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Klutch Tools

Sberry

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
395
Location
Brethren, Michigan
Occupation
Farmer
Those cheap ratchets are not good but that's not really new news. I am not sure about the newer ones but they been improving them all the time. I haven't used the sockets. Had a bud said they got some in a heavy truck shop and they hadn't busted them in a year. Haven't leaned a lot on the wrenches but sets missing some isn't so good.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,320
Location
sw missouri
Isn't there something that needs a crane? works both ways. Terminology issues ? I will make sure and not help with air valve issues.

:)

You're the best truck shop. I'm sorry if I gave the impression to you or to anyone else that I was busting your chops. We need a sarcasm emoji, because I evidently ain't as funny as I like to think I am. Sorry.

Except for the Harbor Freight lovers. You guys are all wrong.

Except, I do have to admit something. I was in Harbor Freight today. :rolleyes: And I bought something. I have a broken off fitting in a block with access issues and I was going to cut off a easy out, and grind square corners on it. But I knew I'd seen short easy outs somewhere and HF has them. So I'll know tomorrow if I've been failed yet again by a HF purchase, STAY TUNED!!!

IMG_20210701_181425181.jpg
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,928
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
:)

You're the best truck shop. I'm sorry if I gave the impression to you or to anyone else that I was busting your chops. We need a sarcasm emoji, because I evidently ain't as funny as I like to think I am. Sorry.

Except for the Harbor Freight lovers. You guys are all wrong.

Except, I do have to admit something. I was in Harbor Freight today. :rolleyes: And I bought something. I have a broken off fitting in a block with access issues and I was going to cut off a easy out, and grind square corners on it. But I knew I'd seen short easy outs somewhere and HF has them. So I'll know tomorrow if I've been failed yet again by a HF purchase, STAY TUNED!!!

View attachment 241616
Yeah what could possibly go wrong with harbor freight extractors. (Sarcasm)
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,320
Location
sw missouri
Yeah what could possibly go wrong with harbor freight extractors. (Sarcasm)
I know, I know. But its a brass fitting in a steel block and I don't think its in there that tight. I think. I hope. I've got a old snap on square extractor that I was ready to cut off, and that's my backup plan, but I hate cutting off good tools, etc. etc. I'm really just whistling in the graveyard.
 

Bluox

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2010
Messages
1,960
Location
WA state
Actually 8 point sockets are for square plugs and no adjustable wrench is as good, if a adjustable wrenches were they wouldn't make 8 point sockets.
I posted what I could find on the fly-kshansen got it.
So I'm going to buy a box of 130 hex head fill plugs at how much a piece to replace a square head pipe plug with a magnet built into it that works just fine using a 8 point socket? Nuts.
But the good side of this is it gave you something to pick at today-you were running about two quarts low.;)
Actually 8 point sockets were used for square nuts and bolts before ratchets were invented and socket sets only had different shaped handles .these sets usually had 4 point sockets also.
Kind of like 6 and 12 point sockets.
I have a set of 4 point internal and external pipe plug sockets you know the 7/16,9/16,5/8,and 1/2 square plug sizes.
As far as adjustable wrenches if one knows how to use them they work fine .
As far as the 6 point plugs how can you put a price on your piece of mind knowing some peckerwood won't be defiling your square head plugs?
Bob
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,162
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
At least when your harbor freight extractor brakes it will be easy to drill out. Unless you're using harbor freight drill bits. ;)
Well way before there was a Harbor Freight, had to be mid 1960's I bought a cheap set of twist drills from some local Bargain Store outfit near us.

Forget what I was working on but was using about a 1/4 inch bit to drill a hole in something steel using dad's old Craftsman 3/8 electric drill.

I was pushing on it good and hard to get it started and to my surprise that bit bent a full 90º with out breaking! I straightened it out and pushed easier and actually managed to drill the hole!
 

JLarson

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
656
Location
AZ
Occupation
Owner- civil and heavy repair/fab company
I've found that straight extractors are the best on soft fittings in steel and cast. The spirals like to spread the fitting out more.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,320
Location
sw missouri
Well the Harbor Freight extractors didn't work. I ended up cutting off my old square Snap on extractor to fit, and it brought it out. The HF one just spun and wouldn't bite.
 

