What are some good, cheap tools?

[Mike Hess]

This is partially inspired by the $20 Christmas Gift thread.

Tell us about some tools that you bought thinking "Eh, for that price, I can pitch it if it doesn't work out" but ended up being impressed with enough to keep and use regularly.

I'll start:

I have a Kobalt (Lowe's house brand) screwdriver gadget that can ratchet in either direction or lock in both directions, has a magnetic bit reciever, and an assortment of bits (standard, phillips, hex, square and star drive) built into the handle. It is kinda gadgety for a hand tool, and I don't know how well the ratchet mechanism would hold up in high-torque applications, but I use it frequently. The ratcheting feature is nice, and I don't have to carry several screwdrivers when I'm working around the house. I liked it enough that I now have 2; one in my tool belt and one in the truck.

I think it was about $7.00

[John Bailey]

Screwdriver (even if I have enough now, seems I'm always losing them.)
Tape Measure (I like the small ones - 12ft, and since I have a hard time finding them, I try to keep many around the shop.)
Clamps
Clamps
More Clamps - I always need more

John

[Dave Lehnert]

This is partially inspired by the $20 Christmas Gift thread.

Tell us about some tools that you bought thinking "Eh, for that price, I can pitch it if it doesn't work out" but ended up being impressed with enough to keep and use regularly.

I'll start:

I have a Kobalt (Lowe's house brand) screwdriver gadget that can ratchet in either direction or lock in both directions, has a magnetic bit reciever, and an assortment of bits (standard, phillips, hex, square and star drive) built into the handle. It is kinda gadgety for a hand tool, and I don't know how well the ratchet mechanism would hold up in high-torque applications, but I use it frequently. The ratcheting feature is nice, and I don't have to carry several screwdrivers when I'm working around the house. I liked it enough that I now have 2; one in my tool belt and one in the truck.

I think it was about $7.00

You must have missed the giveaway Lowe's did a few month ago on that driver. I got one and it does work well.

[Chip Lindley]

I bought a set of 4 Buck wood chisels for $20 in an old neighborhood hardware store years ago. I just wanted something that was NOT Stanley!! These are made of fine steel and I still use them when I must slice a sliver off here and there, or chop a shallow mortise. $20 well invested!!

[Jason White]

There's nothing more expensive than a cheap tool.

That said, the CRAFTSMAN 10" sliding CMS is a decent machine. Less than $200. I bought it as a disposable saw to cut fiber-cement siding for my house. It's actually holding up quite well.

The laser stinks and you have to align the fence when you take it out of the box, though.

Jason



This is partially inspired by the $20 Christmas Gift thread.

Tell us about some tools that you bought thinking "Eh, for that price, I can pitch it if it doesn't work out" but ended up being impressed with enough to keep and use regularly.

I'll start:

I have a Kobalt (Lowe's house brand) screwdriver gadget that can ratchet in either direction or lock in both directions, has a magnetic bit reciever, and an assortment of bits (standard, phillips, hex, square and star drive) built into the handle. It is kinda gadgety for a hand tool, and I don't know how well the ratchet mechanism would hold up in high-torque applications, but I use it frequently. The ratcheting feature is nice, and I don't have to carry several screwdrivers when I'm working around the house. I liked it enough that I now have 2; one in my tool belt and one in the truck.

I think it was about $7.00

[Bob Parker]

a card scraper!

[Larry Fox]

Magnifying glass - I think I gave about $6.00 for it and I use it quite often. In general though, I think the title of the thread represents a contradiction in terms.

[scott spencer]

- I've got a set of 24 router bits from Holbren for $20 that have more than earned their keep.

- Also have a boxed set of 5 wood handled chisels from Northern Tool for $8 shipped that have served me well.

- My Oshlun 40T full kerf blade for $24 is on the impressive side.

[Russ Sears]

Bag of cheapo artists brushes from the hardware store, the kind that your kids would use for watercoloring. I use them for glue, pen finishing, etc.

[Prashun Patel]

$40 trim router from Grizzly. Love it.
6 x 18" F clamps on ebay for $19.00. 4 years and running; haven't had to upgrade to Kbody yet.
Card scraper
Black and Decker 100pc tool kit with cordless driver. I keep one of these @ my parents' home for odd jobs. Surprisingly rugged bits and handtools.

[Ross Ellis]

For hand wrenches Pittsburg (HF) aren't bad. I use a set in my junkyard tool box and they work well...

[Sonny Edmonds]

...one that does the original intent,
but then hangs around for more use.
If I can get more than the original use from a "cheap" tool, it becomes a Good Cheap tool.
When it boogers up something though, you don't feel bad about throwing it far out in a field. :D

[Ray Schafer]

I bought a $19 japanese pull saw at the BORG and I have used it hundreds of times. It is often quicker than getting my miter saw set up.

[Jesse Cloud]

I have to eat some humble pie, actually found a good cheap tool. I'm usually in the "nothing more expensive than a cheap tool" camp. But I picked up a Lithium-ion driver from Skil - of all companies -the other day and the darned thing is a winner. Lots of power, tiny size, holds a charge and the light shines right on the tool. Less than $20. I'm not going to install any decks with it, but its perfect for those little chores around the house where you need to get into a tight dark space.

And I'll second card scraper. Saves its cost in sandpaper in no time, lasts forever.

[Derek Stevens]

I bought a $19 japanese pull saw at the BORG and I have used it hundreds of times. It is often quicker than getting my miter saw set up.Good call, as I bought mine there as well, though I took the blades and made maple handles for them, some with strong backs at certain depths to the backer for dove cutting.

[David Keller NC]

Generally, "cheap" and "good" don't go together. There's a high price to be paid for buying on the dirt-cheap end of things - you tend to wind up buying the same tool several times (I did).

