The Stanley Thermos is still one of the greatest things ever. Very few things in this world are made to last 50 years, and can take being run over by a loaded log truck and still survive with barely a dent.

The English Major: toddalmighty: Subby, I saw what you did there.

Nailed it, subby.

Stanley really drilled it home this time.

So now I can buy a Stanley toaster?

puffy999: The Stanley Thermos is still one of the greatest things ever. Very few things in this world are made to last 50 years, and can take being run over by a loaded log truck and still survive with barely a dent.

Too bad B&D can't say the same about their plastic junk.

Puke.

So what happens to DeWalt, the only thing associated with B&D that doesn't scream mediocrity?

"job cuts would be modest"

Well, maybe in the first couple quarters but expect quite a few jobs going overseas as fast as possible.

and it was in plane view

Black and Decker is the reason why I believe that we should have industry wide standards for rechargeable batteries.

I have several of their battery powered tools, and none of the batteries are being made anymore, unless I pay through the nose for overstock items.

Dinjiin: Black and Decker is the reason why I believe that we should have industry wide standards for rechargeable batteries.

I have several of their battery powered tools, and none of the batteries are being made anymore, unless I pay through the nose for overstock items.

Agreed. I've bought several new drills because a battery was nearly the same price as just buying a nice upgrade.

Shazam999: Puke.

So what happens to DeWalt, the only thing associated with B&D that doesn't scream mediocrity?

DeWalt started sucking after B&D got them, sadly. Used to be great stuff.
These days I'm using an 18 volt Hilti cordless drill slash hammer-drill, and love it (was spendy, though).
Hand tools are still mainly SnapOn.

HowlingFrog: Shazam999: Puke.

So what happens to DeWalt, the only thing associated with B&D that doesn't scream mediocrity?

DeWalt started sucking after B&D got them, sadly. Used to be great stuff.
These days I'm using an 18 volt Hilti cordless drill slash hammer-drill, and love it (was spendy, though).
Hand tools are still mainly SnapOn.

I go with SnapOn or Husky for hand tools. Power tools, depends on the situation. I have a Milwaukee cordless drill and Sawzall, which have been great, and still have a lifetime warranty on the batteries.

Hopefully this means power tools for Wootoffs rather than a bunch of wrenches and hammers.

ragekage: I go with SnapOn or Husky for hand tools. Power tools, depends on the situation. I have a Milwaukee cordless drill and Sawzall, which have been great, and still have a lifetime warranty on the batteries.

Milwaukee still makes great stuff; wouldn't use any other reciprocating saw (never tried a Sawzall, though).
Here's my Hilti; came with a good warranty for people who use their shiat hard (like drop them off of extension ladders and such), and the BEST chuck that I've ever had on a cordless.
Cost around 400, but I'll take it over any DeWalt or Makita (have used both extensively).

Holy shiat. A tool snob thread? Now I've seen everything.

\Buys what's cheapest
\\Has Black & Decker power tools

Dinjiin: Black and Decker is the reason why I believe that we should have industry wide standards for rechargeable batteries.

I have several of their battery powered tools, and none of the batteries are being made anymore, unless I pay through the nose for overstock items.

You can send them out and have them rebuilt. I've heard good things about "primecell". Google them. Not an endorsement, just trying to help.

Stanley Thermos, one of the two best memories of the 80's.

The other one: A triple beam scale, a Stanley hammer and a brick of cocaine. God, that was the best month of my life

It's ok, because now Wanda has the Arkenpliers in addition to Stanley's Arkenhammer, so Lord Hamster can keep on leading armies.

/obscure?

The Icelander: Holy shiat. A tool snob thread? Now I've seen everything.

\Buys what's cheapest

Hrm, do you actually use them to make a living? Or just for the occasional project at home?
That's the big difference. People who use their tools hard, and daily, generally find out early why it's a bad idea to buy the cheap stuff. Snob-appeal has absolutely zilch to do with it.

HowlingFrog: Shazam999: Puke.

So what happens to DeWalt, the only thing associated with B&D that doesn't scream mediocrity?

DeWalt started sucking after B&D got them, sadly. Used to be great stuff.

Really? When was the takeover? I've got a um 5 or so year old 18V dewalt hammer drill and a 6 or so year old 7 amp dewalt corded drill. Never had any trouble with them.

