Hi everyone,
My inspiration for this new post comes from the Breaktime forum. They have a long time running thread “Which tool did you buy today?”
So I figured I’d go in the opposite direction.
Which tool do you wish you had never bought?
Did it not meet your expectations? Poor quality? Or just a one time use?
Is it sitting in a shop cabinet or attic gathering dust?
And please don’t thread drift into Asian versus American tools.
Thanks,
Chills
Replies
I know this one is high on many people's lists: the Ryobi detail sander.
The Porter Cable detail sander is another, though not as abominable.
Here here Frozen. I've got both too, if I could find them under the sawdust!
I bought a PorterCable detail sander once, and took it back. The reciprocating motion literally shook the sanding head off every single time I tried to use it.
I was putting up a fence a 12 years ago and the cost of buying a come-a-long was 25% more than renting, so I bought it. Since then it has been on a shelf and falling off when I need something else - finally sold it at a garage sale last week Net loss of about $10.
1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Edited 6/7/2005 2:02 pm ET by Rick503
I would NEVER admit to bying a BAD tool.... However you got a few hours to take my list?
Porter-Cable profile sander. The rubber profile forms sometimes vibrate out of the tool, and the stickly paper does not work well on some of the forms.
DeWalt radial arm saw, circa 1979. It just won't stay at 90 degrees (the normal crosscut angle), even if it is just left in place. If the arm is moved (say, to miter something), forget getting back to the original position. My Dad's DeWalt, circa 1965, is massively more stable. I remember the DeWalt rep telling us, after we complained about the lack of cast iron on the newer saw, that there was actually more cast iron on the new saw - impossible! This is a classic case of a manufacturer changing a product to cut costs (using less cast iron). It's far too common, and makes me appreciate even more those few manufacturers who don't change something that is a proven performer.
Other than that, no real regrets, although like everyone when I was younger I sometimes compromised a bit on quality to get a price I could afford. Generally I don't regard those as mistakes, as in most cases I got reasonably good service out of the less expensive tool. I've reached a point in life where I can pay a little more and always try to buy quality, but couldn't always before.
The porter Cable Profile Sander is the worst, expensive tool I ever had the misfortune to buy. I am surprised there is not some sort of class action against them for, selling a worthless, ill engineered, non-performing tool. How many others feel something should have been done along this line?
Keith
This is one of the best threads going. I'm in th P-C detail sander club too. Maybe we can argue who's is in the most mint condition.
Where are you Shopsmith guys? Around here, every other ad is somebody wanting to unload a 1974 era Shopsmith...hardly used. I think they might not want to admit that they have one, and paid that much for it.
Why Quartersawn, my PC detail sander has not used even the first roll of sandpaper. The one that came with it. The reason is that the sandpaper will not stick to the contour pads. I tried all sorts of things to get any sandpaper to stick, but since it wont stick, it won't follow the contours and it just sands everything down like a very poor pad sander. It is in original case and not a scratch. Any one like to buy it at a very deep discount?That is a joke as all the people on this forum seem to nice to play such a dirty trick on.
keith
Ooops, almost forgot one! The "Sander Sitter". If you don't know, this is a 6' round piece of crepe rubber sheeting on a ball-bearing turntable. It is supposed to allow you to set down a orbital sander while it is still spinning. It also will clean the sanding disk at the same time. A total joke from the woodworking show. Rockler still carries them though. At the last show there was a guy there demonstrating them. I told him in a good-natured way that I was not happy with mine. He told that they have completely re-designed them! He didn't offer to trade mine for the new design.
Who said there's a sucker born every minute?
There is a good antidote for this problem however. Its call a Lie-Neilsen plane. Take one and you will feel better right away.
A small thing, but I still have this cruddy little keyhole saw I bought when I was young and stupid (as opposed to middle-aged and stupid) on the theory that it would work as well as a full-sized handsaw and fit in my toolbox (I was moving a lot at the time). Wrong-o. It's a great tool if your goal is to produce enough tearout to keep your woodstove going all winter.
To add insult to injury, I don't think Porter Cable even makes the sticky sandpaper for the detail sander anymore. They do have some kind of stick sheets that are precut like post-it notes.
There is one irony in all of this discussion of the PC detail sander: I remember that being the tool that really launched them into the woodworking market about 10 years ago. They were a no-name company before that and are huge today. I think that they make a much better too than their sister company Delta. Didn't another big tool company just buy them both?
I don't know if Porter Cable tools compare with Delta or anyone else. After the PC profile sander I never bought another PC tool. You know the old saying - got me once, shame on them; got me twice, shame on me!
Keith
Mortising attachment for drillpress-Ended up cracking the shelf on the press
Bridge city square-It's beautiful but heavy. I accidentally dropped it onto a project which left a big dent. It stays in the drawer 90% of the time.
Cheap tapering jig. It's scary to use and has no hold downs. I look at it and shivver at the thought of a table leg catching the blade and knocking my brains out. I don't think this has happened yet, that I remember.
Oldham blades. CheapThere are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
I actually have very few tools I wish I hadn't bought - even the cheap ones that I replaced later still gave me some good use - but the cheap metal tapering jig is definitely one of them. Scary and all but useless, as it will only work for certain lengths and angles; I hardly ever used it. Now I just make a jig out of some scrap, on those rare occasions when I feel like tempting fate and cutting a taper on the TS."Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
Alright I'll admit to the shopsmith, but I didn't buy it. It's mainly kept for sentamental reasons. It was my grandfathers, then my fathers, and now mine. The thing scares me to death and takes up more space in the garage than I would like to admit, but I'd never get rid of it.
Man I cannot believe how many of us got ripped off on the profile sander. To make matters worse they were on sale a couple of years ago, and I bought 3. kept 1 and gave the other 2 to a couple of woodworking buddies. What an embarasment. Porter Cable should do the honourable thing and offer all of us a credit or outright refund.
PC detail sander: Home Depot only had to tell me once that I could return it since I didn't like it. A few months later I saw them on the close-out table for 30% off. Hmmmmm.
Edited 6/17/2005 8:29 pm ET by KMEALY
P-C vs profile sander, by far the BIG looser.I hope they read this discussion.Ron in mass
"PC detail sander: Home Depot only had to tell me once that I could return it since I didn't like it. A few months later I saw them on the close-out table for 30% off. Hmmmmm. "
Same thing for me. I used it all of 10 seconds to realize that it was useless. Vibrated so bad I couldn't keep it in the slot to be sanded.
The other tool bought at the same time was the RotoZip tool.
This was the one with the electronic speed control on the end cover. The first one went wacko cutting cement board. I brought it back and they gave me another. I was back again when that failed and returned the whole kit.
I think I sould have taken the mechanical switch one. It might have done better.
Tools I absolutely love:
My Incra Jig. I get to use it on almost every project as a edge jointer, shaper, box joint maker, micro milling machine. LOVE IT!
Beisemeyer Fence just added to 15 year old Delta 10" Contractor Saw
DeWalt 12" sliding compount Mitre saw
14.4 DeWalt battery drill
Delta 10" Jointer and Delta 13" RC30 planer
Dremel Tool with all the extras
Porter Cable Router kit 690 something with two bases
Need another router and will probably get the 680 something (690 is out?)
$500+ Cabinet Makers Bench w/2 vises from Woodcraft. Should have bought it 40 years ago. This [or a more expensive model] should be the present for every son graduting from high school or college. Great Dining Room furnature if he doesn't take up woodworking
I am picky about my tools and weight all the pros and cons before buying.
B&D Workmate
I bought a Craftsman 1-1/2hp router about 5 years ago to make a chair rail and round over some baseboard. Both the base and edge guide were made of plastic. Adjusting the bit depth was a pain. I think I got $20 for it at my last garage sale. I think my Craftsman belt-sander will be next to go.
