I know that we all do not have deep enough pockets to have all the top of the line tools in our arsenals, so I will ask you all to post on the top consumer grade (under 200 dollars) tools that you bought and were impressed with the performance-
For example-I have a campbell hausfeld 4 gallon twinstack oiler compressor that puts out 4cfm at 90 psi that I picked up new on amazon for 150 dollars. Runs the campbell hausfeld “professional”framing nailer I picked up on E-bay for 100 dollars! Probobly would not keep multiple nailers running or stand up to production work, but as a one man show, works real well for me…
I still am impressed at the performance I have gotten out of my Black and Decker quantum pro 1/2 inch hammerdrill- from drilling for tapcons to driving 3/4-1 inch masonary bits, it has not let me down yet!(70 dollars at Wal Mart)
I usually look for the more pro grade models within these tools(the old craftsman industrial line looked very similar to the dewalt stuff, I have a sawzall and corded 3/8 drill)
Anyone else?
Replies
I've used a $CDN30.00 China-made recipro saw, believe it was 5.4 amps.
Chunky and slightly unfinished appearance to the casing, a sickly yellow, poor ergonomics, vibrated somewhat....but it did cut 2x6 headers. Have no idea how it would put up with a full-on demo job, or daily use on a reno crew. I have a hunch it wouldn't last, and certainly not something for finesse cuts.
Glad my own recipro is a Makita.
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Honestly, the only cheapo tools that seem to meet your requirement that I've had are some one in a lifetime use Harbor Freight handtools for one job.
Cheap power tools do the job, but never withe the spped, accuraccy, and satisfaction of the pro grade equivelent.
Does the $13 dollar B&D Quantum Jigsaw cut wood - Sure , but not like a Bosch or Festool.
Instead of the playing the cynic, I'll simply anwer your question.
I have a handfull of cheap tools that have surprised me.
A Craftsman narrow crown stapler that I bought on clearance for $35 about 6 years ago has held up unbelievably under moderate to constant use. Still going strong.
A B&D router that I bought as a throw away lasted me about 12 years and made many fine projects. I think I paid around $50 for it.
A Craftsman recip-saw that was supposed to be a "temporary" till I picked up a 'real' one. I didn't buy a 'real' one (Super Sawzall) for 8 years because the Craftsman would not die. I hated it because of the pita antiquated allen blade clamp, but mostly I hated it because it would not die. I finally caved and bought the Sawzall and haven't picked up the little black saw that could since. It collects dust...and it still works. $88 I think.
A pair of Northern bottle jacks. 12 ton, about 10 years old. Constant use.
A B&D hammer drill. I think around $50, lasted about 5 years.
A Ryobi 10" miter saw, a real Harvey Homeowner POS. (so I thought) Beat the pizz out of it for 10years, ran over it once with my truck, replaced the cracked table, electrical connections finally gave, and I threw it out. My BIL came by and dug it out of the garbage, took it apart and fixed it. He uses it still.
These are just a few. There are more but I can't think of them at the moment.
The only "cheaper" tools I'll consider are high quality tools that are great deals or used.Like it was said before, all of the cheaper tools will do the work and possible last a long time, but in most cases they will not achieve the same accuracy, efficiency and ease of use that a real tool will give you.Can't stand crap tools.Find deals on good tools or buy used good tools on Ebay or Craigslist.JT
I have the same B&D router. Two of them in fact. I liked the way it handles etc. One had the plastic mounts for the brushes break off inside, so I had to effect a repair on that. B&D was running a close out on that model so I got the second one for something like $12It won't handle heat from production milling all day long is why the one had plastic break, but finme for the occasional bead or edge detail
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A couple of months ago, I bought a 1 gal Campbell-Hausfield compressor that the hardware store had on sale for $40 and this thing is FANTASTIC!!
Much of my work involves trimming out 1-2 doors, small runs of baseboard, etc. Dragging my pancake compressor up to the second floor of a house is usually a hassle so I figured $40 wasn't going to hurt too much even if I wound up throwing the thing in the dumpster. Well, this compressor has become my go-to compressor for small jobs, and my pancake hasn't been moved for a couple of months.
I doubt if it would hold up very long under heavy use although I used it to run a framing nailer building a 10' section of fence a couple of weeks ago. It handled the 16d nails just fine and we nailed the fence boards with 6d's as fast as we could get them in place. This was at my daughters house and she was doing the nailing on the fence boards. She was a little tentative at first, but by the third board, she was slamming those bad boys like a pro. My SIL was down with a bad back and almost hurt himself laughing when I told her that I would get her one for Xmas. - lol
Bought a sale price $100 skil table saw for one job years ago. Found out it's so light that it's cool to haul around.
And the friggin thing is like an energizer bunny that goes and goes.
be except for the friggin switch. All cheap tools have cheap switches.
I think you need to pick and choose what lower-end tools you might buy. Some tools, cheap basically affects durability - a $99 air compressor will still compress air, but with longer recovery time and a shorter lifespan. For a homeowner, that compromise won't likely matter as it would for someone who relies on the compressor for income. Drills are sort of an intermediate case; again, a cheap drill will still make a hole, but slower than a good one, and fewer times. If you have to honk out a big hole, though, a $29 Tool Shop drill ain't gonna cut it, at least not more than a couple of times.did<!---->Cure Diabetes - Death Valley 2006!<!---->
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I had a Mastercraft 24v cordless drill for four years, constant use, cost me about 150$ CAN. Couldn't kill the drill but the death of the cheap charger was the end. The wire broke with wear.
