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Inexpensive or Cheap ToolsMar 08 '03 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Tools and Accessories
The Bottom Line Ask people,not just articles!!Make sure "You " are comfortable knowing the reviews,then ask again!!Be patient,if possible!!Plan ahead,if possible!!I wish you "Luck " and "INEXPENSIVE " tools!
I'm 37 and I was raised as a "Garage Sale Kid "."Get a deal ","Cheaper is better ",and "Will you take $2? " are what we lived by.Well,I'm here to tell you,cheaper isn't always better.I've been in some pretty unforgiving professions.Mechanic,at a "good shop ",exotic hardwood installer,and custom art creations,to name a few.I've had the best and certainly the worst.I have come to one conclusion about which tool,where to find it and at what price? It is that,it boils down to "Past Experiences " and "Shopping Around "!There is no substitutes!Whether you ask a friend or a guy off the street,everyone has their own opinions! Believe me,my upbringing insists that I get a great price.Why does half my neighborhood and my friends ask me about tools?Because,I do my homework!I'm a fanatic about getting overcharged or getting defective tools!We pay a lot for them,most of the time!So this is my system.Step 1,Ask someone(The guy down the street with a garage full.).Step 2,check some kind of consumer report or reviews on that product(Do the research.Epinions,Consumer Reports,etc...).Step 3,look to see who carries that product.Can you find it "on line ",at a "garage sale ",Home Depot(very large hardware & supply),Sears,Harbor Freight Catalog(also "on line "),or is it special order.(They say you can find anything on the net,even opinions).Step 4,push the salesman aside and take the price home with you.Start comparing all prices for all models at all the places.Write them out on a list.The more you do it,the better you get to know tools and the system of finding them.Sales on tools happen and change very often.Shop around and don't let anyone pressure you,until you know you've compared. When I was doing well as a mechanic,I paid for "Snap-On " full price!About $11,000 worth."Good Grief!"Now I get it on E-Bay for a 1/3 of the price.But,be careful they're out there waiting.Ask someone about what you have found.I get calls all the time and I try to help them see the possible rip off.I like Snap-On and others brands like it.So,I still buy them! Most of them are made better.I also have Craftsman and some not so very reputable brands. Losing the best ones hurt.It all depends on how much force or abuse you are going put on a tool,for how long of a time.I know how much I'm going to abuse them.A lot!That's why you,might,need to pay more. My mom,who's retiring next year,is still doing her own remodeling,loves tools and getting them cheap.So,I bought her a 12 volt,De Walt,cordless drill to replace the two she found "cheap ".Sometimes,cheap isn't better.Most of the "Tool Savvy " people,I know,will always have a "backup tool "for the one we really found cheap. "Only,my opinions." Drills.My favorite light duty is either Craftsman or Milwaukee for drills with a cord.With praise to others used are Porter Cable,De Walt and Bosch.Believe the guys that have burnt out drills,more than hobbyists. Cordless Drills.I've been through a few,building communication towers.I still like my De Walt drills.I have a couple of 14.4 volts and my mom's is a 12 volt for a little less weight.One of mine came from Home Depot and the other from Harbor Freight.Make sure you have at least 2 batteries.Most come with 2 batteries from the get go. Screwdrivers.The basic 3 sizes of "Phillips style " should suffice in most cases.They are #1,#2 & #3 tips.The same with flat blades.I suggest,to most people who ask,to get one very big flat blade for general prying.We all do it!Screwdrivers that hold bits are very nice,especially ratcheting,but they can be too big in tight areas.Don't put these in place of a regular screwdriver!I would get both types,if possible."Harbor Freight " has a great set of fixed shank screwdrivers(not interchangeable)with blue handles for about $10-$15. Bits or Tips (for interchangeable screwdrivers that accept them).You can never have too many!With all the weird screw heads out there,you could have 20 different tips and still be behind the times.I have a bit holder for storing bits when not in use,from a company called "M.I.T.".I only paid about $3 for it,with Bits.I wouldn't part with it easily.It has a belt clip and chain that connect to a red rubber holder that holds bits on both sides.It has great one handed accessibility. Pliers.I like the "Channel Lock " brand.To me,"hands down ".They can be a little pricey,compared to the Ace brand.I think they're worth it.And without further ado,"The Death Grip Pliers "!"The Vise Grip " brand!"Everyone should have at least one pair to just about destroy whatever your nemesis is on the project at hand.Locking pliers are a great tool,that sometimes gets a bad rap.When used correctly they can be extremely helpful and harmful.They can mar things,terribly.One,"for instance ",is when you lock on to an old nut with locking pliers,that a wrench can't get off.The teeth on the jaw may completely disfigure the nut,but it will remove the nut or snap the bolt at the threads.It may not be what you wanted,but they're apart!They use lever action to lock the jaw onto what ever you want. Hammers.What can you say? For common house hold use,they are abused as bad as screwdrivers.Go get any lifetime warrantied hammer.My hammers are Craftsman,because of that fact!There is also a nice non-marring hammer out there with replaceable faces.Rubber on one side and a harder urethane on the other.Great for loose furniture.Mine is a Craftsman. Tape Measures.A lifetime warranty,definitely,needed here.If I bought one every time the tape was bent or broken,I would be able to fill a trash can.My tapes are Stanley & Craftsman with warranties. You may notice a trend.It is because hand tools can be found more easily with a lifetime warranty than power tools.Power tools with lifetime warranties are practically unheard of.They can burnout too quickly.So if you can afford a little more, get the better power tool.If they all break or wear out about the same time,even between the better name tools,go for the lifetime,the cheapest,or wait and find the deal on a real good one.Tools get addicting to some,because the easier the job goes,the easier you'll want the next one to go.You may see someone using something that would have made a job you had completed easier and know you maybe doing it again sometime soon! I'm sorry to find people shocked in stores when a customer,like myself,turns to help them with a problem.I tell them exactly what I tell everyone else,"This is what I had in the past and this is what I use!"No pressure, because,"It's just "My " opinion!"" People can help you "try " and find the "perfect " tool or toolbox.To know you have either,to a lot of people I know,could be considered "Bliss "!  |
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