I do my best to get the best tools I can afford. But I’m not Donald Trump. So I have a few ideas on what I can tools I can buy bargain Brand, and what to save and spend real money on. Here’s some of my twisted thoughts. Bar clamps , C-Clamps, Spring clamps: I can buy Harbor Frieght and do the same as pony, Bessey, etc…. I also go cheap on latex gloves for finishing, Razor knives, Tools storage (make my own from scrap & scrounge). make my own saw horses too.
But I’ll scrimp and save for good edged tools, power stuff, and layout tools. What are your opinions? What things can one hit the bargain basemant for and where do you draw the line and mortgage the farm?
Replies
'can't agree on the cheap clamps bit. It had a Chinese C-clamp break on me; I was just hand-tightening it.
I've had the most bad luck with HF clamps, and pry bars. They seem to be made from so-called "pot metal" that breaks easily.
Cheap bar clamps tend to bow when tightened, making it difficult to get panels straight.
The local Rockler here sends out discount coupons to their mailing list every once and a while. Everytime they do, I go in and buy another K-body. The store people tell me it's the most popular use for the coupons.
I've heard that the HF pipe clamps were decent. I've had pony's for years or I'd buy a bucket full to try out.
Anything you don't plan to use often or care if it works properly when you do use it.
I find an excellent TS blade to worth a premium, and I'm pretty fussy about having a good solid accurate TS with a good fence....not hard to do in this day and age. I find a benchtop planer suits my needs well, but a benchtop jointer does not....I spent the money for a good 6" floor model. Good router bits are a must too, but even my $50 Craftsman router seems to spin them as well as my better router.
On the bargain end, I've saved a bundle on the Pittsburg bar clamps from Harbor Freight and have been pretty happy with them....$2 for 6" clamp, $4 for a 24" clamp...tough to beat.
Ultimately it's been the rediculous bargains of otherwise fairly pricey machines that have served me well. I got in on the $229 Delta 22-580 frenzy, bought a GI TS in Canada back when the exchange rate was favorable, recently got a Sears 22124 for $594 w/free delivery. Being patient so I can be in the right place at the right time helps alot!
It is always good to get a bargain. To me a bargain is a good tool at a reduced price or a good tool where the manufacturer is pricing it very competitively. A cheap tool is anther story, a poor, weak, unfinished or inaccurate tool is no bargain even if someone gives it to you. I have even found that applies all they way down the ladder to cheap chinese replacement blades for a razor knife. they bend easily and snap off, when they do this in use it is also dangerous. You can pick up whole box fulls of junk tools at local garage sales. Their owners are selling for good reasons.
Keith
Old post but...
but even my $50 Craftsman router seems to spin them as well as my better router.
I got a few Ryobi routers I use ALL the time.. $99 or so.. 1/4 and 1/2 inch chuck.. Soft Start and Variable speed....
The folks make fun of me for using them.. I got me a really good Plane with the money I saved using them.. I laughed last...
There are two ways I buy tools 1) How often and hard will it get used? I'm a framer , so things like tapes, saws, guns always are top quality. and 2) Am I replacig an inferior tool with it? If yes, then I buy the best I can possibly afford. Case in point...I'd been using a 30 buck Skil jigsaw for years then felt the need for a btter one--I bought the top of the line Bosch 1590 and I LOVE it! Never knew a jigsaw could cut as fast as a skilsaw!
I did buy a HF grinder ( I maybe use one 2x a year) for 16 bucks recently...works great..for a 16 dollar grinder.
Always buy the best you can afford...that way you won't ever have to "trade up."
Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
The swivels on the cheap c clamps fall off.
Have a nice day Lee
HF's more expensive (~$6.00) ¾" pipe clamp seems to work ok. Finish is a tad rougher than the Pony.
Their ¾" deep throat clamps do fine for me. Again, a tad rougher finish than the Jorgensen.
C-clamps: enhh. Kinda OK. I've some old Craftsmans I like better. Jorgensen's are about the best nowadays, the newer Craftsman C-clamps I've looked at are pretty flimsy.
F-clamps: HF's kinda ok. Jorgensen's better, Wetzler's (IMO) the best. Record, if you can find them, are also decent.
Vices: Forget HF. Look used, if you can, I've got two Columbians and a Wilton I paid less than a hundred bucks for at school auctions. Buy American or English. Quick action is overrated, IMO. I've both types.
If you're doing finishing and need gloves, I'd suggest getting nitriles rather than latex, nitrile is much more resistant to finishing stuff than latex.
If you want B&S or Starrett layout tools, look at e-Bay. Lots of precision measuring stuff there, fairly inexpensively. Check the local pawn shops too.
I'll speak heresy here now, HF's 8" grinder isn't bad. True, it's not a Baldor. But it runs true, has decent bearings and you can sink the difference into a decent set of alox wheels from Woodcraft and a Veritas grinding jig. Save the ones that come with it for edging shovels and hoes, or hogging metal.
Good luck, enjoy.
I just bought some Shop Fox heavy duty F clamps. I'm impressed - very stout - ~$11 for the 36" version.
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