"We have one of the only Stahlwille trucks in the country(supposedly) ...

Hey, that's kool having that. I should be buying my Stahlwille's from your dealer. If you have his name and Tele #, please email me (diyer999@aol.com). I will for sure eventually buy from him.

" ... Koken. They are a Jap tool" ...

I think the Japanese products are an exception to everything else Asian. The Japanese seem to be obsessd with perfection, like the German's once were.

A Stahlwille rep told me the Germman mfr's. are starting to outsource to China and labeling the stuff made in German, and it is becoming a terrible thing with all those fine made German tools names being destroyed. This guy told me that Stahlwille and Knipex and a few others are still holding their own. But it was very upsetting when this guy told me that Snap-on closed thei Kenosha, WI, and Indianapolis Mfg Facilities, and are currently planning to open a plant South of Bejing, China. He said, "C'mon guy, you dont have to be a rocket scientist to see what they are planning to do." But here is the key according to him. He said the Washington based US pig lawyers, lobbyists, legislature changed the law to state that if a product is finished in the US you can put USA on the tool, and that is what is foolng everyone. He said it can only say Made in USA if 97% of it is made here. He said it is like buying a product that says no cholesterol and then discovering it it loaded with saturated vegatable fat (which might even be far worse than cholesterol). It is a very deceptive thing for a consumer when you see USA on the product and you believe it was made here, because years ago the same label meant it was made here. We can thank Bush Sr. for that NAFTA ACT (trade with Mexico and China), and Clinton only made it worse.

One other thing, I really hate it when a tool mfr puts down another company. I always tell them that putting another brand down does not make theirs any better.

He said he is sending me a picture of a Proto and Danaher plant in Taichung, Taiwan.

..." If you ever find yourself in the market for magnetic sockets you need to look up Grey Pnuematic. They make 1/4" and 3/8" deep and shallow mag sockets and they are of pretty decent quality. Made in Taiwan and an absolute Snap-On rip off" ...

Are you saying that Snap-on owns Grey and the stuff is China made?


... "What kind of welding are you thinking about?

I have a welding book but I haven't read it yet, so I'll assume what I want to do is welding and/or brazing, etc. Well, for starters, one of my 240 door hinges is cracked around the edge/border where the metal plate is on the door (I'm glad ther are two hinges); also, my rear tailgate needs a welding where the shock absorber bottom securing plate is on the body; and then there are always those annoying small exhaust leaks that I assume are better brazed than clamped. Just general stuff to begin with. No battleships yet.

..." So tell me are you any closer to that set of 1/4" sockets yet? ...

I'll probably buy the SK in the std length, but I'm thinking Stahlwille or Snappy for the deeps. Of course I need to look into the Snap-on China thing first.

diyer