My one HP craftsman router is finally going into the trash. After two rebuilds, the parts are out of production. I replaced it with the PC 690; it's great so far.My craftsman belt sander isn't working right now. It's ripping the belts and obviously needs something else replaced. That includes the parts that wore out before the last rebuild also.Did I mention that I bought both in 1975 for about $100 each. The jig saw I bought that day is still working quite well, but it hasn't got quite so many miles on it as the router and belt sander.Too bad that reputation and history are so readily negated by the latest management or ownership change. When the engineers get replaced by bean counters, performance and reliability give way to spread sheets.
Hi telemiketoo,
I have a Ryobi router that I got at HD but was thinking of upgrading to the PC690 as it has been recommended highly by different magazines as being basic but very good. If you had to do it all over again would you have upgraded to a more versatile PC model? Maybe a plunge version? Just wondering since you have recently switched to the PC690.Regards,
Buzzsaw
Buzzsaw, the PC 690 was the best all around medium router around when I bought it. It has been and is great. I've supplemented the 690 with a speed control, an edge guide, guide bushings, and a plunge base, things that mostly come with a good package deal now. But, tool purchases are like snapshots - they happen at an instant of time and you make the very best decision you can, at that moment. Within a few months, another manufacturer has added yet another really useful feature and maybe you should buy that one. When you're ready to buy, figure out what you want the router to do, read every recent review you can, and get a good price when you make a decision by doing your internet research and calling the local outlets. I'd recommend getting two fixed and one plunge base if you want to put the router in a table; otherwise, one fixed and one plunge base, although I'm not so sure about the fixed base anymore (is it a relic?).Get an edge guide and guide bushings. Get variable speed. Get 1/2 inch collect with a 1/4" adaptor. Make or buy a really good table, if you don't have one or a shaper already. Don't sweat whether it's the best one currently available, if it does what you want. You can't stay ahead of the inovators and improvers anymore, now that there's a really big woodworker market. That's really good by the way.
Man Oh Man, this thread's got some legs.
Keep 'em coming fellas!
Me? Rember some more:
All of those diamond impregnated steel plates, japanese waterstones, the one ceramic stone, and the stone holder I bought.
Pretty much useless now that I learned about scarey sharp and sharpening with wet dry sand paper spray adhesived to a $5 piece of granite tile measuring a foot by a foot.
I don't think all of that stuff is in the attic, in the closet yes, no attic yet.
Got a Delta slow speed bench grinder that I rarely use. I don't use the lathe and it's tools that regularly so I don't really see the point of having that around. Besides I have a Delta 6 X 48 belt and 12" disc combo machine that does a real good job of metal removal. Now if I could just remember to blow or vac all of the sawdust out of it before I let the sparks fly next time.
That bench grinder, it'll never make it to the attic. Just too heavy to carry up a step ladder.
Just kidding
I'll keep the two yellow jap stones and the LV green polishing rouge stick. It makes them chisels and plane irons shine like a mirror and wicked sharp.
Man, I should just go to bed. If I could just figure out why I couldn't attach a pic earlier tonite to something I wanted to post.
SYSOP where are you?
Outta here,
Chills
AMT Drill Press mortising attachment, Biscuit Jointer(s), Delta Hollow Chisel Mortiser (early model).
Thanks for all of the experienced info. I have two Ryobi HD routers that are cheap but have done what I need them to do. One of them came with a cheap metal router table that I don't even use. I'm planning on building Norm's table sometime in the future but finding the time is the hard part. I use the Ryobi's free-hand mostly for edging a table top, as I just did yesterday. My shop is still evolving and still have a number of tools to buy, specifically a jointer and a planer. I have mostly everything else (except a decent router table). I will make a sound purchase when I buy my first REAL router...Regards,
Buzzsaw
After reading 89 posts I assume I'm the only sucker that bought the HiPURformer glue gun.
OBTW, I've been a ShopSmith owner for 23 years and wouldn't part with it. That said, the TS function does need a lot of help.
dhbI'm not the man I used to be, but then I never was!
Don,
Do tell about the HiPURformer glue gun. I'm curious because I've seen them for sale @ Rockler; what's the sales premise versus the real world performance?
Re: Shopsmith, I've never operated one, but always thought their drill press, convertible to a horionzal boring machine, looked like a better design for woodworkers than the typical (metalworker's) floor-standing drill press most of us have in our shops. How well do those functions work in real life?
Thanks,-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
As far as the shopsmith goes I have an old mark 5 that a friend gave me. the jointer works well for the size and I like the drill press/horizontal boring feature but the table does deflect a bit (pardon the pun)
Troy
Actually, I like the gun itself, but the cartridges really stink. They have a definite shelf life, though not given by the manufacturer. Moreover, if you start to use a cartridge, you must use it up right away or the glue inside will lock the follower plate into the cartridge tube. Then the remainder is lost
When I complained to the maker, they were somewhat less than concerned.
The Shopsmith drillpress function is superb, better than any standalone I've ever used for wood. It might not have the schmaltz for metalwork, though.
dhbI'm not the man I used to be, but then I never was!
Leigh Dovetail Jig.
I bought the thing set it up and tested it and haven't used it since. I guess if a were doing a bunch of kitchen cabinets it would be worth the trouble to set up and use. You can vary the spacing of the dovetails but you are still limited by the bits and I really don't think they look that good on furniture. A kitchen drawer would be fine but if you spend the time to design a nice piece I think you would want to put a little more effort to make the dovetails look nice. You can't really use the jig for very small drawers like in a desk gallery. After you get used to making dovetails by hand you can probably do a couple of drawers faster then setting up and using the jig.
It is very well made with an excellent manual and if someone were making a lot of drawers of the same type it would be a good productivity booster. If I ever get really tired of looking at it I am sure I could get a fair price for it.
I totally agree. We have one too in our student workshop. I have been teaching for 5 years here and still can't be bothered showing anyone how it works. To be honest I have forgotten and can not be bothered reading the one inch book that goes with it.
To get back to tools...
I just picked up (and brought back unused) a Porter Cable 893PK Router kit with 2 bases. I already have the Porter Cable 693 (number???) 2 base kit and I wanted another router.
The 893 plunge base has a nasty habit of sticking in its travel. As long as you pressed down evenly on both handles the unit tended to go up or down but the slightest pressure on either handle and it would stick going up as well as going down. When I say stick it could actually not want to slide anywhere in the travel and you have to find the magic balance that will release it. Kind of negates the use of a plunge router base. I realized that I was spending time and attention trying to get it to go up and down and might not have paid attention to the spinning bit, had it been turning.
The store had two other bases of same design and same thing happened to those.
They had a DeWalt 2-1/4HP kit (number??) that looked like the Porter Cable and was designed for head-to-head competition. The parts weren't as beefy and the collet nut wasn't as heavy duty but it did run smoother. About same price but collects come 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2...no 8mm collect. Not even available as an accessory???
I got introduced to 8mm bits with the Leigh jig and like the idea of all that metal eliminating vibration and possibly breakage.
Has anyone bought the Porter Cable and found that it slides just fine ALL the time?
The reason I didn't put the motor in it? I was showing a friend how nice the base was laid out and the motor binding release works.
Jerry
Craftsman detail sander (or any detail sander for that matter). Absolutely useless. Sold mine on ebay.
Cordless dremel, you know, the one with the rechargeable battery. It runs out of power about ten minutes into the job. The dremel with the cord, however, is a lifesaver.
-matt
Makita angle grinder: used it once to remove a toilet (rusty bolts). Should have flushed down the new toilet once I was done!
tool I wish I hadn't bought??????
a 24 ft. 2 man aluminum pic plank
Too big, too freakin heavy-----and after recently "new" garage.
Stephen
I was thinking of buying one of those. oh and worst tool no contest, rotozip!! freakin useless.
RE: the RotoZipI think the tool works fine if one uses it for its main intended purpose -- i.e. drywall cut-outs.They got themselves into trouble when they started running infomercials suggesting the tool could be used for just about anything under the sun. I would guess they sold a lot of units, but they also gained a lot of dissatisfied customers.********************************************************
"I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there."
