Where to buy cheap sockets and adaptors?

Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
adaptors). I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). I want a bunch of
them as I keep losing them. I don't care about quality as they will
be lost before they break.

The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
in the world. The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
cost. These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). If you
buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. If you try and buy several
adaptors, you'll go broke.

Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. I'm looking
for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
shipping).

Thanks.

" > wrote in news:3d9a8e7f-839d-416f-
:

> Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
> adaptors). I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
> drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). I want a bunch of
> them as I keep losing them. I don't care about quality as they will
> be lost before they break.
>
> The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
> in the world. The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
> cost. These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
> for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). If you
> buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. If you try and buy several
> adaptors, you'll go broke.
>
> Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
> the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. I'm looking
> for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
> shipping).
>




Try your local flea markets. These often have tools - usually made in India
or China - for extremely cheap prices. These are probably the cheapest
you'll find outside of used tools. But quality is commensurately low, so
don't expect much.

Garage sales can be surprisingly good for used tools. But get there early,
like 6:00am.

If you're in Canada you can try Princess Auto. Their Chinese-made stuff is
pretty good quality for the home user. www.princessauto.ca


--
Tegger

On Aug 3, 1:45*pm, " > wrote:
> Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
> adaptors). *I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
> drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). *I want a bunch of
> them as I keep losing them. *I don't care about quality as they will
> be lost before they break.
>
> The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
> in the world. *The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
> cost. *These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
> for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). *If you
> buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. *If you try and buy several
> adaptors, you'll go broke.
>
> Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
> the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. * I'm looking
> for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
> shipping).
>
> Thanks.

every now and then there's a traveling tool sale that comes to town.
Some of the stuff looks like Harbor Freight crap, but some is quite
decent (a friend bought a set of "Cummins" brand polished combination
wrenches there, and they're quite nice. They're twisted 90 degrees so
you don't tear up your hand when using Excessive Force.)

Or, you could just go to Harbor Freight.

http://harborfreight.com/

Sometimes even HF stuff is OK... e.g. I bought a real Jacobs chuck
there once, and also got a fairly decent grinder pedestal for about
$30 although I think I'm going to replace the upright with some Sch.
40 sprinkler pipe to make it a little sturdier.

nate

On Aug 3, 12:45*pm, " > wrote:
> Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
> adaptors). *I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
> drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). *I want a bunch of
> them as I keep losing them. *I don't care about quality as they will
> be lost before they break.
>
> The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
> in the world. *The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
> cost. *These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
> for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). *If you
> buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. *If you try and buy several
> adaptors, you'll go broke.
>
> Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
> the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. * I'm looking
> for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
> shipping).
>
> Thanks.

Irwin p/n 93761 is a 10-pack of these available thru Ace Hardware
online for $12:
http://tinyurl.com/ma9cyn . Google “Irwin 93761” for other
suppliers.

On Aug 3, 2:43*pm, "Denis G." > wrote:
> On Aug 3, 12:45*pm, " > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
> > adaptors). *I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
> > drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). *I want a bunch of
> > them as I keep losing them. *I don't care about quality as they will
> > be lost before they break.
>
> > The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
> > in the world. *The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
> > cost. *These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
> > for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). *If you
> > buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. *If you try and buy several
> > adaptors, you'll go broke.
>
> > Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
> > the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. * I'm looking
> > for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
> > shipping).
>
> > Thanks.
>
> Irwin p/n 93761 is a 10-pack of these available thru Ace Hardware
> online for $12:http://tinyurl.com/ma9cyn. * Google “Irwin 93761” for other
> suppliers.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -


Sorry -- that should have been "Ace Tool" not "Ace Hardware"

On Aug 3, 11:45*am, " > wrote:
> Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
> adaptors). *I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
> drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). *I want a bunch of
> them as I keep losing them. *I don't care about quality as they will
> be lost before they break.
>
> The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
> in the world. *The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
> cost. *These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
> for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). *If you
> buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. *If you try and buy several
> adaptors, you'll go broke.
>
> Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
> the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. * I'm looking
> for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
> shipping).
>
> Thanks.

