| Author | Message | ||
     Jason Lord (Ronan) Member Username: Ronan Post Number: 130 Registered: 10-2002 |
I was wondering what size compressor you guys would suggest for use around the home and on the truck. I have been considering a Husky 13 gallon tank that puts out 5.1 scfm at 90 PSI. The tank is still mobile and seems to be big enough. I am new to this stuff, so any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks. Jason | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 523 Registered: 03-2003 |
13 gallon with 5.1 cfm @ 90 psi is not sufficient. It will always be running and it will piss you off. We just got a portable compressor for the shop: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/snap-on/DSC07180.jpg There are no wheels in that pic, as the pic is of the compressor right out of the delivery crate: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/snap-on/DSC07175.jpg The tank is 30 gallons and the cfm delivery is 7 @ 150 psi. Even 30 gallons is hardly sufficient. 60 gallons or 80 gallons would be even better, but then the compressor would no longer be easily portable, which is a feature we like in our small shop. Our compressor is the black version of this one: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&tool=all&item_ID=68270&group_ ID=13098&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog Snap-on sells three different quality/performance levels of air compressors: (1) Snap-on Signature Series; (2) Snap-on; and (3) Blue-Point. The Snap-on Signature Series models are made by Big Red Air Machines for Snap-on. BRAM is a company formed by former Snap-on employees, and makes best-quality air compressors exclusively for Snap-on. Our compressor is astonishingly quiet. I was shocked the first time I plugged it in. Craftsman also sells air compressors: http://www.sears.com/data/product_images/tools/large/00919551000-dlv.jpg And also an oil-free version: http://www.sears.com/data/product_images/tools/large/00916778000-dlv.jpg You get what you pay for though, so shop carefully and spend wisely. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1025 Registered: 02-2003 |
friend, get as big as you can. take note that it will use 110 and not 220. unless you feel like running a 220 line out to the garage or where ever else you might take this thing. do not get pancake compressor unless all you will ever use it for is airing up tires. i have the husky 25 gallon upright i got on clearance will all kinds of cheap tools strapped to it for around $200 I wished i had paid 400 and got the 60 gallon, but i use the hell out of mine and i have a pankcake for my portable. pay attention to those CFM, there should be a chart at the stores that sell compressors stating what tool takes what CFM. these charts are not bogus. rd | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 355 Registered: 02-2003 |
Once you start running air tools that are wide open, such as sanders, drills, grinders asnd so on, (and it's just a matter of time before you do), I am not so sure that even 30 Gallons/7CFM is enough, the compressor will cycle quite a bit, I believe. When I bought my compressor for the garage earlier this year, I ended up with an Ingersoll Rand 2340, which has a 60 gallon tank annd is rated at 14.7 CFM @ 175 PSI. It does require a 220 line, but that wasn't an issue, since I already have that in the garage. Whatever you buy, get one with an oil filled, cast iron pump. The Oil less ones are crap and will burn out in no time. - Axel | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 525 Registered: 03-2003 |
Ax, Yeah, the 7 cfm @ 150 psi is not enough to keep up with a constant-open air gun. I like to use the air gun to clean out everything on my truck from the interior to the engine compartment to the undercarriage. The compressor cycles a lot when the air gun is wide-open for long periods of time. The random orbital is better. It doesn't suck nearly as much air as the air gun, and when I use it I don't have it running constantly on. I haven't tried an air drill yet, but that is on my list of wanna-have tools. Other air tools like the various impact wrenches and air ratchets use very little air, so our compressor hardly cycles at all with these tools. One thing I like about our portable is that we can cart it into our bathroom and shut the door, and run the lines under the door. The unit is very quiet that way. You can hardly even hear the compressor running from the work areas. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1028 Registered: 02-2003 |
try using a sand blaster i thought my little husky POS was going to have a meltdown. the first thing i buy when i get a house is the biggest baddest compressor and a bunch of long ass hoses. rd | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 526 Registered: 03-2003 |
