Is there a difference? You bet. Craftsman and B&D are a whole lot
more expensive! I started in on a big project calling for 14 sheets
of baltic bich plywood. After about 4 sheets my trusty 3 year old B&D
sander, for which I had paid the princely sum of about $25, gave up
the ghost. Ran down to the local tool peddler and bought another one.
Hmm, price had gone up to $30. After 7 or 8 more sheets this one
began to smell like roasting coffee beans (good if it's coffee, bad if
it's an electric motor) and quit. Back down to the tool peddler where
the kind salesman took pity on me: "Kid, do yourself a favor. Plunk
down the money for this Makita while it's on sale. I'll even knock
another 10% off because I feel sorry for you. Guaranteed, I won't be
seeing you back here again." Well, he was wrong. He has seen me back
there plenty, but never for another sander! All told, the Makita cost
me about $135 ($80 on sale plus $25 and $30 for the two dead B&Ds)
plus untold hours of frustration and self-damnation for being a
cheapskate. Buying decent tools is kind of like getting a
vaccination: it stings a little at first but saves a lot of pain
later.
Ian


There's some realistically good advice. I appreciate that. In my adult ed. class there are
two very old Milwaukee hand drills with metal cases (outer body shells) still working,
and an old Skil drill still working, and a burned out, quite non-working Black and Decker.
My Old Skil drill is about 12 years old, in perfect condition but it hasn't been used much.

Alex