[sdbob]

Bought new 1/2 drive battery powered Milwaukee fuel brushless impact driver. My 1/2 drive Protos are 50yrs old. Thinking buy new,I do not want an explosion.getting older. Any good deals out there? I suppose Snap on but others? Thanks

[Sirrotica]

I have a set of Campbell Hausefield that I've had for around 10 years, bought them from Walmart for $19.99, 3/8 through 15/16. I use them on an air impact frequently and I have absolutely no complaints about them. None have worn out or broken as of today. I also have a metric set that runs from 10 mm thru 24 mm, same maker.

I had mostly Snap On and Mac tools until 2003 until someone helped themselves to most of them at a storage facility after they broke in, so I have owned premium tools previously. Since I'm no longer making my living as a mechanic, I look for good quality for a reasonable price. Off shore tools that are made in Taiwan seem to be the best source for reasonable price and quality. Stanley tools are usually a pretty good source, and Stanley makes many store brand tools such as Husky for HD.

The Pro line that HF has seem to be better than average quality too, I have some of the Pro line ratchets that have the lifetime warranty on them also.

[sdbob]

Hmm,never ever thought of wallyworld or harbor freight. I've seen broken std sockets broke by impact wrench.

[Sirrotica]

Just to clarify, mine are impacts sockets, not chrome. One sure way to break a chrome socket is to use it on an impact wrench, been there done that...............

[Chris65LeMans]

I have Kobalt impact sockets, and have been happy with them.

[sdbob]

Thanks.

[SRR]

AutoZone or HF work just fine and they are cheap, LT warranty< I've yet to break one.

[lugnutx2]

Been using my craftsman impacts for 30 years, no problems.

[madokie]

i always stop by the pawn shops when i have the time,,lightly used impact sockets 50 cents a piece,and other good used tools cheap too.best time is last 2 days of the month, these guys have done the books and havent sold much, easier to bargain with IMO.

[sdbob]

Thought about pawn shops! Thanks for all the input.

[dataway]

If you are talking about actual IMPACT sockets ... don't think I've ever seen one break no matter what the brand. So ... when it comes to impact sockets, buy based on fit, a poor fit is more likely to be a problem than breakage, as it will tear up marginal bolt heads.

Proto makes very, very good tools. Specially if they are 50 years old. If they are IMPACT sockets I would have no fear at all about using them forever. If they are STANDARD 1/2" sockets ... don't use them at all on an impact. Not that I would expect them to explode, but it would probably do them in eventually, and that would be a shame for such a nice set of old Protos.

Like many people, I have a set of old Craftsman impact sockets I have been using for 40 years, they don't even show any wear. When I need a new particular size I just use McMaster-Carr and order one, they will typically send you Proto or some other US made sockets.

[Sirrotica]

Impact sockets do break, I have broken at least a dozen of them, possibly more. Not cheap ones either, snap on, Mac, Cornwell, they will all break eventually.

[dataway]

I guess a lot would depend on your impact gun ... I've never used one that goes over about 250 ft/lbs ... I know there are some monsters out there that probably eat sockets.

[Sirrotica]

No, the metal just fatigues after being impacted thousands of times, these sockets broke on guns probably less than 250 ft lbs. The corners of the square holes on the drive end tend to split, as well as the thin sections on the hex end is usually where they will split.

To be completely factual, I was a mechanic, so my stuff wasn't just used occasionally, day after day, not just weekends. They all break eventually and the heat treat is critical so they aren't so hard that they're brittle, as well as alloys used in the steel.

The Taiwan made stuff is much better usually than Chinese made, Taiwan seems to take better more pride in what they sell that China does. Stanley has plants in Taiwan and their tools are made well for offshore stuff.

[Jack Gifford]

My cheap set of deep 6-point impact sockets (only labeled "Taiwan") lasted me about 30 years. But after upgrading my air impact tool last year and trying to remove rusty front wheel lug bolts from my 1950 John Deere MT the 3/4" socket "grew" enough to slip on the lug. Replaced them with a set from Husky, which seem to be very good quality.

[dataway]

Sirrotica ... you probably use yours more in a week than I use mine in a year

Some of the best basic machine tools come out Taiwan these days too. I had a real old-timer machinist tell me he'd rather have Taiwanese manual machines than most any of the US or European manual machines. I know a modern Taiwanese milling machine kicks the butt of my old Bridgeport.

[77poncho]

I have had my harbor freight Pittsburgh 6 point iMpact set for 10 years +. Mostly weekend few times a month use. No problems. Does the job. Have a husky 35gal vertical compressor. 120 psi. With a decent snap on gun.