Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
They still make SK?? I thought they were gone. I always liked SK, my first socket set was an SK 3/8" because my friend had one, and I still have it.
Reunited With Old Tools
- Thread starter Swanicyouth
- Start date
They still make SK?? I thought they were gone. I always liked SK, my first socket set was an SK 3/8" because my friend had one, and I still have it.
Swanicyouth
New member
SK is alive and well. Someone bought the company, but it's still the same USA made SK tools we all know.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Swanicyouth- After all this time (during which it's worked fine), that cotter pin-fix is kinda a feature, huh? I'd rather have that than a replacement, but then I can be awfully sentimental about such stuff.
tropicsteve
New member
I still have a few of my father's sk tools (sk-wayne at one time also). I bought several sk torque wrenches just a couple years ago. still very nice quality. (sk=super krome for those who didn't know)
XxBoostinxX
New member
That's the very truth, and probably why I don't own my own Snap-on set yet. There is such a difference in quality that until you actual use a nice wrench, you just won't understand. I love taking a nice wrench, twisting it in my hand and feeling it "click". It feels smooth and exact every time. Then taking a cheap Kobalt or Husky and doing the same thing. It's like two completely different tools.
My buddy that I mentioned just got his fathers old Snap-on rolling chest (5 foot tall) with the push button lock on it and a bunch of tools handed down to him. He has an extremely jealous friend now.
Swanicyouth
New member
Got a new tool today. It came from Amazon. It's a Wera 3/8" Zyklop metal ratchet - 72 teeth. But, what came in the box is really odd.
All what you see came in the box:
1. 1 can of organic baby food.
2. 1 pack of Easy Pack coffee filters
3. 1 Auto Drop eye drop guide
4. 1 Buckets of Beads heart shaped I Love You rhinestone charm (red)
5. 1 unidentifiable purple thing
6. 1 Wera ratchet
???????:
I like this ratchet because the head is so small. Compared to a Crafstman:
All what you see came in the box:
1. 1 can of organic baby food.
2. 1 pack of Easy Pack coffee filters
3. 1 Auto Drop eye drop guide
4. 1 Buckets of Beads heart shaped I Love You rhinestone charm (red)
5. 1 unidentifiable purple thing
6. 1 Wera ratchet
???????:
I like this ratchet because the head is so small. Compared to a Crafstman:
Ronkh
Wax Waster
tools for tots as well ?
Accumulator
Well-known member
Swanicyouth- Those extras *are* a head-scratcher!
I'll be interested to hear how that ratchet holds up. Sure *looks* nice.
(My Facom ratchets appeared really nice, but they've been nothing but trouble.)
I'll be interested to hear how that ratchet holds up. Sure *looks* nice.
(My Facom ratchets appeared really nice, but they've been nothing but trouble.)
Pockets
@PoorboysWorld.com
I can weigh in on that purple thing ..... It's a GoPro screw. I think it can be used for mounting a camera to a monopod though.
As for the charm ....... don't lie we know you were going to make a bracelet =p
As for the charm ....... don't lie we know you were going to make a bracelet =p
Swanicyouth
New member
^ thanks. Lol. I ate the baby food for lunch - wasn't bad.
Rest of the stuff I tossed in the garbage.
Let's see some pics of your ratchets !!
Rest of the stuff I tossed in the garbage.
Let's see some pics of your ratchets !!
Swanicyouth
New member
Woke up this morning and their was another tool on my step. Snap-On sent me a free 1/2" S80A ratchet to replace my old SL710 - due to the SL710 having a hairline crack in the head.
New vrs old:
The crack:
What an amazing company to deal with. I didn't discover this crack until a few days after rebuilt the old ratchet. They don't even want the old one back. What an amazing company to deal with for warranty service.
I wasn't even expecting this. I just sent them some pics to ask them if the crack would be warranty - then the ratchet just shows up.
New vrs old:
The crack:
What an amazing company to deal with. I didn't discover this crack until a few days after rebuilt the old ratchet. They don't even want the old one back. What an amazing company to deal with for warranty service.
I wasn't even expecting this. I just sent them some pics to ask them if the crack would be warranty - then the ratchet just shows up.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Swanicyouth- Eh, I've never done the digital-imaging thing. Yeah, I know..I'm stuck in the 19th century in many ways. Crazy for a guy who's on Autopia so much, huh?
