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I used to buy cheap tools, thinking it would be sufficient, but I changed my ways and if I need something I will buy the good stuff. I always regretted buying cheap stuff.
In time you build up a nice tool set. 
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They have Harbour Freight crap over here, too. I don't buy it, but they have it.
My father in law almost killed himself using a Harbour Freight chop saw one day. After that, he bought the real thing - saved his life.
modified 28-Nov-16 9:07am.
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If you want to live without regrets over your tools:
- Never buy cheap chisels or planes.
- Never buy a circular saw that isn't TCT.
- Never buy a router cutting tool that doesn't have TCT blades.
- Never buy a claw hammer under 26oz
Apart from that, temporarily going cheap is OK.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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TCT?
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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Tungsten-carbide tipped.
Steel blades are a total waste of money, even if they're a tenth of the price.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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If I'm starting out on something I don't have tools for I buy cheap stuff that I'm sure will get the job done, and then if I find I'm break a particular tool (screwdriver, drill, large earth moving equipment) then I'll go out and buy a really good version of that particular tool. Except the large earth moving equipment.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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I think your list begins with what am I going to fix? If you are working on electrical your tools are different than plumbing. The only thing I would emphasize is safety. If you are working on electrical, TURN OFF THE POWER. It just makes things simpler. Don't ask me how I know, just don't.
Plumbing - where is the main cutoff for the house?
If you are doing anything that will cause small parts to fly around - like wood, invest in a good set of safety glasses.
Finally - YouTube is your friend. I have no idea how it started, people posting their videos of their successes and failures, but there is a treasure trove of information out there.
-------------------------
As for cheap tools vs high-end models... do you have little gnomes, children, wives or girlfriends or what have you borrowing your tools? If so, you want the $4 hammer from Home Depot sitting in your bag. That way, when it's lost, you are raging about your $40 claw hammer that you love. Same thing applies to drill bits, screw drivers, etc.
Charlie Gilley
<italic>Stuck in a dysfunctional matrix from which I must escape...
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." B. Franklin, 1783
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
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charlieg wrote: Plumbing - where is the main cutoff for the house?
charlieg wrote: YouTube is your friend
A couple of years ago I needed to change out the bottom element in a hot water tank. I checked youtube and found multiple videos showing how to do this without draining the tank...turn off the valve at the tank and close all taps to create vacuum and be quick. I found out the hard way that the valve on my tank was on the wrong side. Luckily, I knew right where my crescent wrench was and where the cutoff valve for the house was and was able to get it turned off in less than a minute...while water was gushing under pressure into the closet in my office...what a mess!...and a lesson learned. 
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Since there are more tools out there than you can count, I would say that tool quality should be in line with the expected work. If the tool is going to see heavy use, buy the quality one. If you do a lot of wood work, get quality saws, etc... . If you are going to spend hours digging around an engine, get a high-quality socket and wrench set. Always get a good set of screwdrivers, always.
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
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Generally speaking, cheap tools are worth pretty much what you pay for them: not a lot.
Get a cheap chisel, and a good quality chisel, and see how long it takes to make a hole in a front door to take a letterbox slot (and how ragged the hole is on the cheap chisel side) for an example.
The best tool I ever bought does nothing on it's own - it's an air compressor which powers most of my other tools: staple gun, brad nailer, impact socket driver, etc. It just saves so much time!
Think of it this way: would you use an RS special to rework an SMT board, or reach for a Weller? 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Quote:
Think of it this way: would you use an RS special to rework an SMT board, or reach for a Weller? Laugh |
Generally RS Specials aren't that bad, Rapid (or Slowth as they were known in one of the firms I worked for, due to delivery speed)or quake CPC are truely dire!
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To me, an "RS Special" will always be one of these[^] 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Ahhh Proskit the sign of quality?
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Cheap tools are fine for occasional home use.
As I spent some years using tools professionally, I always bought Snap-On[^], without a doubt the best tools money can buy. After that, I think that Craftsman[^] are great for home use and professional use if you're on a budget. Pretty sure you can order them in the UK now. Otherwise nothing wrong with Stanley or pound shop tools if all you are doing is hanging the odd picture.
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One thing I have heard is buy a cheap tool to learn how to use it and then buy the expensive version, once you know how you will use it and how to use buy the best one you can...
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If you don't know how to use a hammer...
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If the only tool you have is a hammer all things resemble nails?
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My card was expiring this month so they had to send a new one and here is what happened:
New card received on 24th November 2016 in noon.
Text with shipment tracking details received on 27th November 2016 in evening
Yes, that was sarcasm in the subject.
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...and we trust these people with our money!
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Why, actually? By now it has gotten hard to get enough interest to cover inflation.
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It's the conspiracy to drive you away from commercial banking into investment banking, which they also provide services for.
But Actually...
Depending on the country, the interest rate fluctuates with the prime rate. The prime rate is set by central banks. As long as the central banks (e.g. U.S. Federal Reserve, Bank of England, etc...) hold rates to historically low prices, the normal banking interest rates will also remain low. Only if/when the prime rates return to normal levels will the interest rate on savings accounts be anything but ~%0.05 annually.
if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); }
Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016
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I remember when they would send cards, of course with a sub-note to the effect of "if you got this by mistake return or destroy it." 2 days later the pin number mailer would arrive at the very same address (same note about being nice if 'not for you'). Judging from the date stamp, postage took 3 - 5 days.
And whose fault was it if the address was wrong and it took you a few days to notice your account depleting?
Sin tack ear lol
Pressing the "Any" key may be continuate
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Lopatir wrote: And whose fault was it if the address was wrong and it took you a few days to notice your account depleting?
Yours. Who else can they blame? And then you need to call them a million times to get your money back even though all accounts are insured.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[ ^]
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