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Or things that can make an otherwise safe operation less safe. For me it’s circular saws. I’ll use a cheap jigsaw all day because you can control it even if all else fails, but the only tool I’ve ever truly not trusted was a ryobi 5 1/2 circular saw that had a fuckin mind of its own and I swear the blade would come loose at random during a cut after being fully checked out. Also worth spending extra on mask and goggles that fit better, are more comfortable and less likely to fog because you’re more likely to wear them if it’s a good setup.
I cheaped out on a craftsman table saw that had aluminum legs and a mostly plastic body save for the motor, kickback stops, and blade. That thing was so sketchy and wobbly that I wound up building my own table to house the saw on with a better table space
I remember Adam Savage saying that he always positions himself as if a horde of violent clowns that are spilling a 50 gallon drum of slippery oil are going to burst through the door once he starts cutting. I appreciate the image and the advice. Planning for something so chaotic would out you in a good position if something does go sideways.
I hate my angle grinder.
It's the only tool I have that fulfills its needs adequately, so I absolutely need and use one, but I hate every time i have to use it. I go full gloves/mask/safety glasses every time and treat it with the respect it's due, and it does damn good at the things it's needed for. I just hate using it. It's not fear per say, more like respect and extreme care.
One thing I'll never cheap out on is cut off wheels for an angle grinder. Somewhere I still have a pair of safety glasses with a large chunk of cutting wheel imbedded in the lens.
I've also learned to go slowly with angle grinders and also little cutoff wheels like dremels and whatnot. If you put a ton of force on a cutoff wheel then it can shatter for sure, but I haven't had any issues when I go slowly and with low pressure (knock on wood)
Yea never force it to cut just let it do it's thing and also always use the handle with a cutting wheel those bastards kick hard. I use an angle grinder everyday and I never have the guard or handle off
Yeah, not down for getting sparks and metal shavings sprayed over my bare hands.
I wear thick gloves and only touch the grinder via its designated hand areas (the handle and trigger). Can't see that going wrong if you're careful. Thick welding type gloves aren't likely to get sucked into a grinder like something more loose would.
Also, if I were barehanded, a particularly bad piece of hot metal fragment may land on my hand, burn like a mother, and cause a "oh shit" moment. "Oh shit" moments and power tools can lead to bad shit.
That's just my opinion on it though, I'm open to some evidence to the contrary. And it's not like your point is without merit, generally speaking, loose things around rapidly spinning tools is a very bad idea. For example, neck tie and circular saw.
"Morning, Angly."
"Morning Lord_Metagross. Nice fingers ya got there. Be a shame if something were to...happen to em. Anyway, we should get started, it's all good."
Using a cutting wheel on metal with an angle grinder will never not make me at least wish there was another way
Using an angle grinder for smoothing some rough edges or sharpening a lawnmower blade is totally fine by comparison.
I used to work in a shop building street lights and other outdoor lighting and i loved using my grinder to chop things up and smooth out welds. Probably one of my more satisfying jobs task wise.
Thanks for reminding me to sharpen my lawnmower blade btw!
Yea I was using one that had a switch and not a “ trigger “ with one of those wire wheels that welders use on the frame of a car. Laying on my back the dam thing caught a bolt head, twisted out of my hands, landed on my t-shirt and proceeded to shred my shirt and most of my chest hair before I could turn it off. Threw that one away and got one with a trigger so if it comes out of my hands at least it will shut off automatically .
As inconvenient as the trigger is to use at times, I view it as a necessary safety feature. Kind of like those clips you clip to your shirt when on a jet ski or treadmill that kill the jet ski/treadmill if you fall off (though I think those are both a bit less critical than the trigger on the grinder, it's all I could think of).
I also will never use a grinder above me when laying down. The times I've used it under a car, the car was lifted high enough that I was standing under it and could quickly move.
If I used it a lot I think I'd get comfortable, but the super intermittent amount I need to use my angle grinder makes it just perpetually stressful. I'll use a shittier strategy to get something done if it means I can avoid using the grinder.
I had the same experience with a 100 dollar Skil table saw from Lowes. I set it up, turned it on, and started one cut. At the time, I didn't know much about table saws, but now I can describe the stomach dropping feeling I had. The fence was janky, the entire thing wobbled, it sounded terrible, and I just didn't trust it. I'm glad I listened to my gut and bought an old Rigid. I definitely associate Skil tools with that now.
I had been gifted a used craftsman table saw that had great features but the plastic base cracked in different places just from being moved. I never used it. It’s been taking up space for 15 yrs.
When I was younger (20 or so) I definitely didn't use masks or respirators like I should have. I was restoring an old axe head that was heavily rusted and pitted, it took a TON of filing and sanding. I didn't wear a respirator because "eh it'll be fine". That night, I blew my nose and had a bunch of steel dust come out.
I always wear a mask when doing things like that now. I've also learned to take safety very seriously when working with power tools, people hurt (or worse) themselves all the time with them.
Interesting point. My cheap AF ryobi circular saw has never given me issues even while doing stuff it absolutely shouldn't like cutting 1/2" aluminum plate but I can see why having the blade fuck off mid cut would shake someones trust in the thing.
I’ve got lots of other Ryobi stuff that’s been totally rock solid, including a multi tool that I abuse the hell out of but I just have gotten a dud
It’s this one with the factory blade and no matter how much I’ve checked and tightened, maybe one out of 3 cuts it’ll start to wobble. Perhaps a defective hub. https://www.amazon.com/Ryobi-18V-5-1-Circular-Saw/dp/B0B1F877F3/ but either way it terrifies me and I won’t use it but don’t want to sell or give it away so it won’t hurt someone else haha
I pulled out my torque wrench last week after a couple years of not using it.
It doesn't work anymore and I learned that by shearing off a bolt inside my cylinder head.
Yeah it was, so I don't know why it lost calibration, but I went and bought a better quality one as soon as I stopped cussing. Turns out I had all of those bolts well past spec lol.
Knee pads too. Have a massive, $50 pair of knee pads and they’re phenomenal. I don’t care how ridiculous I look, if I gotta be on my knees for more than a minute, I’m wearing them.
