Cheap Tools--The Good and the Bad!!!

[Randy Meijer]

There was a thread yesterday about buying a lower cost/quality tool vs. spending the money and buying top of the line. It raised what I thought was an interesting question. What cut-rate tool have you bought that was the most disappointing in its performance and what cheapie that you have purchased has far exceeded your expectations???

OK, I'll start. Cheap drill bits have always been a disappointment to me. On the plus side, I have a "Buffalo"(China) hacksaw that I paid about 2 bucks for(new) some 20 years ago and it still works like a champ......but I don't use cheap blades!!!

[Norman Hitt]

Poor Quality Tools.......Everything I ever bought that had a cutting edge on it, including drill bits.

On the Totally surprised side.......I bought a 4 1/2" angle grinder on sale at HF for about $11 incl tax, to just grind the welds and finish one project, but it got so hot I couldn't hold it. I decided maybe they didn't grease the gears good, so I opened it up, removed the kinda brown vaseline looking grease and filled the cavity with good grease, and to my surprise, it cooled down and worked like a champ and I have absolutely No Idea how many grinding discs I've worn out since then. I've probably put at least 100 hours of hard grinding on it, and it is still going strong. I've sure got my money's worth out of that thing. I just wish I had bought two of them at the time so I would have a spare if this one ever gives up.:D

[Frank Hagan]

I'll add a vote to cheap drill bits as the most disappointing. Awful.

For the sweet surprise category, I'll nominate my $19 angle grinder from Harbor Freight ... I bought it because I needed it for one operation, and figured hey, if it only works for a little while, it will have served its purpose. It has worked for several years, and I have used it more than I ever thought I would.

How about expanding the category to include expensive tools that disappointed? The "Fasttrack Resaw Fence", at $129, just doesn't fit, work, or satisfy on my Jet 14" band saw. Doggone thing isn't rigid enough, since the back part of the fence isn't secured, and resawing is a disaster. A shop-made high fence is much better, and doesn't cost anything if made from scraps. Ah, live and learn.

[Allen Bookout]

Number one worst cheap tool. Cheap foreign made torque wrench. Never worked but is real shinny so I still keep it hanging up on the wall.

Number two worst. Hand held hammer driven impact wrench. Will not loosen anything. Still in the cabinet - I don't know why.

Best cheap tool. Fourty year old hand crosscut saw that was so dull that it never would cut anything, even white pine. It is the best because I still keep it laying on the bench and when I am upset for spending money on a new power tool I just look at that old saw and I feel a whole lot better.

[Lee DeRaud]

Best? Probably the $85 Sears benchtop jointer that I used to take the finish off the face frames when I refaced my kitchen. Pretty much sucked as a jointer, but made a dynamite narrow-stock benchtop pseudo-planer.

Worst? Hmmm...probably the $60 Sears router I bought so I wouldn't tie up a good router using a biscuit-cutter attachment my dad gave me for no apparent reason. Think I used it twice...finally threw it away after the dog chewed the end off the cord about ten years later.

Overall, I've had pretty good luck with the "cheap stuff", probably because I don't tie myself in a knot trying to convince myself it's just as good as the "high-price spread". I try to stay on the cheap side of the cost-benefit tradeoff, especially for the first instance of a particular tool. If I get to a point where I'm buying the second instance of that tool, I'll usually "trade up" a grade or two, having proved that I'll use that tool long enough to make it worthwhile.

[Pat Monahan]

Randy
Yes - cheap drill bits - especially when 1/8" bits make 3/8" diameter circles spinning in the drill press.
Worst tool # 2 - cheap laser level. I couldn't figure out why things were so far off until I stepped back and just looked at the level marks Across 20 feet, the laser was off a good 8" vertically and about 6" sideways. A total waste of money.
Worst tool # 3 - band clamp for picture frames. The "heavy duty" nylon webbing was punctured the first time I tried to use it, and the nylon wasn't tight because the tensioning mechanism was equally well designed - it would start slipping when the slightest amount of tension was applied.
Best tool - set of combination wrenches 3/8' to 1 1/4", no brand names or markings except "made in China" for about $ 8. Yeah, surprised me too.
Best tool # 2 Ryobi 3/8 variable speed reversible drill. Same specs as ones 2-3 times the price. It's seen much use and some abuse, no complaints.
Pat

[Brian Jarnell]

A suggestion,use 1mm cut off wheel in angle grinder,you wont need you hack saw again.