Agreed. Ho and I are hoping that one of these days we'll have our own shop (own rather than lease) and the shop will have a mega compressor, something like this: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&tool=all&item_ID=55390&group_ ID=13098&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog And a lift: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&tool=all&item_ID=66617&group_ ID=1713&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog I'm tired of crawling under trucks to install stuff. What a pain in the ass. | ||
| Blue (Blue) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Blue Post Number: 577 Registered: 04-2003 |
at least you have Wesley to help. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1029 Registered: 02-2003 |
john, did you guys go with an inline lubricator or do you still put a few drops in daily? i'd like to go with something inline but i havent looked into it, don't know if it's reliable. rd | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 529 Registered: 03-2003 |
I thought about the inline lubricator, but I was afraid putting one on would make the the air tools too heavy. I like to have the tools as light as possible, and I think they're heavy and bulky enough as it stands now without the oiler. I suppose we could mount the oiler more upstream on the air hose, but then I'm afraid of contaminating the air hose. Even if we removed the oiler for non-tool use, there would be remnants of oil inside the air line. We don't use a painting spray gun or anything, but I do like to use the air gun on almost everything to clean it. The last thing I want is a fine oil shooting everywhere. Advanced Air Sytems, the makers of the Power Tank, sells a nice oiler: http://www.powertank.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000002/ATO-150d.jpg One thing I thought about doing was to get a short hose made from a different color (our other air hoses are all yellow) and putting the inline oiler before that. We could get a short length of, say, blue hose and the blue color (same color as oiler) would be a reminder to me that this hose is strictly for oily applications. That way, our yellow air hoses would remain dry. We're still playing with our set-up. For now I prefer to oil the tool before and after each use rather than have the inline stuff. | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 362 Registered: 02-2003 |
Actually, the hose won't remain dry, even without an oiler. There is also water vapor coming out of the compressor. I put a dryer/filter, regulator and inline oiler on mine: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=697 0&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=39647&categoryId=0 My compressor has an unregulated outlet right on the tank, this is where the filter/dryer/regulator/oiler is connected right now. You want at least the filter/dryer to be as close to the tank as possible. The oiler is adjustable, I set it shoot one drop of oil into the line every 20-30 seconds. (That's every 20-30 seconds of flow, of course) When I get around to it, I am going to put a T-connctor between the regulator and oiler, that way I have a choice of oiled and dry air. Lastly, also remember to drain the tank after every use, you don't want moisture accumulating inside. - Axel | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1030 Registered: 02-2003 |
ax, out there in LA i dont think they have the humidity like we have. my tools practically pissed water because it was so humid this summer. i like the combo action you have there. rd | ||
| han chung (Hanchung) Member Username: Hanchung Post Number: 117 Registered: 10-2002 |
rob, i used to have one of these babies... http://air.irco.com/asg/rotary/ssr_series_7-15.asp# for the company. if i didn't have a dryer for the system, my machines would be pissing water even in LA. This compressor ran 24hrs 6 days/week and there would be a constant stream of water coming out from the release valve. i miss my compressor...  kind of loud... definately not for the house... LOL | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 530 Registered: 03-2003 |
Yeah, you definitely need a dryer for the air hose. Even in Los Angeles, there is lots of water coming out of the air line. You can see the water coming out of the air gun's spray, and there is even water dripping from the air gun after long use. My understanding of the various dryers is that they should be fitted as far AWAY from the compressor as possible. The air coming out of of the compressor is hot, and my understanding is that the various dryers work better after the air has had a chance to cool and the water has had a chance to condense and form on the hose's walls instead of still being mixed with the air. We use two inline dryers on our air hoses. We're still experimenting with our set-up, but for now we have our compressor, and then we have 75' of yellow air hose broken down into three 25' sections. I find three 25' sections are much easier to handle/manage than a