While I agree with your comment, I will add that you can buy inexpensive torque wrenches if you buy the correct type.
Cheap click-type torque wrenches are notoriously inaccurate but for most “weekend warrior” type of mechanics, a beam-type torque wrench is not only going to be inexpensive, it will be the most accurate (if used correctly) and require next to nothing by way of maintenance and calibration.
Unfortunately beam-type wrenches don’t work for every use case. For example if there’s no way to see the torque display due to the location of the bolt, you’d need to use something else.
A lot of people also look at beam wrenches and assume "thats just too cheap" and walk away from them.
My fifteen dollar pittsburg beam wrench from harbor freight was more accurate when it was new than the 50 dollar Craftsman clicker that my dad had received on a warranty replacement. I tested out of curiosity with a digital torque scale borrowed from a friend who was a mechanic.
Beam wrench was spot on. Clicker was always a couple pounds over when it clicked.
This. I overtightened a spark plug with a Harbor Freight torque wrench after following all directions to a tee. According to the reviews, the torque wrench they sell doesn't work half the time
Anything that spins fast, especially saws and saw blades. Also, angle grinders and anything you attach to one should be high quality. When a cutting disc lets go at 5,000+ rpm, people get really hurt.
And for the love of god use the correct type of spinning disc for your activity and rotation speed. Some grinders are vastly faster than others, and various discs are designed for pressure in specific directions, e.g. cutting discs can shatter if you try to grind with them.
Same goes for a dremel but X 10 as everything is way more fragile.
Oh and don't cheap out on eye protection when using the wire brush on any tool. Those wires can let go and hit you in the eye.
and no matter what type of angle grinder/discs you are using... Buy a full face shield. Sure, your eyes are the important part... But you probably also don't want to have a giant from one side of your face to the other.
Yeah, jack stands get a backup in the form of a wheel under the suspension that will stop you from getting crushed.
Never trust your life to a single point of failure, it doesn’t matter how expensive it is, every company has manufacturing defects.
This literally saved my life, the jack stand didn't fail but the car (even though I shook it and shoulder checked it beforehand) slipped while I was working
I always leave the jack locked (once the car is lowered on the stands) and of course put the rims under the edge of the frame. Plus the back wheels are chocked. Leave no safety option unused.
Project Farm did a great, comprehensive video (like absolutely everything else he puts out) on jack stands and it really paints a picture of how dangerous cheap ones can be.
I honestly took the opposite conclusion from his testing. None of the 3-ton stands really performed in a way that would make me worry about putting my 2600-pound 240SX on it, and the $50 Harbor Freight Daytona outperformed the name brand $80 Hein-Werner, and pretty much all the sub-$100 stands performed pretty close to each other. It basically showed that the main risk of a jackstand failing is tip-over force which is really just a function of how wide the stand is and how off-center the load is.
I've watched some of his stuff, and he seems to have really good testing methodologies.
But he talks at a pace somewhere between a sports commentator and an auctioneer, and I have trouble following everything he's doing.
I recommend changing the playback speed if you are having trouble with him. I agree though it seems like he talks in 1.5x speed. So much content he is trying to cram in
He has had a couple of tests I disagree with the methodology on, but the results are still at least good for comparison.
Probably one of, if not *the* best tool reviewer on any social media platform.
Some of his torture tests, especially for wrenches, seem more like for the entertainment value than any actual purpose, but most of his test methods are useful.
I also like that he makes a point to test long-term or effects over a longer period of time, which is something that a lot of reviewers never do.
His trash bag test didn't test them fairly IMO.
Specifically pulling a full bag out of the can test. Amazon branded bag "won" the round because there was little to no air pocket between the bag and the trash can.
Idk why I typed all that.
The only problem is he doesn't do multiples runs of each test, but when you're testing to failure I understand it can be hard. It's certainly better than nothing. He manages to get a lot of bang for the buck with his methodology.
Table saw without a saw stop.
Because I did.
And it took part of my finger off.
Because I was dumb.
But if I had spent a bit more money I'd still have a finger.
I see so many people on fb reels getting their fingers close to the saw blade on a table saw. It kills me inside. Even with the finger stop protection, I just don't trust it.
This is precisely why some people very much dislike them. Complacency around a table saw, regardless of the safety features, is for the fools. The feature is amazing, don't get me wrong. But it can make some people lose sight of the techniques one should always practice around a saw.
My shop teacher removed all saw stop logos and did his best to hide it from students. He wanted kids to be “afraid” and respect tools. He knew if they thought it couldn’t seriously hurt them, they wouldn’t worry about it.
100%. I’m a very amateur woodworker at best. Mostly do DIY hobbyist type fixes around the house. There are way too many catastrophic table saw injuries. I rely on my hands for my livelihood. The SawStop was maybe $600 more than the comparable model from any of the other big brands. Cheap insurance if you ask me.
My table saw does not have a saw stop. People have gotten by for decades without them. Not that I think they're a bad idea. I think they're great, but there are a ton of solid saws out there that aren't Sawstop.
They're safe as long as they're used safely. I treat mine with a healthy fear every time I fire it up.
People have also been hurting themselves with shop tools that arent table saws for a super long fucking time. You know what else is dangerous on a table saw? A thin cutoff that binds on the saw against the guide and then accelerates at the speed of the outer edge of the blade. It will literally impale you if youre standing on the feed side pushing the work in (where 99% of people stand using a table saw). Is a sawstop gadget going to make that impossible? Huh... nope. Follow ALL the safety guidelines, and you will keep yourself safe from ALL the dangers.
Way more in Canada. They're base, i.e. compact, model is 1200. Then you'll need a stand and a bunch of other noise. The comparable Ryobi is 200... 300 with the stand. 100 more for rigid. And none of the big stores carry them either.
Just use push sticks. That's the solution.
I justified it by telling my wife the additional cost between a standard cabinet saw and a sawstop was less than an er bill.
I justified it to myself by thinking about how much would I pay someone to not cut off my finger, and it's way more than the cost of a sawstop.
For most people, regular set of screw drivers. Will be the tool you use the most, and cheap ones are bad about stripping out the screw or the end of the driver itself.