That said, there really are a few items out there that are of reasonable quality, available at big-box stores, and are decent tools. One of them is the Zona small back-saw and aluminum miter jig. The miter jig is of questionable worth, but the saw is quite good, available for less than $14, has a wooden instead of a plastic handle, astoundingly, made in the USA, and highly useful in the shop for cross-cutting small things like inlay and accent strips, small pieces of wood for wooden pulls, pen blanks, and the like that would be very dangerous to do on a power miter saw. Amazingly enough, there aren't many 24 TPI backsaws in the marketplace, period, especially for the price.

Another couple of items you might find in the Big Box stores that are worth having are Johnson levels and squares. The 8" Johnson square I bought 10 years ago has a mahogany stock, good, readable graduations, and is still my main user in the shop, despite having aquired a number of Starret rules and combinations squares over the years.

[Steve Clardy]

4" hand grinder from.......Harbor Freight :o:rolleyes:

$8.00

I actually bought 2 so if one bite the dust..... but its still working. :confused::D

[Peter Quinn]

I got a set of GROZ machinist squares a few years back that were in that price range, and they have served me well. Oh, and a pack of Ticondiroga pencils. WAY less than $20. Otherwise I have seen few quality tools beyond screw drivers and HSS drill bits in that price range. Heck, a half decent pair of plyers will blow that budget, as will a pair of pipe clamps. Maybe a single pipe clamp and a short piece of pipe?

I have bought many great items at a local flea market in that range, including a pristine Stanley Bailey 5 1/2 vintage bench plane, a Starret compass head for my combo square, and a great old adjustable mouth block plane, as well as some solid Hartford clamp sets. I wouldn't mind having gotten any of those gems as a gift.

[Greg Deakins]

I bought a craftsman 18 ga. comp. combo about a decade ago. It had a plastic head on the comp. that split apart, and is held together with masons twine. The head itself is detached from the tank as well, so I need to pick both up to transport. A little loud, but fills and holds air like the day I bought it. Its a good back up but I won't use it for the trim nailer that came with it, for THAT blew up.

[Mike Cutler]

Irwin/Marples Chisels. Those blue plastic handled ones in Home Depot. I have a full set of Lie-Nielsens, some Robert Sorby's, Hirsch's and Crowns,and even a few Stanley 750's, but I still like those "cheap" Irwin Chisels.

[Loren Hedahl]

Harbour Freight trim router for around 20 bucks.

I only use it for a small roundover bit. The depth adjustment on this router is crude, but once it is set it stays.

For other uses of a trim router I love my Bosch Colt.

[John Schreiber]

I believe in cheap. When people say that you get what you pay for, I believe they sometimes they pay a lot more for the same thing I'd buy for less.

Borg unbranded Japanese saws have served me well.

Freud Diablo circular saw blades. Great cut and low cost.

Card scraper. Seems like a lot to pay for a little rectangle of metal, but they are worth their weight in gold.

Marples blue handled chisels. I've never used the really high end, but the Marples have never made me wish for something else (except for a real mortise chisel, or a fine dovetail chisel). But as bench chisels, they are great.

Craftsman screw drivers. Screwdrivers are a disposable item. They just wear out. With the Craftsmen guarantee, every ten years or so, I get them replaced and brand new.

Scary sharp. In all my years, I've probably spent less than $50 on sharpening supplies (except for my Veritas jig) and I could shave with my tools.

SketchUp. Costs ZERO and it's a great piece of design software.

Probably more that I can't think of now.

[Dewey Torres]

http://www.amazon.com/Incra-T-RULE06-6-Inch-Precision-Marking/dp/B00004TRBW/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_c

Only those who own these will tell you...man this baby is useful and accuracy beyond you wildest dreams.

[Chip Lindley]

Oh...and a set of those folding allen wrenches in their own holder. I know I have a complete set! (as long as I don't lose the whole thing!) Hope all had a very nice TurkeyDay!

[Bob Slater]

Fav cheap tools . A flexible pickup tool ($5.00 for a cheapo) Maglight, Stanley magnetic level. Lee Valley digital angle finder . Good accuracy, not sure about durability. Plastic calipers or cheapo digi. Hot Glue gun (Great for making templates of openings with thin, square poplar strips. water level (basically a tube with blue food colour and water) electrical inductivecircuit beeper (LOve this the most), Klein tools wire stripper. folding carpet blade,

[Joe Mioux]

4" hand grinder from.......Harbor Freight :o:rolleyes:

$8.00

I actually bought 2 so if one bite the dust..... but its still working. :confused::D

A hand grinder!?

why would you want to grind your hand? ;):D:eek:

[Rick Fisher]

I see a lot of people buying those $29.00 23ga pinners. I dont have one .. just notice nobody complaining about them.

[Rod Sheridan]

A hand grinder!?

why would you want to grind your hand? ;):D:eek:


How else do you do your fingernails?????

[Ray Schafer]

OK, found the name of the kind of japanese saw that I have -- Ryoba. Although most people pronounce it Ri-o-ba, it is two syllables Ryo - ba. (I studied japanese in college.) There are several others that are commonly sold. The dozuki has a stiff back, the ryoba is flexible and can be uses for trimming dowels as well as ripping and cross-cutting. It very thin and cuts very fast.

[Steve Clardy]

a hand grinder!?

Why would you want to grind your hand? ;):d:eek:


how else do you do your fingernails?????




rofl :d:d:d

[Matt Meiser]

Grammarcy Tools holdfasts from Tools for Working Wood--$18 each or $32 for a pair. finally got some this past summer and I love them. They aren't just for hand tools either--I found them great for holding pieces when I was Domino-ing them too.