Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 If you're like me you have a small fortune worth of tools lying around from seemingly 100 different manufacturers. Everyone has 2 or 3 brands they prefer and tend to give a first look to when they're in the market for something. What are yours and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 For power tools I look towards Hilti first, because I know they stand behind their tools. No hassles with warranty or service work and super fast turnaround. Festool is pretty much the same way but they can be a little bit slower in the service department. nothing at all like the service I get from the other big four. And to top it off they both make surprisingly tough and durable tools, although I have to admit some of their tools can be a little quirky if your used to working with "regular" tools. For Hand tools, there a such a diverse amount of functions for hand tools I could not really say specifically, but generally. For Mechanic type tool I prefer Snap-on for their fit and finish. You can pretty easily tell they are quality tools just by holding one in you hand and playing with it. For wood working it gets difficult as there are many companies that make only one or two tools and they are the best in their class. Lie-Nielsen comes to mind though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I favor Milwaukee and Makita for power tools. I stick with Milwakee for cordless tools because the line is so extensive (especially the M12) and the Red Lithium platform is awesome. I've come to be a big fan of Makita as well, especially with tools where vibration is a factor. For hand tools it depends on what type of tool I'm looking for. I always by Channellock pliers and Estwing hammers without exception. I buy Klein electricians tools and testers, and for everything else I buy Proto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 . I always by Channellock pliers and Estwing hammers without exception.I used to use Estwing hammers and still respect the brand, but if you use them all day the vibrations will eventually get the best of you. Stanleys anti-vibe line is what I now use for my knock about hammers. Estwings newer line of wood handled framers has got my interest though and I may end up giving one of their California Framers a try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Makes you wonder how long before Estwing gets into the titanium market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Makes you wonder how long before Estwing gets into the titanium market.I doubt they will, but I would buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I'd say they will eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I'd say they will eventually.I don't think they fit with the companies user base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Not ideally, but as they become more and more popular they'll have to adapt if they want to remain a market leader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayneburgess Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Stanley high velocity framing hammers look cool even more so if you work a lot over head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I've seen them online but haven't ran into one in a retail setting yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Not ideally, but as they become more and more popular they'll have to adapt if they want to remain a market leader.I think the popularity of titanium hammers is waning, it would seem that only pros are willing to pay the price for them and half af the pros think titanium is of dubious value. Look at all the new hammers coming out from the bigger companies.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Stanley high velocity framing hammers look cool even more so if you work a lot over head.Stanley like Dewalt trying to capitalize on lighter weight hammers without having to resort to titanium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I've seen them online but haven't ran into one in a retail setting yet.Wow, make me feel like my rural location isn't so far back in the woods... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I really haven't been looking. That may be part of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I really haven't been looking. That may be part of it.Slacking off again? In a small town you should be on a first name basis with all the tool merchants in town and they should be telling you all the new tools that come in over morning coffee at the diner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 HD put most of our local hardware stores under. We had one left, but the old guy that ran it died. It's now an Urgent Care facility. His son ran it for awhile but he charged 3 prices for everything and tried to get by clearing out a lot of basic stock and replacing it with big ticket items like Buck Stoves and shit. Plus he was an asshole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Dad used to say that after the son took over you could find an ejection seat for an F-14 Tomcat but you couldn't find a pound of roofing nails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Dad used to say that after the son took over you could find an ejection seat for an F-14 Tomcat but you couldn't find a pound of roofing nails.What a shame, I have nothing left in this town any more but franchises. I miss the corner hardware store and always have flashbacks to better times and places, especially when I'm hunting that elusive piece of hardware that the big boxes for all their size never seem to carry. Often times when I' on a job contemplating doing a hardware run, I'll find myself thinking about how will I get to the hardware store that is over a thousand miles away to get the piece that I need before I relieve I don't live in that state any more.When I used to live in Connecticut we had a fantastic hardware store called Meekers Hardware, it is the only operating hardware store on the national historic register. The selection that store had was mind boggling, puts the big boxes to shame and in less than half the space.I guess this kind of fits in with the previous discussion on corporations buying up all the small businesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 When I was a kid my dad had a tab and the guy that ran the store lived 4 houses down. Dad had a tab and whenever I went up there they'd always ask "you want me to put it on your tab?". I miss that. There was no return policy or customer service hotline, if something was wrong he made it right. People had integrity back then. My home town had 1500 people and business owners cared what people thought. The hardware store, grocery store, pharmacy, or the service station, it didn't matter, they'd have just as soon closed up shop before they'd rip anyone off.I'm glad I got to grow up in such a time, and in such a place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 When I was a kid my dad had a tab and the guy that ran the store lived 4 houses down. Dad had a tab and whenever I went up there they'd always ask "you want me to put it on your tab?". I miss that. There was no return policy or customer service hotline, if something was wrong he made it right. People had integrity back then. My home town had 1500 people and business owners cared what people thought. The hardware store, grocery store, pharmacy, or the service station, it didn't matter, they'd have just as soon closed up shop before they'd rip anyone off.I'm glad I got to grow up in such a time, and in such a place.One of the things I remember from my younger days was the stores were always competing on who provided the best service. They were always going out of their way to do little extra things to get you to shop at their place, like actually helping you find the items your looking for rather than just telling you it is over on aisle 11, they actually had people that were most often knowledgeable about the products they sold rather than somebody making minimum wage looking to do as little work as possible. Not like today where the most common way the stores try to compete is who has the lowest prices. I guess it is just another step down in our race to the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 If your big boxes are anything like mine finding help is a tall order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 If your big boxes are anything like mine finding help is a tall order.In my smaller community the big boxes are never really that busy, so finding the help is not that much of an issue. They are pretty good at finding what they have in the store too, the problem is they have little to no knowledge of the products they are selling, and that is among their better employees. Some of the senior citizens they do hire are an exception to this though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 I usually tell them things they didn't know about their tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutnamEco Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 I usually tell them things they didn't know about their tools.Most of the younger people could care less in my area, they just point at the tools and walk away as quickly as they can, some of the older people will take a little more time, but usually they are not really all that interested in tools. I have had much more enlightening discussions with fellow customers than I usually have with the stores staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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