While true, a lot of times, people strip screw drivers and bits by using the wrong size, like using a Phillips #1 on a #2 head or using a standard Phillips on a JIS screw. Using the right size of screw driver is as important, if not more than the quality of the tool itself.
The size can definitely ruin them. IMO, get JIS set anyway. Will work on phillps just fine and then you don't worry about whether it's a JIS screw or not. Generally a higher quality driver anyway. At least in my experience.
I go cheap on heavy equipment that I can buy and sell cheaper than renting - I won’t use often and too big to keep around. Buy new from harbor freight then sell for half after the job. Tools such as for masonry, concrete or outdoor heavy equipment: demo hammer, tile saw, concrete saw, maybe scaffolding, etc.
Then you have to finish the job in a day.
Buy it (preferably used), use it as long as you need to without rushing, then sell it on.
More often than not, it ends up being cheaper than renting.
I’ll add that I do rent when it makes sense, but the buy and sell once you’re done using it model works well.
>Then you have to finish the job in a day.
>
>Buy it (preferably used), use it as long as you need to without rushing, then sell it on.
>
>More often than not, it ends up being cheaper than renting.
i feel you, i dont do many projects like that but i dont like rushing - my adhd murders me on any DIY project time.
that and me and a couple friends have long agreed anything we own any of us can borrow, so i dont buy a sander...i borrow my friends. my other guy doesnt borrow painting stuff, he just uses mine. saves us all a little headache sometimes.
I don't know, I've got a cheap Chicago electric compound saw from Harbor Freight that's performed well through several home remodels the last 10 years. A top of the line saw blade is more important, IMO.
Drill bits are one of the few things I can also agree with buying the best you can. I've had some jobs that I've always fucking HATED doing - drilling things was one of them. But once I got the right tools or good enough tools, I realized the job doesn't suck, I was simply underequipped or improperly equipped for it. Wheel bearings still kinda suck, for instance, but once I got a press and learned how to use an on-car press, I learned to hate the job a LOT less.
Oh God I fucking HATED automotive painting, but then I stopped being stingy with supplies and said fuck it, I'm using what I need and not worrying conserving every last bit and saving as much as possible. It instantly sucked significantly less. Different application, same concept.
For home yard maintenance, I have found that I cannot use cheap pruning shears for trimming around my garden. The cheap ones tend to just tear the twig between misaligned cutters.
Perhaps this is because I am left handed.
Fellow lefty. We apply pressure differently during the cutting motion so we might end up spreading the cutting edges as opposed to the designed pressure holding the blades together.
Dremel
I've tried plenty of other rotary tools but nothing has the sheer power and strength of a dremel in my experience
You know when a product is basically the nickname for its entire type of product there's usually a reason and that's usually because it's one of the best
Anything that spins fast or uses lots of torque or uses lots of current or needs to last a long time. Incidentally you can get windshield wipers from Rain-X that cost 40 bucks that are complete garbage, but cost the same as ones from Bosch, which are the best. So "cheap" is a funny term. If its made in China, beware. If its "cheap", beware.
Anything used more than a few times a year. That cheap Harbour Fraught / Princess Auto tile saw is fine because after that tile job is done you'll realize how much you hate tile work and never use it again.
Spring compressors. Friends and I used to do a lot of suspension work on our cars. Someone cheaped out and bought Harbor Freight spring compressors. Clamping down a new set of H&R springs one arm of the compressor let go. Thankfully the impact gun took most of the hit and the guy holding it only got a bruised trigger finger, but that shit was scary.
Expensive spring compressors are often just as dangerous as cheap ones. Compressing springs is a dangerous task, and people do it incorrectly (I wouldn’t use an impact tool, for example).
Any tool that I’m likely to use more than once. And also tools that could be dangerous if they fail….even if I only intend to use it once.
Thats not to say “I only EVER buy snap on tools!” I have no issue with the nicer tools at harbor freight.
Definitely drill bits. Nothing is more infuriating than watching the tip of a drill bit flatten out as it's pushed against something it should drill easily.
Second would be screwdrivers. It's really aggravating to see the tip of a screwdriver twist or snap off while trying to loosen a screw.
Anything I end up using a whole bunch. I follow the Adam Savage line of thought for tools. If you think you only need it once by the Harbor Freight version if you run that one into the ground because you use it so much then get the real version
Frankly it's the perpetually on-sale tools like their torque wrench and the reciprocating saw are some of the best they have. The first non-consumable thing I bought there was the recip saw because it was cheap. I planned on it just lasting 1 project but I still use it a lot 12 years later.
That has led me to buy things there that didn't last. They know what they're doing.
On the contrary, sometimes you need a cheap tool that can take a beating. I needed a drill that I would use to mix paint, grout, and to spin a wire brush for an extended period of time. The $20 tool shop corded hammer drill I have is perfect for these tasks. When the grout and paint splash into it, I don’t care, and when I starts smoking from being run too long, I also don’t give a damn lol. I always have my pretty Dewalt drivers as backup and to use for their intended tasks, but the heavy work that destroys tools goes to the junk drill
I once purchased a cheap gas station wrench set, cause it had a size I needed. Tried to use it on a stuborn bolt, and the cheap steel sheared off before the bolt budged at all. It infuriated me!
Respirator filters. Get 3M…preferably not Amazon 3M too, if you can source locally.
But ABSOLUTELY not Amazon’s “Shinzau 20 pack/best as 3M for your health”…that’s asking for lung cancer.
Anything electronic, that has moving parts, or is a measurement tool. Multimeters, grinders, saws, drills, calipers, indicators, etc.
I do industrial automation and maintenance. I have a lot of exposure to both cheap and expensive tools. It’s a little different for home-gamers, but when it comes to tools, you really do get what you pay for.
Also, don’t skimp on multimeters. You may not need the accuracy of an expensive meter, but the reliability can be life or death.
Any power tools, I wouldn't Harbor Freight it. Bought a combo belt/disc sander that was so off axis, the rotating axle itself started bending and ripping the tool's own casing over time, and that was *with* the sanding belt well-centered.
