Proto Tools

Ron

Ron

Dum Spiro Spero
Moderator
Joined
Apr 16, 2005
Location
Sharon, SC
Anyone have any experience with Proto tools?
Specifically ratchets?

My 1/2" long handle sprouted legs, and it was a 15 year old snap on....cant see dropping another $120, and no luck at the pawnshop lately.


Looking specifically at this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/PROTO-BLACK-1-2...de-in-USA_W0QQitemZ330203189620QQcmdZViewItem


though buying locally not off net...

So whats the scoop? Hold up well?
Better choice for under ~$60
 
I know i'm gonna get knocked here... but what's wrong with good ol' Craftsman?
Yes, it may break, but there's something really convenient about just walking into Sears and swapping it, no questions asked. And if you're worried about the inconvenience of possibly breaking, you could buy 2 for the same price and still have $$ for a pizza and beer.
 
not a lot of problems with Proto that I have ever seen. Not a flashy tool but, seems to hold up well. I do like Craftsman as well.
 
for the price of that one on ebay, you really can't go wrong...however, i'm a craftsman fan too...just walk in, drop it on the counter and leave with a nice shiny new one.
 
99ncxj said:
for the price of that one on ebay, you really can't go wrong...however, i'm a craftsman fan too...just walk in, drop it on the counter and leave with a nice shiny new one.
Click to expand...

they usually give me a not-so-shiny rebuilt ratchet from behind the counter. x3 on the crapsman, but I'm only a weekend warrior
 
I've wasted more Craftsman ratchets than I care to count.

usually when it happens I end up with skinned knuckles as well, or am in a place that I need to finish NOW, not after an inconvieneint trip to Snears.

Too that end, I will use my 3/8" impacts more often than not (air and battery) or air ratchet seems to have lessend the trips too the counter.

I priced Matco and SNap-on, about $65 each for your average 3/8 ratchet,

I had one from MAC that was a 3/8 w/flex head and a nice grip handle that would unlock and spin when needed. nice speed handle, given up to the Gods of Tool Mystery, I haven't seen it in 2 years. $100 gone.

Because of what I do, I'm more inclined to buy the cheaper stuff now, it's too easily lost when you are on the move all the time.
 
Simple math.....follow me here.....Sears ratch 30.00.....trip to sears 1 hour roundtrip=$10.00per hour.....2 gallons of gas $8.00......this is just to buy, oops it just broke.....another $18.00 sooo how much did you really save???
 
thanks for the replies....nothing against craftsman.
Nearest Sears is an hour. And searching in the store a week back couldnt find any long handles. Longest I found was a 12"...
 
snappy said:
Simple math.....follow me here.....Sears ratch 30.00.....trip to sears 1 hour roundtrip=$10.00per hour.....2 gallons of gas $8.00......this is just to buy, oops it just broke.....another $18.00 sooo how much did you really save???
Click to expand...

That's why I said buy 2. No emergency trip to the store, you have a backup. Then just replace it the next time you are going in that direction.
Sears is on my way home from work.
I don't know about you, but it dosn't cost me $10/hr so i can drive? But I'm a salaried guy, so I get when i'm sleeping at night too lol

For us weekend warriors it's just hard to justify that price - however you "pros", time=money, it makes some sense i guess.
i'l admit i'm on my 5th 3/8ths in 4 years (but only paid for 1!), they have some kinfd of a shear pin, once you over-torque it that one time, it's "crunchy" after that. Never broken the 1/2"-er.

Best bonus of going Craftsman, though, is that you can get the bling bling 22k Gold Plated version:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942372000P?keyword=ratchet
:huggy:
 
I have probably 10 or so 3/8" ratchets.
Craftsman...... I seem to always hit the lever that controls the direction. fix is to buy the professional model, but I never have. At one time you could buy a rebuild kit for the craftsman for $.01. I still have a kit for the 1/2 one. I figured it would save me having to take it back as often.
I have a proto also, it was won at a raffle, so far, it has held up. drawback being the head is larger, and that some times gets in the way.
My BNL had Mac, always striping out the gear, weekly item to have Mac Man rebuild it.
Snap-on, I really like. Seems to be stronger.
My best, most used of them all, a Popular Mechanics from wally world. They now carry Stanley. I think all made by the same people.
Secret I have found to keep any of them alive is to use a breaker bar first. And use a torque wrench to properly tighten bolts.
Also with Craftsman, you can find many of those tools at the flea markets. also at K-Mart, and Western Auto stores. And not all Sears stores replace when you go in. The smaller ones like here in Morganton, will take them, and mail you a new one.
 