[Randy Meijer]

I just bought a cheap angle grinder and from its performance, so far, I suspect it will be a candidate for the "bad" list!!:mad: :mad:

[Paul Canaris]

I tend to buy socket sets and such at Harbour Freight. Typically the ratchet wrench breaks, so I replace it with a Sears. The sockets don't, and wont likely ever given that I am not a mechanic. So this has been a good combination over the years.:rolleyes:

As to what is cheap and has not lasted or worked well consistently; any power tool made by Ryobi is C&*P, Panasonic runs a close second....:mad:

[John Miliunas]

Worst cheapie: Fluorescent drop lamp from one of those traveling tool shows. Goes to about 10% brightness after 5 min. or so.:mad:

Other "worst" and not necessarily real cheap: Just about anything C-man that plugs into 110VAC!:mad:

Successful cheapie purchases: The HF digital calipers (go on sale typically for 20 bucks.). I think I have 3 of these now throughout the shop. Side-by-side comparison shows no more than .001 variance between all of them.:) Another great HF buy was one of those auto-darkening welding helmets for 1/2 a c-note. Works great, especially for just the occasional user.:) :cool:

[Mike Parzych]

I'm with Pat Monahan - I bought one of the Ryobi drills and it has been a reliable workhorse.

Worst - I was at the dollar store buying my reading glasses and I got a Chinese adjustable wrench. The casting was so bad it wouldn't even open all the way. The Chinese seem to have a lot to learn about the carbon content of metal too. I got some hacksaw blades that were so brittle they snapped on the first cut when only sligtly flexed.

[Per Swenson]

Good Idea Randy,

Being a thrifty pseudo elitist tool junkie,

I occasionally succumb to the hunter gatherer

instincts equivalent of a free lunch.

In the not very expensive category,

Fastcap tape measures. You simply can't beat em for about 10 bucks.

Penn state industry clamps. Folks, even if you average one lousy

clamp out of 10, at these prices who cares.

Speaking of clamps, ever been in a dollar store?

24" bar clamps, one dollar. Maybe only good for 2lbs of pressure.

Sometimes thats all you need. At the same dollar store, once and a while

the most reliable set of 2 screwdrivers out there, $1.

Reliable? You bet, buy 10 sets and scatter them around the job,

you will always find one and the snap-on set stays intact.

And the number one cheap tool bargain? Bought a floor model,

dare I say it, Ryobi scroll saw. Marked down from $99 to 20 bucks.

works like a charm.

Per

[Jim Becker]

Worst cheap tools? Anything with motors, cutters or handles.

Best cheap tool...I can't think of even one that was "surprising". Now, bargans I can think of plenty--times when the price was right on something normally much more expensive.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Worst was the litany of Craftsman & Ryobi stuff I bought before I learned better. I don't own a best cheap tool. I have rid myself of all of them except the Ridgid portable saw that just burned up on us and it's on ebay now.

Now I look at all the cheap stuff at HF and other places and just cringe thinking of all those people wasting their money. The biggest laugh is Homier, they are worse than HF.

[Mac McAtee]

I bought a 4 1/2" angle grinder on sale at HF for about $11 incl tax, to just grind the welds and finish one project, but it got so hot I couldn't hold it. I decided maybe they didn't grease the gears good, so I opened it up, removed the kinda brown vaseline looking grease and filled the cavity with good grease, and to my surprise, it cooled down and worked like a champ :D

I bought one from Northern Tool about the same period of time. Paid $19.95 for it with extra discs. Mine gets hot also but I didn't think of changing lube in transmission. Thanks for the tip, on the project list for this comming weekend.