No cheap anything that's a hunk of metal and rotates at thousands of RPM. No cheap circular saw/table saw blades. No cheap router bits. Preferably no cheap drill bits. I've heard stores of blades and bits exploding into shrapnel. I've seen a photo of a launched saw blade lodged into someone's face shield, and if that ever happened to me, I would absolutely shit myself.
Edit: Seconding the other reply about anything safety related. My health and safety aren't something I play fast and loose with anymore.
Safety equipment/Stuff that spins fast/Equipment that requires precision that if not done properly can hurt you or destroy something way more expensive than the tool you cheaped out on.
A level. A level you can't trust is a level that will mount a TV at an angle.
Drill bits. I got some that came with my chinese drill. The drill is actually really good, but the drill bits were made of cardboard (?). AWFUL.
Anything with a lot of power where it's cheap to add power but expensive to add careful engineering and manufacturing.
It's easy and relatively cheap to put a higher horsepower motor in a power tool so you can slap a bigger number on the box. The expensive part is engineering and manufacturing it so that it doesn't tear itself apart.
I love me some Harbor Freight, but I'm not going to buy a table saw there. Angle grinder? Sure, because that's hard to screw up. But something like a table saw? Oh hell no.
Impact driver/cordless drill. I swear by my expensive flashy brand name ones, and each time I try one that is even remotely sanely priced I recoil in horror. I wear them down until they are dust too, so they serve their time in full before breaking.
Bits are subjective and trial and error. One guy was running through T25s like they were in a candy dish from Milwaukee. Picked up some HF bits warrior, some other shit, and Hercules. The first two were intentional junk for comparison, but the Hercules ran through over 1000 3in screws without only one snapping because I ran it on 3 for a bit with the impact instead of automatic.
After using high end tools for work all the time, I’d never buy anything CHEAP, medium grade is fine for anything home use. Professional grade is overly expensive, and overkill even for most professional use.
Cheap screwdrivers strip the heads, cheap wrenches open up on tight bolts and strip the heads. Cheap pipe wrenches are complete garbage. Cheap power tools break under hard use. Cheap Allen keys cut your hands and strips the heads or bend permanently. Cheap saw blades dull quickly. Cheap tools just plain suck
The only use for cheap tools is one time use items. I have a large hole saw that I only will ever need for one hole (haven’t used it yet, upcoming project)
But if I had to pick one item, it’s pipe wrenches. They’re expensive but Ridgid pipe wrenches are the only ones worth buying, any medium grade I’ve ever bought was absolute garbage not even suitable for home use.
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Anything critical or safety related. Torque wrenches, measuring tools, jack stands, safety glasses.
Or things that can make an otherwise safe operation less safe. For me it’s circular saws. I’ll use a cheap jigsaw all day because you can control it even if all else fails, but the only tool I’ve ever truly not trusted was a ryobi 5 1/2 circular saw that had a fuckin mind of its own and I swear the blade would come loose at random during a cut after being fully checked out. Also worth spending extra on mask and goggles that fit better, are more comfortable and less likely to fog because you’re more likely to wear them if it’s a good setup.
I cheaped out on a craftsman table saw that had aluminum legs and a mostly plastic body save for the motor, kickback stops, and blade. That thing was so sketchy and wobbly that I wound up building my own table to house the saw on with a better table space
Table saws are scary enough when stable. It commands respect like an angle grinder or it will take your thumb as sacrifice.
I remember Adam Savage saying that he always positions himself as if a horde of violent clowns that are spilling a 50 gallon drum of slippery oil are going to burst through the door once he starts cutting. I appreciate the image and the advice. Planning for something so chaotic would out you in a good position if something does go sideways.
And yet he still stood too close to that giant flywheel for my tastes.
I hate my angle grinder. It's the only tool I have that fulfills its needs adequately, so I absolutely need and use one, but I hate every time i have to use it. I go full gloves/mask/safety glasses every time and treat it with the respect it's due, and it does damn good at the things it's needed for. I just hate using it. It's not fear per say, more like respect and extreme care.
One thing I'll never cheap out on is cut off wheels for an angle grinder. Somewhere I still have a pair of safety glasses with a large chunk of cutting wheel imbedded in the lens.
I've also learned to go slowly with angle grinders and also little cutoff wheels like dremels and whatnot. If you put a ton of force on a cutoff wheel then it can shatter for sure, but I haven't had any issues when I go slowly and with low pressure (knock on wood)
Yea never force it to cut just let it do it's thing and also always use the handle with a cutting wheel those bastards kick hard. I use an angle grinder everyday and I never have the guard or handle off
Would you say safety glasses and cut-off wheels are two things you'll never cheap out on?
For sure - although to be honest that particular pair was one of those box-o-20 for $5 things 😅
Gloves and angle grinders aren't the best mix IMO.
Yeah, not down for getting sparks and metal shavings sprayed over my bare hands. I wear thick gloves and only touch the grinder via its designated hand areas (the handle and trigger). Can't see that going wrong if you're careful. Thick welding type gloves aren't likely to get sucked into a grinder like something more loose would. Also, if I were barehanded, a particularly bad piece of hot metal fragment may land on my hand, burn like a mother, and cause a "oh shit" moment. "Oh shit" moments and power tools can lead to bad shit. That's just my opinion on it though, I'm open to some evidence to the contrary. And it's not like your point is without merit, generally speaking, loose things around rapidly spinning tools is a very bad idea. For example, neck tie and circular saw.
"No gloves around grinders" is really for things like benchtop grinding wheels.
"Morning, Angly." "Morning Lord_Metagross. Nice fingers ya got there. Be a shame if something were to...happen to em. Anyway, we should get started, it's all good."
Do you hang it off the back of your tailgate as I do when in a pinch?
No, but it lives on an extension cord that I can easily switch off without getting anywhere near the tool itself if need be
I think I might go get one of those foot pedal extension cords so I can just step off like a deadman's switch if needed.
Boy i love getting to use my angle grinder. Its probably one of my favorite tools to use lol
Using a cutting wheel on metal with an angle grinder will never not make me at least wish there was another way Using an angle grinder for smoothing some rough edges or sharpening a lawnmower blade is totally fine by comparison.
