Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Sep 30, 2006 01:29am | #1

   I doubt that the manager has the flexibility to bargain like that.  Corporate stuff, ya know.

   Are you sure about that bandsaw?

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   rob26 | Sep 30, 2006 01:49am | #3

   The bandsaw is the first of the group I'll drop if a discount can't be negotiated.

1. 
   cadiddlehopper | Sep 30, 2006 02:04am | #4

   I believe that Forestgirl is correct. However, as a HD credit card holder I infrequently receive discount offers to induce me to use the card. Perhaps you use yours too much which makes them believe that they don't need to induce you.The tools you have chosen are fine for your purposes. What you might consider, if you are near a Lowe's, is checking out equivalent Delta tools. You might be able to negotiate a discount from Lowe's as I believe the Deltas are a bit more expensive. (I bought Delta which I think are a bit more rugged.) Letting HD know that you are shopping Lowe's might give a little leverage with HD likewise. LOL!!CadiddlehopperPS: If Delta is your final choice, make the planer a 22-560 or -565. The cheaper one is a terrible sniper. C.

   Edited 9/29/2006 7:06 pm ET by cadiddlehopper

2. 
   pilotlon | Sep 30, 2006 01:34am | #2

   Rob,

   I just bought a Ridgid TS-3650 table saw, and I did apply for the card, because they gave me a $200 discount, on the spot.  So, my $549 saw cost me $349, plus tax....a 36% discount.  I paid off the saw when the first bill came around a couple of weeks ago.  It was worth getting the card, just to save the $200.  Now, I must mention, that this was in the Hemet, CA store, and I did not find the same deal in the San Bernardino, CA stores...just 40 miles distant.  The credit manager told me it was a "District Discount", whatever that is.  So, you might not be able to get the same deal where you are.  I agree with what you said about the saw.  It may not be the top of the line, but I'm just a "weekend woodier", and the saw will probably more than meet my needs.  The price certainly fit my pocket book.

   Good luck!

   Lon

    

3. 
   stantheman | Sep 30, 2006 02:54am | #5

   Try a different HD.  There's a night and day difference between the two I deal with, and the tool managers are much more savvy at one.  I've not bought anything big there, but a friend was successful in bargaining down on a large purchase. 

   PS, if you happen to be a veteran or active or reserve military, both HD and Lowe's have given discounts (I think it was 10%) around Veteran's day. 

    

4. 
   PeteBradley | Sep 30, 2006 04:31am | #6

   That's a sizeable chunk of change to spend all at once on decent but clearly second string tools. Not really what you were asking, but you might consider buying machines separately as your skills and needs develop. Unless you live in a very sparsely populated area, chances are that used 6" jointers come up for sale quite regularly. Drill presses are even more common. Just another option to consider.

   Pete

5. 
   BilljustBill | Sep 30, 2006 05:26am | #7

       Rob,

        One way is to "Fight Fire with Fire..."   Go to the Lowes website and check for promotions.   There was a "Moving" discount coupon of 10%.   Home Depot will match any of Lowes' ads.

      While you are at Lowes, check out there prices on a Delta bandsaw, drill press, dust collection, etc.  Item for item with the same model number, HD will match the price plus an additional 10% off....

      One concern I have with Home Depot is seeing how their stores operate.  For the past few years, it seems their stores are not keeping up with the competition.  The isles seem cluttered and not well lit, plus most stores just seem dirty.   The local store has a policy of taking any "culled wood" and instead of selling it, the cut it up into 4ft. sections and haul it to the internal dumpster....I've seen a cull cart stacked with 20' long 2X6's being cut up into short pieces and hauled to their internal dumpster.  What a waste and just think of the impact of all the weekly amounts pressure treated timber will have on the landfill!!!

   With store operations like these, having the Ridgid "lifetime warranty" on big ticket tools may not mean much if they start phasing out their stores...  Any major Delta problem I've had, even going up the chain-of-command to get it resolved, has been handled with speed and with an impressive solution...

       Bill

6. 
   USANigel | Sep 30, 2006 06:23am | #8

   Look around for a "contractor" day and get 10% off the whole thing. Any other time is tough because head office wants to know why the discount.

7. 
   PADDYDAHAT | Sep 30, 2006 07:24am | #9

   Rob, when the going gets weird? Well it does with HD. I have delt with them in 4 states and at least two of their regions along the East coast (NY to TN) and it was like dealing with different organizations. In NY a holder of their contractors card gets 10% off the top, In TN 0%. Some tool mgrs are businessmen most are not, you have to chat them up easy and get a feel for the weather in that store. You MUST be aware and ready to quote all competitors deals for truly equal level goods but be ready to walk away with a smile and thank you very much at all times.

   I have some of their stuff, I would pass on the BS-very poor trunions supporting the table if you want to resaw but ok for board work with the 3/4hp use very good blades not theirs. The jointer looks to me a little lite, better with Sears, Delta or others. The drill press looks ok. The planner got good reviews but Makita would be better.

