Tools that used to be great

[Oaktree]

Rigid stands behind their products better than any company I’ve ever dealt with. I don’t even shop, straight to rigid!

Was at HD yesterday and saw a display for some Rigid tool that stated free batteries for life. I'm sure there's fine print somewhere though.

Only Rigid tool I have is a cordless drill that's about 10 years old. Decent drill, but battery life sucks and only NiCads available for it (if you can find them).

Back to the OP's comments, I haven't bought (or needed) to buy a circular saw in years...got 3 of them now, all 40+ years old that all work fine. I think the only thing I've needed to do to them is replace the cords.

 

[kenmbz]

I have some really ole Makita and recently bought knock off batteries and they still work!
Mostly Milwaukee battery(M12) and corded now though I did buy a cheaper Dewalt Sawzall for cutting at roots, and that is really taking some abuse well!
I shy away from the box store house brands, bought drill bits in the blue box and broke the first bit drilling aluminum :-( bought other house brands when I neede something quick-that was a mistake, my Milwaukee tools have been working for years now without issues.

I even have a (very) old sears brushwacker- looking at the sear products a few years back-decided to just fix the old one. The newer weedwackers looked like I could bend them and the motors had too much plastic.

 

[cdaigle430]

I have a Craftsmen compressor for 15 years and still runs great to this day but its not very portable because of its sixe and weight. Bought what I was told was one of the better pancake compressor made by Porter Cable 3 years ago and its already dying, sounds like a bunch of nuts and bolts in a dryer. I think that all brands have junk versions no matter how good the reputation was.

Have a Ryobi 40v weed wacker-the best weed walker ever - I would buy again but I cant kill it....and its been going strong after 6 years with the same battery....but I also have a Ryobi 7.5 inch corded skill saw and orbital sander-biggest piece of junks ever, lasted 1 year just after warranty ended.

 

[downsizingnow48]

My 35 year old Skilsaw wormdrive finally died a few years ago. I replaced it with a Bosch which is an excellent saw. The current cost for the Bosch is about 30% more than the wormdrive Skilsaw.

I would be tempted to return the Skilsaw and get something else. For light renovation there are several top quality cordless saws with left side blades that would be good choices. I use a Makita cordless all the time these days, unless doing something that requires a huge amount of power.

 

[Oaktree]

I shy away from the box store house brands, bought drill bits in the blue box and broke the first bit drilling aluminum :-( bought other house brands when I neede something quick-that was a mistake, my Milwaukee tools have been working for years now without issues.

I put the box store house brands in the same category as HF tools. Good enough for the suburbanite who's only going to use it a few times, but generally consider it disposable. Unfortunately, a lot of formerly good brands (Porter Cable, Craftsman, etc.) are now kind of in that category. Getting harder to tell what's the "good stuff" and what's junk.

 

[mcfarmall]

I recently bought a Skilsaw brand abrasive cut-off saw on clearance at Menards. I was pleasantly shocked at how quiet, powerful, and well made it was considering it was made in China. It has features that are nicer than the Metabo we have at work and I only paid $70 for it.

 

[Snobdds]

The mag 77 skilsaws are still good. They know better than to mess with them. This is a tried and proven saw. This saw built california and all of the US west of the Mississippi.

 

[grsthegreat]

the Skill 77 (sidewinder) is still an awsome, but heavy saw. mind you, they make 2 different variants. the homeowner specials with plastic gears and the pro series with steel gears. I was given this nice bit of education when i brought my 25yo one into shop for service. iwas thinking of replacing this with a newer one. the service tech talked me out of it. i was able to get a new switch for mine fairly cheap. he said mine will outlast any of the new ones. Who would use a plastic gear in a saw. cheap people.

 

[jaxs]

Don't blame mfgrs,blame consumers that want the cheapest price to be found. Just read the posts here on TBN reccomending HF tools. If we are to believe what we've been told,a $90 flux core is all you need for 3/8 steel and you can buy beer with the $1k you save by not buying an overpriced Lincoln.
There was a time when B&D tools were a good investment for homeowners but I compare them To HF now. Concuring cordless tools,especially drill-drivers,here's a tip to make any of them last longer. Don't bump,bump,bump the trigger,don't adjust the clutch to max torque,set speed on hi then "feather" the trigger to control speed and torque. When you notice change in battery power,stop and switch batteries,don't keep at it til tool stall's for lack of battery. Your tools will last much longer. If your tool fails before going through at least a secound set of batteries,you are abusing the tool.

 

[grsthegreat]

Don't blame mfgrs,blame consumers that want the cheapest price to be found. Just read the posts here on TBN reccomending HF tools. If we are to believe what we've been told,a $90 flux core is all you need for 3/8 steel and you can buy beer with the $1k you save by not buying an overpriced Lincoln.
There was a time when B&D tools were a good investment for homeowners but I compare them To HF now. Concuring cordless tools,especially drill-drivers,here's a tip to make any of them last longer. Don't bump,bump,bump the trigger,don't adjust the clutch to max torque,set speed on hi then "feather" the trigger to control speed and torque. When you notice change in battery power,stop and switch batteries,don't keep at it til tool stall's for lack of battery. Your tools will last much longer. If your tool fails before going through at least a secound set of batteries,you are abusing the tool.

well, to be honest, most harbor freight tools dont last until the battery is dead. but all joking aside, i heard that B&D is building a new manufacturing facility in .... texas i believe. i hope they come back with some descent products.