Charlie,

I know you have been around long enough for this. I think tools--at least
the better ones--have been getting better and are more affordable. The
price you pay for a shop of better tools today is less, in terms of what
your paycheck will buy, than it was 30 years ago. The 12v Dewalt drill I
bought in June of 1993 cost $159 which is about what I would pay for a
BETTER grandson of that 12 volt drill today over 11 years later. My
craftsman wood lathe cost about $300 in 1973 and the same one (probably off
the same tooling but better components) was selling at Home Depot for $300
before it went on closeout this year for $199!!! My large bench drill press
cost $135.15 (Taiwanese, of course) in December of 1978. The same thing
would cost about the same today (and also Taiwanese or Chinese, of course).
I have a Milwaukee 3 v screwdriver that cost about $100 in the latter 80's
and is selling for about the same price today--in fact, I think I might be
able to get the 2 speed model for about that price or maybe a hair more
today.

Tools may not be dropping like the computers, but they are sure a good value
today. Twenty or 30 years ago I would not have given the Porter Cables or
Milwaukees a second look, because they were out of my price range. That is
not true today and not even true for people my kid's age.


"Charlie Self" wrote in message
...
Charlie Self writes:

I wanted to fill out the RAM (IIRC, to I gig), and was quoted
a price of $1100.

Wouldja believe ONE MEG!

Jeez. Early morning fingers.

Charlie Self
"Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than
Christianity
has made them good." H. L. Mencken