   Don't be in a hurry, look at them all, make notes and ask questions on each tool here and in store. Good luck , Pat

   ps. did you ever follow the Madison Scouts drum & bugle corps?

    

8. 
   Knotscott | Oct 01, 2006 03:07pm | #10

   10% off is table stakes before I make any large purchases, and I'd definitely walk if I wasn't getting at least that for a purchase of this size. If they won't do it, someone else will even if it's another HD. Ridgid definitely has stout competition ou there....there's always Lowes, Sears, Menards, Woodcraft, Amazon, Rockler, and lots of independents who will sell to you.

   Check Ebay for discount coupons, and/or look for a competitors coupon that HD will honor.

   Just keep asking, it's not unreasonable and is very common.

   Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

9. 
   hypecast | Oct 01, 2006 11:25pm | #11

   Home Depot will give anyone a coupon when they move. It's good for 10% off your entire purchase up to $10K, I believe. Here ya go:
   https://www.homedepotmoving.com/sign_up.do?action=SignUp&regMode=10percent

   I think you can just fill in your current address, as if you moved there.

   Where I live, HD and Lowe's take each other's coupons, and Lowe's has the same deal (and I think they just email their coupons)
   https://www.lowesmoving.com/

   Also, I have the Ridgid jointer that HD sells on indefinite loan from a cousin, and I have to be honest. I'd never spend any of my own money on one. I have to adjust the thing every time I use it. Neither the outfeed table nor the fence will stay securely locked. Also, the fence itself isn't machined flat.

   Hope some of this helps.

   Jeff

10. 
    MatthewSchenker | Oct 04, 2006 06:02pm | #12

    Can't comment on getting a manager's special, but I've had great success with Ridgid machines I own or have reviewed.

    I have the Ridgid benchtop table saw and like it more every time I use it!

    I have the Ridgid trim router. Perhaps the Bosch is better, but this is a smooth little machine. I know it's not on your list, but I thought I'd mention it because it has been so useful for me.

    I reviewed the Ridgid planer and liked it (although I ended up keeping the DeWalt). Likewise, I reviewed the Ridgid jointer and liked it as well. I ended up keeping the new Craftsman jointer, but mainly because I got it on an amazing sale and I like the position of the power switch, not because of any quality issues.

    No experience with the drill press.

    The only tool in your group that I would question is the bandsaw.

    
    

    ---

    Edited 10/4/2006 11:05 am ET by MatthewSchenker

11. 
    oldbeachbum | Oct 05, 2006 08:45am | #13

    adding a bit to what Cadiddlehopper said in post earlier in this thread, "check out Delta at Lowes".............do so but be careful with the quality of their Shopmaster Line.  I've found it to be inferior to the standard Delta brand, in many of their units.

    ...a bad day at the beach is better than a good day anywhere else... :)

1. 
   Knotscott | Oct 05, 2006 01:50pm | #14

   I agree about the Delta "Shopmaster" line. There are some decent tools and values to be had, but they're trying to capitalize on the Delta name while hawking more DIY/beginner wwer type tools that are more Ryobi/Skil/B&D caliber. People tend to see "Delta" and ignore the "Shopmaster" part. Grizzly, Craftsman, and others walk a slippery slope by not clearly differentiating their quality levels by varying the trademarks at all....they're even more confusing than the Delta SM line IMO. I like General's approach....Canadian made industrial grade top shelf machinery gets dubbed "General", while their import line gets the "General International" moniker. General has been smart enough to offer only quality levels and value that won't tarnish their name b/c even the GI line is pretty good. There's alot less gray area than say a Unisaw that's assembled in the US with Chinese cast iron and a Brazilian motor. No matter how a company differentiates, it's still confusing if the consumer doesn't know the history of the machine, and that's really their responsibility if the info is public knowledge. But it's much easier if they do differentiate somehow.

   Edited 10/5/2006 2:11 pm ET by Knotscott

12. 
    user-77297 | Oct 06, 2006 08:59am | #15

    Home Depot here (Bloomington) has accepted my on line ads from both the manufacture as well as their own web site.  Some times on-line sales are less, and in store pickup will honor them.  Try that on them and watch them scramble for a cart and help load the boxes in your pickup.  Never hurts to ask.

    Remember..... nothing ventured..... nothing gained.

    Kurt

1. 
   rob26 | Oct 06, 2006 05:12pm | #16

   Thanks - that's good to know. As is so happens, I just got a "10% off your entire online purchase" coupon in today's e-mail. I'm going to give it a try (and then drop the "no payments/no interest for 12 months" postcard they sent me last week). That should be fun.

13. 
    PeteToo | Oct 07, 2006 11:45pm | #17

    I can comment on the Ridgid 6" jointer.  I prefer it over the Delta.

    Around Veteran's Day last year both Lowe's and HD were offering ten percent to vets.  I needed a 6" jointer so I shopped both.  The Lowe's Delta unit is much less rugged and lighter than the equivalent Ridgid but the final straw fell when I looked at the Delta label and saw that it was made in China.  The Ridgid JP 06101 was made in Taiwan and that's what I bought - all 250 pounds (in the packing) of it and I have been *very* happy with it ever since.