single 75' length. Our three hoses are connected with quickly detachable couplers, so we can shorten or lengthen the hoses as necessary and fit dryers between the hoses. We can also fit a Y-pipe and split the air between two work areas or two different but commonly used air tools like an impact wrench and air ratchet. The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to get a 25' length of blue hose and that oiler that Power Tank sells for "oily" applications. This way, we don't have to oil the air tools but we can leave the yellow hoses "dry" just in case we want to use the yellow hoses for applications where oil would be bad juju. Han, I miss that huge Rand compressor. It was loud as hell, but boy could that thing put out the air. It was just awesome. | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 364 Registered: 02-2003 |
I think it depends on the type of dryer. Mine does not use any chemicals, it forces the air through this spiral path, same principle as the spin cycle on a washing machine. This forces water droplets and other contaminants up against the wall of the dryer, where it then falls to the bottom and is collected there. When pressure on the line drops below 5 psi, a valve on the bottom of the unit opens, and it empties itself. That kind of unit should sit before the regulator, as close to the compressor as possible. If you use additional dryers of the chemical type you are right, they should be further up on the line, closer to the tools. I don't use those, because the initial dryer gets rid of enough water as it is, and an additional dryer up the line wouldd trap the oil from my automatic oiler. Once I replumb to make an optional oil free line, I might fit an additional dryer there, allthough it probably would be overkill. - Axel | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1031 Registered: 02-2003 |
nice han, somehow i just knew you weren't useing your compressor for actual wrenching,, haha john, i know you have humidity but this entire summer was hovering around 90-100% humidity. every evening at dusk my entire garage floor would turn wet and slick when the dew fell. i really like that 25' x 3 idea. -rob | ||
| Leo (Leo_hallak) Member Username: Leo_hallak Post Number: 131 Registered: 02-2003 |
I have always been a fan of automatic drains for compressors in humid conditions. I sold a 20HP to a company in a cave once and I recommended to them to purchase one and they told me it would be easier to assign someone that job when he does the check out weekly on the unit. Needless to say they checked the oil but never drained the tank and the water level was so high it was almost a garden hose and that wreaked havoc on there pneumatics. More water can accumuate in the tank then you can imagine. http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/ -leo | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 368 Registered: 02-2003 |
Yeah, I have noticed that. I use my compressor only on the weekends, so I always depressurize and drain it when I'm done. There are always a couple of ounces coming out the bottom. I like that automatic drain, though. Beats crawling underneath to open the drain... - Axel | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 532 Registered: 03-2003 |
That automatic drainer is really nice. Right now we just do what Ax does and drain the petcock after every use. But if we start using the compressor more and more, we'll definitely look into the automatic drainer. BTW, this question has always puzzled me. Is it better to leave the petcock open or closed when the compressor is not in use? | ||
| han chung (Hanchung) Member Username: Hanchung Post Number: 118 Registered: 10-2002 |
didn't have airtools when i had the IR compressor and don't plan to expand my airtools selection either. now i have an IR 3/8 ratchet and a snap on impact wrench. no more cuz it's endless and i'm gonna end up putting a compressor in the garage and all power tools will need to be air... and blah blah blah... i just convinced myself that i'll just be ok w/ the powertank.  for now. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1034 Registered: 02-2003 |
ah, just start doing the math on the refills. you'll pay for the compressor in no time. john, i'd reckon keeping your petcock shut would be best. don't want any spiders crawling up the whole. rd | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 533 Registered: 03-2003 |
I was checking out eBay during lunch and found this interesting air tool set: http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/8a/c4/6f_3.JPG 1/2" impact wrench. 3/8" air ratchet. Cut-off tool. Die grinder. Tire inflator. Air hammer. Air gun. Various bits and sockets. Lifetime warranty on everything, including the power tools. Total cost? $124 plus $29 shipping and handling. Here's the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2349461746&indexURL=0&photoDi splayType=2#ebayphotohosting The seller is "high-end--products". | ||
