# Very few high quality tools out there anymore



## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

Title should read very few!


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## J. Trafford (Jan 21, 2012)

*Try Festool*

Morning,

I am a very strong advocate of the Festool line of German made tools. They are expensive but well, well worth the investment. That is what our tools are to us any way.... investments which when put to work will return fantastic dividends in the form of expedited assembly work and superior construction joints(glue ups) and all of that jazz. 

Having an addiction to tools in general is terrible but once hooked on this line you will experience and execute precision beyond any Depot or Leows product lines.

These tools are manufactured to last a lifetime. As far as American made the only tool I can honestly always count on is the old true blue Milwaukee Sawzall! Love that thing.

Continue the tool buzz!:thumbup:


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## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

J. Trafford said:


> Morning,
> 
> I am a very strong advocate of the Festool line of German made tools. They are expensive but well, well worth the investment. That is what our tools are to us any way.... investments which when put to work will return fantastic dividends in the form of expedited assembly work and superior construction joints(glue ups) and all of that jazz.
> 
> ...


Great post! I have a Milwaukee 9.5 amp super sawzall 6527-21 bought in 1997 and a cordless milwuakee hatchet that have never skipped a beat! I have a drill collection with over 15 drills one of which is a Ryobi D 130 VRRK 5 amp pistol grip right angle made in Japan w/ a keyed Yakima chuck bought in 2007 after sitting on a shelf at conestoga wood machinery for 11 yrs! Paid $110 for it brand new!


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

its not that high quality tools arent available anymore, its just that they are harder to find and cost more

yes more and more companies are making tools that are throw away models as its cheaper to manufacture them, its also makes them more money.. if they sell 500 saws that last 25 years they have to wait 25 years for that purchaser to buy a new one.. whereas if something only lasts 4 or 5.... do the math

its partially due to teh booming diy industry, more and more homeowners are wanting to do the work on their homes themselves.. they need tools but why would they go out and spend $600 dollars on a rol-air compressor which they might use one day a month when a $150 porter cable will do the job.. the big box stores can move more of the lower price product than they can a rol-air. or mag 77 worm drive circular saws.. 15 amp makita avt recip saw etc... guys like myself, tom strouble, riz (loneframer) and several other pros. will always seek out higher priced tools as its our livelihood because we have to rely on these tools day in day out. so we buy through contractor supply houses, tool dealers or straight from the manufacturer.

honestly im a huge tool junky, you dont want to know how much i spend on tools in a year, 1) i need them to earn a living. 2) i love buying new tools.. so im very on top of whats what. from what ive seen only a few companies are actually upping the quality of most of their tools compared to others which are lowering them. Bosch is #1 in my books for finish gear, festool over all is #1 but i cant afford a $500 jigsaw or a $1800 mitre saw. makita is also up there. where as dewalt, milwaukee. rigid are all slowly making more and more throw away items. up until TTI bought out milwaukee they had the most durable tools available.. now most of its junk corded or cordless. 

air tool wise hitachi was the best, now their newer stuff is garbage compared to paslode, max, omer, grex and cadex . almost all of these cant be found in big box stores


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## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

Great post woodworkbykirk! I just bought a hitachi pin nailer for myself for Xmas based on a fine homebuilding review! My heart sunk when I read their quality slipped but it won't get out much! I'm impressed with freud's huge 1" morse tapers drills but my wife who has been quite understanding would not be happy! And I would want it like a neat look what I have! LOL


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## J. Trafford (Jan 21, 2012)

Tools, tools and more tools. Lovem. I cannot afford the Festool big guns either. I have there power planer, jig saw, domino joiner, sanders and cordless's and track saw. 

Thats as far as I can go. 

For the field (on site) I run with milwaukee and hitachi miter saws, Senco is the only framer that will sink that 3-1/4 inch nail for me. I can't seem to get around the plastic bits shooting in my eyes while nailing w/ Hitachi's. The senco nailers are pricey but I find them tough.

That Kpex Festool miter saw's price is insane.  

If one is a starving carpenter in the field today you "aint gonna" use one of those. 

Has anyone noticed that This Old House has switched back to dewalt tools while doing there demonstration work? Wonder what happened there. 

Back to making "hornbooks" for my daughters school project.

Tool on!

Traff


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

the hitachi nailer you mentioned will do fine. teh drop in quality is compared to their guns from 10-20 years ago. we have 4 of their older framing guns that we beat the living snot out of when were framing and when they rarely do break down they are easily repaired, the new alien looking framing gun from them is a throw away tool which can be seen in the price tag alone. our guns run $800 a peice, the alien looking one goes for $250 locally


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