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Pneumatic Ratchets - Price vs Quality

Ranger16

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My old Rockwell finally decided to give up the ghost and needs to be replaced.
I know you get what you pay for in most cases, but in this case it rarely gets used. It can sit on my shelf for a year or more without being used, so I'm hard pressed to pay Chicago Pneumatic prices (or more), and even then may only be used once or twice a year .......at best.

There is the ever present Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic for $19.
The Home Dept for $34
Sears Craftsman for $55 and one for $32
And finally the PowerMate at Home Depot for $26
For the amount of use I give it, I'm tempted to try the Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic.

Any one have any experience with any of these?

bonk.gif
 
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if you click on the thread tools link
you can fix the thread title

I bought a 3/8 IR off of Amazon for 105 or so beans?
got tired of the cheap Craftsmen crap that fall apart after a year...
harbor is the same junk

so far I'm very happy and feel it was worth the investment of a few extra bucks
i didn't want to spend snap on money as I don't use it that much
but i wanted some kind of quality so hopefully it will out last me.
i always had good luck with IR tools in the past.
sometimes you will get more more for your money by buying a better tool to begin with.
i have learned that lesson a few times.
or buy the cheapest harbor one and also the harbor freight extended warranty.. lol
 
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To each his own, but I have always suffered from a light wallet. Therefore, most of my tools are cheap crap. I have had very good service from both Craftsman, and U.S. General cheapo stuff as well as Harbor Freight. The selection of ratchets from Harbor is really good, (Pittsburg) label. I have found that many , supposedly made n USA tools are made with imported material so they are really crap with a designer label. If you don't use them much, what the hey, do the cheap crap. I know that Craftsman was sold out from Sears earlier this year and are now sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace hardware, etc.... My I/2" drive Craftsman Ratchet lasted over 40 years with heavy use and when it broke, earlier this year, Ace Hardware gave me a new one for free! I know this is about pneumatic stuff but I am generalizing. By the way, I still have a Rockwell myself! I think I am wearing out faster than any of my tools, LOL. Good Luck with your decision!
 
Ingersoll rand ... both my snap-on 1/4" and 3/8" ratchets are rock solid, my ingersoll 3/8" and 1/2" impact guns are going strong as well ... buy once cry once right !
 
I bought a Craftsman 3/8" in mid 80's. It's a CP made in Japan. Still twistin' the nuts-n-bolts when I need it.
upload_2018-7-17_8-48-21.png
 
Look directly above the first post that
You started the thread with
It should say thread tools
Clck on it
And a edit title link should appear
 
Even though I have a big compressor, i prefer battery powered tools. No air hose to drag around. I'm not too big on Craftsman tools. The quality has taken a nose dive. Spend a little more, and get something worth having.
 
See your tool man if you got one a lot of times someone has traded in for a new one. Cost is cheaper and better quality.
 
Harbor Frieght,during the Ist year take it back,
they will give you a new one,no Questions
Asked
 
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just get some air tool oil and keep it juiced and it should last you a long time..
IR makes some quality stuff or at least they used to back in the day.

i bought the best one they had
i have a pile of broken ones,harbor,Craftsman,snap on
some didn't even last a year before falling apart.

its just like changing a wheel bearing hub
yeah go grab the one off the shelf at the parts store
and next year as you are changing it out again for the second time
is when you figure out you should of bought the oem part to begin with. :BangHead:
 
So I got a brand new cornwell air ratchet maybe 12 years ago got it for free basically the old man running the tool truck insisted I payed twice for a roll cart witch I didn't we went back and forth about it finally I said fine give me that A.R.
This thing would brake your wrists if you werntwe carful! I don't use it much anymore but it still works like the day I got it not sure who makes Cornwell tools but I would say it has more balls then a h.f. 1/2 impact gun witch I've tried 3 they are a joke ! I bought elc finally.
 
My old Rockwell finally decided to give up the ghost and needs to be replaced.
I know you get what you pay for in most cases, but in this case it rarely gets used. It can sit on my shelf for a year or more without being used, so I'm hard pressed to pay Chicago Pneumatic prices (or more), and even then may only be used once or twice a year .......at best.

There is the ever present Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic for $19.
The Home Dept for $34
Sears Craftsman for $55 and one for $32
And finally the PowerMate at Home Depot for $26
For the amount of use I give it, I'm tempted to try the Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic.

Any one have any experience with any of these?

View attachment 626839

Get yourself a Milwakee 12v battery ratchet and don't look back. You will never use one with that ^$@%^& air hose again. No more frozen hands in the winter either.
 
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