| Jack Parker (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 222 Registered: 03-2002 |
John, I checked out some of "high-end-products" other auctions. Forget that KRL shit I emailed you, I'm going with this happy customer:  Quote: "..THIS TOOL BOX HAS THE SAME QUALITY AS A $ 6000 SNAP ON, I WILL PROMISE YOU THAT"...."This box is for the TOP-GUN Technicians who can easily afford to make their work area the best it can be, after all it is in this Tool Box & Chest that provides the means that makes everything possible." http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11706&item=2348539222#ebayphotohosting $1249 | ||
| Nathan Cooper (Cooper) Member Username: Cooper Post Number: 61 Registered: 10-2002 |
LOL, They sell that tool box at the Costco in Chicago, of course at Costco it's only $899.99 | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Dweb Lounge Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 2003 Registered: 02-2002 |
"TOP GUN Technicians" What; do they work on thier trucks and listen to Kenny Loggin's Danger Zone all day? | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 534 Registered: 03-2003 |
A stainless box? I didn't know Viking was in the tool business. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1040 Registered: 02-2003 |
you know for 899 it's probably a nice deal aside from the color or lack of. rd | ||
| John Roche (Jroc) Member Username: Jroc Post Number: 175 Registered: 08-2002 |
John that's funny, that's the same exact Air Tool Set I bought at Costco here in NY about 6 months ago. It was about a hundred bucks and It works better than I expected! John... | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 535 Registered: 03-2003 |
This "high-end--products" guy is a strange fellow. He describes his airtool set as: "77 PC AIR TOOL SET ON FATHERS DAY ITS A SNAP" And he refers to his Top Gun toolbox as: "STAINLESS STEEL TOOL BOX NC ON S&H IN A SNAP" Every tool he sells has the words "SNAP" and "ON" in the description, but nothing he sells is "Snap-on". Does he actually believe that people who are shopping for Snap-on stuff, even on eBay, are going to buy this stuff? | ||
| Curtis N (Curtis) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Curtis Post Number: 738 Registered: 05-2002 |
I have the same set. Costco still carries them as well as that SS toolbox. It is nice as well. Snap-On quality?? Hmmmm...probably not, but nice all the same. The SS box goes for $799 and the air tool set for $99. That guy is just reselling Costco shit. Here is a good Costco story: I bought a Honda powered Karcher pressure washer there about three years ago. After six minths it was shit. I still hung onto it. I finally took it back about two weeks ago with no reciept. They gave me store credit and I just got a new pressure washer. If my air tool set or anything else fails, they will go back as well. Gotta love it! | ||
| Jack Parker (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 223 Registered: 03-2002 |
I noticed that several descriptions on eBay tool auctions mention "not snap on" or the words "snap" or "on". Like this Matco crowfoot set: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43994&item=243 5025106 I don't own any Matco, but they seem like quality, to this cheesy set of adj. wrench jaws: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35625&item=243 4404949 Stainless steel is a bitch to keep grease, oil and dust free. I'd think that tool chest would look pretty bad after some time in a real "TOP GUN" garage. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 538 Registered: 03-2003 |
That stainless steel can't be any worse than the cranberry KRL. The only thing that would be worse than our cranberry KRL is a black KRL. Our KRL gets covered with dust only a few hours after I wipe it down. I don't even bother wiping it down any longer; I just bust out the air gun and blow most of the dust off it. This same dust or its siblings come right back a few hours later. I refuse to get that KRL cover though. Yuck. I swear, our next KRL is going to yellow. That'll be awesome. | ||
| Ho Chung (Thediscoho) Moderator Username: Thediscoho Post Number: 338 Registered: 02-2002 |
we are getting another KRL? LOL LOL Ho Chung | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 323 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ho- The Betty Ford Clinic in Palm Springs has a new Snap-On Addiction Recovery Program... | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 324 Registered: 10-2002 |
BTW-How about a little static strap to keep the dust off the KRL? | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 541 Registered: 03-2003 |
Yes, another KRL. Our cran KRL is starting to get full. I see a yellow KRL761 in our immediate future. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1053 Registered: 02-2003 |
