-
Husky Tools
Just wondering any ones experience/opinions on this brand.
Particullarly there air tools.This brand is sold exclusive at
Home Depot.They offer a lifetime warrenty.According to their
web site www.huskytools.com all you have to do is return
the item to any Home Depot.They are a little less
expensive than Craftsman,and a great deal cheaper than
some of the higher end tools like Ingrasol or Chicago
Pneumatic.I know you get what you pay for.Looking for a
tool to buy one time and that is it.But if you can save a buck
or two in the process it helps.Thought I had heard of every
brand of tool out there but some how missed the Husky name.
Thanks,
John
-
Re: Husky Tools
Husky is not nearly as old a name as Craftsman but so what. Craftsman isn't such good tools as just a recognized name and a decent warranty. I don't think there is a Husky tool factory any more than there is a Craftsman tool factory or a Kenmore ANYTHING factory. They are tools built to a price to mass market under a nifty sounding name.
Compare a Crescent brand crescent wrench to a Craftsman brand of the same rated size. The Craftsman is heavier, clunkier, thicker jaws, more clumsy, and will not open to accept as large a nut as the real thing. In addition the Craftsman is made of cheaper softer steel and gets the jaws chewed up way easier. Still, for once in a while not super demanding use the Craftsman with its warranty may be a good deal. I have some Harbor Freight "Crescent wrenches" too that are OK for how I use them.
If you are climbing up a 100 + foot tower with a tool belt full of tools on your hip the Craftsman and its bretheren are NOT GOOD CHOICES for their weight and what if you need the jaws to open a bit wider. What, carry the 12 inch because the 10 inch won't open far enough? The Crescent brand 10 inch weighs maybe a little less than a craftsman 8 inch and opens about as wide as the Craftsman 12 inch.
OK, I ragged on Craftsman but take a look at the Husky, how much better, if any, is it? Waranty can be a good news bad news story. The good news is that if you mess up a tool you can exchange it but the bad news is with some tools is that after very much hard use you WILL NEED to exchange it.
It all depends on your needs and your usage. I have an eclectic mix of brands and qualities but in general don't expect a cheapie to last/perform like a good tool. One area where quality vs junk stands out fast is with ViseGrips locking pliers! The real thing will grip a headless screw and allow backing it off when two or three sizes and brands of "look alike" tools totally fail to be able to get or maintain a grip on the screw. For that task it isn't just a matter of speed or convenience it is the difference between getting it done at all or wasting time.
I have a few Craftsman socket sets. I like them, They are heavier and clumsier than some of the better brands. They are similar to Husky. Sometimes the ratchet is a tad big and tough to get into a few spots. The ratchets are heavier than the "good brands" and tire me faster working overhead like from a creeper. Sometimes the sockets are a bit fatter than will easily fit into a tight location. I have been known to use a grinder to make a custom thin wall socket for special jobs. This isn't as much a consideration for folks who buy higher grade tools. I also have a BIG SOCKET SET (3/4 drive) made in China but I don't use it in tight places or very often so it works for me.
You will have to decide if your actual usage will be adequately supported by the functionality of the Husky tools. If not the price and warranty will NOT make up for it. It could be a perfect match for your use. Only you can tell and maybe not till you have used them for quite a while. Good luck, I hope I have raised a few useful/interesting questions in your mind which have stimulated your thinking. Perhaps you will be a more cautious/thoughtful buyer.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
-
Re: Husky Tools
John, I think you'll find that the "lifetime" warranty only applied to their hand tools (which is the case with Craftsman, Snap-on, MAC, Matco, etc., etc. - nothing unusual about it). But for the pneumatic tools; that's another story. The name brand stuff I'm familiar with has a one year warranty on the power tools. I'm not sure what the Husky warranty is, but I'd sure bet it's one year or less.
-
Re: Husky Tools
I bought a set of Husky screwdrivers from Home Depot after handling them and liking the way they feel. They are those red handled ones with rubber insulation. The package says lifetime warrenty. I was getting good service doing residential/commercial electrical work with them. I usually tend to be pretty fussy about electrical tools. My Klien Journeyman pliers, etc. run in the $30/pair.
Most of my mechanical tools are Craftsman due to the budget with a smattering of Snap On. IMHO, Craftsman ratchets and torque wrenches don't hold up very well but the wrenches and sockets have done okay for me.
If Craftsman, Husky, etc. fits your budget, buy a few of whichever to see how you like them.
-
Re: Husky Tools
Tools and quality:
I have found that there are usually a few items that see much more use than others. This is probably also the case with others.
My tool boxes have an assortment of makes. Frequently used, rachets and breaker bars and any items that may be subjected to more than reasonable stress are all name brand quality. The rest is basically an assortment of no name stuff. Oh, and anything that must cut is also good quality.
Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
-
Re: Husky Tools
QRTRHRS, "My Klien Journeyman pliers, etc. run in the $30/pair." Have you arc welded a custom "wire stripper" notch into the diagonal cutter blades yet?
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
-
Re: Husky Tools
[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Pat, we always refer to screwdrivers as "100 AMP" or "50 AMP" depending on which size we are discussing. I have a few screwdrivers with tell-tale notches on the shaft. I have yet to "notch" a good pair of cutters, however. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] I have REALLY GOOD stuff, and get-by stuff in my tool collection, depending on how it gets used. My crimpers are IDEAL brand and I won't even pick up anything else. Allen drivers MUST be Snap-On or they just will not hold up. I have Allen socket drivers from zero to 3/4" for tightening big screwlugs in power supply equipment. I find that craftsman is a good balance between the sleek Snap-On and the crude stuff from across the pond. I have SOME Snap-On as noted, and often it's because it's a special that nobody else makes.....like a 1/4" drive 9/16" socket. I also have PROTO and Proto's second line...CHALLENGER.... and have had them both on a service truck and in the shop for years and years, and years. I've had three MAJOR tool thefts since 1978, so those tools are in business somewhere below the Mexican border. They identified the Mexes that took them each and every time, but we didn't get anything back. Good ol' Californey...er, make that Upper Mexico. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]
-
Re: Husky Tools
Pat, LOL, no, I have not done that to the Kliens but have done it to others.
Brian
-
Re: Husky Tools
Dave, My HVAC guys pulled into a place for lunch in OKC and parked and selected seating so they could keep an eye o the truck. When they went out to leave they discovers that all the cabinets on the other side of the turck wre popped open and all the tools on that side of the truck were gone. As they buy new trucks they buy the tall skinny thing that UPS uses. It has a Meredes 5 cyl diesel and standing head room. No outside storage! Gets fantastic mileage.
Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
-
Re: Husky Tools
So far in my area, I have seen UPS using any of those trucks, although they may have them here, too, but I do know that FedEx is using a bunch of them. I assume we're talking about the Dodge Sprinter (or the earlier Freightliner version).