Always funny watching someone else use the 7 amp drill the first time. No matter how much I warn them that if the bit/whatever binds the drill isn't going to stop, they still get smacked with it.

HowlingFrog: Hrm, do you actually use them to make a living? Or just for the occasional project at home?

Occassional project at home. (Though they're far less "occassional" than I'd like.)

That's the big difference. People who use their tools hard, and daily, generally find out early why it's a bad idea to buy the cheap stuff.

Which is why I, as a freelance programmer, buy a Mac.

HowlingFrog: The Icelander: Holy shiat. A tool snob thread? Now I've seen everything.

\Buys what's cheapest

Hrm, do you actually use them to make a living? Or just for the occasional project at home?
That's the big difference. People who use their tools hard, and daily, generally find out early why it's a bad idea to buy the cheap stuff. Snob-appeal has absolutely zilch to do with it.

To be fair there are two schools of thought on that. With Craftsman tools you can just go Sears and get it replaced when it breaks (oh and it will). I'm a big fan of cheap Craftsman tools for one off applications, where say I'll use some specialized tool five times in my life. So why spend the money and hey if it breaks, replaced for free.

kpt: Really? When was the takeover? I've got a um 5 or so year old 18V dewalt hammer drill and a 6 or so year old 7 amp dewalt corded drill. Never had any trouble with them.

Not sure when it was, but I got word of the resulting quality drop from a couple die-hard DeWalt fans at work. Pissed them off, big time.
But I have no idea whether their opinions are just based on assumptions or on actual experience.

Always funny watching someone else use the 7 amp drill the first time. No matter how much I warn them that if the bit/whatever binds the drill isn't going to stop, they still get smacked with it.

Hehe. :)
I was drilling some steel with that 18V Hilti cordless of mine, and I bound it and snapped a 3/8 DeWalt bit right in half. Almost dislocated my wrist, too. That sucker has some torque.

Remember those OLD corded drills with aluminum cases? THOSE were the serious shizznit. Had one forever until it finally died and I couldn't get parts. Yeah, been smacked by it many times.

kpt:
Always funny watching someone else use the 7 amp drill the first time. No matter how much I warn them that if the bit/whatever binds the drill isn't going to stop, they still get smacked with it.

I have that drill, and I get smacked/sprain my wrist every time it gets hung up. doh.

Dinjiin: Black and Decker is the reason why I believe that we should have industry wide standards for rechargeable batteries.

I have several of their battery powered tools, and none of the batteries are being made anymore, unless I pay through the nose for overstock items.

Have them rebuilt. I had 2 battery packs die on me for my 3 year old Craftsman drill driver Sears just plain ran out of stock on the battery packs so they are no longer available. It only cost 55 buck to rebuild 2 12 volt packs vs $50 for one new one if I could find it.

Batteries plus does a decent job. Link (new window)

ha-ha-guy: With Craftsman tools you can just go Sears and get it replaced when it breaks (oh and it will).

I used Craftsman stuff for years. They've always rated "The Most Bang For Your Buck" in my book.
Had a Crafstman 19V cordless until recently; except for the crappy chuck it was nice, and I used it hard almost daily. And you can't beat the 40 bucks for a new battery, either.

HowlingFrog: The Icelander: Holy shiat. A tool snob thread? Now I've seen everything.

\Buys what's cheapest

Hrm, do you actually use them to make a living? Or just for the occasional project at home?
That's the big difference. People who use their tools hard, and daily, generally find out early why it's a bad idea to buy the cheap stuff. Snob-appeal has absolutely zilch to do with it.

i buy stuff with a good warranty, i've broken too many not to

at least with a craftsman hand tool i can take it back to the store

no idea on power tools, i need to replace drill i have, somehow it rusted up

HowlingFrog: Remember those OLD corded drills with aluminum cases? THOSE were the serious shizznit. Had one forever until it finally died and I couldn't get parts. Yeah, been smacked by it many times.

yea, i had an old sears my grandfather gave me, it got lost in a move

Dinjiin: Black and Decker is the reason why I believe that we should have industry wide standards for rechargeable batteries.

I have several of their battery powered tools, and none of the batteries are being made anymore, unless I pay through the nose for overstock items.

