Premium Tools...worth It (warning, Long Post)

rock_hardplace

My personal rule of thumb:

Use it everyday, spend the $$$ and go with what you know works and is supported. For example, I love my Kline tools for the jobs I do and have yet had a supply house not honor the warranty when I have needed it. If serviceable and parts easily accessible, all the better.

I have a Milwaukee Sawzall from 1939 still ripping it (although, with it not being shielded, I do prefer my current cordless model). My Mikata drill not only fits my hand and balance point, I can go to local supply house to buy brushes and they actually advertise service should I need it. Both these tools have parts available for repair and the parts are affordable, meaning the cost of repair does not compete with price of replacement. Yes, I do occassionally upgrade (can't help myself, do you guys have a support group for this kind of thing?)

Use it maybe once in a blue moon and don't want the hassle of renting, then go for the cheap. And yes, you will occassionally throw good money after bad. Even this comes with a caveat. I do put safety above all else. I would not use an unrated Shock Compression Spring Kit even if I only used it once.

DEAD_ONConst

Poor House HELL! Snap-On and Matco already have MOST of my money! Bastards! You are right, if Snappy started making contractors tools, I would go ahead and have the bankruptcy papers ready to be delivered!

Ha! Good Times!

bcradio

holy shnikies... I didn't even know that tool was around back then. Thats amazing

Jack_Sullivan

Everyone has made good points about tool quality/brand, but I tend to go for the best I can afford. It's like buying drill bits, I don't really buy bits, I buy how many holes I can get. Same thing for good tires.

I've learned that the better the quality the shorter the learning curve and the better the finished job.

Plumber_Bill

At my age I probably had the finest tools ever made.
I am speaking of the earlly Milwaukees, Kollmans (still a 1500 working here in the shop). Not to forget the Ridgids.

Today as you shop those names. You get -- made by
American Corporate Greed in some foreign country.

Most of which is CRAP.

Vinwoodman

The best advice I ever got when I was starting out those 25 years ago, is to buy the best quality you can find. I followed that advice for a long time. Someone bought me a HF multitool for like $20.00 and has worked great for 2 years now. So I said what the hell, I needed a new 1/2 " drill and found a cheap one. Got through two foundation bolt holes and smelled it burning up. Half a day wasted going to replace it and $125 for the new Rigid. Cheap tools are not cheap in the long run!!