Comments on: Finds: Stanley Proto’s New Ratcheting Wrenches w/Spline Box Ends http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:41:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Chaon http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-430131 Chaon Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:11:18 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-430131 Made in Taiwan, but better quality than any made in USA ratchet wrench. Same TW company produces for Facom, SK, Snap-On, etc. Made in Taiwan, but better quality than any made in USA ratchet wrench. Same TW company produces for Facom, SK, Snap-On, etc.

]]> By: Ty http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-353383 Ty Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:47:38 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-353383 www.wrighttool.com http://www.wrighttool.com

]]> By: Ty http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-353381 Ty Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:46:08 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-353381 JetMech2, I encourage you to look into your research or the info you have been given on the hand tool manufacturers meeting the ANSI standards. Wright Tool has chaired the committee responsible for updating these ANSI standards for the last 30 years, and meets or exceeds all ASME standards as well! JetMech2, I encourage you to look into your research or the info you have been given on the hand tool manufacturers meeting the ANSI standards. Wright Tool has chaired the committee responsible for updating these ANSI standards for the last 30 years, and meets or exceeds all ASME standards as well!

]]> By: JetMech2 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-261232 JetMech2 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:04:06 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-261232 I buy my Proto tools at Grainger. Don't think you can't buy from them because you're not a business. I have a choice of discounts, using my retired military ID I can get the government price, or because I now work fo the state, I can purchase off the state contract price. I can even order online at Grainger.com by setting up a profile using the state agency's account number, get the discount and free shipping! The only difference is I'm charged a sales tax. Chances are the company you work for has an account with Grainger and Grainger allows you to purchase off that same account for your personal use. In most cases, the company doesn't mind and uses this as part of their employee benefit packages. I don't worry too much about Taiwan...so long as it meets ANSI standards along with a lifetime warranty...then what's the issue. If it came out of a dollar store or Harbor Freight, then I'll pass it by but if it's from a well know company that has strict quality control methods...then I'll consider it. PROTO and SNAP-ON are the only two companies that have the same high end ANSI standards for their tools. Even Mac Tools, which are made in the Proto plant at Dallas don't meet the same standard even though they come off the same line. I learned this during a tour of their plant last month. I saw another post where someone hit the nail on the head. Our cell phones, computers, HDTV's, apparel and just about 80% of the stuff in our homes is made in China or Taiwan and it's not an issue. Yet, put the country of origin on hand tools and mechanics get their panties all wadded up. Geezzzz...get over it! I buy my Proto tools at Grainger. Don’t think you can’t buy from them because you’re not a business. I have a choice of discounts, using my retired military ID I can get the government price, or because I now work fo the state, I can purchase off the state contract price. I can even order online at Grainger.com by setting up a profile using the state agency’s account number, get the discount and free shipping! The only difference is I’m charged a sales tax.

Chances are the company you work for has an account with Grainger and Grainger allows you to purchase off that same account for your personal use. In most cases, the company doesn’t mind and uses this as part of their employee benefit packages.

I don’t worry too much about Taiwan…so long as it meets ANSI standards along with a lifetime warranty…then what’s the issue. If it came out of a dollar store or Harbor Freight, then I’ll pass it by but if it’s from a well know company that has strict quality control methods…then I’ll consider it. PROTO and SNAP-ON are the only two companies that have the same high end ANSI standards for their tools. Even Mac Tools, which are made in the Proto plant at Dallas don’t meet the same standard even though they come off the same line. I learned this during a tour of their plant last month.

I saw another post where someone hit the nail on the head. Our cell phones, computers, HDTV’s, apparel and just about 80% of the stuff in our homes is made in China or Taiwan and it’s not an issue. Yet, put the country of origin on hand tools and mechanics get their panties all wadded up. Geezzzz…get over it!

]]> By: SITO http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-236556 SITO Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:23:06 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-236556 BEWARE - these things are made in TAIWAN BEWARE - these things are made in TAIWAN

]]> By: DC http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-27439 DC Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:33:11 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-27439 I have to agree with Old Donn. Proto is Stanley's top of the line industrial hand tool line. I would love to find better prices on it than you see at MSC, Grainger, or the other industrial distributors, but they are the only ones that seem to carry it. If anybody knows of an online company that offers great pricing on Proto, please post it. I have to agree with Old Donn.

Proto is Stanley’s top of the line industrial hand tool line. I would love to find better prices on it than you see at MSC, Grainger, or the other industrial distributors, but they are the only ones that seem to carry it.

If anybody knows of an online company that offers great pricing on Proto, please post it.

