y8s

iTrader: (8)

you can always join the craptsman club and get access to more sales.

Ben

iTrader: (33)

I got my card last week

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Bought the following MAC ratchets:
1/4 5", 3/8 8", 3/8 11"
Still looking for a long handle 1/4


Got this snap on ratchet in, and it's nice, works well, and super heavy duty. But I think I'm going to sell it because all my other ratchets are mac, and I even have a mac 1/2 that's the same length.




If anyone wants it, make an offer. The handle is 55 years old, but the guts are new. Works fine, and of course is under warranty forever.

Ben

Ben

iTrader: (33)

got some more stuff this weekend:

Mac 3/8 8" flex head gearless ratchet
Mac 1/4 3" gearless ratchet
Mac 1/4 & 3/8 extensions, standard and wobble, several lengths
Mac pick and scraper set

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

Damn Ben you don't play games.
How do you like the gearless ratchets?

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Pretty baller. Only complaint is that when there's not much force against the ratchet you must use your other hand on the socket or extension to feel if the clutch releases or not when winding back. With a gear ratchet, you can hear the gears clicking when winding backwards, and you don't get that auditory feedback from the clutch ratchet. However, the clutch ratchet engages immediately, right damn now, when you spin the ratchet in the same direction as indicated by the selector. In a tight area where you can sometimes only move hardware a few degrees per stroke, like around a turbo manifold for instance, they offer much more functionality by not being limited to rotating on gears.

The snap on dual 80 ratchet is almost as nice as far as handle travel to engagement as the Mac gearless is, but the snap on would have auditory feedback.

If anyone is interested, I'll have Mac standard type 8" 3/8, 11" 3/8, 3"(?) 1/4 and a snap on 11" 1/2 ratchets for sale in the next week or so.

rleete

iTrader: (21)

How much did you pay for that top ratchet in the pic? The Mac 3/8 8" flex head gearless ratchet one.

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

Are you still buying up tools and whatnot Ben? Still like the gearless mac ratchets? I've used the dual 80 snap on ratchets and love them but am waiting to find them closer to $50 than the current $80-90 I've seen on ebay. Considering the gearless mac ratchets but i really like the auditory feedback provided by the dual 80s.
Any insight for me?

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Necropost!!
I'm pretty thrilled with my collection. I'm about 45/45 SnapOn/Mac with hand tools. About 10% other (gearwrench mostly, a little craftsman). Ended up with very nice sets of shallow and deep in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 metric sockets. I also have 6 and 12 point sets in a few of the ranges, and a few standard sets as well. I ended up with I think 6 different sets of ratcheting wrenches, my favorite being the BlackHawk set. I also have metric and standard craftsman midget wrenches, which are freakin awesome. I think I would probably purchase MAC knucklesaver wrenches instead of the snap on set I got, if I had to do it again. I think they just feel better, but I'm not complaining.

I have slowed down my tool buying because my boxes are all full. I am completely amazed; I thought I would never be able to (afford to) fill them, but alas, it was faster and cheaper than I would have expected. A lot of this had to do with waiting until I found 'the deal' before buying. I've been watching craigslist for 'the deal' on a big *** box to replace my two smaller rollarounds (both have top cabs as well), but since my dad has decided it's time to retire very soon, I'm waiting and hoping I'll get his big box when he closes down his shop. He paid $15k for his box nearly 20 years ago, so you can imagine the size. The drawers roll out something like 42".

The snap on dual 80's are the **** and I own 1, but I've actually fleshed out my collection with lots of MAC ratchets. I use the ball bearing ratchets mostly, have at least one each in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 but also have quite a few of standard geared MAC ratchets. I use the 3/8 and 1/2 ball bearing ratchets like they were breakers, and the 0° swing can be a lifesaver, especially getting the 1/4 into odd little places.

One tip: I bought a lot of broken ratchets for super dirt cheap on ebay and sent them to MAC for warranty. Most were replaced with brand new within a month. A few took longer due to backorders, but it was well worth the wait. I sold a few of the new ratchets I got back from warranty, so I pretty much broke even on them. And now I literally have the perfect ratchet for every occasion. I easily have a dozen different ratchets, if not more (all MAC except 1 snap on dual 80), and have a few duplicates as well, so I don't feel bad about keeping a few common things in the car. And again the awesome thing is since I bought them all used (and some broken), got all the broken ones replaced and sold a few, I have little or nothing in the lot remaining. Come to think of it, I think I sold/traded all the used ones I bought, and just kept the new ones I got back from MAC. I probably made money on the deal.

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

Thanks for the detailed response man.
I'm currently trying to get a good size tool box to store/organize everything i have right now but I know I want some dual 80 ratchets and the little CTS561 cordless driver. Two guys I work with have them and they're an incredible time saver for sure. I also need to buy things like triple square sets, allen sockets, quality torque wrenches, my own 1/2" impact, blah blah blah. I have pretty much all the tools i need to get the job done minus the triple squares.
Hunting a used tool box is the hard part right now. There are quite a few on atlanta craigslist between 1000 and 2000. I'd rather pick up one for around 2k. I'd also prefer one of the table top two bay ones over a doublestack so I can work on it.
Then again, we have like 8 wood top work benches so I think I can live with either style.
I'll be looking for broken ratchets to do the same thing you did as well.

I love my blackhawk ratcheting wrenches you lined me up with, use them constantly.