    I don't like sending my money to China.  At least the Taiwanese are friends.

    Pete

    
1. 
   Mike&L | Oct 08, 2006 12:41am | #18

   I have two new Ridgid tools, the contractors saw and the bandsaw.

   The contractors saw worked just fine right out of the box.

   The bandsaw needed rebuilding before it would function properly.  Probably the most significant thing that I did was replace the standard die-cast pulleys (actually sheaves) with machined cast iron pulleys.  THAT made a world of difference.

   Having rebuilt the unit, I like it fine.

   Mike D 

14. 
    Quickstep | Oct 08, 2006 05:19am | #19

    I've tried to avoid expressing my opinion on this, but I couldn't hold out. During a visit to Home Depot a while back, I asked for the manager to question why I had been instructed (not asked) to produce a driver's license for an $11 charge. He explained that that was his rule and if I didn't like it, I could go elsewhere. Last time I checked, that was considered bad customer service. Based on that, I'd question Home Depot's ability to provide customer service if one of your tools has a problem; warranty or not.

    I used to have tools of that quality, not Rigid, but the same level more or less. Over the years, I have since replaced all of them with higher quality tools. I buy them from a local machinery store that provides excellent service, is price competitive and delivers. Even though I'm a hobbyist, the difference in quality is very noticable in terms of power, accuracy and the ability to get accessories and parts years down the road. Support from the local guy is a big deal too. My jointer arrived with a cracked pully that I didn't discover for a couple of weeks. They sent me a new pulley on my word, no questions asked. The reseach I did when I bought my jointer seemed to show that the value of a 6" jointer is fairly limited. they tend to have short beds and the 6" jointer's ability to flatten a board wider than 6" is limited.

    Good luck. Please consider buying your tools as your project's require from a place that sells and supports quality products. Here's the financial logic I use:

    My last project was a built-in for the living room. It probably would have cost me $1500 to have it made.  In order to make it myself, I needed to upgrade my planer. I used $500 in materials and bought a $1000 planer. The cost was the same, but I get to keep the planer. It's nutty logic, but it's working for me. The prior project needed a jointer. The table saw is the work horse of the shop; a good one makes a world of difference.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

1. 
   AB | Oct 08, 2006 04:29pm | #20

   Is your card signed?

2. 
   kingwoodworks | Oct 08, 2006 05:00pm | #21

   During a visit to Home Depot a while back, I asked for the manager to question why I had been instructed (not asked) to produce a driver's license for an $11 charge.

   Personally, I am grateful when asked for ID when charging a purchase.  With identity theft running rampant it just seems like a good idea and the responsible thing for a business to do.

   Bob

3. 
   bones | Oct 08, 2006 05:15pm | #22

   Quickstep, they are only protecting you should your card be stolen, or your identity be compromised. I am on the opposite side of this one.  I am amazed at the clerks that when I swipe my card, don't even ask to see the signature. On the back of my cards when I sign, I reserve enough space to print "ask for id".  Its a little reminder.  I thank those who ask for ID and remind those that do not why they should.  I know of horror stories of people who have suffered from identity theft.  My next door neighobr had his identity stolen, and it took over $10,000 in attorney fees and pain to finally clean up the mess left behind by the deed.  The charges to the multiple cards opened by the thieves, were eaten by the CCard companies, but his time and effort to clear his credit history was not, and he had to work to get it restored.  By the way, I bought a schredder to cut up all the offers and convenience checks that pile in my box every day.  With more and more of your life dependent on your credit rating, protect it! Please don't take this wrong, I'm just trying to explain why they are asking for ID.  Good luck. 

    

1. 
   Quickstep | Oct 08, 2006 07:38pm | #23

   I don't so much object to the fact that they ask for ID, but the way they "ask" for it and the way the manager explained the need. Had he said something like "We've had a run of stolen cards and we're just trying to take extra precautions", I might have felt better, but "That's my rule and if you don't like it, you can shop elsewhere" is unacceptable to me. Also, to "request" my ID, the clerk simply said in a surly tone - "ID" - Not, may I see your ID, or can I see your ID please?

   By the way, my card is signed. 

1. 
   nikkiwood | Oct 09, 2006 05:46pm | #25

   I agree with you -- there is no excuse for that kind of surly attitude.That said, I am not bothered when asked for an ID. It's the age we live in...........********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

15. 
    jazzdogg | Oct 08, 2006 08:36pm | #24

    The incentives (discounts) offered when you get one of their credit cards are predicated on assumptions about the future revenue you're likely to generate as a cardholder.

    Profit margins on stationary power tools are very slim; they'll take a loss on a power tool sale because the credit card side of the equation has the potential to bring their long-term P&L back into balance. Ordinarily, however, prices on nationally advertised tools are so low that retailers aren't left with much room for dickering.

     

    -Jazzdogg-

    "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie