Craftsman Tools!!!

Bird · May 13, 2006

( Warranty change involved electric tools )

I'm not sure what the old warranty was, but I bought a Craftsman Sabre Saw and a Craftsman 1/3 sheet Sander this morning. They were both on sale for $29.99 and $29.77. One year, free replacement warranty, and for about $4.50 each they would have made it two years, but I saved the $9. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

LMTC · May 13, 2006

Bird,
Used to be lifetime on electric tools too. Somewhere about the time most of them were being built elsewhere (used to be two companies, I forget the names, who built all the craftsman electric tools stateside) they changed it to one year. May actually be closer to 20 years ago. Used to be one forge that did all the craftsman wrenches, sockets, etc. too, in Vermont I think. Had a family connection with a regional tool buyer/exec. type guy from Sears when I was a young man.

Bird · May 13, 2006

Wayne, I didn't know they ever had a lifetime guarantee on power tools; just hand tools (of course there's more than a few things that I didn't, and still don't, know /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif). Snap-On, MAC, Matco, etc. do the same thing; lifetime on the "hard iron", but one year on the pneumatic and electric stuff.

midlf · May 13, 2006

( That is true they started a cheaper brand called "Companion" the does not have a lifetime warranty. )

The Sears Companion brand is not new just reintroduced. I have had a set of Sears Companion combination wrenches for over 45 years. I never had one die on me and I use them as my main SAE wrenches. Good fit on the hex but not finished as well as the Craftsman wrenches and just a bit shorter than Craftsman. I also have Sears Companion pliers, same age. Dad had a set of Sears socket wrenches from the same era that were about a 1/4" hex drive with sizes equivalent to todays 1/4 square drive.

When I picked up a flex head 3/8" drive a few months ago the Craftsman were advertised as US made and the Companions were asian imports.

Donnyj · May 13, 2006

Actually SNAP-ON does offer 2 year warranty on some air tools. I have never had any problems getting replacements on SNAP-ON tools. The will even guarantee drill bits. I have gotten bits replaced because of breakage and/or simply getting dull. Over the years I have spent a fortune with SNAP- ON, so maybe that affects how the dealer warranties different items.

midlf · May 13, 2006

If how much you buy from snappy influences warranty coverage that is NOT warranty service, that is customer good will service. Warranty is spelled out in a document. It is honored or not. If not honored I consider that to be fraud. How hard to push it depends on the cost and hassle but in any event failure to honor will result in my doing business elsewhere.

cp1969 · May 13, 2006

( Warranty change involved electric tools....and this changed many years ago...maybe 12-15. )

The "new" warranty applies to torque wrenches, too. I broke my 1/2" and the replacement carried a 90 day warranty.

Donnyj · May 13, 2006

Relax, It was a joke. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif SNAP-ON in my opinion is the best tools offered. Expensive? Sure. Best warranty coverage around. Always there at the shop every week fixing tools or replacing tools no questions asked. At home, way to expensive for occassional use. There sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers are unmatched in my opinion. By far the best line wrench ever made. I have used many others. The main thing is there service. I have never been refused a tool replacement or repair under warranty in over 20 years. Every shop I have worked at always had a SNAP-ON dealer. I can't say the same for MATCO, MAC, CORNWALL, or any others. My home setup includes many CRAFTSMAN tools. Excellent tools. I have seen the same tools on a MAC or MATCO tool truck that you can buy in Sears. Of course much cheaper at Sears.

Bird · May 13, 2006

Brian (MtnViewRanch) said above ( Try using a Snap-On screwdriver for a crow bar or a punch and see if the Snap-On guy will replace it, not usually. )

And you say ( Actually SNAP-ON does offer 2 year warranty on some air tools. I have never had any problems getting replacements on SNAP-ON tools. The will even guarantee drill bits. I have gotten bits replaced because of breakage and/or simply getting dull. Over the years I have spent a fortune with SNAP- ON, so maybe that affects how the dealer warranties different items. )

One of my brothers used to be a Matco Tool Distributor, was friends with the Snap-On distributor in the same area, I went with my brother to the Matco training program, and I did air tool repair for both of them. So . . ., I can tell you that Matco does (or at least did, and I assume still does) have a lifetime warranty on their hand tools, but they will not warranty one they consider obvious abuse or misuse. I'm sure Snap-On is the same, so Brian is right in some cases. I don't know what the Snap-On distributors do, but I do know that my brother warrantied any of the Matco hand tools. He would then send them in to Matco; sometimes he got reimbursed, sometimes he didn't, but his customers sure got the warranty. I would assume some other tool distributors (of either brand) do the same while others do not. In other words, had you been one of my brother's Matco customers, you'd have gotten the same service you've gotten from your Snap-On distributor. In fact, my brother and the local Snap-On distributor would even warranty each other's tools, then met for lunch once a week and swapped tools. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

And I didn't know Snap-On offered a 2 year warranty on any of their air tools, but can't say I'm surprised. Sometimes instead of a "replacement" warranty, the warranty only provides for "repair" or replacement when the tool is sent back to Matco or Snap-On. Sometimes it's a month or more before it's repaired and returned. And the distributor has to pay the shipping to send it in. So if one of my brother's customers had a broken Matco air tool that was still in warranty, my brother would usually bring it to me instead of sending it back to Matco because I would always have it ready for him to return to the customer the following week. Now I charged my brother for my labor; he just didn't charge his customer. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

wushaw · May 13, 2006

Well gentelmen I went to Sears two months ago with a broken 9/16 3/8dr. deep socket and the gentelman there said he could not warranty it because it did not have "Made in USA" stamped on it.
I thought it was bull and did not think it worth my time to argue about a six dollar socket and went to a diierent Sears and they didn't seam to have a problem exchanging it.
If you look at your Craftsman stuff there are MANY not stamped with Made in USA on them.
There is nothing written about the stamped tools being the only life time warranty items, I felt the clerk was just misinformed since it was in Duncanville.