-- Herb Caen (1916-1997)
suggesting the tool could be used for just about anything under the sun..
Yep and the BITS BREAK Dangerous... For drywall and general use like that OK but I wonder how many 'takes' the TV film crew took cutting that plywood??
They probably switched to a router bit to cut the plywood...Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
Benchy ,
Now tell me, what was wrong with that Makita angle grinder??? I take it you are not talking about the big one.
I am intrigued-is this predjudice applicable to all a/g's or just the Makita?
Don't hold back-let's hear all!
I think it was disgust by association, man you should have seen that toilet!
Craftsman 8" Drill Press. Bought it 8 years ago for $99 - same price you can get it for today...
I use it, but it's just too damn short for a lot of projects. I can't even mount a mortising attachment on it. If I didn't feel the need to get a BS and a planer next, I'd get the bigger DP pronto.
Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
Gross Stabil Miter Clamp.
Hard to use. Does not work that well
http://mikestools.com/detail.asp?product_id=MCX
(slides on the wood)
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
View Image
Gross Stabil Miter Clamp.
Mark,
Attach a strip of PSA 220 grit sand paper to the face of the clamp. It will prevent it from sliding under clamping pressure.
Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
HF large sandblaster. Leaks air from 50 different spots. Used a whole roll of teflon tape on the fittings, and still leaked from 49.
Dan, will do.
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
View Image
god... where to start...??
every "cheap capability" power tool I bought when I first started...
big box fixed base router (only fixed base I've seen for sale over here)
cordless circular saw... (what was I thinking....????)
every new Record / Stanley plane or clamp
enough... this is getting embarrassing...
Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
Boy, do I relate to that. Vermont American router table, Skil router, Skil circ saw come immediately to mind. Also, every dust collection scheme prior to my Woodsucker cyclone - complete wastes but I should have seen it coming. However, the one that ought to have been good that has been a total waste of time for me was a set of Board Buddies. Too hard to adapt to the table saw, too limited in its capabilities.RogerI'd rather be making cabinets and friends....
I owe you guys a big vote of thanks. I have almost ordered the PC profile sander on at least 4 occasions. So now I won't even ask if anyone has a good one used.
I sort of agree about all the Vermont American crap. If you look at the label it is neither Vermont nor American. It should be called cheap bits that won't last for the one job you bought them for.
I do have one addition to this gallery. A Delta Router Table with Shaper Spindle. What a piece of garbage. The height of the shaft moves when you lock it down so getting an accurate height is almost impossible. The fence on the thing won't stay square. I bought it about 4 yrs ago. At least now they call it Shopmaster to warn serious woodworkers not to buy it.
Darn, in my reply I forgot to mention Board Buddies. I bought them to keep wood against the rip fence. They really don't work very well and they have limitations with regard to dimmentions use. Waste of money.
A 4" Craftsman jointer. I never could get the POS to stay at 90 degrees on the fence so I finally gave it to my brother. That was a perfect waste of $100. He's happy with it so it wasn't a complete waste after all. He only joints small pieces and he has a tiny shop( 10'X10').
btrouble
Thats the same jointer I bought 20 odd years ago and I also gave it to my brother. Its also the only tool to nip a piece of my finger off. What a POS.
Four 5' Gross-Stabil clamps. Grizzly had a misprint in their catalog a few years ago and I got the 5' clamps for the same price as 2' clamps. Should have saved my money. They are extremely difficult to adjust and if you get so much as a drop of dry glue on them, forget about it.
Wow, I would have to say my set of nail setters were worthless since I never opened the package. My Ryobi compound miter saw has no concept of square. And my Delta TS200 while small is nearly worthless.
I'll add my Porter Cable detail sander to the pile that is forming....and then throw on a Bosch 4 x 24 belt sander. It works great, but it's a very heavy beast and way to aggressive for fine work. I much prefer a very lightweight sander. Much prefer the lightweight Bosch 3 x 21s or the very similar Ryobi.
Paul
Delta table top three wheel bandsaw. I never could get the blade to stay on or more than 5 minutes.
Frank
The cheaper Delta scroll saw and the cheaper Porter Cable biscuit joiner.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
WOW!
Ah, heck! I'll be here all night.
Jeff
OK,
Here goes;
Fein detail sander, it was absolutely useless for it's intended use (detail sanding for furniture). It should be advertised as a supercharged detail belt sander, because it removes stock faster than one. The sliver lining is, it removes paint like a banshee.
Porter Cable Tiger saw, I just get the willies everytime I think about that thing. Should have just used my BIL's Sawsall.
Edited 6/8/2005 9:38 am ET by BOBABEUI
biscuit jointer..only use it a few times a year
some tool for routing dt from a woodshow..new used its spent over 100 bucks on it...
milwaukie 45 degree 3/8 angle drill l use it infrequently
rotozip..bought it to replace one I borrowed from a friend and I broke it..its currently on loan
delta vs 16" scroll saw..bought it for the wife..its collecting dust
router table..bought for 500 bucks , belkieve it or not wife and friendd talked me into it..does the job.. but for some reason I dont like it..though it does work great
milwaukie remodeling screw gun kit.....does the job but havent used it inna while..
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Here's a short list, for now:
1. The Porter-Cable profile sander, like Bruce8287 said, the little profiles don't stay in the machine and the sandpaper doesn't always stick to the profiles too.
2. A DeWalt right angle drill. No not the heavy duty kind you're thinking of that electricians and plumbers use to drill holes in new home construction. This thing I bought when a HQ was going out of business. The paddle switch sucks, it only has one direction and two speeds. Full throttle forward or clockwise, completely off, and no reverse. It's in the attic now.
3. Robert Sorby sash mortise chisels. I've got em real sharp but they're sitting up in the attic.
4. Dog legged or crank necked bevel edge chisels and gouges I bought when a pattern making shop was down sizing. They're in the attic too. Many are Buck brothers and acorn brand (Henry Taylor?).
5. I was wondering about a doweling jig I've had for at least 8 years now. Who joins stuff with dowels nowadays anyhow? But it did come in handy a few weeks ago to put in cross grain dowels in a fiber core cabinet door. Hinge screws kept stripping out. It'll be collecting dust, you know where, in the attic.
6. Magnetic base and dial indicator I bought to check the runout on my BS wheels. It is so tight in there I could never get a good reading. One of these days, I'll check the runout on the DP.
7. How about all of the books and magazines I've purchased over the years? FWW is of course excluded from that list. Whenever I see an auction listed in the paper with some WWing tools, I'm always hoping to find a box or two of old FWW stashed with all the other goodies. If I don't find a box of magazines, I think "Well, he must not have been THAT into woodworking." Of course, the quality of the tools you see at most auctions usually clues me into that first.
Did I mention this was my short list?
Advice to any new WWer's out there: steer clear of any WWing book that has "complete" or "ultimate" in it's title.
Keep the responses coming everybody.
Thanks,
Chills
HI Chills,Those crank necked and gouge chisels you have listed purchased from a pattern shop closing up. How much, how many, etc, pics,...etc. I might be interested.Thanks
Bill
Will you be selling the Omni-Jig? If so, how much would you take?1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Rick
Email me at [email protected] and we'll discuss it.
Jeff
Jeff,
Tell me about your 20" disc sander. I am planning to purchase one soon ( probably the woodtek from woodworker's supply) but if you know of some inherent problems with them (or is it just the State brand?) I would appreciate some advice. Also, is yours for sale?
Thanks,
birdseyeman
14.4 volt Ryobi cordless drill,with 2 batteries.
Gutless and the batteries are packing up after 6 months. Never again again Ryobi.
batteries are packing up after 6 months.. Yep The drill has guts but them DeWalters battries suck!
