This is not a tool gloat; just the opposite in fact.

Anyhow, Homier brought their rolling road show to my town today. Of course
I was there shortly after opening.

Eagerly, unknowing was I, as I entered the sanctum, and shopping basket in
hand began a cruise of the rows of tools in search of those "Have to Haves"
I've somehow managed to live without. Man o Man, did my crest come rapidly
crashing down. WHAT CRAP!!! IMHO, Their stuff made a Harbor Freight Store
look look like a Snap-On warehouse!!!

I looked at a set of flat spade bits. They where TIN plated (or at least
had a gold colored coating) but looked like they had been sharpened after
stamping, on an old section of concrete sidewalk. Likewise wrenchs looked
like the stuff in the 50cent throw away bin at the local hardware store.

They had some sort of small reciprocating saw (all plastic) with a sticky
jambing switch and a set of nblades that by and large looked gnawed out
rather than stamped or ground.

What was really amazing was the way the locals were scoffing the stuff up -
the line to check out was around the building. I was gone within a half
hour.

Jacksonville NC isn't the heart of tool country but this was sad, and that
was my first and last Homier truckload sale.

On Mon, 08 May 2006 20:40:12 -0400, Bradford Chaucer
wrote:

This is not a tool gloat; just the opposite in fact.

Anyhow, Homier brought their rolling road show to my town today. Of course
I was there shortly after opening.

Eagerly, unknowing was I, as I entered the sanctum, and shopping basket in
hand began a cruise of the rows of tools in search of those "Have to Haves"
I've somehow managed to live without. Man o Man, did my crest come rapidly
crashing down. WHAT CRAP!!! IMHO, Their stuff made a Harbor Freight Store
look look like a Snap-On warehouse!!!

I looked at a set of flat spade bits. They where TIN plated (or at least
had a gold colored coating) but looked like they had been sharpened after
stamping, on an old section of concrete sidewalk. Likewise wrenchs looked
like the stuff in the 50cent throw away bin at the local hardware store.

They had some sort of small reciprocating saw (all plastic) with a sticky
jambing switch and a set of nblades that by and large looked gnawed out
rather than stamped or ground.

What was really amazing was the way the locals were scoffing the stuff up -
the line to check out was around the building. I was gone within a half
hour.

Jacksonville NC isn't the heart of tool country but this was sad, and that
was my first and last Homier truckload sale.

Pretty much my experience the first time I went to one. I wasnt into
machining at the time..but knew good tools, mediocre tools and ****
tools.

I made the mistake in thinking they couldnt **** up the
sandpaper...and bought a quantity. I tossed the entire bundle the
first time I tried to use it.

Gunner

Now why doesn't this surprise me one bit?

That's easy.... you're too dull witted to be capable of surprise. What
little synaptic ability you do possess is stretched to the limit with
life support. If you diverted power to the critical thought processors
you'd asphyxiate in a matter of minutes.

George Orwell

They do have a few good deals (mitering 4x6 bandsaw, mini-mill, mini-lathe,
sand blaster, creeper, self winding air hose) but most of their stuff is
junk.

"Bradford Chaucer" wrote in message
news
This is not a tool gloat; just the opposite in fact.

Anyhow, Homier brought their rolling road show to my town today. Of course
I was there shortly after opening.

Eagerly, unknowing was I, as I entered the sanctum, and shopping basket in
hand began a cruise of the rows of tools in search of those "Have to
Haves"
I've somehow managed to live without. Man o Man, did my crest come rapidly
crashing down. WHAT CRAP!!! IMHO, Their stuff made a Harbor Freight Store
look look like a Snap-On warehouse!!!

I looked at a set of flat spade bits. They where TIN plated (or at least
had a gold colored coating) but looked like they had been sharpened after
stamping, on an old section of concrete sidewalk. Likewise wrenchs looked
like the stuff in the 50cent throw away bin at the local hardware store.

They had some sort of small reciprocating saw (all plastic) with a sticky
jambing switch and a set of nblades that by and large looked gnawed out
rather than stamped or ground.

What was really amazing was the way the locals were scoffing the stuff
up -
the line to check out was around the building. I was gone within a half
hour.

Jacksonville NC isn't the heart of tool country but this was sad, and that
was my first and last Homier truckload sale.

On Mon, 08 May 2006 20:40:12 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm,
Bradford Chaucer quickly quoth:

This is not a tool gloat; just the opposite in fact.

Anyhow, Homier brought their rolling road show to my town today. Of course
I was there shortly after opening.

Eagerly, unknowing was I, as I entered the sanctum, and shopping basket in
hand began a cruise of the rows of tools in search of those "Have to Haves"
I've somehow managed to live without. Man o Man, did my crest come rapidly
crashing down. WHAT CRAP!!! IMHO, Their stuff made a Harbor Freight Store
look look like a Snap-On warehouse!!!

No kidding. I saw one here in Grants Pass and was after their cheap
tarps. They, in their infinite wisdom, didn't bring any of the smaller
sizes I use so often.