upnover said:
I have probably 10 or so 3/8" ratchets.
Craftsman...... I seem to always hit the lever that controls the direction. fix is to buy the professional model, but I never have. At one time you could buy a rebuild kit for the craftsman for $.01. I still have a kit for the 1/2 one. I figured it would save me having to take it back as often.
I have a proto also, it was won at a raffle, so far, it has held up. drawback being the head is larger, and that some times gets in the way.
My BNL had Mac, always striping out the gear, weekly item to have Mac Man rebuild it.
Snap-on, I really like. Seems to be stronger.
My best, most used of them all, a Popular Mechanics from wally world. They now carry Stanley. I think all made by the same people.
Secret I have found to keep any of them alive is to use a breaker bar first. And use a torque wrench to properly tighten bolts.
Also with Craftsman, you can find many of those tools at the flea markets. also at K-Mart, and Western Auto stores. And not all Sears stores replace when you go in. The smaller ones like here in Morganton, will take them, and mail you a new one.
Click to expand...

now that you mention the $0.01, I think that's what the Greensboro Sears rings up when I return my ratchets, no money changed hands though. I guess the casheir/sales associates rebuild the returned ones in their downtime and stash them under the register. I'll have to ask for the rebuild kit myself, so I don't have to re-engrave my name on the new-to-me ratchet.
 
I have a 1/2" Proto ratchet that I absolutely love. I've had a 6' pipe on the end of it pulling as hard as I can hundreds of times and it still works like its brand new. Replacements are available at Grainger, so its easy to find new ones if they break. The ratched I have was well worth its $$$, much better than the Craftsman I used to use...
 
Proto is an industrial brand tool. Pretty good stuff. We use some of there stuff at our plant. Also use Armstrong which is surprisingly tough stuff also.
 
snappy said:
Simple math.....follow me here.....Sears ratch 30.00.....trip to sears 1 hour roundtrip=$10.00per hour.....2 gallons of gas $8.00......this is just to buy, oops it just broke.....another $18.00 sooo how much did you really save???
Click to expand...

That is how I feel about Harbor Freight crap. Sure it is cheap but the hassle if it breaks is unacceptable and a complete waste of my time.

Believe this, I have had a Westward set from Grainger for almost 6 years now and use it doing electrical field service. The only thing I have worn out was the case.
 
I bought a set of these a while back.

27-609.jpg


I use them all the time. They are long and give good leverage then have a flat ratchet head. I've worn the chrome off of a couple of them but , knock on wood, I've yet to break a ratchet.
 
You want real world advise on a Proto. Get it. I've got alot of proto tools handed down to me from my grandfather who was a millright for 30 years at Internation paper working on huge multi million dollar machines. I've broken alot of brands of tools but never a proto.
 
We've broke 5 or 6 of those same ratchets at work (that I've seen). They do get abused. Same thing every time, the ratcheting mechanism falls apart or the reverse/forward lever quits working. We get them through Grainger.

Mac/Proto/Stanley comes out of the same factory.
Craftsman/Armstrong/KD/Napa out of the same factory.
 
I know everyone says that going to sears to replace a tool isn't convenient. BUT, how convenient is it trying to find a snap-on truck after 5, on a saturday or sunday, and even if you dont work at a shop they visit regularly? I see a truck around here once in a blue moon.
 
rockmafia said:
Proto is owned by stanley.
Click to expand...

And stanley is owned by Mac so there you go

I have a Proto 3/8 I use it everyday and have used for about 4 years now and have not needed a rebuild I can say that for anyother ratchet that I have So I dont think you can go wrong
 
thanks guys ordered the Proto we will see how it works...

Looked at a nice Napa branded matco today, but $72 seemed a bit steep
 
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