My neighbor's comment about his old Craftsman miter saw made me think

We were in his garage and he pointed to his old saw, saying 'This thing has cut every piece of trim in my house since 1998.' He hasn't bought a new tool in years, just fixes the ones he has. It made me realize how much I chase the newest gear for projects. I've probably spent over $400 on cordless tools in the last two years alone. Do you guys find yourself fixing old tools or just replacing them when they act up?

4 comments

4 Comments

kevinallen2mo ago

Your neighbor has the right idea. New tools often just add features you don't really need. A well-made older tool that gets fixed is usually better than a cheap new one.

david_palmer2mo ago

Honestly that "well-made older tool" point is spot on. My dad's old drill still works better than anything you'd buy now. They just don't build stuff to last anymore.

owens.laura27d ago

My dad gave me an old Skil worm drive saw he bought in the 80s, and I used to think I was smarter buying a lightweight new one with all the bells and whistles. But after the third replacement saw burned out on me, I finally dug his out of the garage. It's heavier, sure, but the thing just keeps cutting without any fuss. Kevinallen, you and your neighbor totally changed my mind about chasing the newest features. Sometimes simpler and built to last is better than fancy and disposable.

anna7172mo ago

My cordless impact driver from last year has a brushless motor that uses 30% less battery. Kevinallen, sometimes those new features actually make a real difference in getting a job done faster with less effort. My old drill just can't keep up with the torque or runtime, and it weighs twice as much.

-1