went to lowes yesterday. looked at the compressors, got a little wood but it was quickly thwarted by the amount of low end shit that lowes is now stocking on there shelves. it's all this task force shit and some other chinese flee market quality power tool maker. truly a shame that they decided to start selling this shit. i'm sure uneducated people walk in there and see the dewalt saw for $280 and the Chinese brand for $67 and assume because Lowes is selling it the quality can't be that bad... oh but it is. | ||
| Jack Parker (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 224 Registered: 03-2002 |
Rob, I used to me a manufacturer's sales rep in the southeast. All of the big retailer's (Lowe's, HD, Walmart) maintain overseas buying offices, whose job is to source "similar" products under private label. In many cases, domestic samples that were left for the buyer's review were sent to the overseas office for sourcing. They knock-off a few features, use plastic instead of steel, etc., and throw on some "extreme" graphics. The sad thing is, Lowe's will make over 50% margin on that flea market shit - and due to the uneducated masses thinking it's "Lowe's quality" sell tons of it. Guess who pays the price? Companies like Dewalt, Bosch, Makita, etc. who give up more and more shelf space for this shit, and watch their sales volume and margins fall. Then, guess what? These companies are forced to find a way to compete on price, since no one in Lowe's knows a f*ing thing about selling quality, so they start to product goods in a cheaper manner, moving production to where ever the labor is lowest. And, finally we consumers pay the price since all we can find is cheap ass shit. One day in the not too distant future, the only way you'll be able to buy quality is through the professional tool jobbers....and Snap on (had to throw that in there) | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 546 Registered: 03-2003 |
Speaking of Lowe's, I went there recently and got a chance to look at the Kobalt line of hand tools. All I can say is Kobalt is pure shit. This stuff is every bit as shitty as those air tools pictured above. | ||
| Jack Parker (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 227 Registered: 03-2002 |
C'mon John - You don't like those plastic tabs for the reversing mechanism on the ratchets? Kobalt is manufactured by the JH Williams Company http://www.techsavvy.com/industry/file/national/09s7r/jhw01.html?id=162015&comp_ id=09S7R&base_region=* JH Williams is a division of Snap-on, but in no way are the Kobalt tools Snap-on quality. And, they have a very limited line of Kobalt tools. I prefer Craftsman to Kobalt. Just my opinion though. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 548 Registered: 03-2003 |
Yeah, the Kobalt lovers are always saying "a division of Snap-on Tools..." blah blah blah. But they ain't no Snap-on. They ain't even Blue-Point. If those Kobalt tools were sold on the Snap-on trucks, it would be a joke. I couldn't believe how shitty those Kobalt tools were. Most of the tools had that cheeseball looking chrome on them. The ratchet extensions weren't even knurled. The 12-point sockets had that shitty profile that leaves heavy marks on the fasteners. The sockets were also made of shitty materials and were fat to prevent flexing under heavy loads. The ratchet selectors were plastic. The wrenches were sandblasted and had the fatty box ends and parallel open ends. What pieces of shit. And I agree: Craftsman is better, both in quality and selection. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 325 Registered: 10-2002 |
I think those Kobalt tools are now made by Danaher corp. rather than JH Williams. I was at Lowes last week and I'm willing to bet that's what the tool tags stated. Danaher (like Stanley) is a giant tool manufacturer and importer. Danaher makes all lines of tools including Matco, Craftsman, those Taiwanese Gearwrench and a lot of crap. I personally use only Snap-On or Matco ratchets but, except for some specialty tools (i.e Hazet, Schley etc.), I get Craftsman at local Sears so if I break it I don't have to flag down a truck. I just drive over to Sears and get another free one even if it's on a Sunday. I hate the Craftsman ratchets though and keep them as backups or "lend out" tools only. If I wrenched for a living I don't think there's any excuse for not owning quality tools like Snap-On or Matco. My 2 cents- | ||
| Jack Parker (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 228 Registered: 03-2002 |
