Hello Everyone,
I'm a newbie to this NG and Woodworking. I am wondering if you could rank the following tool makers from best to worst. Please feel free to add your own.
TIA
Dewalt Black and Decker Makita Ryobi Craftsman Mastercraft (Canadian Participants)
Metabo Bosch Hitachi Makita Max Fein Paslode Milwaukee Panasonic Hilti Porter-Cable Ridgid (HD house brand) Senco Spotnails Delta DeWalt Bostich Black and Decker Ryobi Craftsman Mastercraft (Canadian Participants)
So if you are making a brand list you have to include a few other folks. Makita Porter Cable Bosch Dewalt - Probably in this order. These 3 depend on the particular item as all make good tools Black and Decker, Ryobi definitely low end. But I know folks who have had a good experience. Craftsman is a rogue - Sometimes good often not so much it depends on who their manufacturer is, for instance I believe Bosch is making their high end routers right now. W
Jet Bosch DeWalt Senco Porter-Cable Delta Milwaukee Hitachi Makita Ridgid Craftsman Black and decker Ryobi
I am a full time carpenter/woodworker and these are the brands that i use on a daily basis and in the order of my favorite to least favorite. For large stationary machines, Jet has my vote as #1. For powered hand tools, I prefer Bosch. DeWalt second for hand power tools. For nail guns, I prefer Senco after "retiring" all the PC guns, except the brad gun. All other PC tools would rate third. On down the line to Makita tools, which i feel are the lowest grade "professional" tools. (after many problems, I really dislike Makita tools and won't buy them anymore) . After that, IMO your getting into "homeowner" grade tools, which really have no professional use to me. Once again, i use woodworking tools everyday and buy the ones i feel are of the best quality, and these are my favorites. If you are just an occasional wood worker on a limited budget, you can get away with buying some homeowner oriented tools. Hope this helps, --dave.
That's hard do do. Some manufactures do better at certain tools. For example, the Bosch jigsaws are better than Porter-Cable's (IMO) but the Porter-Cable routers are better than Bosch's.
Milwalkee makes some fine tools, too.
Festool makes really nice stuff but whatever it is, you could buy two of the next best brand for the same costs.
Poster IBM5081 has a pretty good list (below). He left out Festool. I'd rank Porter-Cable and Milwaukee a little higher. However, I think the ranking should be on a tool by tool basis.
Limiting it to this list.
Better Than The Manufacturers Below:
Worse Than The Manufacturers Above:
UA100
Thank you for your responses. I didn't realize there was such a selection. As Dave wrote, I am looking at it from a perspective of a homeowner or as a hobby.
Amen, and everybody has their own favorites although there will be some coherence...
Or at on a stationary vs portable for those that do both or to ease the confusion on the rankings for the ones that don't...
But, to a certain extent, it's a religious question... :)
Ranking any brand in any particular order is WRONG. No one makes the best of everything. Don't fall into the brand loyalty thing. Buy which ever brand that best suits your needs for any given tool.
So your shop has all the colors. I remember how difficult it was for me to add an ugly gray PC to my bright yellow Dewalt collection because they had been so good to me. After that the brand loyalty was broken. Bob
this is very true. you have to be selective and fine the best tools from each brand.
It's like asking: Who makes the best set of wheels? Is it Ferrari or Peterbuilt?
Best vacation spot? Do you swim or ski?
You cannot make a list like that.
When my Milwaukee 4x24 belt sander finally became unrepairable (the thing had been dropped so many times, trying to run away from unskilled hands) the bearings were finally toast and the commutator was worn to the shaft... I decided to buy a PC belt sander, after all, I was so happy with the PC routers.......WRONGGGGGG.
I can go on for hours.
So... ask yourself: Do you want to go home to your wife as quickly as possible? or Do you want to go home to your wife as quickly as possible and bring her
40 metric tons of topsoil at the same time?First you categorize the job at hand. Then ask yourself how often and for how long you are going to do this task. Then make a list for that category of the best tools.. and I will guarantee you that 50% of the replies will disagree with that list.
Do you want to pay too much and still get your money's worth? Festool, Fein, Milwaukee, Lamello and Metabo.
Bits & blades?
Rob
"dadada" wrote in news:d9CFd.32452$ snipped-for-privacy@news20.bellglobal.com:
What brand is better depends considerably on what tool it is you want to buy...some makers are particularly noted for certain tools (e.g. Porter Cable for routers) but not so well regarded for the rest of their line.
However, of the list you give, the only two brands I would ever buy are Makita and Dewalt, and of those two Makita in my estimation is markedly superior.
John
Agreed.
In the past, I've bought Black and Decker, Makita and I think there's a Craftsman hiding somewhere. The only one in that list I'd buy now is Makita. Dewalt while it may have some quality products, sells a lot on their name and their trademark colour ~ makes me avoid them. Canadian Tire (alias Crappy Tire) is not a manufacturer, they sell other manufacturer's products. Consider them equivalent to Walmart when buying tools.
Some very well put advice in this thread. It's is truly a multi-colour world. I can say a bit about Mastercaft( Canadjun eh!). Back in the mid "90's I bought some Mastercraft tools, DP, CMS, bench grinder, oh and a 4" bench belt sander. They are all still in use to varying extent, mostly the DP (dailyuse) and the CMS. They aren't pretty or refined but they are all still very useful. The caveat being they get hobby use, I'm less poor now, and choose from brands higher up on the list.
Makita (Never had a speck of trouble with anything I own) Porter-Cable Delta Milwaukee (Only own a Sawzall so I can't really say much other than this one is great) Never owned anything by general but everyone else who owns it says their tools are great.
KP
On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 16:57:29 -0500, "dadada" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email
Ask about each tool. get a dozen answers, but at least you've mnaroowed it down
State your amount and type of use. this can decide accuracy and longevity issues
Decide whether you _really_ need that tool, or are trying to find out whether you do. If you are simply "testing the waters, then buy a _moderate_ cheapy. * Ryobi is powerful, not very accurate, but reasonably strong....... which of course means you put up with the bloody thong for longer * But be prepared for it to not only not last as long, but to not work as well. So allow for that when deciding whether you can use that type of tool.
Makita would be close to the bottom of my list. My only Makita was overprices and never worked well.
Dick
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