Do Anyone Of You Guys Repair Your Own Tools?

john5mt

i'll buy all your broken tools, $5 bucks a peice.

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RizzoMaryland

If you can run to the repair shop and repair a tool in 20 mins. then more power to you.

I have never really considered repairing a tool under a few hundred bucks. I take care of my stuff and store them safely. If I break a tool, then its normally beyond repairable.

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RizzoMaryland

Is that $5 a broken piece or $5 a broken tool?

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"An idea is salvation by imagination"
Frank LLoyd Wright

Aggie67

Recent/current in house repairs:

Replace side frames on walk behind concrete saw, $92 ea side

Repaired 2 portabands (bushings, wheels)

Repaired pressure washer (carb rebuild kit)

As a general rule, we don't bother repairing items that cost less than $100 to replace (grinders). We will, however, collect a pile of baddies and once or twice a year send them to the local tool shop to see what can be done. Sometimes you send 6 in and get 2 back in working condition for $85 or so, total. It's on the hairy edge of being worth it.

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john5mt

5 bucks a tool

__________________
1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

hughjazz

I'll pay $6.25.

Most times when a tool breaks for me, I'll TRY to fix it.


Imo The theory of disposable tools is part of the reason that many of the new tools are so s#&tty. low expectations from the consumer.


I'd pay more for a better american or canadian made tool.
Designed to be maintained and repaired.

JLTrim

I'll do simple electrical repairs and small engine maintenance myself, but anything that I would have to order parts for usually goes to the local construction supply/tool repair shop. They really know their stuff, unlike your average box store employee. They make an effort to be better than the Depot and Lowes and it shows. They don't charge much for repairs, and if you regularly buy your fasteners from them they will fix your nailers at no charge (at least they used to).
I'd hate to see another mom & pop operation go under, especially one that offers such great service, so I try to give them most of my repair work.

user38755

Sometimes me or one of the guys will get tools going again. If not I'll take it to Builders Supply where I purchased it for repairs. I buy most of my tools and supplies from them and they almost never charge me for repairs, the most was $58 for a complete rebuild and new trigger for the impulse framer.

wallmaxx

My DW744 just up an quit on me today.

At first I thought the breaker tripped. The GFIs have tripped over 20 times today (i think they go bad)
Once I had power to the saw I thought the switch was loose/bad.

Then I figured I would look at the brushes (spring compressed graphite contacts - for those who use different terminology)

One of the brushes had become separated from the braided copper lead...thus no electron path.

Now comes the fun. I whipped out the iPhone...www.dewalt.com for Authorized Repair Centers nearby (ping GPS). Found one 13 miles away. Called and mapped their location. They actaully had these in-stock. So, within a 1 hour lunch period, I ate lunch with my wife and son at Subway, picked up the parts, and was back at work.

Saw works great.

loneframer

I have an 8 1/4 Makita tablesaw that I bought in 1995, had to put brushes in it in 2007. They were under $5. Never had to do any other maintenance to that thing. Still an everyday tool.

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A W Smith

I went through two 8 1/4 Makita tablesaws on one job 8 years ago, the guy i was subbing for, his saw and mine. had to rip 2x6 cedar into 2 1/4 x 2 strips for slat decking to be installed on edge , about 4000 lineal feet of ripping including the deck arbor slatting. went through the first saw after about 1600 feet, it wore its brushes probably from all the cedar saw dust, my own saw the on/off switch broke with another 400 feet left to rip. replaced brushes and switches in both saws. good as new. I still use my 8 1/4 Makita tablesaw today.

DO NOT slap the on/off switch with a stick of whatever your ripping on these saws because the switch housings are fragile. It was a bad habit I acquired when rushing through work while walking away from the saw.

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Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

WarnerConstInc.

I just buy good tools that wont break!!

I have fixed a few things, had a few things fixed under warranty, kudos Bosch.

I replaced the axle and brake assembley on my Festool dust extractor, which I called about the broken part on a Friday morning, part was on my door step Saturday before noon, kudos Festool.

hughjazz

everything breaks.

TempestV

About 6 months ago, I dropped my Dewalt impact driver off a 30' scaffolding down onto a stone floor. The impact hit on the back of the motor housing and battery. The impact still ran, but it made an odd ratcheting noise. I took the case apart, and found that the plate on the back of the motor had been punched in and was riding on the arbor. I pried the plate out to where it was suppose to be, put the housing back together, and it works great. It took 20 minutes to fix and didn't require even 1 spare part.

WarnerConstInc.

I had an older Makita 12v NiMh impact driver fall from the top of a bank barn, that I was re-roofing, and hit the main level floor inside the barn (about 60'). It broke one clip that help in the battery, still worked great but, the battery took a dump about 6 months later.

s_k_i_

Fixing tools is a pain in my a$$. I don't have the time and the time I do have cost to much to be messing with fixing my tools or paying one of my guys to do it. I just started a program Hilti provides for servicing my tools. They call it Fleet Management. My new cordless 18v drill is covered for 3 years bumper to bumper. At the end of the 3 years I trade up for the new latest and greatest they have. I pay just under $15 per month and I will never have a repair bill, replace batteries or wait for my tools to get repaired. Hilti's repair time is 3 days and it's back to me. They also gave me $75 to trade in my old tool! One of my guys even sawed through part of a battery (don't ask me how he managed that) they replaced it. I though they were going to say neglagence on my part, but my rep said not under the fleet program. They do this program with all there tools and I'm looking to pick up some more on the program.

Look at a cordless to this way...

Say you buy DeWalt drill for $250. In the first 2 years I am for sure going to buy batteries. That's anywhere from $75-125 buck for Li-ions. I'm also paying for a repair for the tool in that time...another $100. Now that $250 tool is costing me $450-500 in the first couple years. Hilti saves me money, time and I always have a new high performing tool. Besides there service on anything is far better too.

ClosetPro

I doubt this type of "service" is available to us "little guys" as this type of service is a way to land bigger accounts.

Double-A

Well, even though I'm sick of this guy spamming the boards about this...

I did have the Hilti rep out lately and he went over the Fleet thingy. And its available for 1 tool or 10,000...

I think 14-15 bucks a month is what I was quoted for one battery powered hammer drill. Anyone that can open an account with them (meaning, a real business, not Joe SideJob) can sigh up for their Fleet thingy.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Cdat

I've got a shaper built in 66 that hasn't broke yet...*knocks on head*...