Replies

1. 
   CCI | Apr 17, 2009 05:46pm | #1

   I think Craftsman tools have gotten a bad rap also.  Power tools I mean - the hand tools are still well made if you check the "made in" part.  I find the "made in usa" to still be the best.

   The power tools are more hit and miss.  I have a radial arm saw (and all of my fingers) that is great, a router that is ok, a belt sander that is great, a cordless drill that I bought to mix roofing cement that won't die and only cost like 49.95.

   I used to have a website link that showed the model# cross referenced with the manufacturer.  Sears just has their name put on tools made by others.  Some are good some are cheap.

   The only manufacturer I have had nothing but good things from is Bosch, but you do pay for that, much like paying for a BMW or a Mercedes.  Not always needed but sure nice to use once in a while. 

    It is the attention to detail that makes a tool, in my opinion.  For example, my Bosch cordless drill has such a nice trigger that I can control it better than the clutch on most others.  My craftsman, on the other hand, is more like sort of on sort of off then back off a little to try to find the right speed.  The Bosch can turn a screw 1/8 of a turn accurately but do I need that control to mix paint?  So I don't "waste" my good tools on mundane tasks - if that makes any sense.

1. 
   webted | Apr 17, 2009 11:36pm | #7

   I look over their power tools every now and then. My old man still buys Craftsman first, so I often end up using some of his when I visit.I'm often surprised at some of the innovative features their power tools will incorporate, only to be frustrated by the fact that they don't deliver because they're made of injection molded plastic. It's a real shame - I suspect their engineering/designing group (in house or contract) is probably even more frustrated.I do remember mercilessly cutting up a couple hundred linear feet of asphalt/concrete using an old Craftsman sidewinder and a diamond blade. I wanted a new saw, I just wasn't willing to wait it out any longer. I tore that driveway up in nice even strips...-t

2. 
   popawheelie | Apr 18, 2009 06:10am | #8

   I'm sorry, but they lost me yeaarrrsss ago. I do buy some things of theirs like tool boxes and hand tools like compination wrenches. But that is about it.

   Their business model is like alot of US businesses. Sell alot of stuff cheap and have sales once in a while.

   But after a while you figure out cheap tools cost more in the long run. "There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers

2. 
   PedroTheMule | Apr 17, 2009 06:38pm | #2

   Hi DCCarpenter,

   Thought I'd share a good experience with a company/tool line that usually gets a bad rap.

   As bad as my past experience was with Sears, I am so pleased for you that you had excellent success.

   My experience of never buying another item from Sears happened 26 years ago.

   Craftsman heavy duty top of the line 1/2" drill made in the USA...was used light duty 2 to 3 times a month. 2 weeks shy of the warranty expiration of 2 years, it froze up. I packed it back in the original box with all the paperwork but had somehow misplaced the original receipt......the actual manufacturers "date stamp" was clearly within the warranty period.....the only thing the receipt would have proven is that it was "warranty sold" at a date in excess of the tool date stamp.

   Through the process I went to the top of the store management and eventually ended up sending a certified letter to the corporate office but never got the drill repaired.

   Personally I think it was their belief that a teenager wasn't the one that had purchased a commercial drill and simply kept putting me off. I would probably get a different reaction now that I have some gray hair but that shouldn't have happened. If they had any doublts they could have made a copy of my identification.

   In the mean time, I've gotten even by continuing to share my story many times and the fact that my dad and my grandfather both quit buying tools from Sears after that.

   So, Sears screwed me severely and has lost well over 30 grand in family sales over the years and who knows how many others have not purchased from them because of my experience.

   Again, congratulations on getting the kind of service that we all should have gotten.

   Pedro the Mule - Stubborn with an elephant memory....geeez what a combination

1. 
   rez | Apr 17, 2009 07:33pm | #3

   Years back in the middle of a more involved job a handgrinder broke and Sears was the closest quickest way of getting back in the show

   so I bought one of their smaller grinders and for a bit more could get the 2year replacement warranty

   which I never buy but in this case I knew there was allot of work that little guy would be getting into so I bought the warranty.

   Now I get back to the house only to discover the lockbutton push for the disc release isn't working and have to drive back to Sears to remedy the situation.

   A different clerk punchs up my data and says no problem as I'd bought the warranty replacement.

   It was a good thing for her I had as I was ready to chew the leg off a horse and beat her with it if they'd given me a hard time regardless if I'd bought their warranty or not.

   My bad for not checking the tool out there when purchasing. Sometimes I'll do that now regardless if it makes me look like anass or not.

   FWIW Years later still no probs with the grinder. 

1. 
   BillHartmann | Apr 17, 2009 07:52pm | #4

   "A different clerk punchs up my data and says no problem as I'd bought the warranty replacement."It should make no difference if you bought the extended warranty or not.Unless it was sold As Is or remainder or similar it is sold as being a properly functioning unit and they have to make good. But they do have the option of repairing it, which not not be convenient..
   William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe

1. 
   rez | Apr 17, 2009 10:35pm | #6

   It should make no difference if you bought the extended warranty or not.

    Yes, that's what I was ready to tell her. 

3. 
   bearmon | Apr 17, 2009 09:19pm | #5

   About ten or twelve years ago, I borrowed scissors from the customer "service" desk and cut my Sears credit card in half and walked out, never to return.  They no longer get any of my money either.

   Bear

4. 
   Squash | Apr 21, 2009 05:49am | #9

   Without looking at it directly, I'm thinking that the router you're referring to is actually made by Bosch and indeed a nice machine. 

   I actually have a Craftsman palm router that is pretty much an exact clone of a Bosch Colt with a few design improvements, although I'm not too keen on the soft start... whole 'nother bag of worms.

   Craftsman stuff does get a bad rep a lot of the time, sometimes well-deserved, others not.  They sure do pack some good bargains from time to time though.  I'm eyeballing the 2.25 hp router with the plunge base, looks to be just the ticket for another bang-around plunger at a real good price.

   Glad things went well with Sears, that's getting to be far too rare.

   Nick

1. 
   DCCarpenter | Apr 21, 2009 07:01am | #10

   I think my router is the Bosch-made tool, I like it a lot. I'm thinking of trying to replace the speed control unit with one from another model that has adjustable speed. I tried hooking up a lamp cord dimmer in line with my power cord to adjust the speed down for big bits but unfortunately the soft start technology keeps it from working.Another Craftsman tool I had that was great was the 19.2 volt hammer drill, it had a big all metal chuck , plenty of power and rpm, and good battery life. I had it for 2 years or so before a co-worker broke it. I've switched over to the DeWalt cordless system for now because I like the finish nailer but remember that drill fondly.