Tools and Shop Talk - Opinions, Thoughts, Reviews, B.S., etc.

[Slim-Whitey]

Well the cutting is mostly on the blade, not the saw. A 22 year old black n decker will cut nicely with a 120 tooth Freud in it.

But yeah, Bosch can make one helluva saw.
They also have a nice left handed skill saw, with a framing hook. If they had metal adjustment hardware (like DeWalt), that would be the perfect saw.

But, DeWalt seems to be the last holdout on that. And Makitas older line still uses metal as well.
Milwaukee, new Makita, Hitachi, Bosch, all plastic shit.

 

[kasnerd]

Well the cutting is mostly on the blade, not the saw. A 22 year old black n decker will cut nicely with a 120 tooth Freud in it.

But yeah, Bosch can make one helluva saw.
They also have a nice left handed skill saw, with a framing hook. If they had metal adjustment hardware (like DeWalt), that would be the perfect saw.

But, DeWalt seems to be the last holdout on that. And Makitas older line still uses metal as well.
Milwaukee, new Makita, Hitachi, Bosch, all plastic shit.

my lil toy fuel milfuckee has a hook, and that lil sob demo'd and resheeted a 60sq roof of osb, still on the same blade. took a bunch of drops,easily tuned it really impressed me. tile guys still rocking the big worm drives but they go all day every day. I think you'd find a sweet spot with Hilti for a daily driver plus skookum guts. Dewalt just seems to get it right way more often. I'm not sold on this AC brushless shit. I think all the bats have fled for the hills, man those things are high pitched and one integrated circuit away from the garbage bin.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

I cannot enjoy Milwaukee tools. I've never used a corded Milwaukee that was not outdone by a cheaper priced competitor.
DeWalt makes a better skillsaw.
Makita makes a better light duty hammer drill and sawzall.
Bosch makes a better miter saw (although this is close. Milwaukee's 12" miter saws are a nice unit; the Bosch is just better).
Etc etc ad nauseum infinity.

Hilti as a "daily driver" is hilarious. A cordless Hilti impact and standard drill (with hammer option), charger, and 2 of their 22v batteries comes in at nearly the same price as a 5 tool DeWalt package with 2 chargers and 4 batteries.

Hilti is great. Awesome lineup of tools, best warranty out there (fuckers have THEFT COVERAGE). But fuck me dead they put a price on it.

 

[kasnerd]

Charge more, get yourself a little somethin nice?

I know, easier said than done from a keyboard. You gotta admit Hilti has your back. HF has em all beat with warranty/replacement there because you can just swap same day. Any retail storefronts do manf warranty on the spot? not that I know of. Home depot has tool repair but ehhh....never impressed.

Make the investment in yourself. If it pays to use better stuff...do it. I have a bosch ro sander that i am so happy plunking down the extra money for because its so farking comfortable to use, vibrations are muted beyond belief and its absolutely a powerhouse. little gems like that, doesn't matter the name, that paid for itself the first week using it because I could go hours longer with it.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

My DeWalt RO is a good sander. But I actually dislike ROs and prefer directionals. Directionals don't leave the marks that ROs do on real fine stuff.

Regarding 'treating' myself, my company buys the power tools man.

I'm literally not allowed to bring personal power tools on site.

All this shit I own is literal hobbyist shit now, because I don't do cash jobs anymore, since no one wants to fucking pay you. I think I'm out 15g of unpaid cash work in 3 years.

And honestly, if I need a tool at home, I check the crib at work, check if it's signed out to a site the next week, and if it isn't, I sign it out to my company truck and take it home.

It's why I DIDN'T get a Hilti set this year, or the Stabila 5 dot plumb laser I wanted.
That's why I'm a carpenter with more mechanics tools than carpentry tools (although I'm still relatively well heeled to build a house).

 

[kasnerd]

hah, work tools ftw. it's like steak. doesn't matter the cut or doneness, it's always better when it's free.

stabila and starrett, my next toxic wonderlust. combo square... one day, one day.
although I love my incra rulers. holy cow the repeated accuracy. here's all the squares for you nerds. just got everything rearranged after emptying the garage to do the floors. consolidated thr workshop into a couple of rollers and metal shelves lining the walls.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

Nicely done.

I don't have the finishing and millwork tooling. It's just not relevant for me right now.

I do love my Stabila levels. Gotta get a 6' for doors, but that's 200 bucks.

To give an idea on cash work and what seems to follow me around, my fiance's workplace needs a new fire door in the hallway.

So, I put a quote together for ordering the door, closer, closer for the exterior door (thing is a million years old), and adjusting all the closers in the building for proper hang time, latch speed, and backcheck.

Give it to her. It's literally 1 day work. She complains that she called me because my fiance works for her, and that they were hoping I could just "do it in an evening".

I was polite, but said that I didn't think putting in a full days work for free, along with handling the ordering and delivery of the material, was something I'd be interested in.

Then she had the nuts to ask if she could keep the quote.
Like. . .

What the fuck.

