On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:30:43 +0000, Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

Robatoy wrote:
Hello, my name is Rob. I'm a tool snob.


As am I. I've learned the hard way over the years that the only day I'm
happy with a really cheap tool is the day I pay for it. Every other day
is filled with accomodation and regret. Regret that I didn't buy enough
tool for the job. Accomodation to make up for the tool's shortcomings.

I bought a 4" Craftsman jointer when I was young and stupid because it was
cheap. I later found that it was incapable of jointing anything much
bigger than a pencil. I traded up to a 6" table top Delta. That still
lacked capacity. I ended up with an 8" North State that I wish I had
bought when I got the first one.

I've had to deal with two POS jointers for all these years. Why? Because
I was too cheap to lay out the cash required for a decent tool.

Are there better jointers? Sure. But what I look for these days is the
most bang for the buck. I generally are attracted to what the magazine
ratings refer to as "Best-Buys".

I finally put my money where my mouth was when I went looking for my first
band saw. I bought an 18" Rikon and am completely satisfied with it.
Fine Woodworking declared it a "best buy" about three years ago and so I
bought one when Woodcrafter first started carrying them.

I don't want any more crappy tools. Harbor Freight is suitable for buying
magnets and clamps...

My personal rules of thumb for HF:

1) Never buy anything whose failure could cause injury.
2) Never buy anything whose failure could ruin a project.

That doesn't leave much.

--
-Joe Wells

"Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight."
-Ford Frick upon Stan Musial's retirement