tools have been reliable. 

[rmxtgh]

Kmart.....gotta go to kmart......(imagine rain man saying it....)       Jeopardy at 7 too.....

[Oil Baron]

When I need an individual tool, I go to HD and get a husky wrench or socket.   They can be welded with 309L.  Shipwrecks doesn’t sell individual sockets and wrenches, only sets.  I was reluctant to buy anything from them with a motor, but the red $20 angle grinders from HF work well.  I have three of them with different wheels.  

[William1]

Didn't KMart also sell Craftsman?

I was in Lowes a week ago. Saw a big Craftsman display with a dedicated sales associate working it. Selling Christmas toolsets for dad....

I got the third degree that last time I took a tool into Sears for warranty. They gave me a hard time and honestly, it would of been more worth my time to of bought a new one. Someplace else. Thirty years ago, they were great. Come in, tell them you want a new one, they'd tell you to go get the new one off of the shelf, ring you up and send you on your way. SnapOn still treats me good though I also put an entire family through college so there is that.

[BOAB]

The tolerances on their Chinese wrenches are terrible.  If you want to buy cheap tools get HF, their tolerances are well within useable.

[2strokeYardSale]

 

Lowe's is closing dozens of stores across the US and Canada

https://www.businessinsider.com/lowes-stores-closing-list-2018-11

 

[Kalamazoo]

5 hours ago, freebird_78 said:

I hope Kobalt rubs off onto Craftsman.  Their quality (at least for tool boxes) has gone down dramatically.  I cross-shopped Craftsman, Kobalt and Husky when buying mine, and Craftsman was far inferior.  Hell, I think even the newer Harbor Freight stuff was built better.  

When I bought my house I bought a brand new Craftsman riding mower and string trimmer from the local sears. What absolute junk. 

The battery in the mower lasted longer than the mower (6 years) and the "professional series" string trimmer lasted 2 1/2 seasons. 

I will never buy anything crapsman again. 

[William1]

Just now, Kalamazoo said:

When I bought my house I bought a brand new Craftsman riding mower and string trimmer from the local sears. What absolute junk. 

The battery in the mower lasted longer than the mower (6 years) and the "professional series" string trimmer lasted 2 1/2 seasons. 

I will never buy anything crapsman again. 

I bought a Craftsman Garden Tractor when I moved to VA in 1999. Still running, 1,035 hours on it. An oil seal went on the crank (flywheel side), the mower deck rusted/wore out and was replaced. Steering sector wore out (cheap plastic bushings-redone with ball bearings). On the second battery. No oil consumption. HST runs flawless despite me abusing it and towing 800 lbs in the little trailer. I figure it will run at least another 500 hours.

My neighbor has replaced her Sears rider three times during this period. She does not take care of them.

I went through a few Big Box trimmers and chain saws. Waste of money Finally started to buy Sthil, no comparison between the cheap and a real tool like the Sthil.

I still have a Murray push mower I bought in 1980. Starts first pull every time. Mower deck has pop-riveted panes over pop-riveted panels. Engine runs like a champ. Oil changes, air filter and a plug or two.

[Piney Woods]

1 hour ago, 2strokeYardSale said:

 

Lowe's is closing dozens of stores across the US and Canada

https://www.businessinsider.com/lowes-stores-closing-list-2018-11

 

Our local Lowe's is terrible.

[William1]

12 minutes ago, Piney Woods said:

Our local Lowe's is terrible.

Ours was good. But they went downhill, all attributable to poor local management.

Wife wanted a new fridge. I did not want to spend the money on a Sub-Zero. We went to Lowes. Bought a Marvell under counter freezer (Like $2,500!!) and a Samsung Fridge. Delivery was two weeks late on a appliance ordered six weeks prior to requested delivery date. Deleivery was to be between noon and 4 PM. 9:30 at night, these guys show up with only my under counter freezer. Next day I call, like a deer in headlights. After a few hours, straightened out. Next week. Next week, delivery between noon and 4PM. At 8PM the delivery guys show up. First question from them was 'I see you have security cameras, do they all work?' Fridge is brought in, all dented. Take it back! They offer me $100 store credit. Over the next ten days, I am on the phone an hour a day to get it resolved and finally canceled. Each time I have to explain it all over again. Finally, I get credited back. The store district manager calls and asks why I canceled. I again explain the ordeal. He says what would it take to earn my trust back? I ell him to give me a grand. Her said, no can do, I'll have them issue you a 10% credit based on your fridge purchase. Ok, fine, I am done with is crap. I never get the credit. I biatch to Lowes HQ in NC. Over several calls, they finally promise to take care of me. Lo(wes) and behold, I got not $100, but $1,000. Idiots.

I bought the Sub-Zero.

[Kalamazoo]

39 minutes ago, William1 said:

I bought a Craftsman Garden Tractor when I moved to VA in 1999. Still running, 1,035 hours on it. An oil seal went on the crank (flywheel side), the mower deck rusted/wore out and was replaced. Steering sector wore out (cheap plastic bushings-redone with ball bearings). On the second battery. No oil consumption. HST runs flawless despite me abusing it and towing 800 lbs in the little trailer. I figure it will run at least another 500 hours.

My neighbor has replaced her Sears rider three times during this period. She does not take care of them.

I went through a few Big Box trimmers and chain saws. Waste of money Finally started to buy Sthil, no comparison between the cheap and a real tool like the Sthil.

I still have a Murray push mower I bought in 1980. Starts first pull every time. Mower deck has pop-riveted panes over pop-riveted panels. Engine runs like a champ. Oil changes, air filter and a plug or two.

I have a 50 year old Massey Ferguson tractor that I mow and plow with now. Only Echo and Husqvarna for me. I'm not a fan of Sthil dealers or products.