Regarding "reconditioned" power tools:
I don't have specific knowledge of how the individual tool companies operate,
so the
following is general business information coupled with some things that I have
read
about some of the tool companies:
Most retail outlets have some kind of "100% satisfaction guarantee". Some
fraction
of tool purchases will be returned, not because the tool has a defect but for
other
reasons. Examples: someone buys a tool for a one time use, then returns it
because
he is "not satisfied" and gets a full refund; someone is not sure what tool to
buy
and buys a wrong tool for the intended application, uses it a few times then
returns
it. These tools then cannot be sold as new.
The trend in manufacturing (in general) is away from 100% quality control
inspection. Money is instead put into QC on the manufacturing end, result in
nearly
100% acceptible quality in the end product with limited (or none) QC testing on
the
end products. The small numbers of faulty products are caught by the end user
and
returned. Mnay times the problem is minor (eg: bad switch, bad rotor, bad
bearing)
The end result is that the tool company ends up with returned tools that are
either
100% functional or require a quick "remove and replace with a good part". What
to
do with this stock of tools that are just as good as new? Give then a quick
inspection to ensure complete functionality, then sell them as "reconditioned".
Odds are that these tools will be just as good as new. Seems to me that these
tools
are a good deal. Although I do have to admit that I prefer brand new tools.
-Roger
My 2 cents.
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