should i buy broken craftsman tools?

Maximus96

Diamond Member
Nov 9, 2000
5,388
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right now on ebay there is a seller selling some broken craftsman ratchets in lots of 40 to 50 pieces and suggest that the buyer go exchange them at sears. i'm thinking that if i buy a box of 40 and exchange them. i can sell some and recoup the cost, then any other that i sell is pure profit...anybody see anything wrong with that?
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
62,890
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Doesn't it make you wonder why the seller doesn't just do that themselves?
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.
 

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Doesn't it make you wonder why the seller doesn't just do that themselves?
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

What he said.
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
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I've returned TONS of craftsmen tools for full exchanges in the past (I will admit its been 10+ years since I did it)
All shapes and sizes, no questions asked returned and exchanged.

Calls Sears and ask first?
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
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Back in the early 2000s when I worked there, we would replace ratchets, but I can tell you, we took the ones you gave us and if the frame was okay, we'd refurb it by cleaning it and replacing the mechanism with new parts from a bin. So, if you want craftsman tools assembled by a teenager at a cash register, go for it!
 

Maximus96

Diamond Member
Nov 9, 2000
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Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Doesn't it make you wonder why the seller doesn't just do that themselves?
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

i'd imagine its too much trouble, since he has 4 of 5 listings of 40 - 50 each.

and these are all 3/8 or 1/2 inch ratchets. AFAIK, they are guaranteed "forever". however, in the pictures some are missing the ratcheting mechanism and is pretty much just the frame/handle...
 

Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
Originally posted by: Maximus96
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Doesn't it make you wonder why the seller doesn't just do that themselves?
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

i'd imagine its too much trouble, since he has 4 of 5 listings of 40 - 50 each.

and these are all 3/8 or 1/2 inch ratchets. AFAIK, they are guaranteed "forever". however, in the pictures some are missing the ratcheting mechanism and is pretty much just the frame/handle...

Probably picks them up from garage sales or works at a shop that just replaced a bunch of their tools.
 

Maximus96

Diamond Member
Nov 9, 2000
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oh well, if sears doesn't replace broken ones with brand new ones that i can re-sell then its a pointless exercise for me to try...
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
these?

Dude, they're gutted. I would hope they wouldn't give you new tools in exchange for a shell...that's like removing a car's transmission and bringing it to the dealer for a in-warranty repair..
 

mooseracing

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
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Originally posted by: nakedfrog
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

Hand tools are the main warrantied thing, mechanical ones that is.


BTW My local one still warranties half missing parts one. They just have a bin and they hand you a new one out of.

I've had the gears pop out on many of them and I don't bother picking the pieces up, I just take it back. Or when the handle breaks off, I just take them them the ratcheting part.

 

JDub02

Diamond Member
Sep 27, 2002
6,209
1
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I've never had a problem replacing a Craftsman ratchet. Although, the handful of ones that I exchanged had all/most of the pieces.
 

SoulAssassin

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
6,135
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plus I think they would look at you strange if you tried to get 50 of them replaced at the same time and driving to multiple stores isn't worth the hassle
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,392
1,780
126
You could always go to Sears and spend $10 on a new ratchet if you need one and call it a day.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: mooseracing
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

Hand tools are the main warrantied thing, mechanical ones that is.


BTW My local one still warranties half missing parts one. They just have a bin and they hand you a new one out of.

I've had the gears pop out on many of them and I don't bother picking the pieces up, I just take it back. Or when the handle breaks off, I just take them them the ratcheting part.

Hm- I guess they're pretty lenient, then. The only one I've had to return was skipping, but otherwise intact.
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
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Originally posted by: JLee
Originally posted by: mooseracing
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

Hand tools are the main warrantied thing, mechanical ones that is.


BTW My local one still warranties half missing parts one. They just have a bin and they hand you a new one out of.

I've had the gears pop out on many of them and I don't bother picking the pieces up, I just take it back. Or when the handle breaks off, I just take them them the ratcheting part.

Hm- I guess they're pretty lenient, then. The only one I've had to return was skipping, but otherwise intact.

The are pretty lenient, and if you really gripe to a manager, they'll probably even give you a brand new one, *but* I'd bet the manager would say no to 50+ new ones!

Also, my experience is all from before the k-mart merger, and I get the impression that since the merger, the customer service has gone off a cliff.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,306
14,716
146
IMO, you'd have to spread the returns out over a couple different stores and over several weeks for them to honor the warranties. If you showed up with a box full of broken ratchets, they'd probably question the returns, and even a store manager might not go for it.
 

oogabooga

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2003
7,806
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I don't see this being worth the time and it at best is in a gray area morally.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
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Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Doesn't it make you wonder why the seller doesn't just do that themselves?
AFAIK, you can't return ALL Craftsman products for exchange.

Almost all hand tools you can. Thing is these sellers don't do it because the local Sears doesn't honor anymore returns from them.

Also in these lots you usually get a ton of duplicate / common sizes and none of others.

 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
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Originally posted by: So
Back in the early 2000s when I worked there, we would replace ratchets, but I can tell you, we took the ones you gave us and if the frame was okay, we'd refurb it by cleaning it and replacing the mechanism with new parts from a bin. So, if you want craftsman tools assembled by a teenager at a cash register, go for it!

I call shens or a rarity if you are saying you resold these as new.

That aside, a C-Clip and a couple pieces of metal is not rocket science.

I had to retire a couple older ratchets because Sears no longer just gives you the rebuild kit nor even sells them anymore.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
I only returned one ratchet before.
My brother said they wouldn't replace it because it had been left in the rain for a long time and was frozen from rust.
They did replace it.
It was a rebuilt ratchet, but still walked away with a working ratchet.