Vetech63

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
6,429
Location
Oklahoma
Well the Harbor Freight extractors didn't work. I ended up cutting off my old square Snap on extractor to fit, and it brought it out. The HF one just spun and wouldn't bite.
I have a similar set of those extractors made by Carlisle I think. They have been good as gold. :eek: I have no idea how my font changed!
 

FarmWrench

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2013
Messages
168
Location
Chaffee NY
Occupation
Table Potato farmer
My 1" impact is a Klutch brand. My 1/2" IR Thunder gun is 3/4 as powerful. That being said, the tool market has changed drastically.

The Icon brand is a different animal from the early days of disposable tools at HF. I don't know if Northern has kept pace.
 

4x4ford

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
239
Location
Las Vegas Nevada
Occupation
aunts on the strip Currently drive a 1951 chevy pa
I’ve gotten to where Menards is usually cheaper than harbor freight for better tools at least with the hand tools
 

4x4ford

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
239
Location
Las Vegas Nevada
Occupation
aunts on the strip Currently drive a 1951 chevy pa
I agree with that the competition has definitely brought their prices down
 

edgephoto

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Messages
733
Location
Stafford, CT
I made my living for over 20 years wrenching on cars. I have mostly Snap-On hand tools. I do have a full set of Craftsman from the 80s too. The Craftsman were my side job tools.

Snap on has the nicest ratchets of any I have tried. Mac and Matco are a close second. Snap On sockets are just a hair thinner and for some jobs this makes all the difference. I have only cracked 3/8" drive Snap On chrome sockets when using them on a 1/2 Impact. Snap On sockets do fit a hair tighter than the same size in Craftsman. Snap On air tools are garbage. For air tools Ingersoll Rand is the hot setup.

Craftsman tools went downhill in the 90s when everybody was rushing to move factories to China to pump up their economy. Stanley bought the brand and is moving some production back stateside. They are now marketed for the person who keeps their tools in a drawer in the kitchen.

I try not to buy anything at Harbor Freight if I can help it. I hate giving my money to an enemy of us.

I have always been a person who buys the good tool instead of the cheap tool. Ever have a ratchet, socket or wrench let go under tension? I have and it can be devastating. I have a friend who knocked out several teeth, another who broke his hand and another who gave himself a concussion.

For my backhoe I have had to buy some large tools as I was set up for cars not heavy equipment. I have been grabbing Snap On 3/4" sockets off eBay and big USA forged Craftsman wrenches. I can't justify the price of used Snap On large combo wrenches.
 

Sberry

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
395
Location
Brethren, Michigan
Occupation
Farmer
As for Klutch,,, not sure I would go out of my way to buy it, I would get and use it if needed and convenient. Wouldnt bother or scare me. I am not as fussy as I was when I started. If your friends are knocking their teeth out with ratchets they probably doing it wrong?
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
I'm not really sure what brand is best, but I do know for a fact, none of them grow when you plant them, not even the top of the line wrenches and nobody has a "lose it and we'll give you another" policy as of yet, when anyone does, let me know, no matter how bad of quality they are, I'd probably buy one just to find out if the warranty is any good.

It seems every few years, anyone locally who sells tools, switches brands, basically so they no longer have to provide any warranty, you know "well we no longer deal with that company, you'll have to find someone that does" we now sell this brand instead.............you need it today you say, you'd better buy this brand, its better anyhow, plus the warranty is longer [not that they'll handle that brand long enough to know].

Klutch, I think at one time I had some of those, either they got lost or someone liked them enough to not return them, either way, we're onto to bigger and better ones, or so the locals who sell them tell me, not sure what brand it is this week though.

Last week I noticed I had no 3/4 inch combination wrenches left I could find, so I made comment about it, sure would be nice if some of them found their way back to my shop, turns out they did appear, about a dozen of them, just opened the bill today and found out I paid for them anyhow, go figure. Kids, help, spouse, I've figured out over the years, I should have chosen them all more carefully, those I have around now are really hard on my tools.
 
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