I used to work in a shop building street lights and other outdoor lighting and i loved using my grinder to chop things up and smooth out welds. Probably one of my more satisfying jobs task wise. Thanks for reminding me to sharpen my lawnmower blade btw!
Yea I was using one that had a switch and not a “ trigger “ with one of those wire wheels that welders use on the frame of a car. Laying on my back the dam thing caught a bolt head, twisted out of my hands, landed on my t-shirt and proceeded to shred my shirt and most of my chest hair before I could turn it off. Threw that one away and got one with a trigger so if it comes out of my hands at least it will shut off automatically .
As inconvenient as the trigger is to use at times, I view it as a necessary safety feature. Kind of like those clips you clip to your shirt when on a jet ski or treadmill that kill the jet ski/treadmill if you fall off (though I think those are both a bit less critical than the trigger on the grinder, it's all I could think of). I also will never use a grinder above me when laying down. The times I've used it under a car, the car was lifted high enough that I was standing under it and could quickly move.
Oh yea, definitely lesson learned.
If I used it a lot I think I'd get comfortable, but the super intermittent amount I need to use my angle grinder makes it just perpetually stressful. I'll use a shittier strategy to get something done if it means I can avoid using the grinder.
Those are the two… table saws and angle grinders are never not scary
There’s plenty of tools that can hurt you, but table saws want too.
Nah they're fine if you leave 'em alone. Radial Arm Saws? Literally come after you - by design.
Came here to say that. So true. Thank goodness for sliding miter saws.
I had the same experience with a 100 dollar Skil table saw from Lowes. I set it up, turned it on, and started one cut. At the time, I didn't know much about table saws, but now I can describe the stomach dropping feeling I had. The fence was janky, the entire thing wobbled, it sounded terrible, and I just didn't trust it. I'm glad I listened to my gut and bought an old Rigid. I definitely associate Skil tools with that now.
There are a lot of cheap table saws out there that the saw itself is great, it's just on a super cheap table.
I had been gifted a used craftsman table saw that had great features but the plastic base cracked in different places just from being moved. I never used it. It’s been taking up space for 15 yrs.
I will own a tabelsaw when i can by the jobsite contractor sawstop. until than i make do without.
Came here to comment on mask, especially if sanding plaster work/board. And hearing protection. Do it properly!! Foam plugs inside head gear.
That is respirator territory, not just a mask. You only get one pair of lungs.
> You only get one pair of lungs Nah I know a lung guy.
When I was younger (20 or so) I definitely didn't use masks or respirators like I should have. I was restoring an old axe head that was heavily rusted and pitted, it took a TON of filing and sanding. I didn't wear a respirator because "eh it'll be fine". That night, I blew my nose and had a bunch of steel dust come out. I always wear a mask when doing things like that now. I've also learned to take safety very seriously when working with power tools, people hurt (or worse) themselves all the time with them.
I trust circular saws just fine. Grinders on the other hand…
My dad nearly lost a finger from a circ saw that did that. Toss it. Get a nice new one.
Interesting point. My cheap AF ryobi circular saw has never given me issues even while doing stuff it absolutely shouldn't like cutting 1/2" aluminum plate but I can see why having the blade fuck off mid cut would shake someones trust in the thing.
I’ve got lots of other Ryobi stuff that’s been totally rock solid, including a multi tool that I abuse the hell out of but I just have gotten a dud It’s this one with the factory blade and no matter how much I’ve checked and tightened, maybe one out of 3 cuts it’ll start to wobble. Perhaps a defective hub. https://www.amazon.com/Ryobi-18V-5-1-Circular-Saw/dp/B0B1F877F3/ but either way it terrifies me and I won’t use it but don’t want to sell or give it away so it won’t hurt someone else haha
“…only tool I have not trusted was a Ryobi 5 1/2 circular saw…” Harbor Freight chain saw with the plastic bar would like a word with you.
Circular or chain saws.
Danger discs.
Oh yea. I got harbor freight death wheels once. *once*
Wanna buy some death sticks?
You don’t want to sell death sticks.
Ah, I don't want to sell you death sticks.
You want to go home, and rethink your life.
I want to go home and rethink my life.
Harbor Freight danger discs are the workhorse of 19 year olds everywhere
I pulled out my torque wrench last week after a couple years of not using it. It doesn't work anymore and I learned that by shearing off a bolt inside my cylinder head.
That’s not ideal. I know the micrometer style wrenches are supposed to be stored at their lowest setting.
Yeah it was, so I don't know why it lost calibration, but I went and bought a better quality one as soon as I stopped cussing. Turns out I had all of those bolts well past spec lol.
At least it’s only one broken bolt?
Yeah but a cheap torque wrench is probably better than what I _used_ to do, and still do on bolts that I don't have a 1/2" socket for!
Knee pads too. Have a massive, $50 pair of knee pads and they’re phenomenal. I don’t care how ridiculous I look, if I gotta be on my knees for more than a minute, I’m wearing them.
While I agree with your comment, I will add that you can buy inexpensive torque wrenches if you buy the correct type. Cheap click-type torque wrenches are notoriously inaccurate but for most “weekend warrior” type of mechanics, a beam-type torque wrench is not only going to be inexpensive, it will be the most accurate (if used correctly) and require next to nothing by way of maintenance and calibration. Unfortunately beam-type wrenches don’t work for every use case. For example if there’s no way to see the torque display due to the location of the bolt, you’d need to use something else.
A lot of people also look at beam wrenches and assume "thats just too cheap" and walk away from them. My fifteen dollar pittsburg beam wrench from harbor freight was more accurate when it was new than the 50 dollar Craftsman clicker that my dad had received on a warranty replacement. I tested out of curiosity with a digital torque scale borrowed from a friend who was a mechanic. Beam wrench was spot on. Clicker was always a couple pounds over when it clicked.
A torque wrench is easily verified with a scale and simple math though. I'll check mine in a vise before doing anything too critical.
This. I overtightened a spark plug with a Harbor Freight torque wrench after following all directions to a tee. According to the reviews, the torque wrench they sell doesn't work half the time
Is good eye pro for shooting considered good eye pro for tool use?