Dewalt has a new charger that will keep them alive longer, as well as put a charge on faster. You can get a charge in an hour, but if you let it go overnight once in a while it will deliver more work between charges.RogerI'd rather be making cabinets and friends....
birdseyeman
The one I have is a 3 phase industrial machine, easily run on a small phase converter. It is far superior to anything woodtek makes, in my opinion. It's was designed and built for a commercial shop. I have been thinking about selling it, so if you're interested, let me know.
Jeff
I put all those tools in the loaner box.
Whenever a neighbor comes over to borrow a tool, I loan them one of those. I have a Montgomery Wards circular saw that throws off sparks like a toy ray gun. I do leave a sharp contractors blade in it.
They usually never ask again. So they serve their purpose perfectly.
I used to have a tin wind up Godzilla that would waddle across the floor and shoot sparks. Loved that thing.J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
Green woodworking bits from Lee Valley:
Bought them for green-wood chairmaking when it became painfully apparent I would not be able to find Stanley Powerbore bits I needed. Several of us tried to use them and found them unusable: too eccentric; wouldn't bore a straight, clean hole. Sharpening didn't help. After a respected master chairmaster declared them, "useless junk" we gave up and discarded them.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
How far away did you discard them? Did you know that Lee Valley would take them back and give you a refund?
Keith
pc profile sander, to heavy, to big and not worth the powder to blow it to *ell.
jointer and planer blade sharpener from busy bee.grinds the blades to nothing in no time.
sears bits to remove stripped screws, yea right.
Tom B
At the time, a few years ago, I believe I hurled them quite forcefully into a dumpster; I don't recall even thinking about asking for a refund. Since then, I've talked to several people who had the same experience.-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Cannot relate the model number of the majority of these, as they are currently not in my possession, but here goes.
Manufacturers tools I have had no significant issues with so far:
Panasonic cordless driver? What went wrong?I have a 12v NiMh that I've had about a year and love it. Great balance, great power, long battery life and nice chuck. Its one of my favorite tools. Just wondering if there is a skeleton in Panasonic's closet I'm going to stumble upon.My regrets:Ryobi BT3000, tried it and took it back when I was a newbie. Loud, low power and the sliding table was a joke.Harbor Freight 1/2" pipe clamps. Total garbage, never held the pipe. The 3/4" on the other hand are a great deal on sale. Work just fine.
The Panasonic rotates eccentrically, not the best thing for a drill/driver. The motor from time to time starts to smell like it is cooking inside, then it stops smelling and keeps on working. Batteries had a much shorter useful life than I would have expected.
It's weird, the first cordless I ever owned was a Hitachi, purchased about 16 years or so ago. It could drive 4" dry wall screws into maple as thick and not slow down; the original batteries lasted for the better part of 9 years of regular usage. Dropped it more times than I would care to admit to, still ran. Everything since then craps out in a few years.
I bought a Panasonic 15.6v impact driver a few years ago, and haven't used my old reliable Bosch drill/driver much since then.
The Panasonic is unique in that the primary drive element is a half-inch square drive, to which can be mounted either a quick-disconnect 1/4" hex driver or a keyless drill chuck. In addition to the impact feature, it also operates, via an adjustable clutch, as a drill or driver.
With something like 1,100 inch-pounds in impact mode, this tool will drive 4" lag screws, and remove recalcitrant lug nuts, but it has proven truly useful on more than one occasion when I used it to remove cammed-out phillips head screws that no other screwdriver would budge; in impact mode, I was able to coax them out without breaking a sweat.
That's one cordless tool I will highly recommend without hesitation.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/18/2005 11:11 pm ET by jazzdogg
Boy do I feel envious,would love one of those.
Sounds like the cats pajamas.
"Sounds like the cats pajamas."
Cicero,
I've never tried to put pajamas on a feline - doesn't sound easy! I won't ask why you'd want to in the first place - sounds like something that might occur at the infamous Neverland ranch!
I definitely paid more for my Panasonic impact driver than one of its single-purpose competitors equipped with only a 1/4" hex drive (e.g. the 12v Makita), but in retrospect, it was well worth the extra cost.
What's the tag line from the old TV commercial? Oh, yeah: "Try it, you'll like it!"-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Nothing truer than the old saying....You never regret buying quality.
Just the pain at the time.
Must put the saying about cats and pajamas in google and see where it is from,he he .
A woman is enjoying a good game of golf with her girlfriends one day.
"Oh, No! I have to rush home and fix dinner for my husband! He's going to be really ticked if it's not ready on time." When she gets home, she realizes she doesn't have enough time to go to the supermarket, and all she has in the cupboard is a wilted lettuce leaf, an egg, and a can of cat food.
In a panic, she opens the can of cat food, stirs in the egg and garnishes it with the lettuce leaf just as her husband is pulling up. She greets her husband and then watches in horror as he sits down to his dinner. To her surprise, the husband is really enjoying his dinner.
"Darling, this the best dinner you have made for me in forty years of marriage. You can make this for me any old day.
Needless to say, every golf day from then on, the woman made her husband the same dish. She told her golf partners about it and they were all horrified.
"You're going to kill him!" they exclaimed.
Two months later, her husband died. The women were sitting around when one of them said, "You killed him! We told you that feeding him that cat food every week would do him in! How can you just sit there so calmly knowing you murdered your husband?"
The wife stoically replied, "I didn't kill him. He fell off the windowsill while he was licking his butt."-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Meow...oops.
Two Irish nuns have just arrived in the USA by boat and one says to the other, " I hear that the people in this country actually eat dogs.""How odd," her companion replies, "but if we are to live in America, we might as well do as the Americans do."Nodding emphatically, the Mother Superior points to a hot dog vendor and they both walk towards the cart."Two dogs, please," says one.The vendor is only too pleased to oblige and he wraps both hot dogs in foil and hands them over the counter. Excited, the nuns hurry over to a bench and begin to unwrap their "dogs."The Mother Superior is first to open hers. She begins to blush and then, after staring at it for a moment, she leans over to the other nun and whispers cautiously:"What part did you get?"
HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL<!----><!---->
<!---->
1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.<!---->
<!---->
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.<!---->
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat incupboard, and close door on to neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.13. Tie the little bastard's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL<!---->
1. Wrap it in bacon.2. Toss it in the air.<!---->-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Wanda's dishwasher stopped working so she called a repairman. Since shehad to go to work the next day, she told the repairman, "I'll leave thekey under the mat. Fix the dishwasher, leave the bill on the counter, andI'll mail you a cheque. Oh, by the way don't worry about my bulldog.He won't bother you.But, whatever you do, do NOT, under ANY circumstances, talk to myparrot! REPEAT, DO NOT TALK TO MY PARROT!!!"When the repairman arrived at Wanda's apartment the following day, hediscovered the biggest, meanest looking bulldog he has ever seen.But, just as she had said, the dog just lay there on the carpetwatching the repairman go about his work.The parrot, however, drove him nuts the whole time with his incessantyelling, cursing and name calling.Finally the repairman couldn't contain himself any longer and yelled,"Shut up, you stupid, ugly bird!"To which the parrot replied, "Get him, Spike!"