That's some wonderful customer-service, shows you get more for your $ than just the "I have Snap On!" prestige. Customer for Life, aren't you?!?
That's some wonderful customer-service, shows you get more for your $ than just the "I have Snap On!" prestige. Customer for Life, aren't you?!?
Swanicyouth
New member
Planned on washing my car today, but it was going to snow tomorrow. So, I went down to the bunker to exhume more tools.
These are the pics after I cleaned them - believe it or not. They were filthy. This is the mess:
The tools:
Mac Pry Bars circa 1992. These got a lot of use. The handles are burnt from prying while using an acetylene torch. Yeah, hands often got burnt, too:
Matco 24" 3/8 extension & Crafstman 20" 3/8 extension. The long Matco one was the only way to get to the upper front motor mount bolt (from above) on the 1990s era 3.8L Taurus, along with a Snap-On chrome hand socket that was ground down I've since lost.
Snap ring pliers from Waldes, Crafstman, & Blue Point:
KD Gasket Scraper set. I think KD was taken over by Gearwrench since. These say KD USA on them.
Cornwell 1/2" Impact Socket. Indestructible tool. Used to drop a lot of exhaust flanges.
Various punches and chisels from Mac, General, and Crafstman.
These are the pics after I cleaned them - believe it or not. They were filthy. This is the mess:
The tools:
Mac Pry Bars circa 1992. These got a lot of use. The handles are burnt from prying while using an acetylene torch. Yeah, hands often got burnt, too:
Matco 24" 3/8 extension & Crafstman 20" 3/8 extension. The long Matco one was the only way to get to the upper front motor mount bolt (from above) on the 1990s era 3.8L Taurus, along with a Snap-On chrome hand socket that was ground down I've since lost.
Snap ring pliers from Waldes, Crafstman, & Blue Point:
KD Gasket Scraper set. I think KD was taken over by Gearwrench since. These say KD USA on them.
Cornwell 1/2" Impact Socket. Indestructible tool. Used to drop a lot of exhaust flanges.
Various punches and chisels from Mac, General, and Crafstman.
Billy Jack
Member
1992? Heck, that's near new for pro tools.
I started owing my soul to the tool truck man around 1975. In addition to the stuff that came from my late father, I also bought bits and pieces from guys who retired. I guess it's time to pull a few odd-looking pieces out of the drawers and take some pics.
Here's the first buffer I could truly call my own. Rockwell brand (the real Rockwell), not the Chinese crap with the Rockwell name they sell today:
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10 lbs, single speed and still ready for work at 35 years old.
More to come ................
Bill
I started owing my soul to the tool truck man around 1975. In addition to the stuff that came from my late father, I also bought bits and pieces from guys who retired. I guess it's time to pull a few odd-looking pieces out of the drawers and take some pics.
Here's the first buffer I could truly call my own. Rockwell brand (the real Rockwell), not the Chinese crap with the Rockwell name they sell today:
10 lbs, single speed and still ready for work at 35 years old.
More to come ................
Bill
Ronkh
Wax Waster
.
Here's the first buffer I could truly call my own. Rockwell brand (the real Rockwell), not the Chinese crap with the Rockwell name they sell today:
[/URL][/IMG]
10 lbs, single speed and still ready for work at 35 years old.
More to come ................
Bill
That and some smelly orange compound...... Oh Yeah, reliving my youth
Swanicyouth
New member
Awesome polisher Billy Jack. Keep 'em coming.
I am not a very handy guy, but I fix a fair amount of stuff and have a semi full set of tools in the carage. My craftsman set drowned in the hurricane and I have a mix of HF, Snap on, Williams and Wera, and Fellos gear that I needed to quickly replace after the storm to work on the house. I know HF gets a bad wrap, but I have not broken 1 socket or ratchet yet. Not the smoothest I have ever used but they get the job done. At the time I was pised that my C-Man warranty did not cover soaking in salt water over 7 days! (not really but it would have been nice)
After I got everything fixed my tools were dirty and trashed. To clean them I used GoJo wipes and TW Diamond wipes. These are designed to clean your hands but to a smashing job on greasy tools.
After I got everything fixed my tools were dirty and trashed. To clean them I used GoJo wipes and TW Diamond wipes. These are designed to clean your hands but to a smashing job on greasy tools.