[Rolf Safferthal]

My two cents worth:


worst: a 50 Euro Dutch router Made in China. Lived for less than two hours. Had 1.800 Watt, - 600 for heat, 800 for noise and the remaining 400 for cutting wood.

best: a (not very often) used grinder made by Festool (RS 200) for less than half the original price.

Rolf

[Allen Bookout]

Until John mentioned the HF auto darkening welding helment I forgot about that. I weld quite a bit and the $100 helment that goes on sale every now and then for $50 is a great deal. May be not for a professional that is banging his head a lot but for the normal user I have found that it is very good.

[Frank Pellow]

Worst Cheap Tool: Skill Jigsaw. It just could not seem to cut in the direction that I pointed it.

Best Cheap Tool: Mastercraft 9 inch try-square with a rosewood handle that I purchased about 20 years ago for about $5 from the bargain bin at Canadian Tire. I have tested it against much more expensive squares and it is absolutely accurate.

[Tyler Howell]

Worst HF DP. Cut oval holes.

Absolute worst. Cman TS. (close out display) What really makes me mad is I kept throwing good money after bad to improve it and I just have an expensive POS.

[Bob Winkler]

First the Cheap but Good:
-Older Ryobi router with one side flat for easy guiding. Used it many years before I got the Bosch and PC
- Ridgid Miter saw utility vehicle for $100. Great design and consruction
- $50 fold-up 4' plastic office table (from Staples) for a portable assembly, glue-up, etc table. It's tougher than it looks, nothing sticks to it, and it is very light to carry around and fold for storage.
- $3 dead blow mallet

The Bad:
- 1/2" chinese built drill that sounds like it is going to fall apart
- cheap hand truck/dolly where one of the dolly casters fell off on the first use.
- A $75 CMS (Tradesman) that almost severed my hand when one of the blade retaining washers cracked in half, causing the blade to come loose.

Bob

[Mark Singer]

Cheap wrenches are really bad!

I got a great wire stripper from China for $2 really works.

[Fred Ray]

For me worst was a 4 1/2" side grinder. Didn't believe it could be worth a cuss for $16.00. I was right. It didn't run long enough to get hot!


Best was a HF 14" abrasive chop saw for $50. Put a decent heel on it and have used the fool outta that thing withnout the first hiccup.

[Keith Hooks]

I have to agree about the cheap drill bits. I regret my purchase of those chinese brad point bits from Woodcraft. But, it's hard to find brad point bits, much less good ones.

I really like the Bear saws from Vaughn. They're inexpensive, but really perform. Unfortunately, I don't see them at Lowe's or HD any more.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Worst cheap tool..........A laser level I bought at Sears (Not one of their cheaper models but cheaper than a good transit). Having some pretty heavy experience using a transit to setup GCA radar used to land aircraft I was greatly disappointed in the brightness of the beam and the accuracy of the level. Took it back 30 minutes after I tried to put it to use.

[Frank Pellow]

Worst cheap tool..........A laser level I bought at Sears (Not one of their cheaper models but cheaper than a good transit). Having some pretty heavy experience using a transit to setup GCA radar used to land aircraft I was greatly disappointed in the brightness of the beam and the accuracy of the level. Took it back 30 minutes after I tried to put it to use.
Hey Ken, that's only half the answer. What about your best cheap tool?

[Jay Knepper]

Best: A Ryobi spindle sander. It's used light duty work--sanding templates. Perhaps it was an appropriate choice.

And aren't those cheap dial calipers and guages great!

Worst: A Black and Decker palm sander. That sucker put out much more energy into vibration, heat, and noise than into sanding. If a tool could be specatularly bad, this one was.