^^^^^^^^^ This, right here ^^^^^^^^^^^^

RockIsDead: The Icelander: Holy shiat. A tool snob thread? Now I've seen everything.

\Buys what's cheapest
\\Has Black & Decker power tools

Fool.
Cheap tools generally suck.

/depends on usage though.

I'm amazed you've been able to avoid partisan knee-jerkery... but you're right. Though I had a set of Ryobi tools that lasted me quite awhile I bought one Black Friday from Home Depot.

ragekage: Though I had a set of Ryobi tools that lasted me quite awhile I bought one Black Friday from Home Depot.

I had a small Ryobi chop saw that was amazing. Worked it hard, threw it in the back of the pickup, out the next morning, worked it hard... never a problem with it, and you couldn't kill the thing. Lost it in a move.

I've also got a Skil circular saw that I bought new for 20 bucks. Same story. Cheap saw, never an issue with it.

Yep, some of the cheap tools are great bargains.

I have a B&D corded drill and palm sander and they both work great. The jigsaw and the tool cabinet that came with the kit were junk but that's life, stuff breaks.

//Everything is made at the same factory in China any way.

I have a mid-range cordless Makita I bought a few years back. Seems to be pretty solid but it gets relatively little use.

B&D is generally crap. The only thing I have of theirs that did not break as soon as I looked at it is a power screwdriver I have had for several years.

ha-ha-guy: To be fair there are two schools of thought on that. With Craftsman tools you can just go Sears and get it replaced when it breaks (oh and it will). I'm a big fan of cheap Craftsman tools for one off applications, where say I'll use some specialized tool five times in my life. So why spend the money and hey if it breaks, replaced for free.

If my boss is going to be pissed at me over downtime from running out to replace a broken drill (for example) for over 5 minutes, I buy the good tool. Simple enough?

sort of a push off

I wonder how they'll consolidate their manufacturing capacity since both their product portfolios already come from the same factories in china...

Asako: //Everything is made at the same factory in China any way.

Bah! I hadn't read the thread.

I've never owned a drill that cost more than 40 bucks, but last year after reading a lot of reviews (yes, I know), I went and got a Milwaukee drill and impact driver kit (new window). Best drill I ever used. Impressive battery. Excellent fast charger. Torque, weight, brakes - I like pretty much everything about this set. Definitely worth $200

Approves

akula: brukmann: I wonder how they'll consolidate their manufacturing capacity since both their product portfolios already come from the same factories in china...

Not too familiar with the two companies, are you? Stanley makes mainly hand tools- hammers, screwdrivers, tape measures, etc. B&D makes mainly power tools- drills, saws, etc. Not much overlap between the product lines, although they do indeed compliment each other.

Well, it was a joke. And despite it not being a very funny one to begin with, you've certainly seen to killing it.

/=)

My favorite screwdriver is a cheap-o Stanley philips. I've bought some new ones since I got it but I always reach for the cheap Stanley. It slips out of the screw way less than other one I have.

AND I got a cheap Stanley socket set at Costco a few years ago and in spite of having Craftsman sockets, I always go for the Stanelys. Probably made in Chiner but they're nice for the price.

Harbor Freight tools FTW!!!! OK, for some things anyway. Sometimes cheap is good enough.

no love for makita? their equipment has never failed me.

Stanley will still make the fubar, right?

mhix01: My favorite screwdriver is a cheap-o Stanley philips. I've bought some new ones since I got it but I always reach for the cheap Stanley. It slips out of the screw way less than other one I have.

AND I got a cheap Stanley socket set at Costco a few years ago and in spite of having Craftsman sockets, I always go for the Stanelys. Probably made in Chiner but they're nice for the price.

Harbor Freight tools FTW!!!! OK, for some things anyway. Sometimes cheap is good enough.

I wouldn't buy a measuring implement of any sort from HF.

The quality power tools from B and D are Porter Cable and Delta. After 42 years in the construction bidness, I've amassed a sh'load of tools from these guys and there's hardly a dog in the bunch. I think I've got 10 P/C routers, and close to 20 of their sanders, along with a bunch of saws and drills, and these all get used hard. One of the nice thing is that, when the time eventually comes, I can get them rebuilt/new bearings/switches, and be set for years. I've been concerned since B and D bought them because of their reputation for cheap consumer-level crap. I hope Stanley will keep this from being a problem.