Where do you guys buy your tools or where should i buy mine for a guy starting out reciprocating saw,circularsaw, compressor, nail guns etc
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Exactly which trade are you starting out in?
I see you are on the upsidedown Left Coast (no such thing as a Right Coast), so your saw will likely be a sidewinder instead of a wormdrive.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
I don't feel it's healthy to keep your faults bottled up inside me.
remodeling,home improvement carpentry
IMHO to start, I would simply go to Home Depot or Lowes. Buy the very best you can afford. Online is ok sometimes but the money saved is often wasted on shipping.
"It is what it is."
What do you need?
I have 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 of everything.
Course, I'm not gonna sell any of them, but somebody here has everything you need and might want to sell one.
The only tool I really would like to sell is my Hole Hawg, just cuz it tries to wound me every time I use it. Wouldn't sell it though, but somebody might have a spare. I only have oneof those nasty bastids.
Used tools are a good investment, just stay away from pawn shops. They sell some other guys stolen stuff.
Joe H
A sharp pencil, tape measure, utility knife, hammer and a circular saw...oh yeh, and a cordless screw gun. Now yer a real carp! : )
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
http://www.ramdass.org
"I am Andybuildz and I approve this post"
You forgot the ladder and pickup truck if he wants to be a con tractor.
The ladder to get over the fence and the pickup truck to make a getaway?
There is no absurdity that human beings will not resort to in order to defend another absurdity. -- Cicero
I like to take some time to research each new tool purchase here, then check http://www.amazon.com for pricing and reviews from people who bought that model.
You might want to look @ Craigslist in your area under Tools.
No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
online, on sale, reconditioned.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
These are all good responses. Box stores can sell good tools if you know the difference. Just learn to stay away from the 'Harvey Homeowner' line of tools or catalogs like Harbor Freight with their own cheap knock off brands of power tools.
Go with the known names like Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch, DeWalt, Porter Cable etc. I would also advise not to initially spend tons of money on the real high end names right now like Festool, Fein or Lie-Neilson hand tools. Those are all great items, but if you're just starting out, you have a lot of stuff to get.
A reconditioned online of the pro-line stuff can be a very good deal.
One thing you might want to check out is if there is a name brand repair place nearby. I have a Makita factory center and a DeWalt repair place near me and it makes life very easy to get the right parts you may need.
Look for a good warranty.
If you do decide to go a little cheaper as a 'starting up' tool, I hear the Ryobi is not bad for that.
Collect the tools you need as you go, you don't have to get everything at once, even though you want to. (I speak as one what is...)
Make do with the tools that can do many functions, like a regular corded drill can do the same work as a sheetrock gun, and an impact driver.
A torpedo, 2' and a 4' level are all you need for most jobs. You don't need the more expensive laser setups or the pricey Stabilas, even though they're worth the expense.
Learn to use a plumb bob. Get a good crosscut handsaw. Find out how convenient hand tools can be when you get good with them.
There's package deals all over the place with the compressor-nail gun stuff. I would think that would be a good place to start. I see them at HD all the time.
I would not start out by going totally cordless as I see some of the younger guys doing these days. Cordless has become a mainstay of the industry but it is still a luxury in some ways. Corded will last six times the life of a cordless. If you do buy one cordless tool, make it a good drill...at least 18v.
Sometimes rental places will sell their tools but know that they have been dragged over the coals by various users. Generally they are good for things like scaffolding & other non-power stuff.
As long as a tool gets the job done the way you would want it, that's fine.
"Make do with the tools that can do many functions, like a regular corded drill can do the same work as a sheetrock gun, and an impact driver."?????Yeah, you can deliver a pallet of plywood with a Ford Pinto too.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
>>Yeah, you can deliver a pallet of plywood with a Ford Pinto too.
For proof of this fact, hang out in a HD parking lot on saturday.
Bring a camera.
'Me not built for pretty - Me built for strong' TM
Case and point!
I know you're old....but you remember when donchya? When you could use a widgit for many different functions, even in the bedr....nevermind.Is the rumor true that you were around during the development of the lever & fulcrum?
"lever & fulcrum?"Hey - no dirty talk here or you'll be deported;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Go to the manufacturer's website and look for reconditioned tool distributors. t really doesn't get cheaper than that and most customer service is great. You get same warrantee as a new tool too.
These distributors are online and on main st. I buy them online and shipping is usually cheaper than tax I'd pay locally. Also, it gets shipped directly to my shop or the job-site. No lugging it from the store.