Pawn shop. Usually have buckets full of misc. sockets from pawned and
unredeemed tool boxes. You want cheap, they've got 'em. You select/
sort sizes yourself.

Stan

On Aug 3, 4:37*pm, wrote:
> On Aug 3, 11:45*am, " > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi - Does anybody know where I can find cheap sockets (especially
> > adaptors). *I need (for example) an adaptor that allows me to put 1/4
> > drive sockets on my impact screwdriver (hex drive). *I want a bunch of
> > them as I keep losing them. *I don't care about quality as they will
> > be lost before they break.
>
> > The problem is that I have found that sockets are the biggest ripoff
> > in the world. *The retail cost must be 10,000 times the manufacturing
> > cost. *These things aren't exactly high-tech (I think the golden era
> > for making a lump of metal peaked about a hundred years ago). *If you
> > buy a set, you'll just get one adaptor. *If you try and buy several
> > adaptors, you'll go broke.
>
> > Also, I need a place that ships to Canada at a rate less than sending
> > the stuff into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle. * I'm looking
> > for the DealExtreme for tools (a socket adaptor for a buck and free
> > shipping).
>
> > Thanks.
>
> Pawn shop. *Usually have buckets full of misc. sockets from pawned and
> unredeemed tool boxes. You want cheap, they've got 'em. *You select/
> sort sizes yourself.
>
> Stan

Maybe you have more reasonable pawn shops where you are; around here I
stopped even looking at hand tools because their prices were 50-75% of
retail. Worth a look though.

At least one local pawn shop has started putting stuff on eBay rather
than trying to sell through a storefront.

nate

>
> Irwin p/n 93761 is a 10-pack of these available thru Ace Hardware
> online for $12:http://tinyurl.com/ma9cyn. * Google “Irwin 93761” for other
> suppliers.

Thanks, I'll search around for some other suppliers as you mentioned.
I checked the shipping at ACE ($20.70), but the bigger problem is that
it is via UPS. UPS is just shy of a criminal organization where they
keep your items until you pay brokerage fees that exceed the value of
the items and the shipping. I don't know why a company would deal
with them.

On Aug 3, 3:24*pm, " > wrote:
> > Irwin p/n 93761 is a 10-pack of these available thru Ace Hardware
> > online for $12:http://tinyurl.com/ma9cyn. * Google “Irwin 93761” for other
> > suppliers.
>
> Thanks, I'll search around for some other suppliers as you mentioned.
> I checked the shipping at ACE ($20.70), but the bigger problem is that
> it is via UPS. *UPS is just shy of a criminal organization where they
> keep your items until you pay brokerage fees that exceed the value of
> the items and the shipping. *I don't know why a company would deal
> with them.

Don't blame UPS for customs rules. Blame the US and Canadian
governments.

Paul

KD7HB > wrote:
>On Aug 3, 3:24=A0pm, " > wrote:
>> > Irwin p/n 93761 is a 10-pack of these available thru Ace Hardware
>> > online for $12:http://tinyurl.com/ma9cyn. =A0 Google =93Irwin 93761=94 =
>for other
>> > suppliers.
>>
>> Thanks, I'll search around for some other suppliers as you mentioned.
>> I checked the shipping at ACE ($20.70), but the bigger problem is that
>> it is via UPS. =A0UPS is just shy of a criminal organization where they
>> keep your items until you pay brokerage fees that exceed the value of
>> the items and the shipping. =A0I don't know why a company would deal
>> with them.
>
>Don't blame UPS for customs rules. Blame the US and Canadian
>governments.

No, the customs rules are okay. UPS charges bizarre brokerage fees to
carry your stuff through customs... fees which FedEx Ground and USPS
do not do. It's not just Canada either... UPS will charge upwards of
$50 on packages with no declared value on which no customs is owed, when
shipping from China to the US.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."