My attitude has become to buy high-end tools because even if I don’t use them again, I got the best possible experience when I did to decide whether it was worth it, and chances are I can resell it (keeping the box and all accessories) for barely enough discount to have rented some piece of shit that I couldn’t choose to keep if I wanted to.
And bad tools make bad products. A tablesaw that can’t cut a straight line and starts to wobble after 10 uses doesn’t make you want to keep doing that. When I’ve replaced a bad tool with a good one, I like the feeling I get when it just works properly.
I’ve bought enough cheap-shit tools over the years to change my attitude entirely on this. I’ve gotten lucky sometimes, but usually you pay for what you get.
Power tools are sometimes the exception to the rule of buying cheap tools. Saws are probably the biggest exception. My cheap corded ryobi saw is awful because it’s so flimsy, and the deck bends. The makita saw I replaced it with is 100x easier to use, more accurate, and safer.
Buying cheap tools applies to hand tools, air tools, hydraulic stuff, etc.
Yeah I got a cheap Harbor Freight jigsaw and I hate it. Cut line indicator is useless, blade slips out of the roller guide so the cut doesnt stay square or straight, the keyless clamp is so inflexible I’d rather just have the classic screw-tight mechanism…
I put it away and used a circular saw, coping saw, and japanese pull saw to finish the project rather than keep fighting with it.
My attitude has become to buy high-end tools because even if I don’t use them again, I got the best possible experience when I did to decide whether it was worth it, and chances are I can resell it (keeping the box and all accessories) for barely enough discount to have rented some piece of shit that I couldn’t choose to keep if I wanted to.
And bad tools make bad products. A tablesaw that can’t cut a straight line and starts to wobble after 10 uses doesn’t make you want to keep doing that. When I’ve replaced a bad tool with a good one, I like the feeling I get when it just works properly.
I’ve bought enough cheap-shit tools over the years to change my attitude entirely on this. I’ve gotten lucky sometimes, but usually you pay for what you get.
Power tools are sometimes the exception to the rule of buying cheap tools. Saws are probably the biggest exception. My cheap corded ryobi saw is awful because it’s so flimsy, and the deck bends. The makita saw I replaced it with is 100x easier to use, more accurate, and safer.
Buying cheap tools applies to hand tools, air tools, hydraulic stuff, etc.
Yeah I got a cheap Harbor Freight jigsaw and I hate it. Cut line indicator is useless, blade slips out of the roller guide so the cut doesnt stay square or straight, the keyless clamp is so inflexible I’d rather just have the classic screw-tight mechanism…
I put it away and used a circular saw, coping saw, and japanese pull saw to finish the project rather than keep fighting with it.
I like this approach, it reduces waste significantly.