**Craftsman Owners 'Fess Up**

[JoeyGee]

I admit, I am part of the "Crapsman" crowd at Woodnet--or at least before I got sick of that site. I had a router, jig saw, corded drill and table saw all die within 12-14 months of purchase. The response I got from the manager was "Should have bought the extended warranty. Have a good day."

There was a 10-15 year span that the power tools they had made for them were junk. I am sure there were some good ones in there, but the experience I had with the tools I bought was terrible. At the time, all I used was 3/4" pine, and all tools had VERY little use on them. I always took very good care of them. At the time, they were selling Harbor Freight quality at Delta prices. I have NO problem with HF because I know I am getting what I pay for.

At the time, I did say "Never again will I buy Craftsman." Never say never.

Now it appears things have turned around. The new tool line appears to be solid and has good reviews. I think I am going to give one of the new band saws a try.

[newood2]

Ironically, today I used a 29 year old Craftman router to cut some 8" dia. holes. I have this router set up in an adjustable jig used only to cut circles from 8" to 18" diameter, ever since I was building speaker boxes in the late seventies. Still kicking.

Howie

[dpaton]

My biggest piece of craftsman gear is my Sears branded BT3K. It's been good to me. I've got drawers full of Craftsman ratchets, screwdrivers, wrenches and doodads, a Craftsman 2 ton floor jack, and a few other Craftsman toys. I've never had any trouble with anything I've gotten from them, save a router I bought and returned the same day (replaced with a high end PC). My first drill was a Craftsman. I belonged to my grandfather, and ran until I killed the motor one day drilling holes in railroad ties for landscape spikes. I'd have rebuilt it a 5th time, but the parts were unobtanium.

The warranty on the hand tools has me going back for things to this day. Only my SK socket set and my Honda Civic have earned the same kind of loyalty.

[Scrollist]

Craftsman

I'm not big on Craftsman in this day and age, but I have to share a recent experience. Thirty plus years ago my Father gave me a few Craftsman tools to get me started in woodworking. I was involved in a project for SWMBO on a Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago when my trusty old Craftsman saber saw gave it up. I was about to jump in the truck and go to the nearest box store to get one quickly and I happened to think about the lifetime warranty the Craftsman tools used to have. I threw the saber saw in the truck as I had to pass the Sears store in the mall on the way to the box store. I carried the saw into Sears and walked up to the service counter and told the young lady that Mr. Sears and Mr. Robuck told me they would repair or replace this saw for as long as I live. The lady told me I would have to talk to the "tool specialist". The tool specialist was a young lady, approximately
18, and approximately 5 ft. tall. I told her about the warranty when I was given the tool, and she showed me one on the self and asked if I thought it was comparable to the one I had. I told her it was, and she gave me a new saw! She did make me aware that there was only a one year warranty on this tool, and Sears didn't offer lifetime any more. I told her I may be back because I still have a router, circular saw, and electric drill of the same vintage.

[cabinetman]

I told her I may be back because I still have a router, circular saw, and electric drill of the same vintage.

I know how guilty you must feel.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[Ed62]

I could be wrong, but I think the Craftsman guarantee only applied to hand tools. Those with electric motors didn't carry the lifetime guarantee, or at least that's the way I remember it.

Ed

[Cheeky]

Sears has never offered a lifetime warranty on power tools. I have 3 original documents from decades ago, and they all explicitly state a one year warranty.