ANGER MANAGEMENT<!----><!---->
By: David Sedaris<!----><!----><!----><!----><!---->When you occasionally have a really bad day, and you just need to take it out on someone, don't take it out on someone you know - take it out on someone you don't know.<!----><!----> <!---->I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a call I'd forgotten to make. I found the number and dialed it.<!----><!----> <!---->A Man answered, saying "hello?" I politely said "This is Chris. Could I Please speak with Robyn Carter?" Suddenly the phone was slammed down at the other end. I couldn't believe anyone could be so rude!<!----><!----> <!---->I tracked down Robyn's correct number (I'd transposed the last two digits) and called her. After hanging up with her, I decided to call the 'wrong' number again.<!----><!----> <!---->When the same guy picked up his phone, I yelled "You're an a-hole!" and hung up.<!----><!----> <!---->I wrote down the number, and wrote the word "a-hole" next to it, and put it in my desk drawer. Every few weeks, when I'd had a particularly bad day (paying bills, whatever) I'd call him up, yell "you're an a-hole!" and hang up. It always cheered me up.<!----><!----> <!---->When Caller ID came to our area, I thought my therapeutic calls would have to stop, but to be sure, I called him up, saying "This is John Smith from the phone company. Would you be interested in learning about our new Caller ID program?"<!----><!----> <!---->He growled "No!" and hung up the phone.<!----><!----> <!---->I quickly called him back, and yelled "That's because you're an a-hole!"<!----><!----> <!---->One day I was at the market, ready to pull into a parking spot, when some guy in a black BMW cut me off and pulled into the spot I'd been waiting for. I hit the horn, and told him I'd been waiting for that spot.<!----><!----> <!---->The idiot ignored me. Then I noticed the 'For Sale' sign in the window of the car. I quickly copied the phone number on the sign, and looked for another spot.<!----><!----> <!---->A few days later, after calling the fIrst a-hole (by then I had him on speed dial), I thought it might be good to call the BMW a-hole, too.<!----><!----> <!---->When the call was answered, I asked "are you the man with the black BMW for sale?"<!----><!----> <!---->"Yes, it is."<!----><!----> <!---->"Can you tell me where I can see it?"<!----><!----> <!---->"Yes. I live at <!----><!----><!---->1802 W. 34th Street<!----><!---->. It's a yellow house, and the car's parked right out front."<!----><!----> <!---->"What's your name?" I asked.<!----><!----> <!---->"Don Hansen," he said.<!----><!----> <!---->"When's a good time to catch you, Don?" I asked.<!----><!----> <!---->"I'm home every evening after five," he said.<!----><!----> <!---->"Can I tell you something?"<!----><!----> <!---->"Sure"<!----><!----> <!---->"Don - you're an a-hole!" I yelled, and gleefully hung up the phone. I then added him to my speed dial, too.<!----><!----> <!---->A while later I came up with a better idea. I called A-hole #1.<!----><!----> <!---->"Hello."<!----><!----> <!---->"You're an a-hole!" I yelled. But I didn't hang up.<!----><!----> <!---->"You still there?" he asked after a while.<!----><!----> <!---->"Yeah" I said.<!----><!----> <!---->"Stop calling me!" he screamed.<!----><!----> <!---->"Make me" I purred.<!----><!----> <!---->"Who are you?" he begged.<!----><!----> <!---->"My name is Don Hansen. I live at <!----><!---->1802 W. 34th street<!----><!----> - a yellow house, with a black BMW in front." I said it as smugly as I could, to stoke the fires.<!----><!----> <!---->"I'm coming over right now, Don" he threatened, "And you'd better start saying your prayers!"<!----><!----> <!---->I said "Yeah - like I'm really afraid, a-hole."<!----><!----> <!---->Then I called a-hole #2.<!----><!----> <!---->"Hello?" he said.<!----><!----> <!---->"hello, a-hole" I said.<!----><!----> <!---->He yelled "If I ever find out who you are..."<!----><!----> <!---->"What?" I sneered.<!----><!----> <!---->"I'll kick your butt!" he exclaimed.<!----><!----> <!---->"Well, a-hole" I replied, "here's your chance. I'm coming over there right now to kick yours!"<!----><!----> <!---->Then I hung up and called the police, saying that I lived at <!----><!---->1802 W. 34th street<!----><!---->, and that I was going home to kill my gay lover.<!----><!----> <!---->Then I called Channel 13 News about the gang war going on on <!----><!---->West 34th street<!----><!---->.<!----><!----> <!---->After a minute, I got into my car, and headed over to Don's. There I saw two a-holes beating the crap out of each other in front of 6 squad cars, a police helicopter, and two news crews.<!----><!----> <!---->Now I feel much better.<!----><!----> <!---->Anger management really works.<!---->
<!----> <!---->
<!----> <!---->
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/19/2005 1:23 am ET by jazzdogg
I saw that one long ago... GOOD ONE! AND funny!
I too bought a BT 3000 when they came out. Lots of plastic that made the sliding table a piece of junk. The concept was good but it was a piece of S*%t! I returned it to the orange box and bought a Delta contracter's ts that helped me build my house.There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
I've had a BT 3001 for about 2 years and love it. Granted I don't use it for heavy ripping (I prefer to use a bandsaw for ripping). For accurate cross cutting, I think it's hard to beat. I wouldn't trade it for a Delta contractor's saw. I like to think of it as a "poor man's Inca".Dave
I thought I wanted a detail sander too and decided to buy a "good one". After a little research (just a little) I went for a Fein detail sander.....and I hated it after $200.plus dollars. I put it away and didnt open it again. A couple of years ago someone showed the saw blade attachment for flush cutting and then I remembered I had one of those. I have used it ever since for all kinds of intricate and odd cutting jobs and found it to be wonderful. I dont know if I changed or my reality did but the "detail sander cum saw" is one of my favorites. Aloha, Mike
BT 3000 .. The old Ryobi?? I think I had one... I sided two BIG old houses using one of them.. Yes... just cutting siding but ALOT of wood.. And Oak trim inside,,,
I actually kind of liked the saw.. Geeee. It cut OK... and the fence held up.. Slider was OK.. Geee. It worked!
Not a cabinet saw but also had a aluminum plate for my Ryobi Routers that I STILL use now...
I even left it outside.. Well, just a tarp over it... In fact the blade that came with it I still have.. It cut pretty smooth for so called 'Junk'....
Hoo boy I have invested in a lot of junk. I regret just about every purchase I made when I first got into woodworking because I bought all low-end useless garbage that I replaced as soon as I could, so I wound up wasting tons of money.
The Ryobi detail sander was a particularly bad piece of junk. Although I consider it a wise investment because it showed me that detail sanders are (IMHO) pretty pointless.
Then there are the other, more curious tool decisions. I have a Delta lathe that has been used exactly never in 10 years. I think I messed around with it a few times but I never did anything serious with it. I have some good tools and a Wolverine grinding system, too. But the lathe is disassembled and hidden behind some plywood. I also have a nice Jet benchtop mortiser that I've never used. I really should sell these things along with my chopsaw and buy a nice slider or a better jointer but I can't bring myself to. I am a tool hoarder, I guess.
I bought all low-end useless garbage ..
And been using it for years...
With the BT3000 I had it was next to impossible to keep the sliding table square after using it a while. I loved it at first but got very frustrated having to adjust and re-adjust the sliding table. The fact that it had plastic parts in performing important adjustment functions was a big downer IMHO. The head of the department at Home Depot told me he was seeing a lot of them come back in the door. I guess I vented some of that frustration in my post. I now have a Griz contractors saw that I love. Everything is flat and square and the fence works flawlessly. To each his own I guess.There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
The head of the department at Home Depot told me he was seeing a lot of them come back in the door...................... And ya belived him/her?
I have that same slider on my RIDGID TS.......... Same parts.. Yes I have adjustments to correct if I have to... I do not have to.. Works OK as is! Geeee. I just mounted it on hickory sticks when I removed one cast-iron side table.. What can I say??
I think it's MORE than a few years old now and used ALL the time..
EDIT:: plastic parts .. Gee a 747 is 77% plastic parts!
Edited 6/23/2005 2:45 pm ET by Will George
I certainly believed the guy from Home Depot as he is a friend. I guess we can agree to disagree on this one. Where moving parts are concerned plastic is just not as durable as steel.There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
You guys are good! I didn't think my initial post would get so many replies.
I have several tools I had bought envisioning that I would be using them a lot more than I actually have.
One I can think of right off the top of my head is a heavy cast iron Stanley picture framing clamp.
Bought it at a yard sale 5 years ago and I don't think I have used it once. Maybe if I bought a matt cutter, I'd actually do more picture framing. Maybe?