[Gary McKown]

Since I am the quintessential Too Good To Pass It Up type, will chime in. Best cheapie: 5-way tie between HF SS calipers, dial indicators with multiposition base, 4" steel squares, 6" F-clamps, and heat gun. Worst is categorized: HF- lathe steadyrest, overall - Craftsman routers suffering from the RDR (random depth readjustment) syndrome. Best deal was Record 52½ vises at Big Lots for $19.99.

Most surprising is the $99 Ryobi OSS. Works great after shimming up the insert rings. I have used it a lot for over two years with no problems, even used it with a fence to thickness-sand some tiny strips. If it ever dies, I can turn it into a champeen cast iron router table top.

[James Carmichael]

Worst: Craftsman Table Saw. To their credit, Sears took it back and gave a full refund.

Best: Harbor Freight 3/4" SDS rotary hammer. I decided to gamble $30 on it because it has a hammer-only mode and I needed something for tile removal, and that's less than the $45 Lowes wanted to rent a pneumatic. Anyway, after the first one didn't work, I ended up getting it free. It's done yeoman service as a demolition tool on tile, a concrete slab, and driving 3/8" x 6" lag screws after my not-so-cheap DeWalt cordless impact driver has consumed it's batteries (best hold on real tight, though).

[Bert Johansen]

This may surprise some of you -- certainly did surprise me! When I was getting started with a hobby attitude, I bought a few cheap tools from HF, intending to upgrade if the "hobby" took. (It did.) I bought a 14-inch bandsaw for less than $200. Three of us managed to get it in the trunk of my old Buick and even more amazing, I got it back out by myself. (Took two hours, but hey, I got it out!)

Anyway, it didn't work worth a darn, but I made some mods that have turned into a real workhorse. Here's what I did:

1. Beefed up the motor mount with a slab of MDF.
2. Replaced the belts with link-belts.
3. Replaced the blade with a Timberwolf 3/4" resaw blade.

I recently resawed a chunk of hard maple, 5" thick, and it handled it with grace. Amazing, eh?

The other cheap tool that has also been a wonderful surprise from those early days is a 10" Black & Decker Miter Saw. Besides carefully tuning the alignment options, I added a Forrest Chopmaster blade and I get absolutely perfect cuts. They are so smooth one would assume they had been planed, but that's the saw blade talking.

I have long since chucked the Craftsman TS and have a Grizzly cabinet saw, again with a Forrest blade. Great cuts.

Bert

[Norman Hitt]

Best:

Worst: A Black and Decker palm sander. That sucker put out much more energy into vibration, heat, and noise than into sanding. If a tool could be specatularly bad, this one was.

Hey Jay, maybe you were supposed to put the sandpaper on the top instead of the bottom. :D

[Don Selke]

The worst tool I did not buy was the one that I needed but thought was too expensive at the time.

[Frankie Hunt]

The worst is a cheap socket set. It was a gift many years ago at some big family get together or some such occasion. I should just toss it as I have good sockets. (S-K, Craftsman, Snap-on.)

The best has been a cheap-o drill press from HF. I got this several years ago with the intention of making an oscillation spindle sander from it. I never quite got around to it and it ended up on my bench. I have a much nicer Delta unit however this one gets about 80% of my usage. I am not sure why it gets so much usage, perhaps from its convenient location. Or because it is so easy to move the table up and down. Anyway, its been very reliable and very accurate. I even made a very nice table for the Delta unit. Formica coverd with a removable center insert. And this one has a one time use table for a sanding drum. It took me every bit of 10 minutes to make its table. That table has been on there for 5 years and is holding up well! I haven't measured the run out on the little drill press, but its plenty fine for woodworking. This unit was $49.99 delivered to my door.

Another nice cheap tool is the spring loaded center punch from HF. About 5 bucks on sale.

Gary, you got the Record 52½ vises at Big Lots for $19.99, Lucky Man..... I looked at probably 10 Big Lots trying to find a couple of these when that deal came down. I couldnt find any.:( :mad: I have 2 on my main bench (purchased new at $119 from Trendlines many years ago) They are great. I would love to find a couple more for a new bench. I know that Highlands Hardware is selling the new Indian version. I have been wondering if they are as good as the Record originals.

