Seen at a nearby Lowes....;

   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #11  
As with anything, they make several different levels of quality. Their middle of the line boxes are not that great. I have two. The first one was fine for home usage. So I purchased a second identical one (except for drawer count, it's the same as the first one) for my job.... out of the box, the casters wouldn't roll well, at all. I had to take them back to the store and told the manager it was unacceptable, as I had to roll the toolbox all day at work. He said they'd have to return the whole box, and offered me different casters from their caster isle with exchange of the original casters. That resolved the wheel issue. Then the carcass developed a crack at a seam. It was out of warranty, so I live with it. The doors do not pull very smoothly, get out of square easily, and you can open more than one drawer at a time, so tip-over is a very real possibility. Also, the drawers do not latch without locking the entire box, so again, if you don't lock it and aren't paying attention, all of the drawers can slide open at once.

This wasn't their cheap line, and it wasn't their top line, it was the middle line. The price was right when it was on sale, but looking back on it, if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't purchase that line of boxes again. ;)

Menards has Tool Shop and Performax lines of boxes, both are low to mid quality at best. I have their old style of Masterforce which I really like. But now they have a new design of Masterforce which is really nice, and that's the line I was talking about. If you haven't seen them, take a look next time you're at Menards.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #12  
Now, if only Menards would expand their territory to the east. Or better yet, I should move west. :D

We travel west every year and am very impressed with the size and selection of inventory stocked in their stores. It's like a Lowes and Home Depot combined.

I. Just got back from Kentucky..first time o ever saw a Menard's store.. didn't get a chance to go in but wish I had.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #13  
There are at least half a dozen store now carrying Craftsman tools, including Ace hardware and occasionally Costco. As poorly made as the current generation of Craftsman tools are, I have to put this near the top of the "Who Cares" column.
Agree. I have slowly replaced most craftsman tools with Kobalt. I have lots of tools for the barn, garage, basement and hangar覧different for the anticipated oil change or repair. Sears tools, I am sad to say, are pretty much junk nowadays.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #14  
Will all of these new craftsman sellers trade out tools for warranty?

I agree craftsman stinks now, but I still find the screw drivers acceptable and like trading them out after I use them as a chisel or prybar.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #15  
Will all of these new craftsman sellers trade out tools for warranty?

I agree craftsman stinks now, but I still find the screw drivers acceptable and like trading them out after I use them as a chisel or prybar.

What is the Kobalt warranty? I always liked that with craftsman you don't need a receipt. You could find it on the side of the road and they would exchange it. If Kolbalt is this easy I'd probably change but not if I have to keep up with receipts.

Another post said Lowes dropping Kobalt line for Craftsman. Haven't even seen Craftsman available in SE Alabama stores. Any validity to this rumor?
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....;
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Agree. I have slowly replaced most craftsman tools with Kobalt. I have lots of tools for the barn, garage, basement and hangar覧different for the anticipated oil change or repair. Sears tools, I am sad to say, are pretty much junk nowadays.

Some may think I am excessive, but I have three locations with tools - I keep a basic set of Kobalt in one shed, a set of Husky tools in the cellar, and a mash up of Craftsman, Snap-on, Proto, and many older but still used USA made (a collection from my grandfather, father, and my own) in my main tool crib.
I hate having to walk around hunting tools. Why the different brands? So I know where the darn things are supposed to be kept! I find a Proto, I know it goes in the main bin. I find a Kobalt, I know it goes in the small shed.
My wife has her own set of Kobalt tools in a Kobalt box. She keeps it hidden from me - something about me using her tools and not putting them back. Sidebar, my wife has a few tools that belonged to my mother - she cherishes those.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #17  
I guess if Lowes will not be carrying Kobalt much longer then it probably means they will not be obligated to honor the "Lifetime" warranty.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #18  
What is the Kobalt warranty? I always liked that with craftsman you don't need a receipt. You could find it on the side of the road and they would exchange it. If Kolbalt is this easy I'd probably change but not if I have to keep up with receipts.

Another post said Lowes dropping Kobalt line for Craftsman. Haven't even seen Craftsman available in SE Alabama stores. Any validity to this rumor?

The old Craftsman policy of straight up exchange for broken tools ended long ago. Nearly 10 years ago I broke a socket (and actually wasn't abusing it) and took it back to the local sears store. I had to fill out a form and give them the broken socket and was told a replacement would be mailed to me. Nearly 2 months later I had to contact them a second time asking where my replacement was an then wait several more weeks to receive it. If I hadn't had another set of sockets I would've been SOL as I was in the middle of a necessary repair when it broke.

The part of the whole incident that turned me against Craftsman was not the poor warranty policy, it was the fact that the old US made sockets never would've broken under light use in the first place.
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #19  
The old Craftsman policy of straight up exchange for broken tools ended long ago. Nearly 10 years ago I broke a socket (and actually wasn't abusing it) and took it back to the local sears store. I had to fill out a form and give them the broken socket and was told a replacement would be mailed to me. Nearly 2 months later I had to contact them a second time asking where my replacement was an then wait several more weeks to receive it. If I hadn't had another set of sockets I would've been SOL as I was in the middle of a necessary repair when it broke.

The part of the whole incident that turned me against Craftsman was not the poor warranty policy, it was the fact that the old US made sockets never would've broken under light use in the first place.
That's odd, I replaced a breaker bar a few months back, I walked in with just the breaker bar and walked out about 10 minutes later with a new one and an exchange receipt.

Aaron Z
 
   / Seen at a nearby Lowes....; #20  
That's odd, I replaced a breaker bar a few months back, I walked in with just the breaker bar and walked out about 10 minutes later with a new one and an exchange receipt.

Aaron Z

Maybe it's my store rather than an across the board return policy.
 

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