Which reminds me, I bought a post drill. This is a very old hand cranked version of a drill press.
I also have a timber framer's mortising drill. You sit on it and start cranking on it and you drill a series of holes. Then they are to be cleaned up with a chisel to complete the mortise.
Then I have a two wooden vise screws and matching nuts. I was planning on building a Mike Dunbar style bench, one day.
Lots of woodworking books. My advise to any newbie out there, steer clear of any book that says "complete" or "ultimate" in the title.
Got to go!
Chills
That reminds me: I've got a fox miter machine that sits in my shop, unused these many years.
How many guys are going to answer "Shopsmith" in this posting?
I have one but bought it used and i dont regret the $500.....since I use it almost exclusivly as a lathe/ horiz. boring tool. I have used the sanding disc too but it is hard to control the dust.
Oh and a Craftsman ( yea , right!) router table...not flat. But I didnt buy it; a former G/F did...........so does this count?
and , no...she wasnt that good!
Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
Edited 6/8/2005 5:25 pm ET by CHERRYJOHN
His router table wasn't flat...... but his girlfriend was!
Other than the deservedly much maligned Ryobi detail sander I, like too many others fell for, I can't think of a single tool I regret buying.
I've always gone in with eyes wide open. When I bought my Ryobi BT 3000 fifteen years ago I knew I was NOT getting a Delta contractor's saw. But then when the U.S. Navy sends you from Charleston SC, to Scotland, to Wash State, on a limited weight move you are damn glad you DON'T have a Delta CS saw, or anything else with cast iron, for that matter.
But, I will advise this: don't buy ANY Vermont American cutting bit if it has to last more than 30 minutes in use.
Buy carbide from Freud instead.
Speaking of moving, I am going to move from Louisiana to Washington, D.C. area and have Unisaw for sale. (I bought one of the new SawStop saws). I guess it is OK to mention sale items on this website, several others have. Have the Unifence and the Jet fence both and an assortment of accessories.
You'll see a section called "Reader's Classified" among the discussion topics here (left hand side of the screen). I would post there with the particulars on you Unisaw. There is a similar section on Breaktime, and I would post the same message over there.I think there is a fair amount of equipment sold through these forums (Knots and Breaktime). Besides it's free to you, so can't hurt to try.********************************************************
"I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there."
-- Herb Caen (1916-1997)
Although it was a gift and this is going to sound like heresy I have a Lie-Neilsen #97 chisel plane that no matter how sharp I get it it still has not worked well for any of the things that I would think it would work well for. Everything else that they make that I have has worked like a dream.
Troy
Makita hammer drill, the plastic one (only lasted a couple of months and the guts now look like glitter) The repair shop guy laughed when he opened it and told me I had a new paper weight.
Delta sharpening station, bought it to sharpen the blades of my jointer and have yet to succesfully use this tool. I get my nerve up every now and then, after which I'm horribly disapointed and throw it in the corner for another few months.
Lie Nielsen hand planes, have a whole bunch that I'm thinking of having melted down for their value in bronze, or maybe I'll have an anchor made??
Brian
"Lie Nielsen hand planes, have a whole bunch that I'm thinking of having melted down for their value in bronze, or maybe I'll have an anchor made?? "
Brian,
That's the first time I've heard that! What kinds of problems are you having?
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Just joking of course, the one tool I think it's difficult to find any flaw with. I'd rather use them then a power tool any day.
Another tool I regret buying were some mortising bits that I bought for my craftsmen drill press. Maybe I didn't set things up properly but I broke two of them right off the bat and didn't bother with them again after that.
Brian,
Happy to hear you're joking!
I see so many strange things that I sometimes find it difficult to tell when people are joking:
Like the guy who spent hours unnecessarily fettling his new LN #5 handplane (all he needed to do was lightly hone the iron), installed the blade upside-down, and proclaimed, "I don't know why people say these LN tools are so great, this thing doesn't cut worth a sh*t!"
Or the guy who bought a cordless drill and threw it away when it "quit working" because he - an electrical engineer! - didn't have the sense to recharge the battery!
Or the gal who kept complaining that using chisels was too difficult - turns out, she bought cold chisels, saying, "A chisel is a chisel, right?"
Or the guy who installed the bandsaw blade with the teeth facing up, and couldn't figure out why the saw wasn't cutting.
Or the gal who didn't remove the protective blob of plastic from the router bit, and stunk up the entire building when she turned on the router and put it to wood.
Or the guy who obviously wasn't paying attention when we taught the seven steps of squaring rough lumber using power tools: he inserted a rough 8/4 maple board into the thickness planer (without jointing one face first) set for 1.5" - we all came running at the noise of the 36" planer trying to remove almost 3/4" of rock maple in a single pass!
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
OK - I give on the BS teeth facing up. How does one do this without the teeth being agains the blade thrust bearing?
Steve
<<"OK - I give on the BS teeth facing up. How does one do this without the teeth being agains the blade thrust bearing?">>It's actually pretty easy to do. If the blade is coiled, and you undo the coil in the wrong direction, the teeth will be facing up instead of down when you put it on the BS.You then have to turn the blade inside out -- to get the teeth oriented in the right direction. ********************************************************
"I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there."
-- Herb Caen (1916-1997)
Thanks - never thought about. Was wondering if it was a trick question.
Rotary laser tool. cost $300, I used it twice in the last 2 years.
Mikeplease excuse my spelling.
I was reading this and realized I had a lot to say.... ALL my table saw blades after I bought a Forrest. And all the Tablesaws before I bought a Powermatic. AND all the zero clearance inserts before I made my own! Really...
What did you have for TS blades before the Forrest?
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
Niikkiwood nailed it!-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
OK - I give on the BS teeth facing up. How does one do this without the teeth being against the blade thrust bearing?
The blade is turned inside out, then mounted - the teeth will point up even though the correct side of the blade is against the thrust bearing.Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
One more person with a PC detail sander thats hardly been used.Troy
I think everyone with a PC Profile Sander should send them to someone who lives in the area of the PC plant and that person smash them against the entrance of the plant. Maybe if a few hundred of them get smashed against their plant they would stop making them.
I have some nice ingots of silicon bronze that I would be happy to trade you for those L-N planes. I could even cast an anchor for you if you want!"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
Brian;
What types of planes and are you willing to sell any of them?
Jim
[email protected]
Sorry, I was just kidding about the planes. Can't get enough of them.
Any tools made recently, or since the 70's by sears. Man what a bad way to go. Well power tools that is, i guess i use their hand tools. I've had so many garage sale specials. The last joke on me was their Commericail 300 some horse power (yeah right) router that i actually paid $300 some bucks for. Terrible. Replaced with the big PC an amazing tool!2.Campbell hausfeld compressor and air tools
3.bar clamps that are suppose to dig in with teeth, not the stacked plates like the jorgsens
4.PC tiger saw, really vigrates, stay with my old milwaukee with anti vibe.
I'm curious why you don't like the Lie Nielsen Planes? Everything you read about them, claim them to be the best! I'm in the process of buying new planes and these are on the top of my list, as well as Veritas and Clifton.
I'd like to hear from others on this matter.
Arrow electric nailer.
I bought it because I wanted to nail through ¼" quarter-round oak moulding holding glass panels into doors. A hammer that close to the glass would have been too risky. The nailer would not nail all the way home, even with the short ones. They stuck out 1/16" or more and I had to pound them all in by hand using a hammer and nail set, which in itself was hairy on such a small target. I nearly took the nailer back but thought it would at least work in pine.
Well, I changed jobs and moved, so it was a couple of years before I tried it again -- in pine. It would not even nail in pine. Junk, junk, junk. Too late to take it back now.
Harbor Freight pry bar (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=43651). "Forged machined and heat-treated high carbon steel", yea right. It broke in two first time I hit it with a hammer: cheap "pot metal".
A cheap made in China drill press i bought app 7 or 8 years ago to put my mortise attachment on . That was before the bench top mortise machines become popular. That drill press was a joke, on the dummey who bought it, me
have a nice day Lee.
Sears Craftsman 7-1/4 inch skillsaw. POS. Commutator exploded after less than 40 hrs. use. "Our most popular model, special sale price, $49.95." I say again, POS. Let me repeat that: POS. Those of you that served in artillery: repeat, repeat, repeat. FPF.
It was that bad. Shoot me now.
Not covered by warranty.
Deposited neatly in trash container at Sears, extra points awarded by FIL for left-hand toss.Leon Jester
This has to be one of the best threads ever! Seams like for the most part you get what you pay for. Not many real bargains in new tools. What if we all returned junk tools that were from supposed first line companies to the store and just left them on the counter and walked away (in front of as many other customers as possible). As for my most unused tool purchases:
RotoZip: Never really needed it and couldn't get it to cut straight the few times I tried. Not a comment on the tool itself though.
Cheap aluminum tapering fixture: scarry to use, replaced with one from Woodhaven, looks good but haven't used it yet.
Lots of great portable power tools which I need once a year(in a good year)like Milwaukee roto hammer, worm drive saw, Graco HVLP and airless rigs, laser level, little PC worm saw, 15 hp electric start pressure washer (could have bought a smaller one). All these are great tools but used so little I should have kept the money in the bank.
One more tool addict, KDMKenneth Duke Masters
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
Ryobi Corded hand drill and Ryobi "Dremel Type" hobby tool.
Both Crap, packed in under a year of light use.Waste of money.
Never Never Never buy bargain price tools, you will only replace
them with quality tools later..
Hey Duke-One,
Thanks for the compliment on starting this thread.
I think we're running out of steam.
So to try to sum everybody's opinions on bad tools:
The Porter-Cable profile sander tops the list.
Anything made by Ryobi is second.
And then anything Wagner is third.
Does that sound about right everyone?
Thanks for all you'all's input on the topic.
Now for that other thread "Tools I'm glad I bought." MMMnnnn.....
Where to start? Guess I've been lucky and tried to buy quality the first time out.
Chills
I knew someone who built their whole 2-story house with one of those $49.95 POS Crapsman circular saws. He'd take the bad one back and get a new no charge replacement about every 3 weeks (we were all pretty poor back then, he sure could stretch his money).
Needed a jig saw, figured that getting the low end from the best mfg would still be OK - NOT. Soured me to Bosch for a looong time. Replaced that with a Skill (reviewed somewhere - here I think - as a good value). Couldn't cut anyting straight or square. Gave it to my daughter (with full disclosure!). Finally got the real Bosch - WOW! I'm sure there more but they will need therapy to get me to remember - LOL!
I won't go near my gas-powered or lawn & garden folly's - OUCH!!
That's easy, PC Profile Sander. A complete P.O.S.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
The two sets of Yukon tools aluminum box/beam/bar clamps from Amazon I asked for and got for the holidays last year. Deemed them flimsy junk right off the bat. they twisted more under pressure than (insert comical comparison here). Used once and back in box waiting to back to amazon.
Andy
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
Items that haven't worked well:
I had good luck w/:
cordless circular saw, pneumatic palm nailer
The floor joist in my house are on 1 foot centers. Had to scab new joist on to the old ones due to termite damage. Bought a pneumatic palm nailer and it worked great. Saved the day since I couldn't figgure out how to get a scxrew gun, or hammer between the joist.
The angle grinder I bought, promptly jammed up (failure to read directions), and decided I could fix it, how hard could it be? I couldn't get all the pieces to fit back in the case, and I needed it the next day. Repair time from the guy who should have fixed it was 2 weeks, and cost more than half the price of the new tool.
I bought another one. Now I have a NIB (in pieces, but they are all there, really) grinder to complement the its identical twin that I have been using since (3 years ago, now).
I don't bother getting the first one fixed by someone competent, because why would I need 2 of them?
One of those cheesy "turn your handheld drill into a drill press" gadgets. What a load of rabbit pellets that was. I returned it fast, feeling like I had wasted a bunch of gas for nothing.
A Wolfcraft benchtop router table, bought for a one off thing several years ago, haunts me to this day. It's absolutely worthless. I don't ever use it, and yet I can't bring myself to throw it away because it's practically brand new! I can't bring myself to give it away, either, because it's such a piece of crap, and I don't know anyone I dislike enough to give it to.
I couldn't even sell it on ebay for fear of the bad karma I would get for passing trash like that around.
Funny thing is, I started reading this thread feeling superior to all of you, thinking, "well, at least I don't waste money on tools like those guys". Then I gave it a little thought, and I bet I haven't even scratched the surface. And don't even think about asking my wife what tools I shouldn't have bought!
A counter example. I bought on of those $12 really junk cheap angle grinders at a "liquidator" type store. My primary purpose was for sharpening my lawnmower blade.It does that job just fine. I use it about 2 times a year and have never needed it for anything else - a good $12 spent. When I first bought it I though, "What am I doing buying this junk..."I was considering putting a wood chipper blade on it for some carving but that would be throwing good money after bad...Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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Chills,
Great idea. My BAD tool purshase of all time would have to be the PorterCable Bammer. What a unreliable piece of $#!+. I sold it at a tool auction last year and never looked back. Rick
I typically buy quality....but suffer from occasional lapses of judgment. These include:
Hand tools:
DMT diamond bench stones....overpriced at $60 and wear out in no time. And I bought two before I learned.
AMT's version of the Stanley 95. AMT went out of business....serves them right.
Slickplanes, chamfer and radius....another set of genetic dead-end gizmosities.
Zyllis vise....bought it used on ebay for $100 and thought I was getting a deal....way cool....if only it held the work....
Asian torque wrench....keep cranking until you hear the "click" or until the bolt snaps in your planer's cutterhead.
Robo pliers.......and anything else sounding similar to "robo"
Crescent wrenches....man...my Dad tried to tell me in 1961....when am I going learn?
Three stone mason's hammers.....everyone is entitled to a little fantasy.
Sheetrock tools....like I want to EVER use those again as long as I live.
Power tools:
Aftermarket laser for CMS.....Never buy anything you've never seen before at a WW show.
Wagner electric spray gun....on clearance for $5.....ate $25 in paint for one lousy outdoor footstool...took that thing out and shot it with a 30-30 carbine. No blindfold, no cigarette
Ryobi detail sander.....yea...me too....my hands still tingle whenever I type.
Shop Vac.....on sale.....it has probably also cost me 20% of my hearing.
JDS air filter....works just about as fast as my lungs.
Toyota Tundra.....short bed.....good excuse to buy a trailer, I suppose.
You wrote:Wagner electric spray gun....on clearance for $5.....ate $25 in paint for one lousy outdoor footstool...took that thing out and shot it with a 30-30 carbine. No blindfold, no cigarette---This is the unit my brother the painter refers to as the "Wagner Mess Maker". I wasted some dough on that one as well....RogerI'd rather be making cabinets and friends....
I also got suckered for one of the after market lasers for the CMS at a WW show; one that fit on the blade guard. Still can't figure out why I thought it would be a good idea- worked for about a week. Went to the next couple of shows just so I could return the thing- but of course never saw this guy again.and I also have a PC profile sander....
I was in the middle of building a table for a customer and my router died, so I rushed off to buy a new one. I bought a Skill 2 1/4 h.p. with the plunge and fixed base package. It was cheap, I found out why. I was routing a edge around the table top when I noticed the profile was getting deeper, to late the top was totally ruined. The fixed base would constantly ride up on the motor housing no matter how tight you tried to clamp it. The router was cheap and the table top rather expensive.Stay away from this one!
Tools you shouldn't have bought ..
My charcoal grill~ I never could cook!
Laser attachment for an ordinary 4 foot level.
'saw it at the till at HD a few years ago. What a waist of money.
A mortise marking guage. Lee Valley.. just under 40 bucks. It has conical shaped pins that tear the wood fibers and won't score straight lines. Totally useless.
I saw somewhere that you should file the pins to make them flat.. but these pins are so pointy my attempts at flattening them have met with no success.
Now I have a pretty rosewood instrument that I can't use.
The most useless tool has to be a RotoZip.
A cheaply made sheet rock tool brought to you by the marketing dept.
Mostly I think it's not the rotozip itself, it's the cutters. They S**k.
Try some router bits in them (an upcut carbide spiral bit or a two flute carbide bit). I bet the machine will work a "hole" (pun intended) lot better...Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
I bought a Sears thickness planer that has an aluminum top which the adjusting screw runs through. Of course it stripped out. Of course you can't buy a replacement. I have a sears 2 horse router that won't hold its adjustment in vertical mode. I try not to go anywhere near Sears as I am afraid my returning them right through their front window will land me in jail. I also have a PC detail sander. The velcro pad came off with the sandpaper. Interesting assortment of doorstops.
Yea I forgot about the BT 3K what a piece that was. At least for me. When I was returning it to the HD some guy stopped by and said Hey that saw is a POS Im a finish carp and I got sued over that saw.... Another guy stopped by and said that saw you either love it or hate it..I my case..I hated it
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Bill:
Why don't you ask Lee Valley to take it back and give a refund. They have an excellent warranty policy. It does not matter if it works as designed, it matters if you are satisfied or not.
Keith
Thanks for the idea, Keith.. only trouble is I've tried to file down the pins and made a mess of the nice wood around them.
Yes, and Bob Lee from Lee Valley reads this forum all of the time. Iwould almost bet that he read your post. He was just on one of the other threads talking about plane irons.
My worst (and I have a few) is the "Sander Sitter", made to hold an orbital sander after you are done using it. Decent concept but very poor execution.
Phil
Chills - Please see my posting about the Hegner Accura MK4 multipurpose machine. An expensive mistake!
Allan
I few things I can think of.
The Inca Ultra Jig...sometimes use it, but always hate it.
Tabletop Grizzly Drill Press
Cheap router bits........any brand
Cheap planes..............any brand
Cheap hand saws.......any brand
Are you seeing a trend here guys....
Now, I only buy the best I can afford (afford is subjective). I'm getting used to the couch!
The Inca Ultra Jig...sometimes use it, but always hate it...
I do not use it all the time... REALLY nice when I cut strips or have to fit a hunk of wood into something else... I can get it EXACT!
I've had my Shopsmith for at least 35 years and it isn't for sale. Love to hear it hum.
Good drill press and disc sander and rack for dusting cloths. Good biscuit cutting attachment. Ok mortising bits (good bits; ok platform). Easy blade plow for small box bottoms. Steel blades always have been high quality and sharp.
The Delta table top shaper and the Sears little table top planer are the sorry additions to my collection. I let some heavy cast iron go a decade ago and still regret it. I need a good 13" real planer. I got the little Jet shaper; it does the job.
This thread has me up and alert well past my bed time. Great reading!
Quick-Grip Clamps. Small ones are OK, but the big ones are a hassle. Sam goes for the Bessy K-Body clamps.
After feeling like I needed these high-end clamps, I learned over time that simple pipe clamps, or bar clamps, are not only better, but also cost less.
Hands down it would be the Leigh doveail jig- No problems with quality, but in the time it takes to hone in and get the jig and routers set up, I could teach my dog to handcut dovetails, and even a less than perfect handcut dovetail looks better than the machine look the bits will give you.
I bough a Buck Brothers plane to see if I would like the non-power tool way. What a mistake, the chip breaker, iron and handle are a constant struggle to keep aligned and set.
Mduggie,
I recognize that the new BB planes aren't on a par with those typically recommended by fine woodworkers. However, even your BB can be improved by some thoughtful fettling. What have you done so far?
He worst case scenario is likely to be that you'd end up using it as a scrub plane, but you may be able to improve its performance to the point where you can use it as intended.-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
My van! Suddenly everyone I know is moving, needs a hand moving, has REALLY HEAVY stuff to move,has a friend who is moving....
Also, i have realized that all of the work I do is a direct result of me getting out of the van. ERGO, if I don't drive there, there is no work to do.
Or how about the radio. It also is the source of work. When it's on, we work. When it goes off, the work is done. (And then it's Miller time).
good topic, chills!
back when i was a kid, i got into carpentry. (my dad is a doctor, and he was afraid of tablesaws, so that was out of the question...) couldn't afford craftsman power tools on a teenager's salary, so i bought B&D (drill, jigsaw, circular saw) and used them while i "saved up". the B&D drill died first, so i did get my craftsman 3/8" drill (still have it). then college, grad school, etc. got in the way, and i hadn't built much of anything in a long time, until my wife and i bought our current house just over 5 years ago. for some reason, previous houses didn't trigger the "build it" bug, but this one has. so, i went tool shopping, but alas, my "knowledge" was 30 years out of date, so i went to... sears.
got a craftsman tablesaw and "professional" router and circular saw. the circular saw is ok, but the other two are just junk. on the tablesaw, the fence, blade and channel all have their own idea of what "square" means, there's a lot of play in the fence and mitre gauge, and forget aftermarket accessories (all the fittings are non-standard). the router has too much runout at the spindle to do anything serious. at first i thought it was just vibration, so i bought a wolfcraft router table, which is junk too. i think in the old days, low quality tools were still usable; not true anymore...
i've now learned my lesson, and bought only quality tools...
cheers,
bert
In preparation for retirement, sometime in the next five or six years, I started to buy tools. Now I am trying to teach myself how to build things and had hardly gotten started when I realized that one can easily buy some useless things. I've been around long enough not to buy cheap but not long enough to not buy stupid. I bought a detail sander! A big oops. But in defense of myself I had the good sence to join this web site and it has helped me a great deal in a very short time. Also, after going through several magizines, I found that I really like Fine Wood Working magizine.
My daughter told me about a bumper sticker in her work parking lot.Yes, this is my pickup.
No, I can't help you move Saturday.
Wow, interesting discussion to say the least. I considered buying the detail sanders, but they never offered enough utility for my type of work, so it looks like I dodged that bullet!
Tools I shouldn't have purchased because they're crappola:
Craftsman Router and router table. I mostly purchased it for the table. Conceptually, the table was pretty good. Unfortunately, the execution sucked. The router (one of the re-badged Ryobis) was crap, crap, and more crap. Returned both.
Harbor Freight bench hold down. Failed to hold stuff down, shattered under the tender ministrations of my mallet when attempting to seat it.
Craftsman jigsaw. Junk, took it back, used the money to get the DeWalt. Shoulda gotten the Bosch, although the DeWalt does a pretty good job, blade changes are a bit more trouble than I'd like.
Slickplane - king of tearout.
Tools I shouldn't have purchased because they don't get enough use:
Milwaukee Right Angle Grinder - bought new on closed out at Borg, never used.
Milwaukee 3/8" Magnum Corded drill - see above, almost never used.
Steel fence face for mounting GripTite "featherboards" on as hold downs. Still in mailing packaging. There could be a fossilized piece of taffy in the package for all I know...
Have you tried the 1mm cut off blades on the angle grinder?You can throw away your hacksaw if you do.
The lack of use isn't due to any inadequacy of the tool for a job at hand, its due to the lack of "jobs at hand" for it to grind into. I purchased it about a year and a half ago, sold my house 15 months ago and put everything into storage, and just got it back out of storage 2 weeks ago...
I will keep the thin wheels in mind for the future, since I didna realize they came that thin. Thanks for the heads-up on it.
I should mention,if you do get cut off cut off wheel,do not use for grinding,can be dangerous.
All my engineer pals use nothing else.
http://www.tyrolit.com/page.cfm?vpath=divisions/metalfabrication/classicwheels
Those wheels are magical for cutting braided hydraulic hoses. Does smoke a bit.
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