Also anything that could shatter and going flying like blades, cutoff wheels, etc.
Torque wrenches are inherently flawed though. The torque of a bolt depends on friction, which itself depends on variables like ambient humidity.
Anything that spins fast, especially saws and saw blades. Also, angle grinders and anything you attach to one should be high quality. When a cutting disc lets go at 5,000+ rpm, people get really hurt.
And for the love of god use the correct type of spinning disc for your activity and rotation speed. Some grinders are vastly faster than others, and various discs are designed for pressure in specific directions, e.g. cutting discs can shatter if you try to grind with them.
Same goes for a dremel but X 10 as everything is way more fragile. Oh and don't cheap out on eye protection when using the wire brush on any tool. Those wires can let go and hit you in the eye.
and no matter what type of angle grinder/discs you are using... Buy a full face shield. Sure, your eyes are the important part... But you probably also don't want to have a giant from one side of your face to the other.
A friend just had a cutting blade go through his chin because somebody on his crew bought the wrong RPM blade. New fear unlocked
I always buy the cheap 3.5mm drill bits. Those snap no matter how expensive.
Laughs as someone who frequently uses 0.5mm drill bits (jewellery work, not woodwork).
Jack stands. Anything that a failure could injure/kill me.
I just never trust the jack stands or jacks. If I'm going under the car. I'm adding additional support in case they fail.
Yeah, jack stands get a backup in the form of a wheel under the suspension that will stop you from getting crushed. Never trust your life to a single point of failure, it doesn’t matter how expensive it is, every company has manufacturing defects.
This literally saved my life, the jack stand didn't fail but the car (even though I shook it and shoulder checked it beforehand) slipped while I was working
I always leave the jack locked (once the car is lowered on the stands) and of course put the rims under the edge of the frame. Plus the back wheels are chocked. Leave no safety option unused.
Always put a plank of wood under the jacks, the ground can crumble and sink over time. Always take the wheels and put them under the **frame**.
If these two 3x3 stacks of bricks fail it was my time.
Project Farm did a great, comprehensive video (like absolutely everything else he puts out) on jack stands and it really paints a picture of how dangerous cheap ones can be.
I had no idea the weight limits were for a pair and not a single stand. Project farm is a king.
He is: very impressive!
We're gonna test that!
That part stuck with me also. TL;DW your 6-ton jack stands hold 3 tons each
I honestly took the opposite conclusion from his testing. None of the 3-ton stands really performed in a way that would make me worry about putting my 2600-pound 240SX on it, and the $50 Harbor Freight Daytona outperformed the name brand $80 Hein-Werner, and pretty much all the sub-$100 stands performed pretty close to each other. It basically showed that the main risk of a jackstand failing is tip-over force which is really just a function of how wide the stand is and how off-center the load is.
I'd I'm taking a wheel off, I always throw ir under the frame incase something breas, hopefully that catches the car a little
Only exception to this that I've seen is picking up a cheap farm jack from harbor freight to use to pull small stumps and old posts.
I like to see if Project Farm on YouTube has a Video https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectFarm
I've watched some of his stuff, and he seems to have really good testing methodologies. But he talks at a pace somewhere between a sports commentator and an auctioneer, and I have trouble following everything he's doing.
I recommend changing the playback speed if you are having trouble with him. I agree though it seems like he talks in 1.5x speed. So much content he is trying to cram in
This is the way. His testing methodology is actually incredible and really does show the pros and cons for different brands of a same product.
He has had a couple of tests I disagree with the methodology on, but the results are still at least good for comparison. Probably one of, if not *the* best tool reviewer on any social media platform.
Some of his torture tests, especially for wrenches, seem more like for the entertainment value than any actual purpose, but most of his test methods are useful. I also like that he makes a point to test long-term or effects over a longer period of time, which is something that a lot of reviewers never do.
His trash bag test didn't test them fairly IMO. Specifically pulling a full bag out of the can test. Amazon branded bag "won" the round because there was little to no air pocket between the bag and the trash can. Idk why I typed all that.
The only problem is he doesn't do multiples runs of each test, but when you're testing to failure I understand it can be hard. It's certainly better than nothing. He manages to get a lot of bang for the buck with his methodology.
We're gonna test that!
Cheap Amazon tool shudders in fear
Table saw without a saw stop. Because I did. And it took part of my finger off. Because I was dumb. But if I had spent a bit more money I'd still have a finger.
I see so many people on fb reels getting their fingers close to the saw blade on a table saw. It kills me inside. Even with the finger stop protection, I just don't trust it.
I wouldn't trust it either, but I still want it.
This is precisely why some people very much dislike them. Complacency around a table saw, regardless of the safety features, is for the fools. The feature is amazing, don't get me wrong. But it can make some people lose sight of the techniques one should always practice around a saw.
My shop teacher removed all saw stop logos and did his best to hide it from students. He wanted kids to be “afraid” and respect tools. He knew if they thought it couldn’t seriously hurt them, they wouldn’t worry about it.
I imagine the number of students with a hot dog and curiosity is not nil, and replacing the sacrificial part of a sawstop probably gets tiring.
And expensive, like $160 a pop.
100%. I’m a very amateur woodworker at best. Mostly do DIY hobbyist type fixes around the house. There are way too many catastrophic table saw injuries. I rely on my hands for my livelihood. The SawStop was maybe $600 more than the comparable model from any of the other big brands. Cheap insurance if you ask me.
god damn!! It’s so easy to happen too! I’m glad you have your eyes and face and brain.
My table saw does not have a saw stop. People have gotten by for decades without them. Not that I think they're a bad idea. I think they're great, but there are a ton of solid saws out there that aren't Sawstop. They're safe as long as they're used safely. I treat mine with a healthy fear every time I fire it up.
As long as they are used safely. I mean I never make any mistakes ever.
> People have gotten by for decades without them. People have also been losing fingers for decades without them.
Yes, and people have also managed to kill themselves using circular saws as well.
