I was just reading the thread on circ saws and side winder vs wormies. A lot of guys mentioned long time or short life without much talk of actual years of regular use.
I thought it’d be a good topic.
I’ve had several diferent sidewinders and generally get about ten years out of each one. Motors all still turn but no longer safe or convenient to use. Thirty- three year old Millers Falls with broken handle gets to cut steel or masonry occasionally now. the fourty year old Craftsman sits in the shop for that occasionall chop cut to shorten a piece. The fifteen YO Milwaukee is still my favorite and is wearing it’s third cord in daily use. I’ve got a PC that must be four YO now but I save it for the nicer work on panels and trim because the shoe is so nice while the Milwaukee still chews most of the framing wood. Actuall, there’s something about that PC – I have cut the cord on it four times now and I cut the cord on one that my helper has too.
Reciprocating saws seem to only last about three or four years but I do a lot of heavy demo work in my remodeling. Big beams, cast iron pipe, steel I beams, plaster walls. The PC was the best so I got another.
drills don’t die often. I had two Craftsmen drills for fifteen years each before Sears forgot how to make tools. The Milwaukee I have now should outlast me since it is similar to two SR and Tex screw guns that are older than some guys reading this.
Cordless drill drivers only get me about four years too but that’s because the batteries and chargers go out about the same time that new improved models come out.
Friends don’t let friends drive Ryobi!
Excellence is its own reward!
“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.”
–Marcus Aurelius
Replies
ro sanders, new one every couple years.
listening for the secret.......searching for the sound...
They are rough on the bearings. And newer better models are always coming out too..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
keep waiting for my '73 craftsman 3x21 belt to die so i can get one of the newer models.... but so far , no such luck
my rockwell 315 is from about '80, but it has a new arbor.. and i use it for masonry & steel..the PC lefty is about 5 years now
got a workhorse Millers-Falls router for rough work.. that has to be from the '70's... still gets trotted out every job..
and the super-sawzall has to be going on about 10 years now with no shop timeMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
OK, you've caught me, who in the hell is SR and Tex??
Sheet rock screw gun and Tex screw gun. Tex screws are used for steel buildings and steel roofs..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
I feel silly, I was thinking SR was Sears and Robuck but what was Tex? You claimed they were older than some of us in here and I was duped.
Maybe I have the exceptions ....
I have a 220 volt Ryobi belt sander and a 220 volt electric plane from my years in South Africa and so far I can't kill them.
Those were the ones that had the Ryobi cases and the Makita inerds, so I guess that's something.
At my age, my fingers & knees arrive at work an hour after I do.
Aaron the Handyman
Vancouver, Canada
My everyday fixed base router.....Stanley, I believe.....has the paperwork it came from the factory with.....dated 1954.
All aluminum body and base.....depth is adjusted by threading the base up or down the motor housing......and that motor housing can also be threaded into a door plane base.....which I've never done because the big spiral cutter I have in the kit it rusted and frozen shut...no hopes of revival.
anyone that's used it finds a new favorite.
Jeff
..............Al-ways look on......the bright......side of life...........
.......whistle.....whistle.......whistle........
Rockwell 315, everyday use since '72. New armiture (however it's spelled), bearings, but this saw still cuts true. Have managed to find 2 more in the last few years that I've reno'd and keep them in shop or for additional saw when two diff. repetitive cuts are due. Have used many others but it's wobble-free freehand cutting is what hooked me after purchase. 59.95 in a mtl box as a bonus special at a lumberyd opening. Shoulda bought the whole skid.
Milwaukee sawzall, hi/low speed from 72 also. Needed some gear replaced after loaning it to a numbskull on a job. Probably could have supersawzalled at the time, but just repaired the old one. Put some cords and switches on it, but still used often.
Milwaukee screwgun, w/detachable cord 99.00 new in 73. Brushes only if I remember correctly. Have used the crap outta it too, no wanna quit.
Hilti 3/8 hammer drill included in their powder actuated nailgun promo from 73 still see's constant use. I know I should upgrade this tool as the technology for drilling concrete has certainly come a long way.
I laugh when reading about someone burning up and throwing away tools after 5/10 years and they're happy with the use. I'm thinking either you abuse the crap outta them or they were bogus to begin with. One other thing might be in my favor for long tool life. Maintain them and don't loan them. Being on my own for so long, no one else uses them and anything changing in their operation is quickly taken care of.__________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
I'll agree that when I saw through a slew of old 8x8s with plaster dust all around all day with a Bosch sawsall 'till smoke pours out of the front gearing is somewhat akin to abuse.
;-)
Generally, I do take care of them better than average but I'm the master. The tools don't own me. I own them. If it does break down and is fixable, I do but like tha Millers Falls circ saw - they aren't made anymore so I can't buy a new handle for it. Even my time will come someday..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
I've got a bunch of routers of all ages. Even one Ryobi LOL
The only one that I ever wore out was the easiest and most comfortable to use for me. It was a B&D handyman style. The plastice holders to retain the brushes and guide the armature got overheated and weakened until they fractured under the stresses.
We usually don't use routers daily but when we do a run of millwork with router tables, they can be singing and shouting all day long and get a good workout..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius