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What are the worlds worst power tools???

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mudflap

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Sep 25, 2011
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1,279
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cincinnati,ohio
LOL...Thats easy, anything from harbor freight...Im not a hobo freight basher...They have some tools that are truly a value.. but dont buy anything with moving parts from there..thats the rule. I have tried their 4in grinder / sawzall / coil roof nailer. ALL COMPLETE JUNK...
 

mudflap

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cincinnati,ohio
SKILL...Is pretty bad too.. For a few bucks more you can go with Black n Decker (Dewalt's value line) holds up alot better.
 

neonnblack

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Jun 7, 2010
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Reno, NV
Dude, the grinder is the best deal in the whole store. I had one that lasted like 8 years, for 10 bucks. Im on my second right now.
 

mudflap

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Dude, the grinder is the best deal in the whole store. I had one that lasted like 8 years, for 10 bucks. Im on my second right now.

I guess it could be hit and miss then...I tortured mine grinding railroad tracks loose next to the shop, lasted about 4 hrs. and the gears strpped out.
 

TwoInch

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Mar 29, 2012
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NW INDIANA
HF grinders are not bad at all. i have a few, and have used them and abused them. ive done paver job after paver job with them using diamond blades and they just go and go.

the trick is to open up the gear case and get some grease in there. they come from china with very little, and very crappy grease. fill it about half way, and they will run nice and cool for years.

even the "drillmaster" angle grinders run forever if you put grease in the, and come with a second set of brushes. never needed them tho
 

TwoInch

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I guess it could be hit and miss then...I tortured mine grinding railroad tracks loose next to the shop, lasted about 4 hrs. and the gears strpped out.

gears would have been fine if they had been greased. they will overheat pretty quick from lack of lube.
 

jd_1138

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May 8, 2013
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17,073
Location
NE Ohio
That's probably what happened...Then they should put a note in the box " grease gears before operation"..lol

You think HF would call up the factory and tell them to add more grease. They probably have lots of returns on these units which costs way more than a little grease.

I have a HF DrillMaster cordless drill that I keep in the trunk for quickie jobs. It works well, and seems well-made. I only paid $15 for it. It lives in a Ridgid drill case where I keep all my driver and drill bits.
 

bobcatdan

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Jan 4, 2011
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9,948
Location
Kaukauna,WI
SKILL...Is pretty bad too.. For a few bucks more you can go with Black n Decker (Dewalt's value line) holds up alot better.

Black and Decker is not dewalts value line since b&d owns dealt as part of the Stanley/black and decker conglomerate. B&D use yo be pretty good tools, they simply have gone cheap to meet the price point they choose to compete in. As for HF power tools, I would say they are not that bad, maybe hit and miss. I had a 14.4 cordless drill my grandpa had for 4 or 5 years before he gave it to me. I got 2 or 3 years out of it and then sold it for $10 to another tech who got go use out of it. It only died because he drove over it.
 

crewchief888

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Dec 3, 2009
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13,755
Location
NW indiana
probably the biggest POS powertool i ever bought was a kawasaki cordless drill.

it's so bad i cant even throw it out.

i keep it to remind me not to buy junk, no matter how bad i need it.


:beer:
 

rusty65

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Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
2,279
Location
Pekin,IL
battery powered adjustable wrenches !

I second that idea I have one and if you hold it so the moving jaw is down 90 percent of the time it will not move in that position even with fresh batteries.


Sent directly from the Snap On Kool Aid factory.
 

scaron

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Aug 6, 2013
Messages
407
Location
ypsilanti, michigan
i don't think skil is too bad as long as you stick to drills and circular saws and don't buy the absolute bottom of the line. i have always felt RYOBI is pretty junky, HF "chicago electric", goes without saying... B&D is kind of middling nowadays imo (although recent posts have shown this wasn't always the case) and i have a bias (perhaps unfounded?) against makita that i get from my dad. i'm not a huge fan of most modern craftsman power tools, either.
 

ken w.

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Aug 16, 2012
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2,237
Location
Western New York
I had a B&D green plastic pad sander and 3/8 drill that were only used like 3 times in about 10 years and both broke within a week of each other.
 
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woody 73

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Apr 14, 2009
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11,547
Location
The Great State Up North
I was never a big fan of sears power tools, years ago I bought a craftsman 4" grinder and that sucker just died even with TLC it was junk.

I bought a modern B&D that also became toast after mixing up some paint in a small can.
 

byoungblood

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Apr 6, 2011
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2,590
Location
Berryville, VA
i don't think skil is too bad as long as you stick to drills and circular saws and don't buy the absolute bottom of the line. i have always felt RYOBI is pretty junky, HF "chicago electric", goes without saying... B&D is kind of middling nowadays imo (although recent posts have shown this wasn't always the case) and i have a bias (perhaps unfounded?) against makita that i get from my dad. i'm not a huge fan of most modern craftsman power tools, either.

Old Craftsman and Black and Decker power tools used to be pretty damn good. I have a Craftsman sander that was handed down to me from my Dad that is probably at least as old as I am. It probably wasn't until the late 90s that both brands started getting flushed down the toilet.
 

