OT-What are you buying right now?

DoubleEgger

The #1 rule for tools is to never lend them out. When I bought my Stihl chainsaw, the guy said, “it’ll last you a lifetime if you never lend it out. I make a living repairing lent equipment.”  

alaskanassasin

craftsman is owned by stanley now

1911Man

Just ordered some wood chunks...
http://www.mainegrillingwoods.com/chunks-two-pack-jumbo-poly.html
Getting one bag of black cherry and one of sugar maple. I have enough left for another cook. Might not smoke over the weekend, but better to order now and have it just in case. Oh, and I picked the ground shipping option because:

Kind of a 'no-brainer'... Especially since I'll probably see it Wednesday. 

1911Man

alaskanassasin said:

craftsman is owned by stanley now

When did they take it over?? Is that everything or just hand tools?? 

alaskanassasin

A couple years ago that’s why they are in Lowe’s now, Sears sold it off to try and save the ship from sinking

1911Man

alaskanassasin said:

A couple years ago that’s why they are in Lowe’s now, Sears sold it off to try and save the ship from sinking

Ah... Makes sense for the time frame (and from I recall for the tools showing up in Lowe's). I have no issue with the older hand tools I have by Craftsman. But the machinery I had owned over the past several years (made after they were on the decline) earned the name "Crapsman". IMO, there are enough good quality hand tools out there these days, with solid warranties, for people working on small projects, or tinkering. Especially if you don't have the budget for true professional level hand tools. 

billt01

"trying" to purchase this...

fishlessman

Botch said:

nolaegghead said:

dmourati said:

Same.

One thing I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know until recently was the differences between standard phillips screws and JIS phillips identified by a dot.

If you don't know of them, this information will help you from mangling these screws. 

https://www.motorcycle.com/ask-mo-anything/difference-between-japanese-jis-phillips.html

Just learned this myself a couple years ago.  Fortunately I traded my Yamaha bike for a BMW before I bought a bunch of JIS drivers, so I could use the money for... Torx drivers.  

damn british truck has a special torque screw to lock in the battery, bigger pin size than the standard security torque. nothing the saw and chisel couldnt fix

JohnEggGio

alaskanassasin said:

craftsman is owned by stanley now

We folks in and around Towson, Md prefer “Stanley Black & Decker”...  My dear ole grandma went to school with Alonzo Decker.

Funny little story - in the 1980s my grandma was living in West Palm Beach.  Around the corner from her, Black & Decker was opening a storefront service center.  Well, she was keeping an eye out for the grand opening - one day she asked me, “Do you think Tubby Decker will be there?”  I couldn’t help letting out a small laugh, and said, “Grandma, it’s a very large company - no way he’ll be here for this.”

A couple of days later I got the phone # of B&D HQ up in Towson and got ahold of someone in the executive suite.  Alonzo “Tubby” Decker, although retired at that point, did maintain an office there and did spend time there weekly.  So, I wrote a letter to Mr. Decker, relaying the whole story.  Sure enough, a short time later, I got a letter in return, “Dear John, thank you for you note.  It’s been many years since anyone has called me Tubby.  Give my best to Libby.”

Botch

alaskanassasin said:

A couple years ago that’s why they are in Lowe’s now, Sears sold it off to try and save the ship from sinking

Heh, the only reason I went into a Sears brick-n-mortar was for a Craftsman item.... 

sheetmetalpete

Just picked up a set of tow dollies for the winter's project - a '75 Dodge Power Wagon wrecker.

alaskanassasin

Botch said:

alaskanassasin said:

A couple years ago that’s why they are in Lowe’s now, Sears sold it off to try and save the ship from sinking

Heh, the only reason I went into a Sears brick-n-mortar was for a Craftsman item.... 

 Me too, like they mentioned above I would toss a broken tool in the bucket and grab a new one off the shelf. Now it’s hard to find a Sears. That whole situation is a mess, why would they buy Kmart? Box stores are failing left and right including yours, what justification would you have to buy another sinking ship. Beyond logic. 

Gulfcoastguy

new tires it looks like. Unrepairable nail in the sidewalk of one. The tires have 54000 miles, too many to just buy a pair in my opinion. The dealer said that otherwise I could have gotten another 20,000 miles plus on them.

frazzdaddy

milesvdustin said:

I have a ton of craftsman (USA made) sockets and such. I also have a lot of other brands of tools, even harbor freight stuff. Hard to see a whole lot of difference in things, but I am not a pro mechanic. I understand snap on is the best knees, but also stupid expensive. 

I spent a lifetime with professional  hand tools. I still have some of my original Craftsman. I learned early on that it was about comfort and precision. The Craftsman stuff worked fine, just not what you wanted to use all day. Tighter gearing in the ratchets make a big difference in tight spaces. Flank Drive on the box ends wont round the bolt heads. My main tool box is all Snap On and I still have my original 1/4 inch drive set (circa 1976) Lot's and Lot's of $$$ though. 

DoubleEgger

kl8ton

DoubleEgger said:

I guess that makes me a victim.  I've been in the van many times. 

bucky925

The rail carrier I retired from bought our tools.  Only 3 brands were allowed, craftsman, snap on and one other.  They would do locker checks to make sure we had no "banned" tools".  Most of the guys would lock up when they came around but not me.  I left mine wide open.  At times they would take tools out and start to question me of the origin and I would tell them HEY you bought them I didn't.  I would get new replacements in a week or two. 