The tool comes with a reconditioned sticker on it but once you take that off, no one will know - if that is an issue for you.
Frankie
Flay your Suffolk bought-this-morning sole with organic hand-cracked pepper and blasted salt.
Thrill each side for four minutes at torchmark haut. Interrogate a lemon.
Embarrass any tough roots from the samphire. Then bamboozle till it's al dente with that certain je ne sais quoi.
Arabella Weir as Minty Marchmont - Posh Nosh
I do my online purchases from Coastal Tools in Connecticut.
Mostly I research online to know the price, then if I can strike a deal at my local yard that is withing 2-3% of same cost plus shipping, I buy local. That way I get service easy.
Down your way, there is a great place that Mike Smith here buys from in RI, but I can't remember the name of the place.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Do your research. Even good tool companies make bad tools. Some companies have changed hands/been bought out by cheaper brand companies. Stay away from consumer grade brands(Craftsman, black and decker, Ryobi, and the newer porter cable,and the newer rigid. Do your homework by reading reviews here, on Amazon, on epinions, and tools of the trade. Be aware that some reviews are of more value than others. Homeowner reviews tend to hold less weight with me because homeowners tend to use the wrong tool to do a job that it was never intended for.(I.E a circular saw is not for taking down trees, demoing walls, sawing wet wood, or constant concrete cutting.)
Be aware that a 99 dollar Makita hammer drill is not going to be nearly as good or durable as a 199 dollar Makita hammer drill. Above all, go to the store and put your hands on the tools-A great reviewed tool is useless in your hands if it uncomfortable.
Check E-bay and craigslist as well as reconditioned stores such as CPO Makita, milwaukee, bosch and Metabo. Max tool sells alot of recon Dewalt.
I'm sure you are right about avoiding the brands you mention, but Rigid does have a lifetime guarantee which is worth something.
>Rigid does have a lifetime guarantee which is worth something.Might be worth zero if you take into account all of the bad stories I've heard about Ridgid service centers (no factory ones btw, I think - all independent) having month(s) long wait for parts - some multi-month long repair times. If that's the case - notta a lotta good the warranty does you... Plus - it's not a warranty, it's a service contract.They've had the warranty out long enough now for the original owners to have gone through a set of batteries - who here has had brand new batteries supplied by Ridgid?I've always found the Ridgid stuff to be super bulky as well.JT
To be honest the only Ridgid tool I own is a palm nailer, which at $70 I probably wouldn't waste a morning of my time returning. I was half thinking about their site table saw, but after using the Bosch for the last while I think I'll get it instead.
I've got a few Ridgid tools - but they were bought as crazy deals or as used.Laminate trimmer, grinder, mixing drill, etc... the Grinder is the Metabo version, made in Germany.I also bought a few of the Ridgid WW tools back when they were Grey and had REAL lifetime warranties - Bandsaw, planer, OSS sander.I just wouldn't buy into their cordless lineup thinking it meant free batteries for life. Even if it did work - I'll bet it's a pain in the butt to get them switched.JT
Except for Makita, all tools repairs go to one shop which is more than a two hour round trip. Often with the house brands, like Rona, it takes them a day or so just to track down who actually made the thing. When I consign a tool for repair I don't really expect to see it again. When one comes back working, it's sort of like being given a present.
That's why I like buying Bosch stuff.They have their own factory service centers - and that's all they do - no other brands.No BS about getting parts or half-a$$ repairs or parts missing after repairs.JTAlso - folks may not know about this - Bosch's cordless stuff has a 3 year Pro-Vantage warranty that in the 2nd and 3rd year allows you to buy brand new batts (whether you need them or not) at the service centers for about 1/2 price.I was able to buy new 18volt blu-core batts from them for about $42 each - and they would sell me as many as I wanted at that price.Bought 4 cause I could - and didn't need them for a little under a year (got about 3 1/2 years out of the original batts) now I have 4 brand new batts and have no need for another kit.
Very good to know. Thanks.
In the past, I've purchased power tools from International Tool Corporation (In Florida, I believe).
I thnk it's just: http://www.internationaltool.com
They used to have free shipping. Not sure if that is still the case.
"Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words." - St. Francis of Assisi
They have had some of the best prices I have gotten but the very worst service and worst attitudes of any tool supplier I have ever dealt with. I'm surprised they are still in business. I haven't used them for about 15 years.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Buy from locally owned businesses whenever possible. Yes the tools are more expensive, however supporting folks who live in the community is important.