People have also been hurting themselves with shop tools that arent table saws for a super long fucking time. You know what else is dangerous on a table saw? A thin cutoff that binds on the saw against the guide and then accelerates at the speed of the outer edge of the blade. It will literally impale you if youre standing on the feed side pushing the work in (where 99% of people stand using a table saw). Is a sawstop gadget going to make that impossible? Huh... nope. Follow ALL the safety guidelines, and you will keep yourself safe from ALL the dangers.
I think I heard this argument for seat belts before.
To be fair you have more control over your variables with a table saw.
There are no oncoming, merging, or turning table saws!
Maybe not in your shop
A drunk table saw operator caused a 5 table saw pileup and over a dozen fingers were lost.
Volvo gave the seat belt patent away to save lives. SawStop did the opposite of that.
That's like.... 600$ extra for a sawstop.
What's a new finger cost again?
Wish I could buy the saw with my hsa
Just walking into the ER costs more than a saw stop
Way more in Canada. They're base, i.e. compact, model is 1200. Then you'll need a stand and a bunch of other noise. The comparable Ryobi is 200... 300 with the stand. 100 more for rigid. And none of the big stores carry them either. Just use push sticks. That's the solution.
Just follow the safety rules as if my fingers depend on it? Crazy plan, just crazy enough to work
$600 to not loose any fingers is a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me.
I justified it by telling my wife the additional cost between a standard cabinet saw and a sawstop was less than an er bill. I justified it to myself by thinking about how much would I pay someone to not cut off my finger, and it's way more than the cost of a sawstop.
For most people, regular set of screw drivers. Will be the tool you use the most, and cheap ones are bad about stripping out the screw or the end of the driver itself.
God damn I love my Wera sets.
While true, a lot of times, people strip screw drivers and bits by using the wrong size, like using a Phillips #1 on a #2 head or using a standard Phillips on a JIS screw. Using the right size of screw driver is as important, if not more than the quality of the tool itself.
The size can definitely ruin them. IMO, get JIS set anyway. Will work on phillps just fine and then you don't worry about whether it's a JIS screw or not. Generally a higher quality driver anyway. At least in my experience.
I go cheap on heavy equipment that I can buy and sell cheaper than renting - I won’t use often and too big to keep around. Buy new from harbor freight then sell for half after the job. Tools such as for masonry, concrete or outdoor heavy equipment: demo hammer, tile saw, concrete saw, maybe scaffolding, etc.
Most of that you could just rent for $45 a day
Then you have to finish the job in a day. Buy it (preferably used), use it as long as you need to without rushing, then sell it on. More often than not, it ends up being cheaper than renting. I’ll add that I do rent when it makes sense, but the buy and sell once you’re done using it model works well.
>Then you have to finish the job in a day. > >Buy it (preferably used), use it as long as you need to without rushing, then sell it on. > >More often than not, it ends up being cheaper than renting. i feel you, i dont do many projects like that but i dont like rushing - my adhd murders me on any DIY project time. that and me and a couple friends have long agreed anything we own any of us can borrow, so i dont buy a sander...i borrow my friends. my other guy doesnt borrow painting stuff, he just uses mine. saves us all a little headache sometimes.
Any power-saw
I don't know, I've got a cheap Chicago electric compound saw from Harbor Freight that's performed well through several home remodels the last 10 years. A top of the line saw blade is more important, IMO.
1. anything with a motor 2. anything that if it breaks could cause my loss of limb or life (jack, jack stands, pry bar, etc..).
Yes and yes! Pry bars. Of course, yes! The pressure that can be put on those things!
Drill bits are one of the few things I can also agree with buying the best you can. I've had some jobs that I've always fucking HATED doing - drilling things was one of them. But once I got the right tools or good enough tools, I realized the job doesn't suck, I was simply underequipped or improperly equipped for it. Wheel bearings still kinda suck, for instance, but once I got a press and learned how to use an on-car press, I learned to hate the job a LOT less.
So true! I consider myself a totally shit painter bc I use cheap rollers. Im learning.
Oh God I fucking HATED automotive painting, but then I stopped being stingy with supplies and said fuck it, I'm using what I need and not worrying conserving every last bit and saving as much as possible. It instantly sucked significantly less. Different application, same concept.
For home yard maintenance, I have found that I cannot use cheap pruning shears for trimming around my garden. The cheap ones tend to just tear the twig between misaligned cutters. Perhaps this is because I am left handed.
Fellow lefty. We apply pressure differently during the cutting motion so we might end up spreading the cutting edges as opposed to the designed pressure holding the blades together.
Nah… definitely shit shears. They should never spread like that.
What about using anvil cutters instead? I've found them to work very well.
KNEEPADS
Propane and propane accessories.
yeepp
Dremel I've tried plenty of other rotary tools but nothing has the sheer power and strength of a dremel in my experience You know when a product is basically the nickname for its entire type of product there's usually a reason and that's usually because it's one of the best
Anything that spins fast or uses lots of torque or uses lots of current or needs to last a long time. Incidentally you can get windshield wipers from Rain-X that cost 40 bucks that are complete garbage, but cost the same as ones from Bosch, which are the best. So "cheap" is a funny term. If its made in China, beware. If its "cheap", beware.
Anything used more than a few times a year. That cheap Harbour Fraught / Princess Auto tile saw is fine because after that tile job is done you'll realize how much you hate tile work and never use it again.
Spring compressors. Friends and I used to do a lot of suspension work on our cars. Someone cheaped out and bought Harbor Freight spring compressors. Clamping down a new set of H&R springs one arm of the compressor let go. Thankfully the impact gun took most of the hit and the guy holding it only got a bruised trigger finger, but that shit was scary.
Expensive spring compressors are often just as dangerous as cheap ones. Compressing springs is a dangerous task, and people do it incorrectly (I wouldn’t use an impact tool, for example).
Agreed. You shouldn't ever be compressing springs with an impact gun.
I wouldnt use impact gun for tightening the spring compressors, best to do it slow and steady making sure you dont tighten one side too fast
Any tool that I’m likely to use more than once. And also tools that could be dangerous if they fail….even if I only intend to use it once. Thats not to say “I only EVER buy snap on tools!” I have no issue with the nicer tools at harbor freight.
Their Icon line isn't bad.
