A Bunch Of New Names

[cabinetman]

While at Sears yesterday, I picked up their new tool catalog. While flipping through, found a bunch of brands I never heard of:

Evolution circular saws & blades
Trend router & accessories
Felker wet saws
Trojan saws and accessories
PNI nailers
Universal air tools
Kaeser compressors
Megapro
Evolv tools

Just because I'm not familiar with some of the new stuff they carry doesn't mean squat. But it's just weird seeing such a variety in a Sears catalog along with Craftsman. They even have Craftsman tool chests now in yellow, green and blue...go figure.
.

[dbhost]

The very concept of Trojan saws scares me...

[herb fellows]

I've heard of Trend and Felker, but just barely. The rest, who knows?
It's like buying artwork and they say it is 'signed'. Yeeeeahhhh? That's nice. More importantly though, signed BY WHO?? Joe Kelly and Renoir have slightly different price points....

[Mr__Bill]

Some, I think, are just another way of saying Harbor Freight.

I tend to look at the place of manufacture. I try to stay with North America, after that I pick, when I have a choice, a third world country that I would like to help. Work clothing from Wally World in particular. From China and they seem to be strangely sized and self destruct sooner. Bangladesh and they have a good fit and last for more washings. I think that the first time I see a tool that is made in Bangladesh I'm going to buy it.


Bill

[Ed62]

I've recently noticed a lot of tool brands that I never heard of. That doesn't necessarily mean they're no good. Just that I haven't heard of them before. And judging a tool by price alone might not be the best way to judge them. A relatively new maker of quality tools might be on the lower end of the price scale, just to get people to get to know the product. Of course the odds of that are not great.

Ed

[L. D. Jeffries]

Most of these I don't know either. Except Trend; I have a trim-plunge router, made in the UK and modestly priced. Works well for what it was intended for, trimming and dovetail fixtures.