Thursday, May 14, 2015

Power Kraft Hand Tools

Power Kraft tools were the house brand for the Montgomery Ward Company.


Power Kraft tools were the house brand name of the now-defunct Montgomery Ward Company. At one time a major department store and mail-order catalog retailer, Montgomery Ward sold tools under the "Ward’s Power Kraft" name. Montgomery Ward, however, did not manufacture Power Kraft tools. They were assembled and packaged through license by some of the more dominant tool companies in America, including Delta, Porter-Cable, Mikasa and Stanley. With discounted prices over named brands, Power Kraft tools had all the reliability and durability of the major manufacturers at a discounted price. Power Kraft Tools were discontinued when Montgomery Ward department stores ceased operations in 2001.


Hand Tools


Power Kraft offered a full line of hand tools: hammers, saws, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers and cutters. For most of the time Power Kraft was available these tools were made and remarketed under the names Stanley, Coleman and S+K tools. Warranted against parts failure, these tools were used by amateurs and professionals alike.


Power Tools


Over the course of 69 years from 1932 until 2001, many different manufacturers supplied Power Kraft power tools. Delta, Rockwell and Stanley were leading suppliers of power drills. Black & Decker in the 1960s suppled circular, jig and reciprocating saws. Delta also supplied bench tools such as grinders and rotary sanders. In the early days of power tools during the 1930s, Power Kraft was one of the earliest retailers to encase tools in the popular Bake-lite plastic housings, both reducing weight and electrical conductivity. This added to the product line’s appeal to customers who were still wary of electrical appliances and tools.


Shop Tools


Power Kraft offered a full line of shop tools (larger table tools for undertaking major wood and metal working projects). Table, chop and radial arm saws were sold both as retail and as direct mail offerings. The early Delta and Grainger drill presses were relabeled for Power Kraft as were table sanders and band saws.


Parts Availability


Parts for Power Kraft tools are still available but they are more hard to come by the older the device. Usually, a tool parts dealer can cross reference the Power Kraft model number with the associated brand name model. Once cross referenced, the brand name model and parts list will determine what is necessary to repair the Power Kraft tool. Depending on the tool, some parts are available from multiple sources as licensing practices led to many manufacturers using identical parts for different brands. An example is the Power Kraft floor stand drill press. Some parts for the Delta, Grainger and Mikasa tools will cross reference and can be applied to the Power Kraft model.

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