craftsman manufacturer codes

[toolguy1000]

i recall seeing somewhere a list of the first 3 digits of sears tool model numbers and how that told you what company actually manufactured the tool. can anyone point me back to that list?

[cabinetman]

i recall seeing somewhere a list of the first 3 digits of sears tool model numbers and how that told you what company actually manufactured the tool. can anyone point me back to that list?

This might be the one:

Google "craftsman codes" and scroll down to this site:

[PDF]
Sears and Craftsman Source Product Code
.

[LCHIEN]

if you google "Craftsman OEM codes" then you'll get in the top two or three, links to OWWM site, which has them listed sorted alphabetically rather than number.
www.owwm.com/Craftsman/Manufacturers-Name.asp

I suspect both the list cabinetman provides guidance to and the one at OWWM are fairly old and not entirely reliable. For example the 315 code is defiantely Ryobi on later items but one list has Ryan for 315 and the OWWM list has both Ryan and Ryobi using the 315 code.

There were some other 3-digit Sears prefixes I tried to look up and came up no dice.

Someone in the thread at Sawmill creek recommends "The easiest way I've found to find out who a manufacturer is if I don't recognize the first three digits is to call Sears customer service @ 1-800-469-4663 and ask."

[toolguy1000]

thank you for the links and the info.