Once they bought two of us  VERY nice blue point sets to take on road repair trips.  Back then it was a 300-500 $ set.  On a locker check they told me this was not allowed and to throw it in the dumpster which I did right away.  I got them out on my way home at the end of my shift and still use them today  .   I really am bummed I didn't get my snap on ratchet wrenches before I left. 

My point is if I'm not paying I would prefer the snap on and blue point over craftsman but they all worked. 

frazzdaddy

kl8ton said:

DoubleEgger said:

I guess that makes me a victim.  I've been in the van many times. 

Yeah, true I guess but they made me a lot of $$

hoosier_egger

frazzdaddy said:

milesvdustin said:

I have a ton of craftsman (USA made) sockets and such. I also have a lot of other brands of tools, even harbor freight stuff. Hard to see a whole lot of difference in things, but I am not a pro mechanic. I understand snap on is the best knees, but also stupid expensive. 

I spent a lifetime with professional  hand tools. I still have some of my original Craftsman. I learned early on that it was about comfort and precision. The Craftsman stuff worked fine, just not what you wanted to use all day. Tighter gearing in the ratchets make a big difference in tight spaces. Flank Drive on the box ends wont round the bolt heads. My main tool box is all Snap On and I still have my original 1/4 inch drive set (circa 1976) Lot's and Lot's of $$$ though. 

My absolute favorite ratchet is my Snap On 1/4 swivel head. I've had it for 20 years and it's still as smooth as buttah

gmanrva

rifrench

I started buying and using  Snap-On tools in 1968.  I still use the original tools, save a few that were worn out, or broken.  I added to them through the years and up sized roller cabinets and chests several times.

frazzdaddy

ColtsFan said:

frazzdaddy said:

milesvdustin said:

I have a ton of craftsman (USA made) sockets and such. I also have a lot of other brands of tools, even harbor freight stuff. Hard to see a whole lot of difference in things, but I am not a pro mechanic. I understand snap on is the best knees, but also stupid expensive. 

I spent a lifetime with professional  hand tools. I still have some of my original Craftsman. I learned early on that it was about comfort and precision. The Craftsman stuff worked fine, just not what you wanted to use all day. Tighter gearing in the ratchets make a big difference in tight spaces. Flank Drive on the box ends wont round the bolt heads. My main tool box is all Snap On and I still have my original 1/4 inch drive set (circa 1976) Lot's and Lot's of $$$ though. 

My absolute favorite ratchet is my Snap On 1/4 swivel head. I've had it for 20 years and it's still as smooth as buttah

That would be the circa 1976 set I was referring to. Most used ratchet in my arsenal. One gearset and 1 pin in all those years.

frazzdaddy

rifrench said:

I started buying and using  Snap-On tools in 1968.  I still use the original tools, save a few that were worn out, or broken.  I added to them through the years and up sized roller cabinets and chests several times.

My last set of Snap On chests were as big as some of the cars. It becomes an addiction lol.

alaskanassasin

1/4" ratchet has been retired since I started farming...

alaskanassasin

I am more into cutting torches, air hammer, welders, mostly torches

TN_Egger

I'm having a hard time deciding what to buy tonight from Charleston.

Botch

rifrench said:

I started buying and using  Snap-On tools in 1968.  I still use the original tools, save a few that were worn out, or broken.  I added to them through the years and up sized roller cabinets and chests several times.

My last four years I worked for the Maintenance Support Group, and one shop that I walked past every morning and evening would always collect beat-up Snap-On chests/roller cabinets, wrap them in plastic and ship off to DRMO, and then open palletloads of new Snap-On cabinets, load them onto trucks, and distribute them to different shops.  
Talk about a candy store.... 

Gulfcoastguy

We pulled one of the auto shop sized Snap On rolling tool chests out of a box culvert after Katrina. We used an electric winch and a tree for a block and tackle in order to get the angle right. Unfortunately it seemed that some one had just settled for emptying all of the drawers. The tools would have probably been corroded, salt water you know.

Wolfpack

@Botch the GBSD should be awarded around September- ready to come back to work yet? 

Got some calls today to discuss phenolic ablatives for the program.  Nothing like a 50 year annuity...

Botch

Wolfpack said:

@Botch the GBSD should be awarded around September- ready to come back to work yet? 

Got some calls today to discuss phenolic ablatives for the program.  Nothing like a 50 year annuity...

It's been a month.  I've been sleeping in an hour, have a leisurely breakfast, read the paper, and then start working a home project.
Then, I look up at the clock, and it's past suppertime!  
 
I'm keeping completely busy, but two things have happened that I wasn't expecting.
One, I'm feeling SOOO much better, physically.  Every morning I get up, I just feel better, almost like I"m 15 years younger.  I wasn't expecting that; maybe there was more stress there than I realized.  Point for staying retired.  
Two, Loneliness; I wasn't expecting this one either.  I know that I'm an extreme introvert; the interaction with my coworkers thru the week was about all I could stand, I really valued my nights, and weekend alone.  But, now that it's ALL by myself, that's not quite the right balance, either.  Point for getting another job, at least part-time.  
 
Springtime is when the job fairs around here usually ramp up.  I may be visiting, if just for a part-time job; but not sure yet.  
 
@Wolfpack, I'm curious as to what you've worked on before; PM me if you want.