Hello all - intro and question about Duracraft

[Mike Priest]

Hello all, from the middle of Illinois.

I have been lurking here for a few weeks, and wanted to thank you all for some great tips. I am getting into WW and have been buying a few tools as money permits. Last week I happend on a table saw in a pawn shop that I haggled down to 130$ and the postings on how to remove rust (scotchbrite pad, WD40 and orbital sander) came in very handy. I am now the proud owner of a Delta TS300 that looks like new.:)

I see an auction in the paper this weekend that has a Duracraft 36" lathe, and a Duracraft Drillpress. I have never heard of the brand and wondered if any of you know anything about it? I am just a begginner hobby woodworker, and money is pretty short, but I want to buy tools that are decent but at an entry level price. I know many of you spent more on your TS than I did on my entire shop, but I plan to upgrade a piece at a time as it makes sense.

again, Thanks for being there and providing so much info!!

:D My grizzly catalog is on the way so I will have something to drool over!

[John Bailey]

Mike,

Can't help you with your question, but I can welcome you to the "Creek." It's a great place and you'll get your answer soon.

John

[Bruce Page]

Hello Mike, welcome to SMC. As I recall, Duracraft was a store brand (Wards?) and was a basic entry level tool of questionable quality. If the price is right (cheap) you wouldn’t have much to loose.

[Howard Norman]

Mike, I have a Duracraft drill press that I bought maybe 20 years ago. It was made in Taiwan. Fifteen inch with about a five inch stoke. It has served me well all of these years. It only has five speeds and I wish that it had more but the price was right and I have never really considered replacing it. I don't know if Duracraft is still in business or not.

Howard

[Dan Oliphant]

Mike, Duracraft Corp was acquired by Honeywell Consumer Products Div. some time back. It appears that there is/was quite a few consumer product safety issues (read legal action) concerning Duracraft products. Based on these issues, I would pass on any of there products.

[Mike Priest]

Wow that was fast, thanks for the useful info. I "googled" all over for duracraft and didn't find much so I figured they had been acquired by someone.

I will probably pass on the Duracraft (unless the price is really good), but will still head to the auction in hopes of finding some hand tools. I have discovered that I need several tools that I don't have (planes, squares, chisels, etc...) and I bet at an auction I may find them cheap.

Its tough to get a decent woodshop together without incurring the wrath of the LOML. When I told her I liked a table saw that was around a thousand dollars I almost had to do CPR :)

[W Craig Wilson]

RE LO(your)L - You may discover that as you begin to produce items that your significant other wants/need/likes the issue of tool purchase will fade. I know many WW'ers who justify new tools with new projects and get away with it. Words of advice - don't hide it; sell it.

[Robert Boyd]

Mike,
There is a store in Springfield, IL that is going out of business. I believe this week or next week is it. The name of it is RETOOL and they sell used hand and power tools. I know the owner personnally at the one in Rockford and he has offered to buy the guy out. I know for a fact that the guy in Springfield is sitting on $10,000 of shop fox inventory and $4,000 in router bits so I am sure you will find a good deal.
Any questions let me know

[Mike Priest]

I think I may look into this in the morning. That sounds like a good place to check out. Thanks much for the info.

[Allen Bookout]

Mike, I see that Mr. Norman has a Duracraft drill press that is Ok but I had a Duracraft bandsaw about eighteen years ago and it was much worse than not having a bandsaw at all. Mr. Norman must have gotten lucky. I say do not even consider it. More than likely you will just be throwing your money away and then have to figure a way to get rid of the junk, I mean tool. Allen

[Steve Clardy]

Welcome Mike!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Welcome to the Creek Mike! As a young man I helped drill a couple of natural gas storage wells around Mahomet. At the time I was living at Cornell. Again....Welcome!