J T wrote:

Wed, Jul 28, 2004, 5:06pm (EDT+4) (Eugene)
claims:
I still have my first 9.6V Makita drill bought in 1991. Replaced the two
original batteries a couple years ago so I got about 10 years out of
them. I've bought a few more tools that use the same old stick style
battery. I've spent $500-600 on the tools and batteries from 1991 to
2004. So if you take $600 divided by 13 years, I have spent $46 per year
on cordless tools so if the HF set lasts more than 1 year each we both
spent about the same amount. However I have saved a lot of frustration
by having better quality tools for those 13 years.

Hmm, OK, if we're comparing, then here's my tale. Still have, and
use, the B&D drill I bought new in 1976. If I recall right, I paid
about $18, but certainly no more than $20, for it. Battery cost over
the years - it's corded, so zero. However, I did buy a new
whatchamacallit to loosen the thingie that holds the drill (technical
terms), for about $3, so say a total of $23 invested. So, if you divide
$23 by 28 years, that comes out to about $.82 per year. Plus, I have
saved a huge amount of frustration by not having to charge batteries, or
buy new ones, because the old ones won't charge. Well, actually I have
bought a few etxension cords over the years, but as they are normally
used for something other than drill use, I'm not counting them.

Putting up with cords while using my drill is worth $46 a year, any
time.



JOAT
Expensive tennis shoes won't cure a sore toe.
- Bazooka Joe
JERUSALEM RIDGE http://www.banjer.com/midi/jerridge.mid
I prefer the cordless. The cordless circular saw works best on the plywood
panel workbench which oddly enough resembles the bed of my truck, don't
have to drag a cord out the driveway. They also worked well helping dad
build the barn 1/2 mile on top of a mountain in WV where there are no
electric lines.
In 1976 a $20 drill/saw/whatever was still decent quality. I have a $19 B&D
jigsaw that has lasted a few years since I haven't ever used it since the
first time when it broke its blade and bent the base, then I replaced the
blade and tried again but its mechanism has so much side to side slop that
you can't cut a straight edge. It was a gift from the in laws so I haven't
thrown it away yet for fear they will ask me if I still have that saw they
bought me. I did buy a metal bending brake from HF that was supposed to to
16ga steel. I slid in some thin aluminum and tried to bend it and the cheap
steel of the brake bowed in the middle so every bend it makes is curved.
My in laws always buy the cheapest stuff they can. They will buy the same
$20 tool 3-4 times in 5 years and I will buy one tool for $50-60 and it
will last 10. They still think I pay too much for tools even thought I
come out ahead in the long run.