Sounds familiar?

[ErikTheNorwegian]

Sounds familiar?

First you buy a el cheap tool, maybe a have all the things you need and++ offers more futures, nice to have and is dead cheap. (I did not say el cheapo Chinese solder station, or UNI-T, :-)  )
After I while, you find out that the thing does not do everything, and basically nothing quite right.
 And small thing has been falling off, or not working at all. Some small plastic detail, crucial to the units function, is made so poorly that it’s crippling the devises performance totally. Some parts are made, very good, and the one detail that broke is sooo badly made that it`s just holds until in regular use.

And then you sits there and nags about, why did I not save a little longer..


Then the last thing, did you learn? 

[andtfoot]

I like to think I have a vaguely decent grasp on when I should spend extra on the decent stuff.
I think I learnt pretty early on after buying a bodgo-brand battery drill and having the battery run flat after what seemed like half a dozen screws.
I do get scoffed at sometimes by friends about the amount of money I spend on some things; like getting an OEM brake disc ($400) for one of the motorbikes because I don't trust the available aftermarket ones(~$160), or getting Fluke multimeters because I've found wun-hung-low stuff just isn't worth it.

[GreyWoolfe]

My father was a construction worker and he always told me to buy the best tool I can afford.  That way I only buy it once.  I still try to get the best I can afford.  My hand tools for work are Craftsman, Xcelite, Knipex, Bondhus, Klein and Channel Lock.  Not the best, but certainly not Wun Hung Lo.  The important thing is they do the job exactly as I need.  My handheld meters are a cheap Velleman and a Fluke 27FM.  Guess which one I use the most?  I would rather save up for a better quality tool.  I tried the really cheap stuff in order to save money, but I don't save money as I get frustrated and then go and buy the better tool anyway.  I could have waited and combined the amounts together and got an even better tool.

[nanofrog]

My father was a construction worker and he always told me to buy the best tool I can afford.  That way I only buy it once.  I still try to get the best I can afford.

Same for me. 

Handtools consist of Wiha, Erem, Lindstrom, Schmitz, Tronex (rebranded as Excelta), Ideal-Tek (makes Lindstrom's tweezers), Craftsman (1/4" socket set), and Beau Tech.

[ErikTheNorwegian]

My father was a construction worker and he always told me to buy the best tool I can afford.  That way I only buy it once.  I still try to get the best I can afford.

Same for me. 

Handtools consist of Wiha, Erem, Lindstrom, Schmitz, Tronex (rebranded as Excelta), Ideal-Tek (makes Lindstrom's tweezers), Craftsman (1/4" socket set), and Beau Tech.

If i see a craftsman, of any profession, i look and learn! What and how he use Tools, the technique and his choice of doing things. That’s always god knowledge that has saved me money and struggle.
And i don’t let people lend my Tools.  Knowing the price range for different tools, brands etc make it also easier to see a bargain.

[SeanB]

You can lend my tools, they generally come with an accessory though, ME. Otherwise I only lend the cheap junker tools, as I buy them ( screwdrivers, hammers and such) as things that I know I will break or wear out fast.

[GreyWoolfe]

+++1

[IanJ]

Hi all,

Sometimes I buy the one-hung-low stuff.........just to get a feel if I am interested etc........and if I am I buy better later on.......if not then I've not wasted too much dosh.

Ian.

[nanofrog]

Hi all,

Sometimes I buy the one-hung-low stuff.........just to get a feel if I am interested etc........and if I am I buy better later on.......if not then I've not wasted too much dosh.

That has it's place too, as does balancing very low budgets with trying to learn (buy inexpensive and learn now, or buy better quality and it may be an extended period before learning can begin/get to where the user would like due to how slowly new purchases occur). Another variation where less expensive can have it's place, would be one-off or extremely rare use.

But if it's something I know I'm going to use regularly before purchasing, I've always found the wisdom of buying good quality to begin with to be the better path (less aggravation and expense in the long run).

[TriodeTiger]

I find with these things, literally .. +$10 each time adds something I will want. Like with my soldering iron, I started with a pencil with no nothing (control, even holster) and wanted a good one.

$10.. holster
delta $10, variable power
delta $10, variable temperature
delta $10, digital readouts
delta $10, Hakko FX-888!

So I usually go for the best I can get before it goes to steep prices..(got it for $90 somewhere local, I mean it is QUALITY, has many clone/real parts everywhere to buy, so its value was worth the bunch)

DMM I just settled for something Dave listed in the $50 shootout. My radioshack was just too crummy most of the time, integrated current and voltage leads, manual ranging that was really stiff.

I suppose the lesson here is: Buy the crappiest first so there is less risk..and you know what you want, if it is cheap. I wouldn't buy a $99 new power supply for example.. too risky for the price even if it is 'low'.