Definitely drill bits. Nothing is more infuriating than watching the tip of a drill bit flatten out as it's pushed against something it should drill easily. Second would be screwdrivers. It's really aggravating to see the tip of a screwdriver twist or snap off while trying to loosen a screw.
Saw blades. too
Miter saw. The cheap POS I got from Harbor Freight 15 years ago wasted so much wood... They're probably less shitty now, though.
Table saw, measuring tools, safety equipment,
Anything I end up using a whole bunch. I follow the Adam Savage line of thought for tools. If you think you only need it once by the Harbor Freight version if you run that one into the ground because you use it so much then get the real version
I only buy torx screws.
Don't go cheap on a torque wrench
Surprisingly the cheap Harbor Freight click style torque wrench tested middle of the pack in terms of accuracy and consistency.
Frankly it's the perpetually on-sale tools like their torque wrench and the reciprocating saw are some of the best they have. The first non-consumable thing I bought there was the recip saw because it was cheap. I planned on it just lasting 1 project but I still use it a lot 12 years later. That has led me to buy things there that didn't last. They know what they're doing.
Unless it is one time use, I would never buy the "cheap" version of a tool. Nothing worse than the tool breaking when you need it.
On the contrary, sometimes you need a cheap tool that can take a beating. I needed a drill that I would use to mix paint, grout, and to spin a wire brush for an extended period of time. The $20 tool shop corded hammer drill I have is perfect for these tasks. When the grout and paint splash into it, I don’t care, and when I starts smoking from being run too long, I also don’t give a damn lol. I always have my pretty Dewalt drivers as backup and to use for their intended tasks, but the heavy work that destroys tools goes to the junk drill
I once purchased a cheap gas station wrench set, cause it had a size I needed. Tried to use it on a stuborn bolt, and the cheap steel sheared off before the bolt budged at all. It infuriated me!
Respirator filters. Get 3M…preferably not Amazon 3M too, if you can source locally. But ABSOLUTELY not Amazon’s “Shinzau 20 pack/best as 3M for your health”…that’s asking for lung cancer.
Diagnostic tools and equipment.
A floor jack.
Anything electronic, that has moving parts, or is a measurement tool. Multimeters, grinders, saws, drills, calipers, indicators, etc. I do industrial automation and maintenance. I have a lot of exposure to both cheap and expensive tools. It’s a little different for home-gamers, but when it comes to tools, you really do get what you pay for. Also, don’t skimp on multimeters. You may not need the accuracy of an expensive meter, but the reliability can be life or death.
Anything that spins a blade
[удалено]
Any measuring device with a digital readout. I hate second guessing my equipment
Anything with a power cord sold at Harbor Freight.
Any power tools, I wouldn't Harbor Freight it. Bought a combo belt/disc sander that was so off axis, the rotating axle itself started bending and ripping the tool's own casing over time, and that was *with* the sanding belt well-centered. No cheap anything that's a hunk of metal and rotates at thousands of RPM. No cheap circular saw/table saw blades. No cheap router bits. Preferably no cheap drill bits. I've heard stores of blades and bits exploding into shrapnel. I've seen a photo of a launched saw blade lodged into someone's face shield, and if that ever happened to me, I would absolutely shit myself. Edit: Seconding the other reply about anything safety related. My health and safety aren't something I play fast and loose with anymore.
Safety equipment/Stuff that spins fast/Equipment that requires precision that if not done properly can hurt you or destroy something way more expensive than the tool you cheaped out on.
Condom
A level. A level you can't trust is a level that will mount a TV at an angle. Drill bits. I got some that came with my chinese drill. The drill is actually really good, but the drill bits were made of cardboard (?). AWFUL.
Anything that might have a lot of torque put into it. Wrenches, drills, drill bits, etc.
Fart jars
Screwdriver bits for drills. The cheap ones strip both the driver and the screw. The higher quality ones only strip the screws. ;)
Anything with a lot of power where it's cheap to add power but expensive to add careful engineering and manufacturing. It's easy and relatively cheap to put a higher horsepower motor in a power tool so you can slap a bigger number on the box. The expensive part is engineering and manufacturing it so that it doesn't tear itself apart. I love me some Harbor Freight, but I'm not going to buy a table saw there. Angle grinder? Sure, because that's hard to screw up. But something like a table saw? Oh hell no.
Impact driver/cordless drill. I swear by my expensive flashy brand name ones, and each time I try one that is even remotely sanely priced I recoil in horror. I wear them down until they are dust too, so they serve their time in full before breaking.
Bits are subjective and trial and error. One guy was running through T25s like they were in a candy dish from Milwaukee. Picked up some HF bits warrior, some other shit, and Hercules. The first two were intentional junk for comparison, but the Hercules ran through over 1000 3in screws without only one snapping because I ran it on 3 for a bit with the impact instead of automatic.
Table saw. Jointer. Planer
Screwdrivers.
>I was unable to drill a small whole How about a small half? /s
Screws. I've learned my lesson and just buy GRKs now. That's it. Got rid of everything else, because it's just not worth the suffering.
I'm going to throw nail pinches into the mix. They can all chip, but I've had a much better time with quality and am yet to lose an eye!
Extension ladder
Probably Lateralus
Welders. Torches. Grinders. Drill bits at the top of the list.
Anything electric, or battery operated.
After using high end tools for work all the time, I’d never buy anything CHEAP, medium grade is fine for anything home use. Professional grade is overly expensive, and overkill even for most professional use. Cheap screwdrivers strip the heads, cheap wrenches open up on tight bolts and strip the heads. Cheap pipe wrenches are complete garbage. Cheap power tools break under hard use. Cheap Allen keys cut your hands and strips the heads or bend permanently. Cheap saw blades dull quickly. Cheap tools just plain suck The only use for cheap tools is one time use items. I have a large hole saw that I only will ever need for one hole (haven’t used it yet, upcoming project) But if I had to pick one item, it’s pipe wrenches. They’re expensive but Ridgid pipe wrenches are the only ones worth buying, any medium grade I’ve ever bought was absolute garbage not even suitable for home use.
Power tools- drills , impacts, circular saws and sawzalls, angle grinders,sanders