 

[97t4r81]

The trades don’t get much respect, until it’s defcon 2, the lights, water, locks and their vehicles quit on them. Then it’s can you pleassseeeee come help

 

[kasnerd]

da fuk is wrong with people. lol demo and hang a new door in the evening?? I'm guessing they went to home depot and had the brilliant idea to cheap out by using friends/family. I don't get it. it's insulting.

I do IT for a career and it's mind-numbing that 'friends/family' expect me to rehab their porn infected laptop for hours. I bill out at $125/uspesos per hour. fuck I'll buy you a new laptop, it's cheaper. then they get mad with a system restore because that is quickest/surefire before going nuclear and they have to setup everything again. like seriously?? I gotta make sure you manage your data now?? Some family is always 'appreciate you coming to me for help the answer is still no.' I try really hard to avoid business with friends or family, learned that lesson a long time ago, and it's been paying dividends since '98.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

I'm sure if I started an instagram page and made up business cards I could do it legit and keep busy.

But with my career at the company I'm at taking off, I'm not able to put in the long days required.

Between my fiance and I, we can frame a typical house in about 12 days. It'd be faster but she's only been on a couple projects with me (the cash jobs that haven't paid for shit).

When residential building picks up again, I'm thinking if going to the company my old boss used to sub out for (I have a great report with them still) and say I'll pick up a house or two in the summer.

But if that doesn't happen, I'll stick to flipping vehicles and running work/buying into where I am. This under the table shit sucks.

Fyi: I only put down 25 bucks an hour for that quote.
It was about 200 bucks in labour.
And they bitched.

 

[kasnerd]

the omnipresent rub of being in business for yourself, the ebb and flow of jobs and money. it's not for everyone and I have my days, ugh... dealing with customers you have to keep, that's where the 9-5 has it bested and makes ya 2nd guess everything.

tell em to keep the quote but ask for your phone number back. lol

 

[Slim-Whitey]

Well I'll have similar troubles in 10 years anyway.

Except it won't be "can I find work for myself to pay my bills", it'll be "I have to find work for 30 odd guys so they can pay their bills, AND I can pay mine."

Bigger jobs,bigger problems.

 

[kasnerd]

Well I'll have similar troubles in 10 years anyway.

Except it won't be "can I find work for myself to pay my bills", it'll be "I have to find work for 30 odd guys so they can pay their bills, AND I can pay mine."

Bigger jobs,bigger problems.

exactly, trying to find, then stay in the sweet spot.

 

[Arcticelf]

Well I'll have similar troubles in 10 years anyway.

Except it won't be "can I find work for myself to pay my bills", it'll be "I have to find work for 30 odd guys so they can pay their bills, AND I can pay mine."

Bigger jobs,bigger problems.

The only good news is that its exactly the same amount of pain and suffering to employ 10 guys as 30. And the difference between 30 and 300 is way smaller than the difference between 3 and 10.

 

[theesotericone]

hah, work tools ftw. it's like steak. doesn't matter the cut or doneness, it's always better when it's free.

stabila and starrett, my next toxic wonderlust. combo square... one day, one day.
although I love my incra rulers. holy cow the repeated accuracy. here's all the squares for you nerds. just got everything rearranged after emptying the garage to do the floors. consolidated thr workshop into a couple of rollers and metal shelves lining the walls.

I'm going to guess since you have an Empire speed square that you are not a framer. Swanson is the only way to go if frame.

 

[kasnerd]

I'm going to guess since you have an Empire speed square that you are not a framer. Swanson is the only way to go if frame.

not a framer, but reframed my roof. grew up around/working for trades. my framing square, which doesn't fit in the drawer is a starrett
there's Swanson mixed in. they don't last or get abused so I go through one every few years. the starrett gets used but only mindfully.

 

[kasnerd]

ironically I just replaced my old one. friend used it and bent it and I gave it to him as a joke bday gift. they are ok.

the lil speed square. I like it cuz it's bright blue and easy to see laying around. it's mostly used for a cross cut guide for the circsaw or doing rough cuts

 

[theesotericone]

not a framer, but reframed my roof. grew up around/working for trades. my framing square, which doesn't fit in the drawer is a starrett
there's Swanson mixed in. they don't last or get abused so I go through one every few years. the starrett gets used but only mindfully.

I have 4 squares. A 6" Swanson speed, a 12" Swanson speed, a Johnson Level framing square, and a 6" Swanson combo square. They all get used and abused. And because I'm a perfectionist at work they all actually get checked for true weekly. lol

 

[kasnerd]

I have 4 squares. A 6" Swanson speed, a 12" Swanson speed, a Johnson Level framing square, and a 6" Swanson combo square. They all get used and abused. And because I'm a perfectionist at work they all actually get checked for true weekly. lol

i just sanded the clear off one rubbed in black enamel for the marks. recleared it and passed it onto a friend. came out nice.

 

[kasnerd]

oh and empire, I loathe lowes so empire it is. pretty decent. I have incra ref squares and everything is tuned to those.