Frankie

[Randy Meijer]

.....The worst is a cheap socket set......

Yeah.........the sockets are no good and the ratchets usually give out pretty quick, also!!! Those sets are "LIGHT DUTY" only!!!

[Bill Fields]

Randy:

You have hit an information gold mine. I hope you can keep the thread going or someone starts it again.

Living far from shopping, I tend to buy "Mail Order'.

So I have many tales--

Keep up the good work!

BILL FIELDS

[Ernie Kuhn]

Norm,
What kind of grease did you use?
Thanks
Ernie :confused:

[Norman Hitt]

Hey Frankie, those are great little drill presses, and they even Import them in Europe. I don't remember the name tag they had on it, but a friend of mine gave me one for my birthday about 18 yrs ago when I lived in Belgium and it was Identical to yours, even the Color was the same. I used it mostly to drill all kinds of Glass & Ceramic bottles to make lamps, windchimes, etc., for friends. I would have brought it home to TX., but since I figured I would have to change the motor and pay the shipping, I just sold it there.



The best has been a cheap-o drill press from HF. I got this several years ago with the intention of making an oscillation spindle sander from it. I haven't measured the run out on the little drill press, but its plenty fine for woodworking. This unit was $49.99 delivered to my door.\







Frankie

[Scott Parks]

Worst tools that I thought would be good:

1. Craftsman Lazer CMS. First one didn't have a flat cutting table. One side of cut-off would be square, and other side wouldn't. Returned for new one. Next one wasn't flat, AND the thing flexed so bad, that I ended up with a 'curved' cut. Argh.... after 9 months of fiddling with it, I took it back and DEMANDED a full refund... :mad:

2. Craftsman cordless drill. Wouldn't hold a charge worth a darn. I couldn't even screw up one 4x8 sheet of drywall and the battery would be dead. Took it back. They wouldn't exchange it. Instead, sent me to service. Service said that the batteries and trigger switch were defective. 2 months later, they called me and said that the "new parts" won't be in before the warranty period was up. So now, they allowed me to exchange for a new one. SO, I wanted credit toward a DeWalt. They said "absolutely NOT". I had to exchange for a newer CMAn model. The new one will only hold a charge about 50% longer. I will never buy a CMAn cordless tool again.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Best cheapies:

1. Atlas 4" jointer- Garage sale, $30.

2. Older HF F-Style bar clamps. (they aren't the same as the junkers they have now). Bought 10 @ 1.50 each. Wish I would have bought the whole stack of 20!

3. Black & Decker single speed jigsaw, and drill. Found them on clearance for 6.99 at Home D. Went to Lowe's and beat HD by 10%. Picked up 2 JS, and one drill (because I was having a garage sale that weekend:D). Single speed drills are worthless, So, I sold 1 jigsaw, and one drill, un-used at my garage sale for $10 each! (forgive me, I'm bad) The jigsaw isn't exactly a top quality festool or Bosch, but I use and abuse it, but for free (after selling the other 2) I have easily got my money's worth! Even if I paid the full 6.99 for a beater, it would have been worth it...

[John Renzetti]

Best cheap tools: first is a very inexpensive slow speed grinder I bought from Garrett Wade many years ago. Made in China and works great. Next are some made in China Forstner bits that I got from Lee Valley. Also on the list is a Ryobi electric hand planer that has seen lots of use in 20yrs and still works great. Also some corner clamps I got from MLCS about 20yrs ago.
Worst cheap tools-Delta mortising attachment for the DP. Any cheap import drill bits, countersinks, etc. Craftsman router. A lot of the import fasteners that are sold by Lowes, HD. I avoid this stuff as much as possible.
take care,
John

[Harry Thornton]

Best value: HF 1/3hp drill press: $44.95 from the store. I am sure they turn out a few that cut oval holes but mine has been fine. Someday I will buy a bigger/better one and dedicate the little one to a task. Another would be my Craftsman 22811 table saw...not conventional but was inexpensive and ideal for me. Worst: plug cutting bits from HF. If I would have paid a dime it would have been 10 cents too much.

