Kobalt Brand Tools - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

jproffer · 06-16-2005, 09:13 AM

Anyone have any thoughts, good or bad, on Kobalt brand tools? Air compressors specifically. Good, bad, long lasting, durable, etc?

J2Jonner · 06-16-2005, 02:33 PM

I was just recently shopping for compressors and looked real hard at the Kobalt 22 gallon vertical model.. lets see.. here: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...209&lpage=none It looked like a pretty nice unit with slim dimensions for it's overall size and an OK price. In the end though, I really wanted an oil filled cast iron pump to give me more piece of mind about it's longevity. I went with a craftsman pro model ( http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...ab=spe#tablink ) for it's oil, and decent SCFM rating for a 25 gallon model. Make sure you let us know what you go with and how it works out for you.

Jon

mdshunk · 06-16-2005, 05:20 PM

It would be nice to find out who the OEM is, since Kobalt is just a "label". For instance, the wrenches and sockets are Snap On and the tool boxes are Waterloo. I think the tool guy at Lowe's should be able to tell you who makes the compressors.

LowesBro · 09-15-2005, 09:23 AM

Hello Everyone, I have been floating in and out and catching random hits of topics that are in my field. I work on the inside for Lowe's Companies, through a marketing group and I can 100% positively say that Kobalt compressors are made by Coleman, a very respected name in the filed. I have had first hand experience with the compressors and would say that they are very average. I would not go Professional grade with it, but in the industry they rate very high.

Scaper · 10-14-2005, 03:24 PM

Just bought this unit and I'll let you know how it goes. I looked at all the options and it looks like a pretty good middle-of-the-road unit. I'll be using it this weekend fairly heavy with an impact wrench job.

**Teetorbilt** · 10-14-2005, 04:52 PM

LowesBro, good to have you aboard! You have probably noticed that most of us are not pro-box store and I consider your insights valuable.

Pssssst. We won't tell anyone.

kenvest · 10-15-2005, 10:28 AM

Kobalt hand tools are very decent. i've owned snap-on stuff for over 25 years and while the ratchet sets look like and could very well be made by snap-on, they are not of the same quality as what comes off the snap-on truck.....they make great tools for carrying in the turck, going trail riding that kind of thing.

but, where is the snap-on guy on a sunday afternoon???

TimNJ · 11-09-2005, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowesBro

Hello Everyone, I have been floating in and out and catching random hits of topics that are in my field. I work on the inside for Lowe's Companies, through a marketing group and I can 100% positively say that Kobalt compressors are made by Coleman, a very respected name in the filed. I have had first hand experience with the compressors and would say that they are very average. I would not go Professional grade with it, but in the industry they rate very high.

You have to watch these "store" brands. A lot of times these big box places control the supplier so much they will have them make it to their specs and not the specs that the manufacturer's name product has. it may look like the original but inside it is cheapened up with low quality parts.
I was in the market for a string trimmer and asked the guys that service my equipment what they thought about trimmer sold at big box. They told me don't buy it because big box has them make it with cheap bushings instead of bearings that you would get when buying it from regular supplier.

FireballBrick · 11-13-2005, 05:12 PM

We almost exclusively used W. Rose trowels until recently, when I saw the Kobalt trowels in Lowes... They looked pretty decent, were forged well, and I said what the hell and gave them a shot. Besides being at a slightly different angle than a Rose trowel, they were great! Took some getting used to because they do feel different in the hand, but to all the other masons out there that have been spending 30 bucks and up per trowel, go pick up one of these for 12 bucks and give it a try, I think you'll be suprised, I was. I'd like to see them come up with some brick hammers, etc.

gspencerl · 10-01-2008, 03:41 PM

I have 2 of these compressors and the only problem I needed to adress was to install a double pully and belts to prevent the thing from slipping.

mickeyco · 10-01-2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdshunk

It would be nice to find out who the OEM is, since Kobalt is just a "label". For instance, the wrenches and sockets are Snap On and the tool boxes are Waterloo. I think the tool guy at Lowe's should be able to tell you who makes the compressors.

I heard that too, they're not, they used to be made by Williams (Owned by Snap On), the maker of the Super Wrench, one of their plants out here used to make them all, Kolbalt is now being made by Danaher Tools they make Craftsman, Armstrong and just about any other tool you can think of.