]]> By: DC http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-27437 DC Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:28:37 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-27437 Several tool companies are now offering this spline pattern, including Mac and SK, which makes me wonder who is the original patentholder that is licensing this product out? Anybody know? They must all be licensing the design from one company, as they are all using more or less the same advertising literature. SK is offering a very nice 3/8" socket set that you can get for under $100. (I like thetoolwarehouse.net) Most of the other spline tools I have seen have been wrenches. I did buy the SK combination wrench set. Like the other brands the claim is that it will drive 6 kinds of fasteners: 6-point, 12-point, spline, E-Torx, square, and rounded over fasteners. Well, I have never actually seen a 12-point or spline in practice; both I think are more aerospace high-tech fasteners than anything else. I may encounter E-Torx eventually; these are becoming more popular. I rarely encounter a square head fastener anymore - a square head lag screw a while ago - and I have 8-point sockets for those. So basically it comes down to 6-point and rounded over 6-point. What they don't tell you is that the spline set may drive fasteners other than 6-point, but it won't fit all the sizes of them, only certain ones, as you might expect. It's a little random. The SK blow-molded combination wrench case is marked inside the lid as to what other fasteners the wrenches match up to. I really bought the set as a weapon in my arsenal against rounded over fasteners. Let's hope it helps. Snap-on does have some spline tools, designed for spline fasteners. Wright has some too, but they are hellaciously expensive, almost like custom sockets. Several tool companies are now offering this spline pattern, including Mac and SK, which makes me wonder who is the original patentholder that is licensing this product out? Anybody know? They must all be licensing the design from one company, as they are all using more or less the same advertising literature.

SK is offering a very nice 3/8″ socket set that you can get for under $100. (I like thetoolwarehouse.net) Most of the other spline tools I have seen have been wrenches.

I did buy the SK combination wrench set. Like the other brands the claim is that it will drive 6 kinds of fasteners: 6-point, 12-point, spline, E-Torx, square, and rounded over fasteners. Well, I have never actually seen a 12-point or spline in practice; both I think are more aerospace high-tech fasteners than anything else. I may encounter E-Torx eventually; these are becoming more popular. I rarely encounter a square head fastener anymore - a square head lag screw a while ago - and I have 8-point sockets for those. So basically it comes down to 6-point and rounded over 6-point.

What they don’t tell you is that the spline set may drive fasteners other than 6-point, but it won’t fit all the sizes of them, only certain ones, as you might expect. It’s a little random. The SK blow-molded combination wrench case is marked inside the lid as to what other fasteners the wrenches match up to.

I really bought the set as a weapon in my arsenal against rounded over fasteners. Let’s hope it helps.

Snap-on does have some spline tools, designed for spline fasteners. Wright has some too, but they are hellaciously expensive, almost like custom sockets.

]]> By: Old Donn http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-9427 Old Donn Thu, 28 Dec 2006 02:00:46 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-9427 Proto's not an expensive, premium brand? It is in my neighborhood. Proto’s not an expensive, premium brand? It is in my neighborhood.

]]> By: Steve Thompson http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1317 Steve Thompson Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:21:14 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1317 These look great and the color is cool. Occasionally I need a spline wrench and these certainly fill the bill without turning to the expensive premium brands. These look great and the color is cool. Occasionally I need a spline wrench and these certainly fill the bill without turning to the expensive premium brands.

]]> By: Kai http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1294 Kai Wed, 20 Sep 2006 22:54:29 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1294 They look like a great all-round wrench - I'm all for spending good money on hand tools as it makes a difference in the quality of your work and your efficiency. Even down to the humble screwdriver, mates will use the cheapest drivers they can find, I go out and spend $15 on one screwdriver and it's never failed me yet... Using the splines to engage a hexagonal nut seems a great idea as the forces are distributed away from the corners of the nut, thereby resisting rounding it off and giving you more 'bite' on nuts that have been abused in the past... They look like a great all-round wrench - I’m all for spending good money on hand tools as it makes a difference in the quality of your work and your efficiency.
Even down to the humble screwdriver, mates will use the cheapest drivers they can find, I go out and spend $15 on one screwdriver and it’s never failed me yet…
Using the splines to engage a hexagonal nut seems a great idea as the forces are distributed away from the corners of the nut, thereby resisting rounding it off and giving you more ‘bite’ on nuts that have been abused in the past…

]]> By: Rob http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1290 Rob Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:19:30 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1290 Those look great. Maybe if I get a set I'll have an excuse to get the airhead to go with them ;) Those look great. Maybe if I get a set I’ll have an excuse to get the airhead to go with them ;)

]]> By: PeterP http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1285 PeterP Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:22:50 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1285 Black is cool and all, but I tend to end up doing over ambitious projects that run into the wee hours of the night. There is nothing worse than trying to hunt around in the dark for a black tool that was dropped. Nevermind leaving them on the floor of the garage and stepping on them while groping for the light switch. They do look cool, though. :) Black is cool and all, but I tend to end up doing over ambitious projects that run into the wee hours of the night. There is nothing worse than trying to hunt around in the dark for a black tool that was dropped. Nevermind leaving them on the floor of the garage and stepping on them while groping for the light switch.

They do look cool, though. :)

]]> By: Sean http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1284 Sean Wed, 20 Sep 2006 19:38:50 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2006/09/20/finds-stanley-protos-new-ratcheting-wrenches-wspline-box-ends/#comment-1284 I will have to agree with Chuck on this one. After seeing what these tools have to go through to get into your hands, I would not feel bad about paying the asking price for them or using the living crap out of them once I did. Good tools, and as he pointed out, shiny and black is hella cool. I will have to agree with Chuck on this one. After seeing what these tools have to go through to get into your hands, I would not feel bad about paying the asking price for them or using the living crap out of them once I did. Good tools, and as he pointed out, shiny and black is hella cool.

]]>