+1 for klein. all of the tools i use at home are klein bought from the supply house back when my stepdad worked for himself
+1 for klein. all of the tools i use at home are klein bought from the supply house back when my stepdad worked for himself
14x48 custom 2hp 9gear lathe
9 inch pre 1940 craftsman lathe
36 inch 1914 Sydney bandsaw (BEAST)
Wood in every shelf and nook and cranny,,, seriously too much wood!
Hey, Matt;
It's April. Garage sales have started up anew.
That's where you can get the good ones.
Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night
I'm a mechanic. And I agree Craftsman screwdrivers suck. Snap-On thinks way too highly of their tools as well. My personal preference are SK screwdrivers and ones made by Stahlwillie, a European tool manufacturer. I get mine from a dealer who stops by the shop. Not sure if they are available online or not. And on a related note, anyone looking for a great set of pliers, no matter what type, should seriously consider anything made by Knipex. Best pliers in the world, hands down.
I am amazed that you guys keep a screwdriver long enough to damage one. I bet I have 100 screw drivers in my shop. Most all purchased off the $1.00 clearance rack. A lot of Craftsman too. I can't ever remember damaging a screwdriver.
I have a friend who is big on Snap-on tools. I tell him all the time I can only afford Snap-off tools.
"Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
- Rick Dale
Check your local NAPA store. I'm not sure what they will have. If the one near you is like mine, they will tell you if you want one or not.
________
Ron
"Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
Vince Lombardi
Knipex pliars are excellent and so are their screwdrivers. Lowes around here has them in the electician's tool section.
Wiha, Stahlwille also excellent. All three brands made in Germany.
I only resort to Snap-On for Posi-Drive screwdrivers. They are excellent but way too much money. About Snap-On, I say "you can buy better tools, but you can't pay more".
Craftsman has made a 50+ year journey from excellent to good to junk. Most people want junk. I have some 20 year old Craftsman screwdrivers and they are pretty good.
I prefer Klein screwdrivers Matt. It's the electrician in me I guess. I got in the trade in 1977 and to a large degree they are still made in the exact same sizes (and model numbers) now as they were back then.
PHM
I love the small Wiha screw drivers but for "standard" size ones I prefer Wera, available at plenty of online places and Woodcraft.
http://www-us.wera.de/catalog_us.htm...eries_300.html
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Klein make a pretty fine screwdriver. I have kleins that are pretty old, and still fit the screw they are designed for snugly. The handles are easy on my poor, beat up hands, too.
Paul
I've been kind of a screwdriver nut in the same way that other nuts collect plumb bobs ever since I was a kid. Everything about PB Swiss drivers is wonderful, esp. their electrical ones that are actually sized correctly for IEC components. Wiha, Stahwille, Wera, Bondhus, Felo, and SK are all great too. Carbideprocessors.com often has sales on Wiha and Bondhus sets and they are a great store too (no affiliation, just a satisfied customer).
Another vote for Klein. I will say though that the older ones I have (15-20 yrs) seem to be a little more durable than the newest ones. Could be the Home Depot factor or it could just be my imagination.
Matt, If you have a Matco tool dealer in your area, they make a great screwdriver at a not so bad price. Lifetime warranty and the grips are nice also. I have a drawer full of Snap-on and Matco and choose the Matco everytime.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
Purists may turn their noses up, but I really like this for general screw driving:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...411,43417&ap=1
USA made Stanley stuff is ok. I haven't had any issues with them. I have twisted the tips off my Craftsman stuff. Other than that if you want to turn your own handles the Lee Valley shanks are pretty good.