I noticed that some of their prices were double that of HF and the
quality was something that HF surely would have tossed out as not
good enough for the 'Murrican market, who isn't that picky.


Jacksonville NC isn't the heart of tool country but this was sad, and that
was my first and last Homier truckload sale.

Ditto here in GP for me. It's amazing what the great unwashed masses
will buy, isn't it? Feh!

--
The ancient and curious thing called religion, as it shows itself in the
modern world, is often so overladen with excrescences and irrelevancies
that its fundamental nature tends to be obscured.
--H.L. Mencken in "Treatise on the Gods"

AL wrote:
They do have a few good deals (mitering 4x6 bandsaw, mini-mill, mini-lathe,
sand blaster, creeper, self winding air hose) but most of their stuff is
junk.

I agree. Their minilathe and minimill are each $100 less than
competitors, for the same machine. You can almost get there at HF with
sale prices AND a 20% off coupon.
The only thing I intend to go to another for is that 4x6 bamdsaw.
They sell it for $199, Grizzly sells the same thing for $400+. Reviews
have been good.

Gunner wrote:

I made the mistake in thinking they couldnt **** up the
sandpaper...and bought a quantity. I tossed the entire bundle the
first time I tried to use it.

LOL

On Tue, 09 May 2006 09:15:15 -0700, Jim Stewart wrote:
Gunner wrote:

I made the mistake in thinking they couldnt **** up the
sandpaper...and bought a quantity. I tossed the entire bundle the
first time I tried to use it.

LOL

You've got that right. It just takes one oversized chunk of grit in a
piece of fine sandpaper to wreck a job, or at least make it take so much
longer. Cheap sandpaper isn't.

" made the mistake in thinking they couldnt **** up the
sandpaper...and bought a quantity. I tossed the entire bundle the
first time I tried to use it.

Gunner "

Lost opportunity Gunner....one could always reused it for toilet
paper...for visiting relatives. LOL

TMT

You mean the 4x6 bandsaw that is always out of stock...for years on
end?

Or the mini-lathe that they only carry one when they start their
multi-city route?

Or the mini-mill that they will not carry on the road show because it
costs too much?

Hopefully Homier is getting better but in the two trips (yeah I know I
should have learned the first time) I made to their traveling circus, I
left disgusted by the lack of inventory and the dismal quality of the
crap they sold. When pressed, one of their company men admitted that
they use the traveling roadshows to resell the returns that customers
refuse.

And both cases, the locals were loading up on tomorrow's garbage in
droves. (there's one born every minute...).

If you want a real eye opener, get there really early and watch their
"professional staff"...set up the place between their appointments with
Jack Daniels and Have Bong Will Travel.

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
You mean the 4x6 bandsaw that is always out of stock...for years on
end?

Or the mini-lathe that they only carry one when they start their
multi-city route?

Or the mini-mill that they will not carry on the road show because it
costs too much?
[...]

Mini-mill, mini-lathe, and bandsaw -- seems like it is becoming rare to
see more than one of the three.

Well, let's do a little checking....

- Mini-lathe - "We expect a new shipment to arrive on or about
6/28/2006."

http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?Ses...cat=&sku=03911

- Mini-mill - Apparently not carried any more...not on the site.

- Bandsaw - "We expect a new shipment to arrive on or about 8/10/2006."

http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?Ses...=119&sku=03111

Why does this not surprise me....

My theory is that these items are used in the old "bait and switch"
ploy where you come to the show thinking you will buy something maybe
worthwhile and they make sure to have the "garbage fill tomorrow" stuff
waiting for you to pick up instead.

Excuse me...I need to go to my shop and give each of my old American
machines a hug of appreciation...

TMT

Dave wrote in article
.com...
Too_Many_Tools wrote:
You mean the 4x6 bandsaw that is always out of stock...for years on
end?

Or the mini-lathe that they only carry one when they start their
multi-city route?

Or the mini-mill that they will not carry on the road show because it
costs too much?
[...]

Mini-mill, mini-lathe, and bandsaw -- seems like it is becoming rare to
see more than one of the three.



Interestingly, I observed all three at a Cummins tool sale when I was in
Central Maine over the weekend.

Bradford Chaucer wrote:
This is not a tool gloat; just the opposite in fact.

Anyhow, Homier brought their rolling road show to my town today. Of course
I was there shortly after opening.

Eagerly, unknowing was I, as I entered the sanctum, and shopping basket in
hand began a cruise of the rows of tools in search of those "Have to Haves"
I've somehow managed to live without. Man o Man, did my crest come rapidly
crashing down. WHAT CRAP!!! IMHO, Their stuff made a Harbor Freight Store
look look like a Snap-On warehouse!!!

I looked at a set of flat spade bits. They where TIN plated (or at least
had a gold colored coating) but looked like they had been sharpened after
stamping, on an old section of concrete sidewalk. Likewise wrenchs looked
like the stuff in the 50cent throw away bin at the local hardware store.

