Looking for recommendations for good dealers to buy tools through. I am looking for a good combination of price & shipping (see my ups rant) and customer service. I found HJE online and a brick & mortar in Beaver Pa, but was wondering if anybody has a favorite I may have missed in my search.
If you life in a somewhat populous town, see if there is an independent tool store, probably locally individually owned. We have a couple in OKC that have good quality things available.
Good luck to you.
Posts: 12025 | Location: Near Hooker Oklahoma, closer to Slapout Oklahoma | Registered: October 26, 2009
Rural BFE resident... we have a small variety store, a small grocer & a gas station. And 2 stop lights. Usual suspects for big box stores within about an hour drive, but no good mom & pop places anymore. All put outta business by big retail & china goods.
I find McMaster to be a great resource, for tools, raw materials, and all sorts of hardware. My beef with them on tools is they never (hardly ever) put the brand name in their descriptions. What you get is almost always a high quality USA made tool, but once you get it and see the brand, you can usually find the same tool elsewhere for less money. I have ordered many tools from them, some that are very hard to find other places, always assured of getting good quality. Sometimes I wish they would put the brand up front, so I could comparison shop.
Otherwise, all of the sources mentioned so far are good. I tend to go to the manufacturer's site and get a specific model number, then go searching by "Wright xxxx", e.g. Often times Amazon has it cheapest. HJE is good for all sorts of USA made stuff, and their shipping is reasonable, but they don't usually show up on specific searches. HJE also runs good specials and closeouts, too. Great bargains to be had there on top brand name stuff.
I also have to mention MSC Industrial, which took over Use-Enco. Don't be shocked by their prices you see when first browsing. Create an account, log in, and then the prices drop dramatically.
Posts: 10887 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006
You'd be surprised how many tools Amazon has, too. I just ordered a 3¼" octagon socket for probably half the price of the tool truck, and it, like many others, is Prime-eligible.
Posts: 28901 | Location: Johnson City, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012
