On Apr 10, 2:24 pm, "Andy" wrote:
These improvements come out from the tool manufacturers and you wonder
which one is worth investing in, versus a perfectly good one you
currently own.

There is also a number of hand tools which seem to be handed down
from father to son, or a mentor to student which will never be
obsoleted. Examples might be, a Stanley 130 (push-pull screw driver)
and any number of fine planes and chisels.
Anyway, I post this topic to see what you fellow WW's feel.

I haven't been a woodworker very long, but I've been pondering some of
the same things - I'll paste a portion of something I posted a few
months ago, that was buried in an unrelated thread.

I picked up an old "yankee screwdriver" from eBay recently. With some
cleaning, refinishing of the handle, and a few driver bits from Lee
Valley, it works like a charm. Also, a few years ago I inherited an
ancient Atlas drill press that was originally purchased by my great-
grandfather, and has since been moved from Arkansas to Michigan to New
York. It's built like a tank, and with the addition of a Powertwist
link belt, it runs great. Got me thinking - here are a few tools that
are probably 50 or 80 (or more) years old, and I'm happy to get my
hands on them, and they both have many years of use left in them.
Alternatively, who's going to want my new Panasonic cordless drill/
driver in even 10 years, much less 50 or 80? I guess the copper in
the motor and the Ni or Ca in the batteries might be so scarce as to
be valuable in 50 years, but it's essentially a disposable tool.
Granted, it should last longer than the Craftsman it's replacing, and
the quality of the drill should be good enough that it will be worth
replacing the batteries when they die (even if that's not cost-
effective compared to a whole new drill).
Well, that seems to be the direction our culture is taking - why fix
it when you can get a new one cheaper than the cost of repairs? Go
ahead, fill up the landfills with cheap plastic imported from far away
- if I don't see it any more, it's gone.
My challenge to myself (and whoever else wants to listen): make do
with what I have, buy things that will last, buy used if possible, and
overall, be responsible with the resources I have.
(Stepping off the soap box...)
Andy

Andy,
I remember reading your post. Its reinforces my thoughts.
Joe G