My father always told me that you invest in the best tools you can, even if
it means you have to save up for them. This makes sense, in a way, paying
for Craftsman over a cheap no name knockoff will usually get you a better
constructed tool with a lifetime warranty.
This past sunday I went to a Flea Market just north of town. This is one of
those permanent indoor flea markets with people who rent permanent booths
and run actual little shops.
One Guy had a stack of 4" Angle Grinders, in a box, but with no discernable
brand name, for $8. He had one out of the box with a grinding wheel
attached. The wheel rotated without any discernable wobble. I could detect
no manufacturing flaws. It felt very much like a Ryobi I had picked up
recently at the local Home Depot.
I didn't buy it for two reasons. First, the box had, in excruciatingly
broken english, a list of specs, and listed the arbor as 7/8". Every wheel
and wire brush I've ever seen was for 5/8". I'm not sure if this was a
typo, but I was concerned about finding the wire cup brush I wanted to use
with this to strip my engine bay and frame rails.
Second, I kept hearing my father's voice telling me not to skimp on tools.
I've been thinking back to that all week, and I think I should have gone
ahead and snagged it. At Eight bucks, the damn thing was disposable.
But it really raises a bigger question that perhaps my father was wrong
(Don't tell him).
I think the "Buy Quality" is a good idea on certain items. Wrenches and
sockets where size tolerances are important. Blades and any other cutting
item. I've personally seen the difference between a cheap $20 blade in my
table saw and a $90 Forrest Woodworker II.
And anything safety related, of course. Ramps, Jacks, hoists. I realize
that many things, like jackstands, are usually all manufactured together
and sold at different price points, but how do you know which is which?
But, am I crazy here? When are cheap tools OK? I could have bought ten of
these angle grinders and tossed them when they broke before I spent as much
as the grinder at HD.
_______________________________
Chris Thompson
1974 MGB Chrome Bumper Roadster
/// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
/// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|