Stercorarius Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 I talked to a proto rep today and they just started to stock them. I ordered the J5450HTCF for $160 through the local dealer. They will ship it with the next bulk order to the local dealer so I don't have to pay like $50 shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd the Tinkerer Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 These are my 2 favorite ratchets. I, like you am thinking about investing in some new ratchets. It is hard to use the snap-on then drop to a craftsman. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 What do you guys think of these?. Necessary no, cool YES!Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 25 minutes ago, JimboS1ice said: What do you guys think of these? . Necessary no, cool YES! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk I seent em before. Very intriguing. I feel like they had a specific set of wrenches for those that held them in place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I seent em before. Very intriguing. I feel like they had a specific set of wrenches for those that held them in place.Bummer I was thinking they worked with any ol wrench [emoji17]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 3 minutes ago, JimboS1ice said: Bummer I was thinking they worked with any ol wrench Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk They don't require a special wrench. Any box end will do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Just now, Conductor562 said: They don't require a special wrench. Any box end will do. ORDERED 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stanley-Proto-JHA4S-Proto-4-Piece-Ratcheting-Wrench/192003949311?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40791%26meid%3D9277f6417a434eb3a2013994024f784d%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D172474649490 heres a link if anyone else wants em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I've got a similar set. Not Proto, think they're Gearwrench or EZ Red. Don't use them all the time, but they work great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Huh, I knew they'd work with any box end, I just thought they made a special one with some kind of detents to hold them in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 https://www.zoro.com/proto-socket-adapter-set-38-12-34-fem-sq-jha4s/i/G4793695/?KW4&gclid=Cj0KEQiAhs3DBRDmu-rVkuif0N8BEiQAWuUJr7K3DrvIEAHU5izJOUjMY-rDx3QEFMwYtqwN4rYFNW4aAgP18P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds $22 What's with this Made in Taiwan crap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 6 minutes ago, Stercorarius said: https://www.zoro.com/proto-socket-adapter-set-38-12-34-fem-sq-jha4s/i/G4793695/?KW4&gclid=Cj0KEQiAhs3DBRDmu-rVkuif0N8BEiQAWuUJr7K3DrvIEAHU5izJOUjMY-rDx3QEFMwYtqwN4rYFNW4aAgP18P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds $22 What's with this Made in Taiwan crap? thats disappointing, and a better price, CANCEL!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 1 hour ago, Stercorarius said: https://www.zoro.com/proto-socket-adapter-set-38-12-34-fem-sq-jha4s/i/G4793695/?KW4&gclid=Cj0KEQiAhs3DBRDmu-rVkuif0N8BEiQAWuUJr7K3DrvIEAHU5izJOUjMY-rDx3QEFMwYtqwN4rYFNW4aAgP18P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds $22 What's with this Made in Taiwan crap? Proto has a few items made overseas. Most of their ratcheting wrenches, with the exception of the USA spline drives, are made in Taiwan, you'll find several rebranded items in their fleet service catalog made overseas, their air tools, the palm control rats are made in Italy, etc, etc, but the vast majority of their tools are made in America. On a percentage basis among what I call "full line manufacturers" Proto, SK, and Snap-On probably offer the highest percentage of American made tools. But with all of these companies you know you're never getting Chinese and it's always going to be high quality. The Taiwanese have become very efficient manufacturers over the last decade or so and while I always prefer American made, I no longer bulk at an item made in Taiwan. I got to have a pretty in depth conversation with a fellow at Druofix a couple years ago who oversaw the conversion from a Taiwan manufacturing facility to a Chinese one. Don't quote me on the exact numbers, but the defect rate went from something like .01% to almost 2%. It was so bad they actually lost money and moved production back to Taiwan. The tool market goes in cycles. At one time Japan was the origin of all shitty bargain bin tools. Eventually they improved and became associated with high quality manufacturing. Then Taiwan was the new Japan, now China is the new Taiwan. Eventually India will be the new China. Who knows, maybe in 50 years Africa will be the new India. As the quality level and standard of living increases, companies will always find a new place to manufacture shitty tools at the cheapest possible price. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I've thought about buying the Gearwrench version, it seems like it would make a great low-profile ratchet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 So I brought Big Ron in today and asked how much for a rebuild kit for the sake of having a mechanically new ratchet. They just swapped it out for free. Didn't care that it wasn't toast. Love proto. Tightened it up quite a bit. It's not the chrome either. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 They also told me not to lube it. Proto frowns on lubed ratchets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CATERPILLAR Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 27 minutes ago, Stercorarius said: They also told me not to lube it. Proto frowns on lubed ratchets. Why not because it will wear out faster u think it would be opposite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 They also told me not to lube it. Proto frowns on lubed ratchets.Hmmm that's interesting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 34 minutes ago, CATERPILLAR said: Why not because it will wear out faster u think it would be opposite 17 minutes ago, JimboS1ice said: Hmmm that's interesting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk The reasoning they gave me is that Proto would rather rebuild x amounts of ratchets free than have one ratchet with their name on it slip. Without lube there's about a 0% chance of slippage on them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd the Tinkerer Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 The reasoning they gave me is that Proto would rather rebuild x amounts of ratchets free than have one ratchet with their name on it slip. Without lube there's about a 0% chance of slippage on them.That's standing behind your reputation. The more I here about proto the more I want some. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 25 minutes ago, tcoscarelli said: That's standing behind your reputation. The more I here about proto the more I want some. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Keep in mind that this wasn't an official proto statement, but it was the guy at the store who deals with proto. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 So I found this interesting as hell. So it looks like Proto has never changed the internals of their ratchets. Like the hole sizes and spacing has always been the same so a 24 tooth 3/8 ratchet rebuild kit will work no matter how old the ratchet is. Talk about a time tested design and a legitimate warranty you can depend on. One of these is brand new, the other two are old. Conductor might be able to tell you exact years. All the internals cross over directly. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CATERPILLAR Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 2 hours ago, Stercorarius said: So I found this interesting as hell. So it looks like Proto has never changed the internals of their ratchets. Like the hole sizes and spacing has always been the same so a 24 tooth 3/8 ratchet rebuild kit will work no matter how old the ratchet is. Talk about a time tested design and a legitimate warranty you can depend on. One of these is brand new, the other two are old. Conductor might be able to tell you exact years. All the internals cross over directly. Nice aren't the two to the right plombs ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 31 minutes ago, CATERPILLAR said: Nice aren't the two to the right plombs ? That is correct. Good eye. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted January 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 Yep, the current guts will match up all the way back to before WWII. I am a little skeptical about this whole "Proto frowns on lube" thing though. Lube is pretty essential and I've gotten plenty of Proto ratchets lubed from the factory. You notice shit like this when you're the kind of guy that the first thing you do with a new ratchet is tear it apart ? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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