Cheap Tools.

[dbhost]

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Bad:...

-ryobi 1/4 sheet sander - why do they even make these??

Keith,

Was it the S652DK?

I have that particular sander, and it has worked flawlessly for me... I know a couple of guys that had the prior model S651D that seems to be universally hated...


Just wanting to make sure... Like I said, mine has been a totally sweet sander. The earlier model had a known problem with it spitting paper at the drop of a hat...

[drumpriest]

Yeah, mine was the old model, for sure, the issue for me though wasn't just the paper problem (though it is unfortunately difficult to load paper onto), but rather the effectiveness. I can hand sand at least as effectively with the prep'n weapon. This sander just doesn't save me time like it should.

[Wood_workur]

Most of my tools are the $100 budget kind.

I got the BT3100 for about $100
I got a delta drill press for $100
I got my Hitachi bandsaw for $100
I got my router for $100

I'd recommend all of them. Only the drillpress and router were not on sale. For the other ones, I think that finding a good tool and waiting for a sale is the most important thing you can do.

Oh, and I've also got a dozen clamps from harbor freight that are pretty good. Not K-bodies, but if I've got 4 of those that serve that purpose.

[SARGE..g-47]

Excellent...
Ryobi spindle sander $99
Ryobi 3 x 21 belt sander... sold my Bosch 4 x 21 and kept this one
Ryobi 10" benchtop drill press.. but to small for my needs so replaced with floor model

Bad...
Ryobi 16" scroll-saw.. marginally OK but.. once you get a real scroll saw
Every jig-saw I ever owned before purchasing a Bosch barrel grip regardless of price
Delta $99 miter saw.. OK but the trigger always stuck the day after the warranty ran out
Delta 10" benchtop DP.. terrible run-out and the chuck would not stay in so I returned it to get the Ryobi before upgrading to a floor

Bad that weren't so cheap...
I won't got there...

[dbhost]

I am noticing a trend here... And I am wishing I had picked a different title for this thread. Inexpensive tools instead of cheap tools...

I think we have all had tools from both low end brand names and high end brand names that have been absolute gems, and total junk.

Not sure if there was only one mention of the Ryobi drill press here, or if there were others, but I have noticed a LOT of people really like the Ryobi drill presses, and even the Harbor Freight DPs. (Only seen one person have a problem with a HF DP). My Northern Tool DP that I bought used ($75.00) is the same DP as the 16 speed floor model HF and I love the DP. Hard working tool. But I digress... Had I not come across that Northern Tool the day I did, I would be a Ryobi 12" Benchtop DP owner. And in some ways I think I would be happier with it as I could use it in my up and coming swappable benchtop system.

Keep the info coming. I am hoping to compile this into a sort of final list of what works and what doesn't so newbies have a better chance of knowing what to get, and what to avoid...

Including model names / numbers helps a LOT too...

[Bill in Buena Park]

I tend toward the inexpensive (including clearance, half-off, etc.) that have acceptable quality - I check pretty closely before buying.

Those I've had luck with:

Sunhill SM-150B Benchtop Jointer
HF Spindle Sander
HF 12" Disk Sander
HF 8" Benchtop Drillpress
HF 6" Metal Cutoff saw
HF Tilesaw
HF 6"Digital Calipers
HF Bar Clamps
HF Nail guns - 10g framing, 16g finish, 18g brad, 23g pin, 1/4" staple
HF Forstner bits
HF Brad-point drill bits
HF 1/2" router bits - 24 pc set, panel raisers, cope/stick door sets
HF Wood Vise
HF Bench Grinder
HF Dowel Jig
HF 1" belt / 5" disk sander
Craftsman C3 tools - drill/driver, RA drill, recip saw, jig saw, trim saw
Craftsman corded - 2hp router, recip saw, ROS, biscuit jointer (the Ryobi one)
Craftsman 21829 TS
Craftsman 8-1/4" RAS
Craftsman 10in CMS
Craftsman Chisels 6pc set
Craftsman Studfinder
Craftsman 26g compressor
Craftsman shop vacs (9 & 16g)
Delta 28-276 14" BS (Lowe's faux-clearance)
Skil 1825 dual-base router
Ryobi BS903 9" BS (did everything I needed before getting Delta 14")
Ryobi AP1301 (Good cut, just plan around the snipe)
B&D Palm Sander (now reserved for construction projects)
B&D ROS (retired)
B&D 14.4v cordless drill & trim saw (retired)
CH 2g brad nailer compressor
Ridgid MSUV (newer model, 1/2 price when introduced)

Those that were of lesser quality:
HF Laminate Trimmer (poor plastic base & height adjustment)
HF non-Goodyear air hose (sticky black rubber, blackens anything it touches)
HF Scrollsaw (early model, no "foot" for workpiece)
Ryobi Recip (early model - too much vibration)
Ryobi Detail Sander (early model - too much vibration)
B&D 1/3 sheet sander (vibrates, but not much actual sanding)
B&D Corded jigsaw (too jumpy)
Skil Belt Sander (tracking problems)
Craftman HSS Router bits

[Len]

Inexpensive Good:

B&D WorkMate 400 portable workbench
Delta 9in Table Top DP
Used CM Brace w/6 bits
Wood handle Stanley socket chisel set
50yr old "Wizard" 1/2in drive socket set from Western Auto
(Includes 4 sizes of 8-point sockets for square head bolts/nuts, don't see that these days)

Inexpensive Not So Good:

1 Speed (ultra-fast) B&D Jigsaw from Monkey Wards (remember them?)
Plastic handle Stanley chisel set
Any non-Klein/non-Wiha Phillips tip screw driver

Len

[rnelson0]

Craftsman hand held Belt Sander - Belt Won't track worth sh**

I have to agree with this one, especially your comment. Lovely to have a brand new belt ruined because in half a second it slams all the way inside and shreds against the casing.

Aside from that, I have no real gauge on cheap tools. With the exception of some precision tools, nearly all of my tools are used. I just bought a $15 cummings drill press. It has a good bit of vibration and I had to replace the plug (bringing the total to a whopping $17.87 or so), but it works much better than trying to hold a handheld steady. My table saw is a defunct Firestorm model with a sloppy miter slot and no ZCTPs available for it, but at $125 it matches the quality of my worksmanship for now.

Everything else is the same way - more than adequate for the price I paid. The only one I regret is the Craftsman Belt Sander, which incidentally is one of 2 power tools I paid full price for.