1992? Heck, that's near new for pro tools.
I started owing my soul to the tool truck man around 1975. In addition to the stuff that came from my late father, I also bought bits and pieces from guys who retired. I guess it's time to pull a few odd-looking pieces out of the drawers and take some pics.
Here's the first buffer I could truly call my own. Rockwell brand (the real Rockwell), not the Chinese crap with the Rockwell name they sell today:
[/URL][/IMG]
10 lbs, single speed and still ready for work at 35 years old.
More to come ................
Bill
Billy Jack
Member
I still have a small box of my Dad's tools that I have no idea of their purpose, but here's a couple that I saw in use when I was just a child.
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The 1 5/16" Craftsman wrench was specifically for 50's Chrysler product rear brakes. It was cut off to fit inside the wheel and remove the axle nut after being loosened with a couple hammer blows. That way, you could pull the wheel and brake drum as one unit, removing only one nut rather than 5 lug nuts. The Snap-On socket is a 19/32". The finish is well-worn, but the flutes inside were like new, since it was likely never put on a nut. It just happened to be the same diameter as the drum brake anchor pin. That allowed you to build the brake shoes and adjuster mechanism inside the drum. Once you anchored it all to the backing plate and attached the return springs, there was no further adjustment necessary, saving even more time.
Nowadays, I do so few drum brakes that I have to do one side at a time so I remember how to put it all together!
Bill
The 1 5/16" Craftsman wrench was specifically for 50's Chrysler product rear brakes. It was cut off to fit inside the wheel and remove the axle nut after being loosened with a couple hammer blows. That way, you could pull the wheel and brake drum as one unit, removing only one nut rather than 5 lug nuts. The Snap-On socket is a 19/32". The finish is well-worn, but the flutes inside were like new, since it was likely never put on a nut. It just happened to be the same diameter as the drum brake anchor pin. That allowed you to build the brake shoes and adjuster mechanism inside the drum. Once you anchored it all to the backing plate and attached the return springs, there was no further adjustment necessary, saving even more time.
Nowadays, I do so few drum brakes that I have to do one side at a time so I remember how to put it all together!
Bill
Swanicyouth
New member
Went down to the bunker and rescued this set of Sunex SAE impact sockets circa 1990-something. I'm doing this piece-meal because most of the tools are pretty filthy and it takes a decent amount of work to getting them degreased.
This is the set after I cleaned it with diesel fuel and Brake Kleen. These sockets saw a lot of Ford F & E series suspension work - so the insides were caked up with grease.
As you can see, the 7/8" socket got a lot of use. I think I bought these off the SK tool truck. Dunno why they were selling Sunex.
Never broke one of these sockets. They are Cro-Mo and pretty well made for being imports.
Also, cleaned up the Mac pry bars. It took the wire wheel to get all the grease out.
Before:
After:
Compare to a Harbor Freight cheapy
The Mac pry bars are cold forged steel, and the HF ones are hot forged. The HF ones are brittle and more likely to snap. I can tell you, you can put all types of cheater bars on the Mac pry bars and they won't snap. Also, the tips don't chip. You really get what you pay for here.
This is the set after I cleaned it with diesel fuel and Brake Kleen. These sockets saw a lot of Ford F & E series suspension work - so the insides were caked up with grease.
As you can see, the 7/8" socket got a lot of use. I think I bought these off the SK tool truck. Dunno why they were selling Sunex.
Never broke one of these sockets. They are Cro-Mo and pretty well made for being imports.
Also, cleaned up the Mac pry bars. It took the wire wheel to get all the grease out.
Before:
After:
Compare to a Harbor Freight cheapy
The Mac pry bars are cold forged steel, and the HF ones are hot forged. The HF ones are brittle and more likely to snap. I can tell you, you can put all types of cheater bars on the Mac pry bars and they won't snap. Also, the tips don't chip. You really get what you pay for here.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Not breaking/chipping is a serious safely issue, and why I no longer trust Craftsman- I had a 3/8 breaker bar fracture at the yoke under mere hand-pressure (no cheater) and a fragment of it hit the concrete floor hard enough to take out a chip. I couldn't/can't help think how it could've caught me in the eye (OK, ok, always wear safetly glasses, but for *that* job?!?). I saved that breaker just for evidence of how crappy it was, more important to me than getting a free replacement (which I would't trust anyhow).