I have a list of expensive tools that I use very rarely.Once every year or two. I need to learn how to choose.
I got a cheapy tool. The green Black and decker miter saw. The one you buy at walmart for $49. I bought it about eight years ago. I cant kill that sucker. Not great accuracy but great for 2x4 and stuff. I have tried to keill it and it keep ticking.
I just installed a 10" SCMS from the Harbour Frieght up on the work table walk board 6 tier of scaffold high.
Screwed it fast and we cover it with a trash can for overnite ( how appropos) rebuilding box gutter and cornice is not furniture, and for 99 bucks...if it lives the job duration, a helper guy will give me 75 bucks for it.
I wouldn't dream of hauling my Bosch 12" up there.
This will be living outside for a month or more, if it dies or gets stolen, it's still only a Cnote. No tears.
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All my heavy use stuff is good quality, name brand tooling. I figure that's my reward for DIYing- reinvesting some of the savings in good tools that are a pleasure to use.
But I have some sacrificial ones, for dirty rough work and for loaning out: particularly angle grinders. I did manage to burn out a cheap Chinese POS 4.5" one, cutting concrete with an equally cheap Chinese diamond blade. But the $38 Princess Auto "PowerFist" 7" unit I have just will not die. I cut endless rebar, steel, concrete etc. with it and it just keeps going. You can smell the cheap motor insulation/case material melting under load, but it owes me nothing. I keep my sweet little 4" Makita for the finesse cutting.
I like my Milwaukee and Hilti stuff but I needed an abrasive cut-off saw one Sunday and picked up one from (gulp) Harbor Freight. It was cheap - half price cheap. It did the job. It has been doing the job for three years. I've had my eye on a Milwaukee and will get it when the orange and black, vibrating POS bites the dust. I have to be honest though, it really has been dependable. I build a lot of security devices for computers and high-tech equipment and I cut a lot of flat stock and angle iron. That saw has paid for itself many times over.
I do think cheap tools have their place. If you will rarely use them and accuraacy is not essential, then they are worth the risk.
I have had great luck with a cheap harbor frieght angle grinder, the side handle brocke years ago, but it won't die. I also bought a cheapo skilsaw circ saw yearsas agothat I hate, but won't die. But with a good blade, it does cut smoothly.
The cheapo planer has recently died and that's a good thing, since the trigger lock was stuck in the on postion.
Of course, for any tool I spent real money on, I have been very pleased and I don't have any of the issues I face with the cheap tools.
I was in Home Depot lately, a salesguy saw me looking at the dewalt tools, I've had two dewalt dw screwguns for five years, heavey use, can't beat 'em.
He asked me if I was surre about the Dewalt and if I wouldn't be more interested in the Rigid, he said something like
"well the rigid screwguns have been known to break, but after you send it back in, it works better than the dewalt, I think you'd much prefer the rigid."
WTF
I turn the corner and another guy comes pushing Rigid.
A few weeks later I find big new displays of dewalt tools, 7 piece packages etc.
Just needed to push the rigid stock before the dewalt came in. Never mind giving competent advise the customer.
I'll be happy if I never go to HD again.
"I do think cheap tools have their place."Isn't that like the old saying, "There is good in everybody. Some provide a good example of what not to be like." Poor tools remind their owners of their quality.
Edited 10/23/2006 12:36 am by gb93433
i have good stuff and a little harbor freight stuff.... since i can pass the harbor frt store any day i want... the stuff i lend out or that others use i sometimes get from there they always replace anything that breaks... even drill bits... so i let em that or i use it as an excuse to roam the store and leave with a basket full.... like china knock off of really nice paint spray guns... at $9.99 on sale i sometimes consider the cost of thinner it takes to clean em vs just toss'n em... usually i keep a bucket of thinner and just toss the whole gun in and hope it sprays next time...
where i think value is .... is in buy'n very good tools used....few weeks ago i got an older but not too abused worm drive saw that i welded up to a plate of steel and a few wheels and a handle so i could score concrete without bending down with all the dust... at $15 i don't care that i welded to it :)... i did wrap it with a filter so the dust wouldn't eat it alive... so i do care :)
p
And did you take along a small compressor with a blow gun ? Did you stick a long piece of coppr tubing on the end of the blowgun so that you don't have to stoop down to blow the dust away from your cutline, or off the saw ?;o)
Never mind that kink in my slinky
the air from the saw blows down on the cut line... and i keep one of those plastic cage fans (the kind that you see them using to dry wet carpets) blow'n over the work area... that concrete dust will mess with you... we still use masks and eye protection...
i mounted (welded) the wormdrive to a 1/2" thick 8" x 14" plate of steel the weight really helps keep it on line.... we are only score'n 1/8" to 3/16" deep.... just for effect... not crack control... i also wired the saw to a switch (regular 15amp light switch in a 2x4 steel handy box) located on the handle next to your hands...
I'm glad i finally found a use for a wormdrive saw :)
p
harbor frieght 10" tile saw for 200.if your making a living laying tile no way. but if your doing 5-10 jobs a year can't be beat. larry
hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.