Legba

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Jul 11, 2013
Messages
57
Location
Idaho
Dremel. Use small rotary tools all the time. Dremel poops out fast. I use the Black and Decker unit now.
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
Messages
43,329
Location
SE MI
HF grinders are not bad at all. i have a few, and have used them and abused them. ive done paver job after paver job with them using diamond blades and they just go and go.

the trick is to open up the gear case and get some grease in there. they come from china with very little, and very crappy grease. fill it about half way, and they will run nice and cool for years.

Great tip ! I'll remember that !!
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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SE MI
Old Craftsman and Black and Decker power tools used to be pretty damn good. I have a Craftsman sander that was handed down to me from my Dad that is probably at least as old as I am. It probably wasn't until the late 90s that both brands started getting flushed down the toilet.

I have several 20+ year old Craftsman Professional corded tools (1/2" drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw and 4½" grinder). All corded. All have worked perfectly. A couple I bought as remanufactured so I got them at a good price. The "professional" one were definitely built better than the others.
 

skippy24

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Oct 31, 2012
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546
Location
Reno, NV
My uncle once got a bunch of Fix-It electric drills from one of his bar buddies. Boy talk boy junk.
 

TAMPAGT07

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Feb 20, 2008
Messages
11,147
Location
Palm Harbor, Fl
LOL...Thats easy, anything from harbor freight...Im not a hobo freight basher...They have some tools that are truly a value.. but dont buy anything with moving parts from there..thats the rule. I have tried their 4in grinder

The newer ones with the switch on the side are without a doubt the worst power tool I have ever used...I have the $20 and the $10 one and if you turn them on and off a few times, the switch will not work anymore....I have bought 4 back in the last few weeks and I have 2 more on my work bench that are ready to go back.....:beer:
 
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crewchief888

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Dec 3, 2009
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13,755
Location
NW indiana
i must be the lucky one with HF electric tools.

both $10 orange grinders i bought 6 years ago are still working, i did have to replace a plug on one of them, after i dropped a tailgate on the cord.

the orange abrasive chop saw i had worked for several years, and cut enough steel for 3 roll cages, a set of bumpers, rock sliders, seat and shifter mounts, and misc tabs and brackets

if i woulda actually blown the **** and debris out of it, it might still be working.

the grinders and chop saw are the only electric HF stuff i have.

:beer:
:beer:
 

scaron

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Aug 6, 2013
Messages
407
Location
ypsilanti, michigan
Old Craftsman and Black and Decker power tools used to be pretty damn good. I have a Craftsman sander that was handed down to me from my Dad that is probably at least as old as I am. It probably wasn't until the late 90s that both brands started getting flushed down the toilet.

oh yeah i'm not knocking the old stuff, my dad has an old craftsman RAS which has been going strong for long since i've been on this earth. it's still his go-to saw to this day. the craftsman and B&D stuff from long ago was built to last.
 

scaron

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Aug 6, 2013
Messages
407
Location
ypsilanti, michigan
Dremel. Use small rotary tools all the time. Dremel poops out fast. I use the Black and Decker unit now.

i've always had good luck with my dremel tool. back when i was an undergrad, i used it along with a carbide bit to cut through a kryptonite U-lock on my moped after my key broke off in the cylinder (great lock, crummy keys, will never buy again). that thing must have been at least 1/2" hardened steel. it took a while but i liberated my bike without burning out the tool. i'll always have respect for dremel after that, though i find that cutting locks is about all they're really useful for.
 

Bsj04

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Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
194
Location
Aledo, TX
Harbor freight's 80 pc rotory tool kit. Needed a small dremel tool for a quick job and it was on sale for maybe $10. It was so under powered it wasn't even funny and the consumables wore down really fast. Worst tool EVER!
 

cburnscrx

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Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
1,751
Location
Indianapolis
I had a Skil jigsaw that was absolute ****! It was purchased because my DeWalt was hundreds of miles away...I couldn't believe how terrible it was. I thought I would use it in the wifes tools when I was done, but it cracked cutting some 2x4s. Pathetic.

Now, I have heard some people having some luck with their stuff...but I certainly wasn't one of them.
 

Stephenw

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Dec 21, 2006
Messages
1,911
Location
Utah
The worst tools come from the traveling tent tool retailer; Homier Products.
 

cburnscrx

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Jan 15, 2013
Messages
1,751
Location
Indianapolis
For those who grease their HF angle grinders, what kind of grease do you use? I have a $20 B&D I'm getting nervous about.

It's my understanding the B&D grinders are pretty much bullet proof. Sberry pretty much swears by them. I have one too, and while I am sure a little grease/lube wouldn't hurt, I am not to worried about it.
 

sparky5982

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Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
89
I like my ryobis.
Maybe if you had bought that charger...
You do know they recharge right?

I trust them with my LIFE in some home made scuba equipment.

You actually don't need chargers for Ryobi cordless tools. I had a Ryobi 14.4v. cordless drill some years back. The thing started on fire in my hand before I was even through the first battery. I will never buy or even use a Ryobi tool. If I had to literally trust my life to a tool, it sure wouldn't be a piece of sh** Ryobi.
 
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