You could be right Greg, another case of a retail giant trying to save a buck and make more margin. I remember looking at the Kobalt roll cabs when they first came out three or four years ago. I remember they had thick glossy "Kobalt blue" painted surfaces, and nice action on the drawers with ball bearing slides. Recently I looked again and thought the Kobalt roll cabs looked like shit. Dull gray paint, cheap hardware and the drawers had a ton of rack when extended. And what was parked next to each Kobalt? Why Lowe's Task Force of course. Before they even get their "Craftsman beater" Kobalt program going, they are under cutting that with Task Force. I thought they had Kobalt screwdrivers too, but all I could find recently was Task Force. So, I bought these http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&tool=all&item_ID=15515&group_ ID=3446&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog I understand that the Craftsman contract is always contested between Danaher and Stanley. Not sure who's better there, but Danaher making Matco at least tells me they can make some quality stuff - not so sure about Stanley. My 2 cents+ | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 326 Registered: 10-2002 |
I've heard that Stanley made Craftsman until 1994 then Danaher won the Sears contract and has made them since. You'd think Stanley would try to keep a line in the "quality" end of things but over the years has simply absorbed alot of US tool makers (Proto, Blackhawk, etc.) and then cashed them out to go after the middle and low end market. Danaher kind of reminds me of DaimlerChrysler-you can buy an S-Class, a Neon, or in between. You're right about all the low-end crap being unloaded at Lowes, HD, etc. You get what you pay for and "perceived" value often makes more $ than actual value unfortunately. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 552 Registered: 03-2003 |
"I remember looking at the Kobalt roll cabs when they first came out three or four years ago. I remember they had thick glossy "Kobalt blue" painted surfaces, and nice action on the drawers with ball bearing slides. Recently I looked again and thought the Kobalt roll cabs looked like shit." Jack, you know the reason for this, don't you? That Kobalt roll cab that looked fine before now looks like shit because you've been exposed to the Snap-on KRL's in your Snap-on dealer's truck. Once you play with a KRL, it's hard to be satisfied with anything else. Next time you're in your Snap-on dealer's truck, try opening a KRL drawer all the way and then put all your weight on it. Don't hold back either. And then slide the same drawer open and closed and see how it feels. You will feel absolutely no deformation in the slides. If your dealer's roll cabs are fully stocked, open and close the drawer with the heaviest load you can find. You will see that the drawer opens and closes with an oily smoothness that you cannot find in other boxes, even those with ball bearing slides. Also ask your dealer for the key and try locking and unlocking the KRL. It feels like a bank vault. And the key is really cool too. It looks like a black plastic Flank Drive Plus open end. I suffer from the same syndrome. I used to think the Craftsman Professional case was nice, as it feels great in comparison to the other Craftsman cases in the same aisle. I went to Sears the other night and played with the same case again (after owning a KRL for a few months). I could barely hold in my laughter when I played with that hunk of shit. It was such a joke compared to the KRL. I couldn't believe I once thought this was a nice case. And $2100 isn't too cheap either. Even the Matco cases in Rene's truck and the Matco catalog don't do it for me. They're nice but they ain't no KRL either. The styling on the Matco cases is too Xtreem for my conservative taste and that damn Eagle logo Matco has is just white trash. "Danaher kind of reminds me of DaimlerChrysler-you can buy an S-Class, a Neon, or in between." I like this analogy. It definitely applies to Snap-on, Blue-Point, and Kobalt. Kobalt is a Dodge Neon. Kobalt is definitely not a Mercedes Unimog or S600. Danaher definitely owns Matco. I thought Stanley owned MAC. Not sure though. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 327 Registered: 10-2002 |
Stanley does own MAC. I've never considered MAC as comparable to Snap-On or Matco though. Maybe comparable to Craftsman in quality with a jacked up price. I wouldn't mind owning a KRL myself. But I fortunately don't use my tools so much that I'm irritated by my flexi-bend Craftsman drawers. I have my own addictions to fight- I've been lusting for an AI AW308 or 338 for years and have several times almost dropped the $4-5K for what I want. Sometimes when I ask myself if I really NEED it the answer is YES. | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 554 Registered: 03-2003 |
Oh shit. Don't even get me started on that Arctic Warfare business. I've lusted after one of these for several years now. I even have my ultimate set-up already planned. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 329 Registered: 10-2002 |
LOL Needs are finite. Wants are insatiable. I know I have a problem when I consider telling my wife and kids to go to Disneyland without me and just leave me at the gun store in Anaheim... |
