thoughts on tool "quality"

[Reggie Lamothe]

I'm constantly torn between spending for the "higher end" brand tool or the harbor fright style. My general thought is if i'm going to use it regularly spend for the better one, and if its a once in a while I can get away with less.

Last night my Skil orbital sander crapped out. I bought it on the clearance table at Rocky's in 2010 and have used it pretty regularly so i think i got my money's worth. My plan was to upgrade and get a dewalt or bosch, but the question really is if I got 8 years out of a sander i paid maybe $30 for, what am I really gaining with a $70+ version?

[John Sincerbeaux]

Tools and machines are like cars. It all depends on what you want to drive. A Chevy will get you to the point B just as well as the Mercedes but the ride will be much nicer in the Mercedes.

[Jim Becker]

I see nothing wrong with buying "bargain" for utility while investing in better quality for things that will get frequent and heavier use. Everything is a balance.

[Nick Decker]

Several things that may not be obvious if you haven't used a higher quality sander: Variable speed can be very useful. A smaller orbit size can make your finish smoother. Less vibration transmitted to your hands and arms will make you less cranky. :)

[Ted Derryberry]

I'd say it depends on how much you actually use it. As a full time woodworker some of my tools get used a lot and higher quality ones make work a pleasure instead of drudgery. However, certain types of tools I use rarely so I can't justify a high end model.

I was using the Porter Cable low profile brushless motor ROS (now discontinued) and developed a shooting pain in the right elbow that never went away. I don't blame that particular model of sander which was relatively "high end" considering the cheaper ones available, just how much I was sanding. I bought the Bosch ROS65VC (VC stands for "vibration control"). I'm doing more work than ever and use the ROS a lot, sometimes for several hours per day for a couple of days in a row. The pain in my elbow went away and hasn't returned. I didn't do anything but switch to a higher quality tool.

A $70 ROS isn't "high end". It's certainly "higher end" compared to Harbor Freight, but you're going to spend closer to $200 to get a truly nice one, and I don't even want to think about what a Festool would cost. I have a DeWalt that I used before the Porter Cable and got it out the other day for some reason and when I turned it on my first thought was "I can't believe I actually used this thing on a regular basis".

[Prashun Patel]

This comes up often. It's a moot point.

It's right to compare two specific brands for a specific tool. It's worthless to make blanket statements.

In the orbital sander category, I can tell you that spending more money on a Bosch will buy you less vibration and fewer swirls than the average cheaper ROS. There exists a class above Bosch that includes Festool, Mirka Ceros/Deros, and air sanders. These will get you even less vibration, more aggresiveness, and even fewer swirl patterns. They can also be lighter (in the case of air sanders and Ceros) because the motor is decoupled from the sander. That can lead to less fatigue and an ability to get into tighter spots. This highest category also - in general - has better dust collection with a vaccuum.

But I owned two Bosches - both reconditioned - and they were great sanders.

I would also suggest that amortized over 10 years, a $70 sander is insignificantly more expensive than a $30 sander. If for 10 years, your sanding is more efficient, then the $4/year is a good investment.

[Mike Heidrick]

You just have to make you happy. Dont worry about others who are outside your span of control. For random orbit sanders, the least vibration and better the dust extraction facility the better for me. Some models/brands only slightly improve those features in the $35-$70 price tags so that is why it may be harder to perceive value in that price jump.

[Steven Harrison]

My wife started a furniture refinishing business about a year ago so of course I've been doing a lot of stripping finishes and sanding. I have a Makita random orbital and it was ok, but it can't strip finishes so that meant using some really awful chemicals. After doing some research we upgraded to a Festool RO 150 Rotex with a Midi extractor and WOW. No more chemical strippers. 80 grit in Rotex mode will strip the finish with no issues and leave hardly any dust behind and it's so much faster. The fine sanding mode works great too and leaves a really nice finish. I've had to relearn how to use a sander because it's such a big difference from the Makita.

[Bill Adamsen]

I agree with Prashun's points above.

I'd add that a sander that optimizes the abrasive grit might cost less in the long run as well. Abrasive grits (sandpaper) are expensive. But I have no metrics to say a high end sander is less destructive of abrasives than a low end. And reality is, I change my grits frequently to optimize the amount of time spent sanding. Tolerance for duration of a task is a big factor. A professional (someone getting paid for work) might find that spending a big chunk of time sanding is simply not acceptable, while an amateur might not care how much time a job takes as long as the "out of pocket cost" is reasonable and end product meets expectations.

Successful dust extraction is perhaps my key deciding factor on tool purchases.

[Lee Schierer]

I buy the best that I can afford and I depend a lot on manufacturer's reputation for parts availability and service. The problem I have with HF tools is there is no real warranty because you don't know who made them. There is little if any service once you walk out the door.

I was at my daughters home visiting and she asked me to do some work on some odd pieces of trim along her stairs. Thee was a contractor there doing some other work in her kitchen and he had a Dremel oscillating tool. When the contractor saw what I was trying to do he offered the Dremel tool. I used it for about 10 minutes and the motor got so hot it was uncomfortable to hold the tool. I liked what it could do so I looked for one for my own shop. I ended up purchasing a Bosch Multi-tool and believe me the difference is night and day. I've used the Bosch for longer periods of time and the motor barely gets warm.