They had some sort of small reciprocating saw (all plastic) with a sticky
jambing switch and a set of nblades that by and large looked gnawed out
rather than stamped or ground.

What was really amazing was the way the locals were scoffing the stuff up -
the line to check out was around the building. I was gone within a half
hour.

Jacksonville NC isn't the heart of tool country but this was sad, and that
was my first and last Homier truckload sale.
Jacksonville is an armpit anyway. I grew up near there, and that's why
I'm in Raleigh, where we have real stores.....

:-)

Harbor Frieght sounds like a better deal than Homier (though never
dealt with Homier). Each time I go to the HF store near me (Newark CA)
I have to say I'm impressed. It's chaos of course and full of a lot of
junk, but what impresses me is any time I ask one of the kids who are
running around stocking shelves or doing whatever, they know what's
what and find what I'm looking for pretty quickly. They speak English
(well enough anyway), they hustle, and are pretty friendly. Not what I
expect from a cheapy discount import store. Somehow they train (and I
expect treat) their employees better than Home Depot or a lot of other
places where no one seems able to answer a simple question.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
[...]
My theory is that these items are used in the old "bait and switch"
ploy where you come to the show thinking you will buy something maybe
worthwhile and they make sure to have the "garbage fill tomorrow" stuff
waiting for you to pick up instead.

It would seem that they sell whatever they can get really cheap. No
conspiracy -- just availability issues. Maybe Cummins now absorbs the
mini-mill overruns. They also stopped selling that other larger
benchtop mill.

Excuse me...I need to go to my shop and give each of my old American
machines a hug of appreciation...

Must be nice, but some areas of the country don't have much old
American iron available. Compare http://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/
to http://seattle.craigslist.org/tls/

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
You mean the 4x6 bandsaw that is always out of stock...for years on
end?

I have been to about 3 tent sales. The last two had the saws. YMMV

Or the mini-lathe that they only carry one when they start their
multi-city route?

I have seen minilathes at their tent shows, but wasn't interested at the
tame.

Or the mini-mill that they will not carry on the road show because it
costs too much?

I didn't see one at the last show, and I had gone there looking for one.
They had one on the truck, had not unloaded it. Bought it for $399.
Later saw it was stickered for $339. Went back and they gave me $60 in
refund.

Hopefully Homier is getting better but in the two trips (yeah I know I
should have learned the first time) I made to their traveling circus, I
left disgusted by the lack of inventory and the dismal quality of the
crap they sold.

99% of the stuff they sell is pure crap that I wouldn't take for free.
The machine tools are mostly Sieg, as sold by Grizzly, HF and others.
Now, if you already have decided all Chinese tools are junk, then so be
it. But I have some and they work fine for my purposes. In fact, I
have found myself turning to my 10" Enco lathe more than my 9" Logan,
for projects that really matter.

When pressed, one of their company men admitted that
they use the traveling roadshows to resell the returns that customers
refuse.

I don't believe that. At any given tent sale there are 2 or 3 people
that have a clue - the permanent employees. The rest are vagrants that
are likely to tell you anything that pops into their feeble brains.

If you want a real eye opener, get there really early and watch their
"professional staff"...set up the place between their appointments with
Jack Daniels and Have Bong Will Travel.

Oh yeah, they hire local day labor. Reminded me of the parking-lot
carnival crews.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
Well, let's do a little checking....

- Mini-lathe - "We expect a new shipment to arrive on or about
6/28/2006."

http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?Ses...cat=&sku=03911

- Mini-mill - Apparently not carried any more...not on the site.

- Bandsaw - "We expect a new shipment to arrive on or about 8/10/2006."

http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?Ses...=119&sku=03111

Why does this not surprise me....

It's not unusual to find items in the tent sale that are out of stock on
the website. But you wouldn't want to buy online anyway. Their shipping
charges are absurd.
I think their tent sale vendors are independent retailers and get
first shot at the inventory as it comes in. And I suspect they sell a
minilathe or minimill at ever sale when they have them, and then the
next 2 or 3 stops they are out until they can get re-supplied.

Excuse me...I need to go to my shop and give each of my old American
machines a hug of appreciation...

TMT

lens wrote:

Harbor Frieght sounds like a better deal than Homier (though never
dealt with Homier). Each time I go to the HF store near me (Newark CA)
I have to say I'm impressed. It's chaos of course and full of a lot of
junk, but what impresses me is any time I ask one of the kids who are
running around stocking shelves or doing whatever, they know what's
what and find what I'm looking for pretty quickly. They speak English
(well enough anyway), they hustle, and are pretty friendly. Not what I
expect from a cheapy discount import store. Somehow they train (and I
expect treat) their employees better than Home Depot or a lot of other
places where no one seems able to answer a simple question.

I've noticed the same thing at two HF stores in my area. The store is
usually a bit disheveled due to the high inventory turnover, but the
employees there are always nice and on top of things. Very accommodating
as well if something is out of stock and you wanted to use a coupon on
it - coupon rain check, no hassles.

Pete C.