[Don Stanley]

I've had pretty good luck with HF hand tools, although you need to open boxes and check for damage before you leave the store. You generally get what you pay for, and that's the reason I shop there :D

A "Must Have" item is the 28 PC. TRANSFER PUNCH SET, that currently sell for $8.99. For those of you not familure with this tool, a transfer punch is simply a punch with a shank diameter sized to match the hole you want to center punch. The HF set covers a range of 3/32'' to 1/2'', plus a 17/32''. Vary handy for building shop fixtures!

-Don

[John Hart]

I guess my best cheapie would have to be my B&D drill. I've had it over 20 years and still use it often.

All time worst...B&D Router. Don't know why I haven't thrown it away (sentimental value I suppose)

All time favorite - Craftsman 15" VS Lathe. No problems, powerful, reliable. Plus, it gives me the most pleasure.

[Bill Arnold]

Cheap tools = poorly made tools. I like to think I buy most things based on price/value and that can include "inexpensive" tools. ;)

Best "price/value": :D
Trim router from HF -- $20 (got two of them) and easier to use than my $100 PC. Numerous other items from HF, but only after careful examination -- I wouldn't touch their sockets, etc.

Most Disappointing "Quality" tool: :(
PC cordless driver/drill -- battery packs suck and are way too expensive to replace. I can buy two cordless drills from HF for what one PC battery pack costs and they work just fine!

Regards,

[James Ayars]

Best cheap tool: A $5 socket set. The alternator went bad on my wife's Saturn out in the country of North Carolina. Closest town was Clinton~15 miles away. I called a friend and told him where I was and to bring an alternator, tools, jack stands and floor jack as I had left all my tools in my truck.

He brought.....nothing. After sending him into Clinton to get an alternator, I had to change it using two pairs of pliers and that cheap socket set.

To access the alternator on a Saturn, you have to remove the front passenger side wheel, remove the mudguard and take the alternator out through the wheel well. Plus the connections had double nuts on them. To make it even better, it was raining.

It took me 5 hours to get it finished! I kept waiting for the ratchet to break but it didn't. I havn't used that set since, but just by working that one time, it was a best cheap tool for me.

Best cheap tool #2: My $2.99, 4" prybar. Great for so many applications where a small amount of force or torque is needed especially molding.

Worst cheap tool: HF speed square. The edges were so jagged it cut my hand open the first time I used it.

Also "cheap" is relative. Cheap to one person my well be expensive to another. I see many people describe a $500 table saw as cheap, while to someone else, $500 might be a fortune.

[Bill Fields]

Randy/Kelly:


Re: HF stuff

Some of it really throw away. More of it is acceptable and a bargain.

And some of it is really quite good.

A significant portion of my shop small power tools are HF, and most are OK.

If I were a professional, like many Creekers , I would really think twice before succumbing to the "bargain" level tools. A lost day on a job will cost them far more than one saves on a HF tool.

My "big" tools (TS, BS, RAS. DP) are not HF--but most are made in Taiwan--not China.

I have a set of 18 year old 9.6v tools that won't quit--CS 3/8" VRS drill.

Also have the big "3hp" HF plunge router--dedicated to a fixed router table.

Works well.

Caveat Emptor--esp. in Chinase stuff--hope sellers will detail the country of origin

[Butch Hayes]

Worst - ANY inexpensive screw driver. They are worse than inexpensive drill bits; at least the cheap bits work once.

Best - HF 18 guage air nailer for $19. It throws oil and you adjust pressure to adjust depth, but it works fine. I just put a piece of paper over the wood where I want to nail, and POW :). It's not in the same class as my Bostich 16 guage, but was a lot cheaper.

Most of the rest of my stash has been upper line, but not top-of-the-line products, and they have served me very well.