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Danger of using Cheap Tools

raybrowne | Posted in Tools for Home Building on October 18, 2004 09:23am

I was working away alone this Sunday on a renovation(ungrateful lazy employees..bleh) and learned the lesson of not buying cheap tools. I was using a $99 dollar Tradesman miter saw I bought at Sears two years ago when I needed something to use that night to cut angle aluminum on a restaurant job. There I was bringing the saw down to cut a 2×4 and all of a sudden the blade guard flies off in the way of the blade, when the blade hits it it shatters sending plastic all over, the guard also stops the saw shaking the base around. Luckily the worst that happened was a piece of plastic tagging my arm a bit…I checked out the guard yesterday so I know it wasn’t lose before and I was only cutting 2x4s. Gotta replace it now..saw the Dewalt 10inch at $199 but the 12inch was on sale for $250, not sure if I want to lug the extra weight. I was using the handsaw the rest of Sunday, which of course had a sawnut fall out and disappear so that the saw shook like a castanet on every cut. So the moral is, don’t buy cheap tools.

 

-Ray

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Replies

  1. User avater
    IMERC | Oct 18, 2004 09:36am | #1

    That DW is only a tad better than the Tradesman...

    and not much of a tad...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

    1. rasconc | Oct 18, 2004 06:54pm | #4

      I think a lot of people would disagree with that!

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Oct 18, 2004 06:56pm | #5

        you can't be serious.....

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

        1. rasconc | Oct 18, 2004 07:38pm | #7

          I may be stupid but I think my DW 705 is a very good saw and have heard many say the same thing.  I have not had/used Makita or Bosch but have been happy with what I have including the Hitachi 10".  Or were you saying the Tradesman was a good saw? :-)  I guess it is what you like. 

          I would have to agree that the dust bag leaves a little to be desired but it looks like most are not too good unless some dust collection is hooked up.

          1. User avater
            IMERC | Oct 18, 2004 07:43pm | #8

            So much for the humor....

            Wasn't even hinting that the tradesman was a good saw...

            I agree with you on the dust bag... Doesn't seem to be a one out there that works well...

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

  2. User avater
    IMERC | Oct 18, 2004 09:39am | #2

    What hand saw were you using...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

  3. User avater
    IMERC | Oct 18, 2004 09:40am | #3

    Just what was it you did to the gaurd yesterday???

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

  4. notrix | Oct 18, 2004 07:07pm | #6

    EVERYTIME I break out my 10" Makita LS 1013 Dual Compound Slider I think that it was the best $500 I ever spent on any tool.

    EVER

    Buy the best and cry once.

    W

  5. channelock | Oct 18, 2004 07:51pm | #9

    It's good that you weren't injured. Your story just goes to prove that quality pays and cheap costs you. In more ways than one. 

    1. FHB Editor
      JFink | Oct 18, 2004 09:14pm | #10

      "cry once" that's just brilliant...I couldn't have summed it up any better!"If God didn't want me to wear this Led Zeppelin shirt everyday he wouldn't have made them rock out so hard"

  6. User avater
    jonblakemore | Oct 19, 2004 09:00am | #11

    For the record I like both the 10" and 12" DW saws.

     

    Jon Blakemore

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