I owned a B&D sabre saw for years. I thought it was a pretty good tool. Eventually the threads for the screw that held the blade in place stripped and the blades wouldn't stay in. I looked at the various models that were on the market at the time and most were cheaply made and had the same flaws of the original B&D saw. I purchased a Bosch barrel grip jig saw and I couldn't be happier. The saw has more power, operates smoother and is quieter than the B&D saw ever was. The Bosch saw with the T234X progressor blades cut straight and square on thick stock and leaves a cut surface that rivals what you can get with a good blade on a TS.

[Ted Derryberry]

One thing about Harbor Freight is they'll take back nearly anything that's broken for a full refund. Personally it's not worth it for me, but my 18 year old son buys some mechanic tools there and they treat him right when he has a problem.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Quality is like buying oats. If you want nice fresh clean oats, then they will cost you. If you don't mind if they have already been through the horse, then they are cheaper. Same applies to MOST power tools. Some of HF's offerings will do a good job. I have one of their 6N1 framing guns. It does a great job, but it is HEAVY. Recently bought a Hitachi framing gun that weighs half as much. Does it work better than the HF - NO, but the Hitachi doesn't work me as hard. Usually price is an indicator of quality.

[Dan Hahr]

Unless you plan on destroying the tool intentionally, don't buy power tools from HF. Don't buy the cheap DIY tools from HD or wherever if you want them to last and work well. You can buy the baseline tools from the better companies and have a much better tool that something like Ryobi, Porter Cable, Skil, Dremel, etc. If you can't afford new, use the search feature on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace and you will find tools at half the cost of new that are barely broken in.

Yes, those are blanket statements. Not laws... I have some cheap tools. I just don't expect much from them. I don't have anything terrible fancy like Festool...but I would if I could justify them...and might one day. Some of my best tools are really old.

Dan

[Bob Leistner]

If you have physical issues (elbow, hand pain) due to vibration, try the mechanics gloves with gel pads in the palms. They will make a world of difference.

[Martin Wasner]

I have found over time that cheap tools cost too much. But, you are almost always on some sort of budget and without limitless funds you have to find some sort of middle ground. The better tools/equipment are usually worth it. My favorite one was for almost 20 years I used a cheap combo square and got a wild hair up my rear one day and bought a Starrett. I'm so disappointed I didn't buy the Starrett a long, long time ago. It just feels nice in your hand.


On the other end of the spectrum, there's a guy in Milwaukee that I follow on instagram that forges custom hammers. I want one bad. But not $400 for a hammer bad. Yet.

[brent stanley]

One other thing to think about in the context of budget tools that may be of concern to you revolves around the manufacturing stage of the tool and what you are supporting. A lot of the budget tools are made in foreign lands where most things are cheaper, especially labour and waste management and sometimes raw materials. Let's face it, it's cheaper to make something if you can pay your employees crap, dump your waste in the creek behind the factory and buy raw materials that were produced for you in the same way. You may not support those things going on in your local community, but by buying those tools you ARE supporting those activities somewhere else. I try my damnedest to buy from NA first, Europe second and Asia if I can't do without but that's pretty rare.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Usually we are someplace betwwen two extremes. One side with tool collectors when the ultimate aim is appreciate great tools, its quality, craftsmanship and technology and another one just focussed in the final results with no cue on the method to get there.

Of course virtually all of us are not at any of that extremes, but at different points sometimes closer or farther of one of them.

BTW there is nothing intrisically wrong at any position. It is a choice.

I think you have to discover where are you in that spectrum and so decide what tool quality to go.

I am an amateur. Not a pro anyway. For me the total experience counts, it includes the joy to handle good tools (nobody is perfect... I am an Engineer)...

Regards,

[glenn bradley]

There is also a question of effectiveness. Bargain abrasive and sanders will consume more time and money than better ones.

[Brian Henderson]

My position is that if a tool does the job that you want it to do, it is a worthwhile tool to have. You are the only one to make those decisions. Nobody else matters.

[Peter Kelly]

Could buy almost 3 card scrapers for $30...

[Jim Dwight]

I currently have two DeWalt ROS, a 5 inch and a six inch shaped like an angle grinder. The 5 inch doesn't vibrate enough to cause me an issue but the 6 inch beats me up pretty good. I have a lot of paper for the 6 inch but rarely use it due to the vibration. I will probably get a Bosch that has the agressive mode some Festool sanders have. It uses the paper the 6 inch DeWalt does. My point is that the brand isn't a great indicator of how nice a tool it is. I look for reviews these days before most tool purchases.

I buy pneumatic tools at HF, hand tools, but very few power tools. The reviews of things like their sliding miter saws are not great. But the prices are very low and if I needed one for framing I would be tempted. I have a HF oscillating saw and it is a useful tool, at a very low price. But more recently I got a Fein and it is a much nicer tool. But the price difference is $25 versus $150. I kind of like my big hammer drill from HF. I've used it to take down a brick chimney (in demolition mode) a brick veneer wall, and a mortar bed shower stall. The switch between drilling and hammer mode sticks sometimes and it has to be re-greased occasionally but it has done quite a bit of work for me. It cost about $100, a Bosch would have been over twice as much.

I also carry a tool roll of HF hand tools in my BMW convertible. They work fine.

I think your rule of differentiating by how much you use it is sound. I would also look for reviews. No brand is best at everything. And even if they were (or are) they won'd be the best deal. At least not in my opinion.