.

dayspring · 10-01-2008, 05:51 PM

I bought a set of their sockets and ratchets last year, Thinking the were made by the same folks that made Snap-on, which is what I was told way back when they first come out with the Kolbalt brand. mickeyco just busted my bubble

KillerToiletSpider · 10-01-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyco

I heard that too, they're not, they used to be made by Williams (Owned by Snap On), the maker of the Super Wrench, one of their plants out here used to make them all, Kolbalt is now being made by Danaher Tools they make Craftsman, Armstrong and just about any other tool you can think of.

.

Danaher hasn't made Craftsman for quite a while, most Craftsman stuff is made by Urreah tools out of Mexico, a lot of the rest is made by Stanley/Proto, and specialty tools are made by whoever they get the best deal from, their pipe threading tools are made by Rothenberger.

mickeyco · 10-01-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerToiletSpider

Danaher hasn't made Craftsman for quite a while, most Craftsman stuff is made by Urreah tools out of Mexico, a lot of the rest is made by Stanley/Proto, and specialty tools are made by whoever they get the best deal from, their pipe threading tools are made by Rothenberger.

That would explain the made in the USA on them.

.

KillerToiletSpider · 10-01-2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyco

That would explain the made in the USA on them.

.

They have manufacturing facilities in this country, the companies headquarters is in Mexico though.

mickeyco · 10-01-2008, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerToiletSpider

They have manufacturing facilities in this country, the companies headquarters is in Mexico though.

Quote:

The company is still most often referred to as "the maker of Sears Craftsman hand tools" but that description becomes less accurate every time Danaher buys a new operation.

First, Danaher makes only Craftsman mechanics' tools -- wrenches and the like. Other companies produce all sorts of products sold under the Craftsman brand.

Second, since Sears was purchased by Kmart Holding Corp. last year, the Craftsman business is not what it once was. "A bit of a wild card," Culp called it last week. At one point, Danaher was expected to benefit from the Sears-Kmart marriage because Craftsman tools would be sold in Kmart stores. But struggling Sears has cut back its inventory of tools, and analysts at Wachovia Corp. now call Craftsman the laggard in Danaher's hand-tool division. Growth in the division comes from professional-grade tools that are sold directly to mechanics and from increasing sales of hand tools to the Lowe's home-improvement chain.

Link to full article from 2006

Quote:

Craftsman brand hand tools, made in USA by Danaher Tool Group. (Craftsman power tools are imported). Available from SEARS and KMart. Link

I have seen Made in China on some Craftsman tools recently.

This is from the Urrea website, couldn't find anything about Craftsman:

Quote:

Urrea Professional Tools is a large North American tool manufacturer with more then 40 years experience and dedication in the production of high quality hand tools. Our tools are designed and built to satisfy the demanding environments and applications found in the industrial and automotive industries. Link

You can buy stuff right off their website (i'll be looking around).

.

orson · 10-01-2008, 09:11 PM

I don't buy Kobalt tools anymore.

I bout a 100' tape measure. Two days later the tip fell off. I took it back to a Lowe's to exchange it (no hassle warranty, right?).

The guy at Lowe's looked at me like I was nuts and informed me to contact Kobalt.

So much for a no hassle warranty.

dlcj · 10-01-2008, 10:14 PM

I dont have any kobalt tools but i do drool over that tool box when i go in lowes. The one with the mini fridge and sterio built in. Place for ipod on top and a power strip on side. Im not a big fan of accessory laiden tool boxes but that one is nice without going over the top with crap like craftsmans new one.

john5mt · 10-02-2008, 12:12 AM

Quote:

I dont have any kobalt tools but i do drool over that tool box when i go in lowes. The one with the mini fridge and sterio built in. Place for ipod on top and a power strip on side. Im not a big fan of accessory laiden tool boxes but that one is nice without going over the top with crap like craftsmans new one.

yeah i think that box is the coolest thing ive seen in a long time. If i was a mechanic id be going for that instead of a 5000 snapon thing. What is it with those anyway. I can hardly tell the difference between a snap on box and any of the others. Tools are one thing. Do you need a snap on box?

dlcj · 10-02-2008, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john5mt

Do you need a snap on box?

For showoff purposes only.
I know a friend of a friend who used to be a mechanic at a atv/rv shop. When he left he offered to sell me his 10' wide 6' high nascar special addition snapon box. 10k NO TOOLS. WTF

I have a couple grand in craftsman hand tools and a simple top chest box. I only buy craftsman except for a few select (i.e. cresent wrench or vise grips) but when i get my